Don’t save coconut macaroons for a once-a-year treat during Passover.  Coconut macaroons are a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free dessert that’s quick and portable.  These macaroons taste nothing like the bland, dry canned varieties available at the store.  A home-made version will make a convert of anyone who generally likes coconut, but doesn’t care for canned macaroons.

This recipe is a variation on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

14 oz sweetened coconut flakes

1 ½ C. granulated sugar

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. egg whites (use pourable egg whites or about 3 large eggs)

½ tps. almond extract (you can substitute vanilla but almond really makes these special)

½ C. dark chocolate chips or chunks (or more as needed, for dipping bottoms)

1. Place oven racks in upper-middle and lower-middle of oven; preheat 325 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats (reusable nonstick mats).

2. Chop coconut in food processor for 1 minute.  Add sugar and process for an additional 20 seconds. Add egg whites and extract; process for 1 additional minute, until the mixture resembles a paste, like slushy snow.  Scrape down sides of work bowl with a rubber spatula and process again, until stiff but malleable paste forms, about 5 seconds longer.  If mixture is crumbly or dry, turn machine back on and add water by drops through feeder tube until mixture forms a paste.

3. Using a 1” spring-loaded scoop or 2 tablespoons, drop mounts of paste onto prepared cookies sheets, forming 12 mounts on each sheet (24 total), spacing the mounds about 1 ½ inches papart.

4. Bake macaroons for about 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown, switching cookie sheet positions midway through baking.  Be careful not to overbake the macaroons or they will become dry when stored.  Cool macaroons completely on cookies sheets (removing them when warm will cause them to break).  Regular macaroons (without chocolate dipping) can be store in an airtight container for 5 days.

5.  When macaroons are completely cool, carefully remove them from the sheets.  Melt chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, at 30 second intervals, stirring rigorously between each interval to melt the chocolate.  It will likely require 1 minute in the microwave total.  Once melted chocolate is shiny and smooth, carefully hold each macaroon by its top and dip the bottom into the chocolate.  Twist to cover the entire bottom of the macaroon and to get a bit of the chocolate up the sides.  Place dipped macaroon on waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden.  Chocolate-dipped macaroons can be store in an air-tight container for up to 2 days (after that the chocolate will look dry).

I love granola – as a cereal, as a snack, as a bar….  Which gave me the idea to play around and come up with a recipe for bite-size granola balls that I could set out as an “appetizer” for brunch.  These granola bites are packed with flavor and natural goodness.  They are sturdy enough to be eaten without a spoon, but remain moist and chewy.  The granola bites are best made a few days in advance so the oats have time to soften and the flavors have a chance to merry.  Leftovers (if there are any) make a great breakfast on-the-go or a pre-workout snack.

Granola Bites

1 ½ cup rolled oats
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
¼ cup dried blueberries or currants
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, chopped
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup sliced almonds, chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup natural peanut butter (smooth)
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine ground oats, chopped apricots, blueberries, sunflower seeds, coconut, almonds and cinnamon in a large bowl until well mixed.

2. Add peanut butter, agave nectar and vanilla to oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is slightly moist and sticky.

3. Using a 1” spring-loaded scoop or a melon baller, scoop out a small amount of mixture and form into round balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to give oats time to absorb moisture and soften.

* These can be made gluten-free by making them with certified GF oats.

They key to any super bowl dessert is to make it bite-size so it can be eaten without looking away from the game.  These krispy treats fit the bill.  Whip up a batch of these quick-cooking treats for your super bowl party tonight.  Serve them for dessert or wrap them individually in cello bags and give them as party favors.  These football treats are also great for a kids’ sports theme party.
 

Football Cocoa Krispy Treats

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

10 oz marshmallows

5-6 C. cocoa krispies

1 C. crushed cocoa krispies, reserved

Nonstick cooking spray

vanilla frosting in a piping bag or a tube* fitted with a pinpoint piping tip
 

1.  Melt butter is a large sauce pan over low heat.  Once butter is melted add in marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add 5-6 cups of cocoa krispy treats to marshmallow mixture (until desired consistency), stirring to mix.

