Grandma’s Thumbprint Cookies

19 Dec

As I promised yesterday, I am back to share another one of my grandmother’s Christmas cookie recipes. These things are just wonderful!

Thumbprint3

Many thumbprint recipes call for topping these cookies with jam, however my grandmother has only ever made them with a flavored, confectioners sugar icing on top. They are so simple to make, and they look great on a cookie tray!

The little kid in me really enjoyed putting the icing on these cookies. It remind me of decorating sugar cookies. Plus, I must add that it was nice to find an excuse to sit for a few minutes after having been on my feet all morning. Be warned about this icing, however…just a drop extra of water will make the it too watery, and thus, unusable (I made this mistake – it was a mess).

Enjoy! These cookies are too good to pass up!

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Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups softened butter
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • Approximately 4 cups (?) roasted almonds, finely chopped (we chopped ours in the food processor – amount needed is an estimate and may vary)

Icing

  • 1 bag 10X sugar (confectioners sugar)
  • Water
  • Flavored extracts (we used cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen, and spearmint)
  • Food coloring

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a large bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Separate the three eggs, adding the yolks to the bowl and reserving the whites for later use. Mix thoroughly.
  3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Gradually add it to the wet mixture and thoroughly combine.
  4. Beat the egg whites. Roll the dough into 1″ balls, then dip in the egg bath. Roll in the finely chopped almonds, then place 1″ apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Continue process with all of the dough.
  5. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove, and gently press thumb into the top of each cookie (the cookies are hot! Do this step very quickly and be very careful! The handle of any various kitchen tool will work for this step, however make sure that it is comparable in size to one’s thumb).
  6. Return cookies to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
  7. Once cookies are completely cooled, they are ready to be iced. The general rule is 1 tablespoon of water to every cup of confectioners sugar. This made our icing through trial and error – there were no real measurements (sorry!).  Start off with the measurements suggested above, and gradually add more water until the desired consistency is reached. You can then flavor and color your icings to your own liking. With a small spoon, dollop the icing into the indent on top of the cookie until it is completely full (be careful that it doesn’t overflow).

*Note: Cookies can be made and frozen ahead of time.

 

 

 

Grandma’s Peanut Blossoms

18 Dec

For as long as I can remember, we have been celebrating Christmas Eve at my grandparent’s house. It’s a day full of card games, Christmas music, laughter, a white-elephant gift exchange, presents (of course!), and homemade food. The food is the most important component in my opinion, and is the staple of many of our get-togethers.

PBBlossoms4

For our Christmas Eve dinner my grandmother always makes seafood chowder. This is a recipe that she has yet to share with me – and quite honestly, I don’t even know that she uses one. Real cooks just kind of feel it, if you know what I mean. It is served with a sweet side of coleslaw (adding apples and raisins is the trick) and warm, buttery dinner rolls. It’s rather simple, but so comforting.

And of course, you cannot celebrate Christmas without the cookie tray.

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My grandmother’s cookie selection varies from year to year, but there are always a few reoccurring cookies on display. You can always find thumbprint cookies, peanut blossoms, ginger cookies, and – my favorite – her heath bar cookies. However, from time to time you might spot apricot horns on display, or perhaps some sand tarts, which we made this year. She also usually has some sort of a cake or bread made to go with the dessert. This year she has prepared cranberry bread and prune bread, if I remember correctly.

When I was invited to join her in the baking this year I could not have been more delighted. I have never before been a part in the food preparation for the family get-togethers, so this was very exciting. My aunt and I stayed with her this past weekend, and after eight hours of labor on Saturday and another couple of hours on Sunday, the three of us had baked seven different types of cookies, each by the dozen. Can I tell you just how exhausting baking can be? You wouldn’t believe it! I took a nice long nap once it was all said and done.

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What’s so special about these cookies is that they are all made with family recipes. Over the years my grandmother has formulated, tested, and tweaked them to her liking. She has them all written on yellowed index cards which she keeps stowed away in an old box.

