Sugar Cookie Bars

I made these for an Earth Day “green” bag lunch seminar for work and they were a hit both at work and home (I may or may not have had one or two for breakfast one morning).  These don’t take a lot of time to make and you can adapt the frosting to any color that fits your mood or whatever special occasion you are making the cookies for.  The same goes with the toppings, you could use different sprinkles, chopped up candy, dried fruit, nuts, or coconut.  The options are endless!  These are perfect for pitch-ins and barbeques.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Makes 48 bars

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for the cookie bars:

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)

Ingredients for the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

5 Tablespoons milk (I used 1%)

food coloring (optional)

Directions for the cookie bars

1.     Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 13-inch x 18-inch rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. 

2.     In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

3.     In the bowl of a mixer, combine the sugar and butter and cream on medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

4.     One at a time, add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix well after each addition.  Scrape the bowl as needed, while mixing. 

5.     Scrape the vanilla seeds with the side of a knife and add into the butter mixture, with the vanilla extract. 

6.     Add in the flour mixture, and mix just until it is incorporated.  Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

7.     Spread mixture into prepared pan.  Use a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to smooth the batter evenly.

8.     Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.  Remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a wire rack.  Do not frost until the bars have cooled completely. 

Directions for the frosting

1.     In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until the butter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

2.     Add the vanilla, salt, confectioner’s sugar, and milk.  Mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy. 

3.     Add in food color as desired.

4.     Frost the cooled bars, in the pan.  Add toppings as desired. 

Mangia!

Lindsay Lou

Slightly adapted from: Annie’s Eats

Red Velvet Cake

Is it 2013 already??  Where did 2012 go?  I know I am not alone in thinking this.  I want to apologize for disappearing for 2012. Since I last posted I have had some very exciting life events take place including finishing my dissertation, graduating, moving, accepting a position that I love, and sadly caring for a very ill dog.  Our house is empty without our Leo.  He was my kitchen buddy, waiting patiently right outside the kitchen at our old house and right by the sliding glass doors at the new house.  When he got sick he chose to lay in front of the stove.  I would usually make him move before he was sick but I realized he just wanted to be as close as possible. Opening the oven door without hitting him while holding a pan became an art.  When we were caring for Leo, there wasn’t much time to cook or bake so my blog was neglected.  The little extra time we did have we chose to spend together since we didn’t know how many more precious moments we would have with our sweet pup.  After Leo passed we were heartbroken, we just never expected our time together would be so short.  Between being heartbroken, settling into a new job that requires considerable travel and a 2-hour round trip commute, I decided to give blogging a break.  Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I wanted to share why I had disappeared.  I know some people have asked where I was or when I would post, and that meant the world to me.  I am excited to get back in the kitchen and I realize it is what I need to mend my broken heart.  So for my readers who came back after a long hiatus, thank you and to those of you who are new, welcome. 

After a long break, I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes.  My Aunt Cathy’s Red Velvet Cake is one of my favorites cakes.  I have had the joy of baking this with my Aunt Cathy for two very special occasions, my high school graduation and my mom’s 60^th birthday.  I still have my old tattered recipe card that my cousin, Stephanie, wrote out when we were kids after I first tasted this cake while visiting in Memphis.  Under “yields” Stephanie wrote out 10 lbs. fat cake.  I still get a good laugh out of that when I look at the recipe.  I made this over the weekend for a belated Valentine’s Day dinner for my sweetie.  So make this for your sweetie, you don’t need a special occasion to make this fabulous cake. 

 Our sweet pup, Leo aka Mr. August for the Harford Humane Society 2012 Calendar.  Rest in peace, sweet friend.

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Aunt Cathy’s Red Velvet Cake

Yields 2 9-inch cakes or 3 8-inch cakes

Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

Cake

1 ½ cups sugar

2 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 ounces red food coloring

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 8 ounce package cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese/neufchatel), softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound (box) powdered sugar, sifted

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Directions for Cake

1.  Preheat oven to 350F

2.  Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of 2 9-inch round cake pans or 3 8-inch round cake pans, then grease and flour the pans.

3. Cream sugar and oil, add eggs and beat well.

4.  Add vinegar to sugar mixture and food coloring, beat well.

5.  Sift dry ingredients and add alternatively with buttermilk, starting with flour and ending with flour

6.  Add vanilla and beat well.

7.  Pour batter into pans, evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, rotating after 20 minutes

8.  When the cakes have finished baking, let them cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire racks. 

Directions for frosting

1.  Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy about 1-2 minutes.

2.  Add vanilla and sifted powdered sugar, beat 2-3 minutes. 

3.  Add nuts to frosting and frost cooled cakes.*

*For these pictures, instead of mixing the nuts into the frosting I sprinkled the chopped pecans between the layers but I prefer the nuts mixed into the frosting.  

Mangia!

Lindsay Lou

Oreo Cookie Cookies

Matt came home one day after eating out with coworkers to tell me about an amazing cookie he had – it was like a chocolate chip cookie but with Oreos he exclaimed.  I was jealous and asked if he brought one home for me  (the answer was no if you were wondering).  These cookies were great and were a serious indulgence. I mean a cookie in a cookie; it just doesn’t get any better.  This cookie in a cookie is not a new idea, I’ve noticed that it is all the rage to put an Oreo cookie in the middle of a ball of cookie dough and bake it.   Unfortunately, Matt can’t remember the name of the place they ate these so I couldn’t credit them with this fantastic idea.

Oreo Cookie Cookies
Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
18 Oreos, broken into pieces

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
3.  Add vanilla and eggs to butter mixture, beating well.
4.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and pudding.
5.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix well.
6.  Gently stir in Oreo pieces.
7.  Place tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, cooling for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool fully.

Mangia!
Lindsay Lou

Inspired by : Unknown Baltimore Restaurant
Cookie dough adapted from Kroger’s White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I remember when I first saw these cupcakes on Annie’s Eats.  I knew I had to make them, I am just sorry I waited so long.  I actually made these months ago and since have tried to find occasions to make them again.  These cupcakes are simply amazing! I mean, cookie dough filled cupcakes, with frosting that resembles cookie dough and a yummy brown sugar cupcake base.  These are now one of my favorite desserts.  Go out today, buy the ingredients and make them before you New Years Day comes and so do those pesky resolutions :)  All the steps involved were a bit time intensive so I would recommend making the cupcakes over two days or starting very early in the day. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Yields 24 Cupcakes
Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients for the Cupcakes
3 sticks (24 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

Ingredients for the filling
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ mini semisweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for the frosting
3 sticks (24 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3 ½ cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoon milk
2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For decoration (Optional)
Tiny chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips

Directions for the Cupcakes
1.  Preheat the oven to 350F
2.  Prepare cupcake pans with liners.
3.  In a large bowl combine the butter and brown sugar (use a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer).  Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4.  Add the eggs, one at a time beating after each egg and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
5.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk.  Begin and end with the dry ingredients, just mixing until blended after each addition.
7.  Add the vanilla and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
8.  Pour batter evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for 18-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
9.  Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Directions for the filling:
1.  Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2.  Add in the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until mixed well and smooth.
3.  Stir in the chocolate chips.
4.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is firm, about an hour.

Directions for the frosting:
1.  Cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes.
2.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth.
3.  Beat in the flour and salt.
4.  Add the milk and vanilla, beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Directions for Assembling the Cupcakes:
1.  To fill the cupcake, cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake.

2.  Fill each hole in the cupcake with some of the chilled cookie dough mixture.
3.  Frost cupcakes, optional: top with chocolate chip cookie and mini chocolate chips

Mangia!
Lindsay Lou

From Annie’s Eats inspired by Hello Baker originally cake adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop, frosting adapted from The Cupcake Review and How to Eat a Cupcake

Fleur de Sel Caramels with Vanilla Beans

I can't believe Christmas is 3 days away and I have not done any baking.  This is very unusual for me and not because I haven't wanted to or haven't been prepared.  I have sprinkles galore, I have sugar, flour, molasses (for THE best gingerbread cookies ever), and cute cookie cutters.  I also have a dissertation timeline that is a bit tight and since I set my final defense date (wow to see that in writing is exciting but also scary) there is no turning back.  I was only going to give myself Christmas day off, but as it approached I became a bit sad.  We already had decided to stay home for Christmas due to my tight deadline and now I was denying myself the joy of baking? It is a tradition to bake cookies, rum cake, and other goodies and I would be denying myself of this joy.  So last Friday I ordered some fun decorating sugar and decided I would treat myself to a day of baking on the 24th.  Baking is my therapy and I especially love it during the holidays because I turn up the Christmas music and get lost in baking.  Now the next two days will be difficult because my sparkly sugar arrived and all I want to do now is bake.  Looking at data and revising a manuscript seem much less exciting than decorating sugar cookies.  I did take some time this past weekend to make these caramels.  They were a huge hit, I just wish I had made more :)  I used fleur de sel I bought in Paris this summer, but you can find it online, possibly at your grocery store, or at places like Williams Sonoma.  You may be able to use regular sea salt in the grocery store, although it tends to be a bit larger grain. 

 

Fleur de Sel Caramels with Vanilla Beans
Printer-Friendly Recipe


Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean pod
1 1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel (sea salt) + more for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup (can substitute light corn syrup)
1/4 cup water

Directions
1.  Line the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, coat parchment paper lightly with butter.
2.  Split vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds (keep both).
3.  In a small saucepan, mix butter, cream, vanilla, vanilla pod, vanilla beans, and fleur de sel.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.
4.  Boil sugar, syrup, and water in a 3-4 quart heavy pan.  Stir, until the sugar has dissolved.  Boil mixture but do not stir once boiling, gently swirl pan.  Continue to boil until the mixture is a light golden caramel color.
5.  Remove the vanilla bean pod halves and very carefully add cream mixture to the sugar mixture (the mixture will bubble so be careful).   Stir frequently, until the mixture reaches 248F on a kitchen thermometer.
6.  Pour the mixture into the prepared 8-inch pan and let cool for 30 minutes.
7.  After cooled for 30 minutes, sprinkle fleur de sel on top.  Let cool completely.
8.  Using a buttered pizza cutter, cut into 1-inch pieces.
9.  Wrap using 3-inch squares of wax paper and twisting the ends together.

Makes about 64 1-inch caramels.

Mangia!
Lindsay Lou

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride originally adapted from Gourmet, 2004

Cheesecake in a Jar

This is the best cheesecake I have ever had.  Matt even said not to look any further for THE cheesecake recipe that this was it.  I made these cute little cheesecakes when we had some friends over and they were a hit.  I served them with toppings so everyone could choose how they topped their cheesecake.  Toppings included fudge sauce, cooked cherries, whipped cream, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – yum!  The originally recipe said it would make 12 8-ounce jars.  I actually halved the recipe and filled about 6 ½ jars.  I am including the whole recipe below.  If you need to halve it like I did and are wondering how do you get half of an egg just whisk the egg and weigh out half of it or measure half of it if you don’t have a kitchen scale.  I bought these cute Ball canning jars at Target. 

These would make great desserts for a holiday party or Christmas dinner.  I mean who doesn’t like cheesecake and a choice of toppings? If you are pressed for time you could always serve this with pie fillings for toppings like blueberry or cherry.  

Cheesecake in a Jar

Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients for the Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 Tablespoons sugar

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

Ingredients for the Cheesecake

40 ounces cream cheese, softened

14 ounces sugar (about 2 cups)

5 large eggs

2 ounces (1/4) cup milk (I used whole milk)

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large egg yolks

Directions 

1.  Preheat the oven to 325F

2.  Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.  Divide the crust between the jars and press down to have about a ½-inch thick crust in each jar.  Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until it is smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

4. Slowly beat the sugar into the cream cheese, scraping down the sides as needed. 

5.  Add the eggs, milk, flour, and egg yolks, beat until the mixture is smooth.  Scrape the sides to ensure everything is incorporated. 

6.  Pour the cheesecake batter into each jar, the amount will depend the size and shape of your jar.  I filled mine about 1-2 inches deep. 

7.  Tap the jars lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles. 

8. Place the jars in a roasting pan and pour boiling water into the pan, carefully so as not to get water into the jars.  Fill the pan up to an inch below the lip of the smallest jar. 

9.  Place the roasting pan with the cheesecakes in the oven and reduce the heat to 300F.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 20 minutes. 

10.  The edge of the cheesecakes should be firm but the center should still jiggle a bit.  Remove from the water bath and allow to completely cool.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.   

Mangia!

Lindsay Lou

Jars are Ball canning jars from Target.

Source:  Barely Adapted from Use Real Butter originally from The Good Housekeeping Book of Illustrated Desserts

Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

  

Today I wanted to share my mom's mashed potato recipe.  I am sure most people already have a favorite mashed potato recipe but my mom's is truly my favorite.  I was an adult before I learned her secret.  Unfortunately I didn't write down the amount of her secret ingredient ;)  I will have to post it at a later date when I can chase her down and measure the "pinch" she uses here and there to give you an accurate recipe.  So instead I thought I would include a list of side dishes here at Hoosier Baker, including the ones I featured last week that appear at our family gatherings.  I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. I know I have readers that are not here in the states and might not be celebrating Thanksgiving, these are great side dishes for any gathering. I am so thankful for many blessings and thankful for you taking time to stop by and read my blog today.  Feel free to leave a comment on what you are thankful for or just to say hi :)

Hoosier Baker Side Dishes:
Sweet Potato Souffle
Green Bean Bundles
Aunt Cathy's Corn Casserole
Sweet Potato and Pineapple Mash
Cranberry-Pistachio Couscous
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Orange Glaze
Mashed Cauliflower
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Sesame Green Beans
Cinnamon Applesauce

Mangia!
Lindsay Lou