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Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

 

Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Butter or Olive Oil?

When cooking and baking I use olive oil and butter interchangeably or together in many recipes.  I had not thought about the difference until I wanted to make some cookies and had only extra virgin olive oil.  A little research, The Olive Press recommended using olive oil in all baking goodies.  Using a recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, I adapted an old-fashioned sugar cookie to an Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookie.  I have not made it with butter, so do not have a good reference to compare.  It was a firm cookie, not soft or crisp.  The other objective, I wanted to show the conversion chart for butter to olive oil.

Conversion Chart:  Butter to Olive Oil

1 teaspoon butter = 3/4  teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter = 2 1/4  teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup butter = 3  tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup butter = 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup butter = 1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup butter = 1/2 cup + 1  tablespoon olive oil
1 cup butter = 3/4 cup olive oil

 There are many benefits in using Olive Oil.

Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat which comes from  a plant,  the Olea europaea. the olive tree  grown primarily in the Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Greece, and Spain.  Monounsaturated fatty acids are said to be a healthy dietary fat, along with peanuts, cashews and avocados.  These fats help to reduce  the LDL cholesterol or the “bad cholesterol”.

When thinking of olive oil, cooking usually comes to mind first.  Cosmetics, medicine, soaps and even fuel for lamps all may be made from olive oil.  However, when discussing benefits it is related to our health.  There have been multiple studies made to assess benefits of olive oil.

Examples of healthy benefits

1. Protection of the cardiovascular system.
2. Prevention of stoke.
3.  Lowering the risk of depression.
4.  Reduction of breast cancer risk.
5.  Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
6.  Extra virgin olive oil may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
7.  Prevent acute pancreatitis by using extra virgin olive oil.
8.  Protect the liver with the use of extra virgin olive oil.

 

Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Coconut cookies batter

Coconut cookie batter made with extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe made about 36 cookies.

Oven ready Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Oven ready Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

I like to roll the  teaspoons  of dough into a ball, then flatten with a bottom of a glass dipped into sugar.  It gives a prettier and sweeten top to the cookie.

Out of the oven, Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Out of the oven, Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies.

Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

Julia Ann
A new take on an old fashioned sugar cookies, using olive oil instead of butter. Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 doz

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped coconut
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
  • 1 tablespoon evaporated milk undiluted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 350 F.
  • Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Measure and mix together: flour, salt, baking powder and coconut; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the olive oil and sugar, beat until light and blended.
  • Add the egg, vanilla and coconut flavoring, beat thoroughly.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the oil and sugar mixture, adding 1/2 cup at a time.
  • Blend well.
  • Roll teaspoons of batter into a ball and place on cookie sheet 1 inches apart.
  • Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Notes

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®
brings you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-20208 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “
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All rights reserved.
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Olive Oil Coconut Sugar Cookies

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® brings you great recipes for your cooking experience.  ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

 

Netta Belle’s Choice Upside-Down Cake

 

Ready to enjoy Peach Upside Down Cake with a scoop of ice cream.

Ready to enjoy Peach Upside-Down Cake with a scoop of ice cream.

Don’t you like it when you find a quick recipe and make little changes you have another delicious dessert?  This is how I think of the Netta Belle’s Choice® Upside-Down Cake. It is the same basic cake layer dressed up to which ever fruit is in season.  I started out with just making pineapple upside down cakes, then did not have pineapple.  Blueberries were in season and later peaches.  So 2 new cakes were added to my Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® Recipe Box.

 Peach Upside Down Cake

Putting peaches into the plate

Putting peaches into the plate

Pouring cake batter over  peaches.

Pouring cake batter over peaches.

Peach Upside Down Cake

Peach Upside-Down Cake

Ready to enjoy Peach Upside Down Cake with a scoop of ice cream.

Ready to enjoy Peach Upside-Down Cake with a scoop of ice cream.

Netta Belle's Choice Upside-Down Cake

Julia Ann
A quick and easy dessert of a moist butter cake dressed up with seasonal sweeten fruit on top.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 350 F. Preheat a sheet of foil on the lower shelf to catch drippings.
  • Grease a 10-inch deep dish pie plate.
  • TOPPING:
  • Peel and slice the peaches into the lemon juice.
  • Mix the melted butter and brown sugar in a small bowl.
  • Spread this on the bottom of greased pie plate.
  • Arrange the toasted almonds on top of the butter and sugar
  • Drain the peaches, dry off any excess juices.
  • Arrange the peach slices over almonds and butter/ brown sugar mixture.
  • CAKE BATTER:
  • Whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
  • In a larger bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
  • Beat in the almond extract.
  • Alternate adding the flour and milk, beating after each addition until well blended.
  • Spread the cake batter evenly over the peaches.
  • Bake in the middle of the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake on a rake for 15 minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edge to loosen cake, invert cake onto a platter.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.©2007- 2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Bluleberry Upside Down Cake _750 To get your creative juices flowing, here are a some pictures of other fruit ideas. Humm… I think I will make the cake, put it on a platter and slather it with whip cream and cover it with fresh strawberries and drizzle chocolate on top.  Go to go! Cake, strawberries and whip cream are awaiting.  ENJOY  your choice Upside-Down Cake.

 

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.

Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

 Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

 

Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

Julia Ann
A soft spicey molasses cookie filled with walnuts and raisins. Originally called a tea cake. First published in an 1877 Portland, Maine cookbook.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 60

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Mix the first 6 dry ingredients together; whisk to blend.
  • Measure the molasses and water together.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine shortening and sugars; cream until fluffy.
  • Reserve 1/2 egg; add the remainder of eggs to sugars, beat to blend.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and liquids, beating after each addition.
  • Stir in walnuts and raisins until mixed evenly.
  • Drop by tablespoonful on the cookie sheet.
  • Brush tops with egg.
  • Add pinch of white sugar on top of each cookie.
  • Bake 12 to 15 minutes

Notes

These can be made into a bar cookie. Cut when warm and store to soften.
cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes, for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.”
nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

The Grand Canyon is a special spot our family likes to visit.  There is a fun train excursion from Williams, Arizona up to the Grand Canyon.  Certainly family oriented.  It is a must see place to visit each time we go to Arizona.  It is fun to walk around the El Tovar Lodge on the south rim, visit the shops and see the elk, ride the bus to lookout points over the Canyon and breathe the western air.  I like the the southwest. Now what does that have to do with cookies?  I remembered a cookbook I got at a used bookstore in Flagstaff,  The Grand Canyon Pioneers Society Cook Book, 1988 edition.  Gale Burak baked Gale’s Hermit Cookies to take to the Grand Canyon Ranger Stations.  I have renamed them Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies and bake them as a drop cookie.

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

South Rim of the Grand Can 

                Enjoy the old fashioned flavor of Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies.

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

American Persimmon Cake

American Persimmon

In the midwest and southeastern part of the United States recipes for persimmon cake, puddings, cookies, cheesecakes and ice cream are as popular as pumpkin recipes.  I had not eaten anything persimmon in central Indiana until I married and lived in southern Indiana. It was a yearly treat for my husband’s family.  So I learned to like this strange little fruit.  It is bitter if eaten before it’s time,  it’s ripe after the first frost.  Best eaten in desserts with whipped cream.

American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) http://kids.britannica.com/comptoms/art-153606

An interesting fact about this tree, there has to be a male and female tree for the tree to produce the fruit.  How can you tell the difference between trees?  You have to wait until the flowers come out in the spring.  It’s all in how the flowers are attached to the branch.  All hunters need to go out early October to find the female trees to hang their stand. Deer also like the persimmons.

The fruit is round, spicy-sweet when ripe, yellow to deep red with flat seeds.  To get the pulp from the fruit it must first be run through a food mill to separate the skin and seeds.
The pulp can be frozen.  Nutritionally the persimmon is high in vitamins A and C.

American Persimmons for Cake

American Persimmons for Cake                                           

Trees are harder to find now in the wild, unless you know where to go.  One time we found a tree down by Lake Monroe, south of Bloomington, Indiana.  The best spot we have now to gather persimmons belongs to a favorite aunt.  My husband has eyed the tree for this year and it is loaded and hanging heavy.  The following recipe is from Aunt’s Recipe Collection.

