Cookies Delight

English: Plateful of Christmas Cookies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw

Cookies are tiny, flat, sweet items made of flour, shortening, sugar and other ingredients. This mixture is referred to as "dough". The dough is made into different shapes and sizes. Flavoring nuts or fruits are added to the dough according to one's preference or taste. Some cookies are frosted to improve their eye appeal or attractiveness.

The following collection of cookie recipes enable you to cook to your heart's desire. Cook them all and see if you can tell what type of cookies you are doing. Give yourself a simple quiz from the types of cookies: dropped cookies, molded cookies, rolled cookies, pressed cookies, refrigerated cookies, and cookie for bars or squares. This is fun, so why not start doing your dough!

RAISIN COOKIES

You will need:

1 cup margarine

1 ½ cups sugar

3 pcs eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cups raisins, boiled in

1 cup water

 Here's how:

Cream margarine, sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Sift flour, salt, and baking soda; add to the batter mixture. Cream until well blended. Add raisins and shape into balls then dip into sugar. Place on greased baking pan spaced equally. Bake at 375^oF for 20 minutes.

BUTTER COOKIES

You will need:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 ½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup powder milk

4 pcs eggs

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla

Here’s how:

Sift flour and baking powder. Cream the butter then add sugar. Add egg one at a time. Drop in greased pan. Bake until golden brown.

LENGUA DE GATO

You will need:

½ cup butter

½ cup sugar

3 egg whites

1 cup sifted cake flour

Pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Heavily greased and flour 2 baking sheets. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until smooth while beating continuously. Lastly, fold in the flour, salt and vanilla.

Put batter in a pastry bag with a plain round tip. Pipe out the mixture about 2 inches long, leaving about 1-inch space in between. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are brown. Remove cookies from the baking sheet at once. Cool, store in sealed containers.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

You will need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup cocoa powder

½ cup cooking oil or corn oil

1 ½ cups refined sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

3 pieces medium eggs

Sifted powdered or confectioners’ sugar

Here’s how:

Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together oil, sugar and vanilla. Beat eggs

Add dry ingredients and beat well until well blended.

Using 1 tablespoon dough for each ball, shape dough with hands into balls. Roll in powdered sugar.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven (375^oF) for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet. While cookies are still warm, roll again in powdered sugar.

Cool completely on rack before sorting.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL

You will need:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup margarine

¾ cup margarine

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 square chocolate

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 375^oF. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream shortening or margarine until fluffy. Add sugar gradually and beat until blended.

Add egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Half dough in half; add the melted chocolate to the other half.

Roll out white dough on a piece of floured wax paper to form a rectangle measuring about 8”x11”.

Do the same with the chocolate dough. Chill. Invert the white dough against the chocolate dough.

Press the sheets gently with a rolling pin. Pull off wax paper. Proceed to roll up the dough lightly. Wrap the rolled dough in wax paper. Chill, cut 1/8” slices and place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

COCONUT MACAROONS

You will need:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 bar butter

½ cup sugar

2 pieces eggs, slightly beaten

2 cans condensed milk

1 cup evap milk

5 cups grated coconut

3 cups powdered milk

Here’s how:

Sift flour and baking powder gradually. Set aside. Cream butter and add sugar gradually. Add slightly beaten eggs, condensed milk, evap milk, powdered milk and blend very well. If desired add grated cheese or dayap. Pour in paper cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

SPECIAL BROWNIES

You will need:

4 quart (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup shortening/butter

2 cups sugar

4 pieces eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped nuts if desired

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Grease baking pan, 13x9x2 inches. Heat chocolate and shortening in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla, mixed in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan. Bake until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

CHEWY ORANGE COOKIES

You will need:

2/3 cup raw sugar

2 tablespoons oil

1 eggwhite

3 tablespoons fresh or unsweetened orange juice

1 ½ self rising flour

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

2 tablespoons currant

Here’s how:

Combine sugar and oil in bowl. Beat eggwhite, orange juice and peel. Fold in sifted flour and currants.

Dropped 2 teaspoonfuls onto lightly floured baking tray, allow room for spreading. Bake at 180^oC for 10-12 minutes, or until brown. Serve warm or cold. Store in an air tight container.

