amaretti cookies

also known as italian almond cookies or almond macaroons
recipe adapted from epicurious.com

makes about 36 small cookies

2 1/4 c blanched* whole almonds (about 12 oz)
2/3 c sugar, divided
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

in a food processor, pulse together the almonds and 1/3 cups of sugar until very fine. set aside.

using an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and the salt until soft peaks form. slowly add the remaining 1/3 cups of sugar, and beat on high until stiff, shiny peaks form. be careful not to over beat.

gently fold the almond/sugar mixture into the egg whites. carefully add in the almond and vanilla extracts.

spray hands with cooking spray (this mixture is very sticky), and roll dough into 1 inch balls. flatten slightly.

bake 25 minutes, swapping the position of the baking sheets halfway through. let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

*note on blanching almonds: put almonds in a bowl, and cover entirely with boiling water. let stand for 1-2 minutes (do not over soak!). drain hot water. rinse almonds in cold water, and drain again completely. almonds should easily 'pop' out of the skin. dry completely before using in baking.

apple cupcake/muffins

this recipe is from martha stewart living. other food bloggers online listed this recipe with maple or brown sugar flavored cream cheese or buttercream frostings. these little cupcakes are plenty sweet on their own, so i topped mine with some toasted flaked almonds and some raw sugar sprinkled on top.

recipe for 24 cupcakes

2 1/4 c-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (i used twice this amount b/c i looooove nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 c sugar (these are very sweet; next time, i might try reducing the sugar slightly)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (i would also try with 1/2 tsp of almond extract)
4 c shredded apples (about 1 3/4 pounds) (i used cortland apples)
toasted flaked almonds (optional)
raw sugar (optional)

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or fill with cupcake liners.

whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. cream together butter and sugar. add in eggs and vanilla. mix in apples. slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. do not overwork.

fill muffin tins about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way. top with flaked almonds and some raw sugar. bake until tops are springy to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. cool cupcakes on a wire rack.

quick & healthy asparagus soup

1 tbs olive oil
1 small-medium onion, chopped
~ 4 stalks from the center of the celery heart (the light colored, leafy bits no one wants to eat), chopped
1 tbs flour
1/2 bag frozen asparagus (about 2 handfuls of asparagus, you can also use fresh), cut into bite-sized pieces
salt
pepper
stock cube (or chicken stock)
parsley (fresh or dried*), ~ 2 tbs
dill (fresh or dried*), ~ 1 tsp
oregano (fresh or dried*), dash
garlic (optional)
~ 2 cups water (or stock; if you decide to use stock as your liquid, omit the stock cube)

saute the onion, celery, salt, pepper, herbs, and stock cube (if using) in the olive oil.

once the vegetables have become cooked and a little mushy, add the flour. stir and cook until you no longer see bits of white flour in the pot. then add the asparagus. let the vegetables cook together for about 10 minutes.

add enough liquid to cover the vegetables (depending on how thick you like your soup, you can add more liquid after you blend). bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. let the liquid cool a bit, then blend until smooth in a blender or food processor.

return soup to the pot to re-heat through. add more liquid in order to get soup to your desired consistency. adjust the salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.


[*note: i used dried herbs, so the measurements are for dry ingredients. if you are using fresh herbs, adjust accordingly]