Mondays with Maida - Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Page 143 in the old book / page 177 in the new book

Another plain, but very good cookie. The twist here is that raw sugar is used, which contributes to the crunchy, crumbly texture of the cookies.

I used a natural style peanut butter again for these cookies. I made these once before and remember them having a firmer (not so crumbly) texture. Either I'm remembering wrong, or possibly the peanut butter I used made the difference. It was the same variety, it's just that it had been hanging around longer. If you've ever bought this type of peanut butter, you know that the oil separates out with time. You're supposed to stir it back in, but I always blot it with a paper towel or pour it off. I wind up with some very solid peanut butter (not exactly spreadable!), but I rationalize that it's healthier since it's lower in fat. Next time I'd be tempted to cut back on the butter a little to see what happens, that is unless I've got some old peanut butter hanging around!

Update - I just remembered the other difference. I was out of unsalted butter and used salted butter. Hmmm...

These cookies are a little difficult to slice - they tend to crumble on the bottom edge - but they can easily be mended with your fingers. In spite of these slicing woes, they always seem to bake up to near-perfect circles.

The panel was lukewarm on these cookies, but they did have their fans.

Suzanne: "Whole wheat must mean that the cookie is healthy and therefore we can have as many as we want. I also like anything with peanut butter in them and I like the crunchy texture. Even though the cookie was healthy, had peanut butter and was crunchy, it wasn’t anything special so I gave it a rating of 3. Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "My Aunt Josephine made the best PB cookies ever, so I'm not objective. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Tasty and crunchy and peanutty. A tad crumbly, but still delish. Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "Very tasty, especially if you like peanut butter. These remind me of a shortbread cookie with the peanut butter flavor. Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.1

Next week - Icebox Nut Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Rainy Days in Vermont

I spent a few days in June with Bob and Chuck in Vermont. The rain seemed unending, with the sun making only two very brief appearances toward the end of our stay. Bob and Chuck refused to let the soggy weather slow them down, and carried on with their gardening decked out in yellow rain gear. I was not nearly so determined and opted instead to curl up inside with a book. When the rains finally slowed to a trickle I did eventually offer a little assistance outside.

One nice thing about those gloomy skies - they provided perfect lighting for some close-ups of Bob and Chuck's beautiful garden.


Iris


Lupine


Lupine (and Thyme?)


Bleeding Heart


Poppy


Can't remember the name of this one - but Chuck was very proud of it


This little baby woodpecker lost his momma. He was very patient with my picture-taking for quite a while and then let out a frantic little cry. I hope she heard him!

Mondays with Maida - Peanut Butter Pillows

Page 142 in the old book / page 176 in the new book

These Peanut Butter Pillows were a hit at my office. Too bad it was such a small batch! The name may sound delicate, but these saucer-sized cookies are anything but. As Terri said, they resemble little pies with their crimped edges and peanut butter filling.

They were not at all difficult to make. The cookies are sliced from a roll like most other icebox cookies, but then a bit of peanut butter is placed between two slices. After sitting at room temperature for a couple minutes, the dough softens and sort of drapes over the peanut butter. You then seal the edge and crimp it with a fork.

I used a natural style peanut butter (just ground peanuts, nothing else) both in the cookie and the filling and was quite pleased with the result. Though it may be that this choice affected the texture of the cookie somewhat. The recipe says that the cookies are crisp, but mine were crisp only on the edges. The cookies were rich and peanutty, and very good.

Unfortunately both Suzanne and Denny were out this week. Herman filled in, but we're down one taster...

Herman: "Your peanut butter cookies are excellent … 4 out of 5!!! They remind me of real peanut butter and have a nice texture. Congratulations!. Rating- 4.0"

Laura: "Crunchy and peanutty delicious! Other peanut butter cookies only dream of being this good! Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "These are outstanding! These are delicious for us peanut butter lovers. This cookie looks like a 'mini-pie' with the peanut butter in the center. Moist and very tasty. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.5

Next week - Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Nutrition Facts

A Day of Picking and Pitting

A morning at Homestead Farm yielded just under 16 pounds of sour cherries


Aftermath


Reward

Update: Sorry, I got the recipe on-line, so I should have included the link earlier. Anyway, you'll find it here - it's very good!

