Friday, September 28, 2012

Fruit Jam Cookies


Ingredients:

 • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 • 1 cup sugar
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1/4 teaspoon salt
 • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
 • 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
 • Apricot jam or fruit jam of your choice

Directions:


  1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
  2. In an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour and salt. Mix well. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown. 


Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Baked Fish in Foil


Ingredients:

  • 1 portion of fish filet such as salmon or mahi mahi
  • 3 tablespoon of asian-style barbeque sauce
  • 3 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • White pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of fried onion


Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. Place fish filet in a foil lined baking dish. Prepare sauce by mixing barbeque sauce, soy sauce, water, whiter pepper, sugar, and fried onion pieces. Pour sauce over the fish filet.
  3. Bake for 8-10 minutes depending on the fish filet's portion size. 


Monday, September 24, 2012

Apricot & Almond Cookies


Ingredients:

 • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 • 1/2 cup sugar
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 1/4 teaspoon salt
 • 1 egg
 • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
 • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

 • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
 • 7 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur or Amaretto

Directions:


  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour until just blended. Mix in the apricots and almonds.
  2. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350º. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool. To make icing: place the confectioners' sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the almond flavored liqueur or until the mixture is of drizzling consistency.


Friday, September 21, 2012

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies


Ingredients:

 • 1 1/2 cups pecans
 • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
 • 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
 • 1 cup granulated sugar
 • 2 eggs
 • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
 • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1 teaspoon baking powder
 • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 • 1 teaspoon salt
 • 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
 • 1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:


  1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
  2. Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. Cool and chop.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.
  5. Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies


Ingredients:

 • 1 teaspoon baking powder
 • 1 teaspoon baking soda
 • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
 • 1/2 teaspoon salt
 • 2 sticks butter, softened
 • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
 • 1 egg
 • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 • 1 cup quick cooking oats
 • 3/4 cup shredded coconut flakes
For garnish:
 • 8 ounces white chocolate, melted
 • 3/4 cup toasted, shredded coconut flakes

Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, flour and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in the oats, vanilla extract and shredded coconut flakes.
  3. Form walnut-sized balls of the mixture and drop 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined sheet pans. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. 
  4. When the cookies are cool, dip them halfway into the melted white chocolate and then into the toasted shredded coconut flakes. Set them down onto parchment paper-lined sheet pans to dry completely.