Brown Sugar Cookies

Notes:  These cookies are almost like a cross between a chocolate chip cookie (minus the chocolate chips) and a soft gingersnap cookie.

From epicurious.com. 

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

1 ½ sticks butter, softened

1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups AP flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until dough comes together and flour is just barely incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Drop tablespoon sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Leave on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire cooling rack. 

M&M Cookies

Notes: the dough is really soft when first prepared, and really needs to be chilled before baking. Peanut M&Ms are also a really good substitute for plain M&Ms in this recipe.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

2 eggs

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ½ cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups M&Ms

In a large bowl, cream together sugar, eggs, shortening, butter, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in M&Ms. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

Baked Potato Soup

Notes: of all the baked potato soup recipes I have made, this one has been our favorite, and also one of the fastest.

Serves 4-6.

4 medium russet potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium to large onion, chopped (about 1 generous cup)

2 ½ cups lower-sodium chicken broth

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups milk, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Sour cream

Sharp cheddar cheese

Sliced green onions

Pierce potatoes with a knife. Microwave on high or on potato setting until cooked and tender. Cut in half and let cool slightly.

While potatoes cook, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté until onions are translucent, tender, and are just barely getting some color, about 5 minutes.  Add broth. Using an immersion blender, puree onion and broth mixture until smooth. Continue to heat over medium-high until broth mixture is warm and just beginning to boil.

Combine flour and 1 cup milk in a measuring cup, whisking to combine. Add to broth mixture. Whisk and cook until mixture thickens, about 1 or 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add remaining milk, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Turn heat to low.

Scoop out potato flesh from skins and roughly chop/mash. Add into milk mixture, stirring to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with bacon, sour cream, and cheese, and green onions.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

Notes: all whole-wheat flour can be substituted for the all purpose flour. I like to use all white whole wheat flour best. The oats can also be kept whole, if desired, for a heartier texture to the pancake.

Makes about 10 cups mix.

For mix:

3 ½ cups rolled (quick) oats

3 cups whole-wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablepsoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

In a blender, pulse oats until ground into a fine powder. Pour in a large mixing bowl, along with flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix to combine. Add oil, and stir, mixing well. Squeeze a little bit of the mix together. If it clumps, it is ready; if it is too crumbly and won’t stay together, add a tablespoon of oil at a time until consistency is right. Store mix in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks or in the freezer or fridge indefinitely.

For pancakes:

1 cup mix

1 cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk and ½ cup yogurt)

1 egg

Preheat a large greased skillet or griddle.  Whisk together all ingredients until no lumps remain. Drop about 1/3 cup batter onto preheated skillet. Cook until bottom is browned, edges look dry, and bubbles start to form on surface. Flip, and cook pancakes on other side until golden brown.  

Brazilian Lemonade

Notes: this doesn’t keep well, so only add milk just before serving.

Serves 2.

½ cup sugar

3 cups cold water

2 limes

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Mix together water and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Chill until ready to use.

Thoroughly was limes with soap to remove any wax or residue. Slice of the ends, and then cut into eighths.

Place limes in a blender. Add chilled sugar water. Pulse blender 5 times (you want to break up the pulp of the limes, not the skin). Strain mixture into a picture, pressing to get as much liquid through. Discard skins and remaining pulp.

Add sweetened condensed milk, mixing to combine. Pour over ice and serve immediately. 

Spaghetti with Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Sauce

Notes: a fast and easy dish. Easily adaptable to additions of chicken or vegetables. Some fresh basil thrown in at the end, or even as a garnish, would also work well.

Serves 2-4.

1 large red bell pepper

8 ounces spaghetti

A few tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ can (14-oz) diced tomatoes, with juices

¾ cup cream

4 ounces goat cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to broil. Place bell pepper on baking sheet and bake, turning frequently, until charred on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven, seal in a brown paper sack, or place in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap. Once cooled, remove and discard skin, stem, and seeds. Roughly chop and set aside.

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta. Cook until al dente.  

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a medium size saucepan with a layer of olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions begin to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped bell pepper. Continue to cook until onions and garlic are tender and the peppers and tomatoes are fragrant, another 5 minutes or so. 

Lower heat and add cream and goat cheese, stirring to incorporate and melt the cheese.  Once incorporated, puree the sauce using an immersion blender (if using a regular blended, let cool slightly, then bring back up to heat after pureeing). Season with salt and pepper.

Mix together pasta and sauce.  Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and serve. 

Browned Butter Toffee Almond Cookies

Notes: the method of making these cookies is unconventional (no creaming), and the dough seemed too thick/crumbly when first mixing. The product is really good though, and the browned butter gives the cookie an extra rich toffee taste. Definitely form dough into balls before chilling, it is hard to work with when cold.  

1 cup butter

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup toffee chips

¾ cup whole almonds, chopped finely and lightly toasted

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook until butter begins to brown. Remove from heat.

Add in the sugars and stir until incorporated and smooth. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, and chill until no longer warm, about 10 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator and stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until well combined.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. When fully incorporated, add in the toffee chips and almonds.

Roll dough by hand into 1 to 1 ½ inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove cookies from refrigerator and bake for 10-13 minutes, until beginning to lightly brown on bottom.