Freezing Cookies

  JeanMarie Brownson: Back-to-school Cookies Are Suitable For Sharing, But You Might Not Want To

JeanMarie Brownson, Tribune Content Agency In my book, a well-made cookie beats just about any other treat or protein bar every time. Especially when the cookie is oversized and chock-full of crisp, golden nuts, bits of dried fruit and tiny nuggets of chocolate. Who can resist? The base of my giant cookies — suitable for sharing at the lunch table or tucking into a backpack for replenishment on hikes or bicycle trips — uses creamy nut butter. The nut butter adds protein and a bit of sweetness. I’m particularly fond of roasted almond butter, but peanut butter also tastes delicious here. Hearty oats add crunch and fiber. Instead of plain rolled oats, I often use a muesli cereal mix that includes seeds and nuts. Dried fruit also adds fiber along with a pleasing chewy texture. Other add-ins can be customized to suit tastes. Broken salty pretzels and chunks of chocolate keep things interesting. Sweet and salty trail mixes work too. People are also reading… When baking large cookies, keep the additions in larger pieces. If you choose to make smaller cookies, break the pretzel pieces or chop fruits and nuts a bit more. Make these cookies gluten-free by using gluten-free muesli or oats, a gluten-free 1 to 1 baking mix in place of all-purpose flour and gluten-free pretzel sticks. Balls of raw cookie dough can be frozen up to several months. Place on baking sheet and bake from frozen; increase the baking time by a few minutes. Be sure to check for nut allergies before sharing these cookies at the lunch table. Giant Back-to-School Cookies Makes 16 large cookies OR 40 smaller cookies Note: Try Bob’s Red Mill Muesli cereal here, or substitute 1 1/2 cups rolled oats and 1/4 cup each: raisins and sliced or chopped almonds. Granola will make a sweeter cookie. Substitute your favorite sweet and salty trail mix for the dried fruit and chocolate if desired. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup each: granulated sugar, packed dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 cup creamy roasted almond butter or peanut butter 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups muesli cereal with sliced almonds and raisins or not-too chunky granola 2 cups (about 4 ounces) broken skinny pretzel sticks 1/2 cup dried fruit (chopped if large), such as dried cherries, cranberries or apricots 1 cup (8 ounces) milk chocolate covered candies, such as M&M’s, OR chunks of white or dark chocolate or dark chocolate bars, roughly broken into 1/4 inch pieces 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. 2. Beat together butter and sugars in large bowl of electric mixer until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and creamy. Beat in almond butter, baking soda, vanilla and salt until smooth. Beat in flour until incorporated. Use a wooden spoon to stir in muesli, pretzels, dried fruit and chocolate candy pieces. 3. For giant cookies, divide dough into 16 equal portions (about 1/3 cup of the batter weighing 4 ounces). Roll into balls and place on prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart and flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake until set and bottoms are slightly golden, about 20 minutes. (For smaller cookies, shape into 40 balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; bake 12 to 15 minutes.) 4. Cool cookies on pan for 5 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. (You can reuse the paper-lined baking sheets to bake the remaining cookies.) 5. Store cookies in a covered container up to several days or freeze up to two months. (JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.) Get local news delivered to your inbox!


