Chocolate cookies

These cookies are looovely and are fabulous dipped in coffee and I would think might be so so excellent dipped into coffee...if you like coffee that is...I don't (I know, I know, I don't like coffee and am not a bacon fanatic? You must think I'm crAAAzy). Well anyway, they weren't as spicy as I was expecting (the recipe called them Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies). I added more cinnamon, which helped, but I would add more next time. Instead of the dulce de leche, I made cinnamon-and-cayenne caramel and drizzled that on top.

Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or substitute by adding 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons margarine* I didn't have this so instead I used more butter and a little bit of canola oil...I think it was about 2 more tblspns butter and then drizzled in the oil at the end of mixing everything together to get the dough to stay together more...
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Generous pinch ground black pepper
• Generous pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup caramel drizzle (recipe follows)
  

Directions

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. Combine the sugars in a small bowl and mix well with your fingers pressing out any lumps.

In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter and margarine until creamy. Add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg white and until the mixture is smooth. Stop the mixer. Add the flour mixture, beating on the lowest speed, just until incorporated *Add oil in here as needed for the dough to stick together. Put waxed paper or plastic wrap down on your counter or table and dump the dough out on it. Gather the dough together with your hands and form it into a neat log, 9 to 10 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter (or you know, just long and thin). Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap (you can use the plastic wrap/waxed paper to help get all the dough to come together, since mine was a little dry. Fold or twist ends of the paper without pinching or flatting the log. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes, or until needed.

Put the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven (I just used the middle ones and didn't switch them half way through...) and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Use a sharp knife to slice rounds of chilled dough, a scant 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the cookies, 1-inch apart (or so), on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through. Cookies will puff and crackle on top, and then begin to settle down slightly when done.Check carefully to make sure then don't burn--use your nose--because they're really dark and it's hard to tell.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or stacking. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

Caramel Sauce
-1/2 c white sugar
-3 tblspns butter
-1/4 c heavy whipping cream
-tsp of cinnamon
-shake or large pinch of cayenne
-salt n peppa
*water as needed

-Heat sugar in a tall, heavy sauce pan and stir only until it starts to boil and then stop stirring (you can still swirl the pan around though)
-Once the sugar is golden, add the butter and immediately whisk until the butter is melted
-Once the butter is totally melted, remove from the heat, count to 3 and then add the cream
-Whisk until smooth
-Add in the spices and whisk
-Add salt and pepper to taste/a few shakes of salt and grinds of pepper
-Let cool a little bit and then drizzle onto the cookies and eat everything.
*If you suck at making caramel, add a 1/4-1/2 c of water to the sugar before it boils. The water has to boil off before the sugar can caramelize, so the sugar gets cooked more evenly and is less likely to burn. This does take longer, but since I always burn my caramel, I think it's worth it.
**The sauce is a little spicy but in the most addictive way.

An Amazing Cake plus more

So I already gave you a link to this cake I found in Gourmet and I will discuss it more here because it is freaking amazing. The frosting is probably the best I've ever had. Seriously. Wowww.

Ok, so besides this awesome, awesome cake I also made an onion pie/tart for thanksgiving, along with the zucchini roll ups and a lemon sponge tarte. The onion pie was from Gourmet as well and basically it was a pie filled with caramelized onions, bacon, and some spices I felt like throwing in. It was awsome, but I won't post until I've adapted it to my ideal liking because I think it needed toasted fennel seeds or something...and maybe some cheese. As for the lemon sponge tarte, it was excellent and from a cookbook I got from my fabulous ex-housemates. It tasted like a cross between a lemon meringue pie and a lemon bar, especially the second day. Yummmyyy.

