Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (grain-free)

 Soft and crispy, buttery, Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies are a fun, grain-free Holiday treat. These cookies are slice and bake, making them even easier to make. If you need a grain-free treat this Christmas season, give these simple and tasty cookies a try!

I don’t have a lot of almond flour recipes on Mile High Mitts, but it’s a fun flour to work with. It works well in muffins, but my favorite thing is to use almond flour in is cookies.

Ingredients

6 tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

1 egg white

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (or your favorite chocolate chips, chopped up)

Optional: More melted chocolate for dipping cookies in or to drizzle on top of cookies.

Instructions

To a large mixing bowl, add your butter and sugar and beat together with a mixer till creamy. Add your vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg white and briefly blend till just incorporated. Add your almond four and mix together till well combined. Add your chocolate chips and fold them in.

Place a piece of saran wrap on your counter (at least a foot long). Place your cookie dough in the middle of the saran wrap and use your hands to gently push it into a log (about 2 1/2-3 inches wide). Wrap your cookie dough log in the saran wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

After two hours, preheat your oven to 350 and line a pan with parchment paper. Remove your cookie dough log from the fridge and using a sharp knife slice each cookie (about 1/3-1/2 inch thick). Bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes, or till the edges are golden.

Let cool entirely. Drizzle with extra chocolate, or dip in extra chocolate if you prefer. Devour!

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies (gluten-free, dairy-free option)

 Soft Peppermint Meltaway Cookies with a twist! Meltaway Cookies can easily taste bland and be crumbly. This recipe will leave you with sweet, soft cookies, with centers that melt in your mouth!

I always thought they were pretty “blah.” I asked my Mom a few months ago if she had a meltaway cookie recipe that we made routinely while I was growing up. Sometimes I like to use her recipes as inspiration.

Ingredients

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (or regular flour)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened (coconut oil or dairy-free butter alternative)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg white

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Peppermint Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

4-5 tsp milk

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1 large candy cane, crushed (optional)

Instructions

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

To begin, to a small bowl add your flour, cornstarch and salt and whisk them together gently.

To a large mixing bowl, add your butter and sugar and beat them together till creamy. Add your egg white and peppermint extract and briefly blend in. Add your dry ingredients and mix together till you have smooth cookie dough.

Cover your bowl and place it in your fridge to chill for at least on hour. At one hour, check the cookie dough texture. It should be somewhat firm but still easy to scoop out. *If you aren't sure if your dough has chilled long enough, bake only one cookie (and if it spreads too thin, your dough needs to chill longer!).

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a pan with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick spray. Scoop your cookies out onto your pan, evenly spaced apart, with no more than 12 cookies per pan. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, or till the edges of the cookies are set and just starting to turn a light golden color.

Let your cookies cool entirely before adding the glaze on top.

Peppermint Glaze

To a small mixing bowl, add your powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract and whisk thoroughly till well combined. Add a little more milk if it's too thick.

Holding each cookie upside down, dip the top into the bowl of glaze, then place on top of a cooling rack (so the extra glaze drains off instead of making the bottom of the cookies soggy). Immediately sprinkle crushed up candy canes on top.

Red Velvet Kiss Cookies (gluten-free)

 I love chocolate.

The only problem with Holiday desserts to me is that chocolate is often accompanied by different flavors. Chocolate peppermint, white chocolate gingerbread, etc. I love all those flavors. But just chocolate? That’s the dessert I crave most.

So how about a chocolate-filled, festive dessert?! These Red Velvet Kiss Cookies are a little twist on the classic, but just as easy to make.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp red food color

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (or regular flour)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

red sprinkles or extra sugar, for rolling cookies in (optional)*

20 Hershey kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 and line two pans with parchment paper (or spray with non-stick spray).

To a large mixing bowl, add your butter and sugar and cream them together with a mixer for a couple minutes, till creamy. Add your red food color, vanilla and egg and blend again briefly till all ingredients are combined.

To a separate, small mixing bowl, add your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk thoroughly till well combined.

Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and mix them together till you have a smooth cookie dough batter.

