S'mores for all Seasons

S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

Summer may be almost over and with it the picnics and going to the beach.

And s'mores over the campfire.

But I had this eureka moment the other day when I thought about incorporating the s'mores ingredients into a chocolate chip cookie. 

I made several versions, some stacked, some stuffed, some with cut up marshmallows, some with shaved chocolate.

But they were all too thick, too soft, too just not right.

This one is exactly what I had hoped: crispy, chocolate-y, marshmallow-y and just the right amount of graham cracker crumbs to give it extra sweetness and a gorgeous golden glow.

S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini-marshmallows 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Beat the butter, coconut oil, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Add the eggs and beat the mixture until well blended. Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, baking powder and salt and blend them in thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and place each scoop on the cookie sheet, leaving room for the cookies to spread. Tuck the marshmallows beneath the dough as much as possible. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Makes about 48 cookies

Banana Bread with Blueberries

When I saw purple prune plums for sale last week I realized that summer is almost over. This plum variety is usually a September fruit but everything seems to be growing earlier or quicker this year or maybe it's just that I'm growing older and life is flying by faster.

Fortunately the peaches are still lush and sweet, the tomatoes juicy, so there's that.

But fall is coming and alas, the blueberries are past prime. I bought a couple of pint boxes and found that their up-to-now summer flavor has faded.

I decided the leftovers were best used as a secondary player, not the star. And at that they were perfect.

 

Banana Bread with Blueberries

• 2-½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe medium bananas, mashed
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a (10-inch) 8-cup bundt pan. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and lemon peel together in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the sugar and eggs for 2-3 minutes or until well blended. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract and beat for one minute or until thoroughly blended. Add the bananas and yogurt and beat them in. Add the flour mixture and beat until the batter is well blended. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one bread, serving 12-16

Cream Cheese Cookies

While cleaning out/purging my files recently, I rediscovered this recipe for these Cream Cheese Cookies. It was on an old index card, in my mother's handwriting. I'd always wanted to try these, but never did because after the list of ingredients there was this instruction: "bake and freeze."

I don't remember watching my Mom bake these cookies and I had no clue what "bake and freeze" meant other than that I had to chill the dough before doing anything with it. She also never wrote down the oven temperature.

So I tried several versions. I rolled clumps of dough into 1-inch balls and baked them. I made some crescent shaped. The best ones were when I rolled the dough into two long logs, refrigerated them overnight and cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices, baked at 325 degrees.

My mother never said to dust the baked cookies with confectioners' sugar. I tried them with and without and think the cookies taste better and look nicer with that final garnish.

Glad I finally tried the recipe! The cookies are rich and tender, lightly sweet (only 2 tablespoons of sugar!), a perfect snack for a coffee or tea break.

Here's the recipe, with instructions.

MY MOTHER'S CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

• 1/2 pound butter
• 1/2 pound cream cheese
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• confectioners' sugar

Beat the butter and cream cheese together in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium (or use a hand mixer) for 2-3 minutes, until softened and completely blended. Add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla extract and beat them in thoroughly. Add the flour gradually, beating it in until a smooth, uniform dough has formed. Cut the dough in half and roll each half into a long log about 1-inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, or until firm and cold. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Slice the logs into 1/4-inch slices and place the slices on cookie sheets. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. Dust with confectioners sugar (best if sifted over the cookies).

Makes about 60 cookies

Lemonade Cookies

I read that in some places the local  government has either banned or regulated lemonade stands.

They say it has to do with the stands (run by kids of course) being next to or too near commercial vendors who by law had to pay some sort of fee. In some cases they say it’s about health issues.

Because this is a food blog I’m not going to touch the political issues. But I have to say I love the idea of entrepreneurial kids — and lemonade stands are sort of tradition in this country, right?

On the other hand, lemonade at lemonade stands isn’t what it used to be back in the day. I’ve seen way too many where they sell what I think of as fake lemonade made by mixing water with some awful chemical tasting crystals from a cardboard container. Call me fussy, but it’s not a beverage I would drink, so for me, it’s not a government thing and although I love the kids’ grit and spirit, I ban fake lemonade as a matter of taste.

C’mon kiddos! Fresh lemonade from homemade lemon syrup is so easy to make. You can make pitchers-ful and stock it in the fridge for a week. All you have to do is add water or seltzer to some of the syrup and you’ve got some pretty tasty stuff to drink. Or sell.

