Butter Nut Shortbread Cookies

A crisp, buttery cookie just right for serving with tea, coffee, or milk. 
These would make a nice gift for neighbors or to ship to family.


adapted from Dixie Crystals

Butter Nut Shortbread Cookies
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: 4 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black walnut flavoring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 teaspoon sweet dough bakery emulsion, optional (purchased from K.A.F.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Sift flour and set aside.
Mix butter just until creamy (about 30 seconds).
Add all of powdered sugar, salt, flavorings, and bakery emulsion, if using; mix well.
Add flour and chopped pecans, all at once, and mix until just combined.
Divide dough into two parts, forming each into logs two inches in diameter; wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill the rolls in freezer for at least 20 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice the log into 1/3 inch slices and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake just until edge of cookies are light golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and continue to cool cookies on cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
Once cooled, store in airtight container to maintain crispness.

Note: The black walnut flavoring will be somewhat strong in the completed dough, however; it will mellow out during baking.

Tender Cinnamon Rolls

The latest in my quest to make the perfect cinnamon roll. This may be the winner...soft, soft, soft!

Tender Cinnamon Rolls
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: 9x13 pan)

Dough Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or 2 pkgs. yeast)
2 Tablespoons warm water (115 degrees)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs or 3/4 cup Egg Beaters product
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup slightly warm buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sweet dough emulsion, optional (purchased from KAF)
4 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

     Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
    4 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
    3 Tablespoons butter
    1-1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

        ...OR...

     Vanilla Frosting Ingredients:
    4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, unsalted
    Few grains of salt, optional
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 cups powdered sugar
    Milk to desired consistency

    ...OR... 

     Glaze Ingredients: (may want to double glaze ingredients)
    1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
    3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional   

Directions:
Add 1 Tablespoon sugar and yeast to water. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Mix together butter, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs and salt. Beat well.
Add buttermilk, vanilla extract, sweet dough emulsion (if using), and yeast mixture to butter/sugar mixture.
Using a dough hook, mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Continue to mix for 5 minutes.
Remove dough from bowl and knead on lightly floured surface for about a minute.
Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then a clean towel.
Let rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Roll out dough into a large rectangle.
Spread dough with butter and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Begin rolling dough by starting at the opposite side of rectangle and rolling tightly towards you.
Seal seam by pinching together. Slice dough log in half, then in half again, then in thirds, making 12 rolls. Place rolls in greased pan and allow to rise about 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, approximately 22 to 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer.

Mix the frosting ingredients for approximately 5 minutes...OR, if using glaze, whisk ingredients with fork until smooth. Glaze rolls while still warm, but wait till rolls are cool if using frosting instead of glaze.

Tips:
Refrigerate baked rolls if using cream cheese frosting. 
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar yields best results when fresh.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Great sauce for topping cheesecake, pound cake, 
pancakes, crepes, ice cream, and more.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com 

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Wash strawberries and remove stems. Cut largest berries in half.
Combine strawberries, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently.
Cook until sauce thickens.
Remove some of the berry mixture and set aside.
Mash remaining berries with a potato masher a couple of times, and then add the separated berries back in to the mixture, along with the vanilla extract.
Remove from heat. Store the sauce in refrigerator.

Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, Chewy, and Not-Too-Gooey!

I'm not a big fan of the Toll-House Chocolate Chip cookies, partly because of burnout.
These are a great alternative.

Levain Bakery (New York) is famous for their chocolate chip cookies, and this is a copycat recipe, which I found on Michelle's blog, "Brown Eyed Baker." I left out the walnuts and used milk chocolate chips rather than dark chocolate chips. 


Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(yield: 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size)

Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
¾ cup plus 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, cold, lightly beaten in a separate bowl

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Do not preheat oven until after dough has refrigerated for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute...will be one big ball.

Add both sugars and mix for 2 minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla and continue mixing on medium speed for 1 minute; batter will be lumpy.
Scrape sides of bowl and stir gently.

Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add flour mixture until just a little bit of flour still remains.

Add chocolate chips to remaining flour and stir to coat...add chips to dough and stir thorougly to combine.

Drop 2 Tablespoons of dough (for each cookie) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; do not smooth the dough.

Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until very light golden brown. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and let cool.

Store cookies in airtight container.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Very moist and chocolatey cake topped with creamy frosting.



Chocolate Cupcakes
Paula Deen
(Yield: approximately 30 cupcakes)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

Brew one cup of strong coffee and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

Add oil, cooled coffee, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 15 to 19 minutes.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, and then remove cupcakes from the pans and cool completely.


Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened & 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar (not Powdered Sugar)

Directions:
In a small or medium saucepan, add milk and whisk in flour over medium-low heat. Whisk continually until mixture is very thick...almost as thick as brownie batter; It must be thick, or the frosting will not set up properly. 

Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool completely on counter; I place on cool, wet dishtowel. 
Place plastic wrap directly ON top of mixture while cooling. For the next step, the milk/flour mixture must not be warm AT ALL, but if you cool mixture in refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature before proceeding. Once mixture has cooled, add in vanilla extract.

In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and granulated sugar on low for 2 minutes, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.  Add in the cooled milk/flour mixture and continue beating on medium-high for 8 minutes until resembles whipped cream. Frost cake/cupcakes and store in refrigerator (for firmer texture) or at room temperature (for softer texture).

