Sombrero Cookies

Sombrero Cookies


Close up of some Sombrero Cookies

I planned to make Tres Leche Cake for our Cinco de Mayo dessert, but instead made these adorable Sombrero Cookies. I first saw these Sombrero Cookies on Random Thoughts of a SUPERMOM blog: http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2011/05/cinco-de-mayo-treats-sombrero-cookies.html and instructions came from Disney FamilyFun Magazine: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sombrero-cookies-684582/. I thank them both for inspiring me to makes these cookies. Instead of buying store bought Sugar Cookies, I baked some with a little help from Betty Crocker. The Sombrero Cookies taste great and they are so darn cute too!


Cookies out of the oven, cooling

Ingredients

1 package Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix.

1/2 cup, 1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened.

1 Extra Large Egg.

2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour, + extra for rolling pin and work surface.

1 teaspoon Whole Milk.

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract.

1/2 1 10.5 oz Spice Drops.

Circle Cookie Cutter.

1 Betty Crocker Decorating Cookie Icing.

1/2 bottle Wilton Sprinkles Rainbow Nonpareils.

Wilton Rainbow Nonpareils

Betty Crocker Decorating Icing

Spice Drops

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add contents of Sugar Cookie Mix, Butter, Egg, Milk, Vanilla Extract and Flour.

Using handheld mixer, combine on medium speed until Dough forms.

I prefer to use the mixer half way and then my hands to incorporate everything perfectly.

Form Dough into a ball and cover in plastic wrap.

Chill Dough in fridge for at least half an hour so it is easier to work with.

Making circle around Cookie with Decorating Icing

Placing Icing in center of Cookie for Spice Drop

Added Spice Drop and Sprinkles over and around Icing

Place some Flour on a small plate and put round Cookie Cutter in it. Dip Cookie Cutter in Flour often to prevent Dough from sticking.

Lightly sprinkle Flour on work surface and rolling pin so Dough does not stick. Repeat if needed to prevent Dough from sticking.

Separate Dough in half, keeping other half in the fridge until you are ready for it.

Roll Dough and cutout round Cookies.

Do the same with remaining Dough.

Place Cookies on ungreased baking sheets and space apart so they do not stick together as they bake.

Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Leave in baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely, approximately 1 hour.

Decorated Sombrero Cookies

Decorating Sombrero Cookies

Leave cookies on cooling racks and for each cookie do the following:

Place Sprinkles in a plate.

Cut tip off Betty Crocker Decorating Cookie Icing and squeeze out Icing in a circular motion around the Cookie (see photo).

Lovely Sombrero Cookies

Take Cookie and place face down on Sprinkles and press down gently. Shake off excess Sprinkles.
Return Cookie face up to cooling rack (see photo).

Take Cookie Icing and squeeze out a round circle in the center of the cookie (see photo).

Sombrero Cookies

Place 1 Spice Drop over Icing and press down then with the Cookie in your hand place above plate with Sprinkles and add some around the Icing sticking out of the Spice Drop. Shake off gently any excess Sprinkles (see photo).

Keep doing this for the remaining 23 cookies.

Enjoy!

Sophia/Two Frys

Cinco de Mayo Taco Night

Cinco de Mayo Taco Night


Taco Night Cinco de Mayo Feast

Americans will come up with any excuse for a celebration and Cinco de Mayo happens to be one of those holidays. If you do not know the significance of Cinco de Mayo, read all about it here: http://www.history.com/topics/cinco-de-mayo. We planned on having Taco Night tonight and had alot of fun making our meal. Allen cooked up this delicious and festive feast and I was his Sous Chef.

Ingredients

1 box Hard & Soft Taco Dinner Kit with 6 Taco Shells, 6 Flour Tortillas, Mild Taco Sauce and Seasoning Mix (Old El Paso).

1 pound Ground Veal (use any ground meat you like).

1/2 head Iceberg Lettuce, grated.

1/2 1 8 oz Mexican Blend Cheese Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Mozzarella (Sargento).

1 2.25 oz can Black Sliced Ripe Olives.

1 4 oz can Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles (Ortega).

1/2 1 7 oz can Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce (Goya).

1 16 oz can Traditional Refried Beans (Old El Paso).

1 14.5 oz can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic (Hunts).

1 8 oz Light Sour Cream (Daisy).

1 6.8 oz Spanish Rice (Rice & Vermicelli with Green Peppers & Seasonings).

2 packages Concord Foods Gaucamole Mix.

4 Hass Avocados.

1 package Sucklebusters Fresh Salsa Fixins Hot.

1 bag On The Border Tortilla Chips Cafe Style.

2 tablespoons Butter.

Kosher Salt.

Black Pepper.

Directions

Meat with Taco Seasoning

Meat

Season Meat with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

When skillet is hot, add Meat and cook until browned on medium heat.

Add 1/4 cup Water and Seasoning Mix, combine and heat on medium-low until thickened.


Spanish Rice with Chipotle Peppers

Rice

In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons Butter and Rice mixture and brown.

Stir in 2 cups Water, Seasoning packet and instead of Tomatoes, add 1 tablespoon of chopped Chiptole Peppers (with seeds out) and 1 tablespoon of the Chipotle Peppers Adobo Sauce.

Heat to boiling.

Cover and reduce to low heat, cook for 15-20 minutes or until Rice is tender.

Refried Beans

Refried Beans

In a medium size pot, add Refried Beans cover, and heat on low until hot.

Gaucamole, Salsa, Tortilla Chips

Gaucamole

Slice and mash with a fork Avocados and combine well with Gaucamole Mix. Enjoy with Tortilla Chips.

Salsa

Not for the weak. Enjoy with Tortilla Chips. See post Monday for details.


Taco and Tortilla Fixins

Tacos and Flour Tortillas

Take Tacos and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds. Do the same for the Flour Tortillas.


One of my Tacos, yum!

Fixins

Set up all your fixins (Sour Cream, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Olives, Green Chiles, Cheese, Salsa, Gaucamole) for the Tacos and Tortillas in a line or in a Taco Organizer (as shown) and make your Tacos and Tortillas. For space reasons and to keep it hot, I left the Rice, Meat and Refried Beans on the stovetop.

Enjoy leftovers the next day for lunch. :)

-Sophia and Allen/Two Frys

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yesterday, I was going through my baking supplies and found two kinds of nuts and three kinds of chips that would add up to 1 recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I like to keep my baking supplies fresh and no better way to use what I have than make a recipe out of it. I named the recipe Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies for this reason and the hazelnuts and walnuts together make this a really special cookie. These Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies taste fantastic! I used the Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe found in the back of the semi-sweet morsels package and in one of my cookbooks, Old-Fashioned Bake Sale (Publications International, Ltd., 2003, pg. 22) and changed a few things. I replaced brown sugar for light brown sugar and used extra large eggs instead of large ones. As mentioned above, I used three kinds of chips and 2 kinds of nuts. In each cookie you get a mixture of one, two or all three chocolate chips and/or one or both nuts. I plan to use this recipe for a bake sale soon and for holidays. Here is my rendition.


Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies right out the oven cooling!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour.

1 teaspoon Baking Soda.

1 teaspoon Salt.

2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened.

3/4 cup Sugar.

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar.

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract.

2 Extra Large Eggs.

1 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips.

1/2 cup Nestle Toll House Premier White Morsels.

1/2 cup Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels.

1/2 cup Chopped Hazelnuts.

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies - so good!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium size bowl, using a whisk combine Flour, Baking Soda and Salt.

Using a large bowl and handheld mixer beat Butter, Sugar, Light Brown Sugar and Vanilla Extract until creamy; approximately 2-3 minutes.

Add Eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gradually beat in Flour mixture.

Take the Morsels and Nuts and place into storage bag and mix them up shaking the bag. Using a spatula, fold in the Morsels and Nuts. (I like to use the spatula to fold first and then finish incorporating with my hands).

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing two inches apart.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool right on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes.

Place cookies on wire racks and cool completely; approximately 1 hour.

