No Bake Nilla Wafer Almond Cookies

Because I'm a baker my friends and family prefer yummy treats over anything. 

I always have to take something sweet with me wherever I go. And if I don't, I won't hear the end of it. 

Around the holidays is when I get creative with simple dessert because I have to make a quantity for my family, friends and clients. 

In this recipe I am actually creating a cookie and taking you along for the ride. Step by step and how I come up with this with this simple cookie. 

I was cleaning out my pantry and found a bag full of Nilla Wafers. :/ so I figure I need to do something with these, but not sure what? 

So I pull out my food processor and decided to gring them real fine consistency, just because. 

So after pulsing, I got 3 1/2 cups of ground wafers. Ok, so what next? After a few long minutes of staring I decide to add almonds, and grind them with the waffers. Let's just say about 1 cup slithered almonds. 

Grind the almonds with the wafers in the food processor. 

It tastes great. Doesn't need sugar because it's sweet enough. However, it's crumbly and it's now time for the binding. How do I bring this together?

Added 1 cold cubed cup plus 1 tsp. Salt. To enhance the flavors.  

I kept pulsing until it starts to look wet and butter blends in. 

It tastes great! I actually think I got something here. Just need a liquid to bring it together. Something that will enhance but not change the flavor. I would add a liquor, but my kids are going to eat. So I think I'll do...honey!!!

Add the honey into the processor and pulsed. Perfect! The dough has come together. 

I have a dough, so I'm going to form it into bite size shapes. I used my truffle size scoop and got 23 balls! Would have been 24 but the sampling I did in the process. I rolled them, and because I want them to look pretty I rolled them in powder sugar. Just looks better. 

You can store these in an air tight container. Or freeze them before coating with powder sugar. 

So here is the recipe of my new recipe...

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Nilla wafers, ground

1 cup Slithered Almonds

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup Butter, cold and small cubed  

2-3 Tbsp. Honey, or Almond Liquor

Directions

1. Combine Wafers and almonds in food processor and pulse into fine consistency. 

2. Add butter and salt, pulse until the butter blends in and flour looks wet. 

3. Add the honey and pulse until it comes together. 

4. With a small truffle scoop or Tbs. portion into even sized balls.  

5. Roll dough into balls. *(freeze at this point). 

6. Roll in powder sugar, 

7. Serve and enjoy with a smile! 

You see, you can utilize anything you have. It doesn't have to be big. 

If you have any other type of cookie try this! 

Swap the butter for cream cheese, but do remember some items are perishable and others aren't. I used butter because these can stay out and don't have to be refrigerated.

 

Like I always say, "Make it your own, and enjoy with a smile."

Shiitake Mushroom In White Wine Sauce

Shiitake Mushroom in White Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

 

1 Tbsp. Butter 

2 Tbsp. Oil

1/2 tsp. Garlic, minced

1 Tbs Onion, chopped

S/P, TT

4 Shiitake Mushrooms

2 Tbsp. White Wine

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Parmesan Cheese, as needed 

Pasta, cooked

1. Add garlic and onions in sauce pan. Cook until translucent.

2. Add mushrooms, cook until browned. For about 2 minutes. 

3. Add white wine and mix.  

4. Add salt, pepper, heavy cream and 4 Tbsp. parm cheese. It will start to boil and thicken. 

5. Remove from heat. 

6. Add cooked pasta and coat. If sauce is still runny add parm cheese. 

7. Plate and enjoy with a smile!

Chocolate Pasta

Chocolate pasta is done pretty much the same method as the egg pasta is done with minor changes. 

In the egg pasta we did on egg for every 3/4 cups all purpose flour. In this case we will replace one egg with water. We will also replace part of the flour for cocoa powder. 

Real simple. You can make these changes for any pasta flavor you like. 

It is very easy and versital. 

I am making a sweet sauce this time, but feel free to make it a savory dish, make a béchamel sauce. It pairs wonderfully with the subtle chocolate pasta. Béchamel sauce is included on my page. 

Chocolate Pasta

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-Purpose Flour 

1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Sugar 

3-5 Tbsp Water

Chocolate Cream Sauce:

1 cup Heavy cream

1/3-2/3 Chocolate Almond Butter or Nutella

Fruit, for topping

Add flour, cocoa powder and sugar in a bowl and give it a whisk.

Place flour mixture in the food processor and pulse, just for two seconds. 

With a fork lightly whisk the eggs and 3 Tbsp. of water together, and add egg mixture to the flour in the food processor. 

Mix the ingredients until they form a ball, this will take approximately 1 minute. At this point if you need to add more water do so. 

Transfer the dough on a clean board with cocoa powder. 

Knead the dough folding it over itself and push away from you. Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest. 

Flatten dough with rolling pin of you need to to fit through the machine. 

Feed it through the machine to achieve desired thickness. 

Cut with a knife of it gets too long to handle. 

Cut into strips or feed it through pasta attachment. 

Start on your sauce. 

Directions for Sauce:

Add 1 cup heavy cream in sauce pan. When is starts to simmer add 1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate sauce, really depending on how chocolatey you like it. 

*I used chocolate almond butter, but you can use any flavor you like even chocolate chips.

Whisk until incorporated 1-2 minutes.  

As it starts to thicken remove from heat. 

Add your pasta and coat.

Plate and top with what you heart desired. 

Make it your own!!!

Enjoy with a smile!!!

Panko Chicken Tenders

I have two children that are busier than I am...Go figure. When they get home from school they want something fast yet delicious. These tenders are just that. I make these ahead of time and freeze them.

When I need them,  I heat the oil, pull the tenders out of the freezer, cook...no problem. * just remember cooking frozen foods need longer cooking time. Make sure your chicken is cooked 165 internal temperature. 

Serve them with ketchup, sauce or slice and serve on a salad. Couldn't be easier. 

Ingredients:

4 Chicken breast, cleaned and cut into 3 strips each. 

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Paprika

1/3 tsp. Cayenne 

S/P TT

2 Eggs

1/3 cup Heavy Cream or milk 

2 cups Panko

Cut chicken strips and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

In order you will first; 

1. Coat the tenders in flour.

2. Dip in heavy cream and eggs. 

3. Coat with Panko. 

Lay the tenders on a tray in single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and in the cooler for 30 minutes, or when ready to use. 

You can freeze tenders at this (if you like).

Drop tenders one at a time in 350 degrees oil. 

They will start to float when they start to cook. 3-5 minutes. Flip if you need to. 

Remove from oil and drain on rack. 

Serve as desired, enjoy with a smile. 

Panko Fried Shrimp

Panko Fried Shrimp

Ingredients:

1lb. Medium shrimp,devained & cleaned 

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Paprika

S/P, TT

Dash Cayenne

2 eggs

1/4 Half & Half/ or milk

2 cups Panko

1. Add flour and spices in one shallow dish. Eggs and half & half in another, panko in the third.

So the order of operation is;

Flour

Eggs

Panko 

And a rack/tray to lay the battered shrimp on. 

2. Drench shrimp in flour. 

3. Coat in the egg wash. 

4. Cover with Panko. 

5. Lay the coated shrimp on the tray. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and in the cooler for 30 minutes until ready to fry. 

6. In a deep pot bring one quart oil to 350 degrees. 

7. Slowly drop shrimp in oil in batches.  Depending on and type of shrimp it will take approximately 2-3 minutes. If you need to flip it to brown do so. 

8. Slowly remove from oil and lay it on rack. 

9. Ready to be served and enjoy with favorite sauce. 

Enjoy with a smile!

Pasta & Lasagna Dough

Pasta is easier than you think.

The trick to making a great pasta is ratio of egg to flour. 

For every egg use 2/3 cup flour. Although this generally will produce perfect dough your dough might be dry at times due to dry weather. In this case just add a teaspoon of water at a time to moisten the dough. You add too much liquid no need to worry, just add flour when kneading. After all, it is easier to add flour to dough than it is to add water.   

Pasta & Lasagna Dough

Ingredients:

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

4 Eggs, room temperature

Water, as needed

In a food processor add two cups of flour and pulse for 5 seconds. 

Crack three eggs and lightly whisk with a fork.

Add the eggs to the flour. 

Give a few pulses just until they form a ball of dough, about 1 minute. If your dough is dry add a tsp. of water at a time and give it a whirl.  

Transfer the dough onto your clean lightly floured surface. 

At this point you will knead the dough by hand. 

With the palm of your hand roll the dough down and away from you, bring it back towards you by folding over itself and slightly turning it. 

Continue to knead for about 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and no longer sticky. 

There should not be any air bubbles in your dough. You can check by  making a slit in the dough. If so, continue to knead. 

Cut the dough in half. Roll into a ball,  wrap with plastic and allow to rest. 

Slightly flatten with a rolling pin to make it easier to fit into your pasta machine. 

Run it through until it is app. 10" proceed to fold it as shown in the diagram. This is basically kneading it through the machine. You can do this 1-3 times adding flour so it doesn't stick to the machine and creates holes in the dough. 

Run the dough as many times to achieve the desired thickness. 

The longer it gets the harder it will be to  control, and may cause it to rip. To prevent this cut it shorter using a knife. 

If you are making lasagna, skip the strip. After rolling the dough out of the machine cut rectangles to fit your dish. 

*Shiitake Mushroom White Wine Sauce. You can find this recipe on my blog.