Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies

Hey there. Did you already run out of your stash of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies?? You've come to the right place. I'm about to make you forget your worries and satisfy your craving with this recipe for  homemade Thin Mints!

Once upon a time, I said I didn't like anything mint. Gradually, over the years, I have found I do like a few mint treats. The moon has to be in just the right position, with all the planets aligned, and in that moment,  for some unknown reason, BAM, I'm in the mood for mint. I think I was one of the last people on the earth to develop a love for Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. 

Whyyyyyyy? Who knows.

The bad news is, they are only available a few weeks of the year. 

The good news is, they are only available a few weeks of the year. 

I love baking, which makes entertaining my often irrational sweet cravings fairly simple to satisfy!  I pinned this recipe for Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies at The View From Great Island. These cookies are about as close to the real deal as I have tasted... except they don't have the slightly waxy chocolate coating. Again, good news, bad news. Hard to say? 

They are truly a little bite of Girl Scout cookie inspired goodness in a home made treat. 

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies
adapted slightly from The View From Great Island

cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup unsweetened Dutch Process cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour*

chocolate coating:
20 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, or dark dipping chocolate
2 teaspoons peppermint extract or oil

Set oven to 350 degrees
Cream butter until light and fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in the salt, vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter resembles a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until the flour is combined, making sure to not over mix.
Form dough into a ball.
Using about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll it thin on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8-inch. Cut cookies using 2-inch cutter. Gather the scraps and press together lightly and cut remaining cookies. Place up to 20 cookies on a jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper or lightly grease a cookie sheet. The cookies will not spread much while baking.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely before removing from baking sheet. 

While the cookies bake, make the peppermint coating. Chop the baking chocolate into very small, thin pieces. Place in a glass bowl or similar container and microwave for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spoon or a whisk. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the peppermint extract.
Gently drop the cookies, one at a time, into the coating. Turn to coat entirely, then lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and tap the fork on the side of the pan until the extra coating drips off. Place on a parchment baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set for a few minutes.
Yield about 50-2 inch cookies.

Tips:

-Fluff the flour and lightly scoop with a spoon into the measuring cup, then level off with a knife to insure you don't get too much flour in the cookie dough.
-The dough is a little stiff and tends to crack while rolling out. No problem, just press it back together with hands. 

-Melt the chocolate just before you are ready to dip, and make sure to whisk in the extract well. 

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Three Sweet Coconut Treats for Your Valentine

On my last appearance at KSL Studio5, I shared my favorite coconut treats.  We talked about why coconut is a great option for Valentines Day!

The Coconut Cream Swig Cookie is always a hit. Made with coconut flavoring, sour cream and topped with a sweet cream and coconut frosting. It's a coconut lover's dream cookie. 

Nan's Coconut Cake made with a cake mix, sour cream and coconut milk. So moist it stays fresh in your fridge for daaaaaays. Better the second day, when all the flavors have a chance to combine. There's not an easier treat to make for your sweetheart!

And last, but not least, the Joyous Almond Cookie. Made with coconut, chopped whole almonds, chopped Almond Joy Bars and chocolate chips. Moist, chewy, loaded with everything in an Almond Joy bar, stuffed into a cookie. Then dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with coconut.  Probably one of the best cookies I've ever eaten.
End of story.

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Fresh Lemon Ricotta Pancakes- Wildflower Bread Co. Copycat

For the past few years, we've spent a lot of time in Phoenix at baseball tournaments. Phoenix seems to be the chain restaurant capitol of the U.S. !  You know my rule about eating out while on the road, right?
Rule number one:
No eating at places we have back home.
Rule number two:
Refer to rule number one.

When we go on a baseball trip, I never really plan on eating good food due to two main reasons:
1. Baseball trips usually involve carting around boys who aren't interested in eating much besides pizza and burgers, and more pizza and burgers. And Powerade.
2. The games are usually at 8am and 3pm. Not always, but it seems like it.  Right when the thermometer hits about 118 degrees. By the time you return from the morning game, it's time to grab a quick lunch and head back to the field. After you've stuffed yourself with Red Vines, sunflower seeds and Diet Coke for the second time in one day, and if you're in Phoenix in June, all you want to do after the second game is pass out on your bed in the hotel room and cool off.
For the rest of your life the evening, then get up and start the process again.
It seems like the movie Groundhogs Day :)
Really though, all joking aside, good times. Great memories.

NorCal Valley 2014 18U team

These two.  Trouble.

Soaking baseball pants in the hotel tub.
The only way to get red dirt out.
Hot water, TIde and soaking. 

keeping cool. 

