Peanut Butter and Honey Sprinkled Cookies

Have you you ever heard of crystallized honey? I found this little guy (see picture below) at a local natural foods store and I was intrigued. So I bought him and took him home. The next challenge was to figure out what to with him. Then it hit me, peanut butter and honey cookies. I found this tasty looking recipe on Smitten Kitchen and instead of rolling the cookies out in sugar I rolled them in honey crystals.

I made these cookies and they were everything I'd hoped they would be, soft and chewy with just a hint of honey flavor. I have to admit I forgot one ingredient when I was making these cookies, so I was faced with the dilemma of starting all over or baking the cookies, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I chose the latter and the cookies turned out great. So what was this mystery ingredient that slipped my mind? It was the brown sugar, but the cookies still turned out very tasty and just a little less sweet which D and I both agreed was actually quite nice.

Peanut Butter and Honey Sprinkled Cookies
1 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter, Room Temperature
3/4 cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Egg, Room Temperature*
2 tablespoon Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 cup Peanut Butter Chips
Crystallized Honey for Rolling (granulated sugar can be substituted for the crystallized honey)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside until needed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butter and the peanut butter until well combined, then beat in the sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg until well incorporated, scraping sides and bottom as needed. Add the vanilla and milk and beat to combined. Add the flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Form dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls then roll around in the crystallized honey until covered. Press cookies down a bit with the back of a spoon or knife. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

*To bring egg to room temperature quickly cover egg in hot tap water for 10 minutes before use.

Recipe Adapted From Smitten Kitchen  where it was adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Sour Cream Cheddar Cheese and Chive Biscuits

I made mashed potatoes earlier this week with copious amounts of butter and cream cheese and a little bit of fresh chives. They were quite tasty but since I only used a small amount of chives I had leftovers. I think it's a shame to waste perfectly good herbs so I decided to make sour cream cheddar cheese and chive biscuits. The fundamentals for this recipe came from the honey goats cheese biscuits I made a few months ago. These biscuits are light (as in airy not in calories) fluffy, and simple to make. There is no cutting or rolling involved and they can easily be made 30 minutes before dinner.

Sour Cream Cheddar Chive Biscuits 
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Cold and Sliced
1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter for Pan
1 tablespoon butter for Top, Melted
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Milk
3/4 cup Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives, Chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a ceramic baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter in oven while it preheats, keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Once butter has melted remove dish from the oven and set aside until needed. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly then stir in the cheddar and chives. Mix together the sour cream and milk then stir mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Drop biscuits in 1/3 cup sized clumps into prepared dish. Drizzle remaining tablespoon of melted butter over the tops of biscuits. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12-13 Biscuits

Recipe adapted from Joy The Baker

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

When I saw this recipe featured on White On Rice Couple I could not resist, I had to make it soon, soon as in that day so I could have it for dessert that night. I'd never had rhubarb before, not in a bar or a cake or by any other means. It was nothing against rhubarb, the opportunity just had never presented itself. I have been wanting to try rhubarb for quite some time, especially after seeing so many delicious looking recipes with rhubarb as the prime ingredient. So when I came across this recipe I decided it was time to venture into the unknown and give rhubarb a try.

Here are a few before and after thoughts on rhubarb now that I have tasted it and done a little research

Before - Rhubarb looks like celery so it must taste like celery.
After - Rhubarb does not taste like celery.

Before - Rhubarb is only used in desserts.
After - While rhubarb usually seen in desserts it has its place in savory dishes as well, such as in savory sauces, salads and soups.

Before - Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable?
After - Rhubarb is a vegetable.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Streusel
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour

Whisk together brown sugar and salt, then stir in the melted butter. Add the flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate streusel mixture until needed.

Strawberry Rhubarb Mixture
1/2 pound Strawberries
1/2 pound Rhubarb
1 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour

Hull strawberries then slice into 1/4 inch pieces, place sliced strawberries into a medium sized bowl. Slice rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces then place them in the bowl with the strawberries. Whisk together the flour and brown sugar then add to the strawberries and rhubarb. Mix well with a wooden spoon until strawberries and rhubarb are coated with flour mixture. Set aside until ready to use.