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Accompaniments

Bread and butter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


Muffins and quick loaf breads can be savory or sweet; coffee cakes, crowned with a topping, usually star at the breakfast table. All of these breads rely on chemical leaveners rather than yeast, and are prepared with the same basic ingredients and technique.

The quality of the ingredients contributes significantly to the taste and texture of finished breads. Flour, leavening, butter, or oil, and dairy products, key ingredients in muffins and other quick breads, should be purchased from a reliable source and stored properly to maintain freshness.

The following recipes will enhance many of the muffin and quick loaf bread recipes. It is not enough that it all taste good, if there is still a way to enhance the taste, then why not try these accompaniments to turn everything magical in your baking. 

LEMON CURD

You will need:


Grated zest of 2 large lemons

1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) strained fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs

1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) sugar

6 tablespoons (3 oz/90 g) unsalted butter, melted

Here's how:


Combine the lemon zest and juice, eggs, and sugar in a blender or food processor and process for 20 seconds. With the machine running, drizzle in the melted butter. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 1/3 cups (11 fl oz/340 ml).

PLUM AND HONEY BUTTER

You will need:


2 lb (1 kg) very ripe plums, pitted and cut into chunks

3 tablespoons thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons honey

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Here's how:


Preheat the oven to 300^oF (150^oC). Place the plums, orange juice, honey, sugar to taste, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth to slightly chunky puree as desired.


Transfer the puree to a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish. Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking, until the fruit is reduced by half to a thick puree about 1 ¼ hours.


Remove from the oven and let stand until cool. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the butter to a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.


Variation Tip: Substitute 2 lb (1 kg) apricots, pitted and cut into chunks, for the plums, use 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) thawed frozen orange juice concentrate and 1/4 cup (3 oz/90 g) honey and prepare and bake as directed.

MAPLE BUTTER

You will need:


1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Here's how:


Cream together the butter and maple syrup in a small bowl until well combined. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g).

GOAT CHEESE SPREAD

You will need:


8 oz (250 g) fresh goat cheese, at room temperature

6 oz (185 g) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Here's how:


In a bowl, , combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, and butter. Using wooden spoon or an electric mixer on medium speed,  beat together until smooth. Alternatively, combine in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer into a crock or other container. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes about 2 cups (1 lb/500 g).

Serving Tip: The spread is delicious on both savory and sweet muffins and also on quick bread.

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Maple-Pecan Bread

French toast, maple syrup, and orange juice. San Diego, California. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


Luxurious, pure maple syrup is a sumptuous taste treat. Once initiated to its special qualities, you will never consider using imitation-flavored sugar syrups. Maple syrup, produced by boiling sap of the sugar maple tree, is characterized by grade. Grade A Light or Fancy is pale and delicate. Grade A Medium and Dark and Grade B syrups, both excellent for baking are progressively a bit thicker, darker in color, and slightly stronger in flavor. Grade B syrup, robust in flavor, is the choice of discriminating bakers for its pronounced maple flavor.

Apricot Bread with Hazelnuts

Aunt Edith's Banana Bread Recipe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


Hazelnuts are popular in French and Italian baking, and also known as filberts, these round nuts encased in a hard shell have a delightful crunch and rich, buttery flavor that shine in quick loaf breads, especially in combination with dried fruits. Hazelnuts have a thin inner skin that can be removed, if desired. Bake the nuts on a baking sheet in preheated 325^oF (165^oC) oven, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. While the nuts are still warm, wrap in a coarse-textured kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove most of the skins.

Getting Your Bread To Rise For Light, Airy Loaves

Picture of french toast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Dolly Skutt

Since blueberries are now cultivated, they are now grown around the world. South Africa is now exporting blueberries to Europe and Chile is the largest exporter to the northern hemisphere. There are various varieties of blueberries which differ in sizes of the shrubs and sweetness of the fruits. The highbush blueberries are widespread in Europe since it was first introduced in Germany in the 1930's. This is probably the most popular variety because it is commonly sold in the supermarkets.Check this zojirushi bread maker.

Hawaiian Noni Juice

Tahitian Noni - bottles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Klemen Suko

This really is a review of Hawaiian noni juice. Hawaii is an island chain in Pacific Ocean and one of the United states. Hawaii is popular for its clean air, rain and atmosphere which are regarded as one of the purest in the globe. It's also the spot where noni plant grows. The Hawaiian noni juice advantages, the things that Hawaiian noni juice can aid you with are the following: