Author Archives: MGG

Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking, Holiday by

Cookies

For Halloween, I wanted to make some dark cut-out sugar cookies so I could decorate them with white icing that would stand out. I knew exactly what I wanted — flat cookies that I could roll out and cut into shapes. They needed to be very dark (it’s for Halloween, after all), not just kind of brown. I had cut out a picture of the ghost cookies a while ago (I forget the source) and wanted to copy them.

A search turned up this recipe from the American Butter Institute, of all places! (Something about their name seems very trustworthy for a cookie recipe.) The picture of these cookies on their site was beautiful. I’m glad I tried it — the cookies were delicious and just what I was looking for.

These would make nice chocolate wafer cookies if you roll them thin enough and watch them closely in the oven to make sure they don’t burn. They’re also just a nice twist on regular sugar cookie cut-outs. The institute’s site shows them in snowflake shapes, for example.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder (dark, if possible)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until dough is smooth.

Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Remove dough from refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. (Tip: If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, don’t use flour to make it not stick — dust it with cocoa powder so the dough stays brown!) Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes; transfer cookies to non-stick baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Return to refrigerator for another 10 minutes. Turn oven to 350F (175C) degrees.

Remove cookies from refrigerator and bake 12 minutes, or until firm around edges. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

FOR ICING: It’s easy! Put some confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar) in a small bowl. Add a few drops of water and mix with a spoon. Keep adding only a few drops at a time until it’s a good consistency for piping — you don’t want it too watery. If you’re not sure, then thicker is better than thinner. Spoon the icing into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off a very tiny corner. Then you can pipe it onto the cookies.

Golden Split Pea Soup

Posted in Soups & Chilis by

With fresh ginger, lime juice, apples, and a cinnamon stick, this soup tastes sweet and vibrant. It’s from the famous Moosewood Restaurant, so like many of their recipes it’s very healthy yet doesn’t taste like it. The recipe calls for pureeing the soup, but you can have a chunkier version by removing about 3 cups of the vegetables with a slotted spoon, pureeing what’s left, then stirring the vegetables back in.

Do give yourself plenty of time to prepare the vegetables and other ingredients.

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3 cups chopped onions (roughly 1 1/2 large onions)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 cup dried yellow split peas
7 cups water
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup peeled, cored, and cubed apples
3-inch cinnamon stick
2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
Juice of 1 fresh lime (about 2 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) for garnish

In a soup pot, saute the onions in the oil for about 8 minutes, until golden, stirring frequently. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger and cook for another minute.

Add the split peas, water, sweet potatoes, apples, cinnamon stick, and chili powder. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the split peas are tender.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, lime juice, and soy sauce. When the split peas are tender, add the tomato mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor (or with an immersion blender, the easiest option), working in batches and adding more water if desired.

Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat. Serve topped with cilantro if desired.

Peanut Butter Milkshake

Posted in Drinks by

Here is a very easy, delicious (and adaptable!) milkshake recipe. I’ve had it for years and don’t remember where I got it, but credit went to head chef Rob Staegeman of Vivat Bacchus in London.

The recipe calls for “dessert spoons” of peanut butter, which usually means teaspoons. I used an actual dessert spoon with a rounded spoonful of peanut butter. Adjust the amount to your liking.

1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
2 dessert spoons smooth peanut butter

Blend everything in a blender and enjoy.

Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Posted in Soups & Chilis by

Cream of mushroom soup is a great shortcut ingredient in a lot of baked recipes. I love shortcuts, but sometimes I wonder whether I could make those shortcut recipes completely from scratch so I can call the dish my own. That’s what I was trying to do when I looked for this recipe, so I could use it in some casseroles — but I ended up having it on its own and discovered it’s simply a delicious, comforting soup. I haven’t even used it as a recipe ingredient yet.

Credit for the recipe goes to Culinary Hill, which has more beautiful pictures of this soup than I could ever take.

1 Tbsp. butter
8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add mushrooms and cook until they have released most of their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, onion powder, and garlic powder and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and flour.

Stir in milk mixture and cook until soup has thickened, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stop here if you want condensed soup. To make this into a soup on its own, add water — the recipe suggests 3 cups, but I prefer it with less. So add a cup at a time until it’s the consistency you like.

Nutella Brownies

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking by

When I posted the recipe for Nutella pancakes a few weeks ago, I mentioned Nutella brownies. I’m finally posting the recipe, which I’ve had for a few years now and is the only homemade brownie I will ever make.20190807_142943

Nutella brownies are as good as they sound! They are chocolatey and moist — not dry and cakey. They also bake to a nice height. Sometimes when I’ve sought a fudgy brownie, they come out flat and chewy. Not these. And just like Nutella on a spoon, they are irresistible.

I found this recipe on a site called Life in Pleasantville that I’m really enjoying. (It has some recipes I’m eager to try.) No tweaks are needed, but self-control definitely is. Seriously — what do they put in Nutella to make it so unbelievably delicious?

4 large eggs
1 large egg white
725g container Nutella
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F/175C degrees. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Blend in Nutella, butter, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spread mixture into baking pan and bake 30-40 minutes. Brownies will appear slightly underbaked in center. Let cool. For your brownies to look their best, refrigerate the pan overnight before slicing — otherwise they’ll be crumbly.

Lemon Icebox Pie

Posted in Desserts/Baking, Pies & Tarts by

If there is a perfect summer dessert, then a sweet, tart icebox pie may well be it. Pies such as key lime, lemon meringue, and this classic all share the same delicious traits: a tangy, custardy filling in a buttery cookie-crumb crust.

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I recently found myself with two different recipes for this, which was a welcome excuse for another one of my bake-offs at home. I made them side by side and although they were similar in taste, there was still a clear winner. All of us at the table agreed.

