Secrets and Hints to Baking Great Cookies.

I have baked more cookies than I care to remember, and I have learned a lot of things the hard way. Here are some tips to make your baking experience easier.

Secrets and Hints to Baking Great Cookies.

Below are some purchases you will want to make as you can afford them, they are not a must but will make your baking experience much more pleasant:

·Buy the best quality pans you can afford. Cookie sheets are flat and should not have more than two sides. I personally do not like ”airbake” pans for cookies. Cookies bake best on a single layer pan.

·Invest in a good quality mixer if you are going to be making large or numerous batches. If you can’t afford a stand mixer, try a Kitchen Aid hand held mixer. Mine has been an excellent mixer, I have had it for about 10 years and use it often. I do drag out the stand mixer however if I am going to be batch after batch.

·A thin spatula, mine is metal, but I use regular not non-stick pans.

·Ok, one other must is good quality scoops. They make measuring and shaping a breeze, and all your cookies are the same size they cook evenly and look great. I will admit I make way more cookies than most, but I have to have my scoops.

Here are some things to make the whole experience easier:

·Purchase some really cheap white paper plates. Use them when measuring dry ingredients. Level the excess onto the plate, fold the plate and deposit the excess right back into the container.

·You can also use cheap paper plates as spoon and measuring cup rests and throw away when done.

·If you want chewy cookies take them out of the oven right before you think they are done.

·I like to add a few extra drops of vanilla.

·Make sure your dough and the baking sheets are cool. This keeps the dough from spreading.

·Buy two different sets of measuring cups and spoons in two different colors. Use one color for dry ingredients the other for wet.

·Always gather all your ingredients before you start.

·Completely read the recipe and all tips before starting. This way you can be sure you have the ingredients and utensils you will need.

·Be careful to not put too much dough down the drain. The last thing you want is a clogged drain.

·Be creative when giving your treats away. Go to the dollar store and purchase cute containers. But cellophane wrap, the kind you wrap baskets with to wrap your cookies in and tie with a bow.

·If you only have a couple of cookie sheet line them with parchment paper. You can just remove the cookies, cool the sheets, and re-use without washing.

·If you run out of containers to store the cookies in, buy paper plates that will fit inside a gallon size zip top bag, layer cookies between layers of wax paper, slide in bags and zip up.

·Place wax paper under your cooling racks. Simply roll up crumbs in wax paper and throw away.

·Another great use for wax paper is to wipe counter with a clean damp rag and immediately put down the wax paper. The moisture will hold it in place and when you are finished just roll up the paper and toss. DO NOT let the paper sit over night as it can stick and have to scraped up. Use it and remove it.

·Organize your baking supplies in plastic bins or containers. I keep chips and nuts in one, brown sugar, baking soda, and powdered sugar in another, and vanilla and flavorings in a third.

·When making bar cookies, brownies, and fudge. Turn the baking pan upside down and shape aluminum foil to the bottom of the pan leaving a few inches hang over each end. Turn the pan over and pop the foil into the pan. Follow the instructions as to greasing or not. When your recipe is done you can lift your goodies out, place on a cutting board, and cut into even pieces without scaring your pan.

Banana Peppers Stuffed with Italian Sausage

I grew up in Clarksburg, WV home of one of the largest Italian Festival in the US, held every year on Labor Day Weekend.  So each year about this time my mind wanders to some of the best Italian food I have ever tasted.  So here is one of my recreations.

Banana Peppers Stuffed with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

12- 14 large banana peppers, as straight as possible (Hot or Sweet) I like hot

2 lbs bulk or approx 6 large Italian Sausage Links (Hot or Sweet) again I like hot

2 tsp of olive oil, divided

1 -2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1-2  teaspoons of fennel seeds

1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce

Instructions:

·         Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

·         Wash and drain banana peppers

·         Wearing rubber gloves or food service gloves cut the tops off the banana peppers, insert a long thin blade knife, into the pepper, running it around the inside edge (the more seeds and vein you remove the more heat you remove), reach in and carefully remove the seeds & veins.

·         Rinse the inside of the peppers to remove excess seeds.  Stand them pointed tip up in a colander or bowl to let the drain.

·         In a 9 x 13 – inch baking pan spread 1 teaspoon of olive oil to cover the bottom.

·         Remove casing from sausage if using links.  Pinch off small pieces and use them to stuff the tips of the peppers, continuing with larger pieces until the pepper is completely stuffed.  Place it the prepared pan and continue until all peppers are done.

·         Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

·         While the peppers are baking, in a medium sauce pan over medium heat add 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic, fennel, and any remaining sausage.  Stirring frequently break up sausage, and using the back of a spoon crush fennel seed, until sausage is no longer pink, about 5 minutes being careful not to brown the garlic.

·         Add the tomato sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until it is time to take the sausages out of the oven.

·         After 40 minutes remove stuffed peppers from oven, and very carefully drain as much excess fat and water from the pan as possible.

·         Cover the peppers with the sauce mixture.  Lightly sprinkle with salt if desired. Return to oven and continue to bake an additional 10-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Makes 12-14 servings 

Hints:

·         These are great as appetizers, served on a bed of pasta with your favorite sauce, or place in a good quality hoagie roll, topped with Italian cheese and baked to bubbly perfection.

·         This is a large recipe because I like to freeze the extras and warm them as needed.

Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

Here is another great recipe that uses Magic Meat Sauce.  It is similar to a calzone, easy to make and perfect for busy nights.  Just let the dough thaw in the fridge while you are at work.  The original recipe called to fresh made dough but I adapted it to use frozen dough for convenience.

Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

Ingredients:

1   loaf of frozen bread dough, thawed according to package directions.

     flour for rolling out dough

2   cups of Magic Meat Sauce

½  pound mozzarella cheese, cut into  ½ inch cubes (or 8oz

      shredded mozzarella)

1   large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:

1. Remove dough from refrigerator, and let it warm up a little.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium skillet, cook the meat

    sauce over medium heat, stirring, until reduced to 1 ½ cups, about

    10 minutes, let cool.

3. On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12”x16”

     rectangle.  Scatter the cheese on top , leaving a 1 ½ inch border.  Spoon

     the meat sauce over the cheese.  Brush the border with some of the

     beaten egg and roll the dough up loosely, beginning at the short end. 

     Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, bursh with more egg and

     cut 3 vents on top.  Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Source:  Rachel Ray Everyday

Pasta Bolognaise

What is my family’s favorite pasta dinner? Pasta Bolognaise!!! We used to go to Martini’s a local restaurant, best Bolognaise ever, but at $15 a plate I decided to try it at home.  The result is the following recipe and I would definitely put mine up against theirs any day!  And it is less than $20 for a complete meal for all four of us.

Pasta Bolognaise

 

INGREDIENTS:

·         1      (1 lb) rigatoni pasta

·         1       sweet Italian sausage link, casing removed

·         ½      teaspoon fennel seeds

·         3 ½   cups “Magic” Meat Sauce

·         4       ounces of goat cheese, divided

·         Parsley if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:

·         In a large pasta pot, add water and salt if desired, bring to a boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

·         Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, remove casing from sausage, and crumble into pan.  Cook sausage over medium heat stirring and using the back of a spoon to break up the sausage into very small pieces.  Cook until all water has evaporated, sausage is no longer pink, and it is starting to brown. 

·         Add “Magic” meat sauce to pan, and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add 2-ounces of goat cheese, stirring well to combine.

·         Lightly toss pasta with a little of the sauce.

·         Divide pasta between 6 plates, top with sauce, garnish with remaining goat cheese and parsley if desired.

HINTS:

·         If you are not a fan of goat cheese you can substitute a ¼ cup of half and half in the third step and garnish with parmesan or Romano cheese.

 

SEE ALSO:

• Inside-Out Pizza Rolls
• Beer Enchiladas with Jalapeno Slaw
• Three Cheese Manicotti

 

 

“Magic” Meat Sauce

I like to cook meals that do double duty…from this one sauce (which is awesome as is), I am going to post 4 additional recipes.  It is one of my favorite time and money saving recipes.  When I make the basic sauce I make multiple batches at once, it freezes beautifully, taste even better the second day, and makes it super easy to get dinner on the table multiple other nights all from one afternoon of cooking.

The original Meat Sauce recipe, Inside-Out Pizza Rolls, Beer Enchiladas with Jalapeno Slaw, & Three Cheese Manicotti are all from Rachel Rays magazine, the Bolognaise Sauce is my personal adaptation.

“Magic” Meat Sauce

Makes: 7 cups  Prep: 15 min.  Cook : 2 ½ hours

 

 INGREDIENTS:

·         ¼   cup extra-virgin olive oil

·         ¼   cup chopped pancetta

·         1    onion, finely chopped

·         1    carrot, finely chopped

·         2    celery stalks, finely chopped

·         1    clove garlic, finely chopped

·         2    pounds lean ground beef

·         ½   cup dry red wine

·         One (28oz) can tomato puree

·         Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

·         In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Increase heat to medium-high, add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the wine and cook until the piqued is cooked off, about 5 minutes.

·         Stir in the tomato puree and 1 cup water; and bring to a simmer.  Partially cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for the last 30 minutes, until thickened, about 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper.

SEE ALSO:

·         Bolognaise Sauce

·         Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

·         Beer Enchiladas with Jalapeno Slaw

·         Three Cheese Manicotti

HINTS:

·         Use a chopper or food processor to finely chop the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic.  They need to be very fine so the incorporate into the sauce.

·         Cook multiple batches (i.e. double, triple, or quadruple the recipe), cool and either store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

·         Be careful during the last 30 minutes of cooking, the thicker the sauce gets the often you will need to stir it.