Robin Egg and Bunny Tail Shortbread Cookies

Robin Egg and Bunny Tail Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients: 

2 sticks softened unsalted butter

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

2 cups all purpose flour 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla 

1/8 teaspoons almond extract

Pinch salt

4-5 cups confectioners sugar

1-2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Divide Frosting to make multiple pastel colors. Use a tiny amount of food coloring to achieve a light color.

Robin Eggs: light blue or sky blue coloring, add a tiny bit to keep a pretty pastel color. For more of a teal egg-add a tiny bit of green to the blue.

For the speckles: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch 1/16 tsp of instant coffee espresso powder or dark cocoa powder. 

For Bunny Tails: 1/4 cup white sprinkles or sweetened flaked coconut 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract if using. Add the salt, and confectioners sugar, mix to combine. Add the flour, mix until just combined. Dough should resemble play-dough consistency.

Divide dough onto two-10 inch pieces of waxed paper.  Squish dough into a 2 inch diameter log shape. Roll up each dough in the waxed paper. For Robin Eggs, try to make an oval shape. For bunny tails, a round shape will do.  Refrigerate wax logs of dough for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, unroll logs, slicing cookies into 1/2 inch slices. Place each cookie onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

If ovals or rounds need shaping after slicing, use clean fingers to press cookies back into the desired shape.

Bake on the middle rack for 14-18 minutes or until just barely golden on edges.

Allow cookies to rest for five minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Frost after completely cooled.

For Robin Eggs:

Pipe blue frosting onto each cookie-smooth with an offset spatula. Add speckles by dipping a new small toothbrush or a bristle pastry brush into the vanilla espresso powder mix and spritz each cookie to resemble a Robin egg.🪺 

For Bunny Tails:

Make frosting in desired colors or leave white. 

Pipe a small dollop of frosting, about 3/4” inches size.  Dip the frosting into the sprinkles or the coconut to create bunny tails.

Ham and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

Ham & Cheddar Breakfast Casserole 

8 large eggs

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped 

1 1/2 cups cheddar, shredded 

1/2 cup Gruyere or Monterey Jack

8-10 slices stale bread, cubed-sourdough, croissant or brioche are great choices (5-6 cups)

1 Tablespoon butter

Chives-for garnish

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

In a 9x13 baking dish, butter the dish well. Add half the bread, sprinkle half of the cooked ham, and half of the cheeses, layer the remaining bread ham and cheese.  Carefully pour the egg mixture over the casserole, letting the bread soak up the egg mixture.

Cover and refrigerate overnight if possible, or refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If baking from a chilled overnight casserole-set casserole on the counter for 15 minutes while oven heats up.

Bake on middle rack, uncovered for 55 minutes until set. Casserole should be puffed and golden, and set in the center, not too jiggly-and not wet.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Top with chopped chives and enjoy. Can be served hot, warm or after cooling —like a quiche.

Yes-you can definitely add 1 cup of favorite chopped vegetables to this—asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, or red peppers are great choices.

Refrigerate leftovers-they reheat wonderfully!

Pasta Primavera

 

Pasta Primavera with a Lemon Pesto Butter Sauce | Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked & drained pasta-1/2 of a 1lb box (I used penne)

1 medium sweet onion chopped into big 2 inch chunks

1 lb asparagus cut into 2inch pieces

1 zucchini chopped into 1/2 inch chunks

1 yellow squash cut into 1/2 inch chunks 

1 cup of yellow, red, orange peppers sliced into 1/2 inch chunks 

1 cup cherry tomatoes 

1 lemon-zested and squeezed-reserve juice

4 Tablespoons olive oil divided

Salt pepper to taste

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

4 Tbs butter

2 Tablespoons pesto

Shredded Parmesan and fresh basil to garnish.

On a large baking sheet with 1 inch sides, add all the vegetables, (yes, you can add or omit any vegetables of your choice)

Drizzle the chopped vegetables with 2 Tbs of olive oil, add about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown on edges.  While vegetables roast, boil pasta and make the sauce in a large skillet.

