Mommiedaze

Cookie of the Week: I Give Up On This One

So they sounded good in theory.

Carmel Apple cookies.

Perfect for fall right?

I tried two different recipes. One two weeks ago, one today. Neither recipe worked. The caramel burned before the cookies were done. The caramel stuck to the pan even with no-stick cooking spray and parchment paper.

I say caramel baked into a cookie just isn’t a good idea.

I guess I should have taken photos of my disasters, but I was so frustrated I just scrapped the mess off the baking sheets and right into the garbage.

I made a brownie mix tonight to snack on instead. Easy, no fail.

Off to look for next week’s recipe.

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Cookie of the Week: Some Science behind the Chocolate Chip Cookie

Well there was no Cookie of the Week post last week, because I tried a new recipe and it was a complete disaster.

This week, at my husband’s request, I made old tried and true Chocolate Chip cookies. Now I know everyone probably already has a favorite Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. The one I use is the one my mom always used, and I think from the back of the chocolate chip bag.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp water

1 tsp vanilla

1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together sugar, margarine, shortening and eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

I’ve learned two tricks to making these cookies over the years that improved them.

First, I started replacing all the butter and shortening with Butter Flavor Crisco.

Ever make cookies with butter or margarine, and find that they can really spread and come out flat? That happens because the butter or margarine melts too fast during the baking process.

Butter, margarine and Crisco or shortening are all fats. When the fat in a cookie melts in the oven, it releases moisture that the heat turns into steam. The steam helps the cookie rise. But it also pushes the cookie outward if there’s too much steam released before the dough has set. When you use Crisco the steam starts to release at about the same time the cookie starts to set. That gives you a nicely raised cookie that holds together.

For flavor it does have to be Butter Flavor Crisco. Plain shortening would affect the taste of the cookies. You can substitute Butter Flavor Crisco for butter or margarine in almost any cookie recipe. I use it to make biscuits too.

The other thing I’ve learned about Chocolate Chips cookies is that the type of cookie sheet you bake them on is important. I’ve used coated non-stick, Air-Bake and baking stones, but the sheet that gets the job done best is a thick aluminum baking sheet like professional bakers use. Nordic Ware make a great half-size professional grade aluminum baking sheet you can pick up for around nine dollars at discount department stores. It’s worth investing in a couple.

Aluminum heats up quickly and distributes heats evenly so that all the cookies bake at the same rate. A thicker sheet allows the cookies to cook through, and brown on tops and bottom at the same time. Dark, coated sheets brown the bottoms too fast. Usually you either end up with burned bottoms or raw middles. Air-Bake sheets are supposed to not burn the bottoms of cookie by using an insulating pocket of air. But I find they they can take to long to brown the cookies on bottom, or never even brown then at all. If you leave the cookies in the oven waiting for the tell-tale brown edges you can end up over-baking them. I don’t like the stones because they take too long to warm up. They can double the baking time in some cases.

Baking is really just a bunch of chemical reactions triggered by heat. If you learn a little bit about the science behind it, you can use it to make some of your favorite recipes even better. Or even make up your own.

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Tutorial: Time to Make the Doughnuts

One of my favorite fall traditions is visiting a local apple orchard that serves up fresh, hot doughnuts and cider. But you don’t have to leave home to enjoy this autumn snack. It’s easy and fun to make doughnuts at home. If you have older kids, it’s something the whole family can do together.

The ingredients you need for your doughnuts are:

2 eggs

2 tbs shortening

3/4 cup milk

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 - 3 cups vegetable oil

Additional white sugar or powdered sugar to coat the doughnuts

To start, you need a deep, heavy-bottomed pot and a candy thermometer that clips on the side of your pot.

Fill the pot with two to three cups of vegetable oil. You want to bring the temperature of the oil up to 375 degrees over medium heat, and maintain it there. Too hot and your doughnuts will burn. Too cool and your doughnuts will soak up the oil while they cook and be soggy.

While the oil heats stir up the batter. It should be mixed by hand, not with an electric mixer. Start by beating the eggs slightly with a fork in a large bowl. Add sugar, shortening and milk. Stir. Mix in flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir the nutmeg and cinnamon together in a separate bowl then add to the rest of the mixture. Dough will be slightly sticky and moist. I think it resembles biscuit dough.

Now you can turn the dough out on to a floured surface, roll and cut into rounds with a doughnut cutter. But it’s faster to just make doughnut holes by dropping rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into the oil. I like to use a small scoop.

So when the oil hits 375 degrees go ahead and drop your batter in. You can do three or four doughnut holes at a time depending on the size of your pot. Watch the temperature and adjust your burner as needed to maintain 375 degrees.

While your first doughnuts are cooking you can get two plates and fill one with white sugar and one with powdered sugar for rolling the finished doughnuts in.

The doughnut will float to the top when it’s ready to be turned. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side. The doughnut should be a deep golden brown. Watch that they don’t start to burn.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked doughnuts to paper towel to drain.

When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, roll them in the white sugar or powdered sugar. Personally, I prefer the white sugar or no sugar at all.

Then enjoy while still fresh and warm!

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Cookie of the Week: Snickerdoodles

Well, I’m in a car on my way to Knoxville, TN right now. This is coming to you via the magic that is Autopost. I made some Snickerdoodles to take with us to snack on in the car. I figure they taste better, and are a little more wholesome than the junk available at gas stations and rest stops.

Snickerdoodle Recipe

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

From All Recipes

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Cookie of the Week: Molasses Ginger Cookies

Oh, these are yummy, and they make your house smell so good! These Molasses Ginger cookies are great for fall with their sweet, spicy flavor. They go really well with apple cider. Ooh, warm cider would be even better. So cozy.

Molasses Ginger Cookie Recipe

8 tbs. butter

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup white sugar

Cream together butter, 1 cup of sugar, egg and molasses. Add all other ingredients except 1/2 cup sugar and mix well. Chill in refrigerator. Form into walnut-sized balls and roll in sugar. Arrange on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

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Cookie of the Week: Pumpkin Bars

Today is one of those late summer days that feels like fall. The air is cool and crisp, the sunlight is muted by clouds. A few leaves have even turned and fallen to the ground already. With Autumn just around the corner, I’ve got pumpkins on my mind. It’s too early in the season to break out the pumpkin pie, but how about some Pumpkin bars? This recipe is from my mom.

Pumpkin Bar Recipe

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in order. Spread in a greased and floured 9×13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. After they cool, frost with cream cheese frosting. Then refrigerate. Slice into squares to serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar.

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Girls Just Wanna Win Swag: Carolyn’s Kitchen Apron & Glove Set Giveaway

The winner of the the Lula Boutique Lily and Swallow necklace from last week’s giveaway is Brooke.

I’ve got something really fun for you this week. An apron and glove set from Carolyn’s Kitchen.

Aprons are making a comeback in a big way. Once you see the pretty vintage-inspired aprons from Carolyn’s Kitchen owner and designer Carolyn West, you’ll want one on too. Wearing a cute, flirty apron makes time in the kitchen more fun, and it might even earn you a playful little squeeze from your mate.

Carolyn mixes the domesticity of past decades with the working world of the 21st century woman by creating a business focusing on feminine domestic designs.

Inspired by a gorgeous apron and glove set from Paris, Carolyn began by discovering 1940’s patterns and bringing them to life with her modern interpretive designs. “I wanted to bring back the glamour, sexiness, and cuteness of a bygone innocent era. The gloves and fabrics are new and nicer - it’s a new and improved version of the ’40’s.”

“I let my imagination run, and originated the embodiment of that 40’s girl in the apron and gloves, living in our ultra modern age. Suzy Homemaker slaves over a hot microwave for minutes at a time, constant hostess to all, in and around her kitchen, enticing temptress to you know who, you know where.”

Win It!

Carolyn is offering one of you the chance to win the Dorthy Lime Apron and Glove set.

To enter visit Carolyn’s Kitchen then come back here and comment ON THIS POST with the name of one other favorite item from the store. Comments not following the rules will be disqualified. Earn an extra entry by posting about this contest on your blog, and linking to this post and to Carolyn’s Kitchen. If you do the extra credit, let me know by leaving a separate comment with the link to your post.

Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. The contest is open to readers worldwide.

The contest is open until 11:59 p.m. EST Sept. 10th. I’ll randomly draw a winner, and announce it on the next edition of Girls Just Wanna Win Swag. The winner will also be contacted by email, and will have three days to reply. If the winner does not reply in three days, another will be chosen. You may also check Prizey Fetch to see if you’ve won.

Have a women-owned business you’d like featured in a Swag giveaway? Send me an email (see the side bar) and let me know.

Keep up with the weekly Swag giveaway by subcribing to my RSS Feed.

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