Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Watermelon Cookies

The minute I first saw these I wanted to make them. It just so happened that I found them over the Memorial Day weekend when I was looking for something to add to our family picnic. I found them on another blog: Amanda's Cooking and you can check it out HERE and she has a really great craft blog too! So, I decided to make these cookies just as the recipe instructs-I had never made dough this way but I was willing to try. Just one thing I forgot to do the first time around...you can see it in the picture below :) I call those my honeydew melons with seeds. I was able to fix it the second time I rolled the dough though and they were a hit. They taste really good and we all enjoyed them. Definitely something I would do again!

Watermelon Cookies


**These do not taste like watermelon, only look like one**

Cookie Dough
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teasponn baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold, unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 drops red food coloring (try not to forget this!)
1 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons milk
green food coloring

1.In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and red food coloring on medium speed until well combined.
3. Turn mixer down to low and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until no more flour can be seen. Gather the dough together in a ball using a spoon or spatula.
4. Remove dough from bowl and divide in two equal pieces. Between two sheets of parchment paper roll out each piece of dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Place dough in refrigerator for two hours.
6. Preheat oven to 400.
7. Remove one batch of chilled dough from fridge. Remove top sheet of parchment paper and using a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter (I used a small drinking cup) cut out circles.
8. Using a sharp knife cut each circle in half and place on baking sheet.
9. Gently press the chocolate chips into each half circle. Repeat process with other half of dough.
10. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until slightly puffed. Don't let them get too brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
11. You can reroll any unused dough between the parchment and place back in the fridge and cut more cookies.
12. Mix all ingredients together for the glaze. You may add a splash or two more of milk if the glaze is too thick.
13. Have a wire rack ready on your table or counter with parchment paper underneath it.
14. Carefully dip and 'roll' the rounded side of each cookie in the glaze. Place right side up on the wire rack and allow any excess to drip off onto the parchment paper and then dry completely.

Shrimp Scampi

Brad and I both love seafood. I haven't eaten it much lately with being pregnant and now nursing but I still love it. One of our favorites when we go out to eat is shrimp scampi and Brad has always asked me to find out how to make it. Well, I did some research and kind of combined a couple of scampi recipes off of allrecipes.com. We found frozen shrimp for a really good price at Kroger a few weeks ago and I finally tried it out. I defrosted way too much so I had enough for two days and this was even better as leftovers. I served it over pasta and called it a meal.

Shrimp Scampi


1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (I used frozen with tails on)
1 stick butter
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
parsley


Preheat oven to 350
1. Arrange shrimp in a circular pattern in a casserole dish or pie plate.
2. In a medium sauce pan melt butter. As butter is melting at garlic to pan and allow to simmer until fragrant. Add lemon juice and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
4. Pour over shrimp in casserole dish and top with some of the parsley. Cook for 25-35 minutes or until shrimp are hot and sauce is bubbly. Check on it after 10 minutes to be sure it isn't drying up.
Serve over pasta or as a side to steak or other seafood dish.