triple chocolate chip cookies

the ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/2 cup white chocolate chunks

the method:

preheat the oven to 375.

combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl, and set aside. in the bowl of an electronic mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars  until creamy. add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, beating well after each addition. gradually, add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, and mix until combined. add all of the chocolate chips, and mix once more.

drop about a tablespoon of dough onto your cookie sheets (each should fit around nine cookies), and bake for eight to ten minutes. allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, and then transfer them to rack to cool completely.

creamy barley

this was yummy. i loved the idea of using barley instead of arborio rice, which is what’s typically used to make risotto. the end result was amazingly creamy and flavorful. and you can cook everything in one pot! always a bonus.

yields: 4 four servings

the ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion (chopped)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups barley (if you’re able to find quick-cooking barely, which i was not, the recipe will cook much faster.)

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (preferably san marzano)

1 cup dry white wine

2 1/2 cups water

1 lb. turkey or chicken sausage (removed from the casing)

1 bag baby spinach

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano regianno cheese

the method:

add the olive oil to a large saucepan or dutch oven. once the oil is hot,  add the onion, and season with salt and pepper. saute until the onion softens, three to five minutes. add the sausage, and break apart with a wooden spoon.

when the sausage has started to brown (it does not need to be fully cooked through), add the barley, tomatoes, wine, and water, and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 25-30 minutes. stir at a few points throughout, ensuring that the barley is not burning at the bottom of the pan.

add the spinach and cheese, and cook until the spinach wilts and the cheese is melted. season once more with salt and pepper, if needed. transfer to a large serving bowl, and garnish with some more cheese. serve piping hot!

adapted from a recipe adapted from real simple.

late night snack brownies

for those of you who aren’t as shamelessly familiar with ben and jerry’s flavors as myself, “late night snack” is one of them. according to an official pint, the flavor itself is vanilla bean ice cream with salty caramel swirl and fudge covered potato chip clusters. and it’s rather delicious. hence, my attempt to turn it into a bake-able delight.

the ingredients:

6 tbsp. unsalted cut into pieces, plus more for the pan

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 individual bag of potato chips (crushed)

1/2 cup individually-wrapped caramels (unwrapped)

2 tbsp. heavy cream

the method:

preheat the oven to 350, and line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.

in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. add the chocolate, and whisk (by hand) until melted and smooth.

remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined. beat in the eggs by hand, one at a time. add the flour, and stir energetically for one minute (the recipe suggests timing yourself) until the batter loses its graininess, becomes smooth and glossy, and begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan. stir in the potato chips, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

in a small saucepan, melt the caramel and the heavy cream, whisking constantly. remove from the heat, and carefully pour the mixture onto the unbaked brownies (leaving a one-inch border). using a butter knife, swirl to combine. do not stir them together.

bake until the center feels almost set, about 30 minutes. a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not clean.

let the brownies cool completely in the pan before lifting the parchment and brownies out of the pan. cut into squares.

store these in an airtight container for up to four days, or freeze for up to a month.

brownie recipe courtesy of david leibowitz.

white chocolate raspberry cookies

as these were baking, i could hardly contain my excitement. i happen to love almond extract, and all of the smells combined were almost too much to handle. almost. the original recipe called for cranberries. i have nothing against cranberries, but i came across dried raspberries at whole foods and wanted to use those instead. the idea of white chocolate and raspberry just seemed to fit. and it did. i’m not even a white chocolate fan, but these were delicious. if you really hate the idea of white chocolate, you can substitute semisweet or dark, but i encourage you to give it a chance. just this once.

the ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. almond extract

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

2 1/4 cup flour

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup dried raspberries

the method:

preheat the oven to 375.

in the bowl of an electronic mixture fitted with he paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. add the vanilla, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and egg. continue to beat until everything is well incorporated. add the flour, and mix until the dough comes together. add the white chocolate and raspberries, and beat for a few more seconds.

scoop the dough onto a cookie tray lined with parchment paper.* bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown. the centers will not be set but will continue to bake out of the oven. note: any longer than this and the cookie will have tough edges, so it’s important to take them out at this point. let the cookies cool for about five minutes on tray, and then, move them to a cooling rack.

*this dough is not the most cohesive, but it does stick together in the end. don’t worry if it seems a bit piecey.

slightly adapted from a naturally ella recipe.

slow cooker chicken with leeks and dried cherries

oh how i love my slow-cooker. this recipe is relatively simple, and the best part is that most of the time required to achieve the final product is inactive. the dish itself is very comforting, and the cherries add a nice sweetness to it. did i mention the chicken practically falls off of the bone? i did all of the prep work earlier in the day. therefore, i simply had to add the cherries and plate this after my eaters had arrived. marvelous!

yields: 4-6 servings

the ingredients:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 medium leeks (de-stemmed and chopped)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

4 skinless chicken drumsticks

4 skinless chicken thighs (bone-in)

2 skinless chicken legs (bone-in)

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 large heads of garlic (separated into unpeeled cloves)

1/2 cup dried cherries

the method:

in a medium skillet, melt the butter. add the leeks, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until they’re softened (about five minutes). add the white wine, and stir in the nutmeg. simmer for a minute. add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.

season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and add it to the slow cooker. nestle in the garlic cloves. cover, and cook on high heat for two and a half hours, shifting the chicken and garlic around a few times, until the chicken is cooked through and the garlic is soft. add the cherries, adjust the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes more. season with salt and pepper, and serve in a deep, rimmed dish or big bowls.

adapted from a food and wine recipe.

roasted fennel and white bean dip

yields: 10-12 servings

the ingredients:

crackers or crostini for serving

for the fennel:

2 medium fennel bulbs (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the white bean puree:

3/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)

2 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary (chopped)

1 tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano

the method:

preheat the oven to 400 degrees. toss the fennel and garlic cloves with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. roast for 30-35 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking. remove from the oven, and allow to cool.

while the fennel is roasting, in a medium skillet, heat half of a cup of oil over medium heat. add the garlic cloves, and cook until lightly golden. then, add the rosemary and beans, and cook for minute more. be careful not to burn the garlic! remove from the heat.

unpeel the two garlic cloves that were roasted. in a food processor, combine the bean mixture with the roasted fennel and now unpeeled garlic cloves, lemon juice, remaining quarter cup of olive oil, and all but three tablespoons of the cheese (this will be almost a quarter cup). puree until almost smooth.*

raise the oven temperature to 450. transfer the puree into a medium-sized baking dish, and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. if your dish is almost full, place it on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over a bit. bake until the cheese is golden on top, about 15-20 minutes. serve with crostini or crackers, and enjoy!

*if you’re making this ahead of time, follow all steps until this point except to transfer the puree into a baking dish. store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. when the time comes, preheat the oven to 350, cover the baking dish with tin foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. remove it from the oven, and turn the setting to broil. throw out the tin foil, and sprinkle the reserved cheese on top (and a little more if you’d like). broil for no more than five minutes! watch this closely, as it can burn easily in this step. remove from the oven, and serve with crackers or crostini.

courtesy of food52.

shaved brussel sprout salad

mission accomplished! with this salad, i turned brussel sprout haters into brussel sprout enthusiasts. okay–maybe not enthusiasts. but all but one were willing to give the infamous vegetable a fair shot. granted, some might not have know what those greens were, and i sure wasn’t telling them. i attended a wine class with a friend recently, and one of the wines was served with a shaved brussel sprout salad. he, typically a hater of the vegetable, truly enjoyed the salad. in fact, he liked it better than any of the other food pairings. thus, i decided i wanted to garner more converts on my own time, so i created the following. i now have concrete evidence that even if you usually shy away from a brussel sprout, now is the time to make a change.

yields: 10-12 servings

the ingredients:

for the salad:

5 lbs. brussel sprouts

1/3 cup hazelnuts (coarsely crushed)

1 golden delicious or crispin apple (diced)

4 oz. pecorino romano (roughly crumbled)

for the dressing:

2 lemons (zested and juiced)

2 tbsp. honey

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

the method:

cut the bottom off of the brussel sprouts. remove the outermost leaves (they should practically fall off). equip your food processor with the slicer attachment, and send all of the brussel sprouts through. transfer them to a large serving bowl, and set aside.

in a small bowl, combine all of the components for the dressing, and whisk until combined.*

top the brussel sprouts with the hazelnuts, apple, pecorino, and about half of the dressing, and toss everything together. add the remainder of the dressing, and toss until well-coated. serve, and enjoy!

*if you’re making this ahead, store the brussel sprouts and dressing in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the salad. keep the specified quanties of hazelnuts and cheese nearby. this will make your life easier once you’re guests have arrived. the only thing you’ll need to do directly prior is dice the apple and dress the salad.

peanut butter kettle corn bars

i’m obsessed with that kettle corn that comes in the red bag. you know which one, don’t you? i didn’t even know the name of it until i looked it up, though i could spot the bag from a mile away. in case you were wondering, the official name is popcorn indiana gourmet kettle corn. i’m into the concept of no-bake desserts lately, so i thought i’d give one a whirl starring this particular kettle corn. here goes.

the ingredients:

12 cups of popcorn indiana kettle corn

1 stick of butter (melted)

1 cup of peanut butter

1/4 cup elderflower honey

the method:

put all of the popcorn in a food processor. pulse until the kettle corn is broken up; you do not want to grind it, so this should only take a few seconds. then, add the remaining ingredients, and pulse to combine. the ingredients will become cohesive. once this happens, stop pulsing. transfer the mixture to an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, and smooth it out.

notice how you didn’t have to preheat the oven!? that’s because you’re done. let these set in the fridge for an hour. cut, and serve.

store in an airtight container in the fridge.

piña colada cupcakes

i don’t typically think tropically in the winter, but given my recent return from a sunny island, i saw it fit to make these. and i use that term intentionally. i found this recipe on a blog that features only low-fat recipes. low-fat or not, these cupcakes do not skimp on flavor. if you’d like to imagine yourself on a beach with an umbrella-ed drink in hand, get bakin’.

the ingredients:

for the cupcakes:

1 box of vanilla cake mix*

1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple

for the icing:

1 cup of sweetened, shredded coconut

1 8 oz. container of reduced-fat cream cheese (at room temperature)

1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple (drained from its juices)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp. confectioners sugar

the method:

in the bowl of an electronic mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine both of the cake ingredients, and mix until just combined. pour the batter into lined cupcake pans about two-thirds of the way full (i used a heaping tablespoon for each). bake in accordance with cake mix directions. the cupcakes will appear almost underdone because of the pineapple in the mix; do not overbake. when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from the oven, and set aside to cool.

while the cupcakes are baking, rinse out your mixing bowl, and combine all of the ingredients for the icing. mix until blended.

once the cupcakes are cooled, ice, and serve!

*the original recipe called for duncan hines, but as i can’t not shop at whole foods, i used this one instead:

the cake mix i used only specified for larger cupcakes, but mine baked for 14 minutes.

slightly adapted from skinny taste.

cookies n’ cream bars

i love anything cookies n’ cream. so when i came across this recipe that took about ten minutes to bring to fruition, i was instantly intrigued. these babies have three ingredients (oreos, marshmallows, and butter) and don’t require an oven. doesn’t get much better than that! all you really taste are the oreos, so if you’re not a cookies n’ cream person, keep movin’.

the ingredients:

1 16 oz. package of oreos (or one box of 365 sandwich cookies)

5 cups marshmallows

1/2 stick unsalted butter

the method:

put the sandwich cookies in a food processor, and pulse until ground.  melt the marshmallows and butter in a large bowl in the microwave until puffed, about one and a half to two minutes. remove from the microwave, and transfer the ground cookies to that bowl. stir thoroughly to combine (be prepared to get your hands sticky), and transfer to an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper.  allow ten minutes to solidify.  remove from the dish, and cut into squares.*

*although delicious, these literally look like blocks of ground oreos. this doesn’t bother me at all, but if you feel like getting creative, use a cookie cutter of your choice to make small shapes. the only drawback with doing so is the scraps that will be left behind. that wouldn’t be a drawback in my mind, though, because i would eat every last one of them.

courtesy of  picky palate.