The Chewy

Ahh, The Chewy. I swear, this has to be one of Alton Brown's most famous recipes. I love Alton Brown, and wanted to use up some bread flour, so I decided it was time for me to make them. My mom is famous for her chocolate chip cookie recipe, which tends to be more crisp, so I was interested to see how these turned out.



Admittedly, I was quite disenchanted at first. I didn't love them. I barely liked them. Sure, the texture was spot on, but the flavor was missing something, for me. Though, I wondered if this was just a result of my clean eating lifestyle. However, I gave them another shot the next day, and thought they were much, much better! The flavor had definitely developed and I thought they were very good!  I should also note that my husband thought they were fantastic.

The Chewy
Source: Alton Brown

* 2 sticks unsalted butter
* 2 1/4 cups bread flour
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Hardware:

* Ice cream scooper (#20 disher is recommended, but I didn't have that so I just eye-balled it)
* Parchment paper
* Baking sheets
* Mixer

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Peppermint Torte

I love to get the Penzeys catalog in the mail and flip through it. They fill the catalog with tons of information about their many wonderful spices and blends. But in addition, they add recipes from customers. There are usually great stories to go along with the people and recipes, and it's always fun to read.

I saw this recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Torte in a recent winter catalog, and couldn't wait to make it! The original recipe called for mini marshmallows in the filling, but I had marshmallow creme that I wanted to use up, and it worked out so well! This cake was a hit and perfect for around the holidays, but then again, it's hard to go wrong with chocolate cake and whipped cream frosting!



Chocolate Peppermint Torte
Source: Adapted from Jean Albers/ Penzeys Catalog
Servings: 16

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

For the filling and frosting:
1 1/2 pints heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow fluff/creme
1 cup crushed peppermint candy
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
To make the cake:
Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and set aside (baking spray works well).  In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa.  Add the shortening, milk, and vanilla.  Beat for 2 minutes.  Add the eggs and beat for 2 minutes more.  Divide the batter among the cake pans.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.  Carefully remove from pans and allow to cool completely.

To make the filling/frosting:
In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff.  Add the vanilla and marshmallow fluff, beat until incorporated.  Fold in the crushed candy and pecans.   Assemble the cake with the filling between each later, and on the top and sides.  Top with additional crushed candy, if desired.

Nutritional Information, per serving:

Calories - 440
Total fat - 28 g
Cholesterol - 80 mg
Sodium - 260 mg
Carbohydrates - 47 g
Fiber - 2 g

Italian Chicken and Spinach Patties

I am completely in love with this dish! The flavors are amazing, the sauce is fantastic... I wanted to lick my plate! We will definitely be making this many times in the future. Big thanks to Michele at My Italian Grandmother for the recipe!

Italian Chicken and Spinach Patties
Source: My Italian Grandmother
Yields: 6 patties

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, squeezed and drained
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• approx 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• wondra flour
• shredded mozzarella (swiss or fontina would be good too), optional.

Directions:

1. Saute onion and 3 cloves minced garlic in olive oil and set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine ground chicken, drained spinach, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands to combine all seasonings. If mixture is very wet add more breadcrumbs. It will remain sticky.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Form patties and gently place in oil and let cook until browned, turn over and cook the other side. When all patties are browned place on a baking sheet and continue to cook in oven (to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way)while you make the sauce.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in pan, add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook over medium low heat, (do not burn or garlic will turn bitter). Add wine and let reduce by half, then add chicken stock. Let sauce cook down and reduce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want the sauce to be thicker stir in some wondra flour.

4. Return patties to pan with sauce, turning to coat both sides. If desired, top with some shredded mozzarella and put the pan under the broiler to melt.

Oreo Bites

This dessert is very easy to make, and is truly a delicious crowd pleaser!  It's tough to go wrong with oreos covered in chocolate!  There are two variations floating around, one with cream cheese and one with sweetened condensed milk  I chose to go with sweetened condensed milk so that I could make them ahead and keep them at room temperature.  The version with cream cheese needs to be refrigerated.



As you can see, I had some problems with the chocolate. I was bound and determined this time to A) temper the chocolate and B) not want to throw a fit while trying to dip the oreo balls in the chocolate and coat them evenly. I'd been wondering if the trouble that I have with dipping things in chocolate has to do with me terribly overheating the chocolate.

