Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate.

Last week my daughter and I were watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate and I was mesmerized by the giant dark chocolate cookies from Levain Bakery in New York City that Rocco DiSpirito was going on and on about.  They looked like giant fudgey chocolaty deliciousness.   I have not been able to get them off my mind (trust me, I’ve tried).   I had to replicate these cookies.   

I like that it uses cocoa powder which I always have on hand, and I’m guaranteed to have a at least a few chips/chunks of chocolate to toss in as well. So this is my go to cookie recipe, Personally, I opt for dark chocolate whenever I can so I used Dark Cocoa powder, dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. They make a fabulously rich and chocolatey cookie to satisfy your chocolate craving. 

Ingredients:

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter,  room temperature
1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 Large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa ( I used dark)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Bake for 5 minutes rotate your pan and bake an additional 5 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

 Need...I say more?! Oh... Milk Please!

  
Happy Eating!

  


 

Smothered Comfort

Other than a steak on the grill, I think there's nothing that a man loves more than a hunk of meat smothered in gravy. It doesn't really matter what kind of meat it is, if gravy is involved. Frankly, I find the word "smothered" downright comforting when it comes to food. I know that there's something tender and delish underneath all that gravy. Making gravy is a quick, inexpensive way to add a little something extra to your meal.

I've smothered boneless chicken, cubed steak, cubed pork steaks, and hamburger steak. It's all good and you can bump up the flavor by using chicken or beef broth. I know a lot of people think homemade gravy is difficult, but it's so simple.

Ingredients: 

Boneless Pork Chops
Seasoning Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
Flour for dedging, plus more for gravy
3 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth
3/4 cup of Olive Oil
Thinly Sliced Onion (Optional)

Season pork chops to taste, both sides. 

  Dredge in flour, shake off excess. Reserve remaining flour for gravy.

Brown the on both sides over medium heat. 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Meanwhile, stir in the flour until  it's fully blended and smooth. 

Stir until you get your desired color.

 Stir in the broth

It's that simple.

Taste, adjust your seasonings. Remember you can always add, but you can't take away.

Add the chops to the gravy.

Coat them in the gravy, and top with sliced onions (if desired) 

 and simmer over medium low heat for 20-30 minutes. 

Serve with rice or potatoes to soak up that golden goodness...Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

 

  

   

Chicken Noodle Soup

There’s something about cold weather that makes me want a warm, full belly and food that I can eat with a spoon our sip from a mug. Hot chocolate, chicken pot pie, chili, and mashed potatoes go into heavy rotation when the temperature dips below 55. And so does soup. I can be wide awake but halfway through a steamy bowl (or mug!) of soup, I’ll develop an immediate need to put on a pair of furry socks, grab a blanket, and take a nap. It’s the tastiest sleep medication ever.

 

Although I'm currently in Florida visiting my parents and it's not cold out. The temperature is changing, the leaves are turning, and it's 60 days until Christmas.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Medium Carrots, chopped
2 Celery Ribs, chopped
1 tbsp Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
2 quarts Chicken Stock
8 ounces Dried Egg Noodles
1 1/2 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
1 Handful Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Teriyaki Chicken

Let me first start this post by saying the sauce for this Teriyaki Chicken is amazing. A-maze-ing.

Homemade teriyaki sauce is incredibly easy to make.  

Plus, it’s SO much better than the bottled stuff — it’s really not even fair.

This Teriyaki Chicken is easy enough for a great weeknight dinner and is impressive enough for guests. I like serving it with some steamed jasmine rice or broccoli.  So simple, yet so delicious.

 

By making your own teriyaki sauce, you can also avoid the high fructose corn syrup and unnecessary preservatives. Have you purchased a bottle of Asian marinade or sauce and it didn't have an expiration date....ummm I'm just saying.

If you like, you can include sesame seeds, orange zest or anything else you think might be tasty.

Simply add in additional ingredients to make it your own.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup  of (low sodium) Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. of Hoisin
2 tbsp. of Honey
3 tbsp. of Brown Sugar
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Fresh Ginger, minced
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 of cup Water
1 tbsp. of Cornstarch

In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, hoisin, honey, brown sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger and vinegar over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
Dissolve cornstarch in water in a separate mixing bowl and then add to the saucepan. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbly.

Set aside.

For the Chicken

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt
Black pepper
optional: sliced green onions or sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat olive oil in large, oven-safe skillet over high heat. If you don't have an oven safe skillet, you can put the chicken on a foil lined pan. Season chicken liberally with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Place chicken into skillet and cook until golden-brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip pieces over, pour the teriyaki sauce over chicken and place into the oven.
Bake chicken for about 5-10 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle.
Use a meat thermometer if possible you don't want to over cook your chicken. It should have a temperature of 165 degrees.
.
To serve, slice against the grain and drizzle teriyaki sauce from the skillet over the chicken.
Serve over steamed rice if desired. Garnish with sliced green onions and/or sesame seeds, if desired.
 
Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

This is one of those things that absolutely taste like fall. For my friends that love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte...these are the cupcake form. I couldn't believe how moist and tasty these came out.

These cupcakes are perfect, they aren’t overly sweet and the cream cheese frosting...OH BOY! It's about the best thing ever!  Be forewarned though, they are quite addicting…

Ingredients

2 sticks of Butter, softened
1-1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup of Packed Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
2-1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour (Sifted)
1 can (15 ounces) of Pumpkin Puree
2 teaspoons of Vanilla
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon Sugar Garnish (Optional)

Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions :
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla mix another minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with Cinnamon Sugar. (Optional) Refrigerate leftovers.

Happy Eating!