Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

We have the best neighbors. When Jon and I moved into the neighborhood we were showered with gifts. We later found out the the neighbors surrounding us are the original owners of their homes...19 years folks! The retired couple next to us is fabulous. The gentlemen happens to love Raisin Oatmeal Cookies. He is my inspiration for this fabulous find.

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

ingredients:

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

3 cups of quick cook oats

1 cup of raisins

 

directions:

Cream together the butter and sugars. Next, mix in one egg at a time. Add the vanilla.

 

 

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

 

Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Once blended stir in the oats and the raisins. Cover and chill for one hour.

 

 

Preheat oven to 375F. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet (easy clean-up). Roll dough into walnut size balls and space 2 inches apart. Cook cookies for 10 minutes and allow to cool.

 

* You can also omit raisins altogether or add a cup of walnuts or if you life both walnuts and raisins add a half cup of each. This recipe is very versatile and easy.

 

 

Check out the original recipe at Allrecipes.

Mini Lemon Tarts

 

I made these last year as a snacky dessert for a Christmas Eve party. They were an instant hit. They weren't easy, but they were so enjoyed it made the time they took all worth it. I think I'm getting an itch for something lemony!

 

 

Mini Lemon Tarts

serving size: 24

 

lemon curd:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 5 lemons)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size slices

 

Whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt and eggs in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan (off the stove). Once the mixture is blended, place over medium heat and cook while stirring, until the curd is thick. This will take about 8 minutes. Whisk in the butter piece by piece; it will loosen up slightly. Pour curd into a large measuring cup and refrigerate to allow to thicken.

 

tart crust:

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 teaspoons cold water

 

Sift flour, sugar and salt into mixing bowl. Cut chilled butter into pieces into the bowl. Using your fingertips, quickly rub the butter and dry ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. You can also use a pastry knife as I hate having sticky fingers...uck!

 

Stir egg yolks, vanilla and water together and add to the flour-butter mixture and blend in using a fork. Shape dough into a ball.

 

Place the ball of dough on a pastry board. Knead. Or as Mama put it so eloquently "With the heel of your hand, smear about 1/4 cup of dough away from you into a 6-8 inch smear; repeat until all the dough has been dealt with." Scrape dough together; reform into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray well so the crusts will not stick to the pan. Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of wax paper. Taking a small portion of the dough create a small 2" disc and tuck the dough into muffin cups, pressing with your fingertips so that the dough comes up the sides of the cup.

 

Using a fork prick the bottoms of each dough cup. Then cut 3″ squares of foil and press them into the inside of the dough cups. Use pie weights, beans or rice or even pennies to weigh down the foil (I did not do this the first time and I wish I did). 

 

Bake the crusts for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and take out the foil and pie weights and then return the crusts to the oven for another 5-9 minutes until the crusts are lightly golden on the edges. Everyone’s oven is different so you really have to keep an eye on the crusts. Too much and it will be dry and crumbly.

 

put it together:

 Remove the crusts from the oven  and allow to cool  and remove and place on serving tray. Now, carefully add the lemon curd. Use a spoon to guide the curd from the measuring cup and into the crusts. Fill tarts. (Some people opt to bake @350f for 10 minutes, if so, fill below the brim)

 

For a garnish I used raspberries, mint leaves and candied lemon slices. They were a hit!

 

 

For the original recipe for this lemon curd go to Food Network w/ Jamie Deen

For the original recipe for the lemon tart crust go to Mama's Gotta Bake

Candied Lemon Slices

This post is crucial for tomorrows "Mini Lemon Tarts" because these fabulously decadent candied lemon slices are the garnish for our tarts. They're beautiful, semi simple, somewhat time consuming and a great go-to dessert garnish if your creative juices are experiencing a drought.

So, here we go...

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

 

Ingredients:

1 lemon

sugar

ice water

1. Fill a medium bowl with water and ice cubes. We will use this later for the sliced lemons.

2. Cut lemons into thin slices using a sharp knife or mandolin ( I used a knife..I had a mandolin I would of much preferred to use it because the slices come out evenly). Discard the ends of the lemon and seeds.

3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add sliced lemons. Stir until soft (this should take about 1 minute). Drain. Immediately put lemons into ice water. Remove lemons slices.

4. Bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to boil in a skillet. When sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear lower temperature to medium-low. Add lemons in one layer being sure they do not overlap one another. Simmer for one hour (do not boil).

5. Rinds should be translucent when they are finished. Transfer lemons to parchment paper and let stand until ready for use.

For the original of this recipe please go HERE.