Hotel Cookies - Secret Recipe Club

 It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day, one of my favorite days of the month.  I look forward to seeing who had my blog and sharing the recipe of my assigned blogger.  Hard to believe I've been participating in SRC since June of 2011.  Since I also participate in Club Baked, I try to make a savory recipe for SRC.  This month, not so much.  When your assigned  blogger is Secrets from the Cookie Princess,  how can you choose a savory recipe from a blog with that title.  Collen began her blog during the holiday season of 2010 when she baked 163 dozen holiday cookies.  Wow, that's a lot of cookies!!!

The most difficult thing was deciding which recipe to bake.  As much as I love sweets, I hardly ever bake cookies.  Although the recipes themselves don't take any longer to prepare, I think it's the amount of time it takes to bake each individual sheet that stops me.   After reading at least a dozen of Colleen's recipes, the title for this recipe caught my eye.   Hotel Cookies sounded interesting and as it turns out, I've eaten Hotel Cookies many times.  The original name for this recipe is Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies but Colleen changed the name of these cookies because they reminded her husband of the cookies at the Doubletree hotels.   In my last job, we did a lot of business with the Doubletree and we all loved their cookies.  I agree, these are a close facsimile.

As I gathered everything to bake these cookies, I realized I didn't have semi sweet chocolate chocolate chips.  I used 12 ounces of milk chocolate and 5 ounces of peanut butter/chocolate chips.
Also, we're not big fans of walnuts, so I used all pecans.  These cookies are the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made.  If you like crispy cookies, these aren't for you.  However, if you like a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, this is the recipe for you!  I will be making these cookies again soon!

Hotel Cookies
Recipe Courtesy of Secrets of the Cookie Princess
(Adapted from Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies)
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a medium bowl, mix oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for about 30 seconds.  Add sugar and cream mixture, beating until combined and scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can using the mixer, then stir in remain flour with a wooden spoon until incorporated.   Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

 On a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, drop by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart.  Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.  Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to complete cooling on rack.

I am linking this to On the Menu Monday,  Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Tortellini with Squash and Sweet Corn

If you're like me and have lots of summer squash and corn on hand, give this recipe a try. It's a light and refreshing pasta dish, perfect for a warm summer night. The recipe calls for gnocchi but I used tortellini and it worked out perfectly.

 

Gnocchi with Squash & Sweet Corn

Recipe Courtesy of The Kitchen

Serves 2 to 4
 1 (16 ounce) package vacuum-sealed gnocchi (from the dried pasta aisle) (I used Tortellini)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small zucchini, very thinly sliced
1 small yellow squash, very thinly sliced
1 cup sweet yellow corn kernels (from about two ears)
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Squeeze of lemon
2 ounces soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Toss warm gnocchi with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large, flat-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it begins to bubble and turn light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the zucchini, squash, corn, and garlic and sauté until warmed through, another 2 - 3 minutes.
Turn off heat and stir the cooked gnocchi into the vegetables. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with small hunks of goat cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Rosemary Shortbread Apricot Bars - Club Baked

It's been a few months since I baked along with the Club Baked bakers.   When I saw the recipe included shortbread and rosemary, you bet!  Although this  isn't a quick dessert to make, it is well worth the time it takes.  First you prepare, chill and bake the shortbread crust.  The next step is to make the apricot filling.  Mine took every bit of the 50 minutes called for in the recipe before the filling thickened.  Lastly you put together the crumb topping, assemble and bake again.

My shortbread layer was quite a bit thicker and my filling thinner than the photograph shown in the book.  Regardless, these are delicious.  I especially liked the shortbread,  it's soft tender crumb and wonderful rosemary flavor.  This is a recipe I will make again in the future, even if it's only the shortbread layer!

You'll find the recipe on Linda's site Sassy is Baking and links to the other Club Baked baker's bars here!  Next up for Club Baked, Strawberry Jello Salad.

I am linking this to Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Cake Batter Muddy Buddy's

When I was little and my mom would bake a cake, I would beg to lick the bowl and the beaters. My mom, who never wasted anything, would scrape all but what seemed like a drop of batter and then let me have the rest. To this day, I love cake batter.  I could eat it by the spoonful. Raw eggs or not, I still can't help but lick the spatula, after scraping the rest into the bowl, of course. Mom would be proud. Recipes using cake batter are everywhere, cookies, ice cream and snack mixes like this one. I made these for food day at work. At the end of the day, I had an empty bowl and several requests for the recipe. Be careful, it's addictive!!!

Cake Batter Muddy Buddies
Recipe Courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything Makes 5 cups
5 cups Rice Chex cereal
10 ounces (5 squares) vanilla flavored Almond Bark
3/4 cup yellow cake mix
1/4 cup powdered sugar
colored sprinkles
vegetable shortening, optional
Instructions: 1. Pour 5 cups of Chex Cereal into a large bowl.
2. Melt Almond Bark according to the package directions, adding vegetable shortening to thin if desired. (I used the shortening to thin.)
3. Pour Almond Bark over cereal, stirring and folding until the cereal is completely covered. Generously shake sprinkles over mixture and fold them in as well. so they stick to the Almond Bark.
4. In a large bag or covered container such as Tupperware, put cake mix and powdered sugar and shake to mix evenly.
5. Pour the Almond Bark covered cereal into the large bag or container containing cake mix and powdered sugar. Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the powdered mixture.
6. Discard excess powdered sugar.
I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Zucchini Bites

If you're like me and find yourself with a crisper drawer full of zucchini, give these a try!  I've made these twice since pinning the recipe a few weeks ago.  They are delicious and easy to make.  Be sure to squeeze the water out of the zucchini or they will be soggy.  You want them to crisp up, like a potato cake!

Zucchini Bites

Recipe adapted: The Curious Country Cook

Yields: 12 mini muffins

1 cups zucchini, grated
1 egg
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup cheese - I used a combination of shredded Mozilla, asiago and parmesean
1/4 cup bread crumbs - I used Italian style Panko
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. Grate the zucchini and then place in a dish towel to squeeze out the excess water.
3. In a bowl combine, the egg, onion, cheese, bread crumbs, zucchini, salt and pepper.
4. Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Caprese Pasta

We love Caprese Salad. In the summer when the tomatoes and basil are abundant, we have one almost every night. With limited space for a garden, we decided to grow cherry tomatoes this year. The plants are thriving in our sandy soil.  With plenty of tomatoes on hand,  I wanted to adapt the flavors of Caprese Salad into a pasta dish.  Using several cold Caprese Pasta Salad recipes as my inspiration, I created this pasta dish.

The tartness of the balsamic, acidity of the tomatoes and creaminess of the mozzarella make this a delicious fresh pasta dish, the perfect dinner for a hot summer night.

Caprese Pasta

 1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons minced shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
 Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
12 ounces uncooked pasta, such as penne or bow tie
12 fresh mozzarella cheese balls
1/3 cup chopped, fresh basil

 Directions

Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain in a colander, reserving a small amount for the pasta sauce.  Heat a large skillet to medium and toss the tomatoes and sauce until tomatoes are just slightly cooked.  Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss.  If you like, add the pasta water to the pan.  Cook a few minutes until the mozzarella balls begin to soften or melt.  Just prior to serving top with basil and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

3rd Date Chicken - SRC

 I love receiving my Secret Recipe Club assignment each month!  It's so fun to meet new bloggers and decide which recipe to make.  My assigned blog for this month is The Bad Girl's Kitchen.

 After I receive the blogger's name, I go to the blog and browse the recipes, making note of the ones I might like to make.   I try to choose a savory recipe since I seem to find plenty of sweet recipes on my own.  Some of the ones I noted were Paltrow's Pancakes, Chicken Breasts in Lemon and Sage, Bruffins and 3rd Date Chicken.  I narrowed it down to the Chicken Breasts in Lemon and Sage or the 3rd Date Chicken.    I decided on 3rd Date Chicken, who could pass up a recipe with this title.  You know what they say about 3rd dates :)....

The recipe called for olives and prunes.  This wasn't the first time I've seen prunes as an ingredient in a savory recipe, does anyone know why these are sometimes added? Tim is not an olive fan and I didn't have any prunes, so I substituted brussels sprouts.  Not sure if that was a good substitution or not but as it turns out, they were delicious.  This is a wonderful chicken dish.  The combination of the red wine vinegar in the marinade and the brown sugar gives the chicken a nice mix of sweetness and acidity.  This would make a great dish for a dinner party or if you're single a great recipe for that 3rd date. 

3rd Date Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs dried oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup small green olives

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white wine

parsley for garnish

• Combine the chicken, garlic, oregano, salt/pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives & bay leaves in a bowl. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for a few hours or overnight.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Arrange chicken in a single layer in a baking dish (9X11 glass pan works great). Pour marinade over evenly.

• Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and pour white wine around the bottom of the pan

• Bake for 60 minutes, basting frequently.

• Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

• Serves 4-6

I am linking this to On the Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.