OWL COOKIES

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For several months this winter, we had the cutest screech owl living in a tree on my block.  He would sit there for hours during the day, not moving, occasionally blinking, and just kind of watching over the block.  We were all smitten with the little bird.

He’s been gone for a few weeks now, but we’re all hoping he’ll be back next fall.

We had our annual block party last weekend, and in honor of our feathered friend, I made owl cookies.   This is an old Pillsbury recipe — in 1956, a young girl from Washington won $5000 for this cute recipe.  Hoot hoot!

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OWL COOKIES
Author: 
Recipe type: Cookies
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 2-1/4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • Chocolate chips for garnish (about ⅓ cup)
  • Whole cashews, for garnish (about ⅔/ cup)
Instructions
  1. Place butter and brown sugar in a large bowl, and using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined (if dough is very crumbly and dry, and 1-2 tablespoons milk). Place 1 cup of the dough in a small bowl, add melted chocolate and baking soda, and mix until thoroughly combined.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the light dough to a 10" x 14" rectangle. Using your hands, shape half of the chocolate dough into a roll 10" long. Place the chocolate roll in the center of the rectangle of light dough, and mold the light dough around the chocolate dough. Wrap the log in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the logs into slices approximately ⅛" to ¼" thick. Place two slices side by side with sides touching on a cookie sheet to look like owl faces. Pinch a corner of each slice to form the owl's "horns" or "ears" (in reality, they are neither). Place a chocolate chip, pointy side up, in the center of each slice for eyes, and a press a cashew in between the slices, curved side up, for the beak.
  4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are light golden brown. Allows to cool briefly on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

“Hoo’s ready for cookies?”

What a hoot!

 

 

PAN-FRIED FISH WITH CHERMOULA SAUCE

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If you’ve got a jar of Red Chermoula Sauce in your refrigerator, then you’re about 15 minutes away from a delicious fish dinner.  For this simple and intensely-flavored dish, we like to use red snapper or halibut, and it’s one of our favorite ways to prepare fish.

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PAN-FRIED FISH WITH CHERMOULA SAUCE
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Recipe type: Seafood
 
Ingredients
  • 2 6-ounce fish fillets
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Red Chermoula Sauce
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges (optional, for serving)
Instructions
  1. Pat fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When butter is melted and oil is shimmering, place fish in skillet, bottom side up. Cook until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes, then carefully flip with a wide spatula and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily (cooking times may vary depending on thickness of fillets). Reduce heat to low, and spread each fillet with a thin coating of Red Chermoula Sauce, spooning pan drippings over fish to help distribute the sauce.
  3. Transfer fillets to serving plates and garnish with wedge of lemon. Serve hot.

Pan fry until golden brown

Spoon Red Chermoula Sauce over cooked fillets

Presto — dinner is served!