By all means, start your mixers: it's time to make Christmas cookies. The past few years I've spread out my cookie-making, starting well before Christmas and freezing cookies as I make them. This takes off a lot of stress come mid-December, when you've agreed to bring something to numerous holiday gatherings and have no time to make anything. You can also make plates with a variety of cookies, instead of just one or two kinds. To start, here's a recipe for a bar cookie that I made up in order to use leftover Solo filling. It's probably one of the least healthy things I've ever made. But hey, it's a cookie. A very easy, very sweet cookie:
Raspberry-almond white chocolate-chip bars
1 sugar cookie mix
1 package (about 1 cup) graham crackers, crushed
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup Solo raspberry pastry filling
1/3 cup Solo almond pastry filling
about 1/2 bag white chocolate chips
crushed pretzel sticks
Combine cookie mix with butter, egg and crushed graham crackers. Spread into bottom of 9X13 glass dish and bake for about 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and spread both pastry filling flavors (or double of one flavor) over the cookie. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven again and cover with chocolate chips and crushed pretzels (use a fork to press down the pretzels a bit to make them stick to the cookie). Bake for a final 15 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars.
(Recipe by H. Farrell)
22 November 2010
21 November 2010
Pumpkin pomegranate chocolate-chip pancakes
Yes, please.
I have Whole Foods and its sale on pomegranates to thank for this recipe. This was the first time I'd bought a pomegranate, and the underwater technique for removing the seeds worked beautifully. I've made pumpkin pancakes before, but these are moist and flavorful enough that they don't require syrup or butter. And, any extra pumpkin and pomegranate can be mixed into oatmeal for another delicious breakfast. One last note: these pancakes are pretty soft -- make them on the small side or they'll be hard to flip.
Pumpkin pomegranate chocolate-chip pancakes
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup barley flour*
2 T ground flaxseed
1 egg
1 T canola oil
1/2 cup milk or soymilk
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 T honey (or 1 T agave nectar)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
ginger
nutmeg
clove
allspice
1/2 can (about 3/4 cup) pumpkin
about 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
about 1 cup water (depending on how thin/thick you want your pancakes)
*If you can't find barley flour, you can use wheat flour -- barley just adds a different flavor, and also has more fiber than wheat flour.
Beat egg and add oil, milk, flax, lemon juice, vanilla, honey, salt and baking powder. Mix in the flours. Add spices (as much as you like) to the pumpkin and fold into the batter. Add water until it's thin enough to spoon easily onto the skillet. Fold pomegranate seeds and chocolate chips into the batter, and cook over low heat on a non-stick (or well-oiled) skillet. Enjoy!
(Recipe and photo by H. Farrell)
I have Whole Foods and its sale on pomegranates to thank for this recipe. This was the first time I'd bought a pomegranate, and the underwater technique for removing the seeds worked beautifully. I've made pumpkin pancakes before, but these are moist and flavorful enough that they don't require syrup or butter. And, any extra pumpkin and pomegranate can be mixed into oatmeal for another delicious breakfast. One last note: these pancakes are pretty soft -- make them on the small side or they'll be hard to flip.
Pumpkin pomegranate chocolate-chip pancakes
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup barley flour*
2 T ground flaxseed
1 egg
1 T canola oil
1/2 cup milk or soymilk
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 T honey (or 1 T agave nectar)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
ginger
nutmeg
clove
allspice
1/2 can (about 3/4 cup) pumpkin
about 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
about 1 cup water (depending on how thin/thick you want your pancakes)
*If you can't find barley flour, you can use wheat flour -- barley just adds a different flavor, and also has more fiber than wheat flour.
Beat egg and add oil, milk, flax, lemon juice, vanilla, honey, salt and baking powder. Mix in the flours. Add spices (as much as you like) to the pumpkin and fold into the batter. Add water until it's thin enough to spoon easily onto the skillet. Fold pomegranate seeds and chocolate chips into the batter, and cook over low heat on a non-stick (or well-oiled) skillet. Enjoy!
(Recipe and photo by H. Farrell)
17 November 2010
Delicious Brussels sprouts (not an oxymoron)
Once again I tried making a Brussels sprout recipe and once again I loved the result. This time, on the advice of a couple coworkers, I roasted them, adding just a few other flavors. The dish wasn't very colorful, but it tasted wonderful. Really. Give them a try.
Brussels sprouts with potato and onion
Brussels sprouts
Red potatoes
Sweet onion
salt
pepper
garlic, chopped
olive oil
brown sugar
I didn't list amounts here because it really depends on how many people you're feeding and the size of your baking dish. I bought one large stalk of Brussels sprouts and it was plenty for four full meals.
Rinse the sprouts and remove the outer layer of leaves, chop in half and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chopped red potatoes (cut these fairly small and microwave them for a minute or more so they bake faster). Add chopped onion and just a bit of brown sugar (a tablespoon or two).
Toss everything together with olive oil, and spread in an oiled baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until the sprouts and potatoes are soft (test with a fork), tossing the contents of the dish every 10-15 minutes to make sure everything bakes evenly. Enjoy!
(Recipe by H. Farrell)
Brussels sprouts with potato and onion
Brussels sprouts
Red potatoes
Sweet onion
salt
pepper
garlic, chopped
olive oil
brown sugar
I didn't list amounts here because it really depends on how many people you're feeding and the size of your baking dish. I bought one large stalk of Brussels sprouts and it was plenty for four full meals.
Rinse the sprouts and remove the outer layer of leaves, chop in half and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chopped red potatoes (cut these fairly small and microwave them for a minute or more so they bake faster). Add chopped onion and just a bit of brown sugar (a tablespoon or two).
Toss everything together with olive oil, and spread in an oiled baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until the sprouts and potatoes are soft (test with a fork), tossing the contents of the dish every 10-15 minutes to make sure everything bakes evenly. Enjoy!
(Recipe by H. Farrell)
12 November 2010
The bridges and trains of Harpers Ferry
A visit to Harpers Ferry wouldn't be complete without walking alongside the old railroad bridges that connect Maryland to West Virginia, over the Potomac River. A footbridge from Lower Town Harpers Ferry runs parallel to the railroad bridge, toward the C&O Canal. The Maryland Heights trails climb up from the canal and lead to an overlook of the town and the rivers below. The National Parks website has some great information about the hikes around Harpers Ferry, as well as history of the bridges and the town.
(Photos by H. Farrell)
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