Cucumber Feta Toasts

 I came across this recipe in an old issue of the Everyday Food Magazine and thought it sounded really good. I made it today for lunch and loved them, and so did Hudson! They would make a great summer appetizer and they are super easy to throw together. I will be making these again!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 baguette
• 2 teaspoons plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces feta
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise

Directions:

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees. Split baguette lengthwise and lightly brush cut sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Bake until golden around edges, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together feta, 4 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Spread feta mixture evenly over toasted baguette and top with cucumber. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Cut into pieces to serve.

Broiled Salmon with Spinach Feta Saute

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless salmon fillets, (6 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 bags (5 ounces each) baby spinach
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled (2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil until opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add as much spinach as will fit; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing spinach and adding more to skillet as space becomes available, until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; drain off excess liquid. Stir in feta, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Serve salmon with spinach saute.
   

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Salted Toffee Chocolate Squares

I have not made these yet, but have heard that they are delicious!  What's not to love? Toffee, chocolate, nuts...yumm!

Ingredients:

• 13 graham crackers
• 1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.
2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

• Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine, May 2010  

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

Makes 24 cookies

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Divide dough into 24 portions, about 1 heaping tablespoon each. Roll each piece between your hands to form a smooth ball. Place dough balls, 1 inch apart, on two ungreased baking sheets. Using a fork, press on dough in two directions to form a crosshatch pattern.
2. Bake cookies until puffed and lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets. (To store, keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.)  

Recipe is from the Everyday Food Magazine, March 2010 issue by Emeril Lagasse

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
• 4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons (use a cookie scoop to get that rounded shape out of the cookies), 1 inch apart, onto two large baking sheets or I used my pampered chef cookie stone (and they came out wonderfully). Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Recipe from everyday food magazine, March 2009.

Cranberry Scones

Here's a yummy recipe for cranberry scones. You could also substitute the cranberries with raisins, dried cherries, or currants. They are very good when still warm out of the oven, and taste great plain or with a lemon preserve!

Cranberry Scones

-2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
-3/4 cup dried cranberries
-1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1 tablespoon milk

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
-With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cranberries. Make a well in the center; add buttermilk and egg. Stir until just combined (do not overmix).
-Transfer dough to lightly floured surface; knead 5 to 6 times. Pat into an 8-inch disk. With a floured 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Re-roll and cut scraps once.
-Transfer to baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush rounds with milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

Nutrition Facts Per Scone:
191 calories, 8.3g fat, 5g saturated fat, 3.5g protein, 26.3g carbohydrates, 1.2g fiber

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Chocolate Sweet Heart Cookies

Here's a great recipe for chocolate cut-out cookies. I have tried several recipes for chocolate cut-out cookies before and most of them came out a little dry; when rolling them out the dough cracks. But this recipe does not have that problem. You roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper and it rolls out beautifully! Not sticky, not dry, but very moist and perfect! I cut out hearts for Valentine's day, but this recipe can be used any time of year. It is found in the February 2009 issue of Everyday Food.

Chocolate Sweet Hearts

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, place chocolate, butter, and brown sugar; stir frequently until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, and stir until completely melted; let cool slightly.
2. Add egg to chocolate mixture. With a mixer on low, beat until well blended. Gradually stir in flour mixture (dough will form a ball).
3. Divide dough in half; roll out each half on a sheet of parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer each half (still on paper) to a baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working with one half at a time, flip dough onto a work surface; peel off paper. Using a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies; place, 1/2 inch apart, on two baking sheets. Bake until firm and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.