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

The texture of this frosting is similar to whipped cream...luscious.


Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened & 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar (not Powdered Sugar)

Directions:
In a small or medium saucepan, add milk and whisk in flour over medium-low heat. Whisk continually until mixture is very thick...almost as thick as brownie batter; It must be thick, or the frosting will not set up properly. 

Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool completely on counter; I place on cool, wet dishtowel. 

Place plastic wrap directly ON top of mixture while cooling. For the next step, the milk/flour mixture must not be warm AT ALL, but if you cool mixture in refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature before proceeding. Once mixture has cooled, add in vanilla extract.

In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and granulated sugar on low for 2 minutes, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.  Add in the cooled milk/flour mixture and continue beating on medium-high for 8 minutes until resembles whipped cream. Frost cake/cupcakes and store in refrigerator (for firmer texture) or at room temperature (for softer texture).

Not-Too-Sweet Peanut Butter Cookies

Satisfy your craving for something sweet with these delicious, one-bowl cookies.


Slightly adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Not-Too-Sweet Peanut Butter Cookies
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(makes approximately 24 cookies)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1 Tablespoon margarine
1 egg
3/4 cup raw sugar (a.k.a. turbinado sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 Tablespoon water
1-1/2 cups (3/2) cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, combine shortening, margarine, egg, sugar, vanilla extract, peanut butter, and water. Mix well.
Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on lowest setting just until combined.

Form cookies into a ball with small scoop or by hand, and place 2 inches apart on either greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Flatten each ball with tines of fork making a criss-cross pattern.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-16 minutes (depending on size of cookie), or until slightly browned on outside edge only.

Note: I baked mine for approximately 15 minutes, as I like them with a slight crunch.
 
 

Simply Awesome Oatmeal Craisin-Raisin Cookies

I wish I could say this recipe originated with me, 
but I must give credit to Alice at Savory Sweet Life. Pure genius...crispy, chewy, and moist! I've baked and eaten my share of oatmeal cookies, but these are
"THE BEST OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES"...EVER. 
This slight adaptation is pretty awesome, too!


Simply Awesome Oatmeal Craisin-Raisin Cookies
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(yields:  24 to 30 cookies, depending on size)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup raw sugar...a.k.a turbinado sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon imitation butter flavoring
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats (not instant or quick oats)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup Craisins
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus a few grains more if you prefer a slight salty taste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat on low for a couple of minutes, then beat on medium-high for about 4 minutes, or until mixture is fluffy.

Turn mixer to low and add egg, vanilla extract, and butter flavoring. Turn mixer to medium and mix for 1 minute, then turn mixer off.

Add oats, raisins, and Craisins and mix for 2 minutes.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and mix for 2 minutes.

Turn mixer off, and using a large spoon or spatula, stir mixture thoroughly.

Place spoonfuls of dough onto greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving room for cookies to spread.

Bake for approximately 10 to 14 minutes, depending on cookie size. Cookies are done when browned but appearing somewhat gooey in middle. Remove pan from oven and leave cookies on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to cooling rack or plate.

Note: these cookies are designed to spread....gives them their signature crunch and chewiness.

Creamy Banana Pudding

Easy and delicious banana pudding using cream cheese, instant french vanilla pudding, and fresh whipped cream.



Here's what you'll need:
French Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix, Milk, Cream Cheese, Vanilla Wafers, Whipping Cream, Powdered Sugar, (& Bananas- not shown)

Begin by adding softened cream cheese to mixer bowl and mix until fluffy.

Slowly add in milk and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add in instant pudding and mix well.

  


In serving dish*, layer: 
1) vanilla wafers, 2) prepared pudding, & 3) fresh sliced bananas. Repeat steps, ending with prepared pudding on top.
*Looks pretty in clear bowl or trifle dish...just be sure to place vanilla wafers facing out (on the sides of the dish).

 

Cover and refrigerate pudding while making whipped cream. 
 

Place whipping cream in mixer bowl with whip attachment and whip cream, adding in small amount of powdered sugar once cream begins to stiffen slightly. Continue whipping until you reach the desired stiffness.

Top banana pudding with whipped cream.

Best when served the first day.

Creamy Banana Pudding
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: approximately 15 servings)

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
4 ripe bananas (but not too ripe)
3-1/2 to 4 cups milk total
2 (3.4 ounce) packages dry instant french vanilla pudding mix
1/3 box vanilla wafers
2 to 3 cups whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:
Add softened cream cheese to mixer bowl and mix until fluffy.
Slowly add in milk (from 3-1/2 to 4 cups, as desired) and mix until combined.
Add in dry pudding mix and mix well.

In serving dish*, layer:
1) vanilla wafers, 2) prepared pudding, & 3) fresh sliced bananas.
Repeat layers ending with prepared pudding on top.
*Looks pretty in clear bowl or trifle dish...just be sure to place vanilla wafers facing out (on sides of dish).

Cover and refrigerate pudding while preparing whipped cream.
Place whipping cream in mixer bowl fitted with whip attachment, and whip cream adding in powdered sugar once cream begins to stiffen slightly. Continue whipping until it reaches the desired stiffness.
Top banana pudding with whipped cream.
Best served right away or within 24 hours.