Rachel's Chili Chocolate Almond Cookies

If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen! These cookies are HOT! The heat from the red hot chillies adds just enough spice to these decadent chocolate treats. Enjoy with a little vanilla ice cream or glass of cold milk. The recipe is compliments of Rachel....a fellow student of AM's at the Culinary Institute of America.

Chile Chocolate Almond Cookies

1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter/margarine, softened slightly

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup unbleached flour (all purpose)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons crushed dried red chillies

1/2 cup almond slivers

Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a 1-quart microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium for 2-3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes until chocolate is smooth and mixed. Do NOT burn (can also melt on stove in double boiler) let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Slightly beat egg and add to utter mixture with vanilla extract. Stir in melted chocolate.

Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, & baking powder in a bowl. Gradually add butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in mixing well after each addition. Stir in chile pepper, almonds, & remaining chocolate chips.

Drop batter in clumps of about 1 Tblsp. each onto lightly greased baking sheets, leaving about 2-inches between cookies.

Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. ENJOY!

Filet Mignon in a Port Cherry Reduction Sauce

Another Cook's Illustrated Classic, preparing this Pepper-Crusted Filet is easy and well worth the steps. Poor a glass of sparkling water or red wine and enjoy the process. To accompany each 7-oz center-cut filet is a lovely Port Wine Sour Cherry Reduction Sauce. For Port-less' birthday celebration, The Red Queen paired the 1-1/2" thick filets with Sweet Potato Gnocchi in a mushroom sauce, topped with chopped goat cheese tossed with parmesan, fresh cracked black pepper, and toasted pine nuts.

French Toast

Port Man, you've outdone yourself! A touch of almond extract and freshly milled nutmeg added to the milk and eggs is crucial. Topping the toast with a healthy serving of local yogurt Finger Lakes Farms and a drizzle of local syrup Trout Brook Sugar House is the ultimate finish. Enjoy!

Basic Cheese Souffle

Port-less, Cream Puff, and The Red Queen were staying at a wonderful B&B in Vermont, just east of Montpilier, Pie-in-the-Sky. The lovely couple that own and run the B&B are gracious hosts and take great care to make their guests feel at home. In our mid-forties, Port-less and The Red Queen agree that this has been their most pleasant and relaxing experiences away from home. Included in the experience is a carefully prepared gourmet breakfast. Port-less was so impressed, he referenced Julia's recipe. I must say, I can hardly wait for the next souffle!!!

Seared Scallops & Autumn Beets

Autumn is filled with freshly picked apples and root vegetables. A favorite season all around for Cream Puff and the Red Queen How to Make the Face. Dry Sea scallops are a delicious treat quickly seared in butter on the stovetop. Just a dash of cayenne and paprika, yum! Golden and red beets roasted in the oven, some garden fresh tomatoes grown by Carrot Chopper, and a side of cous cous tossed with homemade pesto make a light autumn meal.

Cake Pops

This weekend was spent conquering the cake balls! Cake balls are such a big fad and I have been dying to make them! I have never worked with candy melts before so this was my first try. A tip to all bakers who are working with candy melts....if you need to thin it out use a little bit of shortening. The cake pops are chocolate chocolate on this inside and white chocolate on the inside. They are delicious and I am really excited to finish eating them after dinner! Dinner which is being graciously prepared by a few of my Culinary friends! I left them in the kitchen with them so we'll see if they're still there when I head down to help them! What is most exciting about the cake balls is that they can be vanilla, carrot, chocolate, red velvet. These are actually a vegan chocolate cake covered in white chocolate.
*a thank you goes out to everyone who was consulted and faithfully stood by my to conquer the cake balls! Thank you thank you!

Eggs Benedict

The CIA student's culinary basic skills for bakers must include a recipe for eggs benedict in her repertoire. For readers who have been wondering what the writers for this blog have been up to, one is working on a degree in baking at the CIA after completing a degree in graphic design, the other has just completed a master's degree in counseling. Yes, a happy chef creates delicious sweets and savories! For us baking and cooking always bring joy, in the doing and in the sharing! We're glad to be back!

Grapefruit French Macarons with a White Chocolate Buttercream and Grapefruit Curd Filling

Santa brought me a glorious new silpat for Christmas...just so I could learn how to make macarons! This was my first attempt. They tasted absolutely delicious, however my macarons have no feet! Back to the delicious part, check out the recipe for yourself!

The last few days I have spent researching the feet that need to appear at the bottom of the cookie! This evening I am going to try again and hopefully achieve feet! If you don't know what feet are please check them out here. The most useful information that I have found was here, check it out. Wish me luck!

Lemon "Mile High Meringue" Pie

When I was younger my mom, DD used to make mini lemon meringue pies. I loved them for their taste but also their precious appearance. The recipe below makes mini pies if you follow the same directions but just use a mini muffin pan. However the big pie is just as delicious as the smaller ones.

