Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or 1 cup chocolate chips. (I used Callebaut bittersweet)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup AP flour

Optional: ½ cup nuts of your choice, chopped

1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl for rolling

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 4 sheets of parchment and place one sheet on doubled pans.

2. Place the chocolate in a large stainless steel bowl and set on a sauce pan containing 1 inch of simmering water. Do not let bottom of bowl touch the water. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool to barely warm.

3. Add the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla to the melted chocolate. Mix with a fork until homogenous.

4. Sprinkle baking powder and salt over mixture and incorporate. Add flour and mix thoroughly to form a dough. Add nuts, if using. It may resemble a thick batter. Let sit for 15 minutes to firm up, as chocolate cools.

5. With two teaspoons, form walnut-sized portions of dough into balls or use a 1-tablespoon-sized ice cream scoop. Place balls in bowl with powdered sugar and coat completely. Shake off any thick excess of powered sugar.

6. Place sugared balls on parchment on doubled cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on parchment on flat surface. Remove cookies from parchment with a small sharp knife. Store in air-tight container.

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Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup packed grated carrot (from 1 small carrot)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 3 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease a 6” round cake pan with shortening or cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the canola oil and sugar. Beat very well, about 1 minute.
3. Add the egg, cinnamon and vanilla and beat another 30 seconds. Beat in the carrot for about 15 seconds–you want it to break up a bit so it stains the batter orange. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder on top and beat until just combined. Do not overmix. You may stir in the walnuts at this point or save them for the frosting, your choice.
4. Pour the batter into the pan, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 24-26 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick before removing from the oven–moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick is ideal.
5. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to frost it.
6. To make the frosting, ensure all ingredients are room temperature or you will end up with lumps. Beat together everything with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Tip the cake out of the pan, place it on a serving plate upside down (so that you have a flat surface on top) and spread the frosting on the cake. Garnish with walnuts. This cake tastes even better if allowed to sit one day (in the fridge) before serving.

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All-American Protein Powder toast

All-American Protein Powder toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder,
• 2 slices of bread,
• ½ cup egg whites,
• ¼ cup milk
• cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: 
Mix egg whites, milk and protein powder together in a small bowl. Add cinnamon to taste. Dip the slices of bread into the mixture. Place the batter-covered bread on a non-stick skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, then remove from heat.

**You can also add strawberries and honey instead of banana and syrup.

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(Earl Grey) Shortbread Cookies

(Earl Grey) Shortbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 Tbsp Earl Grey Tea
• ½ Tsp Salt
• ¾ Cup Confections Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Butter, room temp

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor blend together flour, tea, salt and sugar until tea is evenly distributed.
2. Add vanilla and butter, blending until dough forms. Dough should be in either one or two large clumps, if not, blend longer.
3. Remove dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Depending on how big you want your cookies to be adjust diameter accordingly.
4. Wrap log in the plastic wrap, twisting or rubber banning the ends tightly, and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
5. Preheat over to 375 F.
6. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, cut the logs into slices about ⅓ of an inch thick. If you have left over dough wrap it back up and put back into the fridge to cool.
7. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, or just until bottom edges of the cookie are golden brown.
8. Remove from over and cool on a wire rack.
9. Enjoy!

Cooks Notes:

— For the tea I used about 4 packs of bagged tea and the rest was loose leaf. This worked well because you were able to get the small pieces of the bagged throughout the cookie so the taste was there and the larger pieces of the loose leaf for that tiny bit of crunch.

— Next time I make these I will probably try it out with a different tea, maybe assam! This is a really good base for shortbread cookies, just leave out the tea or replace with something else.

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Red Potato Soup

Red Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 pounds unpeeled small red tators, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 large onion
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 3-4 bacon strips, diced
• 2 quarts milk
• 4 cups water
• 3 TBSP chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 3/4 cup butter or marg.
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• shredded cheddar and chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS:

Cook potatoes in saucepan till tender. Drain and set aside. In soup kettle or dutch oven, saute onion, celery and bacon till veggies are tender; drain well. Add milk, water, bouillon, salt and pepper; heat through (do not boil). In saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour till smooth. Cook and stir over meduim heat for 1 min. Gradually add cream. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1-2 mins. or till thickened. Stir into soup. Add parsley and potatoes; heat through. Garnish with cheese and green onions.

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Scottish Fudge

Scottish Fudge

INGREDIENTS:
Serves: 20

• 2 1/2 cups (450g) caster sugar
• 50g dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1/2 cup (125ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter or margarine
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence

DIRECTIONS:

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Extra time: 4 hours, setting


1. Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to stop the mixture sticking to the saucepan.


2. Lower the temperature and allow the mixture to not simmer but boil at a lower temperature; continue stirring in a circular motion.


3. Keep stirring for 20 minutes and eventually the mixture should turn a dark caramel colour and about double its original thickness. Do not be alarmed at the brown streaks, that is just the brown sugar doing its magic!


4. Remove from the heat and mix with an electric hand mixer for about 7 minutes or so until it has thickened a fair bit and is beginning to set on the sides of the saucepan, but don’t mix it so much that it gets very tough.


5. Pour into a cake tin or small baking tray, smooth out, and after 10 minutes score into squares with a small knife so it is easy to break when it has fully set after about 4 hours.

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Almond Protein Pancakes

Almond Protein Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 c egg whites
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 3 tbsp 0% plain greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tsp sweetener (I used stevia)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (more or less to taste- it’s strong)
• 1 tbsp almond butter, for topping

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, except for chopped almonds
2. Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat at medium
3. Pour batter into center of skillet- you can make a few small pancakes or one large one
4. Cook until the bottom of the pancake is firm (bubbles form on the outside)
5. Flip pancake and allow it to cook through- until brown
6. Top with 1 tbsp of almond butter, honey, real maple syrup, or agave

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