CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

This recipe makes a Whoopie Pie that is light as air and very tender. I like to wrap them individually (after they are completely cool) which makes them perfect for lunch boxes. They are also very popular at potlucks and bake sales.

 

Preheat oven to 450° and spray cookie sheets with cooking spray

WHOOPIE PIE COOKIES

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening (no substitutions)
2 eggs
1 cup sour milk (*see note below)
1 cup BOILING water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened bakers cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda

*NOTE: To get sour milk,  put 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a cup and then fill it up with milk; let it stand for 5 minutes.

DIRECTIONS
Beat the eggs, shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco) and sugar in a large bowl until very smooth, scraping sides.

In a separate bowl, mix sour milk, boiling water, salt, cocoa and vanilla. Stir till smooth.

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Mix the cocoa-liquid mixture into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix well.  Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until smooth.   Let batter sit for 5 minutes.

BAKE

Drop batter (about 2 tablespoons per cookie) onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 450° for 5 to 7 minutes. NOTE: My electric oven takes 5 minutes (don't over bake because at this high temperature, the cookies will burn quickly).

Cool cookies on a wrack.  When they are completely cool, put two cookies together with filling.

 

FILLING

1 cup  UNSALTED butter at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
(1) 7 ounce container of marshmallow fluff

Cream the room temperature butter until fluffy (takes about 3 minutes on high speed).

Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well in between each addition.

Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla and whip on high until well mixed.

ASSEMBLY
Add a nice thick layer of filling in between two cookies. If they aren't going to be eaten immediately, wrap them in plastic wrap. Recipe makes 24 pies.

ENJOY !!!

Pasta Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Sun Dried Tomatoes

A fresh and healthy pasta salad with grilled eggplants, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

 An irresistible combination of Mediterranean flavors!

 A hot weekend is coming up here in Los Angeles. I can't wait to jump in the warm ocean water and relax on the sand. And if, like me, you are planning to spend your Sunday at the beach or somewhere else fun, here is a great picnic lunch idea.

This pasta salad is very simple to make. It's vegetarian, healthy, fresh and very tasty. You can prepare it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. And then you just bring it along to the beach or park in your cooler.
I generally prefer eating this salad at room temperature (not cold from the refrigerator and not hot from the stove). I chose farfalle pasta this time, but you can really use any shape of short pasta. I would really not recommend spaghetti for a pasta salad.
Here is the recipe for you. And have an amazing weekend :)

Ingredients, serving 4 people:                  PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 1 medium eggplant
• a couple of whole sun-dried tomatoes (I used about 5 halves - Colavita, tomatoes in olive oil)
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• oregano
• salt
• 12 oz pasta

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta.
2. Cut the eggplant in thin slices. Grill the eggplants, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt.

3. Cut the grilled eggplants in small strips. In a large bowl, add the eggplants, the garlic cut in slices, the sun-dried tomatoes cut in pieces and sliced garlic

4. Drain the pasta, run it under cold water to stop it from overcooking. Add to the bowl and mix well. Add the mozzarella cut in small cubes and mix again. Add more olive oil and oregano if necessary. Easy as that :)

Buon Appetito!

MAC and CHEESE BITES

This is such a fun (and easy) recipe. It is great for kids parties or teen parties and you can even jazz them up for adult appetizers. They stay warm for quite a while, but are even tasty at room temperature (nice and creamy).

Mildly seasoned for picky toddlers (perfect size), or add a little zip by using half cheddar and half pepper jack cheese and/or bacon bits.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1  1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
small pinch of cayenne
1 beaten egg

Boil the elbow macaroni in SALTED water for 8 minutes, then drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400° and spray MINI muffin pan with cooking spray.

Note: Salting the water is important. If you don't you will have to increase the amount of salt in the sauce.

In medium size pan, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth and bubbly, let it simmer for about 30 seconds or so.

Slowly add the milk (whisk while you add it) and bring it to a simmer (it will thicken just a little).

Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese (set aside the other 1/2 cup) and add the cream cheese, salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir to melt.

Mix the cooked macaroni, the cheese sauce and the beaten egg. Spoon mac and cheese into greased mini muffin cups and top with just a few shreds of the remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.  IMPORTANT: Let cool for 5 minutes before you take them out of the pan.

NOTES: I cook mine for 14 minutes, then put them under the broiler for the last minute (but watch them so they don't over brown).

NOTES: If you like a little spice, use half shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 pepper jack cheese.

NOTES: You can even sneak in some finely chopped broccoli for color.

 

This recipe makes about 4 dozen mini bites

 

 

ENJOY !!!

 

Original recipe found at www.chef-in-training.com   (and adapted by Coleen's Recipes)

Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

A perfect summer treat: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. 

It's been a super busy week! Back from a perfectly amazing vacation, and right into the craziness of the first week of school for my boys. That's why you haven't seen any new recipes lately!
It's really hard to get back into the swing of things after spending more than a week relaxing and having fun in paradise. Yes. I was in paradise!

Take a look at this breathtaking sunset in Ke'e' beach, Kauai.

See what I'm talking about?!? Just... It's hard to find one word to describe it. Perfection!
I posted a few more pictures of our vacation on Instagram, if you want to check it out!

After coming back this week, I was in the mood for something tropical.  Something tempting and sweet. And easy to make, of course! I am still in a slow moving rhythm of vacation.
These coconut macaroons are the perfect match: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. Every bite filled with the sweet and nutty flavor of the coconut, mixed with the bitter-sweet taste of the chocolate.

These macaroons make me think of an Almond Joy bar. Well, not quite. There are really no almonds in these cookies. Just coconut and chocolate and ... lots of joy :)

And here is my video recipe. All for you!

Ingredients: to make about 20 macaroons (1.5 tablespoons each)            PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup (65 gr) of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2.5 cups (200 gr) of sweetened flake coconut
• half cup of semi sweet or milk chocolate
• 2 tablespoons of whipping cream

Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes to cool down

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C). In  a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

Step 2: Add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the pinch of salt. Beat some more.

Step 3: Add the coconut and fold with a spoon until just combined.

Step 4: Scoop the batter onto your baking sheet, covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. I used a  1.5 tablespoon scoop. Make sure your scoops are nice and compact. You should be able to make about 20 macaroons.

                                                 

Step 5: Bake at 325° F (160° C) for 17-20 minutes until lightly golden, turning the baking sheet around after about 10 minutes. Let the macaroons cool down before removing from the parchment paper.

                                      

                                                 

Step 6: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, mixing the chocolate with a spoon, and stirring in the whipping cream.

Step 7: Drizzle the chocolate on top of the macaroon (and dip in the bottom if you like!). Let the chocolate cool and harden before serving.

Enjoy :)

LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

School is right around the corner and whether you need to pack a school lunch or just have the cookie jar full when the kids hit the kitchen in the afternoon, this is the perfect cookie. Super simple and very flavorful, this recipe is a keeper.

LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1  1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together. Cut in the butter flavored Crisco (like you would a pie crust).

Add the eggs, , milk and extracts and beat until smooth. This will be very thick, so a stand mixer works best.

Roll into three log shapes (about 2" in diameter) and chill for at least an hour or overnight. Slice into 1/3" disks and roll the disks in sugar.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet (about 2" apart) and bake in pre-heated 375° oven for 9-11 minute. My electric oven takes 10 minutes exactly. Cool on a baking rack.

ENJOY !!! 

 

NOTE: I know there will be questions/comments about butter flavored Crisco vs. butter. I have not tried this recipe with butter.

SOAP SLIVERS

Do you always have a container of bar soap remnants like this in your bathroom? I know we did!!

I have NO IDEA why we feel compelled to save bits of soap, but we  do. We keep adding to the jar (in case of a soap emergency I guess?). Well, recently there were so many soap skeletons in the jar that I just had to throw them away I couldn't just throw them out, so I decided to do something with them.

I broke them up into small pieces about this size:

 

Then, because I thought it might melt easier, I pulsed them a few times in my food processor:

 

I put the "soap crumbs" in a heavy pot and added JUST ENOUGH water to BARELY cover the soap (use as little as possible). Turn the burner on to medium and heat just until the soap melts a little (it happens fast) and GENTLY stir (if you stir fast, you will get bubbles). It will look like this when it gets warm, then remove from the heat. NOTE: Not ALL of the soap chips will melt, but that's OK.

Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and fill each one with this "soap mush" (I used an ice cream scoop).

Let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours and then peel off the paper liners and put the "soap cakes" on a rack:

Now here is where you need patience. You CAN use these little soaps right away, but they will dissolve VERY quickly. If you want them to last as long a regular bar of soap, you'll need to air dry (cure) them on the rack for two weeks or even longer.

They smell wonderful, so I've had no problem aging them (they smell like a wonderful air freshener).

They do shrink quite a bit as they dry out, so keep that in mind when you are filling up the cupcake papers.

Soap isn't expensive, so this is more of a FUN project rather than a money saver project.  It would also be a fun project for kids to do.

HAVE FUN !!!