Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

Adapted from NYTimes

Ingredients:

Cookies

3/4 cup shredded coconut flakes, toasted

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 chopped dates

5 tablespoons sugar

Filling

6 ounces cream cheese

6 tablespoons mascarpone

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. If you do not have toasted coconut flakes, make your own. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut flakes on cookie sheet, toast for about 10 minutes and cool.
2. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. In large bowl, cream the butter. Add in brown sugar and honey, mix for about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and add eggs one at a time.
3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Pour dry ingredients into the larger bowl of sugars and butter. Mix until combined. Mix in oats, dates and toasted coconut.
4. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon. Using a tablespoon, create the dough balls to make sure they are all the same size to make the sandwiches. Roll dough balls into cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-15 minutes and cool
5. While waiting for the cookies, make the filling. Mix cream cheese until smooth. Add in mascarpone, powder sugar and vanilla. Make sure to scrape the bowl with a spatula. Mix until combined.
6. Once cookies have cooled, grab two cookies and add a tablspoon of the filling in between.

Carmelita’s Sweet Empanadas

Ingredients:

Two sticks unsalted butter

1 bar cream cheese

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 can condensed milk

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1. Boil water in a large pot. Remove paper from condensed milk pan and place inside boiling water. Make sure boiling water is covering the can at all times. Cook for 3 hours. When opening can, be careful of splashing. The condensed milk is now dulce de leche after cooking for 3 hours.
2. Chop 1 1/2 cups of walnuts and blend with dulce de leche. Set filling aside.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Using your hands, mix in 2 sticks of unsalted butter with bar of cream cheese. Mix for about 5 minutes until completely blended.
5. Add in flour and continue mixing it with your hands.
6. Once empanada dough is mixed, set aside.
7. Roll dough into balls. Use a rolling pin to flatten balls. Use a plastic cup to cut out dough into circles.
8. Once you have made the circles, place filling in the center. Fold dough over. Use a fork to press the edges.
9. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Using a brush or paper towel, rub egg on the top of each empanada.
10. Place empanadas on a cooking sheet and bake for about 5-7 minutes. Place warm empanadas in a paper bag and mix with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.