How to Make Snickerdoodles (with a substitution)

I've been doing some fun experimenting in the kitchen lately, but need to get everything written up to share here, so I'm just linking quickly to a cookie recipe that I'm adding to my files.

I wanted to make an easy dessert, and my husband/son are both obsessed with anything cinnamon-flavored! I started searching for Snickerdoodle recipes, and this one from Food.com seemed like a no-brainer with all the positive reviews!

This recipe doesn't use a lot of ingredients, but I still had to run to the store for butter. Thankfully my 3 yr old was cooperative!

*IF YOU DON'T HAVE CREAM OF TARTAR*

I was debating making the recipe since I didn't have cream of tartar, but thankfully the very first comment was someone else living abroad who was in the same situation and said to replace BOTH the cream of tartar AND baking soda with the equivalent amount of baking POWDER. I found a few other discussions online that verified this.

Cookies make me nervous sometimes because the doneness can be so hard to judge. I timed these JUST RIGHT and was satisfied with the texture. My husband and son loved them, too.

Snickerdoodles: http://www.food.com/recipe/soft-snickerdoodle-cookies-97496

P.S. I like making a batch of cookie dough and then baking it in smaller batches. But sticking a piece of bread into the cookie tin actually keeps the cookies soft if you are baking in advance!

How to Make Scallion Pancakes

Need a scallion pancake fix? I don't know how "authentic" this recipe is, but it's fairly easy, uses common ingredients, and yields a nice result even if you're an amateur. I made these with my toddler by my side!

Crunchy and flaky!

I'd always wondered why this type of dough has to be kneaded and divided and sliced only to be squashed again. Turns out that's what makes it flaky. I went and read a few articles regarding just how many times you should repeat the process and how all the different factors play a role. But I'm happy with the recipe below as I wasn't trying to achieve the perfect flakiness.

Anyone have a favorite dipping sauce? I'm usually happy with just plain soy sauce or a flavored soy sauce, maybe mixed with a little sesame oil?

After getting the recipe (go here), be sure to check out their comments section too for some interest variations.

How to Make Lemon Mushroom Chicken

I was looking for a dish with this exact combination of flavors, and it hit the spot! The ingredient list is not long and the technique is not very complicated. Pounding and flouring the chicken makes it retain the juices, and the little bit of lemon in the sauce makes it very flavorful. We don't always have the best quality meat here, so I'm always impressed when chicken breast turns out well.

Definitely could be a "fancy" dish if you are serving to mushroom/chicken lovers. It's also a stovetop dish if you are looking for something to cook in warmer weather.

Tender and juicy with a pop of flavor!

Unfortunately, I still couldn't convert my husband, as he would rather his mushrooms be more fried/crunchy as opposed to thick and juicy. You can still make the chicken in the lemon sauce, but it won't have that same flavor kick. Adding garlic gives it a boost.

Another tiny note: I used homemade chicken broth, so I had to add a little more salt...but I'd sauteed the mushrooms in salt, too. So adjust flavorings based on your specific ingredients. And I used regular (unsalted) butter, too.

You can find the recipe here. 

How to Make a "Roasted Mushroom Medley"

This is a recipe I found on Pinterest, and it came out really well. The mushrooms are juicy and flavorful. You could serve it as a side dish (hot or cold) or as a way to pre-cook mushrooms for other dishes (pizza, sandwiches, etc.).

For mushrooms I just used regular fresh white mushrooms, so I guess it doesn't qualify as a "medley." It would be interested to try a mixture, but it's hard to get other types fresh here (without traipsing into the woods). Let me know if you try a different variation (click caption for recipe)!

Click for recipe: Roasted Mushroom Medley

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

The following is a recipe I found on the Pioneer Woman site and just tried recently....

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls- Fresh out of the oven!

Lately I've been trying about one new baking recipe a week. Cruel, right? :) In general I stick to banana bread, brownies, and yellow cupcakes (and more recently chocolate chip cookies), so I'm trying to branch out a little.

I've certainly made cinnamon rolls before, but not with the pumpkin twist. These are definitely nice and moist.

I don't think Pioneer Woman is original in this combination of flavors, but her recipe worked well! The dough is pretty low maintenance and easy to work with. I did a half batch as usual with new recipes, and it fit perfectly in the round baking pan you see pictured. The icing in her version looks darker because she adds maple syrup, but that's a rare commodity around here! I was excited to just find a good cream cheese brand.

Squished layers but you get the idea

This post is making me want to experience cinnamon rolls again ASAP. But I'm hoping to do something Passover or Easter-related this week. So we'll see.

Oh! I almost forgot-here's the recipe link. :)

Meals we had, April 29-May 5

Once again we had mainly chicken and pork dishes. I've been noticing a lack of vegetables, so I'll work on adding some in this week. Andrei doesn't like cooked vegetables that much, so sometimes it's just a matter of steaming or sauteeing some frozen vegetables and having them on the side. We also had pelmeni twice, but at least we had substantial lunches those days.

The details on what we ate last week:

-Monday dinner: Pork roast, rice with mushrooms
-Tuesday dinner: Chicken in mushroom cream sauce with angel hair pasta
-Wednesday dinner: Boiled buckwheat stir-fried with pork, bell peppers, and fresh herbs
-Thursday dinner: Pelmeni (we had a chicken lunch with my in-laws and were at a meeting in the evening)
-Friday dinner: Pork roast under a shredded potato/cheese crust
-Saturday dinner: Pork Roast Mexico City (family recipe)
-Sunday dinner: Boiled pelmeni, with Brussels sprouts on the side (again we had a chicken lunch)

Baked desserts/snacks: Pumpkin muffins, Cheesecake brownies, Cheddar drop biscuits, Cheesecake jam tarts

Meals we had, April 22-28

New series! I don’t always have time to edit and post recipes, but I’m going to do a little retroactive menu “planning” and just type up what we ate all week, to use for meal ideas in the future.

Note: My in-laws generally deliver groceries and some cooked meals to us regularly. I organize the week’s meals around those ingredients, along with using up leftovers. If we are having a repeat combination then I try to change the presentation. If I want to use a particular recipe then I start with something we already have and buy the rest of the needed ingredients. But I try not to buy a lot of additional groceries if we already have something in the refrigerator that needs to be used.

Breakfasts: Eggs
Lunches: Homemade soups with sour cream and fresh herbs; bread with cheese or a slice of meat

-Monday dinner: Fried potatoes (Russian-style) with sliced pork and steamed broccoli
-Tuesday dinner: Scalloped potatoes with cubes of pork
-Wednesday dinner: Boiled pelmeni with sauteed green beans
-Thursday dinner: Eggless meatballs (we ran out of eggs) and boiled potatoes
-Friday dinner: Homemade popcorn chicken with angel hair pasta (we just make plain and garnish with cheese/butter)
-Saturday dinner: Pizza made with this crust and using leftover meatballs/popcorn chicken as toppings
-Sunday dinner: Chicken-bacon-cheese bake with boiled buckwheat and sauteed bell pepper

Looks like we need to add more veggies to the menu. Got any recipes to recommend?

Link

I've got a few new posts in the works, but in the meantime, I'll recommend another cooking blog which looks like an excellent source of recipes.

Annie tipped me off to this Russian-American woman's site. I figure the author's taste is similar to mine with the Russian-American mix. There are a lot of Russian recipes that I haven't quite figured out yet, so I look forward to following her tips.

Check out Enjoyyourcooking.com.