CHOCOLATE FILLED THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Makes 3 dozen

350 degree oven

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 t vanilla

3 cups flour

1/2 cup (scant) semisweet chocolate chips

5 t milk

1/2  t salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate Filling:

1 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 T solid vegetable shortening

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 T water

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend butter, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, milk and salt, and mix well.  Form dough into 1" balls.  Arrange on ungreased baking sheets.  

Indent center of each ball by pressing firmly with thumb.  Bake cookies until golden, about 12-15 minutes.  Immediately roll in powdered sugar, covering them completely (that was not easy). Arrange on rack and let cool 15 minutes.

Prepare filling:  Melt chocolate and shortening in top of double boiler over hot water,  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes.

Place generous 1/2 teaspoon of filling into each thumbprint.  Store in airtight container.

Review:  These were like a shortbread with chocolate filling.  Good, but more trouble to make than they were worth.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH GARDEN VEGETABLES

The vegetables in this recipe can change with the seasons.  Asparagus spears or sweet baby peas may be substituted for the zucchini (which I didn't even include).  I chose to split the chicken down the breastbone so that I could broil the skin more effectively.

6-8 servings - 400 degree oven

1 1/4 t salt

1/4 t Hungarian sweet paprika

freshly ground pepper

2  2 1/2-3 lb frying chickens; washed and patted dry

6 celery leaf sprigs

2 parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves
1 T oil

1/2 cup parsley

2 large cloves garlic

1 med onion, chopped

4 med carrots, cut into 2" pieces

3 large celery stalks, cut into 2" pieces

6 small red new potatoes

2 T oil

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t salt

freshly ground pepper

2 small zucchini

Preheat broiler.  Combine first three ingredients in small bowl. Rub chicken cavities with some of mixture.  Place 3 celery sprigs, parsley sprig and bay leaf in each cavity.  Rub outside of chickens with oil and sprinkle with remaining paprika mixture.  Fold wings up over neck and tuck legs closely into the body.  Arrange chickens in large roasting pan breast side up. Broil 5" from the heat source until brown; about 6 minutes.

Chop parsley, garlic and onions and place in large bowl.  Slice celery and carrots, and add whole small potatoes to bowl.  Add oil, thyme, salt and pepper and toss gently.  Arrange around chicken in roasting pan.

Position rack in center of oven.  Cover pan or tent with foil and roast for 50-55 minutes in 400 degree oven.

If using additional vegetables which cook quickly (zucchini, etc), place them over the cooked vegetables and cover and continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes.

Let the chickens rest before serving.

Review:  This was an easy tasty dish that I will make again.

SPIRITED FRUIT BREAD

From Bon Appetit, October 1983 ...

Makes 1 loaf - oven at 350 degrees

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2 T apricot brandy (substituted brandy)
2 T almond liqueur (substituted Grand Marnier)
2 t vanilla
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2 t pumpkin pie spice
2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups flour
6 oz dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Combine sugar, melted butter eggs, liquor and vanilla in large bowl and whisk well until well blended.  Stir in mashed banana.  Combine pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl and mix well.  Whisk into banana mixture; blending well.  Fold in flour using spatula (batter will be thick).  Stir in chopped apricots and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean; about 50-55 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack; about 2-3 hours.  Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and store at room temperature from at least 2 days before serving.

Review:  Not any better than my usual banana bread.  Thought the liquor would add to the taste, but it didn't.