Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every good cookie recipe collection must have an outstanding recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My search for the perfect taste and texture in a Chocolate Chip Cookie went on for quite some time. I basically tried every recipe I came across but just knew that I had to keep searching after each attempt.

Too hard, too soft, too thick, too thin, I’m beginning to sound like Goldilocks in her episode at the home of the Three Bears. Somehow I knew that I had not yet come across the recipe that was “just right.”

One fine day I came across the recipe posted below and tried it of course! I don’t quite remember where I discovered it but I’m glad I did.

These cookies are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, have just the right taste and as much chocolate as you please!

This was the recipe that graduated into the “tested and true” file and I did away with the recipes previously tested.

Without saying too much, these cookies have been used to reward, bribe and cheer up many an individual as well as bring in revenue at bake sales.

Can a cookie get any better than this?

Chocolate Chip Cookies
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter (equal amount of hard margarine can be substituted)
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
(can be substituted by white, milk and dark chocolate chunks)

1. With electric mixer beat sugars, butter and shortening until fluffy.
2. Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt and stir into liquid ingredients.
4. Stir in chocolate chips or chunks.
5. Lightly roll dough into 2 inch balls and place at least 2 inches apart on parchment lined or ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. (do not over bake)
7. Yields 18 large or 24 medium size cookies.

Note: For chocolate cookies, omit shortening, use 1 cup of butter instead and add ¼ cup cocoa to the dry ingredients.










Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Using a combination of white, milk and dark chocolate chunks takes these cookies to the next level. (Cookie Heaven)
• Over baking dries the cookie out and the inside will not be soft and chewy.
• A sheet of foil wrap on the lower rack of the oven will keep the cookies from getting too dark on the bottom.
• These cookies freeze very well and are great for making ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Almond Slice Cookies

The Chambers Dictionary defines a cookie as “a small sweet biscuit or cake.” The Food Dictionary adds that it’s “a small flat confection, usually classified by its distinctive ingredient or by the way in which it is prepared.”

I personally think that both attempts at describing a cookie do no justice to these sweet delectable morsels.

But then how can you capture in a few short lines the different tastes, textures, sizes and shapes that cookies come in. If one had never seen a cookie before, the adjectives flat and small would not motivate many to go looking for one.

It seems that cookies have come a long way since these definitions were written and the time has come to revise and update these dictionaries!

I love to bake cookies and especially appreciate being able to test try them to see how well they’ve turned out. It’s also easier to sneak a few without being found out.

Cakes on the other hand don’t afford the luxury of trying a piece before serving to guests if presentation is at all important to you.

Cookie recipes are countless, I have volumes of cookie recipes not counting the ones in my “recipes to try out” file.

We all have our favourite cookie recipes, family favourites and those recipes we can always go back to because we know they will turn out well when we really need them to.

The following is one of those cookie recipes that I have counted on for many years. It's always been a great addition to any assorted cookie tray and has been a sell out at bake sales.

Bringing some along to a dinner party or gathering arranged on a decorative plate, or inside an attractive box is always graciously accepted by any host.

Choosing the recipes to post was really hard but it had to be done. Otherwise I would be posting cookie recipes indefinitely, though I don’t think too many would mind.

Almond Slice Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cups shortening
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk (save white for meringue)
1 teaspoon almond extract (can be substituted by equal amount of vanilla)
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup blanched, sliced almonds

Meringue
1 egg white
5 tablespoons sugar

1. Beat egg white until foamy.
2. Gradually add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
5. Sift flour, salt and baking soda into a medium size bowl.
6. In a separate bowl cream sugar, shortening, whole egg, egg yolk and extract.
7. With electric mixer beat dry ingredients in thirds into creamed mixture adding milk after the second addition.
8. Divide dough into 6 equal portions and shape into rolls, place onto cookie sheets then flatten to ½ inch thickness.
9. Spread meringue over strips of dough then cover with sliced almonds.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Trim off edges and ends and slice into 1 inch slices.
13. Transfer cookies onto wire cooling rack. Yields 50 to 60 cookies.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Be generous with the sliced almonds, place as many as possible over the meringue.When the cookie spreads so will the almonds.
• Store cookies in cookie tins or plastic containers placing wax paper between layers.
• The ends and edges you cut off for presentation sake are just as yummy as the cookies and may be all you get to eat if you're giving the cookies away.
• These cookies freeze very well.

Seafood Salad

I was surprised to find out how many Seafood Salad recipes are available both in recipe books and on internet sites.

It was interesting to compare the one I’ve been making for just about forever to the ones that are being made and served out in the big wide world.

Almost all of the recipes for Seafood Salad I came across had a whole lot more than seafood in them. Vegetables, fruit and salad greens were just the beginning of additional ingredients and I had to look hard for the fish in some of the recipe photos.

If it’s called Seafood Salad then I expect seafood to be the prominent or main ingredient.

In my opinion a simple olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper marinade and a sprinkling of finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley is a perfect compliment to a good Seafood Salad as opposed to some of the heavy overpowering condiments I found in some recipes .

A medley of seafood such as lobster, crab, octopus, squid, shrimp and scallops makes a great Seafood Salad. Over the years this salad has been the star in many antipasto dishes enjoyed at our dinner table.

Depending on individual taste and availability you can use all, some or one of the above varieties to make a tasty Seafood Salad but a mixture of any of the above will definitely turn out to be the tastiest and most interesting.

Shrimp, octopus, scallops and shrimp are a good combination to begin with. These varieties are more cost friendly and available frozen year round. There have been several special occasions that lobster and crab have made it into the mix making it a really special treat.

I’ve changed the method of preparing the fish from the original, traditional recipe finding that pan searing the fish gives better results than boiling.

Pan searing preserves the fish’s taste and allows you to have more control over the cooking time. Overcooking produces a rubbery, tough texture that you will want to avoid.

No exact measurements are given in this recipe since you can make it with any kind, combination or amount of fish you desire. The measurement of ingredients for the marinade is just a guide and can be halved or doubled depending on the amount of fish prepared.

Seafood Salad
Squid
Octopus
Scallops
Shrimp
fresh flat leaf Italian parsley (finely chopped)
pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
lemon wedges for garnish

1. Most fish can be purchased cleaned and frozen.
2. Place in cold salted water to defrost then drain well. Peel shrimp if necessary.
3. Lightly brush a skillet with corn or vegetable oil and turn heat on to high.
4. Sear seafood in small batches, flipping it over to make sure it cooks on all sides. It only takes a few minutes to cook so be careful not to overcook to keep it tender.
5. With scissors, cut squid tubes into rings and separate octopus tentacles.
6. Place seafood mixture into a glass container and add marinade while seafood is still a little warm.
7. When completely cooled, refrigerate until ready to eat.
8. Before serving drain off marinade and add freshly chopped parsley.

Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place olive oil, lemon juice salt and pepper into a blender and blend until it thickens.
2. Add to fish and marinade several hours or overnight in the refrigerator mixing occasionally to make sure all the fish is exposed to the marinade.
   

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Marinade overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours before serving. Use salad within a couple of days of preparation.
• After searing each batch of fish, wipe skillet with a paper towel and brush a little more oil for the next batch.
• Cook each variety of fish separately as cooking time differs for each variety.
• The addition of a very fine grating of lemon zest brings out a stronger lemon flavour in the Seafood Salad.
  

Basic Fish Stock

There's much to be said about a good chicken, beef or vegetable stock but a simple, light fish stock is the base for endless possibilities.

I usually plan one soup dish in the weeks’ menu and if it isn’t chicken it's a basic fish stock made with a flavourful, light tasting variety of fish.

My mother made this stock frequently and my father taught us that the varieties of fish with the most bones make the tastiest stock. The head should never be discarded since this is where the best flavour is hiding which adds to a great tasting stock.

I don’t dispute these facts but in my experience the more bones a fish possesses, the harder it is on the eyes, in other words it certainly won’t get points for beauty. This may discourage most of us from bringing one home and putting it into the pot.

In the traditional recipe the herbs and spices used are standard and no deviations are permitted. This recipe has probably been handed down for several generations and I guess in past times one did not question or dare have any suggestions for improvement to a long standing recipe.

Perhaps this was because of the opinion that the recipe needed no improvement. On the other hand there may not have been anyone brave enough to tread unknown waters and throw something different into the pot.

Within the past year I’ve dared to wander a little from the original recipe and think improved it somewhat though it didn’t meet with my mother’s approval.

She is still holding on to her original recipe (unwritten of course) and says it’s perfect just the way it is. She really can’t understand why I would want to make any changes.

The addition of a couple of stalks of celery and an unpeeled golden yellow onion brings a depth or dimension of flavour to the stock that I found lacking in the original recipe.

Varieties of fish like Skate and Whiting make a wonderfully light and tasty stock but boneless salmon portions work very well and I don’t miss the bones at all!

Permission is granted to use this recipe as is, change or deviate to your liking. Enjoy!


Basic Fish Stock

8 cups water (approximately)
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery with leaves
Fresh parsley (couple of sprigs)
Fresh oregano (couple of sprigs, optional)
2 tablespoons dry oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion (wash and leave peel on)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 to 2 ripe tomatoes or 2 to 3 canned plum tomatoes
your choice of fish (4 t0 6 medium size pieces)

1. Place water into a large pot or pressure cooker.
2. Add olive oil, celery, parsley, oregano, onion, garlic, tomatoes salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
4. If using a pressure cooker cook for approximately 40 minutes.
5. After cooking time, strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot and discard the herbs, spices and vegetables.
6. Bring strained stock up to a boil, add fish then bring up to a boil again.
7. Once it comes up to a boil again turn heat off and remove pot from burner, carry over heat will continue to cook the fish. Be careful to not over cook the fish.
8. If you used inedible parts of the fish like the head now is a good time to remove and discard since they have served their purpose and don't suggest using them for presentation.
9. Remove remaining fish from stock and follow some of the serving suggestions listed below.
   

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• For those who find it difficult to cook anything with a head or face on it, varieties like Dory, Tilapia or Halibut which have been boned and cut into portions may be alternative options and are readily available prepackaged and frozen.
• Thicker pieces are better for this recipe as thinner cuts will probably break apart in the cooking process.
• If no fresh or canned tomatoes are available substitute approximately ¼ cup tomato puree.
• If purchasing fresh fish from a fish market look for clear eyes, moist not dried out skin and a fresh, not fishy smell. For a few extra pennies per pound most markets will be more than happy to clean it for you removing the scales, fins and inner organs.
• Before cooking, just wash the fish in cold, salted water and drain well.

Serving Suggestions

The addition of some fine chopped noodles to the stock also known as” filini” translated “little strings” makes a great first course.

The cooked salmon can also be broken into chunks and added to the soup and noodle bowl.

The fish can be served with a salad on the side and the addition of a few slices of garlic bread takes care of the second course.

Stuffed Mussels

There are so many ways to prepare mussels but stuffing and adding them to a freshly made pot of Marinara Sauce is certainly one of my favourite ways of preparing them.

These were always a hit with my kids while growing up mainly because the actual mussel meat was hidden by the soft, tasty bread crumb, cheese and egg filling. This made them more appealing to eat since they didn’t have to face the interesting look of the mussel itself. The sauce in which the mussels are cooked is amazingly fragrant and great served on linguine or spaghetti

Although mussels can be found all over the world, two varieties are most commonly found on the market. The blue mussel, also called the black or Mediterranean mussel is found along the cool waters of the Atlantic coast and seems to be more readily available.

The second variety is the New Zealand green-lipped mussel also known as the green or green shelled mussel. I have never knowingly come across this variety but it would be interesting to compare the tastes.

My personal preference is mussels harvested from Prince Edward Island but no matter which variety you are cooking with freshness is a must.

As for any variety of fish or shell fish, mussels should smell fresh not fishy and should be consumed as soon as possible after purchase.
Same day consumption is preferable and I don’t recommend keeping them for more than one day before cooking.

I remember my father bringing home mussels that had rougher looking thicker shells with other small shell fish growing on them. These had a very rustic look and were probably harvested from the wild. Cultivated mussels have darker, thinner shells , a very clean appearance and are much easier to wash and open.

This is probably the first time this recipe has been documented and I have done my best to assign measurements to the ingredients used.


Stuffed Mussels

15 to 20 medium size mussels
2 slices soft bread (coarsely grated to make large fluffy crumbs)
1/2 cup grated cheese (Parmigiano or Crotonese)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the Mussels

1. Remove mussels from the net bag and wash in slightly salted water, place in colander to drain.
2. Remove beard from the side of the mussel by pulling it towards the front end of the mussel.
3. Insert clam knife into the side of mussel and slide knife away from the hinged end until it partially opens. Be careful not to detach the two sides of the shell. Set aside.

Stuffing the Mussels

1. Beat eggs with a fork until fluffy. Add cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper and blend well.
2. With a teaspoon or pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip fill each mussel ¾ full of stuffing. Set aside.

Cooking and Serving the Mussels

1. Prepare Marinara Sauce and cook for about 20 minutes.
2. Add prepared mussels to the sauce, spoon some sauce over each mussel and cook for approximately 10 more minutes or until stuffing sets. (firm to the touch)
3. Remove mussels onto a serving dish and serve remaining sauce over linguine or spaghetti.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Although slices of white bread were originally used in this recipe, whole wheat and even oat bran bread are good choices, better still use your favourite variety of soft bread.
• Use soft bread crumbs not dry, this ensures a very soft textured stuffing.
• For best results in grating soft bread freeze the slices first.
  
• After opening mussels drain any excess water to prevent a watery Marinara Sauce.
• After mussels are cooked you can remove the top shell and serve them on the half shell instead.
• These also make great little appetizers.
• If mussels are not used the same day as purchased, place in a bowl, cover with a wet tea towel and pack some ice on top. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Happy as a Clam…But Safety First

Opening or shucking any clam, mussel or oyster for that matter can be very dangerous if the proper tool is not used.

The clam knife, also known as a shell fish knife or shucking knife makes the process easier and definitely safer.
This tool is strong and has no sharp or cutting edges unlike regular kitchen knives.

The one I own was given to me by my father many years ago and as you can see is well worn.
A little research revealed that it's headed for the museum.

More modern and well designed knives are available at Williams-Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond should you want to add one to your kitchen tool drawer.

It's a good idea to invest in this tool if you plan to open a few shell fish.