Saltine Toffee Bars

I know what you're thinking... Saltines?  In a dessert? Surprisingly enough yes, and delicious too! This recipe is so easy to put together and it makes more than enough to give away as gifts. These two pans yielded 8 medium cellophane bags and I was able to hand them out all weekend with some left over for us... Yay!

                                     

After refrigeration, break them up into desired size pieces. You can plate them or wrap them up individually. I used medium cellophane bags and tied a ribbon on each one. 

Ingredients:

1-1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers per cookie sheet

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

* I made one more batch of the toffee (1 stick butter / 1 cup brown sugar) and split it between the two cookie sheets. I felt they needed more.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Arrange crackers in a single layer on the sheet so that there are no empty spaces between them.

Melt butter in heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully pour the sugar-butter mixture over the crackers in an even layer, trying to cover most of the crackers. If you miss some spots, don't worry as the toffee will spread in the oven. Bake for five minutes, until the toffee is bubbling all over. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for one minute.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee and allow them to sit for one minute to soften and melt. Once softened, use an offset spatula or knife to spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface of the toffee in an even layer. While the chocolate is still sticky, sprinkle the top with the reserved chopped nuts. Refrigerate the pan to set the toffee and chocolate for about 30 minutes or more. Once set, break into small uneven pieces by hand. Store uneaten saltine toffee in an airtight container for up to one week.

Monterey Pumpkin Bread

Soft Ginger Cookies

This recipe is from The Taste Of Home Baking Classics and I have to tell you they are going down as one of my favorite cookies. They are crunchy on the outside and unbelievably chewy on the inside. I would however adjust the ginger amount depending how much you like the flavor. I prefer a stronger ginger taste so I increased the amount by 1/2 teaspoon.




Ingredients


3/4     cup butter, softened
1        cup sugar
1        egg
1/4     cup molasses
2-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
2        teaspoon baking soda
3/4     teaspoon cinnamon
1/2     teaspoon ground cloves
1/4     teaspoon salt
Additional sugar for rolling

Directions


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour. ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bale at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield aprox. 2 dozen.

Shaping Cookies


Cookies bake more evenly if all the cookies on the baking sheet are the same size. I used a medium ice cream scoop which made them about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie.

Soft Ginger Cookies

Clementine Cupcakes

I love anything citrus and I found this recipe for a Clementine Cupcake on Taste of Home web site. It is so delicious but I think I say that about everything I post... can't help it, I love it all. It does involve a cake mix and not that anything is wrong with that because they are equally as good, it's just that there is a stigma with using a "box" and calling it homemade. Anyway, it has a sophisticated flavor that truly lends itself to being acceptable at any gathering you may have; fancy or casual. You can't go wrong with this one.

INGREDIENTS
1 package (18-1/4 ounce) white cake mix
3/4 cup water
4 egg whites
1/2 cup clementine juice (about 5 clementines)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated clementine peel
4 clementines, peeled, sectioned and membrane removed

FROSTING
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon clementine juice

GARNISH
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
24 clementine sections

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Place one clementine section in the center of each; gently press down into batter. Chop remaining sections; sprinkle over batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Heat chocolate in a double broiler until melted. Make sure your clementines are free of any liquid because the chocolate will not adhere and it will ruin the chocolate. Dip the clementines half way into the chocolate and lay on waxed paper until set. Once cooled, put on top of cupcake. 

SIDE NOTE:

I didn't put any clementine into the center nor did I sprinkle pieces over the batter. I used the juice only and it gave it plenty of flavor. I used about a teaspoon of clementine rind in the frosting.

Bagel Open Face / Lunch Sandwich

I know this isn't usually the kind of things I post but I felt these were worthy of being featured.

This is a toasted Everything bagel with cream cheese, crispy bacon, caramelized onions, capers, tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. I put this under the broil for about a minute until the cheese melts just a bit. This is a meal in itself and it just bursts with flavor. You get the crunch with the bagel and the bacon, the creaminess with the cream cheese, the salty from the capers, the sweetness and smokey flavor from the onions and the refreshing, meaty taste from the tomato. I usually add avocado and season with salt and pepper but I didn't have one. It didn't matter, it was delicious just as it was.

This was a sandwich that I did for the boys lunch. After I made it I just had to take a picture of it because it was so beautiful.

I used crusty sour dough bread that is baked fresh from Trader Joes. I hollowed out the center just a bit so all the goodies would fit inside. I never use mayonnaise because of two reasons. My kids don't like it (I suppose that's because Phil and I don't) and it has to be refrigerated. I used cream cheese and that also serves as a barrier so the bread doesn't get soggy. I salt and peppered that and layered Colby cheese, roast beef and turkey. I added peperoncini's and artisan lettuce. I ended by putting a dressing on the lettuce that I made that night for dinner on our salad and that consisted of grey poupon, red wine, lemon, vinegar, garlic and shallots.

So Very Yummy!

Warm Chocolate Melting Cups With Creme Fraiche

Happy New Year! If you're anything like me this time of year, you are setting a few goals; cleaning out a closet or two (or in my case the garage Ugh!) and cutting back on the calorie intake. I think this one is my most challenging.

I have scoured the internet looking for delicious desserts that are a little more "figure friendly" than what I've been baking in the past and I have run across a couple of good ones. That's where this Warm Chocolate souffle comes in (although it isn't referred to a souffle, it certainly has the consistency of one). I have to admit though that the Creme Fraiche wasn't apart of the original recipe but after tasting it on it's own I felt like it needed a little "creaminess" added to it.

Now, the best part of this dessert was spending the day with my daughter Chelsea in the kitchen. She has turned out to be quite the baker (go figure) and I think she is going to do circles around me in no time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 10 fresh strawberry halves, optional
• 1 7.5 ounce container Creme Fraiche or Cool Whip (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat; stir in the chocolate chips, coffee and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In another bowl, beat eggs and egg white until slightly thickened. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Fold into chocolate mixture.
• Transfer to ten 4-ounce ramekins coated with cooking spray. Place ramekins in a baking pan; add 1 inch of water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or just until centers are set.
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar to container of Creme Fraiche and stir. Dollop on top of chocolate when cooled.

Ingredients

Sugar, flour, salt, coco. Add water, bring to boil.

Beat eggs, egg whites until thickened. Gradually add sugar and beat until thick and lemon colored.

Temper the chocolate as to not "scramble" your eggs. You do this by adding a little bit of chocolate mixture at first and fold in to incorporate. Do this in batches, folding with each addition.

Spray ramekins with cooking spray. Best to do this over the sink incase of overspray. 

(Chelsea ended up spraying the herbs though... Oops!)

 Fill ramekins about 3/4 full and place in a baking pan.

 Heat water

Fill baking pan with hot water half way up being careful not to get into chocolate mixture.

This process is called a water bath. It is the dish of water that baked goods requiring gentle heat are baked in, instead of placing them directly in the oven. This is for even baking and so dishes maintain a smooth and even texture.

SIDE NOTE

• I used less chocolate chips because in as much as I like chocolate, I don't like it overpowering. I found it to be perfect with 1 cup only. 
• Creme Fraiche is more like a sour cream but not as tart and more flavorful than whipped cream. The French use it as a gourmet addition to sauces and as the perfect topping for rich desserts. You can substitute regular whipped cream which is always good or for a low calorie topping use non dairy Cool Whip, that is equally as good.
• When serving, you can pop the ramekin in the microwave for about 10 seconds and then top with whatever topping you are using. SO DELICIOUS! You will want to make this over and over again. Word to the wise... It doesn't make very much. We filled only eight ramekins about 1/2 way so you may want to double the recipe.