*Prepare your bowl of sprinkles (or extra sugar) for rolling the cookies in. Scoop each cookie, roll it around covering it entirely in sprinkles, and place it onto your pan. Repeat. Evenly space your cookies apart, with no more than 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or till the edges of the cookies are set but the center looks a touch underdone.

Remove your cookies from the oven, and gently press a Hershey kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool entirely then devour!

CANNOLI COOKIES | ITALIAN RICOTTA CANNOLI COOKIE

 Cannoli Cookies are made with all of the cannoli flavors you love in a light and fluffy ricotta cookie! With pistachios, chocolate, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg, this Italian cookie is sure to be your new favorite.

Cannoli Cookies are such a treat and so much easier to make than traditional cannoli. These little cookies are perfect for the holidays, gift giving, or anytime you are craving those delicious cannoli flavors.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter, room temperature (one stick)

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 large egg

½ cup chopped semi sweet chocolate (mini chocolate chips work too)

½ cups shelled pistachios, lightly chopped

1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting (if not frosting)

Orange Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon grated orange zest

pistachios and mini chocolate chips for topping (optional)

Instructions

Line a baking pan with a baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium/high to mix together the sugar, butter, and orange zest, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the ricotta, and egg, and mix until combined. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate and pistachios.

close up of batter with pistachios and chocolate chunks showing.

Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and use a cookie scoop to measure out about a tablespoon of batter and roll into a ball. Place on preapred baking sheets leaving about 2 inches between cookie balls.

dough rolled into balls on a baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie starts to brown slightly. Note that the cookies will not change color much. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

cannoli cookies cooling on a wire cooling rack.

Once cooled, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the cookies with the powdered sugar or orange glaze (see below).

powdered sugar spindled on top of the cooled cookies on a baking rack.

Orange Glaze

For the orange glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and zest in a small bowl. Dip the top of the cookies in the icing and top with pistachios and chocolate chips.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

 We’re putting the pause on pumpkin to bring you the best ever chocolate pound cake. Today’s recipe is one that is close to my chocolate loving heart. I’ve always loved a classic pound cake and by the looks of it, you all do too. If you haven’t already made my Classic Vanilla Pound Cake, let’s just say you’re really missing out. 

It’s a popular recipe here on the blog and I’m thrilled that you all love it just as much as I do. Clearly it was only a matter of time before I baked up a chocolate version of my favorite pound cake and while I wish I could say I nailed this recipe on the very first try, the real story is that I made it over, and over {and over} again until it was juuuust right. I’m happy to report that this cake is not only easy to make, but it bakes up perfectly dense, deliciously moist, and ultra chocolatey every single time. I’m so excited that this cake is finally ready for prime time. So without further adieu, let’s get right to it.

INGREDIENTS

FOR CAKE

1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)

¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa (65 g)

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon instant coffee or ground espresso powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR GLAZE

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR CAKE

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325˚ F.

Lightly grease a 9 x 5” loaf pan. Line the bottom and short sides with parchment paper, allowing the ends to hang over for easy removal of the loaf after baking.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Sift a second time. Set aside.

Dissolve the instant coffee in the buttermilk. Set aside.

Add butter to the bowl of a standing mixer and mix on medium for 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides. Next, gradually add sugar to the butter and mix for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.

Add one egg at a time to the mixer (wait until the egg is combined before adding the next, about 20 seconds). Scrape down the sides, at least 2 times during the egg adding step.

Add vanilla and buttermilk-coffee mixture and mix until combined.

Turn down the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, one third at a time. Mix until just combined. Once combined, remove bowl from standing mixer and give one final turn of the bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour batter into the greased loaf pan. Put in the oven for 50-55 minutes. Check to make sure the cake is finished by sticking a toothpick in the center. The toothpick should come out clean and with a few crumbs clinging to it. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan and let it continue to cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before glazing.

FOR GLAZE

Heat heavy cream over medium low heat until it begins to simmer and bubbles form at the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips in a medium bowl.

Let sit for 5 minutes and then add the teaspoon of vegetable oil and whisk until smooth and shiny. Allow to cool slightly. Pour glaze over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.

Sosok Haura Aulia, Gadis Manis yang Tewas Usai Kepalanya Dilindas Sang Ayah Pakai Truk

  Malang nasib Haura Aulia, bocah perempuan berusia 11 tahun yang tewas karena ditabrak oleh ayahnya sendiri.

Sang ayah, Husaini, menabrak dan melindas putrinya memakai truk usai kabur karena diduga kepergok selingkuh oleh anak dan istrinya.

Peristiwa tragis ini terjadi pada Sabtu (19/12/2020) dini hari di daerah Meukek, Aceh Selatan. Haura dan ibunya berusaha menghentikan laju truk yang dikemudikan Husaini.

Haura dan ibunya curiga di dalam mobil truk tersebut ada selingkuhan Husaini. Namun, Husaini menolak berhenti.

Dia terus tancap gas memacu truk berwarna kuning itu dan kabur diduga bersama wanita selingkuhannya.

Haura Aulia sempat bergelantungan di spion truk, namun kemudian terjatuh dan akhirnya tergilas roda truk. Ban belakang truk melindas tubuh dan kepalanya.

Haura Aulia yang menggemari Nissa Sabyan ini tewas di lokasi kejadian yang diikuti jerit tangis sang ibu. Dia menghampiri dan memeluk tubuh korban.

Sang ibu dikabarkan memunguti isi kepala anaknya yang berceceran dan membungkusnya dalam kerudung.

Kanit Laka Satlantas Polres Aceh Selatan Bripka Riza membenarkan terjadinya peristiwa kecelakaan tragis tersebut.

Saat ini, Husaini telah ditangkap dan ditahan di Mapolres Aceh Selatan. Meski begitu, Husaini membantah menabrak anaknya dan menggilasnya hingga tewas.

Dia berdalih memang sang anak sudah nasibnya yang nahas, sehingga meninggal saat itu.

"Kalau nyenggol bukan saya senggol, tapi memang anak saya sudah naasnya," kata dia, Minggu (20/12/2020).

Selain menangkap pelaku, polisi juga menyita truk berwarna kuning beserta STNK dan SIM milik pelaku.

Di akun Facebooknya, Haura Aulia kerap mengunggah beberapa foto dirinya. Gadis kelahiran 10 Maret ini sering mengunggah aktivitasnya sehari-hari.

Dia juga pernah mengunggah foto sang ibu serta truk yang diduga dikendarai oleh ayahnya.

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Bahaya, Hindari Makan Kepala Ikan Mulai Sekarang

  Di balik manfaat kesehatannya, ikan juga memiliki racun alami yang tidak dapat dihilangkan dengan proses dimasak atau dibekukan.

Masalahnya, ikan di laut Indonesia begitu berlimpah dan berprotein tinggi.

Seperti diungkap Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) dalam bookletnya yang menyebutkan, racun Ciguatoksin misalnya, paling umum ditemui.

Racun ini berasal dari dinoflagelata, mikroorganisme laut yang menempel dan tumbuh pada karang mati.

Ciguatoksin umumnya terakumulasi pada organ dalam, kepala, dan sisik ikan. Racun ini juga terdapat pada hewan herbivora dan karnivora.

Begitupun dengan ikan yang hidup di karang, seperti Potato grouper, Tiger grouper, High Fin Grouper, Hump Head Wrasse, Flowery Grouper dan Leopard Coral Grouper (jenis kerapu).

Lantas bagaimana mencegah keracunan produk perikanan? BPOM mencatat ada 7 poin yang perlu diperhatikan, yaitu:

Jangan mengonsumsi produk perikanan terutama ikan yang hidup di karang dalam jumlah besar

Jangan mengonsumsi produk perikanan yang tidak jelas jenis dan asal-usulnya

Kurangi konsumsi ikan karang terutama yang ukurannya besar (di atas tiga kilogram)

Hindari mengonsumsi kepala udang, kepala ikan dan organ dalam produk perikanan karena penumpukan toksin pada bagian itu

Hindari mengonsumsi organ dalam dan sisik ikan karang

Hindari minuman beralkohol dan kacang-kacangan ketika mengonsumsi ikan karang karena dapat meningkatkan keparahan keracunan

Simpan produk perikanan pada suhu rendah untuk mencegah pertumbuhan bakteri