Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and easy cookie jar stuffer that you might want to include in your cookie recipe collection. I am inordinately fond of shortbread, as much for its ease of preparation, as for its buttery richness. The addition of coarsely chopped chocolate pumps this recipe up a bit and certainly makes it more interesting than plain ol' plain ol' shortbread. The recipe originally came from Taste of Home magazine and, save for substituting bittersweet for semisweet chocolate, I have not varied from it at all. I do, however, want to insert a reminder here. Shortbread does not travel well. As a matter of fact, it gives new meaning to the old saw, "that's how the cookie crumbles."  I also want to emphasize that whatever chocolate you use, it should be coarsely chopped, unless you want your cookies to resemble chocolate shortbread. This is a great recipe for beginning cooks and it adapts quite well to poorly equipped summer cottage kitchens. Here is how the cookies are made.

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2) Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3) Combine flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate.
4) Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar.
5) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 dozen.














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Frugal Foodie Friday - Honey-Glazed Chinese Chicken

 

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely sticky chicken is the result of combining  honey with a mixture of teriyaki and hoisin sauces. The drumsticks have enormous flavor and, as you can see, the glaze gives them a wonderful burnished mahogany glow. Recipes are rarely simpler than this three ingredient wonder, and,  cost-wise, the dish certainly fits the criteria for a Frugal Friday meal. While I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com, I was able to backtrace it to the Kikkoman website which is where I believe the recipe first appeared.  Many will argue that the cost of teriyaki and hoisin sauces make this a less than frugal choice for our Friday feature, but when the sauces are made in the home kitchen, cost barriers are blown away.  Links at the bottom of this post will direct you to sites where you can find recipes for both sauces. I like this dish on many levels. The drumsticks have enormous eye appeal, they are very easy to make and they are inexpensive. I bake mine on a cookie cooling rack that is suspended over a half-sheet pan. This exposes all surfaces of the chicken to an even heat and results in glorious color. I serve these drumsticks with  Asian-style sesame noodles and, depending on mood, humor and time, either Thai cucumber relish or a Chinese-style bean sprout salad. Here's how these wonderfully simple drumsticks are made.

Honey-Glazed Chinese Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup honey
2-1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
1) Combine teriyaki and hoisin sauce with honey. Place chicken in a large resealable bag. Pour sauce over chicken. Press air out of bag and close top securely. Turn bag over several times to coat all pieces of chicken well. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, turning bag over occasionally.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake chicken for 1 hour, turning pieces over and basting with pan juices halfway through baking.
3) Sprinkle on green onion before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Homemade Hoisin Sauce, here

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce, here









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Orange Pecan Icebox Cookies

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a special fondness for icebox cookies. I don't think they are the best of kind in the world of sweet treats, but as family size shrinks, they make it possible for a family of two to enjoy cookies as fresh as those enjoyed families of four or six or eight. They are also usually easy to prepare, and those of you who know me, know I never argue with easy. That being said, I suspect these fall into the realm of adult cookies. I can tell you that they did not impress my grandbabies who politely ate the three they were given, but despite their availability,  never ask for more. That rarely happens. Fortunately, my older cookie monsters loved them and that is why I'm passing these orange-flavored gems  on to you.  The recipe is easy, straightforward and feeds an army should you chose to make the cookies in a single  marathon baking session. However, if you freeze the dough, you can slice and bake the exact number of cookies you need for any occasion.  If you enjoy layered citrus flavor, I know you will enjoy these cookies. Here's how they are made.



Orange Pecan Icebox Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Baking cookbook

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in  egg, orange juice, orange peel and extracts. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Shape dough into four 5-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap rolls and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 6 dozen.









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Gratineed Leeks

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Leeks come close to over-taking our farm stands at this time of year. That abundance guarantees reasonable prices,and, I must admit, that I'm a gal who can't resist a bargain. That's how I ended up with 12 leeks in the refrigerator that were in a state that demanded they soon be used. I had scads of recipes that used a leek or two, but  none that used them in quantity. That set me on one of my famous search and destroy missions, looking for a recipe that would restore some kind of order to my refrigerator without relegating the leeks to the compost heap. I found it in a most unlikely of places, a unique blog called Naturally Knocked Up. Other than to tell you there is nothing prurient to be found there, I'll let you wander over to find how and why the blog got its name. You will, coincidentally, find a bevy of wonderful recipes that will delight the  palate as well as the  eye. This recipe comes from that blog  and it immediately appealed to me because my family loves beef of the standing rib variety to be served with stuffed onions. I had a roast planned for the weekend  and while my stuffed onions, found here, are delicious, they are a considerable amount of work to prepare.  I thought the leeks would make a perfect, near effortless substitute. What took me by surprise was how very good this simple substitution turned out to be.  I suspect they will be edging out my onions on our holiday table.  The leeks are best served hot from the oven, but they can be assembled hours before you plan to serve them. This is a wonderful side to serve with baked or grilled meat. I suspect you'll find the recipe as addictive as I have. Here's how the leeks  are made. 

Gratineed Leeks...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Donielle at Naturally Knocked Up

Ingredients:
6 large leeks washed and cut in half
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese (kinda pricey – a nice aged cheddar would work great too)
1/4 cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Wash leeks thoroughly to remove all dirt. Slice in half vertically down the leek. Lay leeks cut side up in a baking dish and pour stock over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover baking dish with foil.
3) Bake until leeks are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheeses over top, dot with butter. Place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until top is golden brown. until the top is golden brown, 2-3 min. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.









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Moroccan Beef Stew

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...

While it goes against conventional wisdom, I like to serve this stew at least once during the summer season. I love its vaguely Moroccan flavor and I think it is a perfect meal to serve when your palate's in the doldrums and you have a taste for something different and a bit more substantial than standard summer fare. The recipe comes from Family Circle magazine and while I've made some changes to it over time, the recipe that appears below, save for the portions in red, is the one that was first featured in the magazine. I absolutely hate tough stew meat and to avoid it, I often go to extremes that others think unnecessary. The original recipe called for browning and stewing the meat on top of the stove. Over the years, I've become a fan of slow-cooked stews, not those that come from a crock-pot, but those that are the result of cooking in a low-slow oven for a considerable length of time. Even if you bypass this recipe, I hope you try the technique in which meat and vegetables are browned stovetop, but simmered for about 5 hours in a 250 degree oven once the contents of the pot come to a boil. I serve this stew with couscous or rice and a lovely crisp green salad. Here's how this Moroccan-style stew is made.

Moroccan Beef Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (14.5-oz.) can beef broth
1 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
Cooked pearl couscous (optional)

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. In a bowl, toss beef cubes in flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Add half of beef to pot. Brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and repeat with remaining beef.
2) Reduce heat to medium and add onion to pot. Cook 3 to 5 minutes to soften. Sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon and cloves. Cook 1 minute. Add a splash of the beef stock; cook 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot.
3) Add broth and bring to a boil. Return beef to pot along with any liquid. Cover and simmer 1-1/2 hours over low heat, or transfer pot to a preheated 250 degrees F oven and bake for 5 hours.
4) Uncover pot and stir in prunes and apricots. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in spinach. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve stew over pearl couscous, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.









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Bizcochitos

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the third and last of the recipes that I'll be featuring for bizcochitos this year. It comes from Jen's Favorite Cookies and it is my favorite of all the versions I tested. Bizcochitos are the state cookie of New Mexicao, and this traditional lemon and anise treat is a regional favorite that is served during the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Jen's version has a slightly different texture than the others  because it uses less sugar  and it is made with shortening rather than butter. The cookie was originally made with lard. This is a perfect biscuit for those who prefer their treats on the less sweet side and they are wonderful served with coffee or tea. Bizcochitos are easy to make but I find them difficult to roll out because the dough is so soft. Keep the dough as cold as possible and roll it on a heavily floured board to keep sticking to a minimum. The process is irksome, but definitely worth it. Here is how this version of Bizcochitos is  made.

Bizcochitos ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Jen's Favorite Cookies

Ingredients:
Cookie Dough
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-1/2 cups flour
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
1) Cream shortening and sugar.
2) Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
3) Add anise and lemon zest, and mix well. Add salt and baking powder and mix well.
4) Add flour a bit at a time, mixing to incorporate. Dough will be stiff.
5) Wrap in plastic or parchment paper and chill for 30-60 minutes.
6) Meanwhile, combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
7) Roll onto a lightly floured surface, to about 1/4-inch thickness, and cut shapes. Place on baking sheet, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
8) Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.









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Carrot Muffins

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you enjoy Morning Glory muffins I hope you will give this recipe a try. Long term readers of One Perfect Bite know that the highest accolade I give a recipe involves my socks rather than stars or other rating equivalents. I had one bite of these muffins, happened to glance down, and, sure enough, my socks were going up and down. These Texas-sized gems are really, really good. They are moist and lightly spiced and I hope that you will give them a try when you get some time to experiment. I found the recipe on La Belle Cuisine and made it exactly as it appeared there. Having tasted them, the only change I would make next time I make them, would be to cut back on the amount of orange zest called for in the recipe. I think a teaspoon would be fine. I used the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots, because I like a bit of texture in my muffins and I think the food processor grates them too finely. I do have one caution for those of you who plan to try this recipe. The instructions direct you to fill the muffin cups to the brim. If you do that I guarantee you will have spillover and the muffins will be difficult to remove from the pan. Filling the cups 7/8 full is a much better idea and it will give you one small additional muffin. These are delicious. Here is how they are made.

Carrot Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of La Belle Cuisine

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tablespoon minced orange zest
An 8-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
(All ingredients should be at room temperature.)
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously spray 6 giant-sized muffin cups with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3) In a medium bowl combine oil, egg, buttermilk, vanilla, carrots, orange zest and pineapple. Stir to combine.
4) Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and combine briefly with wire whisk. Stir in chopped nuts. Fill muffin cups to top. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake for about 20 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Yield: 6 large or 18 standard muffins.










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