Kitchen Meets Culinary Clutz

One autumn day, KTBug and I took a trip to the Boise Towne Square Mall. She was two years old. While strolling through the mall my little KTBug spied a display case full of brightly decorated cookies! My little girl was filled with so much excitement as she shrieked and clapped her little hands, running towards the Great American Cookie consessionaire! I couldn't resist, I order KT her very own cookie cake.


KT chose the Elmo cake design. Tickle Me Elmo was popular at the time and she was determined to have an Elmo Cookie Cake!


I love reminiscing of the fun times spent with my children! My KTBug was the happiest girl alive when she proudly toted the carefully packed parcel through the mall corridors! She was red and blue from head to toe that evening!

INGREDIENTS:


1 Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix (17.5oz package)
1 Stick Butter (8 Tbsp)
1 Egg


13" Aluminum Disposable Pizza Pan


Cake Mate Icing (4.5 oz tubes) (Your choice colors)
Cake Mate Plastic Decorating Tips
Cake Mate Decorating Decors (your choice of sprinkles)


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.  Prepare cookie dough as directed on back of cookie mix package.
3.  Spread cookie dough onto pizza pan, leaving 1/2-inch space between dough and edge
     of pan (Dough will spread to edge of pan when baking).
4.  Bake for 11 minutes, or until edge of cookie is golden brown.
5.  Cool completely in pan.
6.  Decorate with your choice Cake Mate Icings & Decors.  Enjoy!


Chef's Rant:
These Cookie Cakes are so easy to make! The PTSA hosted a luncheon at school on Friday. I signed up to bring Brownies/or Cookies. My days are so busy with running the kids around to their Sports & Clubs, I didn't think I would have time to bake anything. While at the grocery I found Cookie Cakes on display. I nearly purchased two, but stopped myself short of buying them when I noticed it would cost me $12 for each cookie cake. They were small Cookie Cakes. (Sam's Club sells huge ones for only $14.99! Excellent price, but I had no time to run to Norman that day).

That's when I decided to attempt to make the Cookie Cakes on my own. The Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mixes were on sale for 2/$3.00. I figured it was worth a shot, and if I failed, I had a box of brownie mix to fall back on. Ha!

To my surprise, the Cookie Cakes turned out perfect and they were a hit at the Luncheon!

Tonight I'm attempting to prep a new recipe for Chocolate Frozen Yogurt. I found it at AllRecipes.Com. We shall see if the family approves. Unfortunately I prepped it a little late in the evening and the mixture is still cooling in the fridge.

While I wait, I will keep searching for the Freezer Bowl to my Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice-Cream Maker. I've misplaced it! If I don't find it by morning I'll just settle for using my other Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

Pantry/Grocery List: Granulated sugar, cornstarch, 1 (12 fluid ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk, semisweet chocolate chips, plain lowfat yogurt, vanilla extract



Please follow the hyper link above to All Recipes.Com for the recipe and then come back to let me know how your recipe turned out!!!!

Shabbat Shalom!

It's late and we're all wide awake. Kids are in the living room playing Monopoly. Laura & and I are in the kitchen baking. We just spent the entire day shopping. While stopping into Williams-Sonoma I spotted a table full of bakeware marked down to unbelieveably low prices. I poked around and then spotted the one item I've been dying to own, a ceramic Monkey Bread vessel! How could I pass up the chance to purchase it for half it's original price? We didn't care that it was 9 o'clock at night. We were making Monkey Bread!!!

2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Softened


For the Dough:
¾ Cup (180ml) Warm Milk (About 110°F/43°C)
½ Cup (125ml) Warm Water (About 110°F/43°C)
2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Melted
¼ Cup (60g) Granulated Sugar
1 Egg, Lightly Beaten
1 Package Rapid-Rise Yeast
3 ¼ Cups (515g) All-Purpose Flour, Plus More for Dusting
2 tsp. Salt






For the Sugar Coating:
1 Cup (220g) Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
8 Tbs. (1 stick/125g) Unsalted Butter, Melted






For the Glaze:
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick/60g) Unsalted Butter
½ Cup (105g) Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
¼ Cup (85ml) Maple Syrup
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbs. Water






Directions:


Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Butter the monkey bread baking mold with the softened butter. (Can substitute with Angel Food Cake or Bundt Cake Pan)




To make the dough, in a bowl, whisk together the milk, water, melted butter, granulated sugar, egg and yeast.




In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt and salt on low speed just until combined. Slowly add the milk mixture and beat until the dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until, the dough is shiny and smooth, 5 to 6 minutes.




Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball. Coat the inside of a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl and coat the surface of the dough with cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.




Meanwhile, prepare the sugar coating: In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Put the melted butter in another bowl. Set aside.




Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into an 8-inch (20cm) square. Cut the dough into 6 equal strips, then cut each piece crosswise into 8 pieces to form a total of 48 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, dip into the melted butter and roll in the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture, coating well. Stack the balls in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes. Do not let the dough rise over the top of the pan.



Position a rack in the lower third of an oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the rack to catch any drips during baking. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).




Remove the plastic wrap from the pan, set the pan on the foil and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the center edge of the bread, next to the tube, springs back when touched, 25 to 35 minutes more.




Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and water. Heat, whisking, until the ingredients are dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.




Transfer the bread pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out onto a plate and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm glaze over the top and sides of the bread. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes. Serve the bread warm.


Serves: 8






A SAVORY VARIATION:
For Savory monkey bread, omit the sugar coating and the glaze. After beating the milk mixture into the flour mixture, beat in 4 Tbs. minced fresh herbs, such as sage, thyme, parsley or basil. Later, dip the dough balls into 8 Tbs. (1 stick/125g) melted butter. As you place the balls in the pan, sprinkle a total of 1 ½ cups (185g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese between the layers. Continue as directed above.




Source: Williams-Sonoma Kitchen (Recipe taken from packaging of Williams-Sonoma Monkey Bread Ceramic Baking Mold)