Mondays with Maida - Oatmeal Icebox Cookies

Page 140 in the old book / page 175 in the new book

I would classify these cookies as old-fashioned cookie jar cookies. They are sweet and crunchy with a generous helping of walnuts. Though they have an open, crunchy texture, they are quite sturdy and I expect they would ship well. With a little ginger and vanilla, they have a distinctive, but mild flavor.

Because of its crunchy, dry texture, I had a hunch that crumbling one over some vanilla ice might be nice. Having no ice cream on hand, I reserved a couple of cookies for that purpose and packed up the rest for the office. The next evening I picked up some vanilla ice cream and treated myself to a little ice cream a la cookie. It was delicious. Hmmm, bet they'd be good on top of some cooked fruit too - sort of like a crumble, buckle, or cobbler. Anyone up for a cookie crumble?

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: The cookie was crunchy but boring. There was nothing attractive about the cookie or appealing to the taste. A granola bar would have been more interesting to eat. Sorry, but this one is only getting a rating of 2. Rating- 2.0"

Denny: "A good cookie. Not spectacular, but good. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy and yummy! Rating - 4.5"

Herman: "I like oatmeal and crunchy … as a result, my rating on these cookies is 4.5 out of 5. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.5

Next week - Peanut-Butter Pillows

Nutrition Facts

IMBB 27 + SHF 20 = The Joy of Soy!

Can it be? Are we really up to IMBB 27? And SHF - didn't that start a couple of months ago? SHF 20??? I knew I had skipped a few of these events, but am horrified to find I've missed ten of each. This month Reid - the nicest guy in Hawaii - is hosting both events concurrently. There is no way I'm missing this one!

And if the fact that Reid is hosting this double-header weren't reason enough to participate, the theme this month is soy. Though I know little about soy and seldom cook with it, I've always been fascinated by its infinite incarnations - soy milk, soy flour, tofu, tempeh, TVP, "soysage", soy cheese, soy bacon, etc. Soy can do it all.

I didn't go too far from my comfort zone for this occasion (tempeh wouldn't really fit in with the SHF theme, now would it?). It's that time of year when I'm (happily) inundated with blueberries, so I took my favorite blueberry muffin recipe and swapped in some soy flour and changed up my new favorite smoothie recipe by using soy yogurt. Both are delicious and together make for a nutritious breakfast with lots of protein, fiber, and nature's sweetest little brain food morsels - blueberries!



Blueberry Muffins
adapted from "Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts"

1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup soy flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup skim milk
finely grated rind from one orange

Preheat oven to 375 F and grease muffin pan or line with paper cups.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the blueberries. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly then mix in the oil, orange rind, and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just mixed. Spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle tops of muffins with a generous amount of sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 10 muffins.

Note: Reid reminded me that one of the benefits of soy is that those that are lactose intolerant (which I think is, believe it or not, most of the adults on this planet) can use it to replace milk products. I have substituted orange juice for the milk in this recipe before and I'm sure substituting soy milk would work equally well.

A few tips about substituting soy flour: baked goods made with soy flour will brown more quickly than those without, so you may need to lower the oven temperature and/or reduce the cooking time. Because it has no gluten, you cannot replace all the flour in a recipe with soy flour and expect similar results. You can swap in soy flour for a quarter to one third of the flour. Soy flour can also be used as an egg replacer (one tablespoon soy flour + one tablespoon water = 1 egg). Interestingly, baked goods made with soy flour keep better.




Banana Blueberry Smoothie made with Soy Yogurt

I happened upon this recipe while watching an episode of Everyday Food a few weeks ago. It looked so good and sounded so easy, AND I had everything I needed to make it. The next morning I tried it and was hooked. I've since made it with strawberries (I put some fresh ones in the freezer the night before) and now with soy yogurt. It is so good - rich and creamy and surprisingly sweet, given that it has no added sugar. If you've got some flavorful blueberries, you can throw in your ugliest old banana and it will still be amazing. I've also made this without freezing the berries, and while it's not quite as thick and certainly not as frosty, it's still mighty good.


