Ginger Cookies with Play

Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger (would recommend 2 tsp)
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup butter (I used unsalted)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup molasses

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Sift first six ingredients together. Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg, molasses and dry ingredients; mix well. Form balls and roll in a little sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes. This is a cake- like textured cookie.

PLAY'S EGGNOG POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix 1 1/4 cups eggnog (I use Southern Comfort Traditional)  2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or cinnamon) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use bourbon, rum or maple liqueur)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat all ingredients together at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour into a lightly greased 9- x 5-inch loaf pan*.

2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

*NOTE: will make 4 "mini" foil loaf-pans or one bundt cake

V1's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

"These cookies are the pinnacle of perfection! If you want a big, fat, chewy cookie like the kind you see at bakeries and specialty shops, then these are the cookies for you!" 
INGREDIENTS: 
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 
1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
1 egg 
1 egg yolk 
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 
DIRECTIONS: 
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. 
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. 
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. 

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

• INGREDIENTS
• 10 1/2-inch-thick slices French bread (4 inches in diameter); 8 slices toasted, 2 slices (crust removed) diced
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided, plus 12 large basil leaves
• 3/4 cup purchased refrigerated marinara sauce
• 12 ounces ground chicken (white meat)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 large radicchio leaves

DIRECTIONS

Blend diced bread and Parmesan in processor to fine crumbs. Transfer to pie dish; mix in 2 tablespoons minced basil.

Mix marinara and 2 tablespoons basil in small saucepan. Transfer 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce to large bowl. Add chicken, 1/2 tablespoon oil, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with pepper; blend. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; coat with crumbs. Heat sauce over low heat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until bottoms are crusty, 4 minutes. Turn patties over; top with cheese. Cook 3 minutes. Cover; cook until cooked through and cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Assemble burgers with bread, radicchio, basil leaves, and warm marinara.