Two summers ago I went through a lemon meringue pie phase. I must have made this recipe once a week. I love the sweet of the meringue and the tart of the curd. This curd recipe is the best I've ever made! This is definitely a crowd pleaser. It only lasted one hour after I cut the first piece!

Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Pie Dough
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup butter
4 Tablespoons Cold Water
Lemon Curd
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons butter, softened and cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the flour, butter and water in a mixer. Stir until the mixture resembles dough. If the mixture is not coming together, add more water. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Crimp edges, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and prick bottoms of shells with a fork. Line pie crust with parchment paper. Transfer to oven; bake until edges begin to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Remove paper and continue baking until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir in 2 cups water, and mix until smooth; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, 5 egg yolks, and pinch of salt. Set over medium heat, and stir in cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the lemon zest and butter. Pour filling into a bowl, and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

Pour lemon curd into the pie crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Heat broiler. Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer. Combine 5 egg whites (I used 7 egg whites and achieved the mile high meringue) the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl of an electric mixer. Hold bowl over simmering water; whisk until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Return bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, spread the meringue so the filling is covered and the meringue touches the edges of the piecrusts. Transfer to broiler, and lightly brown the meringue, watching constantly, 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from broiler, and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Enjoy!!!

Geodesic Balls

An additional element to the Surprise party for GD was the creation of these Geodesic Balls. I thought that these fun black and gold balls would be perfect for new years! I ended up making about 15 of them and strung them around the house and from the light fixtures. I will say that they do take a little bit of time. But the result was worth the time that I put into it. Happy New Years!

Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows!

Nothing can beat a homemade marshmallow. A plump fluffy ball of sugar and gelatin! Delicious! Recently I made these for a Surprise New Years Party-that was put together for Portman aka GD. This photo was taken after the party. I decided not to make hot chocolate for the party due to the 50 degree temperatures that we were experiencing outside. Instead we made a marshmallow tower and presented the display on the dessert table. I regret not taking pictures of the party because the appetizers and desserts were delicious!

Our cherished guests at the party were not disappointed that there was no hot chocolate. Everyone was more than happy to devour these as if they were the most decadent truffle every created. I have made these before-but the recipe is not difficult! I would recommend making these at your next party asap!

Gingerbread Snowflakes

A family tradition from DD's mother, these ginger cookies are FABULOUS! AD added a twist this year in making the ginger boys, snowflakes! The recipe follows:

Ginger Cookie Boys (snowflakes)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1 egg

4 teaspoons grated orange peel (secret ingredient)*

3 cups flour

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg beating till fluffy. Add corn syrup and orange zest mixing well. Stir together flour, soda, salt, and spices. Stir into creamed mixture. Chill! After dough is thoroughly chilled, roll on lightly floured surface to 1/4" thickness. Cut with cookie cutter. Place one-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool one minute before removing from sheet. Cool on rack Makes 2 dozen large or 48 small.

Decorate with royal icing. Enjoy!!

*MUST use zest from fresh oranges!!!

Crepes

Crepes! Yum. Good with syrup, yogurt & melted butter. But they're the best with bananas foster! That recipe to come later! For now I will leave you with my dad's famous crepe recipe...

Crepes:

2 eggs

1.5 cups milk

1 cup flour

1 kiss

Combine in a bowl that has the ability to pour in this order: milk-flour-eggs.

To cook-melt 1 teaspoon of butter in a pan and then pour liquid batter into the pan. Cook until golden there is no need to flip! Enjoy!

Aloo Timatar

...otherwise know as, "Potato and Tomato Curry with Cilantro," a popular Indian dish from the north Hindu region. Indian cooking has always been a challenge in DD's kitchen. DD would order take out from the best local Indian restaurant in town rather than experience another kitchen blunder. Thanks to KS, DD's sister, equipped with an excellent cookbook and authentic spices made ALL the difference; that, and cooking together! For this fine home cooked Indian meal, KS, GD, & DD joined forces and rose to the occasion, GD's birthday! So to you I recommend, Madhhur Jaffrey's from curries to kebabs recipes from the indian spice trail. Raita, a yogurt relish, is a wonderful accompaniment to spicy Indian food. This dish recommends a cucumber, mint and tomato raita. Absolutely refreshing! And to your garlic naan, don't forget to sprinkle a little olive oil over top prior to heating. Enjoy!

Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin

Once upon a time restaurant owners, who just happened to be sisters, had a little kitchen blunder. Someone forgot to line the pie dish BEFORE adding the filling. An on the spot creative moment produced what we now know today as, Tarte Tatin. The apples caramelize in the sugar and butter. The pastry, surprisingly placed on top of the filling remains flaky and light. And the presentation is sensational. The tart is flipped to make it appear as usual; crust on bottom and decadently caramelized apples on top! Truly sensational! The recipe DD follows is from Cook's Illustrated. A variation with winter pears and crystallized ginger is a delicious twist!