Dory in the Kitchen

Cookies 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats 2 teaspoons baking soda 3 tablespoons boiling water Filling (adapted from  “The All-American Dessert Book”) 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (about 1 1/2 packets) 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup water (divided) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar 8 ounces vegetable shortening Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside (I prefer to use parchment paper as it saves me from doing even more dishes!). Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, flour, and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and oats. Mix well. In a small dish, add the baki...

If spring had a flavor, it'd taste like peas. Sweet. Fresh. Full of life. And if you'd like to find a better use for a bag of frozen peas, something other than tossing a bag on a bruise, then this recipe is for you...Spring Pea Pasta. 8 ounce s orecchiette pasta 2 tablespoon s butter 2  medium shallots 3 cup s peas (fresh or frozen) ¼ cup   heavy cream ¼ cup  whole milk 1 ½  to  2  cups grated parmesan ½  Lemon,  Zested Salt, to taste Cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water, and set aside. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large pan. Mince the shallots and add them to the pan, cooking until they are soft and starting to brown. Add in the peas and cook until the peas are hot. Add the cream and milk, stirring to combine. Heat over low heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of parmesan. Continue to cook until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Add the pasta and stir to coat. If the pasta is too thin, add a ...

I made these, having never tasted them before, for the gang at work a while back and I may have created some monsters in the process.  Because of the toasted marshmallow center, I thought they would be best transported if I wrapped them, individually, in plastic wrap.  I made my rounds to the offices, handing them out, and telling people to save them for lunch.  Several people immediately pressed them to their noses and died right there on the spot at the amazing scent combination of peanut butter, toasted marshmallow, and butterscotch.  Funeral services will be announced, later.  One person had the nerve to ask where I bought them.  The rest consumed them, immediately, causing what I'm sure is an incredibly unhealthy and unnatural spike in blood sugar.  One by one they drifted into my office commenting on how good they were and that they wanted to eat more if I had them.  It's like The Walking Dead up here but instead of human flesh, ...

I will make no claims to this being the best salsa you've ever tasted, or that it's better than the jars lining grocery store shelves, or that its flavor rivals the fresh salsa you're served in restaurants. But I will say that the people who've eaten my salsa will make those claims.  This recipe could not be easier but it is made  easier with the help of a food processor. Over the years I've made this exact recipe, this large amount of salsa, by hand. I've cut up every finely diced tomato. Scraped the innards of peppers. Peeled and chopped itty bitty pieces of garlic. All by hand. I've also used a minuscule food processor that can chop up no more than 8 oz. of anything. And I've used my hand dandy Black & Decker food processor. The big one is the best one.  Here's what you'll need: 9 large beefsteak tomatoes, cleaned and quartered 1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and still on the stems 5-6 green onions, cleaned and root base trimmed 4 la...

Once again, Scandinavia hits a home run with baked goods and they anhilate any and all gingerbread recipes you may have liked with these pepperkake. In fact, I've been known to fill my checked luggage with tubs of these, from Iceland. They break. They shatter. They taste just as good. Commonly eaten at Christmas, these spiced and aromatic cookies are just as easy to make as they are delicious to eat. You could easily buy packages of these at IKEA (they're cute little flower shapes) but I find the fresh flavor is just a million times better. Ingredients 400 grams sugar 200 grams butter 1/3 cup light syrup (use Lyle's Golden Syrup or dark corn syrup) 3/5 cup heavy cream 4 teaspoons ginger 4 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons black pepper (freshly ground is best, trust me) 4 teaspoons ground cloves 1 tablespoon baking soda 750 - 850 grams flour In a large saucepan, add the sugar, butter, and syrup. Stir together and heat until melted. Set aside to cool. Once the mixture has cooled...

Everything pumpkin is the rage right now, and if you're not into the PSL craze and you prefer to bake with pumpkin, then I have the perfect recipe for you. My pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting will put a smile on anyone's face and absolutely brighten any dessert table. Canned pumpkin makes this recipe easier than easy, and the delicious blend of spices are perfection. Whip up a batch and let me know what you think! Cake Ingredients & Directions 4 eggs 1 1/2 cup sugar free apple sauce 2 cups granulated sugar 15 oz can of pumpkin puree 2 1/2 cup flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Combine the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in dry ingredients and mix until well combined.  Bake in an ungreased Texas sheet pan at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Frosting Ingredients & Directions 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla ...

I haven't felt much like blogging, lately, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been baking and cooking up a storm. In fact, since my last post, I've been to Paris and attended some workshops at Le Cordon Bleu. Cooking never ceases. One of my favorite dishes, lately, is this garlic roasted potato, egg, and spinach salad with French mustard vinaigrette. Yes, you must turn on your oven, but I promise, it's worth it. I got the recipe from naturallyella.com but I've tweaked it a bit with the flavors that I prefer. Dressing 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons French mustard 2 teaspoons honey 1/4 teaspoons sea salt Pinch of pepper Pinch of red pepper flakes Potatoes 1/2 pound baby potatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Salad 4 cups lightly packed baby spinach 3 soft boiled eggs, quartered Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring...