Tostones (or Patacones)

TOSTONES

2-3 large, ripe plantains
Oil, for frying
Salt

Peel the plantains by using a knife to cut a slit in the side and working peel off using a spoon.  If you haven't used plantains before, they don't peel as easily as bananas so don't worry if it takes a little effort to get the peel off.  Slice into 3/4-inch disks on a slight angle.

Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to cover the bottom of the pan and heat over medium-high heat until oil begins to shimmer.  Once the oil is ready, use tongs to set the plantain slices into the oil and lightly fry on both sides, turning when each side becomes golden.  Don't overcook them here because they will be fried for a second time.  Once the plantains are golden on both sides, remove to a plate and smash them, one at a time using the flat bottom of a glass or another plate.  If you cut the plantains too thick to begin with, they might just crumble, but if done right, they should just smoosh and flatten out a bit.

Check the temperature of your oil - you might want to turn it to low while smashing the plaintains and then bring it back up to medium-high before frying again.  Return the smashed plantains to the hot oil and fry them for a second time, turning once each side turns a darker golden color.

Remove from oil and set on paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt (I prefer the flaky kind for these).  Serve immediately with guacamole for dipping or use in place of tortillas or tortilla chips with carnitas, pico de gallo, and guac.

Sauteed Mushrooms, Onions, Green Beans, and Broccoli

This side dish comes together super fast and is super delicious with red meat especially (because steak and mushrooms equal amazing).  I tend to buy mushrooms on impulse because they sound good with no additional plan for what to do with them and this is what I concocted when I was looking for a different way to serve vegetables that was Whole30 compliant.  When I do Whole30, I prefer to eat in a way that if guests were over they would have no idea that the entire meal was dairy, gluten, sugar, soy, and legume free because the flavors, mouthfeel, and satisfaction-level of the dishes carry the day and this method of serving vegetables is on point because they are so far from bland, plain steamed veggies or a boring salad.

You can change up what you put in this and substitute asparagus, bok choy, or bell peppers if that is what you have on hand and you are trying to clean out your vegetable drawer in your refrigerator.  I was happy to have a little bowl of leftovers in the fridge the next morning because I just chopped the sauteed vegetables up a little more then scrambled them up with a couple of eggs and had a deliciously savory and sublimely easy breakfast (that was also Whole30 compliant).

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS, ONIONS, GREEN BEANS, AND BROCCOLI

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (I like the baby bellas but you could use whatever mushrooms are on hand)
1 cup green beans, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt, to taste

In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat, then add onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until onion softens.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add remaining vegetables and season with salt, to taste.  Cook, stirring occasionally to ensure that the vegetables are all cooking evenly and not burning, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the beans and broccoli are bright green and tender-crisp.  Serve immediately.

Chipotle Chicken & Corn Chowder

At almost 5 years old, this is Clara's favorite soup.  Next week is her 5th birthday and she is turning into such a fun, sweet little lady with definite opinions that she is comfortable expressing.  As I was preparing this for dinner the first time, not knowing quite how it would turn out and whether it would be a hit or a miss, Clara ambled into the kitchen during her play, paused to inhale deeply, then exclaimed that it smelled amazing in there.  Then she climbed up on the counter and gushed over the "beautiful pattern" I had made with all the different chopped peppers, garlic, potatoes, beans and chicken and snitched bites of green bean and red bell pepper.  And when it came time to actually sit down and eat dinner, she raved over how it is the best thing I have ever made and she "love, love, love, love, LOVED" it.

She woke up the next morning talking about it even and saying she couldn't wait until it was time for lunch and she could eat that yummy soup again.  What a funny kid.

Incidentally, Paul and I had a miscommunication about this chowder because I was at a Relief Society midweek meeting when he got home and I had texted him that there was "chipotle chicken and corn chowder in the refrigerator" that he could heat up.  He thought that it was from the restaurant chain, Chipotle, rather than realizing it was actually an ingredient in a recipe.  I figured the pots and cutting boards in the sink would clue him in, but apparently he didn't recognize the mess as a sign of my hard work and thought I had just randomly picked up soup to-go, lol.

Chipotle Chicken & Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

1 can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (really you only need 1 chili from the can and 1 teaspoon of the sauce - the rest you can freeze or use in Swiss Chard & Pinto Bean Burritos)
2 tablespooons butter
1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk (when I don't have whole milk on hand, I will just use skim milk and add a little cream to it if I happen to have that in the fridge)
2 cups chicken stock
6-9 small red potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 cup green beans, chopped into small pieces
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 (15-ounce) cans sweet corn, drain
1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Chopped cilantro, to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mince one chili from the can of chipotle chilies.  Remove 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce and set aside to be used later.  The remaining chilies and sauce freeze well for future uses.

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.  Add the peppers, chili, and spices, and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the peppers soften.  Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly stir in the milk and brother, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir.

Add the potatoes and green beans, then bring the mixture to a bowl and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife.

Slowly add the shredded cheese, one handful at a time, stirring after each addition until the cheese is completely melted.  Then stir in the chicken, corn, chips, lime juice, and the reserved 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce.  Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the soup is completely heated through.  Serve immediately, garnishing with chopped cilantro.

Note:  Leftovers that have been refrigerated and reheated may need a little extra chicken stock to thin out the soup as it tends to thicken up in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker (slightly adapted by me)

Roasted Green Bean, Chicken & Potatoes (One Pan)

When I had jaw surgery and members of the Relief Society were bringing in meals for my family, my visiting teacher Feleicia brought this dish in and Paul and the girls gobbled it up.  So once I could start eating regular food again, I found the recipe on Pinterest and made it myself and it was absolutely delicious and so, so easy.  Definitely a keeper for an easy weeknight meal.

Roasted Green Bean, Chicken & Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces green beans
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. small red potatoes, diced
1/4-1/2 cup butter (I made this according to the original 1/2 cup instructions but felt like the amount of butter could have easily been cut in half)
1 small envelope Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 9x13-inch baking dish, arrange green beans, chicken and potatoes in 3 vertical rows, side by side.  Cut the butter into thin slices and arrange evenly around the pan on top of the green beans, chicken and potatoes.  Sprinkle the Italian dressing packet evenly over everything and then salt and pepper the dish to taste.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour, until the chicken is no longer pink and the potatoes are soft.  If the green beans start looking overdone around the 45 minute mark, place foil over the pan for the remainder of the cooking time.

Source: High Heels & Grills (although I saw this pinned to other sites online and have no idea where the original version came from - my guess is this is one of those dishes that has been around for years and nobody knows who created it)

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Paul has always raved about my chocolate chip cookies.  And then our friend Tiffany brought over a plate of chocolate chip cookies one Sunday evening and Paul betrayed me by declaring her cookies to be superior.  So naturally I had to ask her for her recipe and she kindly shared.  So these are Paul's favorite chocolate chip cookies.  They have greater proportions of brown sugar, a difference of an egg yolk instead of an entire egg, and more vanilla than the recipe I have always made and it gives them just the right texture of super soft inside with a slightly crispy exterior.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 1/2 semisweet, 1/2 milk chocolate)

DIRECTIONS

Mix butter and sugars until well blended.  Add egg, additional yolk, and vanilla and mix until light and creamy.  Add dry ingredients until just blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by 1/4 cup at a time on cookie sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 14 minutes.

Source: Tiffany Ball by way of allrecipes.com

Raspberry Dessert

There are few things in life that taste like "summer" to me more than raspberry dessert.  It's not much of a name, really, but it's what has stuck in my family for decades.  And as far as I can tell, this dessert pretty much only exists within my family.  It's more famous cousin, the raspberry jello pretzel salad, is chunkier and has that salty-sweet, cream cheesy thing going on.  But this fresh, bright, summery concoction is just sweet, soft Nilla wafer crumbs on the bottom, a creamy drizzle on top of that, followed by fresh, whole raspberries in jello, sweetened whipped cream, and a few more Nilla wafer crumbs and raspberries on top for garnish.  

Paul didn't ask me to marry him because of this dessert, but only because we started dating at the end of summer and were already married before raspberry dessert season came around.  It's what he has requested almost every year in place of birthday cake, which is saying a lot for someone like Paul who would typically go for a chocolate cake any day of the week.  Unless raspberry dessert is in play.  Then it's a fight to the finish to see who gets the last bite.  

Word to the wise though:  don't use birthday candles with this.   We learned from experience that the Nilla wafer crumbs on top go flying everywhere when the candles are blown out.

RASPBERRY DESSERT

Makes 1 square 8"x8" pan but we usually double it if it is for more than just the two of us

INGREDIENTS

1 package Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 small box raspberry Jello (don't mess around with sugar free)
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 cups fresh raspberries, washed and dried
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Prepare Jello according to package directions, then place in the refrigerator to cool until it is thick and syrupy but not yet firmly set.

Place Nilla wafers in a gallon size Ziploc bag and crush to a fine powder using a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor. Use about half of the Nilla wafer crumbs to cover the bottom of a square 8"x8"­inch baking dish. Set remaining crumbs aside for the top of the dessert. Press down so it is compact, but don’t worry that there is no butter or anything to hold a crust together ­ it really is just Nilla wafer crumbs on the bottom of this dessert.

In a medium bowl, add butter, egg*, and powdered sugar and whisk until light, about a minute or two, to make a smooth and creamy sort of sauce that can be drizzled over the Nilla wafer crumbs.

The sauce doesn’t have to completely cover the crumbs on the bottom of the dish so don’t try spreading it around or anything because that will just create a mess. Just drizzle it on to get mostly even coverage. Next, sprinkle 2 cups of fresh raspberries over the sauce and crumb layers, making sure they are evenly distributed. Once the Jello has thickened to a syrupy consistency but hasn’t entirely set, pour over raspberries, then return dish to the refrigerator and allow Jello to set completely:­ at least another hour or two. When Jello has completely set, whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then gently spread on top of Jello and raspberries. Sprinkle remaining Nilla wafer crumbs on top (you may not need all of them if you feel like this layer is getting too thick), then use the remaining raspberries to arrange a pattern on top of the dessert and serve.

* Yes, this dessert has a raw egg in it and lots of people freak out about raw eggs, but I’ve eaten this every summer since I was a little girl and never had a problem. You can buy pasturized eggs if you are concerned because the USDA says those are safe to consume raw.

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan. Sift and measure flour; sift again with sugar, salt and baking soda.Beat egg in medium bowl. Blend in buttermilk. Add dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Blend in melted butter.Add  up to 1/4 cup more buttermilk for thinner cakes. Adjust consistency as required to maintain a pourable cake batter by adding additional flour or buttermilk.  Scoop 1/4 cup onto griddle and turn when surface bubbles begin to break. Serve immediately.

Yield 2

Notes: I never sift my ingredients and I double the recipe and it is plenty for my family. I use butter to grease pan.

Lemonade

Lemonade is super simple to make and the girls love helping to squeeze the lemons for their juice (and then licking the squeezed lemons afterwards!).  Clara begs me to buy a bag of lemons practically every time we go to Costco, but this is the best when we get lemons for free from a friend with a tree.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 cups water (adjust to taste but this is a good starting point, especially if you plan to add ice)
2-­3 extra lemons, sliced

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp. In pitcher, stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups water. Add sliced lemons to pitcher for presentation.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This delicious and filling soup is perfect for colder weather and rainy days, plus it is made in the crock pot which is perfect for days when I know I will have a lot going on.  There is a little prep work with cooking the bacon, chopping and sauteeing the onions, and prepping the potatoes, but it comes together quickly in the morning and then you don't have to worry about it until it is basically done 5 or 6 hours later.

INGREDIENTS

10 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 lbs Russet potatoes (about 6  medium or 4-5 of the really large ones), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 oz), plus more for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream OR plain greek yogurt
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Sliced scallions, minced

DIRECTIONS

In a large pan over medium heat, cook the bacon 5 to 7 minutes, until crispy, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate until serving.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

Add the chopped onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened and slightly browned, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook an additional minute or so, until fragrant.  Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.  Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker.

Stir in the remaining 3 cups of  broth, potatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.  

Transfer 3 cups of cooked potatoes to a medium bowl with the cream and mash until smooth using a potato masher.  Return the potatoes to the slow cooker, along with the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.  Stir to combine and let the soup sit until heated all the way through, about 10 minutes.

When ready to serve, microwave the bacon for about 30 seconds, just until it is reheated and crispy.  Season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste.  Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with bacon, shredded cheese, and scallions, then serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from Pink Parsley.; originally from Slow Cooker Revolution (the America's Test Kitchen book of crockpot recipes).

Knoephla

Many of the descendants of the people in North Dakota are Germans who left Germany and settled in Russia. They were eventually driven out of Russia and settled in the midwest region of the United States. So they call the food German, but a native German may not have ever heard of the dishes they serve. We have really enjoyed tasting the different German foods and learning to make some of them. This is our favorite. 


4-5 Carrots, sliced  
1 Onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
½ stick Butter
1 Tbsp Lowry's Seasoning Salt, basically to taste, not sure exact measurment
3 cups Flour  
1 cup Warm Water
1 Tbsp Salt  
1 Egg 
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Heavy Cream, or more

*I have had knoephla with diced potatoes, so those could be added also.

Cut up vegetables.

Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in butter with Lowry's seasoning salt.

Mix dough ingredients in kitchen aid with dough hook. 

 Boil water.  Cut dough into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.  

Drain knoephla and put back in pan, add veggie mixture, chicken broth and cream.  Season to taste with seasoning salt. Simmer 1 hour.

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Bring butter, sugar and buttermilk to a boil. Add vanilla and baking soda.

*Syrup tends to boil over when baking soda is added. Remove from heat or turn heat down while adding baking soda.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar


In a large mixer bowl combine sugar and oil. add cocoa; blend well. beat in eggs and vanilla. combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. add to cocoa mixture, blending well. chill at least 6 hours in the refrigerator {or 1 hour in the freezer} to allow dough to firm up. if you don't allow it to chill it's a sticky mess. heat oven to 350 degrees. shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll into confectioners' sugar. place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touching. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack.

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

I had never actually roasted beets before making this salad, which came about when I randomly picked up beets at the grocery store with no idea what I wanted to do with them.  But when I got home, I started thinking about how when we go to nice restaurants, I will often order a beet salad because they are so delicious.  And it turns out they are incredibly easy as well!  In all honesty, the girls rebelled and made gagging noises over the beets and goat cheese, which is not the norm for my good little eaters.  But Paul said it is the best salad he has had in a long, long time.  We both loved it and ate it with just simple scones (the fried Utah-style scones) as our dinner and it was delicious.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE, PINE NUTS & HONEY-DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

For the Beets

1 bunch medium beets (about 3)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad

10 ounces mixed greens
4 ounces goat cheese (I like chive & onion goat cheese for this salad)
1/2 cup pine nuts (or coarsely chopped walnuts)

For the Vinaigrette

2 Tablespoons honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Beets

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wash beets well and trim stems off.  Place beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap foil loosely around beets and seal to form a neat packet, then place in the oven and roast for about 1 hour or until tender.  Test for doneness by piercing the largest beet with a knife.  It will enter easily when beets are done.  Remove beets from oven and let them sit until cool enough to handle.  Use a paring knife to peel the skin, then cut into 1/2-inch dice.  If you do your work over the foil on top of a cutting board, it should be pretty easy clean-up without getting the beet juice (which stains!) everywhere.  Set aside.

