snack | Adventures in Thyme

Jalapeno Artichoke Dip

November 12, 2016 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Artichoke Jalapeno Dip by D Fenwick, http://dfenwickphotography.com

Jalapeno Artichoke Dip

So there we were faced with a spicy food photography assignment. Out of time, I resorted to a favorite family recipe. Well, it’s my favorite and it’s my sister’s so I guess that makes it a family favorite. 🙂

Ultimately, the photo above didn’t have that epic spicy look to it; so we settled on a close up of me biting into a bright orange habanero. Believe me, that WAS spicy, and the photo well received at the webinar. But this post is about Dip! Creamy, yummy Jalapeno Artichoke Dip, so let’s get started.

You’ll need:
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained (I used 6.5 oz, but if you like artichoke hearts, use the bigger one!)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 jalapenos (I love the seeds, but most can’t tolerate them, so leave them or remove them, your choice)

Using a food processor, drop in the artichoke hearts and pulse a few times, then add the garlic and jalapenos. Process till finely chopped then add remaining ingredients. Pulse to combine fully.

Into an oven safe dish bake at 350 degrees F until it begins to bubble. In my oven that’s about 40 minutes. A slightly brown crust on the top will begin to develop. Remove, let cool a bit and serve with crackers or sourdough bread. Enjoy!

Banana Bread with White Chocolate

June 25, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Dad’s Day has come and gone, and I usually bake a loaf of yumminess to send home with the Dad-in-Law at the end of the evening. This year, I had the remains of a bag of white chocolate chips (from last week’s blondies recipe) so I decided to add them to a favorite banana bread recipe.

Did you know bananas are some of the most thrown out food in our households? Sure they get brown and squishy – but that’s just sugary goodness for baked banana bread. So before you throw out those little darlings – try this recipe (even if you don’t have the chips to add to it) and give it to someone you love and make their day a special one!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two loaf pans by buttering the inside evenly.

1 cup softened Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
4 beaten Eggs
2 cups mashed Bananas (the browner sweeter ones)
Sift together:
4 cups Flour
2 tablespoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup White Chocolate Chips

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix again, then add bananas. Now mix in half the sifted ingredients, when it starts to incorporate evenly, add the remaining dry ingredients. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chips. Pour half the mixture into each pan and bake about 45 mins. Check with a toothpick, if it comes out cleanly, you’re done, otherwise, cook in increments of 5 or 8 mins until it passes the toothpick test.

Let cool 20 or 30 minutes, loosen the edges in the pan and turn out onto cooling racks. Let cool and enjoy. For a little extra fun, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Chai Pumpkin Cookies with Kahlua Frosting

March 19, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Chai Pumpkin Cookies

I’d like to be able to say that these cookies are healthy – think of all that pumpkin! It’s a fruit for cryin’ out loud! But alas, these cookies are only delicious, I can’t claim they are healthy. No matter though, grab a cup of coffee, or a steaming cup of Earl Grey and enjoy!

For the cookies:

1. Begin by setting your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In an electric mixer whip the following until it’s “light and airy”:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup softened unsalted butter

3. To the mixture combine well:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla

4. The dry ingredients are next, combine these together and then add the dry mixture to your bowl and mix well:
2 Tablespoons Chai Powder (I use David Rio’s Tiger Spice Chai purchased at World Market)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Spoon generous tablespoons onto a baking sheet (I use nonstick baking mats in mine) and bake for 10 mins. These cookies don’t really spread out, but remain pretty much in the “footprint” you put them in. You’ll know they are done when the cookie gets a golden brown appearance on it’s edges.

As they are cooling it’s time to make the Kahlua frosting:

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 3 Tablespoons of butter to boil. I recommend bringing it up to boil slowly, but stir constantly, you don’t want the sugar to burn in your pan. Once it’s bubbling begin to take note of the hot mixture, it will begin to get very thick, remove from heat. This should only take about 30 seconds or so after the boil (at least on my stove). Set the saucepan aside and let the mixture cool (about 10 mins).

Now add 2 Tablespoons of Kahlua and 1/4 cup of milk. Stir well, eventually the sugar will incorporate evenly into the mixture. At this point you’ll need to add powdered sugar until the frosting gets thick enough to almost spread. Using your 1/2 cup measure add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, mix and then add more as needed. I use about 2 cups worth of powdered sugar to get the right consistency.

To frost the cookies place a small dollop on top of the cookie and it should still have enough viscosity to gently spread out over the top of the cookie with the help of gravity.

This recipe is modified from a wonderful recipe found on the Pillsbury website.

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

March 11, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

This recipe begins 40 years ago. I know because in 2nd grade I signed the inside cover of the book. In the 70’s my elementary school participated in the Scholastic Book Club and I was always excited to choose and receive my new books. This particular book had a recipe a month and May (Peanut Butter) and October (Snickerdoodles) were my favorite. Jump forward in time where a chance encounter brought me face to face with a person who not only bought the same book while in elementary school but whose favorite recipe was in October. Of course we married and are cooking happily ever after – what cookies have joined together let no man put asunder!

Tonight, Snickerdoodles are hooking up with some colorful white chocolate Easter candy for a match made in heaven…or your kitchen.

For the dough:
1/2 cup softened butter (room temperature is fine)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/4 flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup white chocolate Easter candy (such as M&M’s)

Cream the first two ingredients together then add the egg and mix well. Into another bowl combine sift together the dry ingredients (except the candy). Now add half the dry mixture to the wet and mix well, then add the remaining mixture, and mix well. Carefully fold in the candy and gently incorporate into the dough. Pour out the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and carefully fold it closed (basically wrap it up). Set in the refrigerator to chill for an hour.

After tidying the kitchen, heat your oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a cookie sheet with either a baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper. When the oven is ready mix the coating in a bowl:

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Roll balls of cookie dough (about an inch in diameter or so) and then coat in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place on cookie sheet careful to leave space for the cookies to spread out.

They took about 10 minutes in my oven. Keep a watch around the edges, even with the cinnamon you will see a distinct light crust forming on the bottom – they’re done! Let cool and serve with milk.