French Chocolate Molten Cake

A french girl in Jeremiah's section at HBS came over a few weeks ago and made these cakes for us. If you are a chocolate lover then you will LOVE these. So so goodand perfect with some vanilla ice cream. I've never been a huge fan of molten chocolate cause I feel like it had weird ingredients but this is simple and rich. But mostly I'm posting it to keep a record of it.

Ingredients (for 5/6 ramekins):

200g (7 oz) of dark chocolate (I use 70% in general of Lindt if available) 

120g (1/2 c) of butter

90g (~1/2 c) of sugar

5 eggs

2 tablespoons of flour

Recipe:

1.       Preheat the oven (400F)

2.       Brake the chocolate in pieces and put 5/6 pieces aside (one per ramekin)

3.       Slowly melt the chocolate with the butter (putting metal bowel in pot of hot water and heating up on stove)

4.       Mix the eggs with the sugar and mix it until the batter becomes a little clearer and foaming. Then add the flour. Mix again.

5.       Add the melted chocolate and mix well.

6.       Fill each ramekin with the batter. Add one piece of chocolate per ramekin, and push it down slightly so that it will ‘disappear’.

7.       Bake for 9 minutes exactly. The test if it is done is if the middle doesn't jiggle.

Broccoli- Cauliflower Casserole

I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and thought it was super delicious.  Its a vegetable indulgence, if you will....and I mean that in that its not necessarily low-fat.  But, its a great vegetable dish for a nice dinner because you can make it ahead of time and it can sit on the counter for a good amount of time while you pull the dinner together and still taste fresh and not soggy.  I didn't use the breadcrumb and butter topping (save the calories and time!) and it was still fantastic, so its not a necessary step.

Source

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 1 head (large) Broccoli
• 1 head Cauliflower
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 2-1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• 1-1/2 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese, More To Taste
• 1 Tablespoon Butter (optional)
• 1/3 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs (optional)a

Preparation Instructions

Break the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets, cutting off the thick stalks as you go. Steam them for 3 to 4 minutes until the broccoli is bright green, then remove them from the heat. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter and saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top, whisk to combine, and cook for another 45 seconds. Pour in broth, whisking constantly, then cook until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and add the softened cream cheese, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and paprika. Stir to combine until the sauce is nice and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, making sure it's nice and flavorful! Keep warm.

(Optional topping) In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Set aside.

Mix and layer the broccoli and cauliflower in a large casserole dish. Pour on the cream sauce, then sprinkle on the cheese. End with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve warm.

Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

I know it says cranberry salsa. One in the same. :) This dip is so freaking delicious. You will count down the days/months until cranberries come back in season just so you can make this. Its the PERFECT holiday appetizer. It looks extravagant and beautiful and it will knock your socks off. I'm taking it to a party tomorrow! This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Paige Allred.

CRANBERRY-JALAPENO CREAM CHEESE DIP
Ingredients:
 12 oz fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 c sugar
1/2 t cumin
2 T fresh lemon juice (from about one lemon)
1/8 t salt
1 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers (I like wheat thins best)

Pulse crans in food processor or blender until coarsely chopped. Add green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt. and pulse until ingredients are mixed. Transfer to a covered Tupperware and refrigerate for four hours so the flavors develop and crans lose a little tartness. When ready to serve, place block of cream cheese on plate and pour salsa on top. Refrigerate up to one hour before serving. (You can also choose to spread the cream cheese out into a thin layer and then spread salsa on top).

Swig Sugar Cookie

Need I say more??? To die for! I've had the real thing and this taste exactly the same if my taste buds are remembering correctly! Found this on blog posted at bottom of pic. 

WARNING: Do not make unless you have someone to share with! You will eat them all! Trust me! and these make a lot!!! 

Ingredients:

1 C Butter (room temperature)

3/4 C Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Powdered Sugar

2 T Water

2 Eggs

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Cream of Tarter

1 t Salt

5 1/2 C Flour

Cream together Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sugars, Water, and Eggs.

Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture.

Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.

Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet

Now its time to give these babies their signature rough edge.  Put 1/4 c of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.)  Stick the bottom of a glass in it.  This is going to be your cookie press.

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball.  You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass.  If there is a lip its even better.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  They should just barely be browning on the bottom.    Move cookies to a cooling rack.  Once they are cool put them in the fridge.

Sour Cream Frosting

1/2 cup room temperature butter

3/4 C Sour Cream

Approx 1 2lb Package of Powdered Sugar (I never use the whole thing but love having extra on hand just incase I add to much milk!)

1 t salt

1/4 C Milk

Red Food Coloring

Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk.  Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.

Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve.  The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature.  Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving)

Candy Bar Brownies

I think this might be coming a week too late.... Or do you have more self-control than me? I now have no Hershey's, Snickers or Reese's left in our Halloween bowl. But...I had an ABUNDANCE last week and had to take dinner to someone who had just had a baby. It was the perfect dessert and helped rid the house of a lot of chocolate (which I CANNOT resist). This recipe is my mother-in-law's and definitely a favorite!

CANDY BAR BROWNIES
Ingredients:
3/4 C Melted Butter
2 C sugar
4 Eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/3 c baking cocoa
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
4 snickers bars cut into pieces
3 plain Hershey's (or with almonds...your personal preference here) bars cut up (I just grabbed all my kids Hershey's and snickers and Reese's and threw it in....there's a lot of wiggle room here with the amount and what kind of bandy bar you use!)

Directions:
Combine melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine flour, cocoa, caking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside 1/4 c. of the dry mixture to coat candy with. Pour mixed dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Toss snickers bar pieces into the reserved dry mix. Stir into batter. Pour into greased 9x13 (I made two pie dishes instead...one for us, one for them! :)). Sprinkle chopped Hershey's bar pieces on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool and then serve. Wouldn't hurt to top it with vanilla ice cream. :)

Latin Veggie Bowl

This is a homemade version of my very favorite meal at La Duni in Dallas. They also serve fried yucca and plantains on top (you can too, although the following recipe doesn't include it).   The flavors are really fresh and delicious.  Easy to make and extremely healthy and filling.  My kids loved it too!

Latin Veggie Bowl

From BrunchTime Baker

Cilantro Marinade

• 1 cup cilantro, lightly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (or juice of half a lime)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeno lightly chopped (for un-spicy remove the seed)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fine pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor for less than one minute or until the texture is nice and chunky. Be sure the garlic is fully processed. If you don't have a food processor you can make the marinade by dicing the cilantro, jalapenos and garlic very lightly and then mix the ingredients in a bowl with a fork. 
2. For a less spicy version, remove the inside of the jalapeno and wash it under cold water and be sure not to get any of it in your eyes. Store the marinade in the fridge for up to one week.

Vegetable Mix

Asparagus, diced and ends snapped

Broccoli, cut into small pieces

1-2 cans of black beans, drained

Cooked brown or jasmine rice

Halved cherry tomatoes, for topping only

Mix marinade into veggies and beans.  In large saute pan, pour about 1 Tbs. olive oil and heat.  Saute veggies in oil until tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve over cooked brown or jasmine rice and sprinkle chopped cherry tomatoes on top.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

These muffins are to DIE for! No joke! They can be a little time consuming but totally worth it! Keep in mind the cream cheese filling needs to sit in freezer for at least 2 hours before making muffins. These are delicious fresh out of the oven, HOT or even better the next day cooled down! Make sure you have some one to gift these puppies to or they'll all end up in your tummy!

from the blog The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients

For the filling:
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
For the muffins:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (see Note)
• 1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the topping:
• ½ cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours. The mixture will still be somewhat soft but firmer.

Instructions

1. To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350? F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
2. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. I always get inpatient here and mix it together with my hands so that it looks like the texture of wet sand. I know you aren't supposed to do it this way but I'm impatient. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to use.
3. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. You want to put the cream cheese lower than you think because it will rise a lot during the baking process. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. I like them warm, cold, and room temperature.

Notes

Note: A standard sized can of pumpkin is 15 ounces, just shy of 2 cups (16 ounces). You could open another can if you want and freeze the extra or just use one can which is what I did. The amount is so little I don't think it makes a difference in the final product.

So

Perfect White Bread

courtesy

This bread is absolutely amazing.  Perfect taste and texture.  I also made some into cinnamon bread and it was so delicious.  AND, its soooo easy to make.  You must try it.

Perfect White Bread

From Jenny's Gatherings

2/3 c. sugar
2 c. very warm water
5 tsp. active dry yeast
5 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. oil

In a stand mixer bowl, add sugar and water. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let rest until it gets foamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add both kinds of flour, then salt and oil. Turn on mixer and knead for 6 minutes. Turn dough into a well greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and proof until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Punch down risen dough and divide into 2 pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle about 12 x 8 inches. Fold the sides in about 4 inches or so.  Roll up keeping the top nice and rounded and place in a greased loaf pan with the dough seam side down. Let rise until the dough is 1 inch above the rim of the loaf pan.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Turn loaf out of the pan and let cool on a baking rack. Brush tops with butter while the bread is hot, if desired. Bag after the bread is cool to keep the bread moist. Freezes well.

