I Cook With Cookies - Oreo Cookie Balls and Stuffed Ice Cream Sundaes

In this post we'll learn how to make the greatest dessert ever - how to make Oreo Cookie Balls. Also, another great summer treat using store bought cookies - how to make Stuffed Ice Cream Sundaes. Hold on to your seats, this is a good post!

I'm my husband's worst nightmare when it comes to baking: I don't like to do it, I don't do it well, and I actually don't have much of a sweet tooth. But there are a couple of sweets I simply can't resist: cookies and ice cream. And lucky enough, I have two simply awesome dessert recipes that not only include my favorite things, but also don't take any baking time or skill whatsoever:

• Everyone's favorite: Oreo Cookie Balls


• Stuffed Ice Cream Sundaes

No special equipment or skills necessary for these - just a lot of patience for the Oreo Balls.

Oreo Cookie Balls

These treats should be kept cold - I actually freeze them. I think they are a little too sweet, and would like to experiment with using dark chocolate, but I have strict orders from anyone and everyone who has ever had one not to change a thing.

What You'll need:

• Wax paper


• Several small cookie sheets


• Long toothpicks (mini skewers work best)


• Microwave safe bowls


• Plastic baggie


• A lot of patience

Ingredients for Oreo Cookie Balls:

• 1 pkg Oreo Cookies


• 1.5 pkg cream cheese, softened (in a vague attempt to be healthier, I use 1/3 less fat cream cheese and you can't tell the difference, but it makes me feel better)


• Dipping chocolate disks (I use 2 packages of the Baker's cups)


• White chocolate squares - approx 4-6 for decorating

The Oreo Balls take time and patience because of the dipping. But I do have some tricks, so here is how I make them:

• Line several small cookie sheets with wax paper


• Food process the Oreo cookies


• Mix with the softened cream cheese


• Form into small balls, rolling them in your hands to make smooth


• Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets in small batches


• Place in the refrigerator for approx 1 hour until firm and cold

The reason I do several small batches is because the next step is to dip the balls in melted chocolate. But the balls are made of cream cheese, and will start to melt and fall apart. By using several cookie sheets, you can leave the majority in the refrigerator while dipping small quantities at a time. Also, when you put them back in the fridge to cool off, the first batches are ready for decorating much sooner. Trust me, this works much better than trying to do all at once.

• Melt chocolate according to package instructions


• Take one batch of chilled Oreo Balls out of the fridge for dipping


• Make sure to completely coat the ball, replace onto the wax paper, continue through the whole batch

Dipping is an art and it take practice. I use 2 mini-skewers (long toothpicks). Use one to stick a ball all the way through. Dip into the chocolate, fully coating it. Hold over the bowl and drip off/shake off excess chocolate. If you have too much on, when you place back on the cookie sheet it will run off and form on the bottom and the end product will not look as pretty (but will still taste good). I use the second toothpick/skewer to gently push the ball off the first skewer.

Note: you will have a hole on the top. This is fine, we'll cover it up when we decorate them.

• When you are done dipping one batch, return it to the fridge to harden and firm up again, take out the next batch and repeat


• While they are cooling, melt the white chocolate according to instructions


• Let it cool slightly


• Pour white chocolate into a small plastic bag, push toward one bottom corner


• Use scissors to snip off a VERY small corner of the bag (you can always cut more, but you can't add it back!)


• Take batches out of the fridge, drizzle white chocolate from bag over the Oreo Balls, starting in the middle to cover to the hole


• Return to the fridge, repeat for all batches


• Let them harden completely, at least 1 hour

Then you can divide them up for storage, eating, serving, giving, etc - I freeze mine in small batches so they travel better, stay cool longer when served, or just because I like to eat them frozen, too.

I Cook With Love tips:

Make them pretty! The white chocolate is classic "Oreo" but you can also add food coloring to jazz them up more. Green and Red for Christmas, Green for St. Patty's Day, Pink and Blue for baby showers, etc - get creative! Your special style is how you make them just a little more special.

Stuffed Ice Cream Sundaes

These are great treat to make and keep in the freezer and include the two greatest things that include peanut butter: Nutter Butter Cookies and Peanut Butter Cups

All you will need:

• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Bite size peanut butter cups - frozen
• Nutter Butter Cookies (or any other favorite cookie of yours)
• Chocolate sauce

All you have to do:

• Crush cookies (either food process or place in plastic bag and roll with rolling pin) and place in shallow dish
• Use an ice cream scoop to scoop ice cream balls
• Take a frozen peanut butter cup and shove into the middle of the ice cream (if it's not frozen or at least cold, it will get mushy when you try this and will not work)
• Roll in the crushed cookies until coated
• Re-freeze until solid, approximately 1 hour
• Serve in dessert cup and drizzle with chocolate sauce

Refreshing, easy, and yumilicious!

I Cook With Love Tips:

Serve "up" in a martini glass or margarita glass swirled with chocolate sauce - everything tastes better when it looks fun and pretty!

I Cook With Lamb - Lambchop Lollipops & Feta Stuffed Lamb Burgers

Today I'll answer the question I had for so long: How do I cook lamb?
I'll discuss how to make lamb burgers, how to make cucumber mint yogurt, and how to make lambchop lollipops.

I love lamb. It's definitely an acquired taste, one I didn't acquire until about age 27. I think part of it was that I didn't like the way my mom cooked it, so I just assumed I didn't like it. But lamb does have a strong, bold flavor, and like any food or drink with a strong or bold flavor (like a heavy Red Wine, for instance), you may need to work your pallet up to it.

I've discovered, though, that I don't like braised lamb. Perhaps like so many other foods, I just don't like the versions I've tried, but I tend to believe I just don't like that particular preparation. To me, it accentuates the strong flavor without balancing it with texture.

Preparing lamb at home isn't as scary as it sounds, but it can be tricky. I've not yet perfected rack of lamb (my favorite) so I won't share any recipes until I have. But I have perfected 2 great recipes:

• "Lambchop Lollipops" - usually served as a small plate, not full entree


• Feta stuffed Lamb Burgers - need I say more?

I'm working on rosemary skewered lamb, as well, which I'll share as soon as I have a little more practice.

Lambchop Lollipops

I love to serve these as part of a small plate progression. And it pairs great with a nice Cabernet or an Italian wine. Because lambchops do have a layer of fat, and because they are best served medium rare, it helps to balance them with a wine with more tannin. You can learn more about great wine pairings at foodandwinepairing.org.

• Start with a small rack of lamb, frenched (when the fat is cut away from the bones) and have the butcher cut into individual chops if not already - since this is an appetizer or small plate, I go for smaller sized lambchops


• Let the lamb sit out at room temp for about 45 mins before cooking (do not overlook this step or it will not cook properly - trust me, it's an expensive meat and therefore an expensive lesson to learn)


• Preheat oven to 450
  
• Mix together the following (no measurements, sorry, just to taste): lemon juice, olive oil, finely chopped garlic, salt/pepper and either fresh rosemary or fresh chives


• Brush on the lamb all around


• Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium/high heat (I use an All-Clad LTD Fry Pan 14-in with Helper Handle, but any solid pan that keeps an even heat and can go in the oven will work)
  
• When pan is hot, place lamb chops on hot surface, sear 1 minute each side


• Brush again on face-up side and sprinkle with coarse salt, and place pan in the pre-heated oven


• Cook for 9-10 mins for medium rare

These are meant to be picked up by the bone and eaten, hence the "lollipop" in the name, and why they make a good appetizer or small plate.

Lamb Burgers

I was jogging on the treadmill watching a cooking show when I first heard of Lamb Burgers. They were good motivation to keep running because that very night I took a stab at my own version. I'd like to say for a first try, they were awesome, and just keep getting better.

Mix together:

• Approx 1lb ground lamb for 3-4 patties (I used .9 lb for 3 patties)


• 1/4 to 1/2 Vidallia (or white) onion, chopped small


• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped


• Oregano, salt, pepper


• 2-3 oz feta cheese crumbles
  

Cooking the Lamb Burgers:

• Pre-heat grill on medium heat (Living in a Chicago condo, I don't have easy access to a grill, so I cook them indoors on a grill pan - I can't live without my Calphalon One Nonstick Square Grill Pan 11 x 11-in)


• Form patties, try not to "overwork" the ground meat, keep the patties loose


• Pour a little olive oil onto your hands and gently and lightly coat the outside of the patties


• Cook approx 4-6 per side depending on thickness of the patties

Serving the Lamb Burgers

We served these with a Côtes du Rhône, which matched well with the flavor of the meat but still played nice with the feta. I'm not sure this is the best pairing, but it was good - perhaps next time we will try a Burgandy instead.

I didn't want to loose the great flavor in a huge bready roll, so instead I lightly buttered a thick piece of ciabatta bread, sprinkled with a little garlic salt, and broiled it until golden, then served the Lamb Burgers open faced on top of it.

On the side, I served a cucumber-mint yogurt, which was:

• Grated cucumber (about half of a large)


• Juice from half of a lemon


• Greek Yogurt (one small container)


• Minced garlic (one clove)


• Salt, pepper to taste


• Chopped mint leaves (be sure not to tear the mint, chop it - if you don't have sharp enough knives, I recommend a mezzaluna - see my notes in my "I Love Food" posting)

Another idea is to take the ground lamb, mix it with the garlic, salt, pepper and oregano, then make meatballs out of it and bake them - then serve in a pita pocket with feta, chopped onion and cucumber yogurt.

Enjoy cooking with Lamb!

I Cook With Fresh Herbs - Everyday Herbs and Shrimp Gremolata

In this post we'll explore how to brighten every day dishes with fresh herbs, and how to make an easy and light Sauteed Shrimp and Asparagus Gremolata.

Living in a Chicago condo, I don't have access to fresh herbs other than the grocery store. There is a great vegetable market where I can buy them from the bulk bins and avoid purchasing tons of herbs that will go bad, but I don't have a car and that makes it difficult at times. I am lucky enough to have a mother-in-law with an herb garden in the summer and an indoor Aerogarden herb garden in the winter, and she always has plenty to share.

Whenever I do get my hands on fresh herbs, I use them in everything.

SALADS

Left over herbs? Chop them up and mix them with your salad greens. Fresh herbs - especially parsley, chives, dill - really brighten a salad. If I had my own herb garden I'd never make a salad without them. But for now it's how I don't waste my left over fresh herbs.

PIZZA

Fresh chopped basil adds a new layer to pizza. Whether you make your own pizza or order in, throw a handful of fresh chopped basil on after it comes out of the oven before you serve it.

FISH

I'm a purest when it comes to fish and meat. I don't like a lot of seasoning, I love the fresh taste of the meat itself. My favorite way to cook salmon is to simply top it with a little lemon juice, coarse salt and fresh ground pepper and throw it under the broiler for about 8 minutes. But adding fresh dill to this same dish elevates it to an entirely different meal.

My Favorite quick recipe with fresh herbs:

This is one recipe I follow pretty close to exact. It's a really quick and easy fresh summer dish that is really bright and clean - the gremolata is a wonderful use of fresh parsley. I usually serve this with a brown rice medley on the side. I've not paired it with wine yet, but I would imagine matching the light and citrus flavors of this dish with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blancs are also light and crisp and typically include smells and tastes of citrus. The body is light, so it wouldn't overpower the light flavor of the dish; instead, both wine and food would compliment one another with similar weight and flavors. You can learn more quick pairings from my favorite reference: http://www.foodandwinepairing.org/.

Sautéed Asparagus and Shrimp with Gremolata from Cooking Light Magazine April 2008

Ingredients

• GREMOLATA:
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 
  SHRIMP:
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

Preparation

1. To prepare gremolata, combine first 5 ingredients; set aside.

2. To prepare shrimp, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling to coat; heat 20 seconds. Add asparagus to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove asparagus from pan; keep warm.