It is truly an honor to have been asked to take part in the cookie baking this year, and now I would like to share some of my wonderful experience with you in the form of a recipe. I have selected the peanut blossoms to share today, however I plan to post a few others, so be sure to check back!

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Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed tight
  • ½ cup Crisco
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (12 oz) bag Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
  • Sugar for rolling

Instrustions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Combine all ingredients up until the Hershey Kisses in a mixing bowl. Mix at a low speed until well blended.
  3. Roll the dough into balls approximately half the size of an ice cream scoop (we scooped the dough with a #40 scoop and then divided it in half). Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then place 1-2” apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  4. Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, then remove from the oven and press a Hershey Kiss in the center of each. Return to oven and bake for 2 minutes longer.
  5. Makes approximately 50 cookies.

* Note: Once cookies have completely cooled, they should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat to prevent the Kisses from softening. Cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen until needed.

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This Just In…

17 Dec

I know it’s been a while, guys – too long, in fact – but I swear I haven’t forgotten about you! I got swept up in a whirlwind of a thousand things and haven’t been able to find the time to sit down and simply write. This is something that I need to make an effort to do more often because it really helps me clear my mind. How about that for a New Year’s resolution?

The big news is that tomorrow I PROMISE to have something new up. And believe me, it’s going to be good, because any post that reveals a secret family recipe has to be good…Don’t you think?

How about a sneak peek?

All

Thanks for bearing with me and check back tomorrow!

XO

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

26 Nov

We had so much turkey leftover from Thanksgiving that I really wasn’t sure what we were going to do with it all. However, my mom and step dad love to cook as much as I do, and as of Sunday I’m pretty sure we had used most of it (if not all of it).

My mom and step dad are incredibly organized when it comes to meal planning (something that I am not), so they opted to use up the turkey in things like turkey salad, which will serve as their lunches this week, and a hearty turkey soup, which they froze and will be able to have at a later date. I also made some turkey soup with a portion of it, and it turned out really great.

The soup was pretty basic, but it packed a lot of flavor and was incredibly comforting when we had it on Saturday evening. We spent all day pulling out our Christmas decorations, and the soup simply sat on the stove and simmered until we were ready to eat.

Serve this up with some whole wheat dinner rolls, like the ones we picked up at Trader Joe’s, and you’ve got yourself a simple meal!

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 8 cups turkey stock (chicken stock will also work)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 4 oz uncooked whole wheat egg noodles
  • 2 cups shredded turkey (approximately 8 ounces)

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, add turkey stock, bay leaf, carrots, onion, celery, peas, and garlic. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  2. Add the parsley, thyme, noodles and turkey. Cook according to noodle directions.
  3. Once noodles are finished, remove the bay leaf. Serve with warm bread. Enjoy.

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Acorn Squash on Creamy Yogurt Caramelized Onion Pasta

25 Nov

Ah, it has been a while. Looks like I got caught up in all of the holiday madness.

The past four days have been crammed with food, fun and holiday preparations, and I am exhausted. I can’t complain though. I have been very well fed and all of the turkey I’ve consumed has been keeping me fueled. I had three Thanksgiving feasts this year. That’s right. Three. The first was with my mom and her side of the family. It was pretty non-traditional. Many of the holiday meals with my mom’s family have been “tapas” oriented as of late, meaning we have lots of little things to pick and choose from. It’s a pretty great system in my opinion, and given the mass amount of traditional fare I consumed during my other two Thanksgiving meals, I’m happy we went that route.

My second Thanksgiving celebration was spent with my dad’s family, and the third was spent once again with my mom and step dad (we were supposed to be hosting my step family, but my step dad was feeling under the weather).  All in all, I had a pretty great Thanksgiving and I hope everyone else out there did as well.

Now back to what I’ve been meaning to talk about for the past week now. Sorry to hold out on you guys, because this truly is great. Plus it is a fairly healthy dish (it helps that it’s vegetarian), so it works as a detox for the belly busting Thanksgiving meal you just had.

