2009 May — Cooking During Stolen Moments

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

May 31, 2009 By Kate 8 Comments

These cookies are one of my all time favorites. They are so rich and chocolatey. Chocolate crinkles are on my Christmas baking list every year, but I also love them in the summer. Pair a few cookies with some fresh berries and you have an awesome combination!

Chocolate Crinkles

4 T. butter or margarine
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. powdered sugar

1. Put butter or margarine and chocolate chips in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Stir and continue cooking for 30 seconds at a time until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.

2. Beat together sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in melted chocolate. Add flour, salt and baking powder until combined. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours for easier handling.

3. Using a tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into balls and roll through powdered sugar, making sure to coat completely. Bake at 325 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

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Kinda-Empanadas

May 29, 2009 By Kate 5 Comments

I’ve had a sheet of phyllo dough hanging out in my freezer ever since I made chicken strudel a few weeks ago. So I decided that I would use it to make some beef empanadas for dinner. However, just as I was getting the dough ready, my 2 year old walked into the kitchen with a diaper that needed to be changed immediately. I forgot all about the dough as I headed into the other room to change her. When I got back, it was completely dry. I pitched it and decided I’d have to make do with an alternative.

So I quickly threw together a simple biscuit dough. I rolled it out and it worked perfectly. These kinda, almost empanadas actually turned out really good. I think I might try making a double batch next time and freezing them. They’d be perfect to have on hand for a quick lunch or dinner.

Kinda-Empanadas

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 t. cumin
2 t. chili powder
2 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 c. water
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
3/4 c. butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
1/2 – 1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

1. Add ground beef and onion to a skillet and cook until beef is browned completely. Drain. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder and black powder. Stir to combine. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cool.

2. While the beef cools, add the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cut in the butter or margarine. (A little tip…I do this with my hands. It is so easy and takes hardly any time.) Add milk just until the mixture comes together to form a soft but not sticky dough.

3. Roll out thinly on a floured surface. Cut circles out of dough. (I wanted larger circles so I used a clean sour cream container for my circles.) Add ground beef in the center of each circle. Top with some shredded cheese and pinch to seal closed. Repeat until done. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until dough is golden brown.

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Italian Chicken Sausage Spaghetti

May 28, 2009 By Kate 7 Comments

This past weekend we stopped in at a local gourmet market. Our plan was to just look around at all the fun and unique items. But then I saw the most beautiful chicken sausages I have ever seen. I’m serious here – these things were gorgeous. When I saw that they were only $2.99 per pound, I couldn’t resist buying some.

I was so excited to make something with them. Unfortunately, since it’s the end of the month and the kids and I are heading out of town for a week on Sunday, our cupboards were rather bare. But I couldn’t let that stop me because I just had to try those sausages ASAP. So I used what I had and threw together a simple spaghetti dinner that was made outstanding with the addition of the sausage. I kept the flavors of the sauce simple to allow the flavors of the sausage to shine through. If I wasn’t so hooked on this sausage, I would have waited to do something a bit more special with it.

Italian Chicken Sausage Spaghetti

1 lb. Italian chicken sausage (plain Italian sausage would work just fine too)
2 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 15oz. can tomato sauce
2 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. salt (more to taste if needed)
1/2 t. allspice
1 lb. cooked spaghetti

1. Place sausage in a large skillet with 1/2 c. water. Bring water to a boil, cover skillet and cook for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let water simmer away while browning the sausages. Remove from skillet and slice. Set aside.

2. Add 2 T. olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the sausage back to the skillet.

3. Add the tomato sauce and remaining seasonings. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer as long as possible. (I had it simmering all day to really develop the flavors.) Serve over spaghetti or stir the spaghetti into the sauce just before serving.

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