Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
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Broccoli Cheese Soup

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

6

servings

The absolute best broccoli cheese soup. Not gooey like the restaurant version and a fresher broccoli flavor.

Ingredients

  • 10 oz frozen broccoli, chopped

  • ¾ cup onion, chopped

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp MSG

  • ½ tsp white pepper

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 3 cups Velveeta, cubed

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup cream

  • 4 tsp butter

  • ⅓ cup flour

Directions

  • Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add broccoli and onion. Boil 20 to 25 minutes. Add seasonings and cubed cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add milk, cream, and butter and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
  • Slowly add ½ cup cold water to flour, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Slowly add mixture to soup, stirring rapidly. Cook and stir until the soup is the consistency of heavy cream.
  • Keep warm until serving but do not boil again.

Sour Cream Cookies

Sour Cream Cookies
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Sour Cream Cookies

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

24

servings

This is truly a “trans” recipe, a cookie moving from shortbread to sugar cookie or vice versa. Hard to tell which. And the most friendly and forgiving dough ever!

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups flour

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold

  • 2 tbsp sour cream

  • 2 eggs yolks

  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

  • ¼ cup sugar

Directions

  • In a food processor, whisk together the flour and salt. Pulse the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs, about 12 pulses. Mix the sour cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar in a measuring cup and add to the processor, pulsing until dough forms.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pull and gently roll it together. Roll out on a pastry board or directly on a Silpat. Shape and bake.
  • Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or just until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack; sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Buche de Noel (or Chocolate Roll)

Buche de Noel (or Chocolate Roll)
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Buche de Noel (or Chocolate Roll)

Recipe by La Bellitude
Servings

4

servings

This delicious Christmas favorite is just as delicious at any time with the “log stripes” and holly removed. The cake roll can be any type you like, and the outer frosting can also be changed. Have fun experimenting!

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs, separated
    ⅔ cup sugar
    3 tbsp cocoa powder
    2 tbsp flour
    1 tub chocolate frosting
    1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Directions

  • Grease a jelly roll pan and line the bottom with waxed paper. Grease and flour the top of the paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Beat egg yolks in a large bowl until fluffy; gradually beat in sugar until light and thick. Beat in the cocoa and flour at low speed.
  • Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture until smooth and then spoon batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Turn out on to clean dish cloth sprinkled with confectioners sugar.
  • Cut a 1/4 inch strip from one short side. Roll up the cake and towel together and cool on a wire rack.
  • When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with 3 tablespoons of the frosting. Spread the cake with whipped cream and re-roll. Frost roll with remaining chocolate frosting. Draw a fork down the frosting for the bark effect and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving.

Notes

    Carrot Cake Irish Oatmeal

    Carrot Cake Irish Oatmeal
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    Carrot Cake Irish Oatmeal

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    4

    servings

    A warming and tasty breakfast on a chilly morning. Or any other time you are hungry for the carrot cake spices.

    Ingredients

    • 3 1/2 cups water

    • 1 cup steel-cut oats

    • ½ cup shredded apple

    • 1 cup shredded carrots

    • 1/2 tsp salt

    • 1 tsp cinnamon

    • ¼ tsp nutmeg

    • ¼ tsp allspice

    • 3 tbsp maple syrup

    • 1 tbsp lemon juice

    Directions

    • Mix water and oats in heavy-bottomed pot and stir well. Turn heat to medium high and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add apple and carrots, stir well, and lower heat to lowest setting. Cook slowly for 20-30 minutes or until oats are just tender. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the pan bottom.
    • Mix salt and spices and sift into the oatmeal. Add maple syrup and lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes.
    • Sprinkle with maple flakes or brown sugar before serving.

    Bouchons – The French Chocolate “Thimble”

    Bouchons - The French Chocolate "Thimble"
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    Bouchons – The French Chocolate “Thimble”

    Recipe by La Bellitude from Thomas Keller
    Servings

    24

    servings

    This recipe from genius chef Thomas Keller is simple to make but difficult to describe. The perfect bite of chocolate. Brownie-esque but lighter. The density of a flourless cake but firmer. Impossibly rich with the exact right amount of sweetness. Just make it yourself and find out.

    The very best way is to buy the flexible bouchon molds which require no preparation. Next best would be a small popover or timbale pan.

