The Cookie Monster

We all have our go to recipes and this one is mine. I’ve been making these cookies for years and they never fail. I’ve used them to bribe my children, to soothe my husband  and to congratulate friends on their newest additions.  My mother accidently changed this recipe when she forgot the flour one day.  They ended up being more candy/toffee than anything else.  So the next time I made them I reduced the amount of flour to retain some of that chew.  The chocolate and vanilla make these cookies decadent.  Under baking them just a bit, then letting them rest on the baking sheet renders them tender on the inside with just the right crisp on the outside.  Pair these cookies with a glass of milk and you have the perfect ending to a long week….or obedient children who actually wash the dishes.

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar ( omit)

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¾  cups all purpose flour (I use 1 ½ )

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds
2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes ( bake 8-10 mins) or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

Yield:   2 dozen cookies

Constant Craving

I have been craving muffins for a few days now.  Usually when the craving hits it's for morning glory muffins.  Those kitchen sink muffins full of nutty, appley, carroty goodness.  This time was different.  I craved something different but I sure do love baked apples.  So apple muffins it is.  I found a great recipe on Epicurious and followed the reader’s suggestions to substitute fresh apples for dried apples.  I added them.  I also swapped vanilla yogurt for the sour cream and reduced the brown sugar.  They were quick as promised and were a good consistency.  Given that there was no oil or butter they were just a wee bit off in texture.  Next time I think I’m going to try buttermilk instead of the sour cream and see what happens. You can’t win them all!

Adapted from Epicurious.com

ingredients

            1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

            1 teaspoon cinnamon

            1 teaspoon baking soda

            1 large egg

            3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

            1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

            1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped apples

            1 cup (about 6 ounces) dried apples, chopped coarse

            1/2 cup raisins

            2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (toasted or not)

preparation

Into a bowl sift the flour, the cinnamon, the baking soda, and a pinch of salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together the egg and the brown sugar until the mixture is thick and pale, add the sour cream and the vanilla, and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, and beat the batter until it just combined. Stir in the apples, the raisins, and the walnuts and divide the batter among 12 paper-lined 1/2 cup muffin tins. Bake the muffins in the middle of a 350°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, turn them onto a rack, and let them cool.

Anything Better than Cake?!

Is there anything better than Birthday Cake?!  It celebrates life and joy and fun and ….well it’s made of mostly butter and sugar!  What could be better?  As a lover of all things food and a fervent baker, I usually make all our birthday cakes.  Over the years however we have settled on chocolate cake with lots of chocolate, lots of sugar and a touch of coffee.  Not the best selection for a one year old.   Add to that, there wasn’t a single waking hour available to make something first-birthday worthy before the party.  So this year, I ordered a cake for the very FIRST TIME!  EVER!

Tizzerts Custom Cakery of Charlotte makes phenomenal cakes.  They look great, they taste amazing and they take no time at all to make!  Really, is there anything better than cake??!

The Dinner Bell

The usual way dinner comes together in our house is a 1) a poll of who feels like cooking 2) a poll of what does everyone feel like eating and 3) a reality check of what is actually in the fridge/freezer.  All this culminates with a search on epicurious.com to determine what can actually be cooked by the person with the will in the tastes of the family given the ingredients in the fridge.  And every once in a while you hit the jackpot!  Today was such a day.  I came across a fairly simple recipe that included the main dish, the side and a unique accompaniment.  After making the marinade for the tenderloin during lunch the entire dish came together in less than an hour.  I started with the chutney, then browned the tenderloin and finished with the creamed corn.  Everything worked beautifully together in the meal.  The spice of the tenderloin complimented the corn, which was complimented by the piquant chutney.  Next time I think I’ll add a green vegetable just so I feel like a grown up eating a completely balanced meal.  And I’ll compliment that with a glass of wine…..because that is what grown ups do.

From Epicurious.com

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Creamed Corn and

Apple-Raisin Chutney

Pork

            1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped (about 2/3 cup)

            5 garlic cloves

            3 fresh rosemary sprigs

            2 shallots

            1 1/2 teaspoons salt

            1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

            3/4 cup olive oil

            2 12- to 14-ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed

Creamed corn

            6 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed

            4 tablespoons olive oil

            1/2 cup chopped onion

            1 garlic clove, minced

            3 tablespoons all purpose flour

            1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

            2 cups whipping cream

preparation

For pork:
Combine first 6 ingredients in processor and chop finely. Blend in oil. Transfer marinade to glass baking dish. Add pork tenderloins to marinade, turning to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Meanwhile, prepare creamed corn:
Cook 1 cup corn kernels in heavy medium pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth; whisk until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in cream. Bring mixture to simmer. Add remaining 5 cups corn kernels and simmer until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to processor and coarsely puree. Stir in 1 cup cooked corn kernels. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade. Add pork to skillet and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast pork until a meat thermometer inserted into center registers 180°F, about 10 minutes.

Bring corn to simmer. Spoon corn onto plates, dividing equally. Slice pork tenderloins and place atop corn, dividing equally. Top with Apple-Raisin Chutney and serve.

Apple-Raisin Chutney

            2 cups apple cider vinegar

            2 cups sugar

            2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 cups)

            1 cup raisins

            5 whole cloves

            1 teaspoon salt

            1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

            1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

preparation

Stir vinegar and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrupy and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer until apples are tender, liquid is absorbed, and mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared up to 2 weeks ahead. Cool completely. Refrigerate in airtight container.)

Snow Day Soup

On cold blustery days my thoughts automatically turn to soups, stews and baked goods. Given my current goal to drop a couple of pounds before the spring, I opted for soup (I may yet churn out some cinnamon buns before the weekend is over). When I consulted my DH for his preference I got an earful of what he didn’t like. Not Chowder. Not split pea. No beans in general. Not Asian. I felt like he was distinctly tying to corner me into chili. But I would not give in. I wished him luck in his dinner endeavor and opted for a hearty, flavorful Sausage, Bean and Pasta soup.

With slippery roads this had to be a soup for which I had all the ingredients. Luckily, this soup fit the bill AND gave me an opportunity to use the home-made chicken stock I had made a few weeks ago. With Leah’s play date fast approaching this had to be quick. I was able to chop everything while the meat browned, threw everything in the pot and let it simmer. Changed out of the pajamas into jeans. Took a deep breath and enjoyed the soup and the snow covered scenery out the back door. Yummy, hearty and with a slight kick!

I love snow days.

The Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausages, castings removed
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 5 cups canned chicken broth
• 1 14 1/2-to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 15- to 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup elbow macaroni

The method:

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausages and sauté until beginning to brown, breaking up with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sage. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with their juices and beans. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes.

Add macaroni to soup and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.