Looking back over this post, I see now it looks more like the Joy of Blueberries than the Joy of Soy, but I really did enjoy my soy - honest! Thanks to Reid for hosting this round of IMBB and SHF. Watch for his round-up later in the week over on 'Ono Kine Grindz. I'm sure it's going to be fantastic!

Technorati tags: IMBB27 SHF20

Mondays with Maida - Pecan Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

Page 139 in the old book / page 174 in the new book

This week brings another very easy to make butterscotch cookie, but this cookie gets its butterscotch flavor from butter and brown sugar alone. The flavor in these is more subtle and though crunchy, it's not the candy-like crunch of last week's cookie. The milder flavor and less brittle crunch allow the pecans to play a bigger role in the taste and texture of these cookies.

I liked these a lot and appreciated the fact that they were made without butterscotch morsels! They aren't a razzle dazzle cookie - just plain, good and true.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: Delicious! The cookie was thin, crunchy and buttery. I loved the butterscotch and pecan combination. I could eat the whole box. Rating- 5.0"

Denny: "Just a little bit better than the last ones, but I'd still give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy, nutty, and delicious. Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These cookies have more of a buttery taste than a butterscotch taste. I almost wouldn't notice a butterscotch flavor. The crunchiness of the pecans and thinness (about 1/4" thick) make this a delicious treat. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Oatmeal Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Butterscotch Thins

Page 138 in the old book / page 173 in the new book

These cookies were exceedingly thin and very crunchy. They were fairly average cookies, but even so, they were hard to stop eating. It's sort of like potato chips - there's so little to each one, that it's easy to rationalize that there's no harm in eating just one more.

I found the dough easy to slice, in spite of the fact that these must be cut about one eighth of an inch thick. Don't be tempted to crowd these cookies. Despite the tiny bit of dough in each cookie, they actually do spread a surprising amount.

I was put off by the fact that the butterscotch flavoring in these cookies comes from melted butterscotch morsels, but pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed them. The nuts give these cookies a little visual interest, but are hardly noticeable in such a crunchy cookie. They aren't nearly as fragile as you might think, though they may not be suitable for mailing.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: The cookie was pleasant but not great. The cookie was breakable crunchy and had a definite butterscotch, pecan taste. Since the cookie was thin, I looked for the fattest cookie. I told myself that this was so I could give a fair evaluation to the taste and texture of the cookie. The bad thing is I felt I could have several to make up for the thickness of one cookie. With thoughts like this, how am I ever going to loose those 5 extra pounds? Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "Average - 3.0. Butterscotch overpowered pecans, making them pointless. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy goodness! The flavor was light and wonderful! Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These are light and delicious. These wafer-thin cookies have a distinctive butterscotch taste and the pecans add just the right amount of crunchiness. These would be delicious with chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.4

Next week - Pecan Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Page 136 in the old book / page 172 in the new book

A little tamer than last week's cookie, this one is quite attractive and has a wonderful sandy texture. Even though they're called "Fruitcake" Icebox Cookies, the candied fruits are limited to cherries and pineapple, and might even be enjoyed by the fruitcake-adverse.

These buttery cookies are very easy to make, with a limited number of ingredients. I used pecans, but Maida suggests green pistachios as a lovely alternative. The candied fruits play a prominent role, so taste is important. I was glad I had splurged for some candied cherries from France. When I opened the bag, they actually smelled like cherries! Not so for the candied pineapple from the grocery store, I'm afraid. It was merely a vehicle for delivering a not-so-healthy dose of corn syrup. I'd be tempted to use dried pineapple another time. I'm sure it would taste better, my only question is whether it would make the cookies difficult to slice.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: Shame on me! When Cathy showed me the cookies, I actually turned up my nose at them. When someone as nice as Cathy bakes cookies for us each week, I shouldn’t have a disappointed look on my face. I guess the cookie evaluator job has gone to my head. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and loved the cookie. I usually don’t like anything with candied fruit in them, but I liked this cookie. Even though it was a butter cookie, it had a subtle butter taste. The cookie had a nice crunch to it and the candied fruit added a delicate sweetness to the flavor. Rating- 4.7"