And if you have any extra syrup leftover you can can use it for splendiferous things like these cookies. In fact, why not sell the cookies too?

Lemonade Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons lemon syrup

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1/4 cup lemon syrup

granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the butter mixture, alternating with 10 tablespoons lemon syrup. Mix in the lemon peel. Drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, brush them with the remaining 1/4 cup lemon syrup. Sprinkle with sugar. Let the cookies cool.

 Makes about 60 cookies

To make Lemon Syrup: 

1-1/2 cups water

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups lemon juice (6-7 lemons)

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil the liquid for 5-8 minutes or until thicker and syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and peel. Refrigerate for at least one hour or until very cold. Strain the mixture into a storage container.

Makes just under 3 cups

Nut-free Chocolate Chunk Grand Finale Cookies

I have just a few minutes until I turn everything off, including work, so I can watch the World Cup match between the U.S. and Germany.

It will be a nailbiter, especially because of what happened in the last 20 seconds of the last game between the U.S. and Portugal.

So, I wanted to wish our team good luck and send them off with a terrific recipe: the all-American chocolate chip cookie. This is my latest version of my family-favorite Grand Finale cookies, but this one is nut-free and has chocolate chunks.

NUT FREE CHOCOLATE CHUNK GRAND FINALE COOKIES

•    1 cup all-purpose flour

•    1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

•    1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

•    1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

•    1/2 teaspoon salt

•    3/4 cup unsalted butter

•    3/4 cup packed brown sugar

•    3/4 cup sugar

•    1 large egg

•    1/4 cup orange juice

•    1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•    2 cups quick cooking oats

•    12 ounce package chocolate chunks

•    1 cup shredded coconut

•    1/2 cup golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth, creamy and well blended. Add the egg, orange juice and vanilla extract and beat them in, blending thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and blend it in thoroughly. Add the oats, chocolate chunks, coconut and raisins and mix them in. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and place on the cookie sheets, leaving some place between the blobs for the cookies to spread. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes then remove to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes 36-42 cookies

Gluten-free Gingersnaps

A few weeks ago I wrote an article about sorghum syrup for The Jewish Week and mentioned that this sweetener (which was very popular before cheap, refined sugar came along) was gluten-free. 

But then I gave a recipe for sorghum-sweetened gingersnaps and unfortunately the cookies were not gluten-free.

That was a mistake! 

So here it is, a completely gluten-free recipe for gingersnaps. I like these even better than the original recipe. They are somewhat softer that regular gingersnaps.

Gluten-free Gingersnaps

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup sorghum syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Combine the shortening, coconut oil and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well combined. Add the egg, sorghum syrup and vanilla extract and beat until well blended. Add the gluten-free flour, coconut flour and quinoa flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg and beat until the dough is well blended, smooth and uniform in color. Scoop mounded tablespoons of the dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving an inch space between each piece (you will have to repeat or use several cookie sheets). Sprinkle the dough lightly with sugar. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until the cookies have spread and are flat and crispy, with lines on the surface.

Makes about 60

German Apple Cake

German Apple Cake 

I was away recently, traveling through Germany and the Czech Republic, which means two things.

First, it was a great trip and I had a good time, learned a lot, saw a lot and met a lot of nice people.

Two, I gained weight.

Of course I gained weight. That’s what happens on a vacation.

Is it just me or does everyone add a few pounds this way?

I gained weight even though I walked probably 6-8 miles each day. Think of what would have happened if I taxi-ed all over the place!

But when you’re in a place that’s famous for its Apple Kuchen, schlag, dark beer and potatoes, well, you’re gonna gain weight. Especially if you like Apple Kuchen, schlag, dark beer and potatoes.

Which I do.

Okay, so I have to lose four pounds that got added on over 22 days.

But how do I do that when I felt absolutely compelled to try out recipes for Apple Kuchen?

Like the kind we had at a marvelous little coffee house in Potsdam.

The cake was tender and vaguely lemony, with a layer of soft baked sliced apples and crusted with mocha-brown crumbles of streusel.

Perfect.

Like this:

German Apple Cake

Streusel:

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Place the sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and mix until well blended. Pour in the butter and blend it in. Let stand for 4-5 minutes, then crumble the mixture using your fingers. Set aside.

