Cara's Cookies... or Vanilla Cream Cookies

Recently, on the wannafoodie facebook page, I shared the photos for some absolutely beautiful Vanilla Cream Cookies... or Cara's Cookies. The Cara of Cara's Cookies is one Cara Cotter... and she is graciously sharing the recipe and a few of her tips here with us!

I met Cara several years ago through our mutual girlfriend, Sarah (another talented woman and the brains behind STUFF). Sarah has a real knack for bringing together smart and talented women. I remember one girls night in particular... mattress on the living room floor to extend our lounge space, sweets and treats including Cara's cupcakes and Sarah's poutine with actual Quebec gravy, and Working Girl on the television... uhhh, maybe you had to be there.

Back to Cara... she is one of those women that make it all seem quite effortless. I don't doubt that a great deal of effort goes into everything that she does but, like I said, she manages to accomplish so much without -seemingly- breaking a sweat. This is one smart cookie. Raising a family of two handsome boys with her husband while growing two incredible businesses while still finding time to bake beautiful little cookies like these (with puff pastry FROM SCRATCH!)... I'm one impressed woman.

So, while these cookies bake away and fill your kitchen with that sweet satisfying aroma, please check out her other two babies... So Pretty Jewelry ("Part of the magic for me is finding gemstones that I haven't seen anywhere else... a certain cut, amazing quality, or a color that catches my eye for the current season's trends. Just like a chef that searches their local market for the best produce in season I'm constantly searching for the finest stones and materials out there.") and glass.ful (hand blown glass tumblers that "can be used as a candleholder, a vase, a drinking glass or give a splash of color to any room"). I think you'll find yourself equally impressed.

Easy Peasy Turnovers

Our plan was to make one of our old favourites, front stoop mussels, while drinking copious amounts of wine and eating nearly (if not completely) a loaf of bread while sopping up every last drop of the Cambozola infused wine sauce. It would have been awesome. Unfortunately, for Dean and I, the timing didn’t work out so well and front stoop mussels will have to have their shining moment another day.

So, instead of mussels, we opted for a simple and quick turnover. Something just slightly sweet but not too heavy. After all, Dean only comes to Edmonton once a year and needed his moment on the blog. :)

We’re not martyrs and did not make our own puff pastry, which I don’t feel is the end of the world. One day, I may attempt to make it… but at 9:00pm on a Friday night, it was not the time to try.

Asiago Cheese Puffs

Well, this foodie fanaticism has been in the works for quite some time now… and something like this was bound to happen. I knew that the time was near when I looked at the Christmas photos and there were more photos of than food than of the family. I must immortalize the holidays in some way and it seems that food will be the means…

The inaugural recipe is the Asiago Cheese Puffs. These were such a hit that their presence was requested at subsequent parties. Who could ask for better guests than these?!
Meet the Cast…
Asiago Cheese - Asiago, a cow’s milk cheese, has been produced for centuries in the Veneto region of Italy. Puff Pastry - Puff pastry is a light, flaky pastry made from layers of specially prepared pastry dough. The pastry puffs when baking causing the layers to separate.

Two notes about the puff pastry…
The puff pastry, which is frozen when purchased, must be thawed in order to be workable. Defrost at room temperature for two hours or in the fridge overnight.
Note: The puff pastry should always be cold to the touch. Once it begins to warm, it becomes difficult to work with. If the pastry becomes too warm, wrap it gently and return to the refrigerator until it is firm.