Cookies Recalled From Target Shelves After Warning They May Contain Metal

Products from a brand of cookies sold in a clear plastic jug shaped like a bear at Target were recently recalled. According to a release issued by D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc., the company recalled containers of the 44 oz Market Pantry White Fudge Animal Cookies "because they may contain metal." "The recall was initiated when metal (wire) was found inside a portion of the cookies," the release said. "Foodborne foreign objects that are flexible, not sharp, and smaller in length are more likely to cause serious injury or dental injury." Above, a stock image of a pile of boxes containing a recalled product. A popular brand of cookies issued a recall after they said some products may contain metal. Matt Molloy/iStock Food recalls, per the FDA, occur if a product is mislabeled or is a health hazard to consumers. It may be hazardous if the food is contaminated or caused an illness. FoodSafety.Gov reported that it is important for consumers to be aware of recalls because they may cause injury or illness, particularly among people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems. "Recalls are very specific, meaning all information must match for a product to be considered part of a recall," FoodSafety.Gov said. "If a product doesn't match all the information in the recall completely (brand, product name, use or freeze by date, EST number, etc.), then it is not considered part of the recall and is safe to use." In the event that a customer purchased a product that was recalled, they should not open or consume it. Rather, they are advised to return it to the store they bought it from for a refund or dispose of it following the instructions included in a recall notice. To see if your cookies are affected, check for: a best-by date of February 21, 2023, the lot numbers Y052722 and timestamps from 15:00 to 23:00, which can be found below the nutritional panel. "The products were distributed to Target stores nationwide," the release said. "No other lots or products are affected." Those who purchased the affected products were advised to stop consuming the cookies and return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Newsweek reached out to Target and D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc., for further comment. Two weeks ago, Capri Sun also recently issued a recall after products were contaminated with a cleaning solution. The Kraft Heinz Company said more than 5,700 cases of the Wild Cherry Flavored Juice Drink Blend became contaminated with a diluted cleaning solution used on the company's food processing equipment. At about the same time, frozen meat pizzas produced by Home Run Inn Frozen Food recalled more than 13,000 pounds of frozen pizza that could be contaminated with "extraneous materials." And six days ago, Perdue issued a health alert for its frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast gluten-free tenders for potentially containing small pieces of plastic and blue dye. A recall was not issued because the product is not available for purchase.


Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together

No bake chocolate peanut butter cookies are certainly not pretty but they are easy, fast and delicious. Heart healthy might be a hard argument to make on their behalf but they do have more oats than butter in them. No bake chocolate peanut butter cookies are certainly not pretty but they are easy, fast and delicious. Heart healthy might be a hard argument to make on their behalf but they do have more oats than butter in them. Just because a TV commercial is silly doesn’t mean the concept involved is not a good idea. The old Reese’s peanut butter cups campaign, “Two great tastes that taste great together,” is a perfect case in point. Oblivious people inadvertently getting their chocolate and peanut butter snacks stuck together made stunningly goofy commercials back in the day but the premise was based on fact. Chocolate and peanut butter is a fabulous flavor combination. Reese’s might want to think about dragging those commercials out of mothballs. Since the vast majority of people today are walking around with their heads buried in their phones, there’s plenty of room for plausible peanut butter and chocolate crashes. The Hershey company wanted Americans to think that they have a monopoly on the chocolate/peanut butter combination. That is a bit misleading. In fact, it’s simply not true. Chocolate and peanut butter desserts are easy to make at home and best of all for the hot summer months, there are lots of no-bake recipes out there. As hot as it has been this summer, who really wants to turn on the oven? Many of these recipes are not only delicious (chocolate and peanut butter, remember) and no bake, they come together quickly. None are terribly labor intensive though some do require some refrigerator or freezer time. The first recipe, no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies, sometimes indelicately referred to as “cow patties” can be made in 10 or 15 minutes, faster with a kid or two to help and in moments of real desperation, the hour of refrigerator cooling can be replaced with 15 minutes of freezer time. Since they have more oats in them than anything else, you might even be able to convince yourself they’re good for you. Perhaps not. If Reese’s peanut butter cups were never your favorite candy, there’s a chocolate and caramel no-bake truffle pie thrown in just for you. No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies 1 stick (1/4 lb.) butter 1/2 cup milk 3 tbsp. Cocoa powder 1 cup sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not chunky) 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. Salt 2 oz. Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 3 cups rolled oats Ready your workstation by placing a sheet of wax paper over a baking sheet. Then, place one stick of butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Melt the butter and add ½ cup whole milk, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 cup of white sugar. Increase heat, stir, bring to a boil, then boil continuously for 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Also add in a couple of ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Stir well, then finally add 3 cups quick-cooking oats and stir to combine completely. Use a tablespoon or a soup spoon or whatever spoon you have on hand to dollop batter in clumps onto the wax paper. You will need to use your finger to scrape the batter from the spoon. Transfer the cookies to the fridge and cool for at least half an hour before eating. These cookies are rumored to keep well when wrapped and stored in the freezer, but they have never stayed around long enough for the theory to be tested. Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bombe 2 pt. Chocolate peanut butter ice cream 2 pt. Dulce de leche ice cream 8 fun-size peanut chocolate candy bars (such as Snickers) 8 peanut butter sandwich cookies 1 bottle chocolate & peanut butter shell ice cream topping (Reese’s) Coat a 12-cup bowl with nonstick spray; line with plastic wrap, extending wrap over sides by at least the width of the bowl. Have a rimmed baking sheet ready. Cut carton off chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Cut ice cream in 3⁄4-in.-thick rounds. Place slices in bowl to cover bottom and side to 1-in from top, cutting slices to fit. With a spatula, fill gaps. Freeze 20 minutes, or until firm. Meanwhile, refrigerate dulce de leche ice cream to soften slightly. Cut candy bars in 1⁄4-in.-thick slices (total 1 cup). Use a potato masher or large spoon to stir ice cream to soften evenly; stir in candy. Spoon ice cream into bowl; spread level. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs over top; press into ice cream. Fold plastic wrap over ice cream to cover. Freeze overnight, or up to 2 weeks. Up to 1 day ahead: Cut cardboard or a paper plate to fit on crumbs. Invert bombe and cardboard together onto a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Quickly smooth any wrinkles. If ice cream starts to melt, refreeze before coating. Pour most of shell coating over bombe, using spatula to spread evenly to coat. Garnish with a drizzle of remaining coating. Transfer to serving plate. Freeze until serving. Chocolate-Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cake 2 1/2 c. Heavy cream 1 bag peanut butter chips 18 whole chocolate graham crackers Heat 2⁄3 cup cream in a large microwave-safe bowl until steaming. Add chips; whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in remaining cream. Chill 15 minutes. Beat with mixer just until soft peaks form. Arrange 3 crackers, side by side, long edges touching, on serving plate. Spread evenly with 1⁄2 cup cream mixture. Repeat for 4 more layers; add 1 more layer crackers. Chill 1 hour. Chill remaining cream. Spread top and sides of cake with cream. Chill 4 hours or up to 2 days. Decorate with peanut butter chips, if desired. Slice with a serrated knife using a sawing motion. Peanut Butter Tart For the crust: Ten 4 3/4-by-2 1/2-inch graham crackers, broken into pieces For the filling: 6 tbsp. Unsalted butter, melted 3 oz. Milk chocolate, plus more for curls 1 3/4 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces) 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until fine crumbs are formed. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add butter. Stir with a fork until thoroughly combined. Place crumbs in a 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Press crumbs up the sides of the pan to form the edge of the tart and then evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place in the refrigerator while making the filling. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Finely chop chocolate, and place in a medium bowl. Place 1/2 cup cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Pour over chopped chocolate, and set aside for 5 minutes to yield chocolate ganache. Whisk to combine. Set in ice bath until ganache is cool, whisking constantly. Once cool, remove from ice bath, and whisk until ganache is just thick enough to hold its shape; do not over beat. Spread in the bottom of the prepared crust, and return to the refrigerator until set. Combine peanut butter, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Whip 3/4 cup heavy cream to soft peaks. Add whipped cream to peanut butter mixture; whisk to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared crust; return to the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. Remove tart from refrigerator, and transfer to a serving platter 10 minutes before serving. Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream. Top tart with dollops of whipped cream. Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls for garnish. No-Bake Chocolate Truffle Pie This one has caramels instead of peanut butter for a different no bake candy bar experience. 1/2 cup pecans 1 ready-to-fill chocolate-flavored crumb crust 17 squares individually wrapped caramels 1/4 cup canned evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed) 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream 3 tbsp. Unsalted butter Whipped cream, for serving Sprinkle the pecans on the crust. In a medium saucepan, cook the caramels and milk over medium-low heat, stirring often until the caramels melt and the mixture is smooth. Pour over the pecans. Clean the saucepan and cook the chocolate chips, cream and butter over low heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth Pour over the caramel and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Peanut-Butter Chocolate Parfaits 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 tbsp. Sugar 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1 recipe cooled vanilla or chocolate pudding 6 peanut-butter sandwich cookies In a medium bowl, whip 1 cup cream along with sugar until soft peaks form. Reserve. Place peanut butter and remaining 1/2 cup (unwhipped) cream in another medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add reserved whipped cream; gently fold in with a rubber spatula until combined. Creating alternating layers, spoon Chocolate Pudding and whipped cream mixture into 6 serving glasses or dishes. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Crumble cookies over parfaits before serving. No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars Vegetable oil cooking spray 9 oz. Chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups) 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar 1/4 tsp. Coarse salt 5 oz. (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 cup chunky peanut butter 3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. Smooth peanut butter 10 oz. Semisweet chocolate, melted 1 1/2 oz. Milk chocolate, melted Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes. Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)