Orangesicle Cookies

Pin It Orangesicle Cookies

Recipe adapted from White Chocolate & Lime Cookies

Perfect for a summer treat, these cookies are light, refreshing and tasty! We love eating these refrigerated or even frozen.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest from 1 orange
• 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1- 12oz bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
3. In a large bowl mix sugar and butter until just combined (but not fluffy)
4. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, lime juice and lime zest. Mix just to combine.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Mix into created mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Shape dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until the edges are golden and the centres are just set.
8. Allow to sit on pan for 5 minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Granola Bars

Pin It

Granola Bars

Adapted from SmittenKitchen

 

I wanted some granola bars that didn't taste like chocolate bars, and I'm so happy I found this recipe on SmittenKitchen. It tastes like hearty breakfast in a bar, and they leave me feeling much better about my morning snack! I pull them out of the freezer in the morning, and they're thawed by my 10am morning coffee/snack break.

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup sliced raw almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup agave nectar (if you can't find, use more honey)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cup dried fruit, I used chopped apricots, cranberries and raisins
• 1/3 cup small chocolate chips (chipettes)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine oatmeal, coconut, almonds and wheat germ and pour onto baking sheet. Toast in oven, stirring periodically for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and place in large bowl. Reduce oven to 300 degrees.
3. While mixture is warm, stir in honey, agave nectar, vanilla bean paste and salt. Stir until well coated and then stir in dried fruit and chocolate chips.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x13" pan, greased and lined with parchment paper and press down as hard as you can, all over. I used a rubber spatula on its side to push with my fist. 
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 2-3 hours before removing from pan and cutting. I cut into bars and freeze in snack size bags!

Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

Pin It

Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

Made by Guest Cook (My Dad)

 

My parents came over for dinner the other night, and brought with them about 30 of these little guys, ready to cook. He provided me with his ravioli recipe and then we whipped up this impossibly delicious brown butter sauce together (read: I helped with my taste testing skills).

Raviolis

• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
• 5 gloves minced garlic, sauteed
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 500 grams ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• a scape (or pinch) of nutmeg
• 3 egg pasta
• 2 1/4 cups AP flour
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions: 

1. Make a well of measured flour and crack eggs into center. Break the yolks without disturbing the sides and add salt, olive oil and water.Whisk the eggs gently and incorporate some of the flour little by little. With your hands bring the flour from the outside of the well to the center and form a ball. If the ball is sticky, pick up with hands and mix further. Once dough feels soft and no longer sticky, knead for about 8-9 minutes until dough is smooth and shiny. Cover with tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
2. You can now roll out and create your raviolis. You may want to use a pasta machine to roll out your dough, or if you don't have one, use a rolling pin to roll out quite thin (1/8"). My dad used a press (which is why these look so annoyingly perfect) but since I don't have one, I general roll dough into long strips, lay one strip down, place tablespoons of filling(recipe to follow) about 2" apart, brush with an egg wash in a circle around filling and then top with second strip, trim and pinch to seal.
3. To create filling combine thawed frozen spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and nutmeg in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once raviolis are made (alternatively, you may decide to buy fresh raviolis- You can find them in the refrigerated pasta section of the grocery store) it's time to make the Brown Butter Sauce. Start by heating the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
5. Meanwhile bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 6-7 minutes if fresh, or according to the package if store-bought.
6. Watch & stir the butter carefully as it starts to foam and then subsides. At this point it should start browning. Add your sage now and continue to stir. Once the butter reaches a caramel color you want to remove from heat. You want it to be browned not burnt. Drizzle over raviolis and top with toasted pine nuts.
7. It seems like a lot of work, but you can make the raviolis in advance and freeze, allowing you to create this meal in about 10 minutes!

Cheddar & Dill Scones

Pin It

Cheddar & Dill Scones

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

 

Desperate to use some of my out-of-control Aerogarden dill, I sought out any recipe which would use it up and came across this little ditty. These are wonderful directly out of the oven with some butter, and the co-workers munched them up the next day with much praise!

• 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon AP flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 pound cold butter, diced
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 pound extra-sharp old Cheddar, diced in small cubes
• 3/4 cup fresh chopped dill
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine 4 cups of flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and cut in butter until pieces are pea-sized.
3. Mix the cream and eggs and add to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended.
4. Toss together cheese cubes, dill and 1 tablespoon of flour and add to dough. Toss until almost incorporated.
5. Turn out dough on floured surface and knead for 1 minute, until dill and cheese are incorporated. Roll out dough 3/4" thick, cut into 4x4" squares and cut diagonally into triangles.
6. Brush tops with egg wash and bake on parchment paper lined baking sheets for 20-25 minutes until outside is crispy and inside is fully baked.

Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Pin It

Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is from a cookbook from 1946. Usually I ignore the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" but in this case i'm inclined to agree. This recipe is as perfect today as it was in 1946 (not that I would know), causing CK to declare it, rather conclusively as "The One".

• 1 cup macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, good quality
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, buttered

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook and drain macaroni according to package. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, melt butter.
4. Add flour once butter is bubbling. Watch closely while stirring constantly for the colour to change to a light nut colour.
5. Add milk and cream in small increments, until completely incorporated and smooth. There should be no lumps. Add salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boiling point and boil for two minutes (stirring constantly). Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.
7. Add cheddar cheese little by little stirring well until it's all melted.
8. Turn off flame. Add macaroni noodles and stir to combine.
9. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
10. Top with buttered breadcrumbs (I pull little pieces off a bun or slice of bread and then toss in 1 tablespoon melted butter)
11. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes (or until top is golden brown and is bubbling).

Cajun Chicken Dip

Pin It

Cajun Chicken Dip

The legendary fight night appetizer. This is the easiest dip to make, and I have literally never had someone try it who didn't scream with happiness.  I have made it here in individual ramekins, but if you're into sharing, it cooks great in an 8x8 pyrex as well. 

You can really use any cheese for this recipe, but
we've found that a better quality cheese yields a better
(read: less heavy) result.

• 1 package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Helman's mayonnaise 
• 1 cup aged white cheddar, grated
• 1/2 cup marble or cheddar, grated
• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
• Cajun seasoning
• Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Boil chicken breasts in large saucepan filled with water (my dad likes to add a bit of lemon to the water-- CK does NOT)
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat cream cheese and mayo until well combined. Add cheese and jalapenos. 
4. When chicken is completely cooked (no longer pink inside) shred with two forks and add to bowl. Mix well.
5. Spread into Pyrex baking dish (or individual ramekins) and liberally sprinkle with cajun spice.
6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until dip is bubbling on all sides.

Hearty Chilli

Pin It

Hearty Chili 

After scouring the internet for the perfect chili, I came across this "award winner". It is perfectly hearty, has a ton of beans and big chunks of ground beef and sausage. This recipe is magic in a bowl. For all my Vegetarian friends-- I think subbing out the ground beef for veggie ground-round and omitting the sausage, bacon and bouillon would make for a tasty dish as well! Pair with a delicious French Loaf for added delight.

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 pound italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
• 4 cans red kidney beans
• 2 (28oz) cans diced tomatos
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon bacon bits
• 4 cubes beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup Guinness (or other beer)
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Franks, Tabasco etc.)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

Directions:

1. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground beef and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.
2. Pour in the chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. After 3 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day (good luck).