Both called for egg yolks, a can of sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice. The losing recipe added buttermilk and lemon zest — it was a pastry chef’s recipe in a magazine (I won’t say which one) so I thought it would win. But the winning recipe was the one that stuck to the basics. It also called for a homemade graham cracker crust that had a distinct saltiness, and it tasted great alongside the sweet filling — just like with salted caramel, or sea salt on dark chocolate.

The recipe comes from a restaurant called Revival in Decatur, Georgia. It was printed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the request of a reader who said the pie tasted like the one they grew up with. I’d say it’s just as timeless, simple, and delicious, with the added specialness of the salty-sweet crust.

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Makes one 9-inch pie

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

For the filling:
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (I used 3 lemons)
Whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add butter and stir together until all dry ingredients are coated. Press crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Leave oven on.

In a medium bowl, whisk condensed milk and egg yolks together. Add juice and whisk until combined. Pour into cooled pie crust. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving with whipped cream on top.

Nutella Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch by

Nutella is supposedly made for breakfast, but fans of the hazelnut-cocoa spread know it’s soooo much better than just a topping for toast. It’s more of a dessert ingredient, like in Nutella brownies, or just a secret, delicious spoonful (um, not that I’ve ever had it that way).

But this recipe takes Nutella back to the breakfast table, this time as a gooey filling for pancakes. And it’s easy.

The night before you make this, put small circles of Nutella on a piece of parchment paper and place in the freezer.

Make this recipe for pancakes, and just before you’re ready to ladle the batter onto the pan, take the Nutella circles out of the freezer. Ladle a little batter onto the pan, place a Nutella circle on top, then cover with more batter. Cook the pancakes as normal.

The Nutella circles never freeze solid, so as soon as you start cooking the first batch of pancakes, return the Nutella to the freezer. Take them back out right before you make the next batch, otherwise the Nutella will be too soft to pop off the parchment and use quickly.

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup

Posted in Soups & Chilis by

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When you’re looking for recipes online, sometimes a Google search can get tedious. It seems like the same sites show up in search results each time. That’s when I search Twitter, because I’ll always discover cool food blogs with really creative recipes, maybe some tutorials, or just links to sites I’d never find otherwise and are fun to look through.

The other day, searching Twitter, I landed on a blog called The Modern Proper and saw this recipe. It’s made in one pot with a minimum of work, so it’s easy. And the soup is perfect for cold weather.

We had this with tortilla chips (for dipping and scooping), fresh chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), and chunks of avocado. It was absolutely delicious.

Serves 4

2 tsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken!)
1 16-oz. can green enchilada sauce (look for a can, not a jar — this is the one I used)
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
2 15.5-oz. can great northern white beans
4 cups chicken stock
2 small zucchini, chopped or sliced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are soft. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve warm topped with garnishes of your choice.

Saltine Toffee

Posted in Desserts/Baking, Other Desserts by

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Chocolate, butter, and brown sugar is an irresistible dessert combination, and here’s a way to enjoy it with a crispy layer underneath and a touch of salt. Just like it does when paired with caramel, the salt brings out the sweetness and makes each bite finish with a “wow!”

This was printed a few days ago in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution list of the best recipes of 2018. I was almost turned off by the idea of using saltine crackers. It seemed too easy, too much of a shortcut, and I didn’t think it would look as elegant as the picture made it out to be. But it was being recommended by Wendell Brock, who writes about food for the AJC and whose recipes and articles I really enjoy. So I gave it a shot and was so glad I did.

Brock called the combination of flavors and textures “heaven,” and I’d agree. 100% delicious.

Oh, and it was a fun recipe to make with my children. They laid out the crackers, sprinkled the chocolate morsels, and sprinkled the nuts and watched me do the pouring and spreading.

48 saltine crackers
16 Tbsp. (2 sticks, 225g) unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. (340g) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Flaky or big-granule salt, such as sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C degrees. Line a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the crackers out in one layer, as close together as possible, filling the sheet.

Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the butter has melted, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Keep it at a boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 3 minutes, add the vanilla, give it a good stir, and pour evenly over the crackers. Spread the mixture around with a spatula if needed. Don’t worry if the surface isn’t completely covered. You just don’t want it pooling in one place.

Bake the crackers for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate morsels over evenly over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes, then spread the chocolate evenly over the crackers. Sprinkle pecans and salt over the top. Leave to cool, then place in refrigerator about an hour to set the chocolate.

Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Printed in the AJC and adapted from “The Southern Sympathy Cookbook: Funeral Food With a Twist” by Perre Coleman Magness.

Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows

Posted in Desserts/Baking, Holiday, Other Desserts by

Here’s a little treat that doesn’t take long to make. You can adapt it to any holiday with sprinkles, keep it plain, or try drizzling with icing or white chocolate. It’s a fun snack that would be great to set out at parties or nice to box up and give as a gift.

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All you need are large marshmallows and chocolate morsels — I used peppermint chocolate morsels — then sprinkles, icing, or white chocolate morsels.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (the baking sheet must be rimmed so sprinkles don’t roll away and make a mess when you decorate).

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In a bowl, melt a large handful of chocolate morsels in the microwave. Do it in 20- or 30-second intervals, stirring in between, to make sure all the chocolate is melted and none of it burns.

When chocolate is completely melted, you must work quickly. Take a large marshmallow and dip it into the chocolate, then set it on the parchment paper with the chocolate side up. Sprinkle it right away, then do the next one. Refrigerate once they’re all decorated so the chocolate hardens, then serve.

If drizzling with icing or white chocolate, let the first layer harden in the fridge before decorating. Melt the white chocolate as above.

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