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The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

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 You read that right: these are THE best chocolate chip cookies ever. I found a basic recipe back when... I'm not even sure now? I think I still lived at home so let's just say it's been well over a decade! Anyway, the recipe was fine but regularly made thin, crispy cookies which are awful (sorry, not sorry). I spent many hours, tears, and pounds of butter throughout the last fifteen-ish years, tweaking the recipe slightly here and there to find just the right balance. I can finally say I have achieve the most perfect cookie, and it's my first real recipe... as in, I created it!  They are chewy and thick, with a crunchy edge and hold up their soft, chewy insides even after being left out overnight. Honestly, I even skip the cookies at the store because I prefer these. Chocolate Chip Cookies 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1.5 sticks), softened 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 whole egg 1 egg yolk 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Pinch ...

Cooper's Hawk Gnocchi Carbonara

Cooper’s Hawk Gnocchi Carbonara Adapted from here 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tablespoons Butter     2-1/8” thick slices of pancetta, cut into 1/4'” x 1” slices 20 oz. cooked Gnocchi, precooked and cooled 2 each garlic cloves, thinly sliced     1/2 cup white wine   1 cup fresh chicken stock    2½ cups heavy cream 8 oz. pulled cooked chicken (optional) 2 tablespoons  sage ½ cup peas 1/3 cup parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Boil the gnocchi according to directions on package minus a minute or so (usually 2-3 minutes) and set aside. In a hot pan, add the oil and butter. When butter melts and turns slightly brown, add sliced pancetta. Toss until pancetta starts to brown.  Add Gnocchi and toss until gnocchi browns slightly.  Stir in garlic then remove mixture into a bowl. In the same pan, add wine and reduce by half.  Pour in chicken stock. Once reduced by half, add cream and bring to simmer.  Add g...

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Adapted from here Topping: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple rings in pineapple juice Maraschino cherries Cake : 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 large eggs Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar in a small pan over medium heat, stirring frequently. The mixture is done when the sugar is bubbly and slightly more brown. Pour the sugar mixture into a prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer to cool slightly. Remove the pineapple rings from the can and reserve 1/2 cup of the juice. Set a single ring in the center of the pan, then arrange 6 to 7 rings around the center ring. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring and set the pan aside. Whisk flour, baki...

Cornbread Pudding

 Cornbread Pudding ½ onion diced 2 tbsp butter Seasonings: kosher salt, ground black pepper, dried thyme and rosemary 1 15oz can creamed sweet corn ½ cup frozen corn 1 cup heavy cream 2 eggs ½ cup yellow cornmeal ½ cup shredded parmesan 2 cups cubed French or Italian bread Set oven to 350* Sweat the onions with the butter and seasonings in an oven-safe skillet until soft Combine all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl except the bread and stir until a well integrated batter forms Fold the bread into the batter until covered, then pour straight on top of the onions in the skillet Put the skillet in the oven for 40-50 minutes.  Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving

Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Cranberry Dipping Sauce 1 lb frozen cranberries (fresh works but needs to be cooked longer) 2 cups orange juice 3 cups ginger ale (no diet) 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp brown sugar Zest from 1 orange cut into very small pieces (no pith) Pinch of kosher salt Combine everything in a saucepan (nonreactive if you have it) and bring to a boil. Bring down heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until reduced to about half volume Use either a blender or an immersion blender to puree until fully smooth 

Creamed Corn

Creamed Corn 20-24 oz frozen corn 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup milk (whole is best) 2 tbsp white sugar 1 tsp white pepper 1-2 heavy pinches of kosher salt Roux 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp AP flour Mix these ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, drop the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Melt butter and mix in flour to form a thick paste.  Add to corn mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes  Remove from heat and serve 

Beef & Broccoli

 There was some playing with proportions but this was deeeeelicious and will try again. Beef & Broccoli Marinade 1.5 lbs steak, sliced thin (we used ribeye, can use flank) 1 tbsp cornstarch 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp oil 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp garlic Sauce 1 cup chicken or beef broth 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp brown sugar White pepper In the Pan 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp garlic 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine Cornstarch slurry to thicken Cut your steak against the grain. We purchased the pre-sliced ribeye from Costco. Cook broccoli. We spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake in the toaster oven at 350* for 18 minutes. Mix marinade into the sliced meat and set aside for 30+ minutes (the longer the better). Prepare your sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients into a mixing bowl. Set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil until very hot. Add in your marinated meat and spread out to brown. Leave it alone to br...

Breakfast Casserole

 We've made this twice and done it differently each time. I liked the flavor better the first time but the texture better the second. Key difference is cooking the potatoes first, and that's a must. Using frozen potatoes is just too wet. Breakfast Casserole 1 lb bacon, cooked and diced 1 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, deseeded and diced 1 can green chiles 12 large eggs 1 cup milk 1 tbsp neutral oil 3 cups frozen diced potatoes 2 cups shredded cheese Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika to taste Cook bacon in preferred method. We prefer to bake it on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400* for 22 minutes. Dice cooked bacon. Set aside. Dice one onion. Deseed and dice one bell pepper.  In a large skillet, heat bacon fat or oil. Saute the onion and bell pepper, adding salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Once vegetables are tender, set aside. In the same large skillet, heat oil. When oil is very hot, pour in frozen potatoes. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Cook according ...

