Soft Raisin Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I haven't made these cookies in years. They were a cookie jar favorite in the late 40's and early 50's, and those of you who are too young to remember these  "grandma" cookies  might, out of curiosity, want to give this recipe a try. These cookies were popular for years before WWII, but they disappeared from the American table when the constraints imposed by rationing made them impractical for housewives to bake. They reappeared shortly after the war and joined oatmeal and peanut butter as cookie jar favorites across the country. Milk and cookies at the end of the school day was part of a routine that those of us of a certain age remember well. The first order of the afternoon was to change clothes. We were not yet a nation of consumers and there was a clear line drawn between clothes meant for church, those meant for school and those that had been retired and relegated to play status. Once clothes had been changed the cookie jar took center stage and a ritual as old as high tea began. This cookie is a delight and I love this version of the recipe which I found in Taste of Home magazine. It makes a huge batch of of moist and chewy cookies that I think your family will love. The cookies keep well and they are super simple to make. Here is the recipe.

A Super Simple Dip for Super Bowl Sunday - Jalapeno Popper Dip

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This dip really does taste like jalapeno poppers. I've seen the recipe for it for years, but today, for whatever reason, the spirit moved me and I decided to give it a test run. If you like a dip with some bite, I suspect you'll enjoy this, both for its flavor and its ease of preparation. It is effortless to make and my only complaint regarding the recipe is that it makes too darn much for a party of two. The Silver Fox and I are not great snackers, but we tried the dip on some crackers and then thinned it with some milk and used the remainder of it to make an other worldly mac n' cheese. Feel free to use cheddar or a blended Mexican cheese when you make this. Interestingly, the dip can be served hot or cold. If, however, you decide to serve it cold, cut back a bit on the crumb topping. The topping is lovely for the warm version of the dip because it adds some color to an otherwise pale dish, but its a bit much for the cold version. If you are looking for simple something something to serve while watching the Super Bowl and you enjoy heat, why not give this easy recipe a try. Here is how the dip is made.

Simple Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If your cookie jar is empty, you might want to give this recipe a try. My family loves ginger cookies regardless of their country of origin. This is one of our favorites and the recipe I'm featuring is for an all-American version that produces large, nicely spiced cookies that remain soft and chewy as they bake. I use light molasses to make ours, but any type of molasses, save blackstrap or sorghum, can be used. These ginger cookies are simple to make and they are good keepers. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. These cookies are great for school lunches and those occasions that don't require finesse. Here is how they are made.

Soft Ginger Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I dearly love the apple and pumpkin desserts that are served at this time of year, but I'm equally fond of gingerbread and pastries that are made with fresh or dried ginger. Spicy ginger cookies are the perfect treat to serve with a mug of warm apple cider, and, fortunately, most recipes for them are truly easy to make. The cookie I'm featuring tonight is a softer version of the classic old-fashioned gingersnap. This cookie is crisp at the edges but has a soft and chewy center. The dough used to make the cookies stays slightly stickly, so you will want to refrigerate it before you start to form the cookies. Even then, I find the dough easier to work with when I have wet hands. The time listed in the recipe below should be viewed as a suggestion or starting point for baking the cookies. I had to bake mine for 15 minutes before they were firm enough to move from the trays. This cookie is sweeter than most versions of gingersnaps and I think they taste better if they are allowed to mellow for a day before serving. These cookies may be too spicy for children to enjoy, but adults, particularly those who have a sweet tooth, will gobble them up. The use of raisins in this recipe is completely optional. I do not use them because my brain refuses to reconcile the use of raisins in this type of cookie. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. It is easy to make and the cookies are delicious. Here is the recipe.

Soft and Spicy Ginger Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar, divided use
1/4 cup molasses
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins, (optional)

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream together shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
Stir in molasses.
2) Mix water and baking soda together. Stir into creamed mixture.
3) Sift together flour, salt, and dry spices and gradually add to creamed mixture.
4) Gradually stir sifted ingredients, along with ginger and raisins, into creamed mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar. (The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets, and flatten slightly. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling. Yield: 40 cookies.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Tossed Salad with Apples, Candied Walnuts and Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

Two Years Ago Today: Walnut Cheesecake Squares

Three Years Ago Today: Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder

Four Years Ago Today: Cran-Apple Crisp

Simple Bean and Corn Salsa

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This gorgeous salsa was made twice by my oldest daughter who, as you can tell, is no slouch in the looks department herself. She tends to do things twice. There are two bachelor degrees, both taken in hard majors, that were earned simultaneously when she was an undergraduate at CMU, and there are, of course those 2 really together grandsons she has given us. At any rate, her salsa, refrigerated to ripen for a fish taco supper, was found and devoured by the males of the family who thought it was a snack. Fortunately, this is one of those blessedly simple recipes that comes together in minutes and she was quickly able to put dinner back on course.The recipe is very easy to follow and it is a great dish for young cooks to try. While a bit of smoky flavor will be sacrificed, the toasting of the cumin  can be overlooked if you are busy and simply want to get dinner on the table. Here is how it is made.



