Caramel morsels & sea salt cookies

These cookies are 2 of 5 desserts I baked for my family, well my son JoRon and daughter Chanel asked that I make them chocolate chip cookies and I was more than happy to so.

I searched the internet for a simple recipe for chocolate chip cookies and found and interesting recipe that was very different than the others. This recipe was adapted from the 'Sweetandsavorytooth' website but with a few changes my tweaked version was all the rave between my family and their friends, and now I have two more request for 2 batches this weekend.

So, to start these mouthwatering delights you'll need:

1+ 3/4 cups AP (all purpose) flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 stick + 2 TBSP unsalted butter

4 TBSP cold unsalted butter cubed

****this total amount of unsalted butter should equal 1 and 3/4 sticks

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. vanilla essence

1 whole large egg

1 large egg yoke

1+1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup Nestle Toll House Delightful caramel morsels

Sea salt to sprinkle

~Now that's prepared, preheat oven to 375°

~ line two cookie sheets with parchment paper

*** in a bowl mix together the flour and baking soda, set aside

 

Add 10 TBSP of the butter into a heavy bottom medium skillet over medium high heat, Allow the butter to melt, continually swirl the butter around in the skillet to prevent it from burning, ***The idea is to brown the butter leaving it with a nutty smell so keep the butter moving by constantly swirling it, this process might take no more than 3 1/2 minutes, once that is done remove from heat. 

 

Pour the browned butter in a heat proof bowl and add the cold cubed butter and allow it to melt completely

 

 

Now, add the both sugars, vanilla, vanilla essence, and salt to the butter and whisk together...

Add in the egg and egg yoke, continue to whisk this mixture for 30 seconds and allow to rest for 3 minutes... Do this whisking process 3 more times and the results should be a brown, smooth, and thick mixture...

 

Next, add the *** flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until combined do not over mix...

 

Now, add the chocolate chips and the caramel morsel and fold into mix 

 

Using a tablespoon of dough, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets and add *** about 2 - 3 extra caramel morsel onto then sprinkle with the sea salt, bake one sheet at a time

 

Bake at 375* for 10 - 12 minutes (depending on your oven) ensuring to rotate pan at 5 minutes of baking to allow for an even bake, when done remove from oven allow the cookies to cool in pan then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. These cookies will keep nice and moist in an air tight container

 

my family ate the last batch straight off the wire rack

ENJOY!!!

Lemony Almond Tart

I was in baking mode last night... well the urge started around 7 o'clock lastnight and ended around 3 o'clock today. I went through my "To bake list" and it was on from there. I call my kids up and told them to put their orders in while I'm was in 'bake mode'. One said cheesecake, one ordered chocolate chip cookies, and one said brownies...DONE and DONE!!!

This tart was one of five desserts I baked today, and it loaded with the tangy taste of lemon, surrounded in a buttery nutty crust and yes you can taste each savory flavor. Then, dust it with powder sugar and BAM!!! it is done.  

With this tart you can serve 6 generous slices or 8 regular slices.....BUT, if you were having a more sophisticated gathering I suggest slicing it into 12 slices but I made this lemon tart to say, "Go big or go sit down"!

Here's what you'll need...

First, toast 1/2 cup sliced almonds according to the package then set aside, now get ready items needed for the 'The Crust'

~ 1 cup AP (all purpose) flour

~ 1/2 cup freshly toasted sliced almonds

~ 1/4 cup white sugar

~ 6 TBSP cold butter

~ 1/2 tsp. almond extract

~ 1/4 tsp. salt

***** I used 2 TBSP ice water but, keep the on hand just in case you keep need more.

Now, grate 2TBSP of lemon, it took me 4 lemons so...

Here's what needed for the 'The filling'

~ 3 eggs

~ 3 egg yolks

~ 2 TBSP grated lemon

~ 3/4 cup lemon juice

~ 1 cup sugar

~ 2 TBSP fresh grated lemon peel

~ dash of Salt

~ 6 TBSP cold cubed butter

Using a fluted pan with removable bottom, butter the insuring to butter all the flutes...

Now...

Place the AP flour, toasted almonds, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into a food processor and pulse until blended. Then, add the water 1TBSP at a time until the mixture forms a doughy consistency

Now...

preheat the oven to 400°

Dump the dough in the prepared fluted pan

...and press the dough into the bottom and up the side (I pressed my dough over halfway up the sides to have a more thinner look but, the dough can go halfway up to give the tart a more fuller look)...

Do a 'blind bake' on the crust by placing parchment paper over the bottom then adding penines to prevent the crust from bubbling up and leaving air pockets.

Now, bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until crust us brown, remove from over allow to cool on rack and lower the oven temperature to 325°

Now, over medium heat using a small to medium sized saucepan with a heavy bottom use a whisk and blend well the eggs, egg yokes, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt...

once the mixture is blended add the butter whisking constantly as the mixture thickens and is able to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat...

Now, pour mixture in cool crust and bake at 325° for 8 - 12 minutes or until the middle is set, remove from oven allow to cool on rack

**I allowed the tart to cool about hour before putting it in the refrigerator for 4 hours to chill and fully set 

Decorate, photography, and serve

ENJOY!!!

Ginger beef lumpias

Wow... I use to make these for my kids when they were young. On my children side of the family exist a rich Phillipino descent and I tried to keep up with their food culture like Pancit, Adobo, Bibingka, and Flan. But, today I called it 'Deep fried Friday'...

 

these are not as complicated as people think, I made these so much it they became apart of the weekly menu when my kids were growing up. Today my daughter Chanel and her friend Aisha stopped by with my granddaughter Dionii (the only granddaughter thus far), and she notice the Lumpia wrappers on the counter defrosting and said, "mom I remember you use to make these a long time ago, I remember you dapping the water around the edges with the water in that little white bowl..." we laughed because that was my favorite little white bowl almost perfect just for that purpose.

 

To make these crispy rolls of beef & veggies you'll need:

****this recipe yield enough filling for approx. 56 Lumpias

 

*1 lb. ground beef 

*1 lb. ground pork

*2 pack Lumpia wrappers thawed and the wrappers seperated

*1/2 head cabbage sliced to shreds

*soy sauce to taste

*approx. 1TBSP crushed garlic + more to taste

*approx. 1 TBSP squeezable ginger + more to taste

*2 large carrots grated

*1 onion diced

*1 medium bag bean sprouts

*1 - 2 TBSP of EVOO

 

Now let's get cooking

-brown the ground beef and the pork sausage together, this will allow the seasoning of the pork and the beef to marry into each other, once the meat is well blended, crumbled, and done set aside (I found that the meat I purchased from the Food Basket didn't produce a lot of dipping) do not drain the drippings well help add the flavor.

 

In a separate lager deep skillet heat the EVOO over medium heat add the onions and cook until for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and ginger stirring to mix well and cook until onion are almost transparent

 

Now, add the cabbage toss and mix well, cook the mixture until well incorporated and cook for about 5 minutes 

 

Now, add the carrots and mix well allowing the mixture to cook and stirring to prevent burning, cook for about 5 minutes

 

Add the meat mixture and its drippings to the vegetable mixture and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage is still crunchy.

 

***At this taste the mixture to see if the flavor is or has come through, your not tasting for saltiness just the flavors: ginger, garlic, and the meat. At this point I stirred in an additional TBSP of garlic and TBSP of ginger ....now taste?

 

Now, add in the bean sprouts and stir until the mixture is fully incorporated. This is the time I checked for saltiness and added Soy sauce to my desired taste, remove from heat and allow the heat from to cook the sprouts and spices to blend in and cool off...about 30 minutes

I

****I was informed that the video portion of this segment is not functioning I do apologize

 

 But, at this time take a lumpia wrapper, fill it with filling and roll in a fashion of a burrito, and continue until finished

Deep fry in vegetable grease an few at time until golden brown

 

...and ENJOY!!!