Blackberries and Boxcars

My recipes are experimentations. There are as many that don't turn out as do. Let's just say this week there was a lot of wasted butter and flour this week at my house. 

The inspiration this week was a blackberry pie. Growing up, our house backed on to a wooded ravine. This forrest provided a perfect backdrop for the imaginative mind. I would often spend the afternoon as a woodland fairy or as one of The Boxcar Children. I even befriended a mountain beaver as a pet, but that's our little secret. Don't tell my mom... they destroyed her rhoadies. And don't tell Zeuggie... he might be jealous. 

Adding to the adventure of my imaginary life in the woods was the expansive thicket of blackberries. They provided a great afternoon snack. When I was bored I would collect baskets full or bowls that my mother would turn into pies or cobblers. FYI, my bother and cousins on the other hand were collecting banana slugs... my mom never made a pie out of them. 

In a ode to those childhood memories, I wanted to create two versions of a blackberry pie to share at work and at a friends rooftop BBQ. I ended up with an Almond Blackberry Bar and Lime Shortbread with Blackberry Currant Filling. Try both and let me know which one you prefer! 

Almond Blackberry Bar 

* Ingredients * 

1 1/2 cups butter, cut into squares 

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract 

3 cups flour 

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup flour

4 cups blackberries

* Instructions * 

1.  Using a pastry blender, mix butter, sugar, almond extract and flour until ingredients from a nice crumble. Set 1/3 of mixture aside. 

2. Press 2/3 of mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. 

3. Whisk 4 eggs and powdered sugar. Add sour cream and flour. Mix until well blended. Fold in blackberries. 

4. Spread blackberry mixture over cooled crust. Sprinkle remaining crust on top. Bake for 45-60 minutes. 

Lime Shortbread with Blackberry Currant Filling 

* Ingredients * 

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 2 limes

2 cups flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 cups blackberries 

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Creme de Cassis 

2 packets gelatin 

* Instructions * 

1. In mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest and juice. 

2. Slowly mix in flour and salt. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours. 

3. Roll dough on to a floured surface and using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out an even number of rounds. Place on to greased cookie sheet. 

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Cool on racks. 

5. In food processor or blender, puree blackberries, sugar and liquor. Stir in gelatin. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. 

6. Spoon filling onto cookie and place 2nd cookie on top. Dust with powdered sugar. 

April Showers Bring…

I admit day after day (after day after day) of rain is leading me to be a little stir crazy. Seattle, I know you are a practical joker. You tease with a warm ray here and there, only to catch me in a down pour 10 minutes later when I am without a coat or a bumbershoot. Seattle,  I know you you are a Don Juan, man-whore and are having an ongoing romance with the mist, the rain, the cold, the drizzle and the general gray days all at once. But, Seattle, PLEASE your love affair must end. For god sakes, we need a summer this year! Either that or I need a vacation to Mexico or the Caribbean.

Since I am without my own private jet and spent my frequent flyer miles on a folly, I decided to fast forward the adage “April Showers bring May Flowers” by making some flower cookies. Placed in a pot, these treats make excellent favors for showers, lined up for an edible dessert center piece, or potentially bundled into a larger pot for a Mother’s Day gift (yep… that is right around the corner.)

The pots, foam to hold the flowers, ribbon and straw can all be purchased at your local craft store such as Michaels or Joann’s. Below is the recipe for the cookies… I encourage everyone to make them – not only are they a sweet treat, but definitely can bring a little sunshine into a rainy afternoon.

Flower Shortbread Cookies

* Ingredients *   

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

* Special Tools *

Red Food Coloring

Pastry Cutter

Candy sticks

Chocolate sprinkles 

* Instructions *  

1. In electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Add vanilla, nutmeg and almond extract and continue to mix until well combined.

2. Add flour and salt and mix until dough sticks together.

3. Divide into 3 balls. Mix red food coloring into one and yellow into other, leaving one ball uncolored. Wrap each ball separately in saran wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1-3 hours.

4. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. On floured surface, roll out each of the 3 balls. Cut a variety of petal shapes using pastry cutter.

5. Line baking sheets with parchment. Place cut petals around candy sticks. Press dragrees into center. Bake for 15 minutes.  

