A Cooking Baker

I'm a fan of blondies.  I love the brown sugary goodness, especially when combined with dark chocolate.  Add almonds (like these ones right here ) and I am a a very happy camper.  This is a more basic recipe - very easy to make, and so tasty.  I always come home with an empty plate when I bring these along. My Favorite Blondies 1-1/2 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 c. butter, melted (can also use coconut oil) 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 10 oz. pkg. dark chocolate chips (you can use semi-sweet, but I highly recommend the dark) Add butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until just combined.  If you want to combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and then add, you can, but I'm lazy and just added it all in, and then combined with the brown sugar mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  The mixture will b...

I LOVE French Onion Soup. I made a big pot this weekend. I froze half of it, and served the rest for a Sunday lunch. The kids don't mind it, but they tend to supplement a smaller portion with a grilled cheese or salad. 
The key to the amazing flavor is the caramelizing of the onions, so take your time and do it right. You can do the onions a day or two in advance if you like and then finish off the soup, as long as you're cool with onion-ing up your house for 2 days (my kids are always horrified with the oniony aroma when they come home on a day I've been reducing a big pot of onions), or do it all at once, and then either serve the soup right away or stick it in the fridge for a day or two (or freeze it!). Making the soup a day or two before you're going to serve it improves the flavor, in my opinion. The recipe below looks a little involved, but it's really not bad at all. You can walk away from the onions while they're in the oven, as long as you se...

In a good year, I usually make about 10 different kinds of Christmas cookies. I didn't bake much this year - there wasn't time, it seemed, but mostly the motivation wasn't quite there. I made banket, and I made some sugar cookie cut-outs with the little Baker, and today we whipped up a batch of the classic Peanut Blossoms . Here are a few of the recipes I had WANTED to make, but didn't get to this year: Cranberry Walnut Pinwheels  Wisconsin Electric Cookie Book (2002) Dough 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Filling 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons orange marmalade In a small bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts and marmalade. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking power and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; ...

I LOVE THESE!!! So easy, so tasty, and so cute - they are an awesome dessert for parties - I like to do these and chocolate mousse cups (I'll explain below), or even chocolate dipped strawberries, and then arrange them on a tiered serving tray.   Don't fill them too far in advance, though.  The phyllo shells will get soggy if you do it too soon. I make the filling, stick it in the fridge, and then just before serving, I spoon the filling into the shells and sprinkle with lime zest or add a blackberry on top. Key Lime Tartlets ½ c. cream cheese, softened (Neufchatel is fine) ¼ c. sweetened condensed milk 2 tbsp. key lime juice ¼ tsp. lime zest 15 phyllo tarts (1 box – look for them in or near the frozen section of the grocery store) 2 thin slices of lime cut into 8ths for garnish (or berries) Combine cream cheese and condensed milk.   Mix until light and fluffy.   Add lime juice and lime zest, then mix thoroughly.   Chill 1 hour, then sp...

Chicken philly sandwiches are a quick and easy dinner favorite.  You can use deli chicken, some boneless, skinless chicken breast, or rotisserie chicken.  I like to sauté green peppers and onions, serve them on some good rolls, top with provolone (we like the picante provolone from Boar's head), and stick under the broiler. Serve with some fries, roasted broccoli or whatever you have on hand for a side. I tend to wing in when making them, so here are some guesstimates: Chicken Philly Sandwiches 1-1/2 lb. or so sliced deli chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken, etc.) 1 tsp. evoo 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp.  freshly ground black pepper 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce  1 tsp. (wish) Dijon mustard 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips 1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly 6 slices of provolone cheese french bread rolls, sliced horseradish sauce or mayo (optional) To prepare, season the chicken, heat the oil in the pan, then sauté your veggies - I re...

THIS was awesome.   I know this isn't a freezer meal, or a meal, but I had to share it, anyway.  We had a fantastic Thanksgiving meal with our family last week, and this recipe from the Journal Sentinel a few years ago was one of the best sides we've ever had.  I've never been a fan of the whole marshmallow-topped sweet potato thing, but THIS is right up my alley - totally replaced the mashed potatoes and gravy on my plate this year (Although we had those, too.  And stuffing. It was a carb-tastic menu). I know it LOOKS a little fussy, recipe-wise, but it's not that bad, and again, it is REALLY GOOD.  I am GUESSING you could freeze it, but not recommending it.  And seriously, you don't want to wait long to eat it, anyway.  What are your favorite sides for Thanksgiving, or any other special meal?  Dauphinoise Sweet Potatoes with Sage & Asiago Breadcrumbs Makes about 10 servings 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil 1 large onion, fin...