Drop Cookies: Coconut Macaroons

Everyone loves coconut. Except my oldest son. He hates coconut. But everyone else loves coconut. If you're a real coconut lover, these Coconut Macaroons are divine. They're simple, with only a handful of ingredients, and they bake up beautifully.


You can buy macaroons at the store, of course, but they're not nearly as good. These guys are purely delicious. You do need egg whites, not yolks, for these cookies. If you're not very good at separating eggs, crack 2 eggs in a small bowl. Do this gently so as not to break the yolks. Then scoop out the yolks with your hand. Your fingers won't break the yolks the way a fork might. Keep the yolks for another recipe, cook them, or simply add a little water and use them as an egg wash when making breads such as the Basic White Bread.


Ingredients


2 egg whites
⅓ cup sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
¼ tsp almond extract
dash of salt
2 cups coconut, shredded or flaked


Preparation


Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a cookie sheet, or use a really good nonstick liner. You can also spray the cookie sheet with baking spray. These cookies do stick, so prepare for that.


Beat the egg white with an electric beater until they are foamy. You don't want them forming peaks, but you do want them good and foamy. Put aside the electric mixer and use a basic wire whisk. Add sugar, flour, almond extract, and salt. Mix well until everything is nice and smooth. You want the sugar and flour to be completely dissolved in the eggs.


Add the coconut and fold in gently. Mixture will be very damp. This is normal. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet. Try to keep the macaroons neat and tidy on the sheet to avoid burning.


Bake for 15 minutes, until the Coconut Macaroons are lightly browned. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.


This recipe makes about 1 dozen macaroons.

Easy Side Dishes: Cheddar Dill Risotto

Risotto is delicious and fun to make. This version is a little different, a little less Italian, because it uses cheddar cheese. Use a sharp or old cheddar cheese for added punch. Also try adding a little sage if you're looking for something more adventuresome.


Cheddar Dill Risotto can be made with chicken, beef, or tofu. The picture here is one made with chicken, but the choice is entirely yours. You can even leave out the protein all together. But pay attention to the stock you're using. It should match the protein. Use chicken stock if you're using chicken. Beef stock if you're using beef. Tofu or no protein at all? Go with a vegetable stock. The flavors blend better.


Ingredients


4 tbsp butter
2 cups Arborio or other similar rice
5-6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, warm
4 tbsp dried dill
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup chicken, beef, or tofu, chopped (optional)


Preparation


Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add rice and toss to coat. When rice is coated in butter, add stock 1 cup at a time. The stock should be warm when added, so have the stock in a pot, slowly simmering. Use a ladle to scoop the stock from the pot to the skillet.


Wait for 1 cup of stock to be absorbed before adding another cup. Keep the risotto moving, stirring almost constantly. This helps to break down the rice a little and gives you creamy texture. When you've added the 3rd cup of stock, add the dill, salt, and pepper. Keep adding stock until your risotto is fluffy and soft. It should not be crunchy at all. You may end up adding all 6 cups of stock. You may not.


Remove risotto from the heat and immediately add cheese and chicken. Fold in gently, allowing the cheese to melt. Mix well, but gently, until chicken and cheese are well distributed. Serve immediately.


This recipe serves 4.

Drop Cookies: Coconut Candy Jumbles

Coconut is quite versatile. In this fun cookie, coconut has been paired with both rolled oats and candy-coated chocolate. I've used mini M&Ms, but you can use full-sized M&Ms or even candy-coated chocolate chips. You can even opt for regular chocolate chips if you like. All variations are delicious.


Ingredients


¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1⅛ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup shredded or flaked coconut
¾ cup mini M&Ms (optional, can be substituted)


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon. Fold in oats and coconut, then add M&Ms. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed. Dough should be sturdy, but fairly sticky.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Do not flatten. The cookies will spread a little on their own, so keep then an inch or two apart. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are slightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Yeast Breads: Rye Bread

Rye Bread is dense and hearty, making it a great addition to any meal. It makes great sandwiches and is excellent with a variety of soups. I like mine with jam.


