Nicole's favorites...

My friend Nicole is a superb pastry chef (besides being a Mom of 3 little kids). Before she had her kids, she had her own company and has been selling her delicious pastries on farmers markets all over Maryland... here are some of her favorite recipes she shared with us...

Recipe for the Mexican Wedding Cookies (very easy):

1 Cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 C confectioners' sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 C ground almonds (or walnuts/pecans)

In large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add only 1/2 C of the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until blended. Sift the flour and cinnamon together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just blended. Stir in the ground nuts. Cover and refrigerate until the dough is chilled, but not hard, and no longer sticky to the touch (about 15 min).

Preheat oven to 350

Have ready 2 ungreased baking sheets. Sift the remaining confectioners' sugar into a shallow bowl.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls, place about an inch apart on a baking sheet.

Bake the cookies until just golden on the bottom (10-12 min)

Let the cookies cool on the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes before removing them one at a time and rolling them in the sugar. Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Cookies

Mix together and then chill for 30 minutes:

¼ C butter softened

1 8-ounce pkg cream cheese

1 egg yolk

¼ tsp vanilla extract

One pkg yellow cake mix

Drop small spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for less than 10 minutes (depending on how soft/hard you want them)

To all of my European friends... you have to try a Banana Bread... it is soooooooo delicious!!! One thing we miss out on BIG time in Europe! Here is Nicole's... (I add chocolate sprinkles to mine ;-))

Best Banana Bread

Mix together with hand mixer:

1 8-ounce pkg. of cream cheese softened

1 ½ sticks butter softened

Add:

2 C sugar till fluffy

3 large eggs

To the side:

Combine 3 Cups of flour with ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt

Add this flour mixture to the egg mixture

Stir in 2 C of mashed bananas (4-5 bananas- brown)

One tsp vanilla extract

1 C of chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees (in a loaf pan) for one hour or until toothpick in center comes out clean (usually makes two loaves).

My Mom’s Caesar Dressing (no raw eggs)

1 C mayo (canola mayo)

¼ C – ½ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbs white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar

2 tsp worstichire

½ C- 1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

Juice of one lemon

Pepper to taste (more is better)

1-2 minced garlic cloves (or more if you like garlic)

(If dressing turns out with too much garlic flavor or too much olive oil flavor, then add more parmesan cheese or lemon)

Blend in blender 

Store in refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks

Add to romaine lettuce and grilled chicken or shrimp

Hash Brown Bake

Combine:

1 Lb of frozen hashbrowns (thawed out a little)

1 can of cream of chicken

8 ounce pkg of cream cheese

¾ cup of sour cream

¼ C butter

2 tbs. onion chopped (or more if you like onions)

Can add crumbled bacon and corn flakes (baked) on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Double Troubles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9” baking dish.

Chocolate Chip layer:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 C brown sugar

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 C semisweet chocolate chips

Brownie layer:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 C sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 C all-purpose flour

Chocolate chip layer:

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add brown sugar- whisk until no lumps remain (careful- the butter will spatter). Set aside to cool. (you can now make the brownie layer while this cools).

Combine flour, baking soda, salt in small bowl and stir together. Once butter mixture has cooled, add egg and vanilla and whisk until blended. Stir in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside. (this is the top layer)

Brownie layer:

Melt the butter in sauce pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Whisk in the vanilla. Sprinkle the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir with rubber spatula until blended.

Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula (or your hands).Drop large scoops of the c-c dough over the brownie batter and spread evenly with a spatula (or your hands). Bake until a toothpick placed in the center comes out with small gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it, about 40 minutes. Don't overbake or the brownie layer won't be fudgy. Cool completely on wire rack. 

(I bake these 1-2 days in advance, let cool, and then cut into squares and put in fridge- tightly covered or wrapped. The reason these turn out so moist and good is because it is all done over the stove!)