Thursday, September 17, 2020

Honey Cookies

Every Rosh Hashana {Jewish New Year} I bake up something made from honey. Honey is used in cooking and baking around the New Year to symbolize a sweet new year. These honey cookies are sweet, moist, and chewy! And, in my opinion, tastier  and easier to make than the traditional honey cake. 
Honey Cookies ~ The Dreams Weaver
What you will need:
⅔ cup oil 
1 cup sugar 
¼ cup honey 
1 egg 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
2 cups flour 
2 tsp. baking soda 
½ tsp. salt 
Turbinado or powdered sugar, for rolling
Honey Cookies ~ The Dreams Weaver
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
In a stand mixer, beat the sugar, honey, and oil until smooth. 
Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. 
Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes until firm. 
Shape the dough into balls {I use a cookie scoop for equally sized cookies} and roll in the turbinado or powdered sugar, making sure to coat the whole cookie. 
Honey Cookies ~ The Dreams Weaver
Bake on a baking sheet for 7-9 minutes until the edges are light brown in color. 
Honey Cookies ~ The Dreams Weaver
Happy New Year!

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Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Apple Butter

This apple butter is so easy to make! I always love to go apple picking as fall rolls around, and there is always an abundance of apples. This apple butter would be good on toast, as a dip, stuffed in challah, or inside of babka as I did for this Rosh Hashana!
Apple Butter ~ The Dreams Weaver

What you will need:
3 apples peeled, cored, and cut into cubes
1 tbsp honey or sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
4-6 tbsp water 

Directions:
Cook the apples, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and water in a small pot on medium-low heat stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets too thick before the apples brown, can always add more water midway. 
Cook until the apple butter is thick and has darkened to a nice caramel color. 
Can purée or leave with chunks in it which I prefer. Store in a jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks!

Here it is in place of my chocolate lava babka, and added cinnamon and a honey drizzle to the crumble. 
Apple Butter ~ The Dreams Weaver

Apple Butter ~ The Dreams Weaver
Enjoy!
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Monday, September 14, 2020

Easy Fig Jam

This fig jam is so easy to make! I love figs, they are sweet and have a delicate flavor that is often compared to honey, and when made into a jam their natural and fragrant qualities intensify, making them great at complementing savory dishes like chicken, lamb, cheese plates, charcuterie spreads, sweet and savory flatbreads, and my new favorite as stuffed inside of challah for the new year!
Easy Fig Jam ~ The Dreams Weaver
What you will need:
3 pounds figs in quarters 
2 cups sugar
1 lemon zested and juiced

Directions:
Combine all 3 ingredients in a saucepan. 
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and stir constantly. Cover the pan and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 
Let cool and place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

Fig jam filled challah:
Start with my challah dough
Portion out about half the dough and cut the ball into 8 equally sized pieces, roll into balls and flatten slightly. 
Fill each disc with about a tablespoon worth of jam and seal in. 
Arranged the balls into a greased round or loaf pan. 
Easy Fig Jam ~ The Dreams Weaver
Let the dough rise according to your challah dough recipe, or my recipe mentioned above!
Easy Fig Jam ~ The Dreams Weaver
Enjoy!

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Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken

There’s nothing better than the smell of warm dinner slow cooking all day as the weather starts to cool down! This chicken is nice and juicy from cooking in the beer mixture all day. 
Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver
What you will need 
1-2 onions, cut into rounds 
3-4 carrots cut into chunks
4 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 small bunch celery cut into pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 and 1/2 tsp salt 
1 and 1/2 tsp chili powder 
1 and 1/2 tsp paprika 
1 tsp garlic powder 
8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken
12 oz beer
Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver
Directions
Oil the the crockpot and place onion rounds on the bottom of crockpot, then add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. 
Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver
In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, salt, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. 
Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver
Rub mixture all over each piece of chicken. Place chicken on top onions.
Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver
Pour beer over the chicken. 
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. 
The chicken can also be made in the oven in a pan covered tightly at 350°F for about 2 hours. 
Enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken ~ The Dreams Weaver


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Sunday, September 6, 2020

Blueberry Muffin Tops

These muffin tops are so easy to make and can be made with different variations of fresh {or even freeze dried} fruit. They are the best part of the muffin!
Blueberry Muffin Tops ~ The Dreams Weaver
What you will need
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk (add 1 tbsp vinegar to milk to make buttermilk)
2 tbsp orange juice
1 cup blueberries
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Blueberry Muffin Tops ~ The Dreams Weaver
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Cream together the butter and granulated sugar in an electric mixer. Add the egg and beat. add the flour to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Add the buttermilk mixture to the batter and mix well.
Toss 1 tbsp flour with the blueberries in a bowl.
Using a spatula, fold the blueberry mixture into the batter until combined.
Scoop about 1/4 cup of the dough onto the lined baking sheets, spacing them 2“ apart. Bake until lightly browned, about 11 minutes. 

Blueberry Muffin Tops ~ The Dreams Weaver
Transfer the muffin tops to a rack set over a baking sheet to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and mix well. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffin tops and let set. 


Enjoy!
Blueberry Muffin Tops ~ The Dreams Weaver

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