MAPLE PECAN SHORTBREAD BARS

well, once again this shortbread recipe has not failed me. it's pretty much my go-to for some quick standard shortbread base.

i just love the tight sharp corners and edges these cookies keep after baking. i think it has to do with the dough using the powdered sugar, and the dough should be chilled and kept cold right untill the oven. i even stick the whole sheet in the fridge for a few min, then put it straight into the oven. OH, and one more thing i did for this batch was upped the temp by 10-20 degrees for the first 4-5 mins then lowered back norm...i don't know if that helped, but the combo of everything kept a nice edge on the cookie.

i adapted this recipe from Smitten Kitchen's espresso chocolate chip cookies, who adapted it from Dorie G. if you haven't already, you should check out Smitten Kitchen's index...so many gooood things!

Makes 32 cookies

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple extract...maybe a tad more depending on the quality?

2 cups all-purpose flour

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.

Beat in the vanilla (or another flavor).

Then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated.

Fold in what ever you want to add to the mix at this point.

Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares (you can, obviously cut into any shape. i used a cookie cutter a few times and had to RE-ROLL and they came out just fine).

Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color (check the bottom of on...take a peek).

Transfer the cookies to a rack.
If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

oops...sorry ... i forgot to say i used 1/2 tsp maple extract and 1/4 vanilla

also i used about 1/2-3/4 c. toasted pecans

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MINI CHERRY CRUMBLE PIES

these lil'pies are way too good. if you love crumbles and crisps, you'll love these. i don't know about you, but i'm the one that likes to eat most of the topping off leaving the rest of the guests with some crumbs and alot of sugary fruit. so shoot me! well, these are basically all crumble topping with a little fruit...YUM!

so i'm the first to admit i can get a little obsessed with something and just not let it go untill i've either run the idea into the ground OR found the perfect solution. stating this because i got a bit osessed with crumbles and crisps. we've been so lucky with all this beautiful fruit this summer and i couldn't help myself. well, on my search for the perfect recipe i came across this one. larissa called them mini cherry pies, but i gotta say, to me it's the perfect crumbly crisp combo. larissa's recipe is found here . many thanks to larissa for solving and ending my obsession...for now.

my only alteration was the filling. i had a few bing cherries and a handful of ranier cherries AND i happen to have a good ol' can of retro cherry pie filling in the pantry. so i improvised and used a bit of all three. i think the little spoonfull of pie filling really added a good "goo facter". actually kind of a good glue facter. they just might have been a bit too crumbly without it. who knows? you gould probably use a small spoonful of any flavor jam as well.

whatever you decide to put inside, these are fun and easy to make and would be great for a brunch party...hmmmm maybe dressed up with a bit of vanilla bean ice cream?...

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BACON BLACK SALT CARMELS

that's right!...bacon, salt AND sugar !!!!!

1st and formost i must thank notwithoutsalt.com for this killer recipe

my only addition was the black salt idea. it works...and it looks cool. next time, and there WILL be a next time, i think i might add a bit of heat, like some cayenne or some red pepper flakes might be even more visually enticing. i passed these out to some friends and i must say, they had a hard time wrapping thier head around the idea of bacon in a candy, but after they wrapped thier lips around one, eyes lit up with surprize.

as for making these gems, well, that's another story...i am definitely a newbee to the candy making world. i proved that to myself when i tried making the bacon prailines i found on tastspotting.(i'll try to find the website, but you can do a search on tastepotting.com , sorry...they look killer to). anyway, i totally flubbed that one up. i wont blame it on the cheap thermometer i hurried to the market for in my excitment, but i'd like to. what a waste of good crispy bacon and toasted pecans...i was soooo bummed. then i found this yummy recipe , and once again, couldn't help myself. oh, and yes...i used the same lame thermometer!!!...hence the reason they didn't quite get to the correct caramel consistancy i would have liked...instead they were pretty soft. some people prefere thier carmels this way. kinda reminded me of the scotch kisses they have at SEE's candy...still yummy, but not chewy.

anyway...to make a long story short, if this is a story at all, ...i will be testing these puppies again soon as i hope you do as well. they are a definte treat, let alone a great conversation piece...

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Dorie G's Tartest Lemon Tart

ahhh..yesssss..dorie's tartest lemon tart...

and it is tart, but so so right.








this was not the actual crust recipe given, but this crust was, might i say, perfect... and i can say that because i didn't make it...the crust master of the house, MOM, made it. it was fun...we both got our hands dirty on this one.










there was just the right amount of dough AND filling to throw together this little guy. almost too cute to cut.....almost.











visually, the whole tart turned out beautiful yet simple. taste-wise, this baby has nothing simple about it. it's tart with just the right sweetness.



i must admit...this is not the first try with this tart. my first try was from the lovely pages of smitten kitchen (love her stuff!) recipe found here. i followed it to a T or so i thought, and mine looked like hers...oh i was so excited about it. but i gotta tell ya...i was disappointed. it kinda reminded me of a cooked lemon marmalade. like a blended up lemon with a bunch of sugar and greasy butter...wait...that's what it is!...but hold on...all is not lost. i gave a few slices away and to my surprise i was told it was one of THE BEST things i have ever made !!! a good friend of mine, alice, who has traveled france quite a bit and pretty much knows her authentic tarts is the one that flipped over this one. so i thought i must be crazy..i had to try it again. i googled dorie's tartest lemon tart and low and behold found out that most all the other examples (from a TWD found at the host babette's blog) had a 1/2 c. of heavy cream.

well, back to the drawing board...and just in time for my pal alices 29th birthday. luckily my pastry chef had whipped up a few discs of that fabulous dough for another try. for this one i emplored her help through the whole process due to the fact there was no room for error. the tart had to be delivered on that saturday in time for alices birthday weekend. needless to say tart #2 came out much better in my opinion...but now i'm questioning my opinion..hmmm....anyway, i was told yummy and fabulous by the birthday girl and the mini tart we saved for ourselves was devoured down to the knuckle.

so, the point of this story is...that this is a damn good tart no matter what i think!!! if your looking to WOW your guests with something you'd only expect from a fabulous dinner out...try this one on for size...