Denny: "Beautiful-looking, which raised my expectations along with the candied fruits and pecans. The taste was good, but my high expectations were disappointed. Deducting 1 point for no chocolate, I'd give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Buttery and sweet (from the yummy fruits). Very tasty! Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "These are delicious with a real buttery flavor to compliment the fruit (cherries and pineapple). I'm not a fan of fruitcake, but the buttery flavor and pecans seem to make the fruits not quite as rich. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Weaving: the towels are done!

They came out much softer then I remember them being - not much body at all. Not sure if it's the yarn or something I did. Anyway, they're done!

Mondays with Maida - Neapolitans

Page 134 in the old book / page 170 in the new book

"Busy" is the word that comes to mind for these cookies. "Busy" as in cluttered and "busy" as in you're going to be busy for a while making these cookies ;) Unlike some other two-tone cookies, the two doughs for these cookies do not share a common base dough.

Not only are the two doughs made of entirely different recipes, they have different consistencies. This difference is slight after they are baked, but I noticed it and liked the contrast. The different consistencies of the raw doughs created a little problem in assembling the cookies. The light dough is softer than the dark dough, so it squished around a bit when I pressed the top layer of dark dough into the loaf pan that served as a mold. I considered chilling the partially filled loaf pan before adding that final layer of dark dough, but didn't. If you'd prefer cleaner lines in your cookies, sticking the pan in the freezer for a half hour or so might help.

So what is in these cookies? You name it - chocolate, pistachios, brown sugar and spices, currants, lemon, and candied cherries. They have a nice texture, but for all the additions and flavorings, the taste is only average. I kind of wonder if one or the other of these doughs might be more memorable on its own.

The cookie panel was divided on these...

Suzanne: I feel terrible that Cathy put so much work into this cookie and I have to say that this was not my favorite cookie. I could barely taste the brown sugar and chocolate chips. I did enjoy the spices and pistachio and the cookie was crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle. I don’t care for candied fruit in cookies or cakes. Rating - 3.0"

Denny: "Very good. Look fancy and hard to make. Definitely a 4.5. Rating - 4.5"

Herman: "I rate these cookies as 2.5 out of 5 only because I’m not a big fan of pistachios, cherries, and currants in cookies. Rating - 2.5"

Terri: "These cookies are not only delicious, but a work of art! The mixture of the two doughs and spices makes this a wonderful combination. This would be one of my "top 10" picks! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

First Local Strawberries

Bigger is not always better. I suppose those gigantic Driscoll strawberries are beautiful in their way, and might even be welcomed off-season if one were in urgent need of strawberries, but these little jewels can't be beat when it comes to flavor.

They were on offer at the first stand I came to today at the market and the aroma hit me even before the sight of them glistening in the sunlight did. As is my practice, I made quick rounds of the place to see who had what and what looked good before making any decisions, but no other berries looked or, more importantly, smelled nearly as tempting as these.

Long weekend. Gorgeous weather. Amazing strawberries. I am one happy camper!

Mondays with Maida - Cobblestones

Page 132 in the old book / page 168 in the new book

These are not cookies that stand up and say, "look at me!", yet they are everything I look for in a cookie - delicious, easy-to-make, chewy and satisfying. Though not unusual in any way, they are arguably my favorite cookie in the book.

Cobblestones are the kind of cookie I'd fill my cookie jar with - if I kept one filled (and but for those nasty worries of calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, I would!) They hold up well over several days and are enjoyed by just about everyone.

These brown sugar and spice cookies are loaded with raisins and walnuts and enriched with butter and sour cream. They are not what you generally think of as an icebox cookie. The dough is pressed into a jelly-roll pan, chilled, and then cut into bars. This technique results in wonderfully thick cookies with a rectangular, "cobblestone" shape.

