Go To Bed Cookies

The name of these cookies comes from the original recipe that my Grandma made. She would place the cookies in the warm oven, turn it off, and go to bed. In the morning they would be set and ready to eat. The batter is a simple meringue with chocolate chips thrown in. They are light and just delightful. 
 

Go to Bed Cookies / Surprise Kisses

 

• 8 oz chocolate chips
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp salt
•  1/4 tsp cream of tarter
•  1 1/2 cups sugar
•  1 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs whites till foamy. Add salt and cream of tarter. Continue beating until egg whites hold stiff peaks, but not dry. Add sugar 2 tbsp at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Fold in vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls on parchment paper lined baking sheet. They will not rise or spread much, but will brown if you keep them in the oven too long. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes. 

Baked Macaroni and 4 Cheese

(Serves 10)

§  16 oz Elbow Macaroni

§  ½ cup (4 oz) Butter

§  6 Tbsp Flour

§  ½ tsp Dry Mustard

§  ¼ tsp salt

§  ¼ tsp black pepper

§  Dash cayenne (if desired)

§  4 cups whole milk

§  1 cup buttered cracker (or bread) crumbs

§  12 oz shredded cheese

o   4 oz Gruyère

o   2 oz parmesan

o   3 oz Monterey jack

o   3 oz Cabot Extra Sharp

1.      Butter casserole dishes (use a deep 13 x 9 or 2- 2qt casseroles) but leave some room for concoction to rise). Oven at 350˚.

2.      Boil Macaroni for 3 minutes only and drain.

3.      In large stainless steel pot, melt butter on medium low heat. Slowly blend in the flour with a wire whisk so that there are no lumps. Add in mustard, salt, pepper, dash of cayenne and mix well.

4.      Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk and stir to assure no lumps. Cook and stir over medium high heat just until mixture boils. Continue stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with your whisk so that the milk does not get scorched! Once mixture is boiling, continue stirring as it simmers for one minute.

5.      Turn down to low heat. Mix in cheese to melt. Fold pasta in lightly.

6.      Pour macaroni & cheese into casserole dishes and top with buttered cracker crumbs. Bake 25 minutes at 350˚.

Tarpon Springs Greek Salad

I adapted this recipe from this Louis Pappas Famous Greek Salad. This is a salad so you can add in what you like and leave out whatever veggies you don't have on hand. The one thing you must include is the potato salad surprise hidden underneath the bed of lettuce and veggies. You can find this delicious dish being served by Greek immigrants in the Tarpon Springs area, which is just north of Tampa. The village was founded around sponge diving and is now lined with sponge shops, natural soaps, and lots of Greek restaurants.

 

Potato Salad

·        4 pounds potatoes, peeled

·        2-4 green onions, finely chopped

·        ¼ parsley, finely chopped

·        ¼ Feta cheese

·        3-4 heaping tablespoons light mayo

·        2-4 tbsp red wine vinegar

·        Salt

Boil the potatoes until soft, 20-30 min. When done, strain out the water and place into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes with a fork. Add in the green onions and parsley. Add in 2 tsp salt. Next add in 2 spoonfuls of the mayo and red wine vinegar. Add in the feta. Stir well and taste. Continue adding vinegar, mayo, and salt to your liking.

Greek Dressing

·        ½ c olive oil

·        ½ c red wine vinegar

·        ½ lemon or lime, squeezed

·        Salt and pepper

·        ½ tsp basil or oregano

Mix well before drizzling over salads.

Greek Salad (4 servings)

·        1 bunch of Romaine lettuce, in 1” slices

·        4 tomatoes, cut into wedges

·        1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

·        1 green pepper, sliced

·        1 avocado, cut into wedges

·        ½ c Feta

·        1 pound Broiled shrimp, peeled

·        Potato Salad

·        Greek Dressing

·        Toast

On 4 large plates, place a cup of potato salad in the center. Next layer the lettuce on top. Add the green pepper and cucumber. Place tomato and avocado wedges around the salad. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with feta. Finally drizzle the completed salad with greek dressing. For a heartier meal, toast bread slices in oven with parmesan cheese and diced garlic and serve on the side. Enjoy.

White Chocolate Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

§  1 cup butter, soft

§  1 ¼ c cane sugar

§  ¾ c light brown sugar

§  2 eggs

§  2 tsp vanilla

§  ¾ c cocoa powder

§  2 c flour

§  1 ½ tsp baking soda

§  ½ tsp salt

§  1 c white chocolate chips

§  ½ c dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the batter beating well after each addition. Fold in the white and dark chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to sit on the sheet a few minutes before removing so they won’t fall apart.

For the ingredients, whenever you can get the real deal, go for it. Farm fresh eggs, sandy colored cane sugar, organic flour, fresh cocoa powder and chocolate chips from the source. Living in Central America, these ingredients were easy to find. Stateside you can find local producers like amish markets or coops. Making desserts with fresh ingredients and little processing makes the flavors explode. Also when you use real chocolate, you get much more of the anti-oxidants and caffeine. Whoohhooooie! To read about the health benefits of using real cacao read this article of how the Kuna Indians of Panama live longer lives thanks to a diet rich in chocolate.