Natali is a friend of mine, a fellow blogger, and former co-worker of Tim’s from when we used to live in Central CA. She also loves to cook and eat. I’m going to be a guest over on her blog on Monday, and I thought it would be fun to have Nat over here to share with you.

Here’s Natali.

Growing up in Central California, there is one cookie shop that holds my sugar-lovin’ heart and that is Hungry Bear cookies. Hungry Bear makes a sugar cookie (the “Sugar Dream”) that is truly like no other. Buttery, rich, yet delicate — it truly melts in your mouth and preserves a bit of the granular property of the sugar, but is not at all gritty. I have been trying to duplicate this recipe for years, and finally came up with a real winning version of the recipe this past weekend. Now, keep in mind, this cookie is RICH. You may need a glass of milk, and it is not waistline friendly. But, really, it’s soooo worth it!

Natali’s Dream Sugar Cookies

(Recipe adapted by Natali from The Sugar Turntable.)

Directions

• 2 sticks of butter (1/2 lb.)
• 3 T cream cheese (full fat please)
• 1 T milk (I used non-fat)
• 1.5 t vanilla extract
• 2 c. + 2 T sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 4 c. flour

Instructions

1. Cream together the butter, cream cheese, milk, vanilla and sugar until well blended. (About 3 minutes on medium speed)
2. Add the egg yolk and oil, mixing on low speed.
3. Once the previous ingredients are incorporated, add the baking soda salt and flour. It is best to mix the baking soda and salt into the flour with a whisk prior to adding to the mixing bowl.
4. Refrigerate the dough for 2-4 hours.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Roll the dough into balls and press to flatten slightly on a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. You want the cookies to be a pretty good size, abound 2 inches or a little larger. Space cookies at least an inch apart.
7. Bake for approximately nine minutes. The cookies should be only slightly golden on the edges. Overcooking this recipe significantly alters the texture of the cookie, so be sure to set a timer and check by eight minutes.
8. Allow the cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to avoid breakage.
9. Enjoy!

We got pea tendrils in our Abundant Harvest Box this week. Since I didn’t know what to do with them, I thought others might be in need of some inspiration as well. (Plus, maybe we’ll have them again next week, who knows!?) I had lunch on Thursday with Christy, Joanna, and Christy’s mom, Linda. Christy made Sautéed Pea Tendrils and Eggs. I asked if she would share it with you. She kindly obliged.

Here’s Christy:

When I discovered that we had pea tendrils coming in our Abundant Harvest Organics box this week, I admit I had to go on a quest. Growing up, I remember seeing peas grow in the garden, but I have never known that the leaves on the plants were edible! I suppose I could have settled for just incorporating the graceful, twining stems and leaves in a salad, but I wanted to see if there were some fun ways to highlight this unique ingredient. I found this recipe and it hit the spot. The sautéed pea tendrils are similar to spinach, but with a distinct fresh pea taste and crunchier bite. We thought the fried egg was the perfect accompaniment for a delicious lunch (or breakfast, or dinner :)). Who knew pea tendrils could be so tasty?!?

Sautéed Pea Tendrils and Eggs

Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:24:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Happy Friday!! My friend, Katy, is back to share another delicious recipe with you. I hope you make these this weekend!!

Here’s Katy:

There is no such thing as too little or too much for an omelet! Omelets are one of those things that can just be breakfast in the morning or a gourmet dinner, that’s what I love about them. They taste great with cheese, salt, and pepper and they taste delicious with herbs, potatoes, peppers, bacon, and of course cheese. This is a recipe for a VERY good omelet, when you have time! Remember, if you don’t have time, the original is always great!

Katy’s Omelets

Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:24:45 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

Another installment from my brother Josh, the soon-to-be health inspector!

There are a few types of food thermometers that are commonly used in a household kitchen. The first is the basic “stick” thermometer. This is called a bi-metal thermometer, and records temperature through 1 of 2 metal ribbons inside shrinking due to heat, and the other expanding, which results in the dial at the top moving. These thermometers need to be calibrated (adjusted) often. If you are using one of these, keep in mind that the area on the thermometer that reads the temperature is the area from the pointed end until 1.5 inches up – so make sure to have the whole sensor in the food, or the temperature will be read wrong!

The second common thermometer is called an “oven-cord” thermometer. This one has a little box, and then a cord that you insert into the food, and it can go in to the oven. This is my favourite household thermometer. It is relatively cheap (~$20) and more accurate than the stick type.

When measuring temperatures of food, make sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, and avoid touching the thermometer to the bottom or sides of the pan when recording.

Since I know that all of you reading this are so very enthralled by all of this food safety, I’ll give something a little bit more interesting to think about. A common misconception in the kitchen is the idea that colour (color) is an indication of how cooked a food is. This is not the case! One of my professors did a study to show how hamburgers that were cooked to the proper temperature still showed a red colour in the meat, and other hamburgers that were cooked until there was no more red, did not achieve the proper cooking temperatures and woud have been unsafe to consume. The colour of meat can be influenced by the pH (acidity) of the meat, or even how old the meat is (older meats tend to be a bit more brown).