Andes Mint Cookies

Have you seen these?!

I saw these Andes Baking Chips in Walmart the other day and had to get them. The only thing I like more than Chocolate & Peanut Butter is Chocolate & Mint. I made the cookie recipe (on the package) tonight and they are DELICIOUS! The only thing I changed was 2 1/3 c. flour instead of 2 2/3 c. Also, I don't think you need to chill the dough (I didn't). Here's the recipe:

Andes Crème de Menthe Cookies:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salted butter - softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 package (10 oz.) Andes® Crème de Menthe Baking Chips

2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed. Stir in Andes Baking Chips and then flour. Chill approximately one hour in the refrigerator. Measure out approximately 1 oz. of dough. Form a ball and slightly flatten. Raise oven rack one level above the middle and bake on non-stick baking pans. Bake at 350° F for approximately 8 - 10 minutes. Cool on pans for two minutes before removing.

On another note- have you seen this ingenious way of dunking Oreos?!!

Middle Oven Rack?

OK, so I have a question for you more experienced chefs- when a recipe instructs you to use the middle oven rack (particularly when baking), do you use the 2nd from the bottom or the 3rd from the bottom (all of the ovens I've ever used have had 4 racks)?

I usually arbitrarily use one or the other and it seems to work out, but I was wondering if there is a "right" rack to use in this circumstance.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Mark and I pick a lot of cranberries (they're actually small low-bush cranberries called lingonberries) during the summer. I freeze them and use them throughout the winter for a nice treat. This is one our favorite recipes. The recipe is from the Everyday Food cookbook (Martha Stewart Co.), which is a great cookbook with lots of good pictures (I always like to see what the end product should look like). In the recipe it looks like they use the larger Ocean Spray type cranberries you can get in the supermarket.

Note: I usually have to cook my cake about 45 minutes (or until I jiggle the cake and the middle is set).

My Cake


Martha's Cake

Ingredients

Serves 8

8 T. butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. allspice
1 3/4 c. cranberries
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; with rack in center. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over bottom of pan; arrange cranberries in a single layer on top.

2. With an electric mixer, cream remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

3. Spoon batter over cranberries in pan, and smooth top. Place pan on a baking sheet; bake cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a rimmed platter.

My Bread Recipe

My mom taught me how to make bread when I was fourteen years old. I needed money for the summer, so I used her bread recipe to make cinnamon rolls which my dad sold out at the plant. It was a pretty good gig. I use the recipe for bread, rolls, cinnamon rolls, and even fry bread.

2 c warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1 c milk
1/2 c sugar
1 cube margarine
1 Tbsp salt
3 eggs
8-9 c flour

Dissolve yeast in a large bowl. (I have kitchen aid, so I use that). In the meantime, put milk, sugar margarine and salt in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for three minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and add the three eggs. Stir to combine. Add to yeast mixture and stir. Stir in 8 cups of flour. Knead until smooth. Add more flour if mixture is too sticky. (The stickier the dough, the softer the bread-I like my rolls to be softer than my bread). Turn out into a greased bowl and let rise until double. Punch down and form into three loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven and bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and turn out of the pans. Butter the tops of the loafs.

For rolls, after the dough rises, form into rolls and let them rise again. Bake at 350 degrees until browned. (About 25-30 minutes).

For cinnamon rolls, after the dough rises, split the dough into two portions. Roll one portion out. Combine 1 cube margarine, about 1/4 c brown sugar and 1-2 Tbsp cinnamon. Spread evenly onto the dough and roll up. Cut into 1 inch rolls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until light golden. Frost with vanilla or cream cheese frosting. (I'm lazy and just buy a container of the packaged cake frosting).

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I don't have a picture, but I'll post one soon (I'm actually making it tomorrow for a dinner party). This is such a good and easy cake to make. If you've tried other chocolate zucchini cakes, give this recipe a try- I think the cinnamon and cloves give it a nice flavor. Don't let the zucchini scare you off- it gives the cake a nice and moist texture.

1/2 c. butter (room temp)
1/2 c. oil (I use vegetable)
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 whole eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 c. pecans (chopped) (personally, I use about a cup)
2 c. zucchini (grated)
1/2 c. chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate)
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, oil, and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Fold in pecans, zucchini, and chocolate chips. Pour batter into 9x13 lightly greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pesto Chicken Strombolli~

I made this the other day and forgot to take pictures, so I snagged the one off the site I got the recipe from. It was SOOOO good. It's easy too.

1 Rhodes Rolls Frozen bread Loaf
1/2 cup Pesto Sauce
2 cups Spinach
2 cups Cooked Shredded Chicken
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Thaw bread according to package. On greased counter roll out to a rectangle about the size of a cookie sheet. Spread Pesto all over leaving a 1 inch space from edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan on top of pesto. Sprinkle Mozzarella the layer of spinach, last your shredded Chicken. Now roll, jelly roll style, starting at the long end. Roll it all the way so it makes a long tube. Place on a greased cookie sheet, make sure seam is on the bottom. Tuck ends under. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Garlic Salt. Cut slits along the top to vent. Let Rise 30 minutes. Bake @350º until golden brown, 20-30 minutes.

*I rolled mine out on a floured countertop not greased. I also used frozen spinach.

White Chicken Chili

(I do the ward RS newsletter and they wanted this recipe that was served before the RS broadcast in September published, so I thought you might like it too. It is easy, easy, good and takes no time for those of you who have to cook after you've worked out of the home all day.)

2 cans Great White Northern beans (15.5 oz. cans)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (or one 12.5 oz. can of white chicken meat)
3 cups chicken stock or broth (can use bouillon cubes or granules)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup shopped onion (can use dried minced or chopped onion)
2 garlic cloves minced (can use dried minced garlic)
1 small can diced green chiles(4 oz.)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or you can leave this out)
3 T. lime juice if you want
1 1/2 cups grated montery jack cheese
sour cream

Saute onions in olive oil, add garlic, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Saute 2 minuntes. Add undrained beans, chicken stock, chicken and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream.