This was my answer to my husbands request "honey can you make something sweet to eat?"  "Sure no problem, I'll whip something up".....I'm June Cleaver after all!.  So I figured I would make some simple straight forward chocolate chip cookies but as I was preparing the batter I thought, BORING!  How about Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies?  I substituted the vanilla extract for almond extract and added sliced almonds.  I ended up making half the batter with chocolate chips and half without to make everyone in my house happy.  I really LOVED the plain almond cookies, they were light, crisp and buttery.   The next time I make these I'm not using chocolate chips at all.  The chocolate takes away from the delicious almond flavor so add the chocolate if you are craving it but try some without too and let me know which ones you like better.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/4 dark brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and sugars until light and creamy.  Add almond extract and eggs and beat until combined well.  Add almonds (and chocolate chips if desired) and mix until incorporated.  Drop by tablespoons on a lined baking sheet.  I prefer using silpat liners but you can also use parchment paper or reynold release foil.  Bake for 12 minutes until cookies are light golden brown.
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Every year for Thanksgiving I always make a spiced nut mix to serve with drinks. Everyone always gobbles them up. No matter how much I make there are never any left! I am not sure why I only make them for Thanksgiving so when we were making our menu for Chanukah this year, Ellen asked if we could have them again. They are so easy to make I volunteered to make them again. I actually found this version in The Food Network magazine from Ina Garten who is one of my favorite Food Network stars.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil

3 Cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 oz.)

2 Cups whole walnut halves (7 oz.)

2 Cups whole pecan halves (7 oz.)

1/2 Cup whole almonds (3 oz.)

1/3 Cup pure maple syrup

1/4 Cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 T freshly squeezed orange juic

2 tsp. ground chipotle powder

4 T minced fresh rosemary leaves

kosher salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 T of the the vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder on the sheet pan; toss to coat. Add 2 T of the rosemary and 2 tsp of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more tsp of salt and the remaining 2 T of rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to one week.

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This is a very simple and quick appetizer idea for any occaision.  We served these as one of the appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner. 

Ingredients:

20 dates, pitted

20 whole almonds

1/3 cup of chestnuts, roasted and cut into small chunks

1/3 cup of blue cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

Split dates donw the center and carefully remove the pit.  Do not cut date in half.  Stuff 1 or 2 pieces of roasted chestnuts down into the bottom of date, next stuff to the top with blue cheese crumbles.  Lastly, top each date with a whole almond.  Place dates on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F. oven for about 7 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.  Let cool slightly before serving so your guests do not burn their mouths on the hot cheese.

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I needed to make something "international" for a potluck luncheon that I was invited to at my former job.  I also needed to make something that I could totally complete the day before because I wouldn't have anytime the morning of the luncheon.  I opened my cabinets and saw cranberries, almonds and dark chcocolate and thought BISCOTTI.  It's Italian and delicious would also taste perfect the following day.  So here we have Chocolate Dipped, Cranberry Almond Biscotti.  Now the trick was to make sure my husband didn't eat it all before the next day.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teasoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips, melted for dipping

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with a silpat or grease baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large bowl cream together margarine and sugar, add eggs and almond extract and mix until combined well.  In a med bowl using a wire whisk, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time.  This makes a very stiff dough, you may need to use your hands to mix at the end.  Add cranberries and almonds and incorporate with an electric mixer or your hands.   Divide dough in half and using your hands form dough into a long thin, flat loaf on lined baking sheet.  You should be able to make two 10-12 inch loaves that are about 4 inches wide and 1 inch in thick.  Bake in the oven for 25 minute or until the edges of the loaves are lightly brown.  Remove from oven and slice each loaf into 1/2 inch slices.  Lay slices down on baking sheet and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove biscotti from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
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 Super quick and easy appetizer that tastes SUPER delicious.   This is one of the appetizers that Nanci and I  are serving at our next catering event.  We are doing an appetizer dinner that will consist of all pass around hors d' oeurves.  We have been testing recipes for what feels like weeks to make sure everything is perfect and delicious before the event.

Ingredients:

30 Athens Mini Phyllo Shells (sold in the frozen dessert section of your supermarket)

1/2 lb brie cheese

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.  Arrange Phyllo Shells on a baking sheet.  Toast almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until the nuts are a light golden brown.  Watch the pan the whole time and move nuts around constantly so you don't burn them, set aside to cool.  Next, cut the rind off the brie and divide into 1 inch cubes (about 1 teaspoon).  Place each cube of brie into a Phyllo Shell.  Next put about a 1/2 teaspoon of apricot preserves on top of the brie.  Lastly, top the preserves with a few almond slices.  Put in hot oven and bake until cheese is melted about 4-5 minutes. (start checking around 3 minutes since every oven is different).  Serve hot!

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Banana recipe #4!  This is a really good one.  These cookies are totally delicous and easy to make.  They are very soft and cake like.  I was able to get them crispier by putting them in the toaster oven and toasting them for a few minutes after they completely cooled.  They were really yummy like that.  I also used slivered almonds instead of sliced almonds in the batter because that is what I had on hand but I think it would be better with the sliced almonds that way you don't get a big chunk of almond when you bite into the cookie.  I will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:

2 over-ripe bananas
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 stick butter (4 ounces), room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of quick cook oatmeal
1/2 cup sliced almonds (I used slivered because that's what I had)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º.  In a food processor, pulse the blanched almonds with 1/2 cup sugar until almonds are finely ground.  Cream butter with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Then add the ground almonds.  Whip until thoroughly mixed.  Beat in eggs, then add mashed bananas.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the dry ingredients into the batter.  When the flour has been completely incorporated, stir in the oatmeal and sliced almonds.

Using two tablespoons, drop the batter onto parchment lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

Linked to Sweets for Saturday
Linked to Melt in your Mouth Monday

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Ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 lb raw stringbeans (preferably Hericot Verts)
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine
2 teaspoons of Krazy Janes Mixed up Salt (you can use coarse salt as a substitute)

Preparation:

Clean String beans, snapping off end that is not pointed place in a microwave bowl and set aside.  Melt 1 tablespoon of margarine in a small frying pan, once melted add the Krazy Janes mixed up salt and stir until combined, add almonds and continue to stir over medium heat until almonds are lightly toasted.  Take pan off heat and let almonds cool.  Right before ready to serve, place string beans in the microwave and cook on high for 3-4 minutes until steamed but still crunchy.  Add 1 tablespoon of margarine to steamed string beans and toss to coat.  Top with prepared almonds and serve immediately.
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Everyone who tries these just raves about them and they are so easy to make.  I've seen versions of this using saltine crackers but I much prefer this Martha Stewart version using graham crackers.  If you need a sweet, salty, crunchy, chocolate fix...this is the treat for you.


Ingredients:

13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

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