I recently made some everything crisps so I didn’t want to make something everything flavored so soon. I did come across “Chopped Champion” Palak Patel’s Everything Cheese Puffs recipe. Instead I did maybe a variation of them but a bit different. The cheese puffs are made similar to the way you make gougeres (French Cheese Puffs) But they come out more moist. I made 21 cheesy bites but they are very small so you will want to eat at least two a serving…maybe more?

Ingredients for around 8 servings

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1 oz. aged cheddar cheese – grated

1 oz. fontina cheese – grated

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning or ( my blend a Tablespoon each of course sea salt, black pepper, dry basil, dry oregano, fennel seeds, 1/2 Tablespoon granulated garlic, 1/2 Tablespoon granulated onion, 1 small Calabrian chile crushed)

1 heaping teaspoon bomba calabrese – preferably Coluccio brand

Parmesan cheese – grated to taste

Directions.

Set oven to 400 degrees F

Cover sheet pan(s) with parchment paper.

Add butter, sugar, salt, and half a cup water to a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the flour and mix and cook till it becomes a ball.

Mix in the eggs little by little.

Add the Italian seasoning, bomba, cheddar cheese, and fontina cheese.

This goes in a pastry bag (with or without star tip)

You squirt out small amounts of dough that are around an inch in diameter.

pinch a good amount of parm cheese and place on top of each dough ball.

This goes in the PREHEATED 400 degree F oven for ten minutes. Then you turn down heat to 350F and let it go another 25 minutes. Mine weren’t done yet so I turned the heat down to 300 for another 10 minutes………I thought they still needed more time so I shut off the oven and let them stay in for another hour.

They got crispier but are still moist and cheesy tasting in the middle. Nice bright Italian spices.

I have to Thank Chef Palak Patel for her Everything Bagel-Spiced Cheese Puff Recipe that was an inspiration for what I came up with today!

ENJOY!!!

I came across this recipe for triple chocolate cookies somewhere. I had to make some changes to the recipe because it didn’t turn into a dough as written…..(Misprint?)….Then I made a few changes to improve the flavor.

Ingredients for around 38 cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon course sea salt

8 oz sweet butter melted

1+1/2 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 eggs – slightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilia

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups 62% dark chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

non stick spray

12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips or chopped (for drizzling) ((YOU DON’T Need whole bag ……I used maybe slightly more than half)

sea salt flakes – for finishing

Directions

Preheat ocen to 375 F.

Spray a few sheet pans with non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl mix everything except the chips and non stick spray (flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon) Then mix in the chips.

Scoop of the dough in meatball size (around 1 + 1/2 ounces each) and space them on your sprayed sheet trays.

Use the middle two racks and put them in for 10 minutes and after 10 minutes switch the pans on the racks and depending on your oven and size of cookies they will need about 5-10 minutes more. You can kinda tell when they are done by gently feeling the top of cookie. If it feels raw then it is raw.

By now the cookies are out of the oven cooling…..You finish with a chocolate drizzle and a very light pinch of sea salt flakes. To do the drizzle microwave or boil water in a sauce pan till very hot or almost boiling. Put about a cup of chips in a smaller bowl and let them melt as they sit….Drizzle the cookies with a spoon or fork and do a very light sprinkle of sea salt flakes.

YUM! Triple Chocolate Cookies

I got some sweet potatoes so I threw them in the oven with a little water to steam them till they got soft. Then I got the idea to make them into hand pies. I made them up real fast. I did have extra filling left over that you can heat and then eat. I got lots of compliments on my unique crust. If you mix it up by hand real fast like I did it comes out light and flaky like from a master baker.

Ingredients for around 10 servings

2 cups flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs separated (egg whites for inside dough for sealing and yolks for glazing)

1 lb sweet potatoes – cooked, peeled, and mashed

1 egg – lightly beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

In a large bowl mix together the flour, oil, vinegar, salt, water, and baking powder. Make it into a short fat log and wrap with plastic wrap.

Mix together the sweet potato mixture (sweet potatoes, 1 egg, cinnamon, ginger, dark brown sugar, and sour cream. If it’s lumpy use a mixer.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Either divide into 10 equal pieces or pinch off around a golfball 1.5-2oz piece of dough and roll it thin and flat and close to a round shape.

Brush the whole top with egg white.

Add small scoop or teaspoon of sweet potato mixture.

Bring up ends together.

crimp ends with your fingers or just use a fork.

These all go on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brush the tops with all of the egg yolks.

These go in the oven till golden……depending on your oven around 30-40 minutes.

ENJOY!!!!!