Thai Coffee

The sun was shining but there was still that cold nip in the air.  I needed something hot to drink to take the chill off.  Instead of having the usual cup of tea or coffee, I found a recipe for Thai Coffee.    At first, I thought I would have to be grinding together spices and coffee but this beverage was super simple to make.  I just brewed some coffee and added sweetened condensed milk to the pot.  Poured it in a cup and enjoyed a deliciously not to sweet coffee that warmed me from my head to my toes.  This recipe made 4 servings so I shared the goodness:)


Thai Coffee
From Kraft Recipes


Ingredients:
1/2 cup  ground  coffee
1/2 cup  sweetened condensed milk
3 cups  cold water

Directions:
1. Place coffee in filter in brew basket of coffee maker. Pour condensed milk into empty pot of coffee maker.
2. Prepare coffee with cold water. When brewing is complete, stir until well blended.
3. Pour into 4 large cups or mugs to serve.

Makes 4 servings

Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli Soup

Need a dinner idea that is easy, satisfying, and delicious?  Try this hearty soup recipe.  It  is sure to be a family/company pleaser.  This tasty soup is filled with veggies, meat, and pasta cooked in  a broth flavored with spices and spaghetti sauce.    Place all of the ingredients in a Crock Pot set on low and 8 hours later dinner is done.   Top with some shredded Parmesan cheese and you are ready to serve. Great for those days when you are busy or just need a day to relax.

Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli Soup
From Family Favorite Recipes Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans  petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
1 quart beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 to1 teaspoon  crushed red pepper flakes
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces  dried ditalini pasta
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. Add pasta to the soup and mix in.
6. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Servings: 12-14

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!  

Jesus - The Reason For The Season

'And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.'"

Molasses Spice Cookies With Orange Essence

These cookies have the fragrant and wonderful flavors of the season - cinnamon, ginger, cloves,  and allspice.  These drop cookies have orange zest in the batter and then they are rolled in sugar that has orange zest.  The result is a nice flavorful cookie that is slightly chewy and very delicious.


Molasses Spice Cookies With Orange Essence
From America's Test Kitchen


INGREDIENTS

1 cup granulated sugar (about 7 ounces)
3 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (11 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses (about 6 ounces), light or dark

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In work bowl of food processor, process 2/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons orange zest until pale orange, about 10 seconds; transfer sugar to 8- or 9-inch cake pan and set aside.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.

3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest with brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl down once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Dough will be soft.

4. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll between palms into 1 1/2-inch ball; drop ball into cake pan with sugar and repeat to form about 4 balls. Toss balls in orange sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not over bake.

5. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature and serve. (Can be stored at room temperature in airtight container or zipper-lock plastic bag up to 5 days.)

Makes about 22 cookies

Salty Caramel Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salt, caramel, and chocolate in one delicious cookie.   I found some Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling by Nestle Toll House and I had to get them.

I love biting into chocolate that is filled with caramel.    These morsels  had to be great in cookies and they were.    Top each cookie with some flaky sea salt and you have the ultimate sweet and salty treat.




Salty Caramel Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Cook's Country Magazine Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen


Ingredients:

Cookies Santa Would Love

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 2/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) Nestle Toll House Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling
Maldon or other flaky sea salt

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed.  Stir in chocolate morsels by hand.
3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.   Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.  Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Note: To keep the cookies chewy longer, store them in an airtight container with a slice of sandwich bread.

Cheddar Olives

Green olives wrapped in a cheesy dough and baked until golden brown.  The result is a delicious appetizer for your upcoming holidays.  A huge plus for this recipe- other than the taste - is they can be made ahead of time.  Yes, you can freeze these delicious nibbles.

The dough for this recipe is made in a food processor which makes it come together quickly.  Once the dough is made you take 2 teaspoons and pat it into a 2-inch circle.  An olive is placed in the center and the dough is them formed around the olive.   Put in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours.  If you plan to use them at a later date, pop them into the freezer.

When you are ready to bake your Cheddar Olives, place them in a 350 degree F oven for 16-18 minutes.  When baked, remove from oven and let them cool before serving.

Your family and friends will enjoy these tasty bites:)

Cheddar Olives
From Cook's Country Magazine 

Use regular-size, not colossal or queen, cocktail olives. The cheddar olives must chill for at least 1 hour before baking.

INGREDIENTS

40 pimento-stuffed green olives, rinsed
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 7 pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spread olives on dish towel and roll around to dry. Pulse flour, paprika, pepper, and cayenne in food ­processor until combined, about 3 pulses. Add cheddar and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 12 pulses. Add egg, water, and Worcestershire and process until dough ball forms, about 20 seconds.

2. Working with 2 teaspoons dough and 1 olive at a time, pat dough into 2-inch circle; place olive in center of dough; form dough around olive; and roll cheddar olive between your hands to make uniform ball. Place cheddar olives on large platter, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours (or freeze to bake later).

3. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Space cheddar olives evenly on prepared sheets. Bake until bottoms are well browned and tops are golden, 16 to 18 minutes (if baking from frozen, increase cooking time to about 25 minutes), switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer cheddar olives to wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.

MAKES 40 WRAPPED OLIVES

Eggnog Snickerdoodles #cookies

I have started my holiday  baking/cooking.  Cookies, cakes, candies, nuts, etc.   Today's recipe is for Eggnog Snickerdoodles.  The family loves Snickerdoodles.  This recipe adds the holiday flavor of eggnog with the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg.


Snickerdoodles are easy to make.  The batter comes together quickly. Shape the cookies  into balls and roll in the sugar and spice mixture.    Bake in a 350 degree oven.  The cookies are done when the edges a firm and the middle is slightly soft.   Cool and serve.

The edges of these cookies have a little crackle to them with the middle slightly chewy.  A very  delicious cookie for your family, friends, and of course Santa.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles
From The Seattle Times

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter

2 cups sugar, divided

¼ cup plain eggnog

1 tablespoon dark rum or brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on high to beat the butter and 1½ cups of the sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly drizzle in the eggnog, rum and vanilla, mixing until completely incorporated. Add the eggs, then beat until well mixed.

Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ½ cup of sugar, the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Working with a tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough between your hands to form balls. Roll each ball in the sugar mixture to coat evenly, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving two inches between the cookies on all sides. Bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until lightly golden, but still soft at the center. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Makes 36 cookies