Pesto Egg Bites

 Spray two silicone egg bite pans (7 bites each) with non-stick spray. 

Into the bottom of each cup:  

1 T chopped roasted red peppers

1 T shredded cheese

blend together: 

5 eggs

1 C whole milk yogurt

4 oz cream cheese 

2 T pesto 

split egg mixture between egg bite holes

One at a time, steam the egg bite pans in instant pot - 1 C water in pot, trivet, then egg bite pan, tented with foil.  Use "steam feature" for 8 minutes, then natural release a few minutes.  

Mr. Tumnus Sour Cream Coffee Cake

 Do you want your tea to be just like Lucy's first visit into the wardrobe?   This was my take on an appropriate cake for a girl and a faun sharing a pot of tea.  

 

 

Grease a 13 x 9 pan, preheat oven to 350  

In mixer bowl stir together:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp salt

freshly grated nutmeg

dash of mace

 

then mix in:

2 cups sour cream

4 eggs

 

Pour into 13 x 9 pan, then  use mixer and beater:

swirl:

cream together 

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon (I like to use some each of cassia and ceylon if you have two types on hand)

1 teaspoon cardamom 

(any other warming spices you'd like)

put well creamed soft mixture into a zip-top bag, snip tiny corner of bag and swirl over the top of the cake.   It will sink in during baking.   

Bake ~40 minutes, until tester comes out clean.

If desired make a glaze: 

2 cups powdered sugar

3 T milk

(dash of vanilla extract, almond extract or orange oil)

Whisk well until liquid, then I use the whisk to drizzle lightly over warm cake.  

 

Pimiento Cheese - Tavern Crock of Cheese

 Adapted from the Colonial Williamsburg Chowning Tavern recipe to feed less than a tavern full of people 

mix together well:

1 quart mayo

8 oz cream cheese, softened 

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 oz horseradish

1 oz Worcestershire sauce

1 T hot sauce (like Texas Pete)

1 lemon, zested and juiced  

couple tablespoons chopped shallots or finely chopped sweet onion

~ 1/2 jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

stir in:

1.5 pounds shredded cheddar cheese - I prefer a mix of yellow and white extra sharp cheddar, maybe with a bit of smoked cheddar or dubliner as well

 

Serve with crackers and/or veggie slices.   Could easily be converted into a cheeseball.   

Browned Butter Shortbread

Brown and then cool 5 sticks of butter

soften 4 sticks of butter

 

 Preheat oven to 300

Cream combined butter with 3 C brown sugar

Once well creamed (color light), add 10 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time

Press into ungreased 1/2 sheet pan, as evenly as possible. use fork to pierce all over shortbread.   

Bake approx 50 minutes.    Cut immediately, but do not try to remove from pan until completely cool.

Brew a pot of tea and enjoy!

Soft citrus sugar cookies

 

A very soft sugar cookie, no rolling! 

 

Preheat oven to 350 (convection)

Mix together:

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• zest of one lemon, one grapefruit, one orange

 

Cream sugar mixture with:

•  2 sticks butter, room temp
  
• 3/4 cup canola oil (yes really!)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

 With mixer whipping, sprinkle in: 

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

When that is WELL CREAMED (light color), add:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 T vanilla
• dash of orange oil and/or bergamot oil, if you have it
• 3 large eggs

Mix very well, then add one cup at a time: 

• 5 3/4 cups flour

This is a VERY wet fluffy dough.   Drop using a 2 T scoop onto parchment on a baking sheet.    They don't spread much.    Spray the bottom of a small glass (or glass yogurt container) with oil, then into granulated sugar and flatten cookie.    Repeat - dip in sugar - flatten a cookie - dip in sugar - flatten cookie ... 

Bake 9-10 minutes until just before lightly browned edges to keep the cookies soft.     Allow to cool on tray.    

Add a buttercream frosting from creaming: 

2 sticks butter

5 cups powdered sugar

citrus fruit zest 

1 T sour cream

yellow or orange food coloring, if desired

orange juice to texture

 

Leah's Molasses Cookies

 

3/4 c shortening

1 c sugar

1/4 c molasses

1 egg

2 tsp baking soda

2c flour

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger 

1/2 tsp salt

Sift dry ingredients from soda to salt in a big bowl. Melt shortening in the stove on low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool a bit, then add sugar/molasses/egg (I add the sugar first to cool down so the egg doesn’t scramble). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix in the big bowl. Chill for at least 30min, then roll into 1” balls and roll in sugar. Place 2” apart on a well greased** cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10min. 

Almond Blackberry thumbprints

 preheat oven to 375

 Cream together:

2 cups butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar 

add:  

6 egg yolks

2 T vanilla

2 teaspoon almond extract

when well combined add: 

2 C almond flour

3 C flour

make cookie dough in 2 T size balls, roll in a half/half mixture of almond flour and granulated sugar.   Use back of round 1/2 teaspoon to press an indent into top of cookie.   Add tiny bit (1/2 tsp?) blackberry jam into each indent.     Bake 11 minutes, until edges lightly brown.    

Variation:   make balls, but flatten with back of a glass, no indent, no jam.    Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar.