Cappuccino Cookies

I am suddenly interested in eating coffee while I drink it.  So, not to be confused with my Cappuccino Squares, these cookies may also be a fun experiment for all the other coffee addicts out there. 

Recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker

Cappuccino Cookies
makes about 17 cookies (can be doubled)

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped milk chocolate (Hershey's 1.7 oz)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and coffee powder.
2. In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine butter and sugars until fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla. Using an electric hand-mixer, combine ingredients.
4. Add chocolate and fold into dough using a rubber spatula. Fold until combined.
5. Cover dough with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.
6. Five minutes before baking, preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the sheet.
7. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly browned around edges. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

White Wine Sangria 2

Chef's warning: This make-shift recipe is dangerously delicious.

White Wine Sangria 2

Ingredients

• 1 bottle white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, 750ml)
• 1 pint brandy
• 1 cup Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry juice
• 1 1/2 cups assorted fruit (sliced strawberries, blueberries, red grapes, green grapes, etc.)

Combine ingredients in a pitcher and use a long spoon to stir. Chill in the refrigerator; add ice before serving.

See also: Red Wine Sangria and White Wine Sangria

Cappuccino Squares

The recipe for "Cappuccino Triangles" caught my eye in my tiny Good Housekeeping Bake Sale cookbook. A mistake in the recipe also caught my eye...zero in on a missing step!

Tisk tisk!  The recipe turned out well with my addition, though, and they were a hit when I brought them to school.  I used an immersion blender to make my glaze, which came out lighter than expected.  Although the original recipe calls for instant espresso powder, I substituted coffee granules instead.  Enjoy!


Cappuccino Squares

Ingredients
For cookie bar:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

For glaze:

• 3 teaspoons milk or water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13" x 9" metal baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Prepare cookie bar: In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt butter with coffee over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat. Wait until butter mixture is lukewarm before adding sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
3. Use a rubber spatula to stir in flour mixture until blended.
4. Spread dough evenly in prepared pan. Bake until totthpick inserted 2 inches from edge of pan comes out clean, 27 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
5. Prepare glaze: In small bowl, whisk or use immersion blender to combine milk, vanilla, and coffee. Next, add confectioners' sugar and cinnamon until blended. Spread glaze evenly over cookie bar with a small spatula.
6. Put pan in the refrigerator and let glaze set for at least 30 minutes. Set at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before cutting squares and serving.

Candied Blondies

Candied Blondies
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• little less than 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup candy (plain m&m's and 8 roughly chopped Reese's Mini PB cups for me)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. 
3. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Use cooking spray to line a 9x9 baking pan. 
4. Whisk in brown sugar and vanilla to melted butter. Whisk in egg until mixture is glossy and smooth.
   Whisk flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in candy pieces, reserving 1/4 cup of Reese's to sprinkle on top.  
5. Spread in pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup candy. Bake until a pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Beer Bread

Recipe borrowed from Food Network.

Doesn't the name of this intrigue you? Beer bread is very easy to make, and it's good by itself or with a dip. I've had it with both Tastefully Simple's packaged dip and Shaw's Ranch dip. Both of these seasoning packets have to be mixed with mayonnaise and sour cream. The Tastefully Simple package tasted better than Shaw's Ranch, but I have heard that Hidden Valley's Dill Dip works just as well, too! Bring this appetizer to a party or set out as an appetizer.


Beer Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 12 oz. beer of your choice (I used a Corona for this recipe.)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and beer.  Mix together with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are incorporated.  The dough will be sticky.
3. Use cooking spray to coat a 9" x 9" pan.  Add the dough to the pan and use two forks to spread the dough to fit your pan.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.  In the last 3 minutes of baking, remove and brush the top of the bread with melted butter.  Return to the oven to bake for 3 more minutes.
5. To serve, slice into cubes for a dip or finger-length pieces for a stew.