Black Bean and Corn Salsa...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Penzeys

Ingredients:
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, lightly toasted
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained (or 2 cups fresh corn kernels, cooked or 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed)
1 red bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup lime juice (juice of 2 limes)
1 teaspoon grated lime zest (zest from 1 lime)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
Combine the cumin, black beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, parsley, lime juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a large bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Use as a side or with tortilla chips as a dip. Yield: 14 to 16 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Blueberry Pudding Cake and the Floating Post Office

Two Years Ago Today: Red Pepper Soup with Ginger and Fennel

Three Years Ago Today: Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Garlic Oil

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope you understand that it is nigh on impossible to write a food blog that does not contain at least one seasonal entry for zucchini bread. Well, that time has come, and while I've done my best to disguise the zucchini, you are going to have to man-up to the fact that your chocolate cake has some green stuff in it. Actually, this is a very nice bread/cake. It comes together easily and it's guaranteed to satisfy the sweet tooth and chocolate cravings of the dessert lovers who assemble at your table. This is an almost foolproof recipe, but because the chips tend to sink to the bottom of the pan, you'll want to make sure the pan is well-greased and lined. Several years ago, following myriad tragedies that would rival those of Euripides, I started to line the bottom of all my bread and cake pans to assure the contents would release from the pans in one piece. Please follow suit, at least with this bread, because this is one that wants to stick. The recipe, which first appeared in Taste of Home magazine, is a keeper, so I hope you'll put it in your in-basket. Here is how this simple bread is made.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup grated unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Grease paper. Set aside.
2) Cream  butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3) Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in another bowl and gradually add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
4) Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near  center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices).

One Year Ago Today: Stir-Fried Asparagus with Pork

Two Years Ago Today: Relish the Relish - Two Hot Dog Toppers

Three Years Ago Today: Red Pepper Relish

Four Years Ago Today: Parmesan Crisps

Swedish Raspberry and Almond Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Those of us who love to cook amass recipes the way Midas did gold. Despite efforts to contain them, our collections grow at an alarming rate. Tucked in among them, however, you'll usually find a handful of well-worn treasures that, having stood the test of time and taste, have been granted best of class status and become family favorites. The bar cookies I'm featuring today are in that category. They were originally the creation of an unknown Swedish housewife who, using a bit of butter and sugar, managed to produce a buttery cookie so memorable that its reputation crossed an ocean and entered the kitchens of the new world where they are still enjoyed today. I first had these cookies as a child when war time rationing forced them to be made with margarine. Margarine back then was an interesting affair. It came in a block that looked like lard. Each block contained a packet of coloring that was worked into it until it was uniformly yellow. Believe it or not, the job of mixing often fell to children who vied for the task. These cookies are so good that even margarine could not spoil them, but when they are made with butter they become an unforgettable treat. The base of the cookies is a shortbread that is covered with a layer of raspberry or apricot jam. The jam is covered with a meringue and is finished with a topping of sliced almonds. The recipe for the cookies, which appears below, comes from Taste of Home magazine. I add almond extract and a bit of salt to the shortbread, but other than that I stick with the recipe, which is foolproof. These bars are a personal favorite of mine and I highly recommend them to you. I know you'll enjoy them. Here is how they are made.

Swedish Raspberry and Almond Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds, divided
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2) Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
3) Spread jam over crust. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut and 1/2 cup almonds. Spread over jam. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.
4) Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 2 dozen.

Cook's Note: I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to the cookie base.

One Year Ago Today: Strawberry and Pineapple Freezer Jam

Two Years Ago Today: Pasta Picnic Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Limeade Concentrate

Four Years Ago Today: Buttermilk Jewel-Toned Tarts

Apricot-Oatmeal Bars with Pistachios and Chocolate Chips

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love a parade and because I am relentless, my friends have learned to love them, too. Today, I shanghaied them for a trip to Portland to see the Rose Parade. Our crew gets larger every year and when we get together, we look like we're on a field trip, enjoying a day away from the home. I suspect we were quite a sight. In addition to chairs, we were also lugging picnic hampers for lunch in the park to round out the day. Food for the picnic was a communal affair and I was the designated dessert lady. I made several types of bar cookies because they travel well and could hold up to the jostling that would get them from here to there. I'll eventually be sharing all the recipes with you, but tonight I'd like to focus on the one that made the cookie that I liked least. Let me hasten to add, there is absolutely nothing wrong with these cookies, save for the fact they are too sweet for my taste. The sweet lovers in the group enjoyed the bars and they were gone by the end of the afternoon. The cookies, while expensive to make, are simple to prepare and all the information you need to successfully make them is in the recipe below. If you have a sweet tooth, I suspect you'll love these bars. Here is how they are made.