Here's the important thing though, the cake:
Spice Cake with Caramelized Pears and Maple Buttercream
...Ok, epicurious hates me and won't let me cut and paste...here's the link, sorry!
Notes:
1. Feel free to add more of the spices than they ask for, I prefer liberally-spiced cakes and I added a shake or pinch more at least of everything and do not regret it
2. Watch the cakes carefully because I overcooked mine just barely and they came out a little drier than I would have liked (although I didn't get any complaints)
3. Definately be liberal with the brandy and toss in some orange liqueur if you have it...why not right?
4. Use a nice tall/deep pan to cook the maple syrup mixture in because it foams up like crazy and I managed to get it all over the stove. Yeah, like aaaallllll over. Not pleasant.
5. I only added about half the butter they suggested to keep the maple flavor stronger...Also you really don't need that much butter
*Sorry I don't have photos :(

Zucchini Roll Ups...aka the best appetizer EVER

Man oh man, I made these as an appetizer for Thanksgiving and they were just eaten on up. They are unusual, delicious, light, and totally cute.

-4 small/medium zucchinis
-2 few cups of baby spinach (washed)
-maybe a 1/2 cup of fresh basil (washed and chopped into large pieces)
-1 tblspn lemon juice
-2 oz garlic-herb cream cheese or plain goat cheese
-3 oz reg. cream cheese
-a few tblspns flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
-some chives if you're feeling fancy
-salt n pepa
-tooth picks

-Chop the ends of the zucchini so you can hold it stabley upright
-Slice zucchini lengthwise and keep slicing uptil all of the zucchini is in long, thin slices
-Heat up a grill (ideally one of those nice fast ones that heat up quickly)
-Spray zucchini slices with cooking spray or that olive oil spray stuff, sprinkle with salt and pepper
-Lay the zucchini on the grill until you see nice, dark grill marks on the bottom, then flip
-Repeat until all are grilled (this should not take too long)
-Mix the lemon juice, cream cheeses or goat cheese, parsley, and chives if using in a small bowl and add cheese or lemon etc as needed to taste
-Lay out a zucchini strip on a cutting board, put a baby spinach leaf, a piece of basil, and a small dollop of cheese mixture on one end of the zucchini and then it all up slowly, tucking in the spinach, etc, as needed. Once rolled, stab with a toothpick and devour (or place on a plate and share)

*This makes about enough to feed 6-8 as appetizers with other things.
**Sorry the photo isn't great, I'll upload my other camera soon, I swear.

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

YUUUUMMMMYYYY!
I made these first for my neighbor's birthday and then perfected them a few weeks later while home for thanksgiving.

Cinnamon Rolls (pretty much stolen from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes 18 buns...mine made less and were rather small, not that I'm complaining.

Dough
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise or instant yeast (from 1 envelope yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add additional 2 1/2 cups flour.

Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. (You may also use a KitchenAid’s dough hook for this process.) Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel.

Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours or overnight in a warm place.

Once dough has risen and you're ready to start baking them, preheat oven to 375°F.

Filling
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of salt

Several pieces of bacon--make a bunch and it will get eaten...I think I made about 10 large strips?

Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

a nice long drizzle of maple syrup to taste

*OR add cream cheese to this maple buttercream frosting

For filling:

Begin cooking bacon right when you preheat the oven. Cook until a little under your prefered done-ness. I am not a huge bacon fan (I know, I know) but when I eat it, I prefer it not quite crispy.

Once cooked enough, drain and follow the next steps with the dough and filling.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt in medium bowl.

Press down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15×11-inch rectangle.

Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border.

Sprinkle cinnamon mixture evenly over butter.

Lay bacon in strips next to each other width-wise on the dough, leaving a little room on all sides.

Starting at the longer side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut remaining dough crosswise with thin sharp knife (a good serrated worked well here) into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide...or the width of the bacon pieces).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes (an 8-inch square metal pan worked just fine, too) with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). ***

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to . Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

***[Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes, though yours, like mine, may take longer. Don’t skimp on the double-rising time.] I didn't do this step, so the cinnamon rolls will be a little smaller, but they are definately completely delicious. If you follow this step, maybe skip the bacon...if you want bacon, you will have to settle for baby cinnamon rolls.

For glaze: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, syrup, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.