Cake Mix Cookies Sunday, May 11 2008

I’m sure many people have known about cake mix cookies for ever, but I didn’t know about them until just a couple years ago when I saw the recipe in a Hints from Heloise column in the paper. Sometimes you want to make cookies from scratch, but other times you just want to make quick cookies (and yet not descend to the level of pull-apart Pillsbury cookies!). Apparently you can make lots of variations using different cake mixes and different add-ins. But I’ve made only one kind since Jeff and I have been very happy with the results: chocolate cake mix with white chocolate/semisweet chocolate swirl chips.

Cake Mix Cookies

• 1 box regular cake mix
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of your choice of morsels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then mix only the oil and eggs with a box of regular cake mix (don’t add water). Add whichever morsels you’d like and mix well. (I mix by hand; I tried it once with a mixer and the result was odd.) Place the dough by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

I usually get about 28 cookies. Don’t overcook them or they’ll be dry the next day. It’s okay if they look somewhat underdone.

Has anyone else made other versions of cake mix cookies? Please share!

5 Responses »

 

Quiche Lorraine Thursday, Mar 6 2008

Since I’ve started cooking on a more regular basis (for me, that was after I got married), I’ve come across a few recipes that have seemed to “click,” meaning that I’ve made them enough times to feel fairly confident with them. One of those is Quiche Lorraine. I actually made this a few times before Jeff and I married, but I’ve made it many times since then.

This recipe is a favorite for me not only because I love quiche, but also because it’s such a versatile recipe. I can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner without its ever seeming out of place. I can also easily double this recipe since many of the ingredients come packaged in amounts that are twice what’s called for (pie crust, eggs, whipping cream, etc.). This quiche recipe is also one that is not too wet (I can’t abide wet quiche). I usually make the quiche in a pie plate (and I’ve also used a tart pan); but I’ve also made mini-quiches with small pans Jeff gave me for Christmas. Those are the mini-quiches in the photos. This recipe is from The Southern Living Cookbook.

Quiche Lorraine

• 1 refrigerated pie crust (or you can make your own)
• 8 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper (I use black)
• Nutmeg to sprinkle on top

Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under and crimp.

Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes (I use pie weights for part of that time); remove from oven.

Cook bacon pieces in a large skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels and crumble. Sprinkle bacon, green onions, and 1 cup cheese into prepared crust.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients; pour mixture into crust, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and nutmeg.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minuted or until set. Let stand for 10 minutes (it will continue to cook).

Total time: I find that the whole process takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. But, again, it’s versatile, and a lot of prep can be done ahead of time. When I served this at a brunch, I prepped most of the items on Friday night, so making it on Saturday morning was fairly easy (and since it cooks for about 40 minutes, that gives you time to get ready or do other things).

My last tip is one that I got from America’s Test Kitchen: try to have everything prepped (including the whisking of the eggs, cream, etc) so that when the crust comes out of the oven, you can assemble the quiche right away and put it back in the oven as soon as the temperature lowers 50 degrees. ATK mentioned that working with a still-hot crust was one key to a good quiche, and I’ve found that advice to be sound.

One Response »

 

Favorite Pens Monday, Feb 18 2008

Whenever I’m in a store, I’m often drawn to the “office supplies” aisle. I love stationery stores and stores like Office Depot. I like Post-it notes and paper clips and file folders. And over the last several years, I’ve developed quite a devotion to two particular brands of pens.

The first brand that I love to use is the Pilot Precise V5 in the Ultra-Fine tip. I often use these for grading and for everyday school things. They come in all sorts of colors - I often use either the red, green, or purple colors for grading, though I also like the hot pink color. Jeff is partial to the navy blue; he recently had to ask me to pick up some extra ones for him (I think he suspected that I had stolen his!). Whenever students ask to borrow a pen, they inevitably choose these over ballpoint pens, so I have to resort to hiding them!

My other favorite brand of pen is the Micron brand of pen. These pens are more pricey than the Pilot pens (about $3 per pen). I use these at school sometimes, but more often I use them for letters and for taking notes in church. I first heard of these pens in college; I had a Bible professor who recommended them for taking notes in your Bible since they don’t bleed through thin pages and since they come in ultra-ultra-fine points. So I use one of those in church, and then I use the thicker-tipped ones for other things. I usually find these pens only in craft stores like Michael’s (usually in the scrapbooking section); I bought some on Saturday (which inspired me to blog about them!).

Both of these brands of pens are small indulgences that can lift you from the doldrums of using ball-point pens (though ball-points certainly have their uses). But there are many occasions that call for a pen that’s a step above ball-point pens, and these pens are quite delightful!

7 Responses »

 

Lemon Bars Tuesday, Feb 12 2008

I made lemon bars on Saturday for a small lunch at church on Sunday. I’ve made this recipe several times, and the bars always come out well. The recipe is from the July 2001 issue of Southern Living. Jeff and I enjoyed the leftovers with our (quite strong) Earl Grey tea this afternoon!

Lemon Bars

• 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Powdered sugar

Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Firmly press mixture into a lightly greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl; whisk in 2 cups sugar and lemon juice. Combine remaining 1/4 cup flour and baking powder; whisk into egg mixture. Pour batter over crust.

Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until set. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars and sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar.

One Response »

 

Happy Surprise Tuesday, Feb 12 2008

Nothing warms a teacher’s heart like a forecast for snow! I wasn’t even aware of a storm warning for our area until I got to school yesterday, and now I’m at home for the day as a result of several inches of snow topped with freezing rain. Jeff’s seminary classes were canceled for the day as well, so we have an unexpected day together. When we moved here, I heard that the Louisville schools hadn’t had a system-wide closure in about 3-4 years. Needless to say, I was rather dismayed! (In Virginia, you can usually count on at least one snow day a year, if not more.) So I’m quite happy that the trend was broken this year!

No Responses »

 

Reading Group Saturday, Feb 9 2008

The first time I belonged to a reading group was in grad school, and I loved it. After I left school and moved home to Virginia, I never settled into new one for any solid length of time, and I missed being part of one. But now, here in Louisville, a friend and I have started a new reading group that’s off to a great start. Granted, we’re only three months in, but I have a good expectation that this group will continue to flourish. We consist of about 10 women so far, and we meet for a few hours once a month on Saturday mornings. We read mostly fiction, with perhaps a few other genres to be thrown in on occasion. So far our choices have been The Kite Runner (December), The Namesake (January), and, for this month, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, a wonderful book that I’m halfway through and which has echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird.

3 Responses »

 

Fresh Start Saturday, Feb 9 2008

After experiencing months of “blogger’s block” with my other blog (Dear Void), I’ve decided to make a fresh start with WordPress. And since I’m still transitioning to a new city (hence, the fleur-de-lis motif) and a new rhythm of life, a new blog seemed to be the way to go.

No Responses »