Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies

After posting photos of my all-time favourite Christmas cookies on Instagram yesterday, many people expressed an interest in the recipe (there are MANY if you Google the title of this post). However, here's the one I've been using for 25 years:

MEXICAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

preheat oven to 350F. Makes 6 dozen 

6 oz unsweetened chocolate

Melt the chocolate gently over a double-boiler. Set aside to cool a bit.

2 C + 2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (don't be tempted to use more!)

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Blend above dry ingredients in a medium bowl

1 3/4 C sugar

1/2 C. unsalted butter at room temperature

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

Cream the sugar and butter together in mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time with vanilla. Slowly stir in the melted, partially cooled chocolate.

Mix in the dry ingredients just until blended. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Form 1" balls of dough, roll in icing sugar and place 2" apart on parchment-lined sheets. Gently press a raw almond into the top of each cookie, just so that it stays (don't flatten the ball). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will appear raw-ish in the middle.  Gently push down the almonds a bit more. Allow to cool.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Pucker Up! GF vegan lemon squares!

I love lemon but even before I took wheat out of my diet I rarely made lemon squares because there was so much sugar in them. I'd happily eat them if they appeared on a dessert table, though!

Last week, our organic delivery box included a very interesting recipe; lemon squares with no sugar or flour or eggs? Say what?

Seriously delicious. Try them. I tweaked the recipe a bit. Here's my version:

Lemon Coconut Bars

1 C + 2 Tbsp. almond meal/ground almonds (I used Trader Joe's)
11/2 C pitted dates
Dash of pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (zest it first, juice it second)
I C + 2Tbsp dried unsweetened coconut

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8" square baking pan. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp almond meal to 'dust'.

Place all ingredients in a food processor, reserving the 2 Tbsp of coconut. Process until well combined and clumped together. With veg-oiled (or buttered) fingers, press into pan evenly. Dust with reserved coconut. Chill 3 hours. Cut into 25 squares and try not to eat 5 at a time.

- Posted using BlogPress from my sewing lair

My kind of air freshener!

Baking. That's the only thing I want to smell in my house. Not some chemical Tahitian sunset coming from a plugged in plastic seashell. Today my home has the lingering scent of Mexican Christmas Crackles. This is my go-to holiday cookie. When it comes to the holidays, nothing says Christmas to me like the smell of these chocolatey-cinnamony-clovey-cayenney cookies.

Mexican Christmas Crackles

6 oz unsweetened chocolate (I used Trader Joe's discs), melted over double boiler

1/2 C. room temperature unsalted butter creamed with 1 + 3/4C sugar

add in 3 eggs one at a time

add 1 tsp vanilla

gradually stir in chocolate

Sift together:

2 C + 2 TBsp flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp cloves

slowly combine dry with wet and stir until blended. Chill in fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Form tablespoonfuls of dough into a ball and roll in sifted icing sugar. Place onto sheet 2 inches apart. Press a whole almond or 1/2 cherry into the top of each ball.

Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on sheet 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

I made three batches yesterday. That's 18 dozen. I only needed 11 dozen for my cookie exchange last night. Mmmmmm, more for me! Well, not too many. When the kids were young, they called these "the spicy cookies" and avoided them like brussel sprouts. Sadly, when they got home from school they both devoured several. Apparently their palates have matured!

What smell says Christmas to you?

Poppyprint Granola

I can hear you now....ANOTHER RETREAT?? Yes, I am off again on Thursday morning. Except this time I'm not working - the lovely RJ is hosting 5 of us stitchy friends at her island getaway. Pam will be there, as will double 'n' Dianne, Andrea and Jo. Four whole days of sewing joy. And two ferry rides, yippee! I plan to start on a new project; a queen sized quilt for our bed. This one is going to take a while, so I want to use this precious time to get a good start on it (hint: I'll be using Denyse Schmidt's Proverbial quilt letter templates....).

We're going to go out for a few meals, but also bring along some potluck. I love breakfast, so I always bring home made granola along to share, served with creamy vanilla yoghurt and fruit. YUMMY, EASY and FAST (so we can get onto those sewing machines pronto!). I've got a batch in the oven at the moment and thought I'd share the recipe in case you like granola and have always wanted to try making your own. There are a zillion granola recipes online, but this one has a secret ingredient (shared by our friendly neighbourhood local bagel maker, and now passed on to you).

Poppyprint's Retreat Granola

4 C rolled oats (not instant or quick oats, you want the nice big flat ones!)
2 C. spelt flakes (or just another 2 cups of oats)
1/2 C. pumpkin seeds
1/2 C. sunflower seeds
1/3 C. sesame seeds
1/2 C. coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 C. unsweetened coconut
1/2 C. wheat germ
1/2 C. canola or sunflower oil
1/2 C. liquid honey
2 Tbsp pomegranate paste*
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 and 1/3 C. of dried cranberries and raisins mixed (these go in AFTER baking)

Combine everything except fruit. Spread on two baking sheets. Bake in the middle of the oven at 300 F for 30 minutes ONLY and stir every 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in fruit and let stand until totally cool (granola will brown up and crisp as it cools). Stores in an airtight container for 3 weeks.

*Pomegranate paste is available in Persian markets, or some specialty food shops and typically comes in a tall skinny bottle. It lends a tangy little je ne sais quoi to the granola. I'm told it is often served over ice cream for dessert. If you can't find it, maple syrup or blueberry syrup would work well, I think. With a large Iranian population here, there are several markets where I can buy it locally.

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Pomegranate Process

I love pomegranates. What I don't like is the CSI crime scene that results in my kitchen when I try to extract the juicy seeds from the pith. That, and I've ruined at least two t-shirts (why, oh why, do I never put the darned apron on??).

My friend Marsha made a delicious spinach salad for retreat a few years ago and now it is a regular item on the menu. You can use grapes, or when they are in season (NOW!) pomegranates. At some point last year, I discovered 'the pomegranate process'. I'm not sure where...maybe it was a cooking magazine sidebar tip? Maybe a culinary website? I can't remember. It's worth sharing, so here goes (recipe to follow).

At the market, choose a fruit that is deep cranberry red and firm. At home, put on your apron. Fill a large bowl with tepid water - keep it in the sink. Then, over the kitchen sink, trim the top off of your ripe pomegranate.

With the tip of a paring knife, score the flesh of the pomegranate in vertical lines from the trimmed top down to the centre bottom dividing the fruit into about 5 segments. Holding the fruit UNDER the water with both hands, crack it open.

Gently break the whole thing apart into large chunks. Working under the water with both hands, open the pith sections and gently nudge the seeds away with your fingers.

Now, here's the magic. The seeds will SINK and the pith will FLOAT!!

And your kitchen and t-shirt will remain free of scary, B-grade-horror-film-pomegranate-juice- spatters!

Ta-Dah!!!

Now you can make this yummy, good for you salad. Thanks Marsha!

STUFF YOU NEED

1/4 C crumbled feta cheese

1/4 C toasted pine nuts

1 head romaine lettuce

1/2 bag washed baby spinach

1/2 C pomegranate seeds (or seedless red grapes cut in 1/2)

DRESSING

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1/3 c. olive oil

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. dry mustard or 1 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. oregano

ENJOY!