This time I followed these instructions, from Cooking for Engineer to temper the chocolate. I dutifully monitored the temperatures... up over 105, add the seed chocolate, then back down to 90. I was quite impressed with myself for not killing the chocolate out of impatience. Then came the dipping... and wow! This was the easiest it had ever been for me! Chocolate flowed right off the oreo bite when I lifted it out of the chocolate, and with a few taps to nudge it along, I had a beatifully, evenly coated oreo bite.

I went along my merry way, dipping bite after bite, ignorant to the horror going on behind my back. When I had completed my batch of oreo bites, I turned around to gaze, lovingly, at my little treasures. And immediately wanted to cry. As you can see in the above photo, my little bites of oreo heaven had bloomed.

Blooming is nary a cosmetic bump in the road, as the chocolate is still perfectly fine to eat, but to me, it ruined my little bites of oreo heaven. I've had chocolate bloom on me before, sure, when I carelessly went back and forth from the freezer. What was the problem here? Apparently there are two kinds of blooming in chocolate:  fat bloom and sugar bloom. The sugar bloom is what I was more familiar with, and is a crystallization of sugar caused by high humidity or bringing a cold product to room temperature.  Could this somehow still be the problem?  I don't tend to think of my home as having high humidity (especially in winter).  The fat bloom is the accumulation of large cocoa butter crystals on the surface of the chocolate.  Apparently you can tell the difference by the feel of the chocolate, but I didn't know this until after they were devoured, so it will remain a mystery. 


Oreo Bites
Source: Re-written from Kraft Recipes / Beantown Baker
Yield: about 40

1 package oreos
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
chocolate, for dipping

Crush oreos down to a fine texture in a food processor. Pour into a large bowl. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract, and stir until the mixture is well blended. Using a 2 teaspoon scoop, scoop rounded balls of oreo mixture onto parchment lined pans, then refrigerate to set. Melt chocolate over a double boiler (tempering is best), then dip the oreo bites to coat. Set back on parchment paper and allow chocolate to set.

Baked Oatmeal

A friend shared her recipe for baked oatmeal with me, after I tried it and loved her version. I tweaked it to my likes, and cleaned it up a bit, which was very easy to do. I love having a warm, hearty, fulling breakfast that only takes a minute to heat up in the microwave!

I tried it first with 1/3 cup maple syrup, but I think it could use a tad more sweetness, so I am going with the full 1/2 cup next time. Also, I like my oatmeal on the firmer side, so I used less milk than the original recipe calls for.

Baked Oatmeal
Serves:  12

• 2 apples, cored and rough chopped
• 1 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 cups quick cooking oats 
• 4 cups skim milk (can go up to 4.5 cups)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, or agave nectar, or sucanat
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a casserole or large oven proof dish (roughly 9x13).  Bake at 350 for 45 min.  Dish can be ahead ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight before baking in the morning.

Nutritional Information, per serving:
Calories - 194
Total Fat - 5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol - 20 mg
Sodium - 236 mg
Potassium - 182 mg
Carbohydrate - 31 g
Fiber - 2.7 g
Sugar - 12.8 g
Protein - 6.5 g

Women’s Bean Project Chili and Cornbread

I received this chili and cornbread mix as a gift this Christmas. I didn't waste too much time before making it, and it was fabulous. I was really impressed with the cornbread, it was moist and delicious! The chili had great flavor and wasn't too spicy. I just wanted to take the time to highlight The Women's Bean Project, which has a number of great gift ideas to support a worthy cause!

Chicken Tortilla Pie

This is a fabulous dish that was easy to throw together with cooked chicken. The green salsa was fabulous, and the whole dish had great flavor and was a great comfort meal!



Chicken Tortilla Pie
Source: Everyday Food magazine
* 12 corn tortillas (6-inch), toasted (I used homemade whole wheat tortillas)
* 2 cups cooked, shredded dark-meat chicken (I used chopped cooked chicken breast)
* 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles (I used fresh jalapenos)
* 1 1/2 cups Green or Red Salsa (recipe follows)
* 1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
* 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.

Green or Red Salsa

* 8 tomatillos (for Red Salsa, substitute 6 plum tomatoes, halved)
* 1 onion, halved
* 1 to 2 jalapenos, halved (ribs and seeds removed, if desired)
* 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
* Coarse salt

Directions

1. On a rimmed baking sheet, broil tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, and garlic until lightly charred, 4 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Thin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, and season with salt.