Make pasta, ( I used 1/2 a box for 4 servings) Follow package instructions. I used penne. Any bite-sized pasta in any shape will work. Drain pasta, set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add red pepper flakes, zest and juice of the lemon. Add the pesto, and stir together. 

Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce, stir to coat, and add the roasted vegetables.  Stir, top with shredded Parmesan, and fresh basil. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH Filling:

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour-heated to 165 degrees and cooled to room temperature. 

2 sticks (16 Tbsp.) unsalted butter-softened

1 1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream

3/4 cup (heaping) chocolate chips (I use a mixture of  mini semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips)

Directions:

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, heat the flour in a 350-degree oven to 165 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes and check temperature.

(You can also use the microwave to heat the flour- use a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the flour reaches 165 degrees)  Use an instant-read thermometer to verify the temperature.  Allow the flour to cool to room temperature before using it.

TIP: If any small clumps of flour form during the heating, break up the clumps with the flat bottom of a measuring cup.

In a mixing bowl, add the room-temperature (softened) butter.  Add the brown sugar and stir.  Mix well until the butter and sugar are creamy and smooth-4-5 minutes.  Add the salt and vanilla and stir.  Finally, add the flour and stir until combined.  Add 1 Tablespoon of the heavy cream, this will begin to loosen the dough.  Depending on your preference, add an additional tablespoon or two of cream and mix until you reach your desired consistency.  (I used 2 Tablespoons)

Fold in the chocolate chips and any other customizable ingredients: (fun add-ins: pecans, coconut, heath, toffee, peanut butter chips, dried  fruits, marshmallow bits, candies or sprinkles)

Cover and chill until ready to serve.  

Using edible cookie dough as cake filling: 

Using parchment paper on the bottom, add 1-2 cups of edible cookie dough, using a second piece of parchment paper, press cookie dough into an even layer.  For a round cake create two disks, or if making a sheet cake, create a single flat layer. Refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough until ready to frost and fill the cake.

Chocolate Chip Cakes:

Preheat over to 350, grease and line with parchment 3 9-inch cake pans 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 egg whites

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cup room temperature buttermilk

***

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Mix dry ingredients (except chocolate chips)-set aside. 

Mix together sugar, eggs + egg whites, oil, extracts and sour cream.  Mix well, scrape sides of bowl. 

Begin adding the flour mixture (using 1/3 of dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk.) 

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Alternate flour and buttermilk.  Pour batter evenly into 3 greased and parchment lined 9-inch cake pans. Sprinkle the cake batter with a few extra chocolate chips just before baking.

 

Bake cakes on the middle rack of a preheated 350°F oven.  Bake for 22-24 minutes, until set and a toothpick comes out cleanly.  Cakes will be very lightly golden.

 As soon as cakes come out of oven, run a paring knife around edges to loosen, and turn cakes out onto cooling racks. Remove parchment paper while cakes are still hot.  Cool completely before frosting.

 

American Vanilla Buttercream for stacking layers

(Double if you plan to pipe decorative edges)

20 Tbs softened unsalted butter. (2 1/2 sticks)

2 cups confectioners sugar-sifted 

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp good vanilla extract

Whip the butter until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Add sifted confectioners sugar, whip until smooth-let it mix on high for 5 minutes-it will be creamy and light.

Chocolate Ganache (optional)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream-warmed in microwave 

3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Stir together, melting chocolate chips until shiny and glossy chocolate-allow to cool or chill until it reaches a pourable but thick consistency.

Top cake with ganache if desired.

To assemble cake: place first cake round, add 1/2 cup vanilla buttercream, then add the edible cookie dough, add a thin layer of butter cream, then add the next cake round. Repeat the layering, with the next cake round and cookie dough disk, finish with the final cake round. Lightly frost cake. Refrigerate cake for one hour, then finish frosting cake with remaining buttercream.