White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

My daughter’s favorite cookie is one with white chocolate in it. As a result, I have an arsenal of white chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve tried over the years, each with its own special variation. Recently I found a version from Katie at Good Things Catered using melted butter instead of softened and creamed butter. The recipe produces a delicious result with crispy edges and a chewy interior that is better than most cookies you could buy at a gourmet bakery. The possibilities for this recipe are endless! Consider using pistachio nuts or macadamia nuts. Perhaps add a little grated orange peel. Why not make it with chocolate chips and pecans? Cherries and almonds? I could go on and on. Really, I could.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
adapted from Good Things Catered

2 cups plus 2 TBL all purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
12 TBL (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips
½ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325º, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside. Beat butter and sugars together until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Stir in white chocolate chips and cranberries. Place, by rounded tablespoon full, onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing cookies 2” apart. Bake for 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is soft and puffy. Cool in pan until cookies can be lifted from pan without breaking apart. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely.

Caramel Banana Sundae

I’ve tried lots of store bought caramel sauces, and although they may have their place to shine, they certainly don’t compare to the taste of homemade caramel sauce. When the homemade variety only requires 3 ingredients, why would I consider anything else? Just imagine an ice cream sundae made with vanilla ice cream, a few slices of banana, spoonfuls of divine homemade caramel, and a sprinkling of toasted pecans. You won’t want it to end!

Caramel Banana Sundae

vanilla ice cream
caramel sauce (recipe below)
sliced banana
toasted pecans, finely chopped

Place 2 scoops of ice cream in each bowl. Spoon 2 tablespoons of caramel over the ice cream and place the bananas on top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Caramel Sauce
¾ cup water
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

Stir together water and sugar in heavy saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to boil. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a dark amber color, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk cream into mixture. Continue whisking until all bits of caramel are melted.

Scalloped Hash Browns

I don’t know about you, but I usually save the scandalously decadent dishes for holidays or company because they not only require rich ingredients, but they often take lots of time to prepare. That’s not the case for these potatoes. Yes, the ingredient list is the stuff of nightmares for the health conscious, but the preparation couldn’t be easier. These potatoes come out of the oven with a crispy, brown crust on top and a pool of dreamy creaminess underneath. Try them. They’ll be your best friend.


Scalloped Hash Browns

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
2 cups heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350º. In a greased 9-inch deep dish pie plate, layer one cup of frozen potatoes. Generously salt and pepper to taste. Continue layering in the same manner until all the potatoes are used. Pour whipping cream over potatoes until it almost covers them. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is browned and bubbly and much of the cream has been absorbed.

Eggnog Pie

Even though pecan pie is my family’s traditional Christmas dessert, I decided to shake things up a bit this year by serving Eggnog Pie. The crust was simple to make, a huge plus in my book. The eggnog custard, studded with freshly grated nutmeg, was rich and creamy. The most impressive part of this dessert, though, was the thin layer of melted chocolate spread on top of the crust, nestled cozily beneath the custard. Once refrigerated, it hardened to provide a snappy texture between the crust and custard- a great combination!

Eggnog Pie

adapted from Southern Living

2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 TBL butter

Mix cookie crumbs and ¼ c melted butter; press firmly into a greased 9” deep-dish pie pan. Bake at 350º for 8 minutes. Remove crust from oven, and sprinkle chocolate chips into warm crust. Let stand 5 minutes or until chips melt; spread chocolate over bottom of crust with a spatula. Set aside.

Stir together whipping cream, sugar, and nutmeg in top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl; let stand 1 minute.

Gradually whisk one-fourth of warm cream mixture into egg yolks. Add to remaining warm cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in softened gelatin. Cook over simmering water 3 to 5 minutes or until custard reaches 160°. Remove from heat; add 1 TBL butter, stirring gently until butter melts. Cool filling to room temperature.

Pour filling into prepared crust. Gently cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface of filling. Chill pie at least 4 hours or until firm. Garnish with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.

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ABOUT

Wife, Mother, Friend.

My favorite times are spent lingering in the kitchen creating something to share with those I love. I have no formal culinary training, but I love the art of food and hospitality and constantly seek to hone my skills in these areas. Making someone feel loved through my cooking is one of life’s wonderful pleasures.

I like pretty dishes, new restaurants, cookbooks, beautiful clothes, red lipstick, books that challenge me to grow, and stories of times past. I am a dreamer, a goal setter, a pianist, a seamstress, a teacher.

My life’s greatest ambition is to be found pleasing in God’s sight. Thanks for stopping by. You can contact me at sassafrascafe [at] gmail [dot] com.