I found this dish in a Martha Stewart magazine that my mom and I bought on impulse. At first I was skeptical about what Greek yogurt would be like on top of pasta. I don’t know why I ever had my doubts, given I love pasta dishes (guilty pleasure), and I also love Greek yogurt. I guess I just thought that the Greek yogurt would be too tangy…But I was so wrong. The caramelized onions offset it wonderfully.

Please try this immediately. It may be a bit time consuming, but it really isn’t tough to throw together. Plus, it is to die for.

When I made this for my mom and step dad we served it with a side salad, but then (I can’t believe I am admitting to this) I couldn’t stop thinking about how great this dish was and made it again two days later for my dad. When I made it for him I served it with slices of roasted acorn squash on top, which was an idea that I got from similar looking recipe by A Couple Cooks. Whether or not you choose to make this with squash is entirely up to you, but I really enjoyed it this way. The squash serves as a wonderful meat replacement in this vegetarian dish.

Check out the original Martha Stewart recipe here, and be sure to check in tomorrow for an idea on how to use up the turkey you have lingering in your fridge!

Acorn Squash on Creamy Yogurt Caramelized Onion Pasta 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 medium to large onions, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 ounces whole wheat pasta (I recommend spaghetti or fettuccine. I used these, which I got at a local farmer’s market)
  • 1 acorn squash (if desired)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. If making acorn squash, preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Then slice each half into wedges and arrange in a baking dish. Fill the bottom of the dish with 1/4″ of water and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through (time will vary based on the thickness of your wedges). When finished, cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.
  2. To make the onions, heat oil in a large pan. Add onions, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until onions caramelize, about  1 1/2 hours. The onions will be soft and brown in color. If at any point the pan becomes dry or if the onions begin to burn, add 1 tablespoon of water. I needed to do this 2-3 times.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta cook according to package directions. Drain.
  4. Discard the bay leaf from the caramelized onions. Stir pasta in with onions. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Divide pasta into four bowls. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Add approximately 1/4 cup Greek yogurt to each dish, and then top with several slices of acorn squash. Serve.

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Crock Pot Russian Borscht

18 Nov

I’ve neglected to upload anything these past few days…Sorry about that. I got caught up spending time with my family! I think it’s a valid excuse.

I made a pretty awesome meal over the weekend, if I do say so myself…But that’s not what I am sharing tonight. Sorry again! You see,  I’m a bit bummed out about the fact that tomorrow is Monday, and I didn’t think it would be fair to present such a fabulous dish with my current lack of enthusiasm. I promise to get it up in a day or two. In the meantime, I figured I’d share something both easy and comforting.

Crock pot meals are the best. All this meal required was a bit of chopping, and then the crock pot did the rest of the magic for me. I can’t think of anything better on a lazy Sunday.

My dad had been using this recipe for quite a few years now and it has never failed us. The first time he made it I wasn’t sure what to expect because I wasn’t a huge fan of beets. They have a rather “earthy” flavor, and it took me a long time to acquire a liking for them. But have no fear, the earthiness cooks out quite a lot, and the borscht actually turns out rather sweet. I would recommend this to anyone, friend or foe of beets. It is a nice way to try them for the first time because their flavor isn’t quite as strong.

Oh, and did I mention how stinking healthy this is? Gotta love it!

Crock Pot Russian Borscht

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into cubes
  • 3 medium fresh beets, peeled and cubed
  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Rye bread for serving (optional)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix all but the last two ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or until meat is tender and the vegetables are crisp-tender.
  2. Serve in soup bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream of Greek yogurt. Serve toasted rye bread on the side for dipping.

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Tilapia Puxa Vida with Brown Coconut Rice

12 Nov

I think it’s important to share the love with some of my favorite bloggers because it is their brilliance that has fueled every one of my cooking adventures. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out a few of the Blogs I Follow which appear on the right hand toolbar. They are all run by fabulous people, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The main dish I am featuring tonight is Tilapia Puxa Vida by Baked Bree, which I served along with Brown Coconut Rice from the beloved blog Skinnytaste.