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup flour

    • 1 cup dark cocoa

    • 1 tsp kosher salt

    • 3 large eggs

    • 1½ cup plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar

    • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract (or paste)

    • 24 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and just slightly warm

    • 6 oz semisweet chocolate mini chips

    • confectioners’ suga

    Directions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°.
    • Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
    • Mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to a day.)
    • Put the molds on a baking sheet and fill each about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When the tops look shiny and set (like a brownie), test. Pick should come out clean but not dry. Transfer to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the molds and let the bouchons cool upside down. Lift off the molds.
    • To serve, dust them with confectioners’ sugar. The bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked.

    Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread

    Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread
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    Cranberry-Hazelnut Bread

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    12

    servings

    Buy extra cranberries when they are in season and freeze them so that you can make this delicious quick bread throughout the year.

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour

    • ½ tsp salt

    • 1 ½ tsp baking powder

    • ½ tsp baking soda

    • 1 cup sugar

    • ⅓ cup butter, melted

    • ⅓ cup orange juice plus 1 tablespoon

    • 1 large egg

    • 1 tsp rum extract

    • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

    • 3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

    Directions

    • Prepare loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Mix next four ingredients and stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Add cranberries and hazelnuts and stir to combine. Pour into prepared loaf pans and bake 50-60 minutes for large loaves. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan and cooling.

    Cream Jewels

    Cream Jewels
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    Cream Jewels

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    48

    servings

    An elegant little cookie perfect to add color to a cookie tray or to serve with afternoon tea.

    Ingredients

    • 2¼ cups flour

    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold

    • 2 tbsp crepe fraiche or sour cream

    • 2 eggs yolks

    • ½ tsp vanilla extract

    • ¼ cup sugar

    • jam (preferably red)

    Directions

    • In a food processor, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the sour cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar until dough forms.
    • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment and knead lightly to bring it together. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper and chill.
    • Remove wax paper from chilled dough and cut with punch out cookie cutters. Fill indentations lightly with jam.
    • Preheat the oven to 350° and bake each tray for 12-13 minutes.

    Chocolate Hazelnut Slices

    Chocolate Hazelnut Slices
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    Chocolate Hazelnut Slices

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    48

    servings

    Delicious! I prefer these without the chocolate drizzle. The naked cookies are wonderful as is.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter, softened

    • 1/2 cup sugar

    • 1/4 tsp salt

    • 1 egg

    • 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder

    • 1-3/4 cups flour

    • 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

    • 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped

    • 1/2 tsp shortening

    Directions

    • In a large bowl, beat butter on medium -high for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and cocoa until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining flour and the hazelnuts.
    • Divide dough in half and shape each portion into a 11″ log and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1-2 hours or until firm enough to slice.
    • Preheat the over to 375. Cut logs into 1/4″ slices. Place slices 1″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or just until tops are firm to the touch. Cool on wire rack.
    • In a small saucepan or in microwave, combine the chocolate and shortening until melted. Drizzle melted chocolate over cookies and let cool.

    Pecan Sandies

    Pecan Sandies
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    Pecan Sandies

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    48

    servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

    • 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour

    • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

    Directions

    • In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the 1/3 cup of sugar and the salt at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in the flour at low speed, scraping the side and bottom of the bowl, until the dough just comes together. Add the pecans and beat just until they are incorporated and lightly broken up. Divide the dough in half and form it into two 2-inch-thick logs. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
    • Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 log at a time and keeping the other one chilled, cut the dough into scant 1/4-inch-thick slices, arrange them on the baking sheets and sprinkle them with sugar. Repeat with the second log of dough.
    • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges and on the bottom, shifting the baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

    Snicks

    Snicks
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    Snicks

    Recipe by La Bellitude
    Servings

    40

    servings

    A heartier version of the Snickerdoodle that is one of my favorites. I bake enough at Christmas to have some left in the freezer to pull out one by one to have with coffee or tea at least until the end of winter. In the photo, it is the upper left of the upper left.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter, softened

    • 1 ½ cups turbinado or brown sugar

    • 2 eggs

    • 1 tsp vanilla

    • ½ cup wheat germ

    • 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

    • 2 tsps baking powder

    • ½ tsp salt

    • ½ cup turbinado or white sugar

    • 2 tsps cinnamon

    Directions

    • Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla and wheat germ. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and stir into creamed mixture.
    • Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Using scoop, take ¼ cup of dough and roll into balls. Roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place 2″ apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 400 ° degrees. Cool on a wire rack.