Blood Orange and Thyme Chocolate Chip Cookies

This looks amaaaazing
Blood Orange and Thyme Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons blood orange zest
1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
This delicious recipe makes about 36 cookies... Heat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the orange zest, thyme and vanilla. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Continue mixing until evenly combined to form a dough. Gently fold the chocolate chips into the dough using a wooden spoon or spatula. Using a tablespoon, drop the dough onto a greased baking sheet, spacing the cookies approximately 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are set and the edges are golden-brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Rosemary lager mac and cheese

Life is good.

melt butter...whisk in flour...whisk in soy milk...whisk in TJ's shredded mozarella cheese...whisk in TJ's rosemary asiago cheese...whisk in lager...

Mix with cooked oricchiette, broccoli and carrots already parboiled in thyme...  place in greased pyrex container, top with crumbled cornmeal (see Thanksgiving recipe for jalapeno cornbread), bake in 350 degree oven...

Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Beets

Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Beets

Background:
Ok, I'm incapable of sticking to one singular recipe...  before I forget, here's what I did... combo of all the other recipes...

Methods:

Red Velvet Cake Recipe (with beets)

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c pureed cooked beets
2 1/4 cups flour 2c +4T flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda 1tsp baking soda based on Johnny Iuzzini's recipe (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/10/johnny-iuzzinis-chocolate-beet-cupcakes-recipe.html)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. cider vinegar  2 tsp red wine vinegar  (based on http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=75605)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .

Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.

Melt chocolate in double boiler and set aside .  Melt chocolate in microwave, 15 s at a time

Sift togetherMix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a bowl beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate.I accidentally added in the beets at this point... in four steps, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk mixed with vinegar , beginning and ending with flour. I'd forgotten the chocolate and mixed it in midway.  Beat until incorporated. Add pureed beets and mix until well blended. 

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and top of cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.


Results:
Half the audience liked the balance of lack of sweetness with the sweet frosting; another half thought it could use a little more sugar.  I'd repeat the recipe, but next time, perhaps add 3/4c of the brown sugar portion.

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Frosting:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 ounces), divided

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Red-Velvet-Cupcakes-with-Coconut-and-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-235169#ixzz1F8evpuao

Red velvet recipe to try

http://www.zesterdaily.com/cooking/493-red-velvet-renaissance

Another:

http://blisstree.com/eat/red-for-valentines-day-red-velvet-cake/

Another beet red velvet cake recipe

Johnny Iuzzini's Chocolate Beet Cupcakes

This Recipe Appears In:

Elizabeth Falkner vs. Johnny Iuzzini Cupcake Battle

This is very lightly adapted from pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini's Scharffen Berger recipe.

This cake turns out deliciously chocolatey and moist, with the beets imparting a subtle, earthy undertone. As Iuzzini put it, "It doesn't taste like beets; but if the beet puree wasn't there, you'd miss it." To make the beet puree, quarter the beets—four large ones will be more than enough—and boil them until tender and the skin slips off easily, about 20 minutes (depending on the size). Puree with a standard or stick blender, and strain to get the big chunks out.

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 vanilla beans, scraped, seeds only (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
• 1 cup beet puree

Red Red Wine... you so fine...

Just had the best affordable red wine ever--introduced by my roommate's girlfriend: Bear Flag Dark Red Blend.  Must remember!