American Persimmon Cake

American Persimmon Cake

Julia Ann
A fruit favorite in the fall, particularly in the midwest. Recipes abound for pudding, cookies, cakes and even a fudge recipe. This is a soft moist cake or pudding. Serve it with whip cream or vanilla ice cream
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
  • In a medium bowl, add flour, sea salt, cinnamon, soda; whisk to blend. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
  • Add the persimmon pulp and blend.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour milk, beat after each addition.
  • Add the vanilla.
  • Pour into the prepared 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
  • Bake 45 minutes or when cake tester is inserted, it comes out clean.

Notes

*To make sour milk: 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider in 2 cup measure; add milk to 2 cups. Let stand 5 minutes to allow milk to sour.
cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.
©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.”
nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

American Persimmon Cake

American Persimmon Cake

 

Julia Ann andcookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018  Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.

 

Peaches: Canned and in a Cake

How To Can Fresh Peaches

Canning Fresh Peaches and Baking a Cake

Canning fresh peaches and baking  a cake makes for good eating, not for dieting. 6 pounds of Velvet peaches from the farmer’s market made 6 pints of canned sliced peaches in a light sugar syrup: 1 cup sugar to 3 cups of water. After washing the peaches,  boiling water was pour over them for about 40 seconds, lifted out of  hot water into an ice water bath to cool and loosen the peel enough to slide off easily. I sprinkled on some lemon juice to prevent browning then cut the peaches in half-inch slices.  These peaches were freestone, that is, the peach stone came out easily.

Before the canning, I washed the pint jars in the dish washer and left them until ready to fill.  I also boiled lids and jar rings in water, kept hot until ready for use.  By canning in a hot water bath, I started the water boiling in the canner before starting. The sugar syrup also was made ahead to have hot, close to boiling point, to add the sliced peaches for 5 minutes.  The hot peaches were put into pint jars,  sugar syrup was added leaving 1/2 inch space; lids and rings were put on.  The pints were put into the boiling water of the canner, covered to boil for 20 minutes. (Process time varies at different altitudes.) The jars were lifted out, carefully, and set on a towel to cool.  The lids will pop when they are sealed.  After cooling 24 hours, they can be stored on the shelf.¹

 Did you know fresh peaches are recommended in weight control?

There are less than 70 calories in a large peach, and no fat.  Yes, there is sugar, a carbohydrate, however it is a natural sugar which also have vitamins and minerals, unlike the carbohydrates eaten in cakes, cookies and sodas.  Other benefits to eating fresh peaches are vitamin A and C, fiber and potassium.  Add them to cereals, smoothies, cottage cheese, yogurt, lettuce salads or baked ham.²

Now how about a recipe for Peach Upside Down Cake with calories!

PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE RECIPE

Peach Upside Down Cake

Julia Ann
A buttery moist cake topped with sweet fresh peach slices with a syrup drizzling over it.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup unsalted melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven *325 F for 10-inch glass pie plate; 350 F for 10-inch cake pan.
  • **Place foil on bottom shelf to catch any dripping juices.
  • ***Wash and slice peaches into 1 tablespoon lemon juice, gently coat peach slices.
  • Mix brown sugar with melted butter in a small bowl.
  • Spread evenly on bottom of pie plate or cake pan
  • Add toasted almonds.
  • Drain juices off peaches; arrange peaches on sugar-butter mixture.
  • Measure and blend dry ingredients in bowl.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs one at time, beating after each addition.
  • Beat in almond extract.
  • Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk, beat after each addition to blend.
  • Pour batter on top of peaches.
  • Bake 45-55 minutes, test for doneness by inserting tester in center; it comes out clean when done.
  • Serve warm with whip cream or ice cream.

Notes

*Baking in glass takes longer to heat up, but maintains temperature. If there is much sugar in the recipe, it is best to bake at 25 degrees lower to prevent burning the sugar before it is baked through. **Putting foil in the oven while it is preheating brings the foil up to the oven temperature. The sheet will catch any juices while baking. ***Adding lemon juice to the fresh sliced peaches prevents browning. This is drained off before using the peaches.
cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® es, bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 Additional information on canning, freezing or drying
Inspired by ³Gourmet Magazine, 1993.

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.