Cookies yield about 2 1/2 dozen in the size I made them.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Oven Fry Chicken Thighs

Oven Fry Chicken Thighs


Oven Fry Chicken Thighs with Moss Curled Parsley garnish

I was craving my Creamy Potato Salad to go with this Chicken recipe so I made some last night. Here is the recipe if you would like to try it: http://twofrys.blogspot.com/2011/04/potato-salad.html. When grocery shopping, we bought Kraft Oven Fry Extra Crispy Chicken and loved it. This is a very simple Chicken dish to make and is juicy and crispy. You will not miss that the Chicken is not fried. The taste will blow you away. As garnish on the Chicken Thighs and Potato Salad, I used Moss Curled Parsley from my hubby's indoor urban garden.


Moss Curled Parsley from Allen's Indoor Urban Garden

Ingredients

5-6 Bone-In (skin on) Chicken Thighs.

1 package Kraft Oven Fry Extra Crispy Chicken.

1 Extra Large Egg.

2 tablespoons Badia Gourmet Blends Poultry Seasoning.

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt.

1 teaspoon Black Pepper.

2 tablepsoons Vegetable Oil.

Parsley (I used Moss Curled Parsley) to garnish.


Creamy Potato Salad with Moss Curled Parsley garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pat Chicken Thighs dry with paper towel and season on both sides with 1 teaspoon each of Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

Coat metal baking pan with Vegetable Oil.

Take Egg, lightly beat and place in dish.

Take coating mixture and place in dish. Add 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and 2 tablespoons Poultry Seasoning and combine.

Dip each Thigh in egg wash on both sides; shake off excess.

Then dip each Thigh on both sides into coating mixture pressing down to make sure fully covered.

Place in baking pan and do remaining Thighs.

Discard any leftover mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes then turn Chicken Thighs over and bake an additional 20-25 minutes. Place on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with Parsley and serve with Creamy Potato Salad or other side dish.

Enjoy!

Sophia/Two Frys

Beef + Bean Burritos

Beef + Bean Burritos

Beef + Bean Burritos

Last night, I made Beef + Bean Burritos for dinner and they were packed with flavor. Allen recently bought Guy Fieri Chipotle Salsa and I wanted to use it for this dish and am glad I did. Guy Fieri Chipotle Salsa had a serious kick but was balanced in its spice level and complimented the overall taste of the Burritos. The Green Chiles and the Beef with Chipotle Taco Seasoning really added a robust flavor to the Burritos. The entire meal took about 30 minutes to cook. I set up the Burrito filling contents in bowls to keep things organized. I cook for 2 and this recipe is for 4 servings, so we ended up with leftovers for lunch today. Adjust amount according to your family size.

Ingredients

1 16 oz can Refried Beans (I used Old El Paso Traditional Refried Beans).

1 10 oz package Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice.

1 pound Ground Beef, or Chorizo, Turkey, Pork, Chicken (I used Ground Beef).

1 20 oz package Flour Tortillas (I used Goya Flour Tortillas Burritos, 8 in one package).

1 4.25 oz can Green Chiles (I used Chi-Chi's Diced Fiesta Green Chiles).

1 1.25 oz packet Taco Chipotle Seasoning Mix (I used Ortega).

1 cup Chipotle Salsa (I used Guy Fieri Chipotle Salsa).

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used Sargento Double Cheddar Shredded Natural Sharp & Mild Cheddar Cheese).

1 diced Tomato.

1/4 Iceberg Lettuce, chopped in thin long strips.

1 Onion, diced.

Kosher Salt.

Black Pepper.

2 tablespoons Olive Oil.

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil.


Guy Fieri Chipotle Salsa

Directions

Mise en place
Set up in a line on your counter space small bowls with the following: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Chiles, Salsa and Cheese. Add Sour Cream and Cilantro if you wish.

Rice
In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 cups Water to boil.

When boiling, add 2 tablespoons Olive Oil and contents of Rice.

Stir for 1 minute, reduce to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Meat
In a skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil.

When hot, add Ground Beef and Onions.

Season meat with Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.

Brown Beef, drain and return to skillet.

Add Taco Seasoning Mix and 3/4 cup Water.

Heat until thickened, stirring often.

Beans
In a small pot, heat Refried Beans on low until hot.

Tortillas
Take up to 4 Flour Tortillas and wrap in a moist paper towel.

Microwave on high for 45 seconds, until soft and heated.

Place warm Tortillas on a plate covered in kitchen towel until ready to serve.

To make the Tortillas, I placed Refried Beans as the first layer, followed by Rice, Beef, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Chiles, Salsa and Cheese. Tuck in the ends and roll Tortilla tightly. Add more Salsa and Cheese on top.

Enjoy!

:)

Sophia/Two Frys

Spicy Chorizo Pasta

Spicy Chorizo Pasta

Spicy Chorizo Pasta

Here is another 20 minute meal that is huge on taste and a little on the spicy side. My hubster has been growing an indoor urban garden and the cilantro was ready so I used some for this meal. The freshness of the cilantro goes great with this recipe since it is also one of the ingredients in the sauce. I had a can of Rotel and Chorizo sausage and thought making it with Elbow Pasta would work, so I came up with this recipe. I think it may be one of Allen's new favorite pasta dishes.

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound) Elbows (I use Barilla).

1 10 oz ROTEL Mexican Lime & Cilantro Diced Tomatoes With Lime Juice & Cilantro.

1 tablespoon Tomato Paste.

1 package (5 links) Chorizo Sausage.

1 yellow Onion, chopped.

1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, freshly grated.

1 cup + more to top pasta Grated Parmesan Cheese.

2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil.

1 teaspoon Olive Oil.

2 tablespoons Butter.

2 tablespoons + more for sprinkling on top Cilantro, roughly chopped.

1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano.

1 teaspoon for Chorizo + 2 teaspoons for Pasta Kosher Salt.

Directions

Chorizo

Take Chorizo sausages and remove them from casings.

Chop Onion.

In a skillet on medium heat, add Vegetable Oil and when hot add Onions and Chorizo.

Add Kosher Salt, Mexican Oregano and Tomato Paste and stir until combined.

Use potato masher to crumble meat up however large or small you want it. I like it in big chunks.

Cover and cook until brown, about 12-15 minutes.

When Chorizo is cooked, add Sauce and stir. Add to Pasta (see below).


Cilantro grown by Allen indoors - yay!

Sauce

Place ROTEL Tomatoes in medium size pot and use immersion blender until smooth. (You can use a food processor or standard blender as well).

Cover and simmer on low while Chorizo and Pasta cook.

Pasta

In a large pot, boil Water.

Season with Kosher Salt.

When boiling, add Olive Oil.

Cook Elbows one minute shy of Al Dente.

Before you drain, reserve 1/2 cup Starchy Cooking Liquid.

Drain. Return Elbows to pot.

Add Butter and stir until melted.

Add Monterey Jack Cheese and combine.

Add Chorizo and Sauce and combine.

Add Cooking Liquid and combine.

Add Grated Parmesan Cheese and combine.

Add Cilantro and fold in gently.

Serve.

Top with more Grated Parmesan Cheese and Cilantro.

If you wish, serve with side salad.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Avocado Pie

Avocado Pie


Avocado Pie

Allen received a nifty Avocado Cutter to review from the Hass Avocado Team at Avocado Central that cuts, slices and scoops out the avocado. I used the Avocado Cutter for all three uses and was very easy to handle. I will use it everytime we make avocado recipes. Another plus to the Avocado Cutter is the compact size and sleek design. Please visit http://www.avocadocentral.com/ for information about Hass Avocado. To order the Avocado Cutter, go to: http://avocadocutter.com/ and tell them you heard about their product from Two Frys. 


Avocado Cutter

For this recipe, I used Hass Avocados (Product of Chile). The Avocado Pie is silky smooth and refreshing. The lemon really gives the pie a nice taste. If you love avocado, you should make this recipe. 


Keebler Ready Crust Graham

Ingredients

2 ripe Hass Avocados, seeded, peeled, and mashed.

1/2 cup freshly squeezed juice from 2 Lemons.

1 teaspoon Lemon Zest.

1 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk.

1 9-inch Prepared Graham Cracker Pie Crust (I used Keebler Ready Crust Graham).

Whipped Cream to garnish.


Avocado Pie ready to go in fridge to set

Directions
Blend (I used a handheld mixer) Avocado, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest and Sweetened Condensed Milk until smooth, for about 5 minutes.

Pour mixture into Prepared Graham Cracker Pie Crust.

Cover and place Avocado Pie in the refrigerator for 4 hours to set.

Slice and add a generous dollop of Whipped Cream on top.

Enjoy!

The original name of this recipe is California Avocado Pie from the California Avocado Commission. You can view the recipe at: http://www.avocado.org/recipes/view/31487/california-summer-avocado-pie.

-Sophia/Two Frys

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake


Nutella Swirl Pound Cake (almost looks like a smiley face)

If you love the Hazelnut spread Nutella you will go nuts over this pound cake. It is very rich, dense and moist like a pound cake should be. I came across this recipe in the October 2009 Food & Wine issue in one of my cake scrapbooks. I used less Nutella than the original recipe. For that recipe, go to: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/nutella-swirl-pound-cake. 
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting.

4 Extra Large Eggs, at room temperature.

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract.

3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder.

1/4 teaspoon Salt.

2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened.

1 1/4 cups Sugar.

1/2 cup Nutella.

9-by-5-inch Loaf Pan (I used a glass one).

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly grease with Unsalted Butter and Flour loaf pan. Tap out excess Flour.

In a small size bowl, lightly beat Eggs with the Vanilla Extract.

In a medium size bowl, whisk Flour, Baking Powder and Salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the Butter and Sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, gradually beat in the Egg mixture until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.


Nutella Swirl Pound Cake just out the oven.

Add Flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions to prevent flour from flying all over the place. Beat until incorporated and then for 30 seconds longer.
Spread half the batter in pan, then spread Nutella on top. Add the rest of the batter on top. Lightly swirl the Nutella using a butter knife. Do not over mix.

Bake cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Take another cooling rack and place parchment paper over it.

Invert cake onto parchment paper cooling rack and ever so gently turn it right side up.

Let cake cool completely for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys

Corn On The Cob Bacon Salt Style

Corn On The Cob Bacon Salt Style


Corn On The Cob with Bacon Salt Applewood Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt

We love Corn On The Cob and it reminds me summer weather is fast approaching. Sometimes Corn with just Butter on it can be a bit boring. If you liberally rub in Bacon Salt Applewood Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt over melted Butter, Corn is taken to a new level. Allen loved how the Applewood Smoked Bacon Salt added a nice flavor to the sweetness of the Corn.

Ingredients

Corn on the Cob (we had 4 cobs).

Butter, softened.

Kosher Salt.

Bacon Salt Applewood Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt.

To make Corn, I always use the recipe in The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham.

Bacon Salt Applewood Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt

Directions

Before cooking, husk the Corn and pull off the silky threads.

Heat a large pot and boil water.

Add Kosher Salt.

Place Corn in boiling water.

Cover pot and let water return to a boil.

Turn off the heat, and keep pot covered.

After 5 minutes, turn off heat and keep pot covered.

You can wait another 10 minutes or serve with Butter and rub in Bacon Salt if you have some.

Allen purchased Bacon Salt Applewood Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt as well as some other Bacon Salt products online.

To order Bacon Salt and for further information, go to: http://www.baconsalt.com/

-Sophia and Allen/Two Frys

Cheese

Cheese


Edam Cheese (From Holland), Wisconsin Medium Sharp Cheddar,
Smoked Gouda Product of Holland and Domestic Swiss

 My husband and I like to shop at our local food market, Garden Gourmet in Riverdale. Today, we bought some meats and vegetables and ended up buying 4 cheeses (see picture). Allen picked out Edam Cheese (From Holland), Wisconsin Medium Sharp Cheddar, Smoked Gouda Product of Holland and Domestic Swiss. If you are in the Riverdale area of the Bronx and are looking for a variety of  cheese, Garden Gourmet is the perfect place to go. We will certainly enjoy eating our cheese.

-Sophia/Two Frys