Cookies are a wonderful treat. Some cookies, take a little time to prepare and others can be made on a whim if you have the right ingredients on hand. I really have to be in the mood to make the type of cookie that takes up time in the kitchen. These cookies? Nothing short of brilliant. I came across it some time ago but wasn’t into making cookies yet. I’m glad I saved it and I am definitely glad that I made them.
I found the recipe for Cream Cheese Cookies and wanted to make it as is. No adapting. I wanted to know what the original cookie tasted like. And I almost succeed.
I have been buying a variety of flours, all with the intention of experimenting and finding alternatives to regular flour. There are so many flours that have wonderful nutritional value. The one I have used the most in the past, is Quinoa flour. For this cookie, I chose to use Spelt flour. I didn’t plan to. My hand just steered to the right of the all-purpose flour. Sometimes in life, you just have to take chances.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Cheese Cookies
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Type: Cookie
Author: Lyn, adapted from Food52
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Total time: 32 mins
A delightful cookie made with spelt flour, cream cheese and mini chocolate chips
Ingredients
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
4oz Light Cream Cheese (softened)
1 Cup Spelt Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
In a mixing bowl, add butter, cream cheese and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to the cream cheese mixture and mix until just combined
Using a cookie scoop, add batter to parchment lined cookie trays, leaving about an inch and a half between them.
Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are browned and be careful not to over-bake
Remove from oven and leave on the tray for about 3 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
3.1.09
The chocolate chips didn’t actually make it into the batter until half way through. The first batch was so wonderfully fragrant but I wondered what I could add that would go nicely with these cookies. I added a few mini chocolate chips. The regular chocolate chips seemed too large for these delicate cookies.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m not sure how many cookies were taken from this rack while I wasn’t looking. Sticky fingers around here. I don’t blame them.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
I liked how delicate and dainty these cookies looked. I’m sure they’d make an excellent gift or even a quick treat if company popped by.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are absolutely delightful. With or without the chocolate chips, you’ll absolutely LOVE them. A definite keeper.
Happy first Friday of 2013! I hope everyone is off to a great start and is recovering from the holiday festivities and food fest. I’m gearing up and getting ready for the routine which no doubt will kick in on Sunday. Sunday is cooking day. For years now, unless something comes up and I have to shuffle things around, Sunday is the day that I cook a few items for the first part of the week. I like that I can eat some now, and freeze the rest for later if necessary. This works best for things like meat and rice dishes. Another reason why I cook multiple dishes, is because I need a different item that my husband can take to lunch. It’s no fun eating the same thing for lunch as you did for dinner. So I make sure he has options.
The one thing I like doing, and really don’t do enough, is side dishes. This could be a salad, or a bread, or just something nice to compliment a meal. Let’s start doing more sides shall we? Today is as good as any. So why not. I will keep it as figure friendly as possible. After all, I’m sure I’m not the only one that has to do damage control after December
Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter
Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter
Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Jamaican
Author: Lyn via Caribbean Food Made Easy, Levi Roots
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 2-4
Roasted sweet potato wedges with a spicy caribbean butter
Ingredients
2 large Sweet Potatoes (peeled, cut into wedges about 2 inches in length, 1/2 inch in width)
5 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
3 Tbsp Soft Brown Sugar
The juice from 2 limes
***
Jerk Butter:
4 Tbsp Butter, softened
1 1/2 Tsp Allspice
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Tsp Cayenne
1 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
Leaves from 2 sprigs of Thyme
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 Tsp Brown Sugar
A Pinch of Salt
Juice from 1/2 a lime
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F (Roast)
In a small bowl, combine sunflower oil, brown sugar, and lime juice. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper (to taste).
Add sweet potato, tossing to coat them in the mixture
Place the sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet, ensuring that the slices do not overlap
Roast until tender about 20 minutes, turning them over half way through
For the Jerk Butter:
Combine all the ingredients. When the sweet potatoes are ready and warm, toss in a little of the jerk butter. Serve as a dip at room temperature
3.1.09
I thought this was going to be really spicy. But it wasn’t. It was quite pleasant. I loved how the sugar and lime complimented the sweetness of the potatoes. It was something quite delicious… I can see myself having this with a simple roast chicken and a salad. The chicken could even be, roasting along side the sweet potatoes. How easy is that for dinner in an hour?
Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter
As you can see, it’s not a lot of butter. So it can easily be shared as a dip.
Hot Sweet Potato Wedges with Jerk Butter
I’m thinking I’ll be doing some more sweet potato dishes since I love it so much.
I didn’t get to indulge in my usual #MuffinMonday this week. Sadly I’ve had to deal with 2 sick kids plus I’m trying to get over a little cold/cough. It’s the season to share in a little more than just holiday spirit. I believe we are on the mend and this means I’ll be back in the kitchen, whipping up something great for you. I do have a muffin recipe that I wanted to share that I made a few weeks ago but didn’t get to post it. I’m so glad that I got to use up some pureed pumpkin that I had in the freezer.
I get so much junk mail delivered to my door, and I usually just recycle. But there was a flyer for a local business that caught my eye. The photograph on the flyer had me drooling. It had a recipe that looked so delicious, I went ahead and made it. And it was so good! I have no idea where the original recipe came from so I have no reference for it. But here it is!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffin
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Ingredients
Filling:
4oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Icing Sugar
Muffins:
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose, Unbleached Flour
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, egg and icing sugar. Mix until fully blended. Set aside
Line muffin pans with paper liners
In a medium bowl, add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Combine with a whisk.
In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Mix on low-speed until fully combined.
Gradually add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and blend just until incorporated
Fill each liner with 2/3 batter
add 2 Tsp of the cream cheese mixture in top of the batter
Bake for 15 minutes
Notes
This recipe yields 15 muffins
3.1.09
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins – cream cheese on the batter
This was such a moist muffin ~ and absolutely delicious!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
These muffins disappeared in no time. The cream cheese was such a great companion for the pumpkin muffin.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going wonderful so far!
This weeks #SundaySupper theme is Favourite Celebrity Chef! Wow! How can a food blogger ever choose!!?? We are all so very excited about this weeks #SundaySupper. Our host for this week is Tammi from Mommas Meals. I am eager to see what everyone has made and also to see what celebrity chef has inspired them. I was a bit indecisive in the beginning because I adore so many Chefs on television. It is reasonable to say that I don’t have one specific chef as my favourite, since they each offer their own unique style and culinary flair.
For a long time, The Food Network is where I got most of my inspiration. It all started in 2007 when I was home for a year on maternity leave with my son. I was tired of just making sure the meat was merely cooked. I was especially tired of making cakes from a box. I really wanted to make a change in how I prepared meals for myself and my husband. I wanted to cook and I wanted to bake, and I wanted to do them well. This was something that was, and still is very important to me. For a while it was all about Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Michael Smith, Giada De Laurentiis, Anna Olson, Laura Calder, Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, and Ina Garten. I’ve made recipes from all of them. I watched their technique, learned about ingredients that were unfamiliar to me, and also I learned about dishes from other cultures. I still draw inspiration from them to this day. My appreciation for food, and for the culinary craft continues to grow. I don’t watch as much Food Network anymore, as my time is very limited. But when I do get the chance, I ask not to be disturbed. In time, I will acquire their cook books and continue to be inspired.
After the birth of my daughter, I decided to stay home with my little girl and her big brother. I discovered and watched Everyday Food which came on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). I don’t believe I missed an episode. In fact, you’ll find that many of my earlier recipes came from The Food Network or Everyday Food. Everyday Food is no longer a part of my cable programming for whatever reason, but their website is still a very good resource for me. Can you imagine being one of the chefs in that test kitchen?
I got to thinking… who offers a selection of recipes that really appeals to me? …Martha Stewart. I buy her books, I bake her cakes, I follow her on Pinterest, I trust her recipes! I also love that she introduces and collaborates with other awesome celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse. Aside from the fact that Martha is a MOGUL in her own right, she is also a teacher. She is the epitome of culinary excellence as well as classic home cooking and entertaining.
Today I’m sharing with you a recipe that I adapted, simply because I wanted to try it with other ingredients. This is a great cake for the season, and also it is my most recent recipe from Martha Stewart that I have made. I made the original recipe first ~ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares, and it was amazing! Then I made it my way, and guess what? It was amazing!
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chips Squares
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares for #SundaySupper
Recipe Type: Cake
Author: Lyn via Martha Stewart
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A delicious cake made with sweet potatoes and chocolate chips
Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Baking Soda
3/4 Tsp Salt
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1 Large Egg
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Sweet Potato Puree
3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Preheat Oven to 350F
Line the bottom and sides of a 9X13 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, sift flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda. Add salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter, oil and sugar until combined.
Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
Beat in the sweet potato puree
On a low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips
Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Push the batter into the corners as best as possible.
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean
Allow to cool completely in the pan
Cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from http://www.marthastewart.com/336431/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-squares
3.1.09
Well, of course the cake smells amazing. It was firm but moist to the touch. Cut into portions using a very sharp knife. I made 15 squares but you can cut them a lot smaller if you wish.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cake – fresh out the oven!
One thing for sure – the colour and texture of this cake is awesome. Moist and chewy. Certainly something to consider for gatherings over the holiday season. It’s so easy to make and also very easy to transport.
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chips Square
How about this tasty little treat for your friends and family?
Sweet Potato Chocolate Chips Squares
Please enjoy the recipe selections from the #SundaySupper bloggers:
Starters or Snacks :
Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog - Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper
Linda at The Urban Mrs. - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa
Please join on us via Twitter for #SundaySupper on December 2, 2012, throughout the day. In the evening, we will meet at 7 PM EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat.
All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.
Welcome to another edition of #MuffinMonday! Today we are sharing a cheesy savoury muffin to get your week started in the best way possible. No cranberries and mixed fruit in my muffins just yet. Sit tight.
I’m not sure how I let it happen, but Christmas seemed close but not that close. I mean Halloween was just here…and now stores are playing Christmas music. I guess retailers have to keep up. I don’t. By now, your mood should be changing as you get into the seasonal spirit of tinsel and ornaments. I dread putting up the tree just as how I dread taking it down. But I have kids and therefore it must be done. Kids really do make you become awesome parents.
My selection for today’s #MuffinMonday is Parmesan, Quinoa and Pine Nut Muffins. I added some Quinoa Flour in the batter to increase the nutritional value of my muffins. I loved the cheesy aroma from these muffins as they baked. I also loved the toasted pine nuts scattered over top of each muffin.
Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins
Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins for #MuffinMonday
Recipe Type: Muffin
Author: Lyn adapted from 100 Muffins from 1 Easy Recipe
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
A savory, cheesy muffin for Monday mornings. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Quinoa Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/8 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Buttermilk
6 Tbsp Butter, softened
Topping: 4 Tsp grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup pine nuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners
For the topping, combine parmesan and pine nuts and set aside
In a large bowl, combine flour, quinoa flour, baking powder and salt with a whisk
Stir in the parmesan and pine nuts
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then beat in the buttermilk and oil
In the large bowl with the flour, make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid mixture
Stir gently until just combined. Be sure not to over mix
Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle topping over the batter
Bake for about 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown
Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes.
Notes
This recipe yields 12 muffins
3.1.09
The pine nuts were not very well behaved! They kept falling off as you took a bite, much to the annoyance of my hubby He enjoyed these muffins but wished there was MORE CHEESE. That seems to the answer to everything these days. More cheese. Duly noted.
Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins
Quite a tasty muffin. I enjoyed them. But now I have to figure out how to make it even more cheesy.
Parmesan Quinoa & Pine Nut Muffins
Happy Monday!!!
Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.
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