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Linzer Cookies

Who’s ready for Christmas? I think I almost am…..there always seems to be something else that needs doing.  It’s always fun  baking with the girls, and these cookies end up on our table every Christmas.  They look fancy but are not difficult to make, and are great for gift giving.   Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Linzer Cookies

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Serves: 2 dozen cookies Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup almond flour, toasted
  • 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • Jam of choice for filling (I used seedless raspberry jam)

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350F.

2

Place the almond flour on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3

Toast flour in oven approx 5-7 minutes. Check and mix frequently because it will burn quickly.

4

When light golden in color remove from oven and let cool.

5

Increase oven temperature to 375F

6

In a standard mixer beat the butter, sugars, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until fluffy and lighter in color.

7

Add in the cooled almond flour, all purpose flour and egg.

8

Mix until dough forms, about 2 minutes.

9

Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

10

Place a long piece of parchment paper on the counter and place half of dough on it. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll the dough between them.

11

Cut dough into desired shape. I used a 2 inch biscuit cutter for top and bottom. For the top part I also cut out a shape into it. Make sure you cut equal number of bottoms and tops since they will be sandwiched together.

12

Bake cookies for 8 minutes and place on cooling racks. Let cool completely before filling.

13

Warm the jam of your choice in the microwave until slightly runny, about 1 minute.

14

Sprinkle powered sugar on all the tops.

15

Place about 1/2 tsp jam on each cookie bottom and place the cookie top on it.

16

Store cookies in airtight container. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!!


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Orange Cranberry Scones

*Please note, the following post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”  Disclaimer

Tangy dried cranberries and luscious orange make these scones hard to keep around for long. They are great for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea, or anytime you like.  So simple to make and they keep  for quite a few days in a tight sealed container.  If you’re looking to give a delicious gift to a special someone, these would be it.

 


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Cranberry Orange Scones

Servings: 16 scones
Author: WhollyCupcake

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/3 C heavy cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 C whole milk cold
  • 1 tsp natural orange extract
  • 1 C dried cranberries

Instructions

  • 1
  • Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
  • 2
  • In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder
  • 3
  • Add butter to the bowl and crumble mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Add the cranberries
  • 4
  • In a medium bowl whisk the heavy cream, egg, whole milk, and orange extract
  • 5
  • Pour wet mixture over the dry and gently knead into a ball, you might need to add a bit more four since mixture will be soft and slightly sticky
  • 6
  • Place dough of floured surface and cut in two equal parts
  • 7
  • Flatten disks and cut each into 8 wedges (like cutting a pizza)
  • 8
  • Place wedges on baking sheet, brush with heavy cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar
  • 9
  • Bake 15-18 mins until light golden
  • 10
  • Get your kettle on and enjoy these delicious scones!
 
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Chocolate Ganache Mini Pies with Maple and Sea Salt Pecans (Gluten-Free)

I had enough dough leftover from my mini pumpkin pies recipe to make another batch of mini pies. I love pecans but not pecan pie, and chocolate and nuts are my weakness.  The filling for these is super easy to make, and the only thing you have to bake is the crust. You can also make a 9 inch pie if making individuals ones is not your thing, all instructions are the same.

Preheat oven to 375F and have handy two muffin pans

Chocolate Ganache Mini Pies with Maple and Sea Salt Pecans (Gluten-Free)

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Serves: 15-20 Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • Pie Crust(see my post on gluten-free mini pumpkin pies for recipe)
  • Maple and Sea Salt Pecans
  • 1 Cup raw pecan halves
  • 2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
  • 2 pinches Sea Salt
  • Ganache Filling
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 4 oz dark chocolate chopped
  • 1 1/4 Cup heavy cream

Instructions

1

Maple Pecans

2

Place pecans in skillet and roast on low-med heat until slightly fragrant, about 5 mins

3

Drizzle maple syrup over pecans and sprinkle with the sea salt

4

Using a wooden spoon gently stir the pecans and roast for about 2 mins more until caramelized. Be careful because they burn easily.

5

Remove from heat and spread on parchment paper to cool

6

Pie Crusts

7

Prepare pie crust as for the mini pumpkin pies (see recipe on my blog)

8

After you have placed it in the muffin tins, gently pierce each crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing too much during baking

9

Place in preheated oven and bake 25 minutes until slightly golden, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack thats been placed on top of a baking sheet

10

In the mean time prepare the ganache

11

Chocolate Ganache

12

Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat on medium until slightly hot

13

Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and gently pour the hot cream over it

14

Whisk until smooth and silky, cool for about 2-3 minutes

15

Assembling the Pies

16

Gently pour the ganache into the crusts, taking care not to overfill

17

Place them in the refrigerator and chill for about 20 mins until ganache is set

18

Decorate each mini pie with the pecans

19

Keep pies in the fridge, bring to room temperature before serving.

20

They are rich and decadent and delicious with a cup of coffee

21

Enjoy!😁

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Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is quick and easy to make when you are strapped for time.  Turn it into sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Preheat oven to 500F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

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Serves: 6-8 Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Pork Tenderloins (approx 2 1/2 lbs)
  • 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Sea Salt
  • 2 Tsp Ground Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
  • 2 Springs Fresh Rosemary stripped and chopped

Instructions

1

Trim tenderloins of any silver connective tissue and place them on foil rimmed baking sheet.

2

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and gently rub it into both side of tenderloins.

3

Drizzle olive oil coating both sides.

4

Sprinkle tenderloins with the salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.

5

Roast in oven for 20 mins.

6

Rest meat about 5-10 mins before slicing.

 

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Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

Which vegetable (or fruit depending on who you ask) says autumn more than the beloved pumpkin? It’s so versatile, you can turn it into a bread, pie, cookies, muffins, and in this case soup. It has a mild sweetness, velvety texture, and a slight coconut finish.  Delicious as a meal served with the quick dinner rolls.  I make the soup using fresh sugar pumpkin which is small and sweet.IMG_1863

Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk ( serves 8-10)

  • 1 onion cut into slices
  • 1 1/4 lbs fresh pumpkin
  • 2 cans coconut milk (reduced fat or full fat)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup coriander leaves or 2 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Small pinch dried chile pepper flakes (optional)

Wash, cut and remove seeds from the pumpkin.  Carefully cut the skin off and cube the flesh.In a dutch oven, dry heat the onion (place onions in the hot but dry pot) and cook about 2 mins until fragrant.

In a dutch oven, dry heat the onion (place onions in the hot but dry pot) and cook about 2 mins until fragrant.  Add to the onions, coconut milk, chicken broth, cubed pumpkin, coriander, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Turn heat down to low and simmer approx 30 mins or until pumpkin is soft.  Remove the bay leaf.  Now, to get that smooth velvety texture you can either use an immersion blender in the pot and cream the soup, or you can pour soup into a blender and VERY CAREFULLY puree. Return pureed soup to heat and simmer for 5-10 mins longer.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  The soup tastes best 2-3 days after it’s been made.  Enjoy!

 

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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Welcome fall with its blanket of beautiful colors, crisp mornings and pumpkin muffins 🙂 Just the smell of these filling the house as they bake puts me in a  more relaxed mood.  So slow down, grab a cup of tea and enjoy one of these delicious muffins.

Pumpkin Cream cheese Muffins (makes 24 muffins)

Preheat oven to 325F. Line or grease two (12 muffin) pans.

Muffin Batter

  • 3 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
  • 1 tsp ground cloves

Sift above ingredients into a large bowl

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree ( canned or fresh)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Wisk the above ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and mix well.  Fill each muffin liner 3/4 full.  Divide the cream cheese filling evenly between the muffins. The cream cheese filling will spread out while baking.

Cream cheese filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp orange zest

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Bake 30 mins. Enjoy !

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“Sun-Dried” Cherry Tomatoes

Little morsels bursting with flavor…..that’s what they are! Sun dried tomatoes, even though they are not dried by the sun per say, but by my oven, are such a a treat.  They are great on sandwiches, salads, pizza or just by the handful.  I’ve had an abundant cherry tomato harvest this summer, and what better way to preserve these juicy globes of goodness than preparing them as follows:

Sun-Dried Cherry Tomatoes (makes about 2 cups)

  • 3 lbs cherry/grape tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

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Halve all the tomatoes and spread evenly on the baking sheet.  In a small bowl, mix the  olive oil with the minced garlic and drizzle evenly over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle them with generous amounts of salt and pepper (taste them to make sure they are to your liking.) Place baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30 mins, after which you turn down the temperature to 200F and continue roasting for 3-4 more hours, or until desired dryness.  Cool completely, see if you can help yourself from eating them all, and place in a clean jar or airtight container.  I’m not sure how long they keep in the fridge for because  mine didn’t last past day 2 since we ate them all.  If you have better self control than me, leave  a comment with the amount of time yours lasted in the fridge. Enjoy!

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Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Burst Cherry Tomatoes

I accidentally grew a spaghetti squash.  At first I thought it was a weird looking cucumber, but it gre larger, rounder and eventually yellow.  I’m so glad we got this extra vegetable from the garden. It’s sweet, a bit crunchy, versatile and fun to make.

  • Spaghetti squash (2-3 lbs in size)
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
  •  Fresh Basil, small handful chopped
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Wash, cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds.  Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil on the flesh side and season generously with salt and pepper.  Place on microwave safe dish cut side down and cook approx 10 minutes or until skin feels soft.  Remove carefully from microwave and let cool enough to handle.  In the meantime, in a small pan heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, place cherry tomatoes in the pan along with the garlic.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low to medium heat until tomatoes burst gently, approx 6-8 mins. Remove from heat and set aside.  With a fork scrape the flesh from the squash into a large bowl stirring gently to break it up.  Pour the tomato mixture on top, season with more salt and pepper if needed, sprinkle with the parmesan and fresh basil.

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