Sweets for your Sweetie!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Well, I am out of town for work and not able to be with my sweetie on Valentines Day, so I made some treats for him and our kids this weekend before I left.

Sugar cookies have been a favorite in our family for years.  My dad's favorite cookie was a cream cheese sugar cookie.  They were so moist, had less sugar than traditional sugar cookies, and a mild flavor that required no frosting (although if you asked my daughter, sugar cookies should always be covered in frosting!).  I would make these cookies every Halloween, Christmas and Valentines when my kids were growing up.  I finally got around to modifying the recipe to be gluten free this past year.

When I went to the grocery this weekend, staring up at me were delicious little blueberries.  Immediately, my brain went to one of my past favorite items, blueberry bagels with cream cheese...funny how things that you haven't had in years suddenly pop into your brain and become an obsession.  I have not developed a bagel recipe yet, nor did I have time this weekend for that kind of kitchen adventure, so why not introduce blueberries to our favorite holiday cookie?

If you do not have allergies, just use all purpose flour in place of the g-free flour in the recipe.  Hope you enjoy these cookies as much as our family has over the years!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 cups g-free flour blend
3/4 cup blueberries (optional or other stir-in of your choice)
white chocolate for drizzle (optional)

In a stand mixer bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla and almond extracts at medium-high speed until well mixed and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add egg and sugar, mixing well.  Add baking powder and 2 cups of flour, mixing well.  Add additional flour while mixing (up to 1 more cup) until a soft dough is formed (it will be sticky but can be formed into a ball with floured fingers).  Stir in blueberries.

Place dough in a gallon size ziploc bag.  Press dough into a 1 inch thick round inside bag.  Press air out of bag and seal.  Place dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto parchment paper dusted with flour.  Dust top of dough with flour and roll out to 1/4 thick.  Use cookie cutters of your choice to shape cookies.  Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 9-11 minutes or until lightly brown at edges.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to cooling rack with spatula.  Cool cookies completely.

Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, stirring frequently.  Pour melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle or a ziploc bag (seal bag and cut corner off to drizzle on cookies).  Drizzle chocolate on cookies.  Place cookies in the refrigerator until chocolate firms (about 20-30 minutes).  Place cookies in airtight bag or container for storage.  Makes 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookie cutter.

Thankful for Pumpkins

What can I say, I LOVE fall...sweaters, scarves, boots...oops, this is a cooking blog- pumpkin!  In all seriousness, pumpkin is such a versatile ingredient, lending itself to both sweet and savory makings.  I will share a few delicious pumpkin recipes in the coming weeks to help you think outside of the traditional when it comes to the Thanksgiving table.  Take a step of faith and try something new...I think you will be pleased when you do!

One night last week we were having friends over for dinner.  I was serving spicy food and wanted something mild for dessert.  The solution, Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee.  I know many people who will order Creme Brulee at restaurants, but have never tried to make it themselves.  This is one of the easiest desserts around to make and guaranteed to wow your guests.

Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. rum (substitute vanilla extract if you choose)
6 egg yolks (save those whites in your refrigerator for another recipe)
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
brown sugar (to caramelize tops)

Preheat oven to 300 F.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the brown sugar until well combined.  Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl that you can pour from, making sure to skim off foam and most of the bubbles.  Set 6 ramekins in a rimmed baking sheet.  Divide custard mix between the ramekins, filling them 2/3 of the way.  Set baking sheet with ramekins in your oven.  Then add boiling water from your tea kettle to the baking sheet around the ramekins.  Bake until set around the edges but still loose in the center (slight jiggle when you move the baking sheet).  Do not over cook or you will curdle the mixture.  Carefully remove from the oven and cool the ramekins in the water bath for one hour.  Move ramekins to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator one hour before serving to bring them to room temperature.  Spread one teaspoon of brown sugar over the top of each custard.  Using a creme brulee torch, caramelize the sugar to your liking.  If you do not have a torch, preheat the broiler on your oven and caramelize the custards in the oven.  Watch them carefully so as not to burn them.  This will only take a couple of minutes.  Top with whipping cream, sprinkle with a little fresh ground nutmeg and serve.  Delicious!