I discovered a can of coconut milk sitting in the pantry the other day and it inspired me to look around for some new recipes. I found several that sounded pretty enticing, but this tilapia dish was too good to pass up.  My dad and I try to incorporate fish into our dinner plans at least once a week, so this worked out was a perfect find.

Since I’m only cooking for two, I halved the recipe. But then, because I halved the recipe, I was left with half a can of coconut milk. I wasn’t about to let it go to waste, so I did some more searching and found the coconut rice. My dad always used to order coconut sticky rice at a Japanese restaurant we frequented while living in Frederick, so I knew this would be a hit. I don’t know why I have never thought to make it before, it was super simple!

For the Tilapia Puxa Vida recipe, jump over to Baked Bree’s blog. For the Brown Coconut Rice recipe, check out the post on Skinnytaste. I followed both recipes exactly, except at the end of making the coconut rice I added a splash of lime juice. I served this with frozen mixed veggies on the side – not my first choice, but they needed to get used up. I would recommend broccoli or fresh green beans with this dish. Bree served hers with black beans.

I’m still working with the camera on my iPhone while I try to figure out how to work my step dad’s heavy duty camera, so I apologize for the poor quality of my pictures! They don’t do either of these dishes any justice!

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Friday Night Homework and a Quick Snack…

9 Nov

Want to know what I’m up to tonight? (No, you don’t)

Check me out. Being all studious and typing an essay about Hamlet. How much more exciting could a Friday evening get?! Please note the mug of coffee I have next to me so that I don’t nod off in the middle of this formidable task.

I thank my lucky stars every day that I am eligible to graduate early and will be done with school this upcoming January. I realize that this is blasphemous to many people, but really, it’s okay! High school hasn’t really been for me. I feel ready to move on to bigger and better things, and that is exactly what I plan to do!

Thinking hard always makes me so hungry, and this here is my first snack of the evening (I say first because I am sure to need many more to keep myself fueled through writing this paper). I’m crazy about Greek yogurt. I will admit, it took me a while to come around to it. I think that’s because when it first became popular my dad raved about it, and at that time I was a Freshman in high school who detested anything my parents were a fan of. Typical. However! On a good note, I came to my senses, and now Greek yogurt is my dessert most nights (but sometimes I opt for yogurt of the frozen variety…).

This isn’t really a recipe. Or even much of an inspiration.  In fact, it’s just downright boring. I was just in dire need of a break from my essay to talk about something else. It would be pointless for me to supply ingredients or instructions, simply garnish your yogurt to your own liking. :)

Chobani is my favorite brand of Greek yogurt, hands down. I’ve tried most brands, but Chobani wins for me every time. Also, the granola I always buy is this wonderful Natural Granola by Bob’s Red Mill. Bob’s Red Mill also produces a ton of flavored granolas that are worth checking out!

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Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

8 Nov

Call me strange, but my kind of comfort food is any dish where I can pile all of the ingredients together in a bowl and dig right in. The best example I can think of is fried rice. You’ve got your rice, your veggies, maybe some meat, and (for me personally) a nice drizzle of teriyaki sauce and sriracha to bring to all together. There’s just something about having it all combined that warms my heart a little…Maybe because I can quickly and easily shovel it into my mouth…?

P.S. Don’t be like me. Don’t eat your feelings.

It’s been a rough couple of weeks. I’m feeling rather drained. School has been such a drag. The work keeps on rolling in, no matter how much time and effort I invest I never feel confident in my work, the cat dissection feels like it’s never going to end (Did she just say cat dissection? Yes, yes I did. Hooray for being an anatomy student) and the people around me are driving me batty. Part of the problem let my anxiety get the best of me. I let myself get worked up over minute details, the most insignificant of things…I need to relax and find the time to sit back and decompress a bit…TGI(almost)F.

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This little bowl of Autumn goodness was my first step towards finding a little happiness in my recently dreary days. I am a big fan of quinoa, but for those of you who aren’t, feel free to substitute any other grain in this recipe.

You could switch out the butternut squash for sweet potatoes, and the kale for spinach if you would like. I was going to garnish this with dried cranberries, but we had finished them. I think it would be a wonderful addition.

Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients

For Quinoa:

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (I used red, but any color will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups water

For Vegetables:

  • 1 butternut squash (about 3-4 cups cubed)
  • 4-5 cups kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

For Vinaigrette:

  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400˚.
  2. Peel and seed the butternut squash, then carefully cut into 1″ cubes. Put in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to disperse. Spread evenly on a baking tray and place in oven. Bake until tender. I like to check mine every 10-15 minutes or so. Most take between 45 minutes to 1 hour. When finished, set aside and allow to cool.
  3. Toss prepared kale with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven after butternut squash has been in for about 20 minutes. Bake until kale is wilted and beginning to get crispy, 15-20 minutes.
  4. While vegetables are roasting, prepare quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once finished, remove from heat and let sit for an addition 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Set aside.
  5. Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing all of the ingredients in a small bowl, starting with 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar. Taste, and add more if you desire a sweeter flavor. Set aside.
  6. Once vegetables are done, let them cool slightly. In a serving bowl, combine quinoa, squash, and kale. Pour in the vinaigrette a little at a time, stirring to combine. Serve.

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Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

6 Nov

This past summer I started getting really into cooking, and I’m not going to lie…It was totally because of Pinterest. I come from a family that loves to cook, so it was bound to happen anyways. But never was I so motivated to start experimenting in the kitchen as when Pinterest came along bombarded me with endless collages of fantastic looking food. On a side note…Don’t use Pinterest when you are hungry. Bad idea.

Since the start of my kitchen adventures there have been plenty of disasters, but enough smashing successes to make up for them.  I still have plenty more to learn in the realm of cooking, and I hope to use Modestly Claire as a way to grow. I’m also new to blogging and am feeling a little intimidated! This is quite a big undertaking, but the only way I’ll ever get the hang of it is through trial and error, right?

Now onto what I’m really here to talk about…Steel cut oats. What’s your take on them? Some people love them, some people hate them, but there’s good news…If you don’t like them, just swap them out for your grain of preference.

I’m a big fan of breakfast. I’m one of those people who needs to constantly be fed or else, oh dear, you really don’t want to cross my path. With that being said, breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day for me. It doesn’t matter how hectic my morning is, I will find a way to eat a warm, well balanced breakfast (well…I’ll try to at least. Worst case scenario, fresh fruit and a greek yogurt, or a nice slathering of peanut butter on whole grain toast). Oats, both your traditional rolled oats and steel cut, are my go-to breakfast option (although I also love the 7 grain hot cereal by Bob’s Red Mill) because they can be thrown together relatively quickly and will keep me feeling full through lunchtime.

This morning I woke up with apples on my mind and decided to incorporate them in my breakfast. It was a very warm and comforting way to start my day. Feel free to top your oats with whatever you please. My toppings are only suggestions. Other nuts could be used, like walnuts or pecans, and the addition of raisins or other dried fruits would also be nice. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup apple butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 small apple
  • Flax seeds, for topping (optional)
  • Chopped almonds, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring oats, water, and cinnamon to a boil. Reduce to low heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help thicken.
  2. While oats are cooking, chop apple into small chunks.
  3. Once oats are cooked and have reached your desired consistency, turn off heat. Stir in apple butter and sugar. Add apple chunks and stir them into oats. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to allow for the apple pieces to soften.
  4. Divide each serving into a bowl and top the oats with flax seeds and chopped nuts, or other toppings of preference. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top if you wish. If your looking for a little more sweetness, a drizzle of maple syrup would be delightful. Feel free to add a splash milk or your favorite milk alternative if your oats turn out thicker than you’d like.

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