Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Hamantashen

Also called "Haman's Ears"

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the 9-week study of Esther I was involved in drew to a close yesterday. I'm sad to see it end but so incredibly thankful for all the ways it enriched my life, especially regarding the relationships I cultivated with the awesome girls in my group & the immense progress God granted to me through it! If you ever have an opportunity to participate in a Beth Moore study, seize it. She is truly an ignited & captivating teacher!

I won't lie to you - this recipe was kind of a pain to make.  The dough is SUPER dry, crumbly, & difficult to work with. I had to splash it with some water after refrigerating to make it even halfway pliable. Also, wheat flour is kind of an acquired taste...so if you're not a big fan, I would recommend doing a little substitutionary work with a mix of wheat flour & white flour. You could try using only white flour, but I'm not sure how it would turn out.  

The recipe was included in our Esther study workbook because it's a traditional Jewish recipe made for the celebration of Purim. The reason I like this recipe so much, however, is its symbolism. The cookies' triangular shape can represent a depiction of the threefold providence of God, who 1) works out everything 2) according to His good purpose 3) for our good. As Beth Moore put it, "...Every time He shifts us here or moves us there on this earthbound chessboard, He's not just fulfilling His own pleasure regardless of its impact on you. He's also working every detail - even the dreadful ones - to your and my good." God's providence is at work universally (Ephesians 1:11), personally (Philippians 2:13), & beneficially (Romans 8:28).
What a beautiful, comforting, freeing promise!

Ingredients
2 sticks butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups wheat flour (or 2 cups white flour with 2 cups wheat, or 4 cups white)
Filling (any fruit butters, jams, or pie fillings...I used Nutella)



Directions
  • Cut butter into sugar. Blend thoroughly.
  • Add eggs and vanilla, blending thoroughly.
  • Add baking powder and then flour, blending thoroughly between every 1/2 cup or so.
  • Refrigerate the batter for a few hours (I only did 1 hour & they still turned out fine).
  • Roll out the batter to about 1/4" thickness.
  • Cut circles in the dough at least 3" in diameter with a cookie cutter or drinking glass (or Nutella lid - perfect size!).
  • Put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each circle.
  • Fold up the sides to make a triangle, overlapping the sides so only a little filling shows through the middle.
  • Bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.




If you like this post, please...

Pizza Puffs

Recipe idea from this blog

The second I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew I had to make it for my girl's-bible-study-end-of-Esther party. Fresh out of the oven, they were a hit! (P.S. - I'll have a blog post up very soon containing a special recipe inspired by the book of Esther!)
These little bites are such a cute idea. My best friend Emma & I baked all day long today, & she was nice enough to bring along her photography expertise, which is why the pictures in this post look so good...don't get used to it. We'll be back to my mediocre photos soon enough. ;)
Check out some of her work here.
Don't mind my rather flashy gold & navy fingernails. I graduated this weekend & had to rep my school colors for the last time!
Also...forgive me for not having a photo of the finished product! Like I said, we took them to a party & Emma didn't bring her camera along. But take my word for it...they looked as good as they tasted!

Ingredients
3 cans buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
Bag of pepperoni slices (I used turkey)
2 blocks of cheese (I used colby & monterey jack)
1 egg, beaten
Parmesan
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
1 jar pizza sauce (for dipping)



Directions
Cut the cheese into small cubes (at least 30).
Take a biscuit & flatten it out (working on parchment paper makes these next few steps a breeze, especially when it comes to cleanup).
In the middle, layer a slice of pepperoni, then a piece of cheese, then another slice or two of pepperoni.
Wrap it up like a little present & now you have a little bundle of pizza joy!
Place the bundles seam-side down in a greased 9x13" pan (I ended up not having enough room in just the 9x13" pan, so I used another small pan to hold the rest).
Brush with the beaten egg, then sprinkle the parmesan, Italian seasoning, & garlic powder over top.
Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes, until slightly browned.
Serve hot, with cold pizza sauce for dipping...bon appetit!







If you like this post, please...

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Not-So-Fancy Frappuccino

A sweet refreshment that's cheaper than Starbucks...you can't go wrong!

So, I'm really excited about this recipe... I have an affinity for coffee creamer & this is the first recipe I've discovered that uses it! I'm sure there's more out there, but I haven't found them. Maybe I should create one myself. Hmmm...

Anyway, this is another really easy treat. It takes a little more time (since you have to freeze the coffee) but it's well worth it - plus you won't be wasting any more leftover coffee down the drain! I don't ever have leftover coffee since we have a Keurig (which is one of my favorite appliances ever) but people who use coffee pots usually do.

I love this recipe because it is completely customizable - there's an endless combination of flavors, depending on your personal preferences! I used Van Houtte vanilla-hazelnut coffee with Bailey's French Vanilla creamer & it was absolutely delicious. (I know the picture shows 2 different creamers, but I ended up only using the one on the left. Although they're both quite yummy).


 All you have to do is pour coffee in an ice cube tray & wait for it to freeze.







Then, put the cubes in a blender & pour some creamer over them (I forgot to measure how much...but enough to wet the ice cubes, I guess? Use your judgment...), then blend until there are no large ice chunks!












Garnish with whipped cream, flavored syrups, sprinkles, or whatever your little heart desires!

My finished product... :)

 
If you like this recipe, please...

Friday, May 18, 2012

Jolly Lollies

Easy, quick, colorful, delicious...what more do you need?
These Jolly Rancher lollipops are sure to be one of those recipes you turn to when you have a bunch of sweets-craving kids to please, a party to bring a small dessert for, or simply a few minutes to spare.
I wish I could say this idea was one of my own, but I have this website to thank!


All you need:
  • Jolly Ranchers
  • Lollipop sticks
...really. I told you it was simple!

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, then lay a sheet of parchment paper over it (super easy to clean up...another plus). Place Jolly Ranchers together in groups of 3, creating whatever color/flavor combinations you like! Make sure you leave several inches of room in between each group so that you'll be able to place the sticks without touching the other groups (seriously, leave a lot of room...I didn't the first time, & that didn't go so well).


Put them in the oven for 6 minutes.


After removing them from the oven, place the stick in & roll it around to coat it. Make sure you put the sticks in immediately after removing the lollipops from the oven, & work quickly... or else they harden. I found out the hard way.


 Cool for a couple of minutes, then carefully remove from the parchment paper. Enjoy!


If you like this post, please...