Chocolate Sourdough Pretzel Shortbread with Milk Chocolate Buttercream

Let's just start things out by stating,  "I'm here but I might not be here", and if you can figure that one out you are much smarter than I am my friend.  I should probably just stay off social media and quit advertising my wares because it never fails that I'm hit up with the request for a recipe for said tantalizing item I dangle in front of you all.  I always feel kind of crappy when I don't hand it over, like I'm just hogging all the good stuff for myself or something.  I've come to realize over these past few years it makes some people happy that I bother to share and others annoyed and quite possibly pissed that I'm over here showing off my goodies while they are holed up on the couch with a bag of stale chips. But regardless of how anyone feels about it I've also come to realize it makes me happy in some small way so I guess I can deal with it.

I bought the book "Cookie Love" by Mindy Segal on the recommendation of the fabulous Patty from Patty's Food and I'm loving it.  So many things to try, so little time these days.  I've also come to realize I can't even keep the battery charged in my camera from lack of use, so a cell phone and little editing is something I'm more than content with.  I should probably warn you this recipe isn't for the faint of heart, but it is darn delicious and so worth the effort.

Chocolate Pretzel Shortbread with Milk Chocolate Buttercream

(Adapted from "Cookie Love" by Mindy Segal)

Shortbread:

2 cups sourdough pretzel nuggets

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 ½ cups (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (I was out and used granulated, worked fine, p.s. sifting is for sissy types.  I did make these a second time with confectioners’ sugar and the only noticeable difference was a little finer texture to the shortbread with the confectioners’ sugar.)

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature (She calls for extra-large eggs, but I don't ever use those so feel free if that is what you have.)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (Please forward the name of that one person still using imitation if you come by it.)

Milk Chocolate Caramel Buttercream:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted (I didn’t sift, my bad, probably used a bit more than a cup also.  I just add sugar until I get the consistency I like, more like 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups.)

5 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled

1 ½ tablespoons whiskey (Didn’t use, not going to admit whether or not I drank any.)

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt flakes

1/3 cup Caramel Sauce (She has a recipe for it, but I just used a couple of heaping tablespoons of a jarred Dulce De Leche I had on hand, because I can admit it, I’m a slacker.  Pst, don’t let it get around.)

To Finish:

6 ounces melted dark chocolate

A small amount of crushed pretzel nuggets

1. Make the shortbread: Put the pretzels in a food processor and pulse until its crumbs but not powder. Pulse in the flour, cocoa, and salts.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed for 5 to 10 seconds. Add the sugar and mix on low speed to incorporate. Increase the speed to medium and cream the butter mixture 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to bring the batter together.

3. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the mixer and mix for a few seconds longer.

4. Add the pretzel-flour mixture all at once and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough into two equal portions.

5. Put a sheet of parchment paper 13x18-inches on the counter and lightly dust with flour. Place one piece of dough on top and cover with another sheet of parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough half into a rectangle approximately 11x13-inches and ¼-inch thick. Ease the rolled dough onto a sheet pan and place in the fridge. Repeat for the other piece of dough. Let chill at least 1 hour until really firm.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple of half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.

7. Roll a dough docker (or fork) over the dough to pierce. (I don't own a docker, so fell free to dock at your own risk, sounds a little dangerous to me anyways.) Cut dough into 1 3/4-x 2-inch rectangles or 2-inch squares. Put the shortbread on the prepared sheet pans, evenly spaced, up to 16 cookies per pan. (Cut the cookies tightly so you don’t have as many scraps to re-roll, you also have to let the scraps get cold again, because the dough becomes really sticky once it reaches room temp.) I got about 56 squares out of the dough once the scraps were re-rolled.

8. Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake until the cookies feel firm, 3-5 minutes more. Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet. Repeat.

9. Make frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter briefly on medium speed for 5-10 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy and pale, add the chocolate, (whiskey), salt, vanilla extract, and caramel sauce. Taste and add more sugar or salt as needed. Fill a disposable piping bag with frosting. (Using a piping tip is up to you, I didn’t bother.) Match the cookies to size and pipe one half of each set with frosting. 

10. Melt the chocolate in a shallow bowl on half power for a few seconds in the microwave and dip the cookie sandwiches in a little bit of the way, lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkle the chocolate with a little crushed pretzel. (Store them in the fridge till firm.)

11. Now go pour yourself a nice cocktail because you are going to be at this recipe for a good long while. (You should probably do this again for good measure.)

As for me I have summer to get back to, it has been filled with ups and downs (literally) a real challenge in so many ways.  So many miles logged and so much dust removed from my shoes.

I have to say the miles sure do go a lot faster and seem easier when you have good company in tow. 

So many cookies baked and shared with friends near and far.  Hard to believe my daughter's best friend had a little girl of her own.

A day well spent having a friend over and helping her learn the mysterious ways of the macaron.  

Okay, well maybe not every cookie gets shared.

So many wine country days still need to be had. 

Setbacks aside this year I'm writing this in hopes that things move forward and up from here.  

Happy summer!

Gina

Grilled Honey Peaches with Soft, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

I wish summer could last forever.  I've been sitting at my desk all morning listening to the birds chirp outside the open window, not to mention the snores coming from down at my feet.  My four legged friends are exhausted still from the long walk my daughter took them on yesterday.  I ate a whole basket of blackberries all by my lonesome yesterday without remorse.  I polished off quite a few strawberries and raspberries too, but let's just keep that under our hat.  Despite my schedule being turned upside down by all the extra bodies and activities in the house, I'm enjoying a sense of peace that seems to come over me when the sun amps up around here.

I find myself wandering across town every chance I get to see what new fruits are coming out of the local orchards.  Something about summer that makes everyday feel like a new one.  I'm hoping to see jars of fresh jam on my counter any day now, I'm hoping my daughter is ready to drive me to the farm stand every chance we get since she has her permit now.  I'm hoping the flip-flop tan mark on my feet will get more and more pronounced and I'm hoping we get a chance to go on at least one adventure before the summer draws to a close.

Grilled Honey Peaches and Soft, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Bake cookies and set aside.

Oatmeal Cookies:

1 stick (1/2 cup) + 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 

Add butter and sugars to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer and mix until butter looks light and fluffy. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add oatmeal and mix until combined. Place dough in fridge for 2 hours or so until cold. (Don't skip this step or your cookies will come out flat and crispy.)

Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to scoop out 1 1/2" balls of cookie dough, place the balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. Press the balls down slightly leaving them at least 1/2" thick. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes. 

Makes about 24 cookies.

Several ripe peaches split and kernel removed

Small amount of honey

Flake sea salt

Drizzle cut side of peach halves with honey and place skin side down on medium grill for 2 minutes and turn to honey side and grill for 2-3 more minutes.  Just want to warm the peaches and soften them and caramelize them a bit.  Sprinkle the grilled peaches with a pinch of sea salt.  Serve in a bowl with cookies and a squirt of whip cream if you so desire.

I'm hoping that summer is being as good to you as this bowl of warm honey peaches with soft, chewy oatmeal cookies was to me.

Enjoy,

Gina

Corn Salad to make me more regular and I've been banned from watching reality television.

In my attempts to get more regular I've been fiddling with corn.  Here where I live besides being surrounded by acres of fruit orchards we have copious amounts of corn.  So when late summer rolls around I like to be sure and relieve the great amount of pressure that builds up from the excess supply.

Hot Dog Dude loves corn, hates pickles and olives but that is a story unto itself.  I try and move things along around here by incorporating lots of fresh corn into our diets this time of year.

I caught up on a huge amount of work that was plugging up our inner workings and so I've actually had a few extra minutes to lounge around in the evening and watch Hot Dog Dude watch television. You'd think he would appreciate my lovely company; but no.

He was watching one of his favorite shows, a group of middle aged wannabe gangsters who ride around in low-rider Caddies (how cliché) and try and persuade people to pay the rent (wink, wink).  I was trying to sit there and be seen but not heard, but I couldn't help myself the verbal diarrhea just started leaking out.  I started pointing out all the holes in the loosely written plot, "How did the cameraman get inside the room, if they distinctly told them to turn off the cameras?"  "If you said you were going to go rough someone up, why would you throw a television out of the window that was clearly from the 70's?"  I mean after all that is kind of doing them a favor, because flat screens have been out for at least a decade.  Then I discretely pointed out, "Dude, you are totally the demographic they are going for, can't you tell by the commercials."

Dude: You are banned from watching this with me.

The Queen (in her head): God I just want to thank you for that act of kindness you have bestowed upon me.

I did however make us a fantastic corn salad that I hoped would move us in the right direction.

Corn, Red Bell Pepper, and Cotija Salad with Cilantro Dressing
4 ears fresh corn, cut off the cob (I used 2 white and 2 yellow)
1/2 red bell pepper, medium sized, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves
1-2 ounces cotija cheese crumbled
3 corn tortillas
Oil for frying
Salt
Cilantro Dressing (I got mine from Trader Joes's, but I've seen other brands in the grocery store)

Cut the tortillas in half and then in strips.  Fry till golden brown, sprinkle with salt while hot, and drain on paper towels.  I like to use a small pan for frying with an inch of oil of so, so I don't waste a bunch of it.

Mix the corn and bell pepper together and place in a bowl. I used a small platter to highlight a little verticality, but really it is your choice.  Sprinkle the top with cilantro, cotija cheese and the fried tortilla strips, drizzle the whole thing with dressing. I would go light on the dressing, that is just what I'd do, but seriously I don't go around telling people what to do.

Serves 4 as a side salad.

As for my regularity problem, I'm working on it.  I'm trying to be much more regular with my writing.  What regularity problem did you think I had?  No you couldn't have, make that you shouldn't have.

Enjoy,

Gina

The "easiest pizza ever" with herbed focaccia bread

As the summer draws to a close the smell of the ripe heirloom tomatoes at the farm stand grows heavy.  On late summer evenings I like to make what I call the "easiest pizza ever".  Growing up when my mom was hurried and pressed to make dinner she would whip us up these cute little pizzas on an English muffin.

I tried them a couple of times when the girls were little, but as my desire accelerated for crusty bread and ripe from the vine tomatoes so did my zeal for a little more grown-up version of an easy little pizza.

I love this time of year, things are starting to get back in order.  I'm concentrating my efforts on catching up on work and planning what's left of this year.

Only thing that could make life any better is a ultra tasty, exceptionally easy pizza.

1 loaf herbed focaccia bread (I like the herbed ones at Trader Joe's, but you could use a plain one too)

Garlic Olive Oil (most stores carry it now)

10-12 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

4 heirloom or really ripe tomatoes, sliced and cut in half

5 or 6 basil leaves, chopped

Salt

Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the focaccia bread in half horizontally and drizzle with a couple teaspoons of the garlic olive oil, place both halves on a baking sheet.

Cover each half with sliced mozzarella and then place a layer of tomatoes on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sprinkle basil over top.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Cut into squares.

Sometimes I will make half with fresh tomato and half with pepperoni or whatever the girls are feeling like at the time.

Enjoy,

Gina