chocolate
Cookies for a Smartie Party
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup each butter and shortening, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups NESTLÉ® SMARTIES® candies (about six 56 g pkgs)
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Stir together flour, salt and baking soda in small bowl. Beat together butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats and 1 cup (250 ml) SMARTIES® until well combined.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (15 ml) about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly; press 2 or 3 remaining SMARTIES® into each. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to baking rack to cool completely.
Makes about 48 cookies.
The above recipe was one I cut and pasted several years ago. I think it was from the Nestle site at the time. Anyway, the recipe on their site now is a little different.
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups SMARTIES candies (about six 50g pkgs)
Tools required:
Electric mixer, baking sheets
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375?F (190?C). In large bowl, beat softened butter and packed brown sugar with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.
Step 2:
Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3:
Drop slightly rounded tablespoons about 2-inches (5 cm) apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly and press 5 SMARTIES into top of each. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
Makes about 50 cookies
Smartie Cookies from Chatelaine Magazine
Preparation time 20 minutes
Baking Time 8 minutes
Makes 18 large cookies
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups ( 550 mL) all-purpose flour
3 tsp ( 15 mL) baking powder
1 tsp ( 5 mL) salt
1 cup ( 250 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 cup ( 250 mL) brown sugar
1 cup ( 250 mL) granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp ( 5 mL) vanilla
12 oz ( 360 g) Smarties or other coated chocolate candies, about 1-1/2 cups
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Arrange oven racks in centre of oven and preheat to 375 F (190 C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or coat with cooking spray. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir with a fork until well blended.
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Using a wooden spoon, stir butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually stir in sugars until well mixed. Then, add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture until combined. Do not use an electric mixer and don’t over-mix. Stir in Smarties.
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Measure 1/4 cup (50 mL) batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Repeat, leaving about 4 inches (10 cm) between each cookie. Do not pat cookies down. Bake in centre of preheated oven until edges are light golden but centre is still soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven but leave cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, using a wide spatula, carefully slide cookies onto a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag in a cool place for up to 1 week. We do not recommend freezing.
I'm in the 7%
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old. This is something we should all read at least once a week!
“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Change the way you think.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. Release your children when they become adults, its their life now.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye
16. Take a deep breath It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22 Just because you believe you are right, doesn’t mean you are. Keep an open mind.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. Your job is to love your children, not choose who they should love.
35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come…
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield…
45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”
Its estimated 93% won’t forward this.
If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title “I’m in the 7%”. Friends are the family that we choose.
Homestyle Pancakes with Fresh Berries – Astro.ca
Homestyle Pancakes with Fresh Berries – Astro.ca .
Astro has a new caramel yogurt. It’s delicious. So far I can only find it at one store here. Went to their site and found this pancake recipe. I haven’t tried adding yogurt to pancakes before. Just butternilk. Sounds like a good idea, though I don’t think I’d use the caramel yogurt for pancakes.
Homestyle Pancakes with Fresh Berries
INGREDIENTS
| 1 cup | sifted flour | 250 mL |
| 1 tbsp | sugar | 15 mL |
| ¾ tsp | baking soda | 3.75 mL |
| ½ tsp | salt | 2.5 mL |
| 2 | eggs | 2 |
| 1 cup | Astro Original Balkan style yogourt | 250 mL |
| ½ cup | water | 125 mL |
| 1 tbsp | melted Lactantia butter, plus additional for brushing griddle | 45 mL |
PREPARATION
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat eggs. Blend in Astro Original Balkan style yogourt, water and melted Lactantia butter. Add dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Brush a griddle or a large skillet with Lactantia butter. Spoon ¼ cup of batter onto griddle.
- Cook until bubbles appear on surface and pop, edges are set, and undersides are golden, 1-2 minutes.
- Flip pancakes with a spatula and cook until undersides are golden and pancakes are cooked through, 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve immediately, or keep warm in 200°F oven. Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or whip cream.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
TIP : Add ½ cup frozen blueberries, chocolate chips or nuts for an indulgent breakfast treat.
White Chocolate Cheesecake
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
8 oz. melted white chocolate
3 lb. cream cheese
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
6 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. vanilla
Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place cream cheese, sugar and flour in a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl and add melted white chocolate. While mixer is running on very low speed, slowly add vanilla and heavy cream, blend well.
Pour mixture into springform pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center of cheesecake is just firm. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing from pan.
SAUCE FOR TOPPING:
1 c. heavy cream
2 c. white chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz. orange liqueur Triple Sec
Place heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over white chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add orange liqueur and continue stirring until well mixed. Pour warm over chilled cheesecake and serve.
via Cooks.com – Recipe – White Chocolate Cheesecake .
The Love Chef Web Site – Recipes – Desserts
PUMPKIN WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKEWITH GINGERSNAP CRUSTMONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2003 — DESSERT COMPETITIONDanette Randall – Denver, CO — WINNERCRUST: 2 cups gingersnaps whole 6 tablespoons butter 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugarFILLING: Three 8 oz. packages cream cheese room temperature ¾ cup pumpkin ¾ cup melted white chocolate 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnnamonTOPPING: ½ cup almonds 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons butterPre-heat oven to 350° F.Wrap outside of pan with foil. In processor, grind gingersnaps, add sugar, melted butter and press into 9″ springform pan. Bake 5 to 7 minutes. Take out and keep oven at temperature.Mix cream cheese and sugar in processor until smooth, add the rest of the ingredients and process until completely mixed and smooth.Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, until cheesecake starts to crack.While cooling, process almonds, butter, and sugar in processor; spread the mixture evenly on cookie sheet and put in oven for 6-7 minutes until it starts to toast. Spread evenly on top of cheesecake and cool 4 to 5 hours. Remove ring of pan and serve.
via The Love Chef Web Site – Recipes – Desserts .
This is the basis of the cake I’m making for Zack’s birthday tomorrow.