Cake:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 2 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the streusel and set it aside. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon peel in the bowl of an electric mixer. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and stir only to combine: do not overbeat. Turn the batter into the prepared cake pan. Top with the apple slices. Cover with the streusel. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the outer ring from the pan and let the cake cool completely.

Makes one cake

Saint Cupcake’s Brownie Cookies

Saint Cupcake’s Chocolate Cookies

Why bother with any other recipe this Valentine’s Day? That’s what I realized. These cookies, which I baked last weekend, were so good that my husband devoured almost the entire batch. He did leave some for a couple of workmen who happened to be at our house making some repairs on the oven. But I am about to make another batch. Or two. So I know I will have some available.

I got the recipe from Sprinklefingers, a tumblr blog I follow. The woman who writes the Sprinklefingers blog is an energetic, interesting person who lives in Portland, Oregon, and has this fabulous bakery called Saint Cupcake (actually there are two bakeries now). I say fabulous because the photos and the menu of goodies looks fabulous. I’ve never been there or met the woman, Jami Curl, who owns it and writes the blog. The place and the woman are clear across the country from me.

But I do know that all the posts are interesting and the recipes wonderful.

So the other day I tried her recipe for Chocolate Brownie Cookies. All I can say is: these are not to be missed. The cookies are awesome. Perfect for Valentine’s Day. Or any other day actually.

I made one batch of the larger cookies, one batch of the smaller. I prefer the smaller (then you don’t feel so guilty eating two).

I changed the way Jami’s recipe is written to conform to the way I write recipes, so maybe I should say it is adapted. But the ingredients and instructions are exactly the same. Maybe I should have this blurb like they do on TV when they say a movie has been edited to be formatted for your TV screen.

Saint Cupcake’s Brownie Cookies

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 large eggs plus one large egg yolk

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease the sheet lightly). Melt the butter and chocolate together in the top part of a double boiler. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to let ingredients cool. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside. Beat the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed until well blended, about 5 minutes. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and vanilla and blend them in thoroughly. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Use a 2-ounce scoop to form a rounded mound and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Leave space between the cookies for expansion. Bake for 15-17 minutes. OR, use a smaller (one-ounce scoop) and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies should be cracked, with moist looking ingredients inside the cracks.

Orange Marmalade Cookies

Orange Marmalade Cookies

A lot of people I know laugh at me because I always have a freezer packed with food. It’s that old “just in case company comes” mentality I learned from my mother.

Or maybe it’s a “just in case” a hurricane comes and you don’t have power for 6 days and not only do you need to eat up food that would otherwise spoil, you also want something sweet and delicious as a sort of consolation for not having light, heat, hot water and so on.

So I was really happy that my “just in case” packed freezer had some cookies. Among them, these oat-based bars, topped with crispy edged orange marmalade and stuffed with lots of chopped dried fruit.

I still have some left over, and that’s good because they will make for excellent nibbling on election night.

Orange Marmalade Cookies

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine

• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup chopped dates

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 13-14 ounce jar orange marmalade (1-1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x13” cake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Add the oats and brown sugar and mix the ingredients thoroughly to distribute them evenly. Cut the butter into chunks and work into the dry ingredients (with fingers or process on pulse in a food processor) until the butter is completely mixed in and the mixture looks crumbly. Mix in the apricots, dates and cranberries. Press the mixture evenly inside the prepared pan. Spread the marmalade evenly on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in the pan. Cut into bars or squares.

Makes 24-36

Fanny's or Fannies or Just Butter Cookies

I will watch the presidential debate tonight. Because I am completely engaged in this election, following it with more than the usual interest. And anyway, I think it is important to listen to what the candidates have to say.

But I think this particular debate is going to be a nail biter. Every word, every gesture, every tic and drop of perspiration, every hanky, every downward look looms large.

Is that because we have stopped listening to what they are really saying and let punditry and distractions influence us?

Is it because we really don’t trust anything any politician says so we are guided by body language?

In any event, as I said, this is going to be a nail biter. Or at least a big munchtime. I’ll probably nibble excessively.

I need popcorn.

And cookies to get me through the night.

These:

Mom’s Butter Cookies

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• jam, preserves or lekvar (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed. When the mixture is well blended, beat in the flour, egg yolks, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until the dough is a uniform color. Take off small pieces of dough and shape them into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Flatten the balls and press the center to make an indentation. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving a small amount of space between each cookie. Fill the indentation with jam, preserves or lekvar. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 60