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BLONDIE BISCOTTI...?

well, as promised in yesterday's post here's what i did with the gooey mess i had in the center of my "Nigella" white chocolate macadamia nut blondies...and i gotta tell ya, i could toot my own horn on this one...not that it's any BIG fabulous idea or anything, just that they came out unbelievably good and i was very proud of the save.

i turned them into mini blondie biscotti.

after i cut off the sides about 1 1/2 in. (photo of those yummy blondie squares in yesterday's post) i put the half baked middle back in the fridge to chill so it would be easy to cut. i saw that there was no possibility of cutting this into normal squares so i sliced it long, then cut that into smaller flat squares. as you can kinda see the top and bottom were already cooked. this is what gave it that biscotti feel. i popped them in the oven and watched them carefully. some of them oozed out the sides (those tasted the best, but weren't too pretty)...who am i kidding...they were eaten 1st before i could get a shot of them...

the result was this amazing chewy, soft, yet crunchy melt in your mouth cookie. to me, they kind of resembled a dense financier. these were a big hit around here. the bummer is that i don't know if i could do it again....hmmmm....maybe try to half-bake something on purpose? i might mess that up and end up with either a puddle of goo, or an over baked brick.

anyway...if anyone out there ever comes across this same snaff-foo please try this trick. it's not often a baking near disaster can be fixed, so you know i'm gonna milk this save and hope i can do it again sometime...

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WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA BLONDIES...very fudge-like?

well, let's just start by stating, "these are as good as they look"

and you know it's full of love a goodness because it's one of Nigella's recipes. i found the recipe through.....http://opistachio.blogspot.com/2009/06/white-chocolate-pecan-blondies.html ..... with many thanks to "opistachio" for bringing it to my table.

okay...now here comes the snaff-ooo...

i know i followed the recipe to the T. i loved the fact that the butter and white choc are melted together before adding to the batter. i'm already thinking i want to try this with regular chocolate, but back to these babies...and i loved all the pecans (i used macadamias), i think i even put in extra...no harm, no foul, right?...well, the recipe says bake for 35min or untill top is set, but center is still a little gooey...i watched like a hawk at the end because the top was browning, but the center seemed to be reeeeeally gooey, so i probably left mine in for an extra 10 maybe even 15mins...the recipe also says to let cool for 3-5 min then cut into small squares. i knew i should leave it to cool for longer so i didn't touch it for a few hours...it was quite warm for a while.

my first cut was down one of the sides and it looked great..la la la...very pleased...

but...then the next cut revealed total GOO through the center...baked on top and bottom, but goo in the middle..AND goo all the way through...all around about 1 1/2 in. from the sides was great....this is what you see in the photo above. i gotta say these bites are deeelicious. they resemble a cross between a dense brownie and fudge...or a little like a friand or financier, if you can wrap your head around that...

so i'm left with a half-baked treat...i cut all the sides into nice neat little squares, happy as a clam with those, but what do i do with all the rest. i can't see wasting all those good, kinda expensive ingredients so i came up with an idea...

a "half baked idea?"...punn intended

the results turned out amazing, quite possibly better than the original...i'll post photos and explaination next entry...

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SWEET SAVORY SPICY PECAN PANCETTA AND EGGS

i really don't know where i came up with this combo, but i gotta tell ya, it sure works for me. my 1st bite made me think i was at a 5 star hotel on a fabulous vacation somewhere just willing to try anything and everything different or out of the ordinary. but no, there i was in my own kitchen....darn...oh well...

anyway, lately i've been obsessed and facinated with the whole sweet savory thing. (spicy goes without saying because everything i eat has to have some heat to it). i was just falling asleep the other night and a thought came to me that i haven't ever seen anything with nuts and eggs together...i'm sure there are recipes out there, but i don't recall any. it's hard to come up with anything truely new anymore, ya know? someone's always done it before. but...i'm not lettin' the wind out of my sails yet...

i wish i could say that there's some big fancy recipe, but i like simple. put this with that and these and those...and if you don't have some of those then use whatever you think would be good and make it your own.

here's what i did........

fry pancetta(sliced like thick bacon) in a non stick pan. remove and place on paper towel

cook eggs to your liking in same pan(yes! in that yummy pancetta fat! duh...)

i scrambled mine with cheyenne, thyme, salt and fresh ground pepper

(the 1st time was a frittata, as seen above)

***sweet & spicy pecans from Trader Joes***

spicy pecans are a key factor (where ever you get them)

maybe a lil'extra cheyenne and thyme on top

maple syrup tableside

put these flavors together however you see fit and i think you'll be surprized. the variations on this are endless. my tastebuds are already rolling with more ideas for new combos and flavors.

let me know if you like this one and, for sure tell me your ideas...

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