Homemade PINK cookies-- just in time for Valentine's Day!!!
I LOVE the Maraschino Cherry and Almond flavors together in this delicious cookie!
The chopped cherries, toasted almonds and white chocolate chips gives them a nice chunky texture!
Cherry Almond Chip Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp. Maraschino Cherry liquid
1/2 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
2 1/2 cups Un-Bleached All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. salt
10 oz. jar (about 3/4 cup whole cherries) Maraschino Cherries, coarsely chopped
1 cup White Baking Chips, divided
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Strain the cherries (SAVING THE LIQUID!!) and coarsely chop. (I put them into my mini food processor and pulsed a few times--worked perfectly!!)
In mixer bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid and almond extract until well blended.
Slowly add flour and salt, mixing until combined.
Add cherries, 1/2 cup white chips and the toasted almonds.
Use your small cookie scoop to get even portions (and great texture!) and place on an un-greased baking sheet at least 1 1/2" apart.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
When cookies are cool, melt the remaining white chips in a small bowl in the microwave. Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate lightly over the cookies.
I got about 28 cookies out of this recipe. If you want more you can use your hands (instead of a scoop) to make smaller round balls of dough. Just be sure to watch the bake time--might only need 8-10 minutes.
ENJOY!
Who would guess that it is this EASY to make cheese crackers (PRESERVATIVE FREE) at home? And, FAST too!
I made this batch of cheese crackers with gluten free flour--but, if you don't need GF...swap unbleached all-purpose flour!!
They are delicious!!! Cheesy, crunchy, and get a tiny zing (like store cheez-its) from the red pepper flakes. But, don't worry--they're NOT spicy!
HOMEMADE CHEESE CRACKERS
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese (get a block of GOOD cheese and shred it yourself--pre-shredded cheese has preservatives in it!!)
1/4 cup salted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup "cup4cup" Gluten Free flour (or same amount of un-bleached all-purpose flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (crushed fine!)
1 tbsp. milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Put cheese, butter, flour, salt, and crushed red pepper into your food processor or blender (I used my Blendtec blender) and pulse until you have chunky, course crumbs.
Add the milk and pulse until the dough comes together.
Flour your surface and roll the dough out to about 1/8" thickness. (It might seem a bit dry--that's ok!)
Use a pizza cutter (or knife) to cut the dough into small squares, place the squares on a baking sheet leaving a small space between pieces. (I used a spatula to gently remove them from the countertop.)
Use a toothpick or a skewer to make a hole in the center of each piece.
Bake approximately 12-15 minutes until the crackers are lightly browned.
Remove to a wire rack to cool. (They get crunchy when they're cool!)
Enjoy!!!
**I bet Super Sharp Cheddar or even Parmesan cheese would be good in these too! If you try a different cheese be sure to let me know how they turn out!!!
Still buy your salsa from the grocery store??
Read the jar!!! Check out those ingredients!
Here are the ingredients in a popular brand of store bought salsa:
Salsa Ingredients: Tomatoes, Onion, Assorted Peppers & Chilies, Tomato Puree (Tomatoes, Water), Cilantro, Salt, Red Wine Vinegar, Sodium Metabisulfite & Sodium Erythorbate Added to Maintain Freshness, Citric Acid, Spices, Garlic, Xanthan Gum, Sugar.
No thanks, I prefer chemical free Salsa!!! It's SO much better made fresh at home!
OH! and, I heard that there's a guacamole dip out in the grocery stores that doesn't have any avocado in it...yikes!! Just make homemade!!
Use the recipes below for a base and change them up to suite your taste! We like them just the way they are!
Double or triple these recipes for a large crowd!
Fresh Chunky Salsa
(make it the day before you want to eat it!)
INGREDIENTS:
5-6 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 Jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
salt & pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and let sit overnight to allow flavors to blend.
Don't like it so chunky? Pulse it a few times in your blender to get it to the consistency you like! Simple!
Homemade Guacamole
INGREDIENTS:
3 avocados, peeled and seeded (save one of the seeds!)
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except avocados.
Mash avocados with a fork and then fold into the other ingredients.
Put the reserved seed into the middle of the completed guacamole to prevent browning! It works!!
Let sit at room temperature for an hour to let ingredients blend.
TIP!!! If you make the salsa then later want guacamole, all you have to do is mash avocados and add them to the salsa!!!
BONUS!!! Homemade BAKED corn chips!!!
(makes 16 tortillas)
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Instant Corn Masa Flour
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
extra virgin olive oil (light flavor!)
salt
Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly to form a soft dough. (It's pretty crumbly, just smash it together with your hands!) Add a tiny bit more water if dough seems very dry.
Divide dough into 16 equal size balls. Cover with a damp paper towel to keep moist.
Place a ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and press with a glass pie plate until tortilla is 5-6 inches in diameter (and very thin!). Or use a tortilla press if you have one--wish I did!!!
Pre-heat un-greased griddle or skillet on medium-high heat and cook tortillas one at a time for 50 seconds then turn and cook another 50 seconds.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Very lightly brush both sides of tortilla with olive oil. Cut each tortilla into 4 triangles and put pieces onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake until chips are crisp. About 12-15 minutes.
Enjoy!!!
