June 2019 Recipes

June 2019 Recipes

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies from Debbie Bouton

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 large egg

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

¾ cup white chocolate chips

¾ cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add vanilla and egg, mixing well. Sift together the flour and baking soda. Spoon the flour mixture gradually into the creamed sugar mixture. Stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and nuts.  Drop by heaping spoonfuls, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden on top and edges are set, approximately 12-15 minutes.

Shortbread Cookies from Lana Andrews

From Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar (I reduced the amount by a few tablespoons – because the jam filling is sweet)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 teaspoon almond extract

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, beat in extract, and  gradually add flour until dough forms a ball.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. (I used parchment paper)

Use the end of a wooden spoon to make an indent in center of each cookie and fill with jam.

Bake @ 350 for 14-18 minutes—edges will be slightly browned.  Remove cookies to cool on a wire rack.

 Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. 

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract (or use any extract that complements the jam filling)

2-3 teaspoons of water

Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.

Broad Bean Salad from Susan Poel

1 1/3 cup fresh podded, or frozen, fava beans (I used butter beans)

1/3 cup whole almonds

18-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, in brine

½ bunch of fresh, flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup Manchego cheese

Boil the beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain. Toast the almonds in a dry griddle pan on a medium heat until lightly golden, tossing regularly, and then remove and finely slice.

Drain the peppers and open out flat, then char on the hot griddle until bar-marked on one side only. Remove and slice one centimeter thick. Finely slice the parsley stalks, pick the leaves, and then toss with beans, peppers, 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and brine from the pepper jar. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Finely shave over the cheese with a speed-peeler, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, scatter the almonds, and serve. Serves 2.

Pesto Green Bean Salad from Susan Poel

Salt and pepper

1 cup packed fresh basil

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2 pounds fresh, thin green beans, trimmed

Cherry tomatoes

Shaved cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a full, rolling boil over high heat.

Pulse basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. With machine running, slowly pour in oil. Stop processor, add Parmesan and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Makes about 2/3 cup pesto.) Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Add beans to boiling water and cook until tender yet crisp, 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then dry thoroughly. Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Just before serving, toss beans in a large bowl with enough pesto to coat. (Cover and refrigerate any remaining pesto.) Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Lemon Verbena and Moroccan Mint Iced Tea from Mary Beth Collins

Handful of lemon verbena, branches and leaves

A few leaves of Moroccan mint

Boiling water (8 cups)

  

Thoroughly wash the branches of lemon verbena and the mint leaves and place in a large heat-resistant container that you can cover.  Bring about 8 cups of cold water to a boil and pour over the herbs. Cover.  Steep for 30 minutes.  Squeeze and remove the herbs.  Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter into a pitcher. Chill until ready to serve.