This past weekend I tried out something new with my stand mixer. Have I said lately how much I LOVE my KitchenAid mixer? I don’t know how I lived without it. It’s like having an extra set of hands, but better than the hubby’s who’d be eating any of my raw confections before they can make it to the oven. Meringues are light, airy, delicious and low fat! You can add all different nuts, chocolate, sprinkles, food coloring, extracts…the possibilities are endless! And it’s amazing how far so few ingredients can take you. 
What you will need: 2 egg whites at room temperature ½ tsp. baking powder 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup toasted almonds or chocolate chips, optional ½ tsp. cinnamon, optional Yields 2 dozen 
Ignore the 4 eggs- I made two batches in the same day
Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of an electric mixer {or hand mixer}, beat egg whites until foamy. {It should almost look like sudsy soapy water.} Add the baking powder and beat until fluffy, but on at all dry. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the sugar in gradually, 3 tablespoons at a time. When about half of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract {and cinnamon if you're using}. Continue beating and adding the remaining sugar in increments until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is shiny and tight. Gently fold in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoonful of meringue from the tip of 1 teaspoon with the back of another teaspoon onto parchment lined baking sheet, leaving an inch between the meringues. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies undisturbed in the oven for at least two hours, or even overnight, until the meringues are crisp and dry. Enjoy!
