Parmesan and Rosemary Crisps

Here is a zippy appetizer that is ridiculously easy to make.

It is almost as quick as opening a bag of chips and dumping them into a bowl.

Only this is classier.....and homemade.

There are only two ingredients for this recipe:  good quality parmesan cheese and dried rosemary.  That's it.  Mix them together.  Try not to break sweat. 

Spoon the cheese on to a cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Don't let them get too dark or they will taste bitter.

Now, you can get fancy and wrap the hot crisps around a wooden spoon to make crispy cylinders.....or you can make little appetizer cups by placing the warm cheese around the bottom of mini muffin cups.....

Or just leave them as-is for a rustic looking snack.

Parmesan and Rosemary Crisps
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1 and 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated (Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended)

3/4 teaspoon finely minced dried rosemary

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat liner.
• Mix cheese and rosemary together in a bowl.
• Spoon tablespoon-sized mounds of cheese on to cookie sheets, leaving a 2 inch space between each. Flatten each mound with your fingers.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the crisps are very light and golden
• Carefully wrap warm crisps around the handle of a wooden spoon to form a cylinder; or just serve as is.

Makes 18 crisps.

Fast & Fabulous Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

The original recipe for Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies was created by Freda Smith of Gibsonburg, Ohio for the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.

Surprisingly, Freda did not win the grand prize but her iconic cookie won the hearts of cookie fanatics everywhere.

Here is an updated version of Freda's cookies.

It does not contain flour.

It is perfect for our gluten-free friends or those watching their carbs.

The star of the show is still peanut butter......with sugar, an egg, vanilla, and milk chocolate kisses playing the supporting role. 

Mix together the peanut butter and sugar.  The dough will be crumbly.  Add the egg and vanilla.  The dough will still be crumbly but no worries:

I use the unorthodox method of squeezing pieces of dough together in my hand.  Then I use my fingers to form them into 1-inch balls. 

Once you have made 24 balls, roll them in coarse sanding sugar to coat.

I am using turbinado sugar because I have some left over from a failed gingerbread cookie experiment. 

You can also use regular granulated sugar.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.   

How do you tell if the cookies are done?  The cookies will get a little darker around the edges, but not much...and they barely even spread.  It is best to stick to the 10-12 minute baking time instead of using visual clues for doneness.

Unwrap the kisses.
 
Try not to eat them all.

Press kisses into the center of each cookie and let them cool. 

Fast & Fabulous Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

(adapted from Dee Davis as printed in Taste of Home)

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1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

24 milk chocolate kisses

1/4 cup coarse sanding sugar

 Line two cookie sheets with parchment or silpat liners and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• In a large bowl, cream the peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla; mix until blended.
• Form dough into 1-inch balls. 
• Roll dough balls in sanding sugar to coat, then place on cookie sheets leaving a 2 inch space between cookies.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly darkened around the edges.
• Remove from oven and place one chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool.

Speedy Tortellini Soup with Garlic Toast

My little one came home last week with a 'cold'.....

Which turned out to be the flu.....

And with one sneeze.....

He wiped out the entire family.

Here is a great soup that will warm you from your head to your toes.

It is speedy quick and requires very little effort.....just the kind of meal you need to get you through cold and flu season.
 

Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot and warm over medium heat.  

Grate a small onion and a handful of carrots and add them to the hot olive oil.  Grating the vegetables is a quick way to get flavor without having to cook the soup for a long period of time.

Add some tortellini....about a pound or so.....and cook until almost tender.

Reduce the heat to a simmer.  Add enough fresh spinach to make Popeye green with envy.  Cook 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Now let's make some garlic toast....Crush two cloves of garlic under the flat side of a knife. Remove the skin and place  in a small saucepan with some butter.  Cook until the butter is melted and fragrant.

Brush slices of bread with the garlic infused butter.   

Broil until crispy and just perfect for dipping in to a a bowl of hot soup.

Make the soup extra special with a sprinking of paremsan cheese.

Speedy Tortellini Soup With Garlic Toast

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1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 small/medium onion, grated 1/4 cup carrots, grated 2 quarts chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth salt and pepper to taste 16 ounces cheese tortellini 4 handfuls of fresh spinach one half baguette 1/4 cup butter 2 garlic cloves 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Place olive oil in a large soup pot and warm over medium heat. Add grated onion and carrots. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper. Add tortellini to the hot soup and cook until almost tender. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes until wilted. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. For garlic toast: Crush two cloves of garlic under the flat side of a knife. Remove skin and place in a saucepan with butter.  Cook until butter is melted and fragrant.  Cut the baguette into 8 slices. Brush the garlic infused butter and broil until golden brown.

Serves 4.