Author Archives: Nancy

LACE COOKIE CUPS

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I found this beaded tulip at an estate sale:

It was in a room filled with hundreds of beaded flowers.  The flowers were really pretty, especially massed together as they were, but I was drawn to the tulip.

Over the years, my husband has brought me lots of tulips:

They’re one of my favorite flowers — they’re colorful, inexpensive, cheery, and they signal spring.  They are a surefire way to brighten someone’s day.

Yesterday was my 25th wedding anniversary:

Were the world not turned upside down due to Covid-19, I might have expected my husband to surprise me with a huge bunch of tulips.  But no tulips this year.  We had a wonderful trip planned and reservations for dinner at a great restaurant, but that will have to wait until next year.  Instead, we celebrated at home with two bored spring-breakers (my son and his girlfriend).  I broke out the good china, lit candles, and cobbled together a sort-of Italian meal.

Dessert, however, was special.  Inspired by the lovely tulip and the fact that this was a milestone anniversary, I made lace cookie cups, a favorite dessert reserved for special occasions.  It wasn’t the quarter-century celebration I’d looked forward to, but pretty sure I’ll remember it forever.  If you’re looking to try something new during this time of isolation, these cookie cups aren’t hard, and they’re guaranteed to elicit a few appreciative wows (even if they are from at least 6 feet away).

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LACE COOKIE CUPS
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Ingredients
  • 5-ounces blanched slivered almonds
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, process almonds until coarsely ground. Add remaining ingredients and process until well combined.
  3. Cut 6-inch squares out of parchment paper. Place 4 squares on a baking sheet, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place 1 tablespoon of almond mixture on each square. With wet fingers, flatten each into a 3-inch round. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until just golden, rotating pan halfway through. Remove from oven and let sit for 45 seconds, or until just firm enough to hold their shape. Place a drinking glass in the center of the cookie and gently form the cookie around the base of the glass to form a cup. Turn glasses upside down, remove parchment, and allow cookie cups to cool completely. Repeat with remaining almond mixture, or freeze for later use.
  4. To serve, drizzle a little caramel sauce on dessert plates. Place a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream in each cookie cup. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce, and top with fresh raspberries or other fruit in season. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve immediately.

A tablespoon of batter on each parchment square

Flattened into 3-inch rounds

Nutty golden brown

Molding into cookie cups

Cookie cups!

Happy 25th Anniversary!

PISTACHIO BUNDT CAKE

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Sandwiched in between Valentine’s Day and Easter, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t a big marketing event for prepared foods.  In fact, the only two items I found were these TastyKake Creme Filled Snowballs covered in green coconut:And these Keogh’s Shamrock and Sour Cream Potato Crisps, which claim to “combine the delicious tangy taste of Sour Cream with the freshness of traditional Irish Shamrock”: 

Stick with sour cream and onion

Taking St. Patrick’s Day matters into my own hands, I made a batch of cereal treats using Lucky Charms, which I found to be magically disgusting:

Should have stuck with Rice Krispies

Undeterred by the Lucky Charms fail, I dove deep into my files and found a recipe for Pistachio Cake that I remembered making many years ago.  The recipe came from a Hollywood Video flyer (for those of you too young to remember Hollywood Video, think of it as a prequel to Netflix).  It was pitched as a St. Patrick’s Day cake for obvious reasons.

If you’re looking for something different for St. Patrick’s Day, this dense, moist, green cake might fit the bill.

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PISTACHIO BUNDT CAKE
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • For the cake:
  • 1-1/2 sticks butter, melted
  • 1-2/3 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 small boxes Jell-O pistachio pudding
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • For the icing:
  • 1 small box Jell-O pistachio pudding
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup whipping cream
  • Green and white sprinkles, for optional decoration
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray (alternatively, can use a 9 x 12 baking dish).
  2. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, pudding, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with milk, and beat on low speed until combined.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until done and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to call, then turn cake out onto a plate.
  5. To make icing, place all ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread icing on cooled cake. Decorate with sprinkles, if using.

A hint of the green inside

Cooled and ready to be iced

Hmmm — needs something more

Sprinkles to the rescue

Oh yes, much more St. Patrick’s Day-like

Ready for St. Patrick’s Day (or Shrek’s birthday)