SWEET GIFTS

I didn’t bake as much over the holidays as I did last year. Last year was our first Christmas in Italy, and I was excited about it. When I’m excited, I cook. I also cook when I’m sad, depressed, nervous, or bored. Anyway, my baking frenzy last Christmas was the result of being excited, of trying to bring a bit of my familiar holiday traditions to Italy.

This past Christmas wasn’t quite as happy for me, since I kept thinking about how eight of us had gathered last year for what we declared would be the first annual Christmas dinner. Sadly, it was the first and last. The loss of friends, both literally and figuratively, was on my mind a lot.

I did bake cookies though….cut-out sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies, and I made bourbon balls because they’d been such a hit last year. I also tried a new recipe for microwave caramel that was amazingly simply and amazingly good. I probably ate as much caramel as I gave away!

The main reason for making the treats was so I could give them as gifts. “Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven”….remember that phrase from years ago? For me it still rings true, and I wanted to make cookie trays for several friends.

I also wanted to give my friends who don’t bake the opportunity to have something home-baked quickly and simply. For this reason I searched out recipes for cookies mixes.

If you’ve ever been to a church bazaar you’ve seen these mixes. They’re usually sold in a quart jar with a patch of gingham fabric on top, secured with a bit of twine or raffia.

Chocolate chip cookies were first on my list, since several ingredients aren’t found in Italy, therefore real, American-style chocolate chip cookies are a treat! I also decided to search for a recipe using the dried blueberries I’d been given, figuring I’d never use the blueberries myself.

I’m going to give the chocolate chip cookie recipe as written, but I’ll tell you about one variation I made. Because vanilla extract isn’t found in Italy, I used a powdered vanilla that I’d found in the states. It’s measured the same as the liquid vanilla extract, and seems to work fine. My friend Cristina says that one bustina of vanillina here in Italy will be the equivalent of one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Mix salt, baking powder and soda with flour. Layer ingredients in a 1 quart jar in any order. Cover lid with a fabric circle and tie with a ribbon, if desired. To the ribbon attach a card with the following recipe and instructions:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cookie mix in a jar
1 cup butter (225 grams)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg. With a wooden spoon, stir cookie mix into creamed mixture until well blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350°F (175ºC) oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.


With the dried blueberries I decided to make this blueberry scone recipe:

Blueberry Scones Mix in a Jar

These are delicious warm from the oven with butter and jam; a perfect breakfast food.

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dried lemon peel

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup dried blueberries

Stir together flour, sugar, milk, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in berries.

Layer into a 1 quart canning jar, tapping gently on the counter between layers to settle before adding the next. Add additional dried blueberries to fill in small gaps if necessary. Stores at room temp for up to 6 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months.

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS:

Place jar contents in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 beaten egg, 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup water; stir just until moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly knead gently for 12 to 15 strokes or until nearly smooth.

Pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into desired shape and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk. Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly and serve warm.

NOTE!!!! I've changed the recipe from "1/2 cup vanilla sugar" to now read: "1/2 cup sugar". To make the scones I've changed the directions, adding 1/4 tsp vanilla to the other ingredients. I'd never heard of vanilla sugar before this recipe, and when a friend emailed me to ask about it, I decided to simplify things.

The friend, Marguerite, also asked about substituting raisins for the blueberries. Why not?! Personally I'd love to try this recipe with craisins! Marguerite was also kind enough to send a picture of the scones as the came out of the oven....

Of course you don’t have to give these mixes away! You could make them for yourself, either all at once, or you could prepare the mixes ahead of time and just pull them out of the pantry instead of grabbing a boxed mix. One nice advantage of these mixes, in addition to the convenience, is that they’re also great to use with kids, since much of the preparation has already been done.

COOKIES AND SPAGHETTI

I think I’ve discovered the Italian equivalent of peanut butter cookies….or at least they work for me. As you may know, hazelnuts are abundant in the north of Italy. Nutella was invented back in the 1940’s when chocolate was rationed due to the war. Mixing the chocolate with toasted hazelnuts extended the supply….and gave us a new treat!

Of course there are those who think that Novi crema not only tastes better, but is in fact, better for you, but I’ll let you decide for yourself. Unfortunately, I’ve never found Novi in the states, but Nutella is certainly easy to find. Sorry for the digression, but, for those who haven’t yet discovered the joys of Nutella (or better yet Novi), it was well worth it. So, now back to the cookies….

The point was, before I got thinking of chocolate, that hazelnuts are plentiful here. Peanuts and peanut butter can be found, but aren’t cheap, so the idea is, go with what’s plentiful and cheap, right? So here is the recipe for cookies that I’ve named “Hazelnutters”. (NOTE: I've revised this recipe slightly in February, 2007. Previously the recipe called for the dough to be formed into two logs, then chilled at least 4 hours. I don't think this step is necessary, so I've elimnated it. If you want to try it both ways, let me know what you think!)

Hazelnutters

½ cup shortening
½ cup butter
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
¾ cups ground toasted hazelnuts

In a mixing bowl beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat til combined, scraping bowl often. Beat in egg and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour and add the hazelnuts.

Roll into 1 inch balls, press down with the tines of a fork, just like you would for peanut butter cookies, and place about 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Makes about 60 cookies.

And yesterday I made quick pasta dish using the last of the tomatoes. It’s quick and simple, and although there are about a zillion recipes for spaghetti out there, what’s one more?

Summer Spaghetti (Spaghetti w/tomatoes, basil, olive oil & garlic)

1 lb spaghetti
1/4 cup EVOO
3 Tbsp thinly sliced garlic
2 lbs fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced OR
3 cups canned whole tomatoes with juice, coarsely chopped
salt
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
pinch of red pepper flakes

Put the garlic and all but one Tbsp of the oil into a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add the tomatoes as soon as the garlic begins to change color. If using fresh tomatoes, cook until the liquid reduces, then season with salt. If using canned tomatoes, add salt along with the tomatoes. Continue cooking over a medium-high heat until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil, about 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the skillet.

While the sauce is cooking bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the sauce has reduced, add the torn basil leaves and the pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 minutes then remove from heat.

To the pot of boiling water add 1 Tbsp salt and cook the pasta til al dente. Drain, saving a little of the pasta water. Toss the drained spaghetti in the skillet with the tomato sauce, adding the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add a little of the pasta water if needed. Serve at once.