This is a relatively easy dessert to make from store-bought puff pastry. Make sure your fridge has room to hold two baking sheets, as refrigeration is required between steps. To retain crispness, store the finished twists at room temperature. Recipe here: http://m.puffpastry.com/recipe/50036/chocolate-dipped-spiced-twists (Feb. 2016)
Tag: baking
Chocolate and pecan croissant bundles
We followed this recipe for triple chocolate bundles, but used only two type of chocolate chips (a 2:1 ratio of semi-sweet to milk) and added pecans in lieu of the third chocolate flavor. Recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/triple-chocolate-bundles (Feb. 2016)
Oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, pecans, and dried cherries
On this snow day, we decided to try out this Smitten Kitchen recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/11/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-and-pecan-cookies. We ran out of pecans, so we substituted half of the pecans with dried cherries. We also used rolled oats instead of quick-cook oats. These cookies ended up being overly sweet (probably due to the 12 oz of chocolate) and quite… Continue reading Oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, pecans, and dried cherries
Broccoli and cheddar frittata
We tried this healthy recipe from Ellie Krieger: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/broccoli-and-cheddar-frittata-recipe2.html. It uses 4 eggs and 4 egg whites. We added a dash of marash pepper and chopped Italian parsley. We served this with simply dressed tomatoes, here: http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/121554237486/simply-dressed-tomatoes-slice-tomatoes-any-type (Jan. 2016)
Savory tomato and string bean baklava
Chef Maria Elia's recipe has Greek notes like fresh dill, cinnamon, feta, and honey. Recipe here: http://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/tomato-and-string-bean-baklava-recipe/. Our only modification is instead of 2 tsp cinnamon, we used 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg. We also had to bake it 20 mins longer and at a higher temperature (we raised it to 375/400 for the… Continue reading Savory tomato and string bean baklava
Baked salmon in puff pastry
We used store-bought frozen puff pastry that we defrosted in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Recipe and useful video here: http://livewellnetwork.com/My-Family-Recipe-Rocks/recipes/Salmon-Stuffed-Puff-Pastry/9263020. We used about 1 lb salmon and baked it for 45 mins. We also served mixed green salad with a honey dijon mustard vinaigrette. The vinaigrette recipe is here: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/03/roasted-beet-salad-with-goat-cheese-walnuts-honey-dijon-vinaigrette.html. We added an extra… Continue reading Baked salmon in puff pastry
Peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
We could not resist trying this recipe, and it was delicious: https://savorysweetlife.com/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/#more-10566 Our modifications: first, we used 1 cup smooth peanut butter (Simply Jif) and white sugar instead of turbinado. Because our peanut butter was lightly salted already, we reduced the added salt to 1/8 tsp (from ¾ tsp). Second, we used dark chocolate chips… Continue reading Peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Mrs. Tasca’s pumpkin nut bread
Preheat oven to 350. Combine 3 cups sugar, 1 cup neutral vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cloves, and 1 tsp salt. When well-mixed, use an electric blender to fold in 1 cup canned pumpkin, 2/3 cup water, 2 tsp baking soda,… Continue reading Mrs. Tasca’s pumpkin nut bread
Auntie Jenny’s mocha cake
Preheat oven to 350. Sift the following dry ingredients together: 2 cups flour, 2 cups white sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, and 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Using… Continue reading Auntie Jenny’s mocha cake
Blueberry crumble with cornmeal-almond topping
We tried this Food Network recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/blueberry-crumble-with-cornmeal-almond-topping-recipe-1973476 (Jan. 2014) Note: If you use frozen blueberries, they elicit more liquid than fresh blueberries. So you may want to supplement frozen blueberries with additional flour to absorb that liquid.
Cooking Adventures 