3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling to coat; heat 20 seconds. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add asparagus, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle evenly with gremolata.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

240 (29% from fat)

Fat:

7.6g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.7g)

Protein:

36.1g

Carbohydrate:

5.2g

Fiber:

1.6g

Cholesterol:

259mg

Iron:

5.6mg

Sodium:

403mg

Calcium:

115mg

Lorrie Hulston, Cooking Light, APRIL 2008

I Love Food

I love food.  I love wine.  I love cheese.  (it's a really good thing I also love to run and work out!).  

I'm not a great cook.  I mean, I'm really good at the things I'm good at, but that isn't a really wide array of options.  I'm really bad at the basics - I've never made a pot roast, my pork chops rarely turn out right and I have no interest in even attempting meatloaf.  But I've gotten pretty good at the "un-basics" like pan seared sea scallops, lamb chop "lollipops," cedar planked salmon and more.

My friends all say things like "you're such a great cook."  I really don't think I'm a great cook.  But the difference that they see in me, and that they translate into good cooking, is that I put a lot of energy, passion and love into everything I cook.  

The bottom line is that when I cook, I put so much of myself into it.  I cook with love.  I love to take a recipe and make it my own.  I love to cook for other people.  I love to pair a good meal with good wine.  I love to plate a nice meal in a nice way, even if it's just for me.  

I cook with love.  And I think it shows.

That doesn't mean I cook crazy gourmet meals.  I am your normal every day woman.  But I love good food.  So I plan, I think, I buy fresh ingredients and I cook my own version of "basics."  I use a wide variety of recipe sources, but some of my best work is my own.  I sometimes start with someone else's recipe or idea, but rarely stay on their exact path.  I'm a bit of an "off-roader."  

As a normal every day kind of woman, I don't have a spectacular gourmet kitchen (although, for a Chicago condo, I have to admit, I lucked out with really great counter space).  I have a full time job, and don't usually get home until 6:00 or 7:00 (if I'm lucky) so I'm not cooking up a storm every night.  I depend on a lot of pre-marinated items from the butcher or frozen meatballs from Trader Joe's.  

As a normal every day  cook, I don't have all the fancy tools or pots and pans.  But I do recommend investing in a few nice pieces when it comes to pans in a couple of sizes.  Besides all the basics you need to cook (sturdy pots, pans, broiler), I have a few items that I cannot live without and are more than worth the investment:

• My Calphalon One Nonstick Square Grill Pan 11 x 11-in.  I live in Chicago in a condo, I don't have quick access to a grill but I do my best indoors.  I can't live without this grill pan.  I like the Calphalon because it's solid/heavy, but I can lift it with one hand, it stays flat and it cleans easily.
• My Analon wok.  I don't even make a ton of stir fry dishes in classic sense, but I use it for any kind of pasta, veggie mix, shimp sautee, etc.  I've had it for 6 years now and I probably have used it every week since I bought it.  I have one with a grip on each side, not a long handle - it's big and heavy and I am not strong enough to pick it up from one side.
• My herb mincer set (called a Mezzaluna set).  It's a beveled wooden chopping board and rounded blade so you don't tear fresh herbs when you chop them. (see additional notes below)
• My olive oil spray bottle.  You fill it with your own olive oil, pump in some air, and it comes out in a fine mist.  You can easily coat your pans with lower calories than dumping oil in it, but you don't get the alcohol residue from Pam that can ruin a good pan.  You can find them at any kitchen store, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. 

From there, it's just making that little difference between a meal and an experience.  

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A few notes on the Mezzaluna set...

I have the Henckels mezzaluna set, and I love it.  But it does have a downside.  See the link/photo below - it is a double blade.  This is great for chopping, but I do find that pieces of the herbs get caught in between the two blades.  So, I often have to push them out with my fingers to keep chopping.

In the future, knowing that, I would probably be more apt to try a single blade.  But I do love the chopping board.  I got the Henckel set for my sister and her husband, they prefer to use a flat surface, not the beveled board.  You can find the mezzaluna on it's own: