Meringue Drops

Okay...get ready for an overload of recipes!! Over the next few days I'll be blogging about all the goodies I made this weekend for my housewarming party. I look forward to having many more parties as this apartment is great for entertaining. My evil plan has worked!!

At any rate ... the list of items baked for this weekend was extensive. Some are things I've blogged about before, so you won't see updated recipes...but those would include my Parmesan crisps, gluten-free apple pear crisp, etc. Some are favorite recipes that I don't think I've had the opportunity to blog about yet, so yay!! Now I can blog about them! Many of them I forgot to photograph, or the photos aren't on my computer yet so those will be forthcoming.

Enough about my party ... you probably want to know about these meringue drops I made. I actually made chocolate chip meringue drops, and there's another variation I did not make but am dying to try ... I'll tell you how to make it here!!

So about these meringues, they are incredibly light and airy. I've had store-bought meringues before and have loved them, but these I love even more. They are super easy to make but do take a bit of a commitment with the oven as they cook at a low temperature and need to then sit in the oven, while it's turned off, for at least 2 hour after you are done with the baking. The other glorious thing about them is the lack of ingredients, they are low-fat, and depending on the type of chocolate you use they are gluten-free. So many positives in one little baked good, how can you say no?

Chocolate Meringue Drops
Active Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Time: 3 hours
Total time from start to in your mouth deliciousness: about 3 hours and 10 minutes
Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (check to see if it's gluten-free if you want this to be a gf recipe)
• 1/2 cup mini-semisweet chocolate chips (again...check to see if it's gluten-free...)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
2. In large bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites at moderately high speed until they hold stiff peaks. Beat in the sugar one tablespoon at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and beat in cocoa powder. With rubber spatula, fold in the chips.
3. Drop mixture by the rounded teaspoonful onto baking sheets, spacing one inch apart and bake for one hour. This yields a more rustic meringue, for a more uniform meringue use a piping bag and pipe a teaspoonful on the parchment.
4. After baking for an hour, turn off the oven and dry the cookies in the oven for 2 hours longer. Remove pan and store in an air tight container.
   

Variation
Instead of making these chocolate with chocolate chips, subtract chips and use 1/2 cup of chopped pecans. Also add a pinch of nutmeg & cinnamon to the egg whites.

Enjoy!!

Parmesan and Walnut Cheese Crisps - Two Variations

Every year Matt and I have a small New Years' Day gathering, it's a tradition in his family, and it's so much nicer (I think) than trying to deal with hosting a New Years' Eve party. And every year, I try to find some delicious snacks to serve. A few years ago I found some recipes for crackers to make with my cookie press. Of course, I've misplaced that cookbook, and needed to find new treats. I'm really hoping to find that cookbook when we move.

At any rate, I was watching TV the other day and this recipe came up. I had to find it. And of course, in looking for it online I found a bunch of variations. I cooked up two of them to see if there is a difference and if one was better than the other. They're both quite tasty! An excellent choice if you need to throw together something quick and salty, and if there are party-goers in your life watching their carbs.


Salty & Delicious Parmesan and Walnut Crisps (variation #1)
adapted from the Today Show

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 - 10 minutes
Yields: 1 sheet, 6-8 crisps

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated parmesan
• 3/4 cups walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, toss the Parmesan & walnuts together.
3. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until bubbly & golden. Remove from oven & cool.
4. Break into random pieces

Parmesan & Walnut Crisps (variation #2)
courtesy of The Food Network

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Combine Parmesan and herbs in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Set a 10-inch skillet over low heat. Add a 1/4 cup of Parmesan mix to the pan and sprinkle it so it is evenly spread and you have a lattice effect i.e. it should be a lacey and thin layer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Carefully remove from the pan and cool on a tray.
   
3. Repeat with remaining ingredients until used up. Break disks into large crisps.

Enjoy!!