The cookie panel liked these very much, though perhaps they were not so enamored of them as I...

Suzanne: Even though the cookie had raisins, I actually liked this cookie. It had an interesting rectangle shape. The cookie was soft and therefore the texture fit in with the soft raisins. I loved the spices and found the cookie filling. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very good. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Chewy, nutty-crunchy, and delicious! Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "A delicious mix of nuts and spices make this shapely cookie a real treat. The raisins could be fewer, but this combination is great. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Neapolitans

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Maxines

Page 130 in the old book / page 167 in the new book

These cookies, a brown sugar cookie surrounding a chocolate almond center, are stunning to look at, but in my opinion don't live up to their looks. I was disappointed by the chocolate center. I have never been one to complain that a cookie (or chocolate, for that matter) isn't sweet enough, but I was surprised to find myself thinking that about these cookies. The middles are made only of semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, almond, and almond and vanilla extracts. Sounds sweet, doesn't it? I suppose my choice of chocolate might have made a difference - the Ghirardelli "Double Chocolate" chips I used claim to be bittersweet chocolate, so they may be a little less sweet then semisweet chocolate chips called for.

Even though I wasn't bowled over by their taste, I really was impressed with their looks and how easy they were to make. The cookie dough is a crumbly mixture when you pull it out of the mixer, but pulls together without much trouble and rolling it out between sheets of wax paper isn't hard at all. Unlike most icebox cookies, these required very little chilling time. The middle sets up in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Because the cookies are sliced so thick (1/2 inch), they really don't need much more than half an hour in the freezer after the cookie dough is wrapped around the middle.

These were so well-received and are so nice looking that I'll probably be tempted to make them again, perhaps as part of a selection of cookies. Poor Suzanne had sort of a cookie identity crisis...

Suzanne: To my surprise, I did not care for this cookie. How could it be? The cookie was so attractive with its square shape and the center filled with chocolate and nuts. I love chocolate and nuts. It’s my favorite type of cookie. I might have to rethink my place in this universe. Am I really a chocoholic? What’s happening to my taste buds? Are they changing and if so, what are they changing into? Well maybe it’s just that I’m getting older and my teeth are getting soft, but I found the cookie hard to bite into. Even the chocolate and nut center was difficult to bite. I would have preferred a soft, creamy, yet nutty center. I guess time will tell whether I’m still a chocoholic or not. Rating - 2.5"

Denny: "Excellent. Looked terrific! Crunchy on the outside and chewy with nuts in the middle. A little bit of coconut would make them a 5.0. Rating - 4.9"

Laura: "One word: De-lish! With cookies like this, you could quit your job and go into cookie making full time! (a la CakeLove!) Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "These are outstanding! A wonderful combination of chocolate, crunchiness, and a delicious flavor from the almonds. And I'm not a great chocolate lover. The cookie dough crust surrounding the chocolate and almonds make this a really attractive cookie. This hit the spot with my morning coffee! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.4

Next week - Cobblestones

Nutrition Facts

Meeting Zarah

Where shall I begin? For me, this was possibly the most anticipated meeting ever... Zarah had first mentioned that she and Martin planned a road trip across the USA last July. I held my breath and kept my fingers crossed that it would actually happen. Finally in February Zarah told me that the trip was on and that they would be arriving in the states on March 21st. Yahoo! Martin and Zarah arrived in the US with laptops in tow, so we exchanged emails occasionally as they worked their way up the east coast and I pestered her with Gmail chat whenever I saw that little green light... "Hi Zarah, are you there??"

The big day was April 21st. I didn't know when they would arrive. My anticipation mounted when I received a phone call from them mid-day - they were stuck in traffic, but expected to arrive in another hour or so. As the appointed time neared, I kept vigil by the window and when I saw an SUV slow near my house I ran out with arms waving. Zarah jumped out of the car and we hugged. Even now I cannot believe we finally were able to meet face to face, to eat together, cook together, and just spend time together.



The days flew by and we weren't able to fit in all I'd hoped we could. We did fit in a day trip to Winterthur and between the glorious weather and the gorgeous spring landscape, it was an absolutely perfect day. There was also a day for sightseeing in DC, and of course some time for hitting several cooking stores.



The most interesting of these was probably the Little Bitts Shop in Wheaton (sorry, no website!). They have everything you might need (and plenty of items I'm sure you never dreamed you needed!) for cake making and decorating. We both made a number of small purchases, but what I was most excited about were the beautiful papers for muffins or cupcakes. We also made stops at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table.



Sunday I was treated to dinner prepared by Zarah and Martin - a spontaneous risotto made with asparagus and bacon purchased at the farmer's market that morning and sugar snap peas that I had purchased earlier. I was so impressed! When I make risotto, I follow a recipe slavishly. Z & M's risotto was out of this world and they never even cracked a book! Wednesday Phil and S. came over for a real, live "Dining with the Bloggers (and Phil)". Unfortunately, I overcooked the roast, but the gnocchi Zarah and I made were delicious.

Friday we all took the train to New York City for a weekend with Bob and Chuck, a fantastic dinner at Blue Hill, and a Sunday food-blogger meet-up with Julie, Luisa and Jen. It was so great to be able to meet the talented women behind the blogs. Our meeting was sadly cut short when Zarah realized her purse had been stolen (be sure to read Jen's eloquent letter to the jerk responsible). After a trip to Luisa's office so Zarah could call her bank, Zarah and I paid a visit to New York's finest so she could file a police report. We had been warned by the others not to expect a warm reception, but the lady who took the report was actually very nice. She was funny too... when she saw Zarah's bag on the floor she advised her not to leave it there saying, "this isn't Law and Order - everything's not sparkly clean", and handed Zarah some toilet paper to wipe off the bottom of her bag!

We parted Monday afternoon when Zarah and Martin headed over to Julie's for a few days. But that wasn't good-bye quite yet. We had a brief reunion in Maryland later in the week before they packed up the car and headed west. Saying good-bye was hard, but I hope someday I'll be able to visit with them again. I continue to marvel at the wonderful people food blogging has brought into my life. This opportunity to meet and get to know Zarah and Martin will be something I'll look back on fondly forever.

Mondays with Maida - Wienerstube Cookies

Page 128 in the old book / page 166 in the new book

Zarah and Martin left Friday morning and are now somewhere between here and San Francisco. We had a really wonderful visit capped by a meet-up with several illustrious food bloggers in NYC: Julie, Jen and Luisa. More about all that later - I promise - but first I have a very belated Mondays with Maida post to see to...

These rather plain looking cookies are quite good. They are made with cocoa, lots of butter, and a number of spices: cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. With all that spice, I expected them to be spicy hot, but instead found they had a pleasant warmth which complemented the chocolate nicely.

I sliced them slightly too thick - reducing the number of cookies in the batch, but also affecting their texture. I think they should have been crunchy through and through, but instead they were crunchy on the edges only. Even so, I had no complaints about the texture, nor did anyone else.

As Terri suggests, these would be very good with ice cream... in fact I was thinking they would make nice little ice cream sandwiches (maybe strawberry?) Herman is filling in for Suzanne this week in his cookie review debut...

Herman: "...rich, chocolaty... 4/5 only because I like nuts!! Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very nice. Chocolaty and not too much spice. I heard the spice before I tasted them and I thought they might be strange, but they are very good. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Moist and chocolaty, with just a hint of spice. Very nice! Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These chocolate "spice" cookies are delicious and light. Not too chocolaty and not too spicy! These would be delicious with vanilla ice cream. (That's OK Cathy, we don't expect that too!) Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Maxines

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Black-and-White Coconut Slices

Page 126 in the old book / page 164 in the new book

Zarah is here! Zarah is here! Actually, I should say, Zarah and Martin are here! And I'm enjoying their company way too much to sit here writing about cookies, so this will be short but sweet...

These attractive little cookies are much easier to make than they may at first appear. The square shape is relatively easy to form and very easy to slice. The moist and chewy pecan/coconut center is almost candy-like and a little reminiscent of the icing you find on German chocolate cake. It is surrounded by a sandy chocolate cookie. The entire package was a little like a filled chocolate, but with a cookie shell.

I thought they were very good, as did most of the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "The cookie was square shaped with chocolate on the outside and a coconut pecan center. The black and white cookie was aesthetically pleasing. The taste reminded me of an “Almond Joy” candy bar, even though the nut was a pecan and not an almond. The cookie had just the right amount of crunch to it and of course the coconut pecan center was scrumptious. Rating - 5.0"

Denny: "I rated these a 3.0. Couldn't really taste the cream cheese or pecans, but the coconut came through. I love cream cheese and pecans so I would've liked them better with a little more of each. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Almost too yummy for words - chocolate is wonderfully delicate in flavor and coconut/cream cheese centers are moist and chewy. Delicious - 4.75... nah, make that 5! Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "A delicious mix of chocolate (more like cocoa) with a chewy coconut center. These are a very decorative cookie with the coconut center bordered by the chocolate. Delicious. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.3

Next week - Wienerstube Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

Page 125 in the old book / page 163 in the new book

Rather uncharacteristically, Maida provides no background on this cookie or its origin at the start of the recipe, but I believe these New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies are so named because of the pine nuts in them. None of the other ingredients, or the cookies themselves for that matter, brings to mind New Mexico or the southwest. I might have felt otherwise if I had actually used pine nuts, but at the last minute I realized I was out and had to fall back on one of Maida's suggested substitutions - pecans.

I should mention that there is some nutmeg in these cookies, which gives them a slightly more exotic flavor than your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookies. The other thing that is a little different is that the chocolate is ground (or finely chopped) before being added to the dough. I liked the taste, but it was the texture of the cookie that I found most satisfying - crunchy outside and chewy inside.

The dough for these cookies is frozen in a loaf pan. The "loaf" is cut in two lengthwise and then the cookies are sliced and baked. I ended up with 60 cookies - slightly less than yield stated in the recipe (66) - due in part to the size of my loaf pan. I was aiming for slicing the cookies 1/4" thick, but worried that I was slicing them too thickly and wound up with some too-thin cookies (which had no chewy middle). Next time I would shoot for 3/8" slices.

Terri, who has graciously pinch-hit in for absent cookie panelists on many occasions, joins the cookie panel full-time starting this week...

Suzanne: "I expected the cookie to taste like a chocolate chip cookie except the cookie is square, but it had a slightly different taste. The cookie has a small amount of nutmeg which I could definitely taste. I’m not a big fan of nutmeg even though I know from all the cooking shows on TV that everyone loves nutmeg. I did like the texture of the cookie. The cookie was crunchy on the edges and softer in the middle. I also enjoyed the chocolate chips and nuts. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Crunchy and chocolatey are my two favorites in a cookie but something in them detracts a bit from the overall cookie. Ginger or some other spice? I'd give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy chocolatey goodness. Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "Since I don't consider myself a 'chocolate lover' these cookies had just the right amount of chocolate. These are very similar to a chocolate chip cookie except the slivers of chocolate make them less chunky. The pecans add a flavorful touch - crunchy and chewy. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Black-and-White Coconut Slices

Nutrition Facts

My Favorite Bar Cookies

Aspen Date-Nut Fingers aren't on my short list, but from now on, powdered-sugar-dusted cookies will always make me think of Suzanne!

I'm nearing the halfway point in this little venture and already I'm starting to think about what I will do when I've finished this book. It's not so much that I'll have difficulty finding something different to do on the weekends, it's that I think everyone (myself included) has gotten used to that little cookie fix at the beginning of the week. 70 cookies down and 78 to go - guess I've got lots of time to figure it out!

The bar cookie flops were not quite on the same order as the drop cookie flops. There were certainly a handful of disappointing bar cookies, but in my mind there was only one flop and it was a huge success in comparison to those awful Poppy-seed Wafers from the drop cookie chapter.

I found it a little harder to come up with a short list of my favorites this time around and near impossible to pick just one as my very favorite. I can't decide if it's a tie or if one just barely nudged out the other. But before I worry about that, here are the three runners-up in no particular order...


Chocolate Mint Sticks - who knew that an unsweetened chocolate glaze would work so well atop that minty icing and fudgy brownie?


Cinnamon Almond Cookies - I have always had a soft spot for these buttery cookies loaded with cinnamon and topped with a sweet lemon glaze. Another surprising combination from Maida that works really well.


Polish Wedding Cakes - I love the contrast between the sweet cookie and the tangy apricot filling. Walnuts, oatmeal, and coconut are three more reasons to love these crunchy, gooey wonders.

Which brings me to my two favorites - one old, one new. The new favorite has the advantage of having been made fairly recently, but then again the old favorite has been prepared time and again. I think I might have to declare the new favorite the winner by a nose, but on a day when I am in need of chocolate, the new guy couldn't possibly beat out the tried and true...


Viennese Chocolate-Walnut Bars - A crunchy shortbread base, with a little raspberry jam, a chocolate-walnut middle, and gobs of chocolate and walnuts on top... mmmmm! Such a delicious (and attractive) combination of flavors and textures. You really can't lose with this one.


Texas Cowboy Bars - That unforgetable lemon-scented date filling puts this one on the top of the list... at least for today. Buttery, meal-sized cookies with oatmeal and walnuts and a generous amount of that heavenly, lemony date filling. Outstanding!

Next week begins the chapter on icebox cookies. This chapter includes what may be my favorite cookie in the book and has a number of cookies which look very promising. If you want to follow along, I can't recommend this book highly enough - it is Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies. Though out of print, it is still available as a remainder. There is also a more recent compilation of Maida's cookie recipes, Maida Heatter's Cookies, which includes all but one of the recipes in the old book.

Mondays with Maida - Viennese Marzipan Bars

Page 120 in the old book / page 157 in the new book

These cookies would have been more colorful if I had followed Maida's directions, but I just couldn't bring myself to add green food coloring to the marzipan filling. I opted instead to throw a little colorful paper on the plate (green food coloring ?!?!?)

Much like the Viennese Chocolate-Walnut Bars, these cookies are constructed of four layers, but to a completely different effect. The bottom layer is a buttery cookie layer that is soft and tender - verging on cake-like. That is topped with a little apricot jam, then a wonderful ground almond filling, and finally a sweet chocolate glaze.

These cookies were good and the marzipan filling was particularly good, but the layers were uniformly sweet and the complexity you might expect from a layered cookie was lacking. But I think this one shows lots of promise and is worth a second chance. Perhaps the apricot filling from last week's Polish Wedding Cakes in place of the apricot jam, and a bitter chocolate glaze on top as in those Chocolate Mint Sticks would perk them up.

This cookie is the final cookie in the Bar Cookie chapter - look for my round-up and personal favorites tomorrow. Viennese Marzipan Bars are also the last to be reviewed by Phil, who has entertained us all and made an art form out of the cookie review in the process. Thank you Phil - we'll miss you terribly! Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "The last of the bar cookies was the best. The cookie tasted like a fine French pastry. I loved the combination of finely chopped nuts, smooth apricot filling and a thin layer of chocolate on the top. It was a fitting dessert for Phil’s last week at work. Phil is truly a Renaissance man with broad intellectual interests. He is also a great story teller. Even though I have never been able to write an artful description of the cookies (and I have tried) as Phil does, I enjoyed reading his comments. We’ll miss you Phil. Enjoy your retirement! Rating - 5.0"

Denny: "Good - liked the chocolate, but kinda non-descript. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Tasty and good. With chocolate you can't go wrong. Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "These elegant stratified layers of apricot preserves and almonds coated with a chocolate glaze seemed a delightful ending to a year of great cookie tasting. As I pass the Tupperware tub to more cultivated palates it feels a little like giving up your seat on the NY Stock exchange. I'm not sure I ever would have appreciated Maida's cookies (with recipes crafted with drill instructor like precision) without the gentle touch and boundless enthusiasm Cathy brings to this adventure. Rating - 4.7"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.2

Next week - New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts