DIY Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies: when you've been too good for your own good

Yes, it is possible to be too virtuous.  Here's how it all went down--- I didn't intend to, but I bought a few boxes of girl scout cookies from the little girl that came to our door last month.  She delivered them the other day.  3 boxes of Tagalongs, my favorite.  But I was so good I stashed them inside a flat rate box that was just about filled and ready to be shipped to my daughter at grad school.  I even taped the box shut.

So of course the next thing I know I'm going crazy looking for a little something sweet after dinner.  My husband and I have been remarkably good at keeping the kitchen free of junk food and sweets.  Other than my what I cook for the blog, we're pretty much dessert free. On a whim I typed in DIY Tagalong Cookie in my Google search bar and it was straight downhill from there.  Or uphill.  Depends on your point of view I guess.

Now I have a batch of copy cat Tagalongs that are even better than the mass produced original.  That's what I get for being good.

Tagalongs are my favorite Girl Scout Cookie.  I don't know if I'm in the minority on that or what.  I like them much better than all the others.  Tagalongs have a shortbread cookie base, a layer of sweetened peanut butter filling, and a coating of milk chocolate.  They're richer than the other Girl Scout cookies, and that peanut butter chocolate thing is always good.  

My DIY Thin Mints have been so popular, and they turned out great, but I have to say, these cookies are even more my style.  I guess I'm slowly working my way through the Girl Scout lineup...anybody have a good recipe for Samoas?

DIY Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies   ~~~adapted from Chow
makes up to 3 dozen, depending on how thin you slice the cookies
oven to 375F
Cookies:
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

• Whisk the egg and vanilla in a small cup and set aside.
• Pulse the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine.  Drop in the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.
• Pour in the egg mixture and pulse again, about 25 or 30 times, until the dough comes together.  
• Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together in a ball.  Divide in 2.  Roll out each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  The log will be approximately 6 inches or so long.
• Roll the logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour.  I like to put my dough logs inside a split cardboard tube (like the kind that wrapping paper comes on) so that the log stays nice and round.  If you don't have one, try turning and reshaping your dough halfway through the chilling time.
• Slice the chilled logs of dough into 1/8 inch slices, and place them 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 375 for about 8 to 10 minutes, until just golden around the edges.  Cool on a rack.

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

•  Mix the peanut butter, the sugar and the vanilla.  Spread an even layer of the filling on each cooled cookie.

Chocolate Coating
16 oz milk chocolate, cut into small pieces

• Put the chocolate into a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, and microwave for 1 minute.  Take out and stir.  If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave for another 30 seconds.  Stir until completely melted and smooth.  Make sure you measuring cup is completely dry, even a drop of water will cause your chocolate to seize up.
• Take a cookie and spread chocolate across the bottom.  A small offset spatula works well for this.  Then place the cookie on a fork, and spoon the melted chocolate all over the top, being sure to cover the whole top.  Tap the fork along the edge of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate from the cookie.  Carefully lay the cookie on waxed or parchment paper.
• If your chocolate becomes too thick to work with, microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds to-re warm it.
• Let all the cookies set for 30-45 minutes or so until the chocolate firms up.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Notes:  I used milk chocolate chips for my coating.  I should have used baking chocolate, but I didn't have any.  The chocolate chips will work, but I find they melt up a little thicker, and so it is a little more tedious to dip the cookies.  I would recommend using baking chocolate. 

One year ago today---

Grilled Ham and Cheese

Mediterranean Millet Salad (gluten free Tabouleh)

Did you read about the new findings on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet?  I've been a devotee of that diet for years, but it's nice to see it confirmed once again, and this time by even more solid research than ever before.  It's good news for anyone who still thinks that you need to cut out all the fats and all the fun from your diet in order to live longer.  Olive oil is not only ok, it's life giving.  Wine is not only ok, it's recommended, every night with dinner!  Pretty cool.

The nice thing about the Mediterranean diet is how broad it is.  It encompasses so many different cultures, all clustered along the Mediterranean sea, from Spain to the Middle East.  Being situated along the Mediterranean means access to lots of fish, and a climate perfect for growing fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and olives.   It's resulted in an incredibly healthy and varied diet based on seasonal whole foods.  Collectively these cultures place great value on the quality of their food, from cultivation, to preparation, and finally through to the relaxed enjoyment of their meals.  We have a lot to learn from them.