This Rye Bread is fairly light. If you like a darker Rye Bread, try substituting rye flour for some of the all purpose flour. Be aware, however, that this will result in a denser, heavier loaf that will not rise as much. It will still be tasty, just heavier.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 cup water


Preparation


The yeast used in this recipe does not need to be dissolved, so place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. When mixture becomes a loose dough, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough fully forms into a smooth and elastic bowl. Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Spray a bread pan with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Punch down the dough until all air bubbles are removed. Form the dough into an oblong loaf with a smooth top and place it in the prepared bread pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Rye flour is heavier than all purpose, so rising time may be extended a bit. Be prepared to wait longer for your dough to fully rise.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough and brush with an egg wash, if desired. You may also brush with milk or leave it as is. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool 5 minutes in the bread pan, then cool completely on a wire rack.


This recipe makes a single loaf.

Yeast Breads: Whole Wheat Bread

A whole wheat recipe is hard to find. A lot of the recipes out there are too heavy, too dense for the majority of people to enjoy. While you can make a 100% whole wheat loaf, most people don't want that. So if you don't like 100% whole wheat, consider this simple recipe next time you're in the mood for Whole Wheat Bread.


If you do want a darker, denser loaf, replace more of the all purpose flour with whole wheat. Bear in mind that this will result in a shorter loaf that doesn't rise as nicely. Heavier flours do that.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1¼ cups water.


Preparation


Like most of my recipes, we're not using traditional yeast so there's no need to dissolve it before hand. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spoon until a loose ball forms. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough comes together and develops some elasticity. You should end up with a smooth, soft ball of dough.


Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Punch down dough, getting as much of the air out of it as you can. Shape into a smooth loaf and place in prepared bread pan. Let rise for a second time in a warm place. Because it's whole wheat, the second rise will probably take longer than the first. It needs to double in size, so be prepared to wait 90 minutes or more. Impatience will result in a dense and disappointing loaf.


When the loaf is done rising, heat oven to 375°F. Brush top of loaf with an egg wash, if desired. Bake loaf for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, cool completely on wire rack.


This recipe makes 1 loaf. Whole Wheat Bread can be used in place of Basic White Bread most of the time.

Yeast Breads: Hot Cross Buns

What makes a Hot Cross Bun different than a different bun? A bun with cinnamon and maybe orange zest, maybe currants or raisins, is different how? Mostly by adding the cross on the top. If you don't cut the cross into the top, they're really just buns.


These make a great traditional treat for Easter, but they're appropriate for Christmas or really just whenever you want them. You can glaze them with the glaze included here or you can leave them plain. They're delicious with butter or jam. I like mine with peanut butter when they're still hot from the oven.


Ingredients


1½ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast.
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp oil
1 cup milk
¼ currants or raisins (optional)


Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter, softened
¼ tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk


Preparation


You won't have to dissolve the yeast, so throw everything in a bowl (except the currants) and mix with a wooden spoon. When the dough clings together, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough clings together and becomes soft and stretchy. Add the currants, if desired, kneading them in gently until they're well distributed.


Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Set in a warm place to rise. It needs to double in size, so allow about an hour. Once it's risen, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray to avoid the buns sticking. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place in the pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, slice a cross into the top of each unbaked bun. If you're NOT going to glaze the buns, brush them with an egg wash made of a beaten egg and a tablespoon of water. If you ARE going to glaze them, place them directly in the oven. Either way, bake the buns for 20-22 minutes, until they are golden brown and sound hollow to the touch.


If you're glazing the buns, allow them to cool completely. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and brush the glaze over the tops of the Hot Cross Buns. Allow glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.


If you're not glazing the buns, you can serve them not from the oven.

Drop Cookies: Mint Chocolate Cookies

You can buy mint chocolate bars, so it only makes sense to combine mint and chocolate in a cookie. This version is simple and delicious, taking very little time to prepare. This recipe calls for mint chocolate chips. If you can't find them at your local grocery store, coarsely chop a mint chocolate bar. There are many varieties available. I've used a mint Aero for the cookies in the picture.


Ingredients


½ cup sugar
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1⅓ cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ mint chocolate chips


Preparation


Heat the oven to 350°F. Cream together sugars, butter, and egg with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. When you have a crumbly mixture, use your hands to mold it into a soft ball of dough. Add the mint chocolate chips, working them into the dough gently. If you're using a chopped chocolate bar, be careful not to crush the pieces.


Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Smooth the balls of dough, but do not flatten. They'll flatten out well enough as they bake. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool 1 minute on the pan, then cool completely on wire racks.


Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies.