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Pecan-Cinnamon Wafers

These healthier pecan butter cookies are made with whole-wheat pastry flour and plenty of nuts.

4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

PREPARATION

1. Beat butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and add to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Stir in pecans.
2. Divide the dough in half and use lightly floured hands to shape each portion into a 6-inch round log. Wrap each log in wax paper and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Unwrap the dough and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon on a shallow plate. Roll the logs in the sugar mixture, then slice each into 24 (1/4-inch-thick) cookies. Place the cookies about 2 1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake, one batch at a time, until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Wrap dough in wax paper and plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Store cookies airtight for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten-forming potential than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Both are available in large supermarkets or natural-foods stores (or online from bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com). Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

NUTRITION

Per cookie: 63 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 4 g added sugars; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 26 mg sodium; 13 mg potassium.

Beef Tenderloin With Roasted Shallots

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3/4 cup port wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 sprigs watercress, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In 9 inch pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
2. In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and port. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Set aside.
3. Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes.
4. Transfer pan to oven. Roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125 degrees F (50 degrees C) for medium rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil.
5. Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture, and bring to boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer. Mix 1 1/2 tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cut beef into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon some sauce over, and garnish with watercress.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 653 | Total Fat: 50.6g | Cholesterol: 132mg

Easy & Cheesy Presents Under the Tree and On the Table

Easy & Cheesy
Presents Under the Tree and On the Table
 

Christmas morning is one of the most special of the year for millions of American families. There's the race to see if Santa did indeed make it down the chimney once again, which—miraculously—he most likely did, gift sack in hand. The festivities call for a special breakfast, too. It's a time to put pure food enjoyment first, and here's an easy, celebratory way to do it—warming and puffy stuffed French toast accentuated by mild and buttery Wisconsin Havarti cheese, a Danish-style specialty. This memorable breakfast/brunch entrée will be enjoyed by old and young alike. You may substitute another fruit sauce—even a sweet cranberry sauce—for the blueberry topping, if you like.

Indulgent Stuffed French Toast with Wisconsin Havarti
 
Servings: 8 to 10
 Ingredients:

1 16-ounce challah or French bread loaf, cubed
1 8-ounce package Wisconsin Havarti Cheese, cut into thin slices
6 large eggs
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 12-ounce jar blueberry preserves

Cooking Directions:
 Preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange half of bread cubes in lightly buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Top evenly with Havarti; top with remaining bread cubes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, butter, and maple syrup in large mixing bowl; pour over bread mixture, pressing bread cubes to absorb egg mixture. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon over the top. Cover baking pan with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes or until lightly browned and set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Stir together blueberries and blueberry preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until warm. Serve blueberry sauce over French toast. 

Peppermint Nanaimo Bars

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December 9, 2010 Peppermint Nanaimo Bars By Jessie Oleson, CakeSpy Nanaimo bars are unbelievably rich, incredibly indulgent, and completely irresistible. This version embodies the festive flavors of the holiday season. The classic bar gets a minty makeover, yielding a rich, creamy, buttery and refreshing treat that is the kind of confection that peppermint patties hope to be when they grow up.      Makes about 24 bars Adapted from the Official City of Nanaimo recipe     Ingredients:  Bottom Layer:1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/4 cup sugar 5 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg beaten 1 1/4 cups graham wafer crumbs 1 cup coconut 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds Middle Layer:1/2 cup unsalted butter 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder (instant vanilla pudding works in a pinch) 1 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 cups confectioners' sugar several drops of green food coloring (optional) Top Layer:4 ounces good quality dark chocolate 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 tablespoons unsalted butter   Directions:  Prepare the bottom layer. Melt butter, sugar and cocoa in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased, parchment-lined 8" x 8" pan. Let chill in the refrigerator until cool to the touch.   To make the middle layer, cream butter, cream, custard powder, peppermint extract, and confectioners' sugar together well. Beat until light; it should be a thick consistency, but still spreadable. If desired, stir in food coloring until completely mixed in. Spread over bottom layer, making sure that it is as flat as possible (I use a metal spatula to "scrape" it into a flat top). Return to the fridge until the middle layer is completely set. Sometimes I even put them in the freezer so that they will be extremely firm before adding the top layer.   For the top layer, melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Add the peppermint extract and stir until incorporated. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer, very gently spreading so that it covers the entire layer--you will need to do this fairly quickly so that the second layer doesn't start to melt or meld with the top layer. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least a half-hour. Serve lightly chilled, or let come to room temperature. When you're ready to serve, use a sharp knife to slice the bars, and keep a towel on hand to clean the knife frequently between cuts to ensure clean, good-looking bars which showcase the pretty layers.