For the Vinaigrette

Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a jar, seal with a lid, and shake vigorously to blend.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For the Salad

Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine.  Divide greens onto plates, then sprinkle with beets, pine nuts and goat cheese.  Serve immediately with remaining additional vinaigrette on the side.

Recipe lightly adapted from Once Upon A Chef.

Cranberry Pecan White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Honestly, I want to try these with fresh or frozen cranberries chopped up just a bit instead of dried cranberries.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine butter and brown sugar in a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add vanilla. Add dry ingredients, beating until just barely combined. Then stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and chopped pecans. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet and sprinkle the tops with a few leftover cranberries or white chocolate chips if desired. Bake for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from the oven ­ cookies will be slightly golden brown around the edges and the middles will look underdone. Let cool completely. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

This is yet another recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She's kind of amazing and you can pretty much always trust her recipes to turn out excellent.  These cookies are HIGHLY addictive - the chocolate/peppermint combo always is for me - and look pretty to boot.  They are definitely going onto the list of "must make" recipes over the Christmas season each year (and are likely to get made at other times of the year as well, if I'm being honest).

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (8 ounces) butter, cool room temperature (not warm or overly soft!)
3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs (3.5 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (3 ounces) crushed or finely chopped Andes mints (see note above)
Additional 1/2 cup or so crushed or finely chopped Andes mints for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar together until well-mixed, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined (it's ok if there are a few dry streaks). Mix in the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup crushed Andes mints until combined and no dry streaks remain.
6. Scoop the dough and shape into heaping tablespoon-sized balls (I use a #40 cookie scoop) and gently roll the tops into the additional crushed mints, pressing lightly into the plate or bowl of crushed mints so they stick to the top of the cookie dough ball.
7. Place a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes (watch closely and don't overbake; the edges will be set with soft middles).
8. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Peanut Butter Cookies

The last time we visited Utah, Jennie had made these incredible peanut butter cookies and had them in a plastic container on her counter when we showed up.  Since both Emma and Adelaide are allergic to peanut butter and had been at our parent's house for a couple of days to play with my girls and go skiing with us while Jennie and Ryan stayed at their house with the twins, Jennie had tried out this recipe from one of our favorite cooking bloggers while her allergic girls were away at Grandma & Grandpas.  And then I helped polish them off when we all got to Jennie's place a couple of days later to enjoy more cousin time.

They are peanut butter cookie perfection and so incredibly good.  I have been looking for just the right peanut butter cookie recipe and tried some real duds, but this one does not disappoint.  Jennie had added M&Ms to the top of some of hers and since I had a bag of leftover Valentine's Day M&Ms in the cupboard, I did the same thing.  But next time I might take a more old-fashioned approach and roll them into balls and flatten ever so slightly with the tines of a fork, just because I love the traditional cross-hatch pattern.  Regardless, the flavor and texture of these cookies is fantastic and the recipe is a definite keeper.   

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixer bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until combined.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Scoop the dough and roll into 1- or 2-inch balls.  Place on parchment-lined (or lightly greased) baking sheets, a couple inches apart.
7. Bake for 10-11 minutes until puffed.  Don't overbake. (My oven always takes longer so I was more at the 14 minute mark before these were actually done and it was perfect - they stayed soft and I actually still had to give them a couple of minutes cooling on the baking sheet before transferring them to cooling racks or they would fall apart.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately lightly press each cookie to flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass.
9. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Mel says the cookies freeze well and taste great straight from the freezer.

Belgian Waffles

Belgian waffles are quite different from American waffles and its not just because of the waffle iron used. Belgian waffles are sweeter and have more fat in the batter, which makes them richer and more of a dessert (how they are eaten in Belgium from vendors on the street). I love them topped with whipped cream and raspberries but strawberries, blueberries, bananas or fried apples are other delicious options to try as well.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• 
  
• Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add milk, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter.
• Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown. Top with fruit and whipped cream or syrup.

NOTE:  Another variation to try would be to add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, some imitation maple flavoring extract and diced apples to the batter before cooking then serving with maple or cinnamon syrup.

How to Temper Chocolate: Seeding Method

I adore chocolate-covered strawberries.  But they are so expensive!  I have seen them priced around $4 dollars for just one strawberry even.  So I figured, why not learn how to make them myself?  I have attempted chocolate dipped treats in the past using a method where you melt chocolate chips with a little shortening and it is sort of okay, but definitely nowhere close to the quality of chocolate you would get from a real chocolatier at a fine candy store.  And I'm kind of a snob when it comes to chocolate.  

I also put myself in charge of teaching how to make chocolate-dipped strawberries as part of our Relief Society Valentine's Day themed activity, so, you know, I kind of sort of had to learn.  

Properly tempered chocolate sets with a nice, slightly glossy and smooth finish and has a nice snap to the chocolate.  And it doesn't need to be refrigerated for it to set up.  Improperly tempered, lower quality chocolate used for dipping (like using chocolate chips for melting) will result in a softer, chewy set with no snap.  

So, here's what you do to properly temper chocolate.  Start with good quality chocolate, either in block form or wafers.  Trader Joe's sells 1 lb. blocks of dark or milk chocolate that are excellent at a very good price of $5/block.  Be cautious about buying "melting wafers" from the craft store - often they aren't very quality chocolate to begin with and the white candy melts are just that - candy melts and not chocolate at all.  You can also order your chocolate at numerous places online to get good quality chocolate.  Amazon has many good options if there isn't a Trader Joe's nearby.  

All my research stated that it is best to melt at least 1 pound of a chocolate at a temper as it is easier to temper and maintain temper in a pound of chocolate than in smaller amounts.  You start by chopping 3/4 of your total chocolate into small bits, reserving 1/4 of the chocolate block in bar form for later.    

Next, put your chopped chocolate into a clean, dry (it MUST be dry - any water will cause the chocolate to seize and clump) bowl and set it over a pan of hot water.  I brought my pan of water up to a simmer and then turned off the heat so it would be hot but no longer simmering and definitely not boiling for this step.  Then I carefully set my bowl right down into the water, making sure that the water didn't come close to the rim of my bowl, and then just let it sit for a while, allowing the chocolate to melt about halfway before any stirring.  I also saw methods where you microwaved the chocolate at short intervals, stirring in between, or putting the chocolate in a double boiler, but I like the glass bowl set directly in the hot water method best.

When the chocolate is about halfway melted, using a dry rubber spatula to stir the chocolate, helping it to continue melting.  I took the bowl out of the water first and set it on a dry towel on the counter to make sure I didn't slosh any water into it.  Then place the bowl back into the hot water and allow the chocolate to continue melting until it is completely melted, stirring periodically as necessary.

Once the chocolate is completely melted, use a digital thermometer to check the temperature of the chocolate, watching closely until it reaches 115 degrees F (for dark chocolate) or 110 degrees F (for milk or white chocolate).  The chocolate should not go over this temperature or you risk burning it, which is why a thermometer is so crucial.

At this point, remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the hot water and add the reserved 1/4 chunk of chocolate to your bowl or melted chocolate, stirring gently and almost constantly to melt the big chunk.  You can sort of scrape it and agitate it with your spatula to incorporate it into the melted chocolate.  The warm chocolate will melt the block of chocolate and the block of chocolate will help gently bring down the temperature of the warm chocolate.  Adding a block of properly tempered chocolate and continuous stirring encourages the formation of the proper crystalline structure necessary for properly tempered chocolate.  I know, sounds weird and hokey, but I saw this explanation over and over and it is one of those science of baking things that are kind of cool to know.

Continue to stir and cool the chocolate, taking its temperature periodically, until the chocolate reaches 90 degrees F (for dark chocolate) or 87 degrees F (for milk or white chocolate).  At this point, you can test the chocolate's temper by smearing a small amount of your melted, tempered chocolate on a piece of parchment or waxed paper and watching to see if it sets properly.  If you tempered everything correctly, your smear of chocolate should begin to set within juts a few minutes.  It will start to lose its shine and take on a slightly more matte look, then begin to set around the edges.  In a cool room, properly tempered chocolate will set within about 4-6 minutes.  Don't be tempted to stick your chocolate in the fridge to speed things up because that won't actually tell you whether your chocolate has been tempered properly.  If it doesn't seem to be properly tempered, continue to stir and cool the chocolate another 1-2 degrees, then test it again.  If it looks to be properly tempered, remove any remaining chunks of chocolate from your reserved 1/4 block if it hasn't melted completely and just set it to the side (you can reuse it and melt it again later).  Or just pop it in your mouth while you proceed to dip your strawberries.

Now your chocolate is tempered and ready for dipping and coating!  You can dip clean, dry (make sure they are totally dry!) strawberries, truffle centers, almonds - whatever you want!  While dipping, you need to keep your tempered chocolate warm, by stirring it with your spatula periodically and watching its temperature.  If it falls down in the 85 degree range, set your bowl of melted, tempered chocolate back in the hot water for 1-3 seconds (seriously, it doesn't take very long) to let the chocolate at the bottom of the bowl warm up a bit, then stir it again to mix the warm chocolate from the bottom with the cooler chocolate on top.  But don't let the chocolate go up over 90 degrees or you will need to start the tempering process over again!

I dipped my strawberries into the tempered chocolate, then gently scraped the bottom back into the bowl to remove some of the excess chocolate so it wouldn't puddle at the base of each strawberry on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  When you finish dipping all the strawberries (or truffle centers or whatever you are dipping), you can pour the remaining tempered chocolate onto parchment paper and allow it to set back into a block form and store it in a cool, dry place to be used the next time you want to temper chocolate.  Or you can pour it over some raw almonds or other nuts to make yourself a delicious chocolate bar, because why waste your perfectly tempered chocolate?

I looked at a number of tutorials, sites, and recipe books when figuring out this process, but the two that were most helpful and that I followed most closely are here and here.  The first site even has a video explanation of the process I set out above.

Rhubarb Walnut Muffins

I love rhubarb - it is so sweet-tart and delicious and you can chop it up and store it in the freezer to use throughout the year in pies.  These muffins are another perfect use for rhubarb, with a sugary, crunchy top, and bites of walnut and rhubarb throughout.  

Rhubarb Walnut Muffins

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper muffin liners.  

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat the brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla and buttermilk with a mixer until smooth.  Pour in the dry ingredients and mix by hand until just blended.  It is okay if a few white streaks remain.  Gently stir in rhubarb and walnuts.  Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling almost to the top.  In a small bowl.,  stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon-sugar mixture onto the top of each muffin.  

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing.

Best Fudgy Brownies

One of Paul’s all-time favorite desserts is a brownie sundae with hot fudge. I like my brownies loaded with walnuts and served with a tall glass of cold milk. This recipe doubles easily to make a 9x13-inch pan if you need brownies for a crowd.

Best Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar (half granulated, half brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (this will give the brownies a glossy, crackly crust)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

• 1
  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly grease with cooking spray and set aside.
• 2
  Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set the mixture aside until it cools slightly (is warm to the touch not hot). It will look gritty but it will become smooth once the other ingredients are added.
• 3
  Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
• 4
  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. After the brownies are cooled completely, I like to throw the pan in the refrigerator - cold brownies cut much easier and taste heavenly. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.