But really -- in the same way that I have become more comfortable with spontaneity in my life plans, I also have come to love experimenting with cooking. This from a girl whose favorite food growing up was Spaghettios mixed with cottage cheese (don't knock it 'til you try it...it's an Eriksen sister favorite).
When I started this food blog venture, my friend Kelsey gifted me with this great (and hilarious) spice blend called Grains of Desire. She insisted that she did not purchase it because the label says "In the mood food"...rather, it was a challenge: to find a good use for this eclectic combination of spices.
Black peppercorn, nutmeg, cloves, orange rind, red rose petals, grains of paradise, ginseng.
I'm still not sure what grains of paradise or ginseng tastes like on their own, but the flavor of these spices together is really complex and delicious. I started with basic scrambled eggs and rice dishes, substituting it in when I would use black pepper (which I tend to use to excess).
When I really went out on a limb with this stuff, I didn't put much forethought into it at all. Last Saturday was miserably hot so we resolved to spending most of the afternoon at home. The boys of Studio Angeletti invited us to a party that night and since we were stuck inside, I decided to make cookies to take. (Come to think of it, I baked cookies when a blizzard kept us inside one day in February...a nice habit, I think.) I want to try to get rid of a lot of food in the next couple of weeks anyway, and I didn't even have to go to the store for these.
There was a big tin of hot cocoa mix in the cabinet, so I found a recipe for cookies that would help get rid of it. We didn't have butter, but we did have shortening. I was a bit nervous about that substitution, but I couldn't tell a difference at all. I used up the end of a bag of toffee bits and a bag of flour. So gratifying.
I liked the idea of Mexican hot cocoa cookies with cinnamon so I opened the spice drawer and that's when the grains of desire caught my eye. In that moment of inspiration, I ground a good couple teaspoons into the dry ingredients.
I couldn't help but be a little nervous about the cookies, since I was taking them to a party where there was the potential for clear criticism -- what if no one wanted to eat any of them?! I would have been left with 28 weird spice cookies.
But they were delicious! And people ate them and enjoyed them! It even prompted a party game trying to guess what all was in them. I told them I used the rose petals from Sarah and Tyler's wedding the night before. I crack myself up.
I will admit, my cookies paled in comparison to the real highlight of the party, which was Jono's magic show. The talent in that room! Quite unbelievable.
I have another recipe to share from the weekend with my sisters. And I would love to talk more about Sarah's beautiful wedding too. But for now, grab some grains of paradise and rose petals, enjoy a few cookies and stay out of the heat.
Spicy Hot Cocoa Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (or 1 c. shortening, if that's all you have)
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 1/4 c. flour
6 oz. hot cocoa mix
1 t. salt
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. Grains of Desire -- haha! (or whatever spices you can come up with...don't hold back)
2 c. chocolate chips (or sub toffee bits for half, like I did)
Cream butter and sugars, then stir in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet mixture in parts, mixing well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for about an hour.
Scoop into rounded tablespoons and bake at 350 degrees for 9 or 10 minutes. Let them set for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. The cookies will be fluffy and chewy and spicy and yummy.
With love.
No comments:
Post a Comment