For most of us it's a process of slowly replacing the bad with the good.  Less animal protein, more whole plant food.  Less red meat, more fish.  Less refined snacks, more nuts.  Less hard alcohol, more red wine.  Less saturated fats, more olive oil.  Tabouleh is one of my favorite foods.  I love the texture of the grains, the freshness of the parsley and mint, the sweet tomatoes, and the sharpness from the lemon and the red onion, mellowed by the fruity olive oil.   It's a good dish to celebrate these new findings with.

I've substituted millet for the more traditional bulgur wheat in this tabouleh.  Millet is a small seed that looks a lot like quinoa.  It cooks up quickly, has a lovely nutty texture, and it soaks up the juices from the tomato, the lemon and olive oil.  It makes a perfect gluten free tabouleh.

As you're putting together your salad, take a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of your ingredients.  The way the light plays against the veins of the mint leaves, or the gleaming white of the cut radish.  Taste the salad as you mix in the dressing, if it doesn't delight you, work with it until it does.  Sometimes it's just a matter of a little more lemon, mint, or fresh pepper.  The benefits of the Mediterranean diet don't come solely from what you cook and eat, it's how you cook and eat that matters just as much.  You don't just eat the Mediterranean diet, you live it.

Middle Eastern Millet Salad       ~~~ slightly adapted from The Alkaline Sisters
1 cup millet
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups small tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, cut in small dice
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
several radishes, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely minced
juice of 1 lemon (more if necessary)
just shy of 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
heaping 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

• Toast the millet in a dry saucepan for a few minutes.  Heat, stirring, until you start to smell the nutty aroma.  Add in the water and bring to a boil.
• Cover, lower the heat to low, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Check at 15 minutes, if the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat, leave the cover on, and let sit for 10 minutes
• Fluff the millet and transfer to a bowl to cool.  Break up any clumps with your finger tips.
• When the millet has cooled, add the vegetables and herbs. 
• Mix the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.   Add to the salad, tossing well. 
• Add the feta cheese crumbles, and taste to make sure it's perfect. 

Notes:  If you can't find millet, substitute quinoa, and follow the package instructions for cooking.

Minimal Monday: DIY Instant Fruit and Nut Oatmeal (vegan and gluten free)

Can't someone just hand me a steaming bowl of oatmeal filled with fruit and nuts every morning?  I'd be such a happy camper.  But the thought of getting out the measuring cups and spoons, and standing at the stove and then cleaning up afterwards is sometimes (pretty much always) too much to manage. 

Instant oatmeal varieties are either bland or too artificially sweet, and they always have a weird aftertaste.  Besides, I want to eat the whole oats, not some processed version of oats.  Trader Joes has a frozen oatmeal, but it's a pain to get out of the wrapper,  it's expensive, and you still have to get all your add-ins ready.  The crock pot?  Makes too much, and a big gluey mess. I now officially sound like a crazy person, but you know what?  Oatmeal is healthy and I want to eat right in the morning.  I just don't want to work too hard at it.

Here's my answer to a quick grab and go whole grain oatmeal breakfast, with the sweet and the crunch built right in.

You lightly toast the nuts and grains, grind them up just a little, add in dried fruits, seeds, a little sweetener, and any spices or flavorings you want, then mix it all up.

You can store it all in an airtight jar, or make individual ready to go servings in waxed paper sandwich bags, zip lock baggies, or glass jars.  I found these lidded glasses at Williams Sonoma, but a recycled Bon Maman jam jar or a big coffee mug works just as well.

When the weather gets warmer you can make instant muesli with this same mix, just add cold milk, let it soak for a couple of minutes, and add some freshly grated apple.  I love how this elemental pairing of oats fruit and nuts can morph to suit the season.  Hot oatmeal in the winter, muesli in the summer, and granola for in-between. 

The thing about doing things yourself is that you can treat yourself to the best.  The freshest, plumpest dried fruit, for instance.  Not the rock hard chemically treated little nuggets you find in prepackaged foods.  My dried fruit is from the farmer's market.  They sell dried peaches, plums, apricots, and amazing huge, bright colored raisins called Flame raisins.  New drying techniques and new fruit varieties mean much better dried fruit is available than ever before.  This instant oatmeal is the perfect canvas for them.

This one is truly healthy, truly delicious, truly fresh, and truly instant. I think it would be a good lunch, too, just bring it to work and use the microwave.  This is just one version of many; you can mix and match your favorite nuts, fruits, and flavors.  

DIY Instant Fruit and Nut Oatmeal
approx 6 servings
oven to 350F
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup whole raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup raw pecan halves
1/2 cup dry milk powder (or soy milk powder for vegan)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 heaping cup chopped assorted dried fruit
1/4 cup pepitas (the green inner kernels of the pumpkin seed)
1/4 cup freshly ground flax seed (optional)

• Spread the oats and the nuts on an un-greased baking sheet.  Toast for about 10-15 minutes.
• Let the oats and nuts cool, then pulse a few times in a food processor to lightly chop.  
• Mix with the rest of the ingredients and stir well.  
• Store in an airtight container.
• To serve, scoop out about 3/4 cup of the mixture, and add enough boiling water (or scalded milk) to just cover the oatmeal.  Stir and let sit, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes.  
• Add a splash of milk, half and half, almond or coconut milk for an extra treat.

Notes:  Before scooping out a serving of your instant oatmeal be sure to stir up the mixture to get an even distribution of the ingredients.  I only make about a weeks worth at a time to be sure that it's fresh.  If you can find other rolled grains they would make this even more interesting.

This is so delicious---and so easy!!


One year ago today---

Kedgeree

Day #7 of All Citrus Week: Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

This recipe has been tantalizing me all week.  I adapted it from the Joy of Cooking.

So many lemon recipes suffer from the wimp factor.  They add a tablespoon of lemon juice or the zest of one lemon and then have the nerve to call themselves a lemon this or a lemon that.  It's criminal.

And it's the same thing with poppy seeds.  People seems to think that a tablespoon or two entitles them to emblazon the words poppy seeds all over their recipe title.  

I assure you that these pancakes have earned their name fair and square.  Lots of lemon flavor, lots of poppy seed crunch.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
dry:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

wet:
1 cup buttermilk
zest of two lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup poppy seeds  

• Mix the dry ingredients together.
• Whisk the wet ingredients together with the poppy seeds.
• Add the wet to the dry and mix just until combined.  Lumps are fine.
• Cook on a lightly greased griddle until lighty golden on both sides.
• Serve with maple syrup.

Oh, I know you're wondering, and yes, maple syrup does go with the lemon, in fact the flavors complement each other beautifully.

 

 

Did Citrus Week get all that citrus fever out of your system?  Not me.  Not a chance.  I think it actually inflamed my passion.  And now I've got all the recipes that didn't make it into this week's posts sitting there tempting me!

Have a great weekend!

 

 

One year ago today---

Lasagna  Arrabbiata

Day #6 of All Citrus Week: Pink Grapefruit Habanero Jam

In my lifetime I've seen grapefruit go through a huge transformation.  I remember it as an insanely sour pale yellow fruit that required hard labor with a miniature saw just to separate the tiny wedges of fruit from the tough membrane that surrounded it on all sides.  And then you had to sprinkle boatloads of sugar on top before you even thought about eating it. 

Thank goodness today's rosy sweet grapefruits have come a long way.  Grapefruit has the sweet and the tart flavor of other citrus, but it brings a slight pleasant bitterness to the party as well.  I had so many choices of fun and exotic ways to use grapefruit that I made myself crazy, and didn't decide till last night that I wanted to make this sweet/tart spicy jam.  The runner up was a spiced rum cocktail with pink grapefruit juice and a peppercorn rimmed glass.  I have to get to that one soon.

I adore hot pepper jams and jellies, but they sometimes disappoint me when they aren't hot enough.  They tend to be super sweet, and they need that fire to balance them,  When they are made correctly, and paired with a creamy goat cheese on a crisp cracker,  they can be seriously addicting.  This one is the best I've made so far.  The 2 habaneros take care of the heat, and the grapefruit adds some mystery to the flavor.  There is sweet, tart, bitter and heat.  Very nice.

This is an easy small batch jam, it doesn't require special canning equipment, but, like most jams and jellies, it does require a small kitchen scale because you'll need to weigh out equal amounts of sugar and fruit.  You should have this essential and inexpensive tool in your kitchen anyway.

Pink Grapefruit Habanero Jam
5 or 6 pink grapefruit
2 habanero peppers
sugar (about 1 1/2 lbs in this case)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp pectin 
5 or 6 small 1/2 pint jam jars

• With a sharp serrated knife, slice off the rind from the grapefruits and carefully remove the sections of fruit.  Do this over a bowl to catch the juices.  After you've removed the flesh, squeeze the pulp to get all of the juice.  Discard any seeds.  You should have about 1 quart of fruit and juice when you are done.  Mine weighed just under 2 lbs.
• Weigh out an equal amount of sugar.  I used slightly less than an exact equal amount of sugar: about 1 1/2 pounds.
• Finely mince the habanero peppers, seeds and all.  I did this in my mini food processor.  Make sure it's finely chopped, and then add it to the fruit.  Be careful, the fumes will be strong, and if you handle any part of the cut pepper you need to wash your hands well. 
• In a heavy bottomed non-reactive pot put the juice and fruit, peppers, sugar, vinegar and pectin.  Stir to combine and heat to a boil.
• Continue boiling the jam, uncovered, for about an hour.  You don't have to slave over it, just give it a stir now and then, scraping down the sides of the pot.  There is more liquid to this jam than in most fruit jams, so it will take proportionately longer to cook down.
• When the jam has reduced and thickened, the color will darken a bit and it will look translucent.  If your jam has been boiling the whole time, it should be done in an hour.  You can test it by spooning a small aount on a very cold plate.  If the jam thickens and gels, it's done. 
• Ladle the hot jam into clean jars.  Quickly put the tops on and turn the jars upside down.  Let them cool this way.  This is a small batch refrigerator jam, meaning you are going to store it in the fridge and eat it relatively soon, so it doesn't require further processing. 
• Refrigerate the cooled jam.  The jam will thicken overnight.  The unopened jam should keep for at least a couple of months in the refrigerator.  Probably much longer. 

Notes:  The habanero pepper makes this jam hot, but not unbearably so.  If you want less heat, use a red jalapeno instead.

Serve with a creamy goat cheese and crackers.  I highly recommend it.


I have several other hot pepper jams and chutneys on the blog, here are the links:
Spicy Mango Persimmon Chutney
Plum Chutney
Hot Pepper Honey
Hot Pepper Cranberry Jam
Habanero Peach Jam


One year ago today---

Lady Grey Tea Cakes

Day #5 of All Citrus Week: Tangerine Sorbet

Just one ingredient.

Fresh squeezed, bright orange, and naturally sweet.

Don't think you can wait until the warm weather to enjoy this incredible treat---by then the tangerines will be long gone.  I used big juicy honey tangerines, they have a vivid orange color and I think a more pronounced 'orange' flavor than regular oranges.

 Juice your tangerines and then freeze it solid in a zip lock bag.

Break up the frozen juice into a food processor or blender.

Process until smooth, and then pop it back in the freezer.

Let it firm up for a few hours and then enjoy!

Fresh Tangerine Sorbet
3 cups fresh squeezed tangerine juice (strain out any seeds and pulp)

• Pour the juice into a gallon zip lock bag  Seal it securely and lay it flat on a tray.  
• Put it in the freezer until frozen solid.
• Break up the frozen juice and put it in a food processor or strong blender.  Blend until smooth, stopping occasionally to break up large chunks and help the machine along.  Work quickly to minimize melting.
• Spread the sorbet into a metal loaf pan, cover with foil, and put back in the freezer to firm up to a scoop-able consistency.  This will take several hours. 

Notes:  This sorbet will be the best scooping consistency several hours after it is made.  The longer is sits in the freezer the harder it will get.  If it hardens you have several options.  You can leave it out at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, to soften before scooping.  You can scrape the hard sorbet with a fork like a granita, or you can let it soften, re-process until smooth, and serve immediately.

 
This sorbet tastes like fresh juice in frozen form.  It's wonderful as is, but you can also fiddle with it if you want.  You can add the juice of a lemon and 1/2 cup of sugar to the mix for a sweeter taste.  You can also muddle some mint into the fresh tangerine juice (be sure to strain it out before freezing) for a fresh minty background. 

Have you heard of the "One Ingredient Diet"?  If I ever go on it, I'm going to have this for dessert :)

One year ago today---

Apple Almond Crisp