J'aime Madeleines

 My first attempt at making homemade madeleines sadly did not go as I had planned. A few years ago, when I was a poor college student I tried to make madeleines, but because I was a poor college student I made "substitutions" using the ingredients I had on hand instead of going to the store and purchasing the proper ingredients. Needless to say it was a disaster and I haven't attempted to make this delicate cookie again, until now. It sure does make a world of difference when you have all of the right ingredients before you embark on any baking project. This is just one of the many baking lessons I have learned through trial and error. The one good thing I can say about making mistakes in the kitchen is that you always learn something new, you learn at least one way not make something and move on to the next attempt, eventually you will have success.

Madeleines 
8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled (plus more for pan)
3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour, (plus more for pan)
2 ounces Blanched Almonds, Finely Ground
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Orange Flower Water (optional)
Powdered Sugar for dusting

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment chop almonds until they are finely ground.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and finely ground almonds, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat together the eggs and salt until foamy.  Beat half of the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla and orange flower water (if using) to the melted butter then pour into the into the egg and flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and beat until well combined. Cover and refrigerate batter for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour madeleine pan. Fill each madeleine cup half way full with batter. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Once madeleines are done baking, immediately turn them out onto a wire rack to cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 24 cookies

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Honey Goat Cheese Biscuits

These biscuits are addicting, I think I could eat the whole pan. I am really glad I have D to share them with, otherwise I'd be hurting right now because I would have polished of the batch. These will challenge your self control or at least they did mine and since I am slightly lacking in that department, I lost.

Next time I make these I am going to add a whole tablespoon of honey rather than just the half. These biscuits had a just a touch of sweetness on top and I like things a bit more on the sweet side, if you do too I would suggest upping the amount of honey to a full tablespoon or maybe even a tablespoon and a half. These biscuit taste best when they are fresh out of the oven. They are delicious with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or as an accompaniment to dinner.

 
Honey Goat Cheese Biscuits
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
4 tablespoons Powdered Buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter Cold and Sliced
1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter for Pan
1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter for the Top
1/2-1 1/2 tablespoons Honey, depending on your preference
4 tablespoons Goat Cheese
1 cup Water

Note: Liquid buttermilk can be used in place of powdered, just use where recipe calls for water.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized ceramic dish then place dish in the oven to melt the butter, be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Once butter has melted remove dish from the oven swirl butter around to coat, then set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour baking powder, powdered buttermilk and salt. Cut 4 tablespoons of cold butter and the goat cheese into the flour mixture till crumbly. Stir in the water just to combined. Drop 1/4 cup sized heaps of dough into the prepared dish. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and honey in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, drizzle mixture over the biscuits and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden.

Makes 10 biscuits

Recipe slightly adapted from Joy The Baker where it was slightly adapted from Art Smith's Table Fifty-Two

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are big, not the biggest cookie I've ever seen (or even eaten for that matter) but they are still pretty BIG. You can eat one with a large glass of cold milk and be satisfied. I recommend eating these cookies while they are still warm from the oven, I think they taste best that way. Don't have 12 hungry people to feed freshly baked cookies to? That's okay because you can freeze the cookie dough. Just form the dough into 1/4 cup sized disks and freeze in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer cookies to a freezer bag. When you are ready to bake, put the frozen cookies on a baking sheet and straight into a 325 degree F oven. Bake frozen cookies for 20-23 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
10 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 Whole Egg
1 Egg Yolk
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt butter, then set aside to cool. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugars and butter. Add the whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla, beat on medium-high for 2 minutes, scrape the sides as needed. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low just till combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop dough in 1/4 cup sized heaps onto prepared baking sheets (6 cookies per sheet), flatten slightly (I like to use the back of an offset spatula for this). Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack.*

Makes 12-13 cookies

*These cookies taste best when they are still warm from the oven.

Recipe slightly adapted from Farmgirl Fare where it was adapted from Nigella Kitchen : Recipes from the Heart of the Home

Honeyed Apricot Oat Muffins

Have you ever stayed in a bed and breakfast? D and I have, a few times. Three times actually. Twice in Zion National Park and once in Park City. All were good experiences, although I must say I prefer the more "inn" type of B&B where each room has its own bathroom and the guests can sit at individual tables during breakfast as opposed to the B&B where the bathrooms are communal and all of the guests sit and one large table with complete strangers while eating breakfast. It's just a personal preference of mine, I am a bit antisocial. Anyway I love the idea of the bed and breakfast, especially the breakfast part because you get to try what other people make in their own homes. I would love to be able to peek inside B&B's kitchens and see the methods they use to prepare meals, what is in their cupboards and refrigerator, and what sorts of kitchen gadgets they use. I know it's not appropriate to snoop around the kitchen of the bed and breakfast where you are staying, and I don't do this, but I would like to. One thing that is acceptable though is often times they will share their recipes with you, if you ask nicely (or visit their website, some B&B's post their recipes online).

Now as I have mentioned before I am not a huge fan of breakfast except when it comes to my idea of a bed and breakfast breakfast. My idea of a bed and breakfast breakfast includes muffins baked that morning, hot coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade granola, yogurt, fresh fruit, and some type of dish that is made with eggs, potatoes, cheese of course and ham. I have never made my ideal B&B breakfast but someday I aspire to, right down to the homemade granola and freshly squeezed orange juice. But for today I will stick with making muffins.

Honeyed Apricot Oat Muffins
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled
1/3 cup Honey
1 cup Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt
1 cup Dried Apricots, Coarsely Chopped
1 cup Oats (not instant or quick cooking)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line standard 12 cup muffin tin with baking cups. Whisk together flours, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed, beat together the egg and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Stir in the butter, honey, and yogurt. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined, careful not to over mix. Stir in the dried apricots and oats, just to combine. Spoon dough into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 18 muffins

Recipe adapted from The Good Enough to Eat Breakfast Cookbook

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Lately I have been craving peanut butter cookies. I can't even remember the last time I had one. So when I was making my grocery list this morning I made sure peanut butter made it's way on there. D and I rarely eat peanut butter anymore, which is strange because I would say for three solid years it was all we ate for lunch, PB&J's seven days a week 52 weeks in a year, that's a lot of peanut butter. Okay so maybe we didn't eat it everyday, but it sure felt like it. I started to loath peanut butter. I think I just figured out why I haven't had a peanut butter cookie in so long. Actually I really do like peanut butter, but just when it's part of dessert, not for lunch.

I set out this morning with the intention of buying plain old peanut butter but what I found intrigued me. Are you ready for it... white chocolate peanut butter . Now I realize you have probably heard of this before and you may even have some in your cupboard right now (which would be great because then you could make these cookies), but I guess I've been out of the peanut butter loop because I just discovered this gem today.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies 
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 /2 cup Granulated Sugar, (plus more for sprinkling in you like)
1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
1 cup White Chocolate Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon Milk
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Peanut Butter and Butter

Sugar, Egg, Milk and Vanilla, added

Flour, Baking Soda and Salt

Flattened Dough Sprinkled with Sugar 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together butter and peanut butter until creamy. Add the sugars and beat until well combined. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Beat until well combined. Using a muffin scoop, drop heaps of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten with the back spoon, knife, or fork. Sprinkle with a little sugar if you like. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 40 cookies

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking