~Date Pinwheel Cookies

Dear Fans of Hounds Who Cook,

We dogs have searched out the Very Best date pinwheel recipe. We have made many recipes over the holly-days and find this one to surpass others. It comes from the 2007 Riverside County Fair National Date Festival.

Date-Nut Pinwheels

Cookie Dough:
2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmet
2/3 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
 

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Beat butter until light.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

 

Filling :

1 cup dates, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Cook dates, sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heart.  Mash until the mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the lemon zest and walnuts.  Cool completely.

 

Divide the cookie dough in half.   Roll each half into 10 x 8 inch rectangles.  Spread half the filling evenly on each of the dough rectangles.  Roll up and wrap each roll in plastic.  Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease  cookie sheet. Using a shape knife, cut dough into ½ inch slices.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly brown.

~Snicker Doodle Cookies

Dear Fans of Hounds Who Cook,

On these wintry days, we pups enjoy nothing more than coming in from the out of doors to the good smell of cookies baking. Our Girl's elders love in particular the Snickerdoodle and the Date Pinwheel. So these are the cookies we have been concocting.

Herewith is the Doodle recipe from Betty Crocker (we don't know if she has dogs):

Snickerdoodles

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Topping
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream the sugar and butter. Then blend in eggs. Measure dry ingredients separately and mix. Stir into butter mixture until well combined. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until set. Don't overbake.

~Blue Berry Pie

Dear Fans of Hounds Who Cook,

Tonight we have done the remarkable. We have improved upon the Blue Berry Pie. First. we cooked the pie crust in advance. We brushed it with goat milk (it's what we had on hand) and sprinkled it overall with sugar. Then, we used half raw berries, so the pie has a wonderful fresh berry not mushy berry texture. Mmm.

We started with GroupRecipes.com recipe and had to eat two pieces almost right away.


Guthrie's Blue Berry Pie
4 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. butter

1 8-9" pie shell
1 Tbsp milk
1-2 Tbsp sugar


Flute edges of pie shell and brush all over with milk. Sprinkle with sugar, aiming for the crust rim and letting excess fall into center. Bake til nicely browned. (450 degrees for 11-13 minutes). Cool crust completely.

Wash berries and drain. Set 2 cups aside. In saucepan, combine remaining 2 cups of berries, sugar, salt, lemon, water and cornstarch. (Reserve butter for now.) Cook over medium heat til thickened, stirring periodically. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Stir til incorporated throughout. Cool to room temperature.

Place 2 cups of raw berries into cooled baked pie shell. Pour cooled berry filling over raw berries. Refrigerate til firm.

Serve with whipping cream!

Eli's Notes: As you are washing the berries, and plucking out any stems, be sure to toss a few berries to the pup of the home. We appreciate any whether they be mishapen or squished or very small. A dog enjoys a good berry.