Super Size Samoa Cookie

My daughters are Girl Scouts, and our troop leader's birthday was this week so I promised her an oversized Samoa Girl Scout cookie to celebrate.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep my promise, since my oven was broken, but thankfully it was fixed today.  After eating a couple of Samoa cookies for testing purposes, I was able to pinpoint the flavor components.  Then I thought about how to execute my giant cookie recipe and well I think I might have created a monster cookie to end all cookie cravings.  This is for our troop leader Meredith, who whole heartedly agreed with my crazy plan to super size a Samoa cookie in honor of her birthday.

This is the ultimate Samoa cookie!

Ingredients for Shortbread:

2 cups 00 Tipo flour (or Cake flour)
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter
1/2 cup Cane Sugar (or white granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon Lemon Extract
1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit

Beat the butter and sugar in stand mixer with beater attachment until combined.

Mix in flour and salt.

Divide batter into two 9 inch cake pans and press down flat.  I used a piece of plastic wrap to push flat.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes or lightly golden brown.

Allow shortbread to cool in pans for 10 minutes in pan.

Remove shortbread from pans and place on parchment paper.

Ingredients for Coconut Caramel Topping:

1/2 Half & Half
1 cup Turbinado Sugar (or Brown sugar)
4 tablespoons Butter
Pinch of Sea Salt
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut Flakes

Toast coconut on sheet pan for up to 10 minutes in 350 preheated oven.  Be sure to stir coconut every two minutes to help evenly cook.

Pour half & half into medium sauce pan, add sugar and butter.

Cook over medium/low burner.

Whisk occasionally and cook for 7 minutes.

Add vanilla and cook for another 1 minute.

Turn off heat and add coconut, stir.  Allow to cool.

Ingredients for Chocolate Base & Topping:

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Place a small sauce pan on stove with two inches water, then set a small metal or glass bowl over pan.

Set burner to medium on stove.

Pour chocolate chips into bowl.

Stir chocolate chips occasionally until melted.

Using a spatula spread a thin layer of chocolate on parchment paper the size of the cookies.

Place cookies on chocolate.

Spread equal amounts of coconut caramel on top of both cookies.

I put the remaining chocolate in a squeeze bottle for this next step,  I kept the chocolate squeeze bottle in warm water to keep it from getting solid and cold.

Squeeze chocolate or drizzle chocolate with a spoon onto cookies.  I tried to be traditional and make them like the actual Girl scout Samoa cookies but you may decorate with the chocolate however you wish.

Refrigerate cookie until chocolate becomes solid.

Enjoy!

Super Size Samoa Cookies

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Shortbread:

2 cups 00 Tipo Flour (or Cake flour)

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter

1/2 cup Cane Sugar (or White Granulated Sugar)

1 teaspoon Lemon Extract

1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt

Process:

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit

Beat the butter and sugar in stand mixer with beater attachment until combined.

Mix in flour and salt.

Divide batter into two 9 inch cake pans and press down flat.  I used a piece of plastic wrap to push flat.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes or lightly golden brown.

Allow shortbread to cool in pans for 10 minutes in pan.

Remove shortbread from pans and place on parchment paper.

Ingredients for Coconut Caramel Topping:

1/2 Half & Half

1 cup Turbinado Sugar (or Brown sugar)

4 tablespoons Butter

Pinch of Sea Salt

1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

3 cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut Flakes

Process:

Pour half & half into medium sauce pan, add sugar and butter.

Cook over medium/low burner.

Whisk occasionally and cook for 7 minutes.

Add vanilla and cook for another 1 minute.

Toast coconut on sheet pan for up to 10 minutes in 350 preheated oven.  

Be sure to stir coconut every two minutes to help evenly cook.

Turn off heat and add coconut, stir.  Allow to cool.

Ingredients for Chocolate Base & Topping:

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Process:

Place a small sauce pan on stove with two inches water, then set a small metal or glass bowl over pan.

Set burner to medium on stove.

Pour chocolate chips into bowl.

Stir chocolate chips occasionally until melted.

Using a spatula spread a thin layer of chocolate on parchment paper the size of the cookies.

Place cookies on chocolate.

Spread equal amounts of coconut caramel on top of both cookies.

Drizzle melted chocolate using a spoon or squeeze bottle onto cookie in either lines or a pattern of your choice.

Refrigerate cookie until chocolate becomes solid.

Enjoy!

Apple Barley Pudding

While searching for an Irish dessert, I came upon this dessert and decided I could do this.  I have all the ingredients.  This is a simple dessert I found on the website European Cuisines.  The author of the post explained this dessert was created by farmers who grew barley and needed to use apples that had been stored over the year and were best used cooked.  The recipe and history can be seen here.

 I liked layering this pudding.  It's a very simple and yummy dessert.

Ingredients for this Recipe are:

1 1/2 lbs. Gala Apples

4 round tablespoons Pearl Barley

1 tablespoon Lemon Extract

6 tablespoons Cane Sugar

1 Quart Water

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Peel, core and slice apples.

 Add the water to a heavy pot, add the barley, and bring to a boil. Add the sliced apples and 

cook gently until both the barley and the apples are soft (normally about half an hour).

When the barley is cooked, and the apples are in pieces, remove from heat and puree with 
immersion blender.  

Return mixture to stove and stir in lemon extract, and 4 tablespoons cane sugar and cook over 
medium flame until it boils.   

Boil mixture for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour mixture into bowl and place in refrigerator to get cold.

After pudding is cold, blend in a blender if the barley is not completely pureed.

Add heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, and vanilla to mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Attach whisk and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Layer apple barley pudding and cream together in glasses.

Enjoy!

Apple Barley Pudding

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. Gala Apples

4 round tablespoons Pearl Barley

1 tablespoon Lemon Extract

6 tablespoons Cane Sugar

1 Quart Water

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Process:

Peel, core and slice apples.

Add the water to a heavy pot, add the barley, and bring to a boil. Add the sliced apples and cook gently until both the barley and the apples are soft (normally about half an hour).

When the barley is cooked, and the apples are in pieces remove from heat and puree with immersion blender.  

Return mixture to stove and stir in lemon extract, and 4 tablespoons cane sugar and cook over medium flame until it boils.   

Boil mixture for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour mixture into bowl and place in refrigerator to get cold.

After pudding is cold, blend in a blender if the barley is not completely pureed.

Add heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, and vanilla to mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Attach whisk and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Layer apple barley pudding and cream together in glasses.

Enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad (Frog Eye Salad)

My mom put this recipe in our family cookbook.  When I was a kid, and my mom made this salad, I knew we were in for some good food and a lot of it.  This recipe is a potluck favorite and almost a church staple in some areas of our country.  This is a very yummy, albeit time intensive recipe.  You have to think in advance to make this recipe.  You have been warned!  Also, I don't make it like my mom, this my take.

 This is fruit and pasta together in the best way.

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:

1 lb. Acini de Pepe Pasta

17.6 ounces Coconut Juice

2 teaspoons Lemon Extract

1 Pineapple

2 large Mangos

1 cup Cane Sugar (can substitute White Sugar)

2 large Eggs

2 tablespoons Flour

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Cane Sugar (can substitute White Sugar)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Pour coconut juice, lemon extract, Cane Sugar, beaten eggs, and flour in a small sauce pan over medium flame.

Cook sauce until thickened.

 Cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.

Place pasta in a large bowl.

 Cut pineapple and mangos into small bite sized pieces.

 Pour thickened sauce over pasta, stir, and refrigerate over night.

Pour Heavy Whipping Cream, Cane Sugar, and Vanilla Extract in bowl of stand mixer.

Using the whisk attachment beat the whipping cream until it thickens and is fluffy.

Add 8 ounces of whipped cream, and fruit to the pasta. Stir and then refrigerate until cold.

I love how bright and cheery this salad is, and letting the flavors come together before eating it really makes a difference.  

Enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Pasta Salad (Frog Eye Salad)

Printable Recipe Found Here

1 lb. Acini de Pepe Pasta

17.6 ounces Coconut Juice

2 teaspoons Lemon Extract

1 Pineapple

2 large Mangos

1 cup Cane Sugar (can substitute White Sugar)

2 large Eggs

2 tablespoons Flour

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Cane Sugar (can substitute White Sugar)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Pour coconut juice, lemon extract, Cane Sugar, beaten eggs, and flour in a small sauce pan over medium flame.

Cook sauce until thickened.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.

Place pasta in a large bowl.

Pour thickened sauce over pasta, stir, and refrigerate over night.

Cut pineapple and mangos into small bite sized pieces.

Pour Heavy Whipping Cream, Cane Sugar, and Vanilla Extract in bowl of stand mixer.

Using the whisk attachment beat the whipping cream until it thickens and is fluffy.

Add 8 ounces of whipped cream, and fruit to the pasta. Stir and then refrigerate until cold.

Enjoy!

Chinese Baked Haddock

While at Costco and picking this weeks fish, I found Haddock, another fish I haven't fed my family and decided to try it.  This recipe is based on a of couple recipes I read and also my own take on combining Chinese ingredients.  

 Fish and rice, so good together.

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:
2 lbs. Haddock

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup melted Butter

4 cloves pressed Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

3 tablespoons Lemon Extract (Lemon juice can be substituted)

Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.

Place haddock in oven safe oval dish.

 Pour soy sauce, butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon extract into a small bowl and mix.

Pour sauce over haddock.

 Bake haddock for 30 minutes.

Eat the haddock over a bed of steamed brown rice as we did or on white rice.

Enjoy!

Chinese Baked Haddock

Printable Recipe Found Here

2 lbs. Haddock

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup melted Butter

4 cloves pressed Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

3 tablespoons Lemon Extract (Lemon juice can be substituted)

Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.

Place haddock in oven safe oval dish.

Pour soy sauce, butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon extract into a small bowl and mix.

Pour sauce over haddock.

Bake haddock for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!