Archives

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars

Dessert, ,

These Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars taste just like your favorite Key Lime Pie, but are much more portable. They’re perfect for cookouts and backyard barbecues, or just because you’ve got extra limes sitting around waiting to be used up. They are rich, but refreshing because of the lime flavor. You’re definitely going to want to make these this summer!

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars - The Archaeologist Bakes

I love Key Lime Pie, but I don’t love making it, storing it, and serving it. I wanted something with the same flavors, but easier to make and easier to serve. These crumble bars are the perfect answer. And because I really like a tart lime, I use regular (or Persian) limes. But feel free to use Key Limes if you prefer. They tend to be a little sweeter, so you won’t have quite as tart of a filling, although this one is fairly sweet to begin with.

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars - The Archaeologist Bakes

As always, there are options if you want to change this up. As with most citrus desserts, feel free to change up the citrus fruit depending on your tastes and what you have on hand. Because the filling depends on the acid from the citrus juice essentially jelling the sweetened condensed milk, it may be a little softer set if you use orange juice, which tends to be a little less acidic. You can help that by adding in a bit of lemon juice with the orange to raise the acidity. And, as usual, feel free to add some finely chopped nuts of your choice to the crust, or even sprinkled on top before baking. Although I didn’t do it, you can certainly add a few drops of food coloring to match the citrus you are using. The filling stays pretty cream-colored without, which I am totally fine with. But everyone loves the look of a green Key Lime Pie, so color it if you prefer, or if you want it to be more obvious what the flavor is.

I used regular Biscoff cookie butter, to help mimic the flavor of a graham cracker crust, but if you have other cookie butters you want to try, go for it! Prefer a gingersnap crust on your citrus pie? Just add in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to your crust mixture. If you don’t have any cookie butter, go get some! Or , use a neutral-flavored nut or seed butter instead. I would use almond or sunflower (unsalted), but I would stay away from peanut butter just because of the stronger flavor. You can also add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, especially if you don’t use the Biscoff cookie butter. That will also help mimic the graham cracker taste.

While these are portable because they are a bar, they should still be stored refrigerated. While they can sit at room temperature for a short time, they should be kept cool, so stick them in a cooler if you’re taking them to a picnic. You won’t have to worry about how to get them home, because they are sure to disappear fast! These are such a great twist on the classic pie. I hope you try it soon!

Print Recipe
 Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, oats, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
  2. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Stir in egg and cookie butter. Mixture will still be somewhat crumbly.
  4. Press half of mixture into a greased 8" square pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
  5. While crust is baking, combine all filling ingredients.
  6. Pour filling onto hot crust, and crumble remaining crust mixture over top.
  7. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
  8. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
  • Use any citrus you like instead of lime. If using orange, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to increase the acidity and help the filling set.
  • Use any cookie butter you would like.
  • If you don't have cookie butter, use a neutral nut or seed butter instead. Consider adding a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to help replicate the graham cracker taste.
  • If you like a gingersnap crust on your key lime pie, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to the crust mixture.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring to the filling if you'd like.
  • Add up to 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts to the crust, or sprinkle 1/4 cup on top.
Share this Recipe

Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

Dessert, ,
The Archaeologist Bakes - Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

I love a good brownie as much as anyone, but especially this time of year it’s nice to mix it up with something that tastes a little lighter, like these blondies! Full of raspberries and white chocolate chips, they are also buttery and chewy and really the perfect type of blondie. And while I said they taste lighter because of the raspberry and white chocolate, trust me, they are still extremely decadent.

I’ve been making version of these blondies for years, but I’ve never shared them here. Now is the time. I admit that blondies aren’t my favorite dessert, and I’m really not a fan of white chocolate. But these blondies are just so rich and fudgy, while the raspberry really pops and the white chocolate seems to round it all out. Every time I make these I wonder why I don’t make them more often.

The Archaeologist Bakes - Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

I frequently add slivered almonds to these. Sometimes in addition to the white chocolate chips, and sometimes instead of them. But there are endless ways to customize them. As always, you can add any nut you want, or substitute any flavor chip you would like (bonus points if you use the confetti white chocolate chips like I did). Regular, old semi-sweet chocolate chips would be fantastic. Blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries would all work well. Or use a mix of whatever you have! You can also always leave out the almond extract. The zest of half a lemon would be a great addition instead!

The Archaeologist Bakes - Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

Don’t do what I do and wait too long to make these. They are so perfect for spring, when you’re craving fresh berry flavors, but it still gets cool at night so a decadent dessert sounds good. Make them this weekend (and then maybe next weekend too)!

Print Recipe
 Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies
Course Dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
  3. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add white chocolate chips, mix well, and scrape into prepared pan. Smooth the top.
  5. Slightly chop the berries. Scatter them over the batter in the pan.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes. Blondies should be golden brown and set in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with only a few wet crumbs.
  7. Cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.
Recipe Notes
  • Leave out almond extract, or substitute with the zest of half a lemon.
  • Use semi-sweet or other chocolate chips instead of white chocolate.
  • Use up to 1 cup of mix-ins. Instead of all chocolate chips, use 1/2 cups nuts and 1/2 cup chips.
  • Try different berries - strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries would all be great.
Share this Recipe

Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart

Cheesecake, Dessert,

Blackberry season is in full swing, and this Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart is the perfect dessert for these hot summer evenings. It’s rich and creamy from the cheesecake filling, but it’s kept light with the addition of the blackberry-mint jam.

It starts with a graham cracker and oatmeal crust. The oatmeal gives it a crisper texture and a nice nuttiness that helps to balance everything out. You can, of course, use all graham crackers, or any other cookies you prefer. A chocolate cookie crust would be delicious with this!

I wanted to make this a tart instead of a huge cheesecake to help to keep it feeling lighter. But it is a cooked cheesecake filling. You can absolutely use your favorite no-bake cheesecake filling here. I have never cared for gelatin-set fillings like most no-bake cheesecake are, so I went with a baked version.

The final element is the blackberry-mint jam. Use whatever berries are in season and sound good to you. Raspberries or strawberries would work perfectly. And feel free to omit the mint. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, substitute basil, thyme, or even rosemary!

Print Recipe
 Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart
Keyword Cheesecake, Berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crust
Jam
Cheesecake
Keyword Cheesecake, Berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crust
Jam
Cheesecake
Instructions
Crust
  1. Break up graham crackers slightly and place into a food processor with the oats and sugar. Pulse until graham crackers are in fine crumbs.
  2. Add melted butter and process until it is thoroughly combined.
  3. Press into an 8" round or 13"x 4" rectangular tart pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 to 9 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool.
Jam
  1. While crust is baking, combine blackberries, sugar, and mint in a small saucepan.
  2. Stir over medium heat until berries have broken down and mixture comes to a boil. Mash blackberries slightly with a spoon or spatula if necessary.
  3. Cook, stirring often, until the jam thickens. It will thicken further as it cools.
  4. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve if desired to remove seeds. Set aside to cool,
Cheesecake
  1. Cream together cheese and sugar, with either a hand mixer or stand mixer, until thoroughly blended and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
  2. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla and mix well.
  3. Pour into cooled crust.
  4. Dollop spoonfuls of the cooled jam over the cheesecake filling. You will not need all of the jam - use only about 1/2-3/4 cup in total and save the rest for toast or biscuits!
  5. Swirl the jam into the filling with a butter knife.
  6. Bake at 300 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is nearly set. There should be a very slight wobble to the center, but it should be firm around the edges.
  7. Cool on the counter slightly before refrigerating at least 4 hours.
Recipe Notes
  • Use any cookie crust you like - chocolate would be great!
  • Substitute your favorite no-bake cheesecake filling. Just swirl the jam in as instructed and refrigerate.
  • Use any berries you prefer. Strawberries and raspberries would work perfectly.
  • Omit the mint if desired, or be adventurous and try basil, thyme, or rosemary!
Share this Recipe

Maple Mousse

Dessert,

It’s finally fall! I’m so excited – cool evenings and cooler days, crops are being harvested (no more walking through 10-foot-tall corn!), and all the mouthwatering flavors that come with this time of year.

I grew up in northeast Ohio where there is a festival every spring dedicated to maple, since that’s when it’s produced. It has always been a favorite flavor around our house any time of year. But most people, myself included, consider it to be a fall flavor. Maybe that’s because it goes so well with other fall and winter flavors like the warm spices, tart cranberries, and roasted nuts that are so prevalent during this season.

Whatever the time of year, this recipe is delicious. It is a very light mousse with a strong maple flavor. It’s perfect for the holiday season when there is so much heavy food around, but it would also be wonderful as a light dessert in the spring or summer. You can serve the mousse in bowls as I did, or use it fill cannoli shells or cream puffs. I added some fun fall sprinkles, but chopped or candied walnuts would also work well.

This mousse does involve a little cooling time, but it is generally very simple. You start by making a maple custard, which is good all on it’s own. It has to chill completely before you add in the whipped cream. The mousse ends up being very light and slightly loose in texture. If you prefer a firmer mousse, use a stabilized whipped cream that is made with gelatin. Maple syrup is a must – no substituting pancake syrup!

This recipe serves four, but doubles very well, which makes it great for entertaining. Although it is best served within a few hours, the custard can be made a day ahead. Just whip the cream and fold in right before serving and top as desired. I hope you give it a try soon!


Print Recipe


Maple Mousse

Servings


Ingredients

Servings


Ingredients


Instructions
  1. Heat syrup and 3/4 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.

  2. Combine cornstarch, salt, and remaining milk. Add to simmering syrup mixture, stirring constantly.

  3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and begins to bubble.

  4. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir 2 minutes.

  5. Beat egg in a small bowl. Add in a small amount of the hot mixture and stir well.

  6. Add egg mixture to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture simmers. It will be thick.

  7. Continue to cook and stir for 2 additional minutes.

  8. Pour into a heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper, making sure wrap touches the surface of the custard to prevent a skin, and refrigerate until cool, 4 hours or overnight.

  9. When custard is cool, whip cream until stiff peaks form.

  10. Gently fold into cooled custard, then transfer to serving bowls. Top as desired and serve.


Recipe Notes
  • Candied or roasted walnuts would be a great addition to the top of this mousse.
  • Use mousse as a filling for cannoli or cream puffs.
  • For a firmer mousse, use a stabilized whipped cream (with gelatin).
  • Best eaten within a few hours.


Share this Recipe

Slow Cooker Meatballs and Rice

Dinner,

Hi everyone! I have something a little different for you today. I know I normally bring you baked goods, but everyone needs quick and easy dinner recipes, and I have one for you today. This was one of my favorite meals growing up – a sort of sweet and sour meatball served over rice. It’s definitely not  your standard Italian or Swedish meatball recipe, but it is really delicious. And kids love them!

You start by making pretty basic beef meatballs. Then you cook them in the sauce – no browning ahead of time needed. The sauce is really simple – just four ingredients (plus water) that you probably have in your pantry.  Ketchup, mustard, flour, and sugar. Four simple ingredients, but together they are more than the sum of their parts.

My mom always cooked these in a casserole dish in the oven, but I converted it to a slow cooker recipe. She thinks her aunt, who gave her the recipe, often made them in a slow cooker as well. Use whichever method works best for you and your schedule.

Although I haven’t strayed too far from the original recipe, I feel confident you could use your favorite meatball recipe with this sauce. Just don’t cook the meatballs ahead of time. I would probably skip on highly flavored recipes like sausage-based ones, but I think this would be a great place to substitute ground turkey or chicken. Since the meatballs cook in the sauce, there is less chance they will end up dry.

We always ate these meatballs over minute rice, but any type of rice or other starch would work well. You definitely want something to help soak up that sauce. Add in a vegetable, and you’ve got a quick, easy weeknight meal!

Print Recipe
 Slow Cooker Meatballs and Rice
Course Main Dish
Servings
people
Ingredients
Meatballs
Sauce
Course Main Dish
Servings
people
Ingredients
Meatballs
Sauce
Instructions
  1. Combine all meatball ingredients until well mixed.
  2. Form into slightly-larger-than golf ball sized balls. I use a regular size ice cream scoop to keep them even. Place into slow cooker (or casserole dish).
  3. Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved and flour in incorporated.
  4. Pour sauce over meatballs. Add water if needed to just cover meatballs.
  5. In slow cooker, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. In the oven, cook for about 1 hour at 350 degrees F.
  6. Serve over rice.
Recipe Notes
  • Recipe can be doubled (or tripled if you have a big enough pan.
  • Serve over the starch of your choice.
  • Feel free to experiment with other meat choices - turkey, chicken, etc.
Share this Recipe

Ginger-Lime Thumbprint Cookies

Uncategorized

The first time I made a cookie similar to this was while I was on a project and living in a hotel room. I was baking for the crew almost every weekend, but since I was in a hotel and cooking in a toaster oven with only a few tools, I tried to use shortcuts where I could. I was looking for ways to easily dress up a cookie mix when I stumbled upon a recipe for ginger-lime sugar cookies and decided that could work. I just mixed up the mix and added lime zest and fresh ginger. I stirred in some white chocolate chips and baked them up. Everyone went crazy for them!

I fell in love with the ginger-lime combination at that point, and I have made similar cookies many times since. I wanted to dress them up a little for you, though, so I turned them into thumbprint cookies!  These are soft, chewy cookies that actually stay soft and chewy for up to a week. For the filling, I use vanilla almond bark because I prefer it over actual white chocolate. You can use whichever you prefer or have on hand. These have a tropical vibe to them, so I think a sprinkle of toasted coconut or toasted macadamia nuts would be perfect. You could either sprinkle some on top of the ganache before it sets, or go all out and roll the cookie dough in them before baking!


Print Recipe
 Ginger-Lime Thumbprint Cookies
Servings
dozen
Ingredients
Servings
dozen
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Melt butter.
  2. While still warm, add cubed cream cheese, sugar, and oil. Whisk until combined and cream cheese is mostly melted.
  3. Add lime, ginger, and egg and mix well.
  4. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a smooth dough is formed.
  5. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours.
  6. Scoop dough, using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop, onto a parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
  8. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press an indentation in the middle with a small (1/2 teaspoon) measuring spoon.
  9. Cool 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Once cookies are baked, make the ganache by combining almond bark with heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl.
  11. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each. Continue until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
  12. Spoon, or pipe with a piping or plastic bag, the ganache into the indents in the cookies. Let set until firm, about 1 hour.
  13. Sprinkle with additional lime zest if desired.
Recipe Notes
  • Sprinkle with toasted coconut or toasted, chopped macadamia nuts before the ganache sets.
  • Roll the cookie dough in coconut or chopped macadamia nuts before baking.
Share this Recipe

Lemon Puff Balls

Uncategorized, ,

Today I’m bringing you a recipe that is a twist on a childhood favorite of mine – chocolate puff balls. I’ll share that recipe with you soon, but since I just posted a chocolate recipe , I decided to mix things up a bit.

Are you still dealing with winter where you are? Spring seems to have sprung here, much to my dismay. I definitely miss the cold, snowy winters of Cleveland. The spring weather here is finally convincing me to bake things a little less heavy and rich. I have tossed around the idea of lemon puff balls for some time, and this weekend I finally tackled them.

So what is a puffball? It’s nothing mysterious, really. Just a steamed cake, usually served with a warm sauce instead of frosting. The original recipe is a chocolate cake with a vanilla butter sauce. This time, I’ve made a lemon cake with a lemon sauce. I added a drizzle of raspberry sauce as well, but that’s completely optional.

You really could do this with any variety of citrus. And feel free to use a sauce of your choice, or just a dusting a powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream. Chocolate sauce would be great on an orange cake. Or you could just use extra milk in place of the lemon juice (and remove the baking soda) for a vanilla cake and top with citrus sauce or hot fudge.

This is a great recipe for beginner bakers. It is a simple, one-bowl cake recipe that doesn’t require an electric mixer.  However, you do need some ramekins or Pyrex bowls and a steamer. I use four 10-oz Pyrex bowls, but you can use up to six bowls or ramekins, as small as a 5-oz size. Just make sure they are heat-safe. I have large pasta pot with a steamer insert that I use, but you can use any steamer you have, or make your own with a large soup or stock pot.

The cake is fairly light, in both flavor and texture. Which is why I highly recommend adding the sauce to it. The sauce soaks up into the cake to make it extra moist and flavorful. If you’ve never had a puff ball cake before, you definitely need to give these a try. 

 

Print Recipe
 Lemon Puff Balls
Servings
Ingredients
Puff Balls
Lemon Sauce
Servings
Ingredients
Puff Balls
Lemon Sauce
Instructions
Puff Balls
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and wisk until combined.
  2. Pour into 4 to 6 greased ramekins or Pyrex bowls (5 to 10 oz each).
  3. Steam cakes in a steamer for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Lemon Sauce
  1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened and clear.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until butter is melted.
  3. Serve warm over puff balls.
Recipe Notes

A drizzle of raspberry sauce adds a nice pop to the lemon cake.

