Fouteen-in-One (Lemon Butter Cookie Variation)

This recipe from the new (1997) "Joy" proves itself often by its versatility. This recipe can be used for a molded cookie or a rolled cookie. At Christmas, I rolled it for my sugar cookies. Recently I made three fun valentine-themed cookies from this dough:

"Jelly Tots" (phrase gleaned from the old Joy, which gave these techniques) are formed from balls of dough, rolled in sugar. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove. Use a thimble or something small to create indentations in the tops of cookies. Drop in a tiny bit of jelly. Return to oven for up to 8 minutes, til almost browning on edges.

"Strawberry Tart Cookies" look like cute little baby tarts!
Use a simple cookie shape like a circle or a heart and for each cookie, cut two pieces alike. With a knife, cut out the interior portion of the second piece, so what remains is a cookie-shaped frame. Place a small amount of jelly or jam on the cookie piece, on the part not to be covered by a "frame". Smear it around evenly. Now, place the "frame" piece over bottom piece. Bake as for the rolled version of this recipe, for about 6-8 minutes. When cooling, sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or drizzle with melted chocolate (2 1/2 oz. chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 tablespoon water makes a nice mix).

"Sandwich Cookies" are just that...two similarly shaped cookies sandwiched together with a thin (just enough to make it stick -- more is not better) layer of jam. I used heart shapes and strawberry jam. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or drizzle with melted chocolate, as above. I did both!

Ready for the recipe, yet?! This is the simple part.

Have all ingredients close to 68-70 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat on medium speed until very fluffly and well blended:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, processed in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds, or superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Add and beat until well blended:
1 large egg yolk

Add and beat until well combined:
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

Reduce the speed to low and beat in just until combined:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Divide dough and wrap in plastic. Refridgerate until firm, at least an hour. [This dough can be refridgerated for two days and frozen for up to one month.]

Bake at 375 F 6-8 minutes.

For molded cookies:
Scoop out dough and roll into 1-tablespoon balls. Use parchment paper or slightly grease the baking sheet and space 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a smooth, flour-coated glass, flatten each dough ball to about 1/8 thick. Bake 6-8 minutes.

For rolled cookies:
Lightly flour the work surface. Roll dough to about 1/8 thick. Sprinkly lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut dough into desired shapes. Place at least 1/2 inch apart on slightly greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Do not roll dough out more than twice...it gets tough...if you have some twice-rolled dough, it is still okay for molded cookies though. Bake 6-8 minutes.

Maple Curls

These did not make the cut into the new (1997) edition of "Joy of Cooking". They are earthy, yet ethereal, like tea fare for woodland fairies. I feel that eating crispy maple curls, filled with a cinnamon whipped cream, could possibly lift people up in some really meaningful way, but then I'm starting to realize I'm what some call a "foodie". If you're another, maybe you will agree. Either way, try the recipe!

I made these straight over the recipe from the old Joy (p. 668 in my 1964 Bobs-Merrill Plume paperback edition -- for anyone of you who prefer to simply consult your own copy).

Preheat oven to 350.

Bring to a hard boil for about 30 seconds:
1/2 cup maple syrup or maple syrup blend
1/4 cup butter

Remove from heat and add:
1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir this in well. When blended, drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, 1 tablespoon at a time, 3 inches apart. Bake from 9 - 12 minutes or until the cookie colors to the shade of maple sugar. Remove pan from oven. When slightly cool, remove cookies with a spatula, roll as shown on page 666*, and cool on a rack.

* My note:
While the cookies are hot, quickly and carefully wrap cookies, one at a time, around the handle of a woodle spoon, to form a tube. If they cool too much, they will become too stiff to wrap. Cool tubes on a cake rack. Fortunately, because they baked with 3" of space between them on the cookie sheets (which they really do need), there are only a few at a time to deal with!
Don't burn your fingers handling the hot cookies!

The cookbook suggests filling cookie tubes with a flavored whipped cream filling, a cake filling, or a buttercream filling, and dipping the ends in chocolate "shot" or ground pistachios.

Chocolate Marble Cake

I consider this a truly classic food. Recently, I satisfied a serious craving with this particular recipe, chosen after some deliberation, from a book titled "The Book of Afternoon Tea" by Lesley Mackley. My favorite compliment has been Mark's comment that it is "like a giant petit four". Like a petit four, it is moist, not overly sweet, and has lovely hard frosting.

2 oz. semisweet chocolate (semisweet chocolate chips will do)
1 tablespoon strong coffee
2 cups self-rising flour (or regular with 1 tsp. salt and 1 T. baking powder added)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup margarine, softened (I recommend butter instead)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ground blanched almonds (I used Red Mill brand almond meal/flour)
2 tablespoons milk
FROSTING:
4 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a ring mold (I used an angel food cake pan) with a 7 1/2 cup capacity. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, break chocolate and add coffee. Heat until melted. Let cool. Into a bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Add margarine, sugar, eggs, ground almonds and milk. Beat well until smooth. Spoon half the batter evenly into prepared pan. Stir cooled, soft chocolate into the remaining batter, then spoon into pan. Draw a knife through batter in a spiral. Smooth the surface.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out cake an dtransfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make frosting, into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, put chocolate, butter and water; heat until melted. Stir frosting and pour over cake on a rack, working quickly to coat top and sides. Let set before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 slices.

Chicken, Apple and Potato Hash

I found this recipe in a back issue of Cooking Light. I promptly lost it, after having made it actually, according to the recipe once. Here is my remembered approximation.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
2 apples, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 onion (optional), chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
crushed red pepper and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet, add potatoes and saute. Add chicken pieces, apples and potatoes. Sprinkle in seasoning. Serve when some of the food is turning a pretty golden, and all is cooked.