*Cinnamon Bread Option:

When you roll it out as stated above, spray with water bottle and then generously sprinkle a mixture of 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 Tbs. of cinnamon to within 1/2 inch of edges.  Roll bread into a loaf, pinching the end and sides together to seal the cinnamon in.  You must remove this bread from the pans 5 minutes after cooking and cool completely before slicing.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Photo courtesy of gimmesomeoven.com

I love my crock pot.  Especially in the winter time.  I also love teriyaki chicken so when I saw this recipe I was enticed.  It was really, really good!  You do have to do one extra step in the end (thicken the sauce) before you can eat but overall very easy and very yummy!

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Recipe from gimmesomeoven.com

PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 4 HOURS 10 MINS TOTAL: 4 HOURS 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce (use low-sodium if desired)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
(optional toppings: sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, onion, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and black pepper until combined. Pour the mixture on top of the chicken breasts. Cover slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl and shred it using two forks. Transfer the remaining teriyaki sauce from the slow cooker to a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile in a separate bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved and no longer lumpy. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the teriyaki sauce mixture, and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and let it boil for about 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and pour the sauce on top of the shredded chicken. Toss to combine.

Serve topped with scallions (green onions) and toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet

This meal is delicious and so filling (and don't forget healthy!). It can be made vegan by omitting the chicken and cheese, which is how I made it, and I didn't even miss it (though I meant to add cheese later, but forgot). I have to admit that only half of my kids ate it. The ones that did seemed to enjoy it, and the other half were turned off by the mere mention of butternut squash! But it's extremely flavorful, so if you like these flavors, you will love this dish.

Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet
adapted from  Mels Kitchen Cafe

• 1 tablespoon oil (olive, coconut, canola, etc.)
• 1/2 cup chopped red or yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
• 4 cups diced butternut squash (from a small to medium butternut squash that has been peeled and seeded) 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 yellow or white corn tortillas, cut into large squares (I cut each tortilla in thirds and then chopped the strips in half)
• 2 cups green enchilada sauce 
• 2-3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno, if using. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften. Stir in the butternut squash, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. 
2. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the squash is tender. If you want a smoother consistency to the squash, continue cooking until it breaks down to a creamy consistency, otherwise you can cook it just until it becomes tender.
3. Stir in the beans, tortillas and enchilada sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes so the tortillas can soak up some of the sauce and start to cook down just a little bit.
4. Add the chicken, cilantro and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir to combine and heat through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes over medium-low or medium heat until the cheese melts.

Sweet Paprika Skillet Chicken

Photo from Mel's Kitchen Cafe


I made this for dinner tonight and was blown away by it's deliciousness. Seriously. Christian said it was one of the best meals he's had in a long time. It's super easy and fast, but it's also really impressive. I served mine with the Cilantro Lime rice and it took it to a whole new level of yumminess.

Sweet Paprika Skillet Chicken

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

I almost always cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts lengthwise into two thinner chicken cutlets (slicing it like you would a hot dog bun but all the way through). This means that often I can get away with using 2-3 thicker chicken breasts and still feeding our family of 7. If you don't choose to do that or the chicken isn't thick enough to cut that way, you may want to pound slightly to flatten to a more even thickness.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to flatten slightly or cut in half to form two thinner chicken cutlets
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
• Cilantro Lime Rice, fresh mango slices, lime wedges for serving (optional)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and pat the spice mixture onto the chicken breasts, rubbing it into the chicken to create an even coating.
2. In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the coconut oil (or other oil) over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chicken in a single layer (you may need to do separate batches) and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side depending on how thick the chicken pieces are (the chicken will register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer when cooked fully). The chicken will darken quite a bit due to the brown sugar in the spice rub. Adjust the heat if you feel the chicken is burning or overcooking - it will be dry if it overcooks so cook it just until cooked through so it stays juicy and tender.
3. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, if needed.
4. Let the chicken rest 5 or so minutes before serving. Serve with cilantro lime rice, fresh mangoes and lime wedges for the ultimate dining experience.

Cilantro Lime Rice
from Mel's Kitchen cafe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups rice (long grain white rice works best)
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• juice and zest of 1 large lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions

1. In a skillet or medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the rice. stir, letting the rice and butter cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15-16 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

Light Broccoli and Cheese soup

 picture and recipe from myrecipes.com (through cookinglight.com)

 Its me again! Trying to cook healthier so I can have my cookie at the end of the day! :) Jason and I really enjoyed this soup. It had a great nutty texture and a very healthy flavor. I will go ahead and warn: my kids did not like it much at all. That's because it actually tastes like broccoli with a hint of carrot! If your kids love vegetables, then they will love this. My kids don't like anything. Not exaggerating. Jason and I both agreed it was a little more of an adult soup.But it whipped up in less than 30 minutes and was great reheated!
 

Light Broccoli and Cheese Soup
3 c chicken stock
2 c broccoli
1 c diced onion (I used about 1/3)
1/2 c chopped carrot
3/8 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 garlic cloves
3/4 c half n half (I used fat free evap. milk)
4 oz sharp cheese

Combine first seven ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 10". Blend. Stir in half n half and cheese until incorporated. Garnish with parsley, saltines and a little more cheese. The soup was beautiful and did not look at all like this picture. It was very nutty in texture and you could see the pretty green and orange flecks from the veggies.

Broccoli & Chicken with Bacon Quinoa Bake

 picture and recipe from pinchofyum.com

I've been trying my best to experiment with healthier recipes and expand my palate. I tried this last night with a fresh home-made french loaf. It was delicious. I've tried many quinoa recipes lately and this is the only one that I feel is good enough to share. I was determined not to go to the store so I made several changes to the original recipe (from pinchofyum.com) to work with things I had in my pantry.

Broccoli & Chicken with Bacon Quinoa Bake
2 c chicken broth 
1 c milk divided (I used fat free) 
1 t poultry seasoning (I used Mrs.Dash)
1/2 c flour
1 c uncooked quinoa
1/4 c bacon bits or fresh bacon
1 lb raw chicken breast  sliced
8 oz broccoli
cheddar cheese (the recipe calls for gruyere...way too fancy for us! But I bet it would be yummy!)
salt and pepper

Bring chicken broth and 1/2 c milk to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 c milk and poultry seasoning and 1/2 c flour and form a thick bechamel type sauce. Pour boiled broth mixture and bechamel into a greased 9x13 pan. Add 1 c. uncooked quinoa and bacon. Lay uncooked chicken breast throughout and season with salt and pepper generously. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or as needed. LIGHTLY steam broccoli. Place alongside chicken and quinoa and then spread cheese over. Bake for an additional ten minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I know there are a million chocolate chip cookie recipes out there BUT these were amazing!  I don't know if the secret is the cornstarch or what, but they are so so yummy!

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180 grams) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Directions:

Click here for step-by-step photos and careful explanations of all of these steps.

Toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft, yet thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have them evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick. See this post for more clarity and a photo. Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Press a few more chocolate chips/chunks on top of the dough balls for looks, if desired. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies stay soft and fresh for 7 whole days at room temperature. Cookies may be frozen up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough may be frozen up to three months and baked in their frozen state for 12 minutes.

*Room temperature egg + egg yolk are preferred for even disbursement.  Typically, if a recipe calls for room temperature or melted butter, it's a good idea to use room temperature eggs as well.  To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, simply place the whole eggs into a glass of warm water for 5 minutes.  

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I tasted this meal at a recent book club and was astonished.  This is the first curry I have ever enjoyed.  I have never enjoyed the taste of curry.  However, in this dish it was delicious, especially with naan!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Recipe from newleafwellness.biz

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1, 6oz can of tomato paste
• 1, 13.5oz can of coconut milk
• 1 small onion, chopped (about one cup)
• 2 cups of frozen peas
• 1, 14.5oz can of tomato sauce (about 1 3/4 cup)
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
•  2 tablespoons curry powder
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, garlic, honey, and seasonings. Set aside.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cover with the tomato sauce/seasoning mixture.
3. Cook on low 8 hours.

To Freeze

Combine all of the ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. When ready to cook, thaw overnight in your refrigerator and cook in your slow cooker for 10-12 hours on low. Since the Slow Cooker Chicken Curry cooks for the first time in your slow cooker, it won’t taste like leftovers!

Serve with white or brown rice, and enjoy!

Margherita Pasta

I made this for mom and dad when they were in Dallas recently...love that this meal is "fancy", but the kids love it too.  Super easy and VERY fast.  I used heirloom cherry tomatoes and you MUST use fresh mozzarella (shaped in balls and surrounded with clear liquid- usually found in deli section).

                                                                                    courtesy

Margherita Pasta
From A Bountiful Kitchen
1 box spaghetti, cooked "al dente", drained
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons butter optional, but highly recommended for flavor
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. Roma tomatoes (about 10-12) coarsely chopped or grape tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
additional basil leaves for garnish

Cook pasta. Set aside, or while pasta is cooking prepare sauce. 
In large skillet, heat oil and butter over low heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant over low heat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add basil, and pasta to pan with tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until all pasta is heated through. Just before ready to serve, pour into serving bowl, toss with fresh mozzarella and grated cheese. Serve at once with additional grated cheese, and more fresh basil if desired.
Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side.