Apricot-Oatmeal Bars with Pistachios and Chocolate Chips...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
9-ounces (2 cups) all purpose flour
1-1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces (1 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces (about 1 cup) chopped, shelled natural pistachios
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup white chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels
1 (15-1/4-oz.) jar apricot preserves

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix on low speed until well combined. Add butter and mix on medium until butter is mostly blended and mixture appears moist and begins to pull together, about 3 minutes. Stir in pistachios. Transfer 1-1/2 cups of crumb mixture to another bowl, then stir dried apricots and chocolate morsels into it, and refrigerate.
2) Firmly press remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes (leave the oven on). Spread apricot preserves evenly on top, leaving a 1/8-inch border around the edge of the crust.
3) Crumble reserved crumb mixture over apricot preserves. Return to oven and bake until lightly browned and fruit filling is bubbling all over, including the center of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into 18 bars (or into smaller pieces, if you like).

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Reese's-Like Peanut Butter Bars - A No-Bake Treat

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope at least a few of you share my enjoyment of chocolate and peanut butter desserts. The pairing in this candy-like confection makes me positively giddy and whenever these bars are around my resolve, which can be impressive, simply crumbles. I suspect you already have this recipe in your files, but I stumbled on it only a year ago and it has become my favorite go-to treat whenever I have the urge for something ridiculously sweet and truly terrible for me. I am in transit today and have some ridiculous layovers, so, my urges will definitely be met. Carrot sticks will simply not do it for me. The version I'm sharing today is all over the blogosphere, so, I had a really hard time determining whom to credit for the original creation of the bars. I ended up using date of entry as my guide and am, therefore,  crediting them to Food.com because they published the earliest version I was able to find. Truth be told, I have no idea who first developed the recipe, but God should have a special spot in heaven for them, whoever they may be. Without further ado, here is the recipe for the world's finest no-bake peanut butter treat. Enjoy!

Reese's-Like Peanut Butter Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 pound confectioners' sugar (3 to 3 1/2 cups)
1-1/2 cups + 2 teaspoons peanut butter, divided use
1 cup butter, melted
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet,bittersweet or combination)

Directions:
1) Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough to hang over sides for lifting. Mist foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Combine graham crumbs, sugar and 1-1/2 cups peanut butter in a large bowl and mix well. Blend in melted butter until well combined. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
3) Combine 2 teaspoons peanut butter and chocolate chips in top of a double boiler or in a microwave bowl. Melt and stir together. Spread over peanut butter mixture.
4) Chill until just set. Use foil handles to lift from pan. Cut into bars (these are very hard to cut if the chocolate gets "rock hard". Yield: 36 bars









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Four Years Ago Today: Very Berry Lemon and Blueberry Sweet Bread

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and easy cookie jar stuffer that you might want to include in your cookie recipe collection. I am inordinately fond of shortbread, as much for its ease of preparation, as for its buttery richness. The addition of coarsely chopped chocolate pumps this recipe up a bit and certainly makes it more interesting than plain ol' plain ol' shortbread. The recipe originally came from Taste of Home magazine and, save for substituting bittersweet for semisweet chocolate, I have not varied from it at all. I do, however, want to insert a reminder here. Shortbread does not travel well. As a matter of fact, it gives new meaning to the old saw, "that's how the cookie crumbles."  I also want to emphasize that whatever chocolate you use, it should be coarsely chopped, unless you want your cookies to resemble chocolate shortbread. This is a great recipe for beginning cooks and it adapts quite well to poorly equipped summer cottage kitchens. Here is how the cookies are made.

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2) Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3) Combine flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate.
4) Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar.
5) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 dozen.














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Four Years Ago Today: Blueberry Crumb Cake

Orange Pecan Icebox Cookies

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a special fondness for icebox cookies. I don't think they are the best of kind in the world of sweet treats, but as family size shrinks, they make it possible for a family of two to enjoy cookies as fresh as those enjoyed families of four or six or eight. They are also usually easy to prepare, and those of you who know me, know I never argue with easy. That being said, I suspect these fall into the realm of adult cookies. I can tell you that they did not impress my grandbabies who politely ate the three they were given, but despite their availability,  never ask for more. That rarely happens. Fortunately, my older cookie monsters loved them and that is why I'm passing these orange-flavored gems  on to you.  The recipe is easy, straightforward and feeds an army should you chose to make the cookies in a single  marathon baking session. However, if you freeze the dough, you can slice and bake the exact number of cookies you need for any occasion.  If you enjoy layered citrus flavor, I know you will enjoy these cookies. Here's how they are made.



Orange Pecan Icebox Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Baking cookbook

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in  egg, orange juice, orange peel and extracts. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Shape dough into four 5-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap rolls and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 6 dozen.









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