Author: Dana & Nancy

Dana & Nancy are part of a food-loving family of four living in northern Westchester County, New York.
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South Seas Cookies

From The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion Cookbook

Yield: 32 cookies
Baking Temp: 300’F Baking Time: 25 minutes

Dough:
4 1/4 cups (12 3/4 oz) sweetened shredded coconut
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites, at room temp. (I used cold and it was fine)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 2/3 (10 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup (3 oz) caramel (about 10 individual caramels)
2 Tablespoons (1 oz) milk or heavy cream (I used heavy cream)

~ Preheat oven to 300’F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets
~ To make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. In a seperate bowl, combine the egg whites, lemon juice, and salt and beat (whip) at medium speed until medium to stiff peaks form. Fold half of the beaten egg whites into the coconut mixture, then add the remainder.
~ Drop the batter by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to wire rack to cool.
~ When cookies are cool, to make the topping: Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan set over very low heat or in the microwave, stirring frequently. When the cookies are completely cool, dip the bottoms into the chocolate (I found it easier to just take a knife and spread it on the bottoms) and set them on a rack upside down to let the chocolate set up (harden, putting them in the fridge helps speed this up). Keep any left over chocolate warm.
~ In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the caramel with the milk or heavy cream. Drizzle stripes of caramel over the tops of the cookies. Repeat the stripes with any of the left over chocolate.

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Applebee’s (Style) Chimicheesecake

Ingredients:
10 to 12 (6 1/2-inch) flour tortillas
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (20 ounce) can cooked apples, very well drained
1/2 cup almond toffee bits
Cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons ground
cinnamon, mixed well)
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel topping

Preparation:
Beat cream cheese until fluffy; add sugar and eggs, then beat again. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Fold toffee bits and apple pieces in cheese mixture. On tortilla place a serving in the middle, about 2 1/2 inches from the side of shell. Tuck sides in slightly and roll shell to seal the filling and hold in the cream cheese. When shells have been stuffed and rolled, place in refrigerator; chill to set filling.

In deep fryer heat vegetable oil. When ready, place chimicheesecake and fry until slightly golden while carefully turning on each side. Remove from oil and drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chimicheesecake on cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and liberally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Serve cheesecakes slightly warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping.

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Salmon in Pastry Sacks

From Rachelrayshow.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 salmon fillets, skin removed
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced and washed thoroughly
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 sheets puff pastry dough, defrosted in the fridge if frozen
Flour, as needed for rolling out
1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoons. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and sear in the hot pan until golden brown. Remove and reserve.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add 1 more turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and sear fish a minute on each side. Remove and reserve. Add 1 more turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the mushrooms and leeks to the pan, and cook until tender, 6-7 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper then add tarragon, cream and Dijon to the skillet. Bring up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Roll the puff pastry out with a little flour on a large work area. Quarter a large sheet or halve 2 smaller sheets. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the rectangles of dough on it. Divide the mushroom cream sauce between rectangles of dough, make a small pile in the middle of the sheet. Place a piece of seared fish on top of the sauce and fold the edges of the dough up around the fillet. Trim excess dough. Use egg wash to secure seam then place seam side down on baking sheet. Cut a few slits in the top of each pastry parcel. Brush them with the beaten egg and transfer to the oven. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings