Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle

2014 Cookie Week, Day 3

December 17, 2014 by Michelle

Holiday Butter Cookies (Made Better)

Today’s Cookie Feature comes from MICHELLE @ Badzoot.com!

Cookie Day is the most Happiest Day of the year!! Well, it is here anyway. Leading up to Cookie Day, there are many cookie days at my house as my guys love cookies. I mean, they’d both rather have a cookie over most any cake – cupcake – or candy. Maybe not a doughnut though, few things beat out a doughnut… ok, maybe a doughnut in the microwave. Yep, that’s a real winner.

One of my cookie attempts was not exactly labeled as a ‘winner’. In fact this was a real ugly duckling. I’m glad I never took blog-photos. This cookie has to be the only recipe flop I’ve ever had from King Arthur Flour. Somehow, I’m sure it was user-error. My fault. Another thing I’m sure of is my inability to toss anything even remotely edible. So, this is what I did.

But first, just a little click for the recipe in question…

Holiday Butter Cookies

See? It sounds really good – right? Yeah, who can’t get behind a good old fashioned shortbread. OK, so I made the dough and refrigerated it…this is where it went all wrong. I think I let it sit for too long. Anyway, by the time I went to bake it, the dough had become a brittle poorly done pie dough consistency. It crumbled and was unrollable. I was ready to toss it and then thought..it’s no longer a cookie – it’s really a shortbread. Then, just bake it like one – why not.

I pulled out a small cookie sheet, about 14 x 9 and pressed the crumbled bits into a flat mass. I baked it for about 20 minutes at the recommended 350deg. from the original cookie recipe. After 20 plus minutes, out cake a sheet of golden crispy goodness. In the recipe it calls for an interesting extract/flavor called fiori di sicilia. This is something worth investing in. It’s that hard-to-describe flavor from numerous baked goods like Italian Panettone bread. A combination of vanilla and citrus that if, in a pinch, could be used as perfume. Delicious.

This brick of butter and sugar was still very bland. Which means one thing – it must be smothered in chocolate. So, I did. This was a very good idea. I took about a half a package of semi-sweets and a bit (maybe 1/3 cup) of the 60% Cocoa Ghiradelli chips, and melted them. After the cookie was nearly cool, I spread out the chocolate, and because it’s Christmas I sprinkled on some coconut. Perfect.

This experiment / resurrection passed the test with my cookie guys. Then what was left, I brought along to Cookie Day. Nobody turned them down. They’re good – try ‘em for your own Cookie Day.

Michelle @ Badzoot.com

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle

November 19, 2014 by Michelle

Love Grown Foods

The other day a box showed up – you know the one, with the smile on it. Although I didn’t order anything. ?? Somebody did. Yes, my husband is an internet shopper. He also likes infomercials and ‘How’d They Do That’ shows. Turns out one evening he was watching a show about how this company makes cereals. He was intrigued and inspired by their commitment to their company and customers. Off to Google he went,….and he ordered a sample pack (of some sort) to see how it was. I’m glad he did.

I’ve eaten my share of health food cereals and much of it has been like the ‘Quarry’ from the SNL skit ! And how is it that it always seems to taste like the store? You know, that generic cinnamon/ginger/sage smell that hangs in the air of most every vitamin depot. This is different.

I like this stuff – the ‘O’s are really good, and just sweet enough. Wait, did it say ‘made with beans and brown rice’? Yes, yes it did. The Oat Granola’s are great too ! Yes, they’re fattening, ALL granola is (unless it’s laced with other crap to hold it together). There are actually different flavors – other than cinnamon. The apple has big pieces of apple in it and the coconut in one isn’t all dried super hard. It’s really good, and dare I say, fresh tasting. Any non-health-food cereal buff (um, my guys) would be all over these!
So, If you’re looking around the store shelves for an alternative to what ‘Big Corporate’ has to offer, check them out – and their smiles are on the box too. Those people in Colorado are just too healthy and happy. Maybe they eat a lot of this cereal.

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

October 22, 2014 by Michelle

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

I have a confession to make – I love Ben & Jerry, no really. One thing I love about them most is that they make one of my all time favorite ice cream flavors – Chunky Monkey. Oh, yeah you know the one. Full fat banana flavored ice cream with chunks of chocolate and walnuts,… all it needs is a cherry and some whipped cream. Oops, I’m drooling on my keyboard.

Problem is it’s just too, well, chunky,…on my backside. Seriously. I could eat the whole pint myself. I can fix that though, the chunky part – I’ll still eat the whole pint of this one. Only, I won’t have to run around the world twice to work it off. Come on I’ll show you.

Not So Chunky Monkey

1 lb Frozen Bananas (about 4 cups, or one tray, or 5 or 6 bananas…this is why I weighed this one out)

1/2 Cup Low Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk (about 1/2 can)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp Vanilla Paste * optional, not everybody has this in their cupboard.

1/3 Cup Walnuts chopped

3 or 4 Tbl Home Made Magic Shell, check out that post here

Step 1:

Get out all the goodies

Step 2:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

Measure out those frozen banana slices. I buy bananas and keep them in the freezer in a ziploc for smoothies.

Step 3:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

In a food processor, add the bananas, milk, vanilla.

Step 4:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

Give it all a whirl, pulse it so that all the pieces get a chance to be mashed up.

Step 4a:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

There – now it’s a frozen treat. I can’t really call it ice cream – even though there’s cream in it. Hmmm

Step 5:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

Get it into a freezer safe container. I like a stainless bowl because it freezes quick.

Step 5a:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

Drizzle on some of that Magic Shell – you did see that post, didn’t you. On that post I showed you to put the chocolate on a plate and freeze to have larger crunchy bits to fold into ice cream. They’re good to have because the drizzles aren’t always thick enough to be considered ‘chunks’. Don’t forget to fold in those walnuts too.

Step 6:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

Cover it with plastic wrap, right ON the ice cream so has to keep the bananas from being freezer-fied. Get it chilled until firm – at least a couple of hours.

Finale:

Adventures in the Kitchen with Michelle, Not so Chunky Monkey

That’s it ! A Low Fat, high flavor and all around good-for-you treat. Not banana flavored ice cream – it’s actually bananas !!! So good – and still has an ice cream texture. Enjoy!