Cornflake Marshmallow Cookies

It is no secret that cookies are not my favourite thing.  I don't eat them often and I am not really good at making them either, although if there was any cookie that would change my mind about that it would be these cornflake marshmallow cookies from Momofuku Milk Bar.

These cookies are so fun and so different than a regular chocolate chip cookie.  And that cornflake crunch is amazing straight off the baking tray, even better in the cookies though!

16 tbs butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups Cornflake Crunch
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows

Cornflake crunch
5 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup milk powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
9 tbs butter, melted

To make the cornflake crunch, preheat oven to 275.

Place the cornflakes in a large bowl and crush with your hands. Mix in the milk powder, sugar and salt.  Pour in the butter and stir until combined.

Place cornflake mixture on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, leave to cool.

To make the cookies, put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together for 2 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 8 minutes.

Reduce the mixer to low and add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix just until combined.  Add in the cornflake crunch, chocolate chips and marshmallows and mix for just a minute.

Using a third cup measure, portion out the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 and bake chilled cookies for 18 minutes.

Cod with Chile Lime Butter

Randal will very rarely eat fish that is not deep fried and served with tarter sauce, so I knew I had to make this cod with the chile butter at home when he tasted a version of this at a grocery store and loved it. 

We both enjoyed this entire meal, the fish with the chile lime butter and the succotash which was also a new dish for me, but one that we will be making again!

4 cod filets
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Chile lime butter:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp serrano chile, minced
1/2 tsp salt

To make the chile butter,  stir together the butter, shallot, chile, lime juice and zest and salt.  Place the butter mixture on cling film and roll into a log.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Pat dry the cod, season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large pan, add the fish and cook for 2 or 3 minutes per side until golden.  Finish cooking the fish in a 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes.  Serve with the chile lime butter.

Corn and Lima Bean Succotash

I don't think I have ever tried a succotash before, it's a very American dish to me, certainly not something we ate when I lived in England, and lima beans were also not something we ate, actually I don't think I ever tried them before I had a lima bean succotash in one of our favourite grocery stores here in Houston, Central Market.  They were sampling this succotash with a spiced tilapia, we both loved it so much we decided to go home and make our version of it, only we had cod not tilapia.

 1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups corn kernals
2 cups lima beans
3 tbsp fresh basil, sliced
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan.  Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, cook for another minute.  Add the tomatoes, corn and lima beans.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the fresh basil.

Menu Plan Monday

 

Monday: Pepperoni pizza and salad

Tuesday: Mango chicken

Wednesday: Tacos

Thursday: Spag bol and salad

Friday: Eating out
  
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Rosemary Cornbread

Last week we recieved our first bag of fresh herbs of the year.  We are very lucky to get weekly bags filled with rosemary, mint, parsley, basil and more from Randal's coworker.  We made good use of the mint and parsley by making Armenian kebabs and fatoosh salad, but to use some of the rosemary I went with a rosemary cornbread.  I am not a huge fan of cornbread but I do love rosemary which made this cornbread one of the best I have had!

 1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.   Add in the egg, milk, oil and rosemary and stir to combine.

Grease a baking dish and pour in the batter.

Bake for 15-20 minute.

Menu Plan Monday

 

Monday: Biscuit sliders, corn on the cob and salad

Tuesday: Chicken tikka, jasmine rice and naan bread

Wednesday: BLT's and tomato soup

Thursday: Tacos and spanish rice

Friday: Eating out
  
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Sophie's Minion Cupcakes

Monday was Miss Sophie Bears 4th birthday.  Sophie has been in my daycare for 2 years now and is such a smart, sweet little girl that when she asked me to make her minion cupcakes I just couldn't refuse.  I don't know why but my daycare kids are just loving the minion movie these days, but it has to be the one with the bad bunny!

I found the inspiration for the look of these cupcakes on the Betty Crocker site, but Sorry Betty, I had to make my own vanilla cakes and swiss meringue frosting!

Cupcakes:

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 plumped vanilla bean
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
10 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cupcake pan with paper liner.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs for 5 minutes, until thick and lemon coloured.  Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture has thickened.  Add in the vanilla extract and the flour and mix just to combine.

In a small pan heat the milk with the vanilla bean and butter until simmering.  Remove the vanilla bean and gradually add the hot milk to the batter.

Fill each liner 2/3 full and bake for 18 minutes, or until cooked through.

Swiss meringue buttercream
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 large egg whites
1 cup + 2 tbsp of sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

yellow food colouring

To make the frosting, put a few inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Put the egg whites, sugar and salt into a bowl that will fit over the pan of water and whisk until it reaches 150 degrees and the sugar has all melted. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on medium speed until the bowl feels cold (this can take up to 10 minutes) add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, finally beat in the vanilla and food colour.

For the Minions

Black liquorice

Large marchmallows

Brown M&M's

Black icing pen

To make the minion cupcakes, spread a layer of frosting on each cupcake.  Lay a strip of black liquorice just above the center of each cupcake.  Cut the top and bottom off each marshmallow and give some cupcakes one eye and other cupcakes 2 marshmallow eyes.  Use a little of the frosting to glue the candy onto the marshmallows and use the icing pen to draw on the mouth.