Cake
1 cup All-Purpose Flour, plus more for pan
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, Softened, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar, plus more for dusting
2 Eggs
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 inch square pan, line with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on each side, then butter and flour the parchment. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla and beat to incorporate. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides and bottom as needed. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Assembly
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread around evenly. Distribute strawberry and rhubarb mixture evenly over the top of the batter. Top with streusel. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan. Once cooled, remove cake from pan using the parchment sides. Slice into squares and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipping cream, or just plain.

Makes 16 squares

Recipe from White On Rice Couple where it was adapted from Martha Stewart

Homemade Soft Pretzels

I used to live on soft pretzels, they were my absolute favorite. I especially liked them dipped in cream cheese or mustard. I hadn't had a soft pretzels in years and I had never made them myself. I thought they were pretty easy to make and fun too. D even enjoyed rolling out the dough and forming them into pretzels. I think these pretzels taste best fresh from the oven and go great with a good beer.

Pretzels
1 1/2 cups Warm Water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
22 ounces All-Purpose Flour (about 4 1/2 cups)
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
Vegetable Oil (for bowl and baking sheets)
10 cups Water (for boiling)
2/3 cups Baking Soda
1 Egg Yolk Beaten with 1 tablespoon Water*
Kosher Salt for Sprinkling

In the bowl of an electric mixer stir together the warm water, sugar and salt.  Sprinkle the yeast on top, stir slightly, then allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the flour and melted butter. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Increase speed to medium and mix for 4-5 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough while it is mixing making sure it doesn't come out of the bowl. Once dough is done mixing, remove it from the bowl and set aside. Clean out the mixing bowl then coat it with vegetable oil. Put the dough into the oiled mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45-50 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Once dough is done rising bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rapid boil. Lightly oil your work surface and cut dough into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into an 18-20 inch rope. Form dough into a U shape then holding the ends cross them at the bottom of the U, forming a pretzel shape. Place pretzels back on the baking sheet. After all pretzels are formed place them, one at a time in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove pretzels from the boiling water using a flat spatula, preferably one with slots so the water can run through. Place boiled pretzels back onto the baking sheet and brush with egg and water mixture and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 12-15 or until pretzels are browned. Cool slightly on wire rack.

Makes 8 pretzels

* I used vegetable oil for brushing rather than egg.

Recipe from Alton Brown

Dough before rising

Dough after rising

Pretzel before boiling

Pretzel after boiling 

Shortbread and Jam: A Springtime Daisy Cookie

These cookies are the perfect springtime treat, especially when made with strawberry jam. You can cut these cookies into any shape you like, or if you don't want a lot scrapes left over after cutting, just cut them into squares. Although the scrapes are quite tasty too. I ate them this morning with coffee after D and I got back from any earlier morning dental appointment (7 a.m. yikes).

Shortbread and Jam Cookies
7 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened
1/2 cup Superfine Sugar*
1 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
2/3 cup Strawberry Jam (or whichever kind of jam you fancy)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard sized baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl stir together the soft butter and sugar until combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, then use your hands to mix together until crumbly. Whisk together the egg and vanilla then add it to the dough mixture. Knead mixture until the dough comes together and form it into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Once dough it chilled cut the dough in half and place one half on a floured work surface (put the other half back in the fridge until you are ready for it). Roll the dough out thin, about 1/4 inch. Place rolled dough on prepared baking sheet and spread jam evenly over the top. Roll out the  other half of the dough and place it on top of the jam. If pieces don't quite line up just patch the dough together until they do and the jam is covered. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges and parts of the surface start to brown. Once baked, remove from the oven and let the shortbread cool in the pan for a few minutes, then using the parchment paper to lift, transfer the shortbread to a wire rack and allow it to cool for a few more minutes. Then place the shortbread with the parchment on the counter and cut as desired, while the cookies are still slightly warm.

Makes about 9 cookies, depending on the size of the cutter

* To make superfine sugar, pulse sugar in a food processor for a few seconds until fine.

Recipe slightly adapted from Apples for Jam