3.  Crush reserved cocoa krispies in the bowl of a mini food processor to form fine crumbs or crush by hand in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin.  Place crumbs on a plate.

4.  Coat hands with a few sprays of nonstick cookie spray and rub hands together to coat them with spray.  Grab about 3/4 C. of cocoa krispy mixture and form into the shape of a football.  Place bottom of the football on the counter and press down to create a flat side.  Reshape if necessary.  Roll football in crushed cocoa krispies to coat (you are creating a smoother surface to pipe the frosting lacing).  Repeat until you have used up all of the cocoa krispy mixture.  One recipe should make 10-12 footballs, depending on how large you make the footballs.

5.  Place footballs on a cookie sheet coated with waxed paper.  Using a fine piping tip, pipe a straight line lengthwise in the middle of the football.  Pipe arches along each tip of the football.  Let the frosting dry so the laces are easier to pipe.  Once the first frosting lines are dry, pipe short perpendicular lines across the middle line to create “laces” on the football.  If the edge of each lace is not completely even use the tip of a sharp knife to even them out (wipe the tip of the knife after each cut to remove extra frosting and prevent smudging).  Let frosting dry and serve.  You can make these up to 1 day in advance.
 

*Wilton makes vanilla frosting in a tube that is available at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.  Couplings and assorted tips are usually available in the same aisle, or pick them up at a cake decorating store, Joanna Fabrics or Michaels.

These Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies are an annual favorite.  I came across this recipe on Heidi Swanson’s blog, 101cookbooks.com, several years ago and I have been making them for Christmas ever since.  They are a variation on the famous Neiman Marcus cookie recipe.  Heidi has changed her recipe but I am still using the original.  If you give her updated version a try let me know how they compare.  
 

These cookies are always gone by the end of a party – literally not one left after I serve them.  They taste like chocolate chip cookies with a minty finish.  They have been dubbed the “fresh breath” cookies by a few of my friends, which is an added bonus for when you are caught under the mistletoe. 
 

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 C. light brown sugar

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 C. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12-14oz peppermint bark, chopped

1.       Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cream softened butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

2.       In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating at a low speed for about 15 seconds.  Stir in the chopped peppermint bark.

3.       Using a 1/2 ounce scoop or a 1 Tbs. measuring spoon coated with nonstick spray, drop cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart (more if your cookies are larger).  Bake for about 8 minutes, until very slightly browned around the edges.  Bake for a few additional minutes if you prefer a crisper cookie (about 10 minutes).  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
 

Makes about 4 dozen mini cookies

• Heidi’s updated version of the recipe appears at: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000015.html
• As Heidi notes, don’t substitute crushed candy canes for the peppermint bark.  The peppermint chunks need a little chocolate to float on, otherwise they leave little pock marks in the cookies.
• I make these into mini cookies so they are bit size, but they are equally great in a larger version.  Adjust the cooking time if you are making them larger; 20-25 minutes, depending on whether you like them chewy or crisp.  
• Peppermint bark can be pricey if you get it from Williams-Sonoma or a similar high-end store.  I have found it for less at Trader Joe’s, Century 21 and certain Duane Reade stores (i.e. Lincoln Center DR carries it downstairs by the Christmas goods).  Of course, you could always make your own, which will always be less expensive than buying it pre-made.

I have several cookie recipes in my holiday-recipe arsenal that never disappoint and Martha Stewart’s Molasses-Spice Cookies are near the top of the list.  They are moist and chewy and have tons of flavor.  I like to make them into mini cookies (makes 64 mini cookies) using a small spring loaded scoop. 

Click here for the recipe:  http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chewy-molasses-spice-cookies?autonomy_kw=molasses%20spice%20cookies&rsc=header_17

These cookies are a great make-ahead dessert.  They will keep for 2-4 days in a air-tight container (I add in a piece of bread to keep them chewy), and they freeze beautifully.  To freeze them, prepared the dough and roll the balls in sugar.  Line the balls in rows on a cookie sheet.  Cover well with plastic wrap and freeze.  Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to a freezer bag and label with the oven temperature and cooking time (I cook the mini cookies at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, if frozen).

 For a wintery twist on the cookie sandwich, use two cooled cookies to sandwich a scoop of pumpkin, ginger or vanilla ice cream.  Freeze the sandwiches until ready to serve (individually wrap them in plastic if you will be leaving them in the freezer for more than a few hours.

These little cookies would also make a great party favor or homemade gift.  Wrap several of them in a cello bag or glass jar and tie with a ribbon or string. 

*Picture above is of raw cookies before I put them in the freezer

When we were in Hawaii, we visited the Kailua Candy Company in Kona and bought a box of the most delicious Kona Coffee Swirls (a blend of finely ground Kona Coffee with white and dark chocolate).  They literally melted on our tongues before we had a chance to chew and elicited a long, audible moan.  After rationing these little morsels for the past few months we finally depleted our supply.  In an attempt to quell my craving for the swirls, I picked up a bar of Green & Black’s Organic Espresso Dark Chocolate.  The chocolate was nothing like the swirls so I decided to find another use for it.  I chopped it up into chunks, added more chocolate and substituted it for regular chocolate chips in my variation on the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie recipe.  While they don’t compare to the legend of the swirls, they are super tasty in their own right. 

These are great served with espresso or cappuccino after dinner, or served with little shots of milk and coffee for an afternoon book club meeting.  They are also really portable so they would be perfect for a BBQ or picnic.

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

½ C. (1 stick) butter, softened

1 C. light brown sugar

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ C. all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

3.5oz bar Green & Black’s organic espresso dark chocolate, chopped
3.5oz bar 60% dark chocolate, chopped

1.       Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cream softened butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

2.       In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating at a low speed for about 15 seconds.  Stir in the chopped chocolates.

3.       Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 Tbs. measure, drop cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.  Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle.  For a chewier cookie, bake for about 20 minutes or until very slightly browned around the edges.  Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie (about 25 minutes).  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

• To keep your cookies moist and chewy put a piece of bread in with the cookies.  It sounds odd, but it works.
  
  If you are interested in the Kona Coffee Swirls, you can purchase them online ($26 for an 8oz box) at: http://nisbet.net/mivastore/merchant.mvc?Screen=PLST&Store_Code=kcc 

  Check out other great recipes at:
  http://expatriateskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/recipe-carnival-for-june-9.html

  Check out the Coffee and Tea Festival Carnival, where this recipe is featured:
  http://blog.cafeevoke.com/2009/02/coffee-and-tea-festival_20.html 

Milk and cookies are an all-time favorite.  For an adult version of this classic combination, serve dried cherry and chocolate chip cookies with milk martinis.  Martini glasses are the perfect vessel for dunking and your guests will be nostalgic without feeling childish.

Dried Cherry & Chocolate Chip Cookies 

½ C. unsalted butter, softened

1 C. light brown sugar

1/8 C. granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ C. unbleached flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 C. quick cooking oats

¾ C. 60% dark or semisweet chocolate chips

1 C. dried cherries, chopped

1.         Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl or in the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through oats) and sift together.
 
2.         With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture.  Once fully incorporated, add the remaining dry ingredients and continue mixing just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.  Don’t over mix the batter.  Stir in the chocolate and cherries.

3.         Using a spring loaded scoop, drop uniform sized balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with a non-stick silicone mat (such as Silpat).  Gently flatted the top of the balls with the back of a spoon to flatten slightly.  Bake 20 minutes for regular size cookies (12-15 minutes for mini cookies) or until just slightly golden brown.  If you like chewier cookies, remove a few minutes earlier.  Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.