Championship game. West Coast Regional, USA Baseball.
we lost :(

Had to buy these shades for summer road trips...

Looking for good restaurants takes a back seat at ball tourneys.  I usually head into survival mode which means- try to find a place to eat that doesn't either fry their entire menu and/or are known for their drive thru!
Occasionally, I  get lucky and find a place like Wildflower Bread Company. It's an Arizona chain (on the approved list of chains for vacay dining, because it's not in Utah). I love Wildflower's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. They're light and fluffy and taste far better than anything you're used to eating in a semi-fast food place, or any place, for that matter!
If you've never made pancakes from scratch, this recipe is quick and easy and something you'll be able to enjoy in just a few minutes after mixing together.   I promise you this- you'll wonder why you ever bought a box mix, and vow to never, ever go there again.

Fresh Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes
A Bountiful Kitchen
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2 eggs
1 cup ricotta
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat griddle to medium high heat or 350 degrees. You may also wait to heat griddle until after the pancakes are mixed. I do this before mixing the batter because my griddle takes a while to fully heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add ricotta, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk together.
Add the water and whisk again.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt all at once. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated.  Do not over mix. The batter does not need to be smooth. Let sit for a couple of minutes.
Grease hot griddle with little butter or oil.
Check the batter, it should be similar to the  consistency of a cake batter that can barely be poured.
Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop out the pancake batter onto the griddle. Cook until the edges of the pancakes bubble and the bubbles pop. Flip the pancakes. Do not pat down. Do not flip more than once. The pancake is done when you quickly touch the middle of the pancake with a spatula, and the pancake springs back. If the batter is too thick, thin with a little water or milk.
Serve immediately with fresh blueberries and syrup.
Serves 4.

Tips:
-Bottled lemon juice may be substituted, but fresh is best.
-This recipe is easily doubled, if doubling, you may use 3 eggs instead of 4.

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Coconut Cream (Swig) Cookies

Every respectable Christmas cookie tray should include a coconut cookie. Since this was the year of the Swig copycat (Original (Almost) Swig Cookie, the Lemon Lime Sprig Cookie, the Chocolate Swagg Cookie, all ABK originals) I thought it was only fitting to end the year with a coconut version of one of our favorite cookies.
If coconut is on your wish list, your dreams have just come true.





Coconut Cream (Swig) Cookies
A Bountiful Kitchen
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dough:
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup solid shortening ( I like Butter Flavor Crisco)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract or 2 teaspoons coconut emulsion
4 1/2  cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
sugar for top of cookies

frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 tablespoon cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract
dash of salt

2 cups coconut

Preheat oven to 325 convection or 350 regular bake.
Take butter out of refrigerator and microwave for about 15 seconds. Place butter, shortening and cold sour cream in a mixing bowl. Mix for about one minute. Add sugar and coconut extract, mix until smooth. Add all dry ingredients at once. Mix just until flour disappears and the mixture comes together in a ball of dough, about 1 minute on very low speed.
Spray the cookie scoop with a little cooking spray. Scoop the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. I use a 2 inch scoop.
Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl.
Spray the bottom of a flat glass with cooking spray. Flatten one cookie a bit then dip the glass in sugar Press the bottom of the glass against the cookie. Press the cookies so they are flattened a bit ( until the cookie dough just reaches the outside of the edge of the glass) twisting the glass as you press to produce a jagged edge. I bake 8 cookies per tray. Continue until all cookies are flattened.
Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes on convection or about 12-15 minutes regular bake or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
Remove from oven, let cool.  Loosen the cookies from the cookie sheet after cooled a bit, or they will stick to the pan (even though it has been lightly greased).
Place the cookies in the fridge and chill.

Prepare the frosting:
Beat together the butter, cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract and salt. When all ingredients are incorporated, add the coconut and a little  more cream or milk if the frosting needs to be thinned.
Frost after the cookies are completely chilled, sprinkle with additional coconut.
Makes about 27-30  cookies.

For tips, see link above for Original ( Almost) Swig Cookie .

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Great Harvest Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I'm not usually a fan of  store bought pumpkin bread. It always tastes like a mix (because it probably is) or it is: too airy, too dry, too much like a cake. The one exception is Great Harvest Pumpkin Bread. If you've ever eaten a slice, you know that Great Harvest makes a killer loaf of pumpkin bread! I decided it was time to recreate their recipe at home.  I compared the ingredient list on the GH package to recipes online that claimed to be GH copycats. Hmmmm.  A lot of those recipes included ingredients not on the Great Harvest ingredients list. Ingredients like: honey, brown sugar, wheat flour.  All good guesses, but not accurate if you're trying to recreate the bakery version...

After several test batches, and experimenting with different temperatures of baking, amounts of flour, spices, pumpkin, and eggs,  I think I've finally nailed it.
This bread is lightly spiced, super moist, dense, and has a rich pumpkin flavor.  At over $9 a loaf (in SLC locations),  you'll be saving a few dollars and your house will smell great too!
Happy baking.



Great Harvest Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
A Bountiful Kitchen
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4  large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4  cups vegetable or canola oil
1-15 oz can Libby's pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips


Place the rack in the center of the oven, and generously grease and line the bottom of two loaf pans with parchment or wax paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat for about 1 minute. Add sugar beat again for 1 minute. Add the oil, pumpkin and vanilla. Beat until all ingredients are incorporated.
Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices and chocolate chips into the bowl with the pumpkin mixture. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
Remove from oven. Let sit for 5 minutes in pan. Loosen sides of loaf if necessary with butter knife. Remove and cool completely.
Yields 2-3 loaves, depending on size of pans used*


Tips:
-I make a liner for the loaf pan by placing parchment or wax paper under the pan and tracing around the bottom of the pan. Cut the paper on the line. Place the paper in the bottom of the loaf pan and spray sides of pan and bottom (on top of the paper liner) generously with cooking spray.
-I bake in  4 1/2 x 8 1/2 pans. When I place the batter in the pans, they fill the pans over 3/4 full. There is about a 1/2 - 3/4 inch space to the top of the loaf pan.  This recipe will easily yield 3 smaller loaves. Adjust the baking time to 45 minutes then check to make sure loaf is set.

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Orange Glazed Chicken

On the last post I talked about  my experience eating Creme Brulee French Toast at Cheesecake Factory. What I didn't mention was, while I ordered the french toast, Jake ordered Orange Chicken.
For breakfast.
I know.
I tried to talk him into a breakfast/brunch item, but he wanted Orange Chicken. Jake and his friend Tanner LOVE,  Panda Express. Oh my.  I'm just going to leave it at that.
What's better than Orange Chicken at Panda? How about Orange Chicken at home! Way better.
I looked up recipes for Panda Orange Chicken (which btw is their #1 ordered menu item). I played with a few ideas and came up with my own (able to pronounce every ingredient) version.
Grant, Stephen and I thought this was delicious.
Jake still likes Panda's better.
Heavy sigh.
Kids.

Orange Glazed Chicken
A Bountiful Kitchen
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2 lbs chicken breast, cut in to bite size pieces
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1/3  cup cold water

2 cups oil, canola or vegetable for frying

Orange Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
zest of one orange
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Glaze for cooked chicken:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 bunch green onions, divided 2/3 for glaze, 1/3 for garnish
1/4 cup water


Mix the egg, salt, cornstarch, flour and cold water together in a bowl with a whisk. The batter should be smooth and about the consistency of pancake batter.
Place the chicken pieces in the batter all at once. Mix thoroughly.
Set aside.
Heat oven to 350 degrees for warming chicken.
Heat the oil in a wok or other deep pan on medium high heat, or about 350-375 degrees. When the oil is hot, cook chicken in batches (about 4 batches total) place chicken in pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes or until cooked through and light golden. Drain onto a pan lined with paper towels.
Place in oven to keep warm.
In another pan, make the orange sauce. Heat soy sauce, sugar, cider vinegar and orange zest together in saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until boiling. Reduce heat. Whisk o.j. and cornstarch together in a cup. Pour into hot vinegar mixture. Cook until thickened. Thin a bit with oj if needed. Turn off heat, leave pan on burner.
Using a frying pan, heat the sesame oil, ginger, minced garlic and red pepper flakes over medium high heat. Cook for about one minute or until fragrant. Add rice vinegar, green onions, and water. Add cooked chicken pieces all at once. Cook just until chicken is coated. Remove from heat.
Serve chicken with orange glaze over sticky rice. Garnish with remaining green onions.
Serves 4-6

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Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

I've been to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and dinner, but this summer was my first time eating breakfast at the popular restaurant. Our server recommended his favorite dish- Creme Brulee French Toast. It was bite-after-bite of melt in your mouth deliciousness. I knew it had to be filled with butter and cream to taste this good. After a lengthy discussion with our server about the dish he shared this:

1. They soak the bread overnight in the egg mixture. (which I found is not necessary)
2. A lot of cream is involved.
3. The bread is a brioche loaf. Perfect bread for making decadent french toast.  At our local Harmons, the brioche is made with flour, eggs and butter. Top three ingredients, in that order.

Brioche loaf from Harmons. 

The texture of this french toast is like a very moist bread pudding, with a little bit of caramelization on top due to the sugar sprinkled on while cooking.

The french toast was amazing.  But the syrup. Oh. My. 

I could not stop tasting it. I wanted to take a gallon home so I could figure out what was in the buttery, ever so slight maple, creamy mixture. I looked online, but nothing for CF's syrup.  I finally came up with this recipe that is a perfect topping for the Creme Brulee French toast.
If you're out for breakfast, try this at Cheesecake Factory, if you're at home this weekend, cooking for your peeps, try my version.
Have a great weekend :)

Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup
A Bountiful Kitchen
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1- 1.5 lb loaf Brioche sliced thick (about 8- one inch slices) day old is best

5 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups half and half

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 tablespoon sugar
butter for cooking

Beat eggs, egg yolk, half and half, vanilla and sugar together in a 9x13 pan. 

Place the bread in the pan and let the bread soak up the egg on one side for about 5 minutes, then turn and let soak on other side. If the bread does not fit all at once in the pan, let the bread soak, then remove to plate to allow other pieces to fit in pan. Let any excess egg mixture drip off into pan.
Heat frying pan or griddle up to 350 degrees. Melt a small amount of butter in pan. Place french toast pieces in pan and fry until golden on first side. While cooking the first side, sprinkle a small amount of sugar on the uncooked side. Flip and cook other side until golden and sugar is caramelized.
Serve with Maple Cream Syrup.
Serves 4-6


Maple Cream Syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place cream, butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cook for one minute. Remove from heat and add maple extract, dash of salt and vanilla.

Tips:
-The cooking time will vary according to the pan/heat source you are using. I use a built in griddle, which gets hotter than the typical griddle (plug in type). I've also used a Teflon pan over a flame. I believe the best crust is formed on the french toast when using a cast iron or other non Teflon type coated pan. This allows the sugar to form a bit of a caramelized layer on the outside of the french toast. That said, this recipe tastes delicious when using an electric griddle with a Teflon coating. If you are cooking several batches you may need to wipe out the pan to prevent the bread from sticking to the melted sugar. Remember to butter the pan after each batch.
-Remember the bread is thick, and time needs to be allowed to cook the inside of the french toast as well as the outside of the bread. Don't turn the heat up too high, or the outside will burn and you'll be left with a soggy inside. We're looking for tender and creamy, not soggy.
-You can find Brioche in many specialty bakeries. I have also used a Challah loaf.
-Store any leftover syrup in refrigerator, covered. It will keep for a month or so. Just heat up when ready to use.

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Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Have you been to Panera Bread? It's a chain, and even though I'm not a fan of chain restaurants, I love a sandwich and soup from Panera. Maybe it's  because we don't have Panera in Utah?  You always want what you can't have.
I'm not a fan of super thick and cheesy soup. That's why I like Panera's Cheddar Broccoli. It's filling, but not the gloppy-overly-salty-processed-cheese type of soup you find in so many restaurants. Doesn't that sound so appetizing? I looked at several recipes online that claim to duplicate Panera's recipe. Many of those recipes left out  (little, but significant) ingredients, like a bit of mustard, hot pepper sauce, or paprika, which are all listed as ingredients in Panera's soup.  So, I made my own version- a one pot, less than 30 minute recipe.
Just like Panera in your own kitchen.
It's always better home made.
Promise.

Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A Bountiful Kitchen
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1/2  cup butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup  chopped carrots ( I used baby carrots)
4 cups chopped broccoli
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
few drops of hot pepper sauce
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cream or half and half
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 cup cornstarch, whisked into 1/2 cup cold water or cold broth
2 cups (about 8 oz)  grated sharp cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large stockpot. Add onions and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and broccoli cook for additional 3-4 minutes, season with salt, pepper, paprika and hot pepper sauce.  Pour chicken broth and cream into vegetable mixture. Add one teaspoon mustard, whisk until smooth.
Simmer over medium-low heat.
In a small bowl or cup, whisk the cold water or broth together with the cornstarch until smooth. Pour into the stockpot with the vegetable mixture. Whisk until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese and cook just until cheese is melted. Reduce heat until ready to serve.
Serves 4 as a main course

Tips:
-Sharp or extra sharp cheese is best for this recipe.
-If you want to make a heartier soup,  cook a couple of chicken breast halves and shred or chop before adding to the finished soup.

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