Cookies of course!

Cookie by candlelight....how romantic.....if your a cookie.......

Well I wish that my first recipe back was a big ole vegetable over a nutty healthy grain but alas, it isn't. Tis the season for cookies, yall! My older bro suggested I make these cookies, and I'm so glad I did. I was looking for a cranberry cookie, but didn't want a lot of fuss. This little guy (gal?, I'm not clear on the gender of a cookie) was perfect. The cornmeal is an interesting addition, one I really enjoyed. What's nice, is the cornmeal gives the cookie new fresh taste, but I didn't feel like I was eating cornbread by any means. The cornmeal and flour combo works perfectly. Plus the dough also comes together very quickly and doesn't require a lot of delicate steps. Intricate doughs can be fun, but sometimes you need a cookie that can come together in 20 minutes or less, lets all be honest. This is definitely that. I also appreciate this little nibble, because for a dessert, it's fairly harmless. Only 3/4 cup of sugar in the recipe (plus the coating), no butter, and 1/4 cup oil. A lot the flavor comes from the cranberries and the orange zest, both ingredients I love. If you don't like cranberries, well don't make this recipe silly! This is not a rich indulgent treat, so if you are looking for that, well you can find those pretty much everywhere this time of year. This is, however, a suprising simple and delicous cookie that is a great way to finish a heavy meal when you want a dessert, but nothing to heavy handed. Give this cornmeal cookie a try, go on, you'll like it.

First whisk your dry ingredients

Mixing in the orange zest and dried cranberries

Its your dough! 

Make balls of dough

Roll in sugar. Yes! 

Place on baking sheet

Cranberry Cornmeal Cookies

Adapted from "The Quick Recipe" by the Staff of America's Best Test Kitchen

Makes 10-12 large cookies
The Goods:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 orange
3-4 tablespoons of orange juice (optional)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or other flavorless oil)

The Deal:

1. This first step is optional. If you have time, do it, if you don't have time, well you know. Place cranberries in a small bowl and toss with orange juice. You want the cranberries soaking in the juice, but not covered with juice. Let sit for at least 6 hours. Drain cranberries before using.

2. Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet with non-stick spray and/or use parchment paper.

3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add orange zest and whisk to combine. Add the cranberries and using a rubber spatula, toss to combine.  Whisk together the eggs and oil in a measuring cup. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened.

4. Fill a small bowl with cold water and place 1/3 cup sugar in an 8- or 9- inch pie plate. Dip your hands into the water and roll about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough into a rough ball. Drop the ball into the pie plate with sugar and toss to coat. Place the formed, sugar-coated cookie on the prepared pan, leaving 1 1/2 inches between balls. If your hands become too sticky (which is possible, this dough is very sticky, so be sure to keep your hands wet), dip them into the water and shake away the excess. If the dough become super unruly you can always refrigerate it for 20 minutes or so.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet front to back halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until slightly set, about 2 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack. Cool for 15 minutes.

Radish, Endive, and Carrot Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

Mix together and be happy.

Back at salads again, and this time Im using new vegetables! Since starting this blog, I feel like a food detective in the supermarket. Before when I would see something in the produce section that looked unfamiliar and I would ignore it, knowing I would never try it. Now I see something new and grab it so I can go home and look up fun recipes for my new mystery vegetable.
Endives and Radishes are vegetables I've been meaning to try for a while, and I finally bought them both.

Inspiration for this salad dressing combo came from "The America's Best Test Kitchen: Family Style" cookbook. I was trying to play on a asian style theme, while still using easy/cheap vegetables. The spiced croutons were amazing, I had to stop myself from eating them all before they made it to the salad. It happens. The recipe for the croutons is in a different post, but please DO not ruin another salad with prepackaged 'tons. They taste like cardboard covered in garlic.

The dressing was fresh and delicious. You can use bottled OJ if you must, but fresh juice makes a huge difference. The orange juice is such a key element in creating the flavor of the dressing, buy an orange and squeeze it. Its cheaper than buying OJ! For the oil, I used vegetable, but you can use canola or grapeseed, you just want a flavorless oil that doesn't overpower the dressing. Also white wine vinegar is fine to use if you do not have red. The acidity from the vinegar is more important than if its red or white.  I can't stress the difference homemade dressing makes, and the simplicity. Making your own dressing takes less time than opening a store bought one, fo real people, DO IT!

With all the fresh vegetables at the farmers market I hope to making a lot more salads and fresh dressings, so stay tuned! Salad up people, bunny style!

Radish, Endive, and Carrot Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

The Goods: serves 4-6

Jar O Dressing! 

Salad:
2-3 endives, leaves removed, sliced into bite sized squares
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
8-9 small radishes, halved and sliced thin
1 large head of boston or romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds(optional)
Spiced Croutons, click her for recipe: Spiced Croutons

Orange Sesame Dressing:
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup vegetable oil (Grapeseed and canola are fine)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt


The Deal:
1. Toast sesame seeds in a small saute pan on medium heat until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Once toasted place sesame seeds and all other ingredients for the dressing in a jar with a air tight lid and shake vigoriously.

2. Place all salad ingredients into large bowl, except croutons. Toss the salad with the dressing, adding the croutons last to avoid soggy croutons. Serve it up!

The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days, bring it to room temperature before reusing.