6. Cool completely. Decorate with icing if desired. Place candy sticks into floral foam inside pot. Decorate with straw and ribbon.

Sticky Cookies

You know the March Lamb and Lion thing? Well, This whole month was LION. UGH. Stormiest time for me in quite a while. I got tossed around a bit like a boat in open ocean. Really makes you appreciate calmer waters. 

On the upside, March was the second most popular month for Tarte and Parcel. I thought I would do one last post in a push to make it the MOST popular month. 

So in an ode to lions, I decided to make a cookie that resembled a lion - macaroons with burnt sugar icing

Macaroon with Burnt Sugar Icing

* Ingredients *

For the cookies…

2/3 cup flour

5 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 14ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the icing…

1/4 cup butter

1 cup half and half

3/4 sugar

1/2 light corn syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla

* Instructions *

1.    Mix all ingredients for cookies. Scoop batter onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until coconut is lightly toasted.

2.    In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add half and half, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil for 5 minutes (note this will splatter and is hot… so maybe a good time to whip out your safety glasses, Ty Pennigton style). Remove from heat. Cool completely and stir in vanilla. Drizzle icing over cookies using a fork or dip them for a little sweeter option.   

Resolutions and a Recipe

Happy 2011 everyone! Hope everyone rang in the New Year with fun and a little gusto.

Last year I set some resolutions for myself for the very first time in my life. Overall, 2010 was a tough year for me and it got a little easier seeing the resolution list get checked off. I accomplished everything from moving (twice… ugh) to an Irish adventure to starting up my own blog. For the fun of it, I worked today on my 2011 goals…

1.     Blog more. I know there are some concerned fans out there (Jason!). December was not my best month as a far as blog posts. I had great intentions, but too many Christmas parties, fun with friends, a trip to San Diego and then another killler New Year's Eve bash got in the way. I promise 2011 won’t disappoint. Stay tuned.

2.     Finish house projects. Let’s see I got a TV room to furnish, a spare bedroom to paint, a closet door to install, a backyard to revamp. The list goes on…

3.     Ski lots. After for the most part taking last year off, I want to hit it hard this year. I realized how much I love to ski. It forces you to test your limits. It forces you to figure out challenging situations (how am I getting down off this cliff?). It makes you feel free. The more runs I can get in this year, the better. Whistler, anyone?

4.     Run a marathon. Alright so this is the only 2010 resolution that had to be rolled over. I didn’t make it. No excuses this year.

OK, now since the last two goals involve a lot of early mornings and exercise, I thought I would work on this little recipe for a sweet early morning kick-in-the-pants energy treat to get me going. These may replace Diet Pepsi… wait who am I kidding?

Corn Flake Peanut Butter Balls

* Ingredients *

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter (I used reduced fat… December weight gain plan is now officially over.)

6 cups corn flakes

* Instructions *

1. Bring corn syrup and sugar to boil on stove. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in peanut butter.

3. Pour over corn flakes and gently stir.

4. Pour a bowl of cold water and wet your fingers. Make ball with corn flake mixture and place on parchment paper. Repeat until all of the corn flake mixture is used.

5. Allow balls to cool completely. Drizzle with chocolate if desired.  

Finding Time for the Small Things

It’s been a busy week - from happy hours to co-planning a meeting for 300 women at Benaroya Hall to volunteering at the Harry Potter Opening Gala tonight to gearing up for trips to the east coast and LA the next 2 weeks.

While it is wonderful to get out and about, I love to keep myself centered by making time for the simple pleasures – a great walk around the park, a late night run in the along Lake Washington, homemade raviolis and parmesan and Wrestlemania VIII with my schnauzers.  (BTW, if you can’t tell I really love lists. Perhaps, maybe someday I will blog about why there are always at least 3 lists going at any one time in my house.)

Also, as you all know, one of my simple joys in life is baking. It’s a stress reliever, a way to channel my creativity. I know I said earlier that I was off baking and focusing on other things but  I decided to make a quick, simple fall cookie. Recipe below –

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip with Coconut and Pecans

*Ingredients*

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup coconut

*Instructions*

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

2.  Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.

3.  In an electric mixer, cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Slowly, add in flour mixture. Mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes.  

4.  Stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips, pecans and coconut.

5.  Spoon drops of dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.