Use any citrus you'd like for both the cake and the sauce. Or omit the citrus sauce and top with warm hot fudge sauce on an orange puff ball.

You can also top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Share this Recipe

Apple Cider Cookies for the Go Bo! Bake Sale

Cookies, ,

If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen recently that I signed up to donate decorated cookies for the Go Bo! Bake Sale. For the whole story, go check out that link. In short, a 12 year-old boy (Bo) was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. While fighting cancer, he started the Go Bo! Foundation to fund cancer research and childhood treatment. The year he passed, a bake sale was planned as a fundraiser for the foundation. A local cookier took to social media to spread the word about the bake sale and ask any other cookiers to donate decorated cookies. That was in 2012, and they raised $5,000 at that bake sale. As word has spread, more and more cookiers have donated. Last year they were able to raise over $30,000!

When I heard about the fundraiser, I knew I wanted to decorate some cookies to donate. I pored over cookie after cookie on Pinterest, and finally settled on a design. It was a hybrid of a few others I had seen out there, and I have to say I really love the way they came out. I made royal icing transfer and then attached them to the flooded cookies. Here are the images I used as templates.

After I knew what design I wanted to create, I had to decide what flavor to make. I love my basic butter cookie recipe, but I wanted something a little more special. So I thought about the apple cider shortbread I had made at Christmas last year. I knew I could combine that idea with my favorite butter cookie, so that’s what I did. Most of the flavor comes from instant hot cider mix, but I felt like it needed another punch of apple flavor, so I reduced some apple cider down to a syrup and mixed that in as well. It was exactly what I was looking for! I think these will be making a reappearance at Christmas this year!

There aren’t a lot of easy substitutions for this recipe. But you could brown the butter and then cool and solidify it before creaming with the sugar. Or, use maple syrup instead of the cider syrup for a hint of maple. And, I suspect you could use instant (sweetened) ice tea mix instead of the cider mix (leaving out the reduced cider syrup) for a summery version of this cookie. In fact, I may try that next summer!

Print Recipe
 Apple Cider Cookies
Servings
Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Place apple cider into a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook until it is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool.
  2. Cream butter with sugar and hot cider mix.
  3. Beat in egg, vanilla, and cooled reduced cider.
  4. MIx in salt and flour until well blended.
  5. Depending on how warm your butter was, you may need to chill the dough for up to an hour to make rolling easier.
  6. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to nearly 1/4 inch thickness, and cut out with desired cookie cutter.
  7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned around the edges.
  8. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.
  9. Decorate as desired. You can also decorate with sprinkles before baking.
Recipe Notes
  • Use parchment or silicon mats on the cookie sheets if desired.
  • Roll thinner if a crisper cookie is desired.
  • Use maple syrup in place of the reduced cider for a slight variation.
  • Omit the reduced cider and replace the hot cider mix with sweetened ice tea mix for a summery cookie.
Share this Recipe

Coffee Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies, ,

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking you don’t need another chocolate chip cookie recipe. But you’re wrong. Because not only is this cookie delicious and different than most of your chocolate chip cookie recipes, this one doesn’t have to be a chocolate chip cookie.

This recipe is based off of a recipe we made all the time as kids. We always had homemade cookies in our school lunch. Always. (My mom is the best. 🙂 ). The oatmeal chocolate chips cookies were a regular and a favorite. I was thinking about them the other day, and I thought they might be improved with a bit of coffee. (I was right). I made a few other changes (took out one egg white, used all brown sugar, melted the butter) to make them even chewier. Also a good idea.

But as I said, these don’t have to be chocolate chip cookies. In fact, the original recipe called for either chocolate chips OR shredded coconut. You could absolutely make that substitution here. Or add chopped nuts. Or dried fruit (you know, like raisins, if you’re in to that kind of thing). Or any combination of the above. The coffee is not an overwhelming flavor, but it really does add an interesting element to the cookie. Yes, you can leave it out. Or, if you want a real coffee punch, use up to twice the amount I’ve called for.

One thing you shouldn’t do is skip the chilling the dough step. Especially when using the melted butter, you really need to chill the dough to get a thicker, chewy cookie. Unless you want a thinner, crispier cookie. In which case, you should bake these as soon as they are mixed. (But seriously, why would you want that??) Whatever way you make these, you should definitely make them soon. I was informed that these are “husband approved”, and that I didn’t need to bring these in to the office to share. (Sorry guys!) 🙂

Print Recipe
 Coffee Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Course Dessert
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Combine melted butter and brown sugar and mix well.
  2. Add egg, egg yolk, coffee (dissolved in water), and vanilla and mix until combined.
  3. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips or other mix-ins.
  5. Refrigerate dough at least 30 minutes.
  6. Scoop chilled dough by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and just set. Do not overbake.
  8. Cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight container up to a week.
Recipe Notes
  • Use any flavor chips you like.
  • Substitute chopped nuts, shredded coconut, and/or dried fruit.
  • Use any combination that sounds good to you!
Share this Recipe
 

Mardi Gras Cookies, and Let’s Talk about Archaeology

Uncategorized

Hi everyone! I’ve been kind of under the weather this week, so I decided to make a pretty simple cookie. They take almost no time to put together, they are delicious, and you can totally customize the colors to suit any occasion.

Since it’s a short and sweet recipe, I thought now would be the perfect time to talk a little about archaeology, and to show you some pictures from past projects I’ve been on. If you’re just here for the recipe, go ahead and scroll down to the bottom of the post – I won’t be offended. 🙂

For those of you who are interested in my “other” job, let’s run through a quick FAQ.

First, What is archaeology? Well, the biggest misconception is that archaeologists dig up dinosaurs. In fact, paleontologists deal with dinosaurs, while archaeologists deal with the human past. Specifically, the material remains left by humans. This includes everything from arrowheads and other stone tools to foundation remnants and broken plates and glasses.

Second, Why do archaeologists do what they do? There are a lot of ways to interpret this question, but here I am getting at the reason my job exists. Because of the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and specifically Section 106, all federally funded or permitted projects have to undergo a historic and archaeological review to determine the impact that the project will have on any historic sites. That means if federal funds or permits are involved, archaeologists and/or historians have to survey the area to be impacted to determine if there are significant historic or archaeological sites that may be impacted. If there are, the project is either re-routed, or the site is excavated to retrieve any data possible.

So, finally, What do I actually do? The vast majority of the fieldwork that I do involves archaeological survey. In other words, I am out walking across the project area. In plowed fields, we simply look for artifacts that have been brought to the surface by the plowing. In pastures and other where the ground surface isn’t visible, we dig small holes at regular intervals, and pass the dirt through a mesh screen to look for artifacts. When we find artifacts or structure remnants like foundations, we record the site and report it’s location and any information we can gather to the state. If the state determines the site may be significant, we may have to return to do further testing on the site, and perhaps even full excavation, but this is rare. Many sites are not considered significant, that is, they won’t provide us new or important information. And those that are, or may be, or often avoided by the project by a re-route.

Ok. I’m sure I’ve bored you completely by now. 🙂  But now, its time for cookies. These really couldn’t be more simple. It’s a quick and easy dough to put together. Then you divide the dough in half, roll each half into a rectangle, and add sprinkles. Roll it up, chill it, slice it, and bake it. And like I said earlier, if you’re not celebrating Mardi Gras, or want to use the recipe for a different celebration, you can just change up the sprinkles. Think red, white, and blue for July 4th…or red and green for Christmas…or brown, yellow, and orange for the fall…or school colors for graduation. I could go on and on with all the ideas I have for this, but I’m sure you’ve got ideas too, so I’ll just give you the recipe so you can get baking!


Print Recipe
 Mardi Gras Cookies
Course Dessert
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  2. Add egg and vanilla, and mix well.
  3. Add salt and flour, and mix until combined.
  4. Divide dough in half. Place one half onto a lightly floured piece of waxed paper. Dust lightly with flour and cover with another piece of waxed paper. (Or chill until firm enough to roll without sticking to the rolling pin.)
  5. Roll into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick.
  6. Using one color of sprinkles at a time, coat the dough with a long "stripe" of sprinkles, covering about a third of the rectangle. Repeat with the remaining colors, lined up next to each other.
  7. Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the long end.
  8. Wrap the dough cylinder in the waxed paper and refrigerate 1 hour, or freeze 15-20 minutes.
  9. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
  10. Remove waxed paper, and slice dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place on Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
  11. Bake at 350 degress F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
  12. Remove from baking sheet to cool completely. Store in airtight container up to one week.
Recipe Notes

Change the sprinkle colors to suit the celebration. For example, red, white, and blue for July 4th. Red and green for Christmas. School colors for a graduation, etc.

Share this Recipe