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce 3 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp flour 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic 1/4 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 cups chicken broth 1 tsp apple cider vinegar Black pepper to taste Mix your spices and flour together in a small bowl. Make sure you have the tomato paste, chicken broth, and vinegar ready as well. In a medium size pot, heat the oil. You'll know it's ready if it sizzles when you sprinkle a tiny bit of the spice mixture. When the oil is hot, pour in the spice mixture, whisking constantly until it darkens just a bit (about 1 minute).  Whisk in tomato paste, then slowly add the chicken broth. Raise the heat to medium high and bring mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, pour in vinegar and add pepper as preferred. 

Apple Pie Oatmeal

 Apple Pie Oatmeal 2 tbsp butter 2 apples, chopped 1-1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp clove 1/2 tsp nutmeg 2 cups old fashioned oats 2 cups milk (we prefer whole but any will work) 2 cups apple juice (you can use water) Chop apples. We usually leave the skin on but you can remove it. Melt butter in a large pot on the stove. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Stir occasionally and cook until apples are tender. Pour in oats, milk and juice. Mix well. Cook until the oats have reached the desired consistency, usually 3-5 minutes. They will look watery while the heat is still on so be careful not to over cook.

French Onion Chicken Bake

 Honestly, this took forever because of the caramelized onions, but it was SO delicious. Suggestion: either caramelize the onions in advance (even the day before) or plan on dinner being late. French Onion Chicken Bake Adapted from here 2 Tablespoons butter 3 medium sweet yellow onions, sliced thinly 1 tsp granulated sugar 2 teaspoons salt 5-6 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ tbsp Italian seasoning (or just oregano, garlic, basil) ¾ cup white wine 2 tbsp olive oil 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts* 1 tsp black pepper 1 ¼ cup chicken or beef stock 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp cornstarch 8 ounces (2 cups) gruyere In a large braiser, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and season with the sugar and salt. Sauté for about 20-25 minutes (this took us an hour!), stirring occasionally. The onions should be caramelized and brown. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, ...

Thai Peanut Noodles

 Significantly better than our last attempt. Honestly phenomenal with some fresh crushed cashews on top. Thai Peanut Noodles Adapted from here 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar or honey 1/2 teaspoon chili paste like sambal oelek 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar 2 garlic cloves minced 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3 tablespoons water 8 oz. noodles ramen or other Cook noodles according to instructions on the package. Drain and keep warm. Whisk all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl or measuring cup. Make sure the sauce is smooth and the peanut butter mixed well with all ingredients. Taste and add more chili paste if needed. Heat up the sauce in a pan or in a microwave and pour over noodles. Toss to coat. Garnish noodles with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve.

Pioneer Woman Mac & Cheese

 This one had great flavor and was pretty easy, but it was gritty and honestly too cheesy. Let's keep trying. Mac and Cheese Adapted from here 1lb dry pasta 1/2 stick butter 1/4 cup salted butter 2-1/2 cup whole milk 2 tsp dry mustard 8oz pepper jack 8oz sharp cheddar 8oz medium cheddar Cook noodles until al dente. Drain. Melt butter in a large pot and sprinkle in flour. Whisk constantly over medium low heat for 5 minutes.  Pour in the milk and mustard (and any other seasonings). Whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes or until very thick. Reduce heat to low. Add in cheese in small batches, stirring to melt. Pour in cooked noodles. Layer noodles and sliced cheddar cheese in baking dish and bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until top is brown and bubbly.

One Pot Cajun Pasta

 We've tried this dish a few different ways, tweaking the seasoning, cheese, and veggies to match the theme. If we are going Italian, we do Italian sausage, oregano and basil, and mozzarella. You can do it however you'd like, it's really a blank canvas. One Pot Cajun Pasta Adapted from here Avocado oil, or oil of choice 1 large onion, diced 1 package (12oz) andouille sausage, sliced Salt and pepper, to taste Cajun seasoning Garlic (powdered or fresh) Smoked paprika 4 cups chicken broth 2 cans (14oz) diced tomatoes 1 cup milk 16oz pasta 1 cup (8oz) shredded pepper jack cheese Heat olive oil in a large pot (we prefer our Dutch oven). Add onions and sliced sausage. Stir to coat in oil. Coat in salt, pepper, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and garlic. Toss well. Cook until onions are translucent. Pour in tomatoes (do NOT drain), chicken broth, and milk. Stir in uncooked pasta noodles. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until pasta is cooked through, about 12 min...

Chili Soy Pork

 This particular recipe started as a chicken thigh recipe. However we were making something with chicken already that week and wanted to change it up. I suggested pork, and Jeff immediately decided on pork shoulder. Now, I can't imagine it any other way. Chili Soy Pork Adapted from  here 2lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite sized pieces 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons gochujang 2 tablespoons spicy chili sauce 1/4 cup oyster sauce 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 cup scallions, diced Cut the pork into bite sized pieces and place in a ziplock bag or a bowl Combine soy sauce, gochujang, chili sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and scallions. Whisk together and pour over pork, coating well. Marinate at minimum 1 hour, recommend overnight. Preheat the oven to 425F. Add oil to a hot pan and sear each side of the pork for 1-2 minutes, or until browned. Remove from pan onto a cookie sheet. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice with veggies of your cho...