My FAVORITE Chocolate Chip Cookie I have experimented with countless recipes searching for that perfect chocolate chip cookie. The characteristics of the perfect cookie are a very personal matter, and here are my preferences: texture: chewy w. medium thickness --- everyone has their preference, and this is mine! chocolate to cookie ratio: 50/50 --- I really enjoy having a lot of chocolate in every bite chips vs. chunks: chunks --- I like sizeable pieces of chocolate in my cookie. type of chocolate: bittersweet --- I like using Valrhona 61% extra bitter nuts or other add-ins: NONE!! With the above criteria in mind, this recipe is the closest I've come to experiencing CCC perfection. - Don't substitute the pastry and bread flours w. - Hand chopped chocolate chunks, NOT premade chips - I will purchase a hunk of the best bittersweet chocolate that I can afford and hand cut them into chunks. - Chill the cookie dough at least 24 hours (I let my dough sit anywhere from 2-3 days) before baking.
Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets Chunks of all white meat chicken breasts coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese then baked until golden. An easy chicken recipe your whole family will love. What can be more kid friendly than chicken nuggets, even the pickiest kids like them. Serve them with ketchup, bbq sauce or whatever you like to dip your nuggets into. Adults can serve them over your favorite salad for a satisfying lunch. Kids love finger foods or anything you can eat with toothpicks so when my daughter was young I would make her a dish of bite sized goodies she liked such as tomatoes, olives, pasta, etc. and served them with toothpicks and she always cleaned her plate! Once I'm in breading mode I usually make breaded zucchini sticks as well and bake them all at the same time along with some pasta and a salad for a complete meal. Double these for more or make half for less servings. Ingredients: Preheat oven to 425°. Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.
Pumpkin Monkey Bread | Sugarcrafter - StumbleUpon September 23, 2011 | Print | E-mail | Filed under bread, pumpkin Monkey bread. It’s almost as much fun to say as it is to eat, and with the arrival of autumn, I couldn’t stop thinking about taking my usual recipe and kicking it up a notch with the addition of pumpkin – so, of course, I did. For the dough: 3 1/4 cups flour, plus extra for kneading1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp cinnamon1/4 tsp nutmeg1/8 tsp cloves2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted1/2 cup warm milk1/4 cup warm water2/3 cup pumpkin puree1/4 cup sugar2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast For the coating: 1 cup sugar2 tsp cinnamon3/4 stick butter, melted For the glaze: 2/3 cup powdered sugar2 Tbsp pure maple syrup1-2 tsp milk In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and spices. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, water, pumpkin, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the wet ingredients. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leave a Reply
elephantine: the baked mac and cheese My favorite thing to eat, hands down, is noodles. Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai... whatever way you make it, I like it. But mac and cheese is high up there on the list, especially baked mac and cheese. First things first: cook the pasta. Next up: the béchamel sauce. ...and milk. So, back to the butter. Whisk. Gradually pour in the milk and continue to whisk. Reduce the heat, add the cheese, and keep mixing that melty-yummy-goodness. Did someone say garlic? Your macaroni is probably growing impatient. I've been playing this trick on myself recently: substitute a portion of the pasta with veggies. I like using individual ramekins instead of one larger casserole dish, because it allows you to add in whatever veggies and spices you like without offending anyone else. The last (and most important) step: breadcrumbs. Pop the ramekins in the oven. The first bite. (Nothing more to say. Baked Mac and Cheese (serves 2)adapted from Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese 1.
Better Grilled Cheese - Cook This! Not That - Mens Health Funky versions of America's simplest sandwich have been popping up at national restaurants and quick-service chains more and more in recent years. Problem is, when restaurants start to get creative, it usually spells trouble for your waistline. Au Bon Pain's Prosciutto Mozzarella Sandwich is a perfect example of this "more is more" mantra, where a few thin slices of cured ham and a mozzarella blanket turn a lunchtime bite into a sandwich that packs as much saturated fat as 5 scoops of Breyers vanilla ice cream. We're all for innovating, but if you're going to do it, do it right. You'll Need: 1 Tbsp butter 8 slices whole-grain bread (we love Martin's Whole Wheat) 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 6 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 8 strips cooked bacon How to Make It: Heat the butter in a large skillet or nonstick saute pan over low heat. Makes 4 servings Cost per serving: $1.55 330 calories 15 g fat (6 g saturated) 790 mg sodium
Superfood: Pumpkin | Health and Fitness Articles Sure, pumpkins can seem spooky in their Jack-o-lantern state, but don’t be fooled— they’re actually one of the most nutritious fruits out there. Loaded with antioxidants and disease-fighting vitamins, these gourds aren’t just for carving, making them a bonafide Greatist superfood. Photo: jefferysclark Pump Up the Pumpkin — Why They’re Super Pumpkins’ bright orange color may make them a good substitute for traffic cones, but the real power behind their hue is beta-carotene, a provitamin that is converted to vitamin A in the body. Known for its immune-boosting powers, beta-carotene is essential for eye health and has also been linked to preventing coronary heart disease . Still, the real treasure is in the seeds. Get Like Peter — Your Action Plan Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater, that is. And save those seeds— they’re easy to roast. Superfood Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Parfait By Tulika Balagopal What You'll Need: Optional Toppings: Crumbled graham crackers Peanut butter or any other nut butter Cinnamon
Pretzel Bread - StumbleUpon Baking bread, whether as an occupation or as a hobby, is extremely satisfying. Bakers have almost complete control over their bread, requiring little more than some very simple ingredients, time and the willingness to get his or her hands a little messy. Pretzel bread is not quite a simple as flat bread or dinner rolls, but the loaves come out of the oven with a deep, brown pretzel crust and a slightly sweet, tender center. But now for the bread. Makes : 2 small loaves. Prep time : 3-4 hours (including rise time). Ingredients : 1 packet dry active yeast, or 2 tsp. 2 cups warm (110F) water. 1 tbsp dark brown sugar. 1 tbsp honey. 2 tbsp half-and-half. 3 tbsp unsalted butter. 1.5 tsp salt. 3-3.5 cups bread flour. 3 tbsp baking soda.
Spaghetti and Meatball Pot Pie Remember those meatballs I made for a “special idea” on Friday? Here is that idea, Spaghetti and Meatball Pot Pie. I took the concept and figured if pizza was a good pot pie, then spaghetti and meat balls would be too. This isn't as much a recipe as it is a process. I started by greasing the inside of ramekins (1 cup sized, 3 1/2” in diameter). Next I add in two of the meatballs and sauce. Top that with some vermicelli that had been tossed in the sauce too. Another piece of cheese. For the crust, we made one order of our standard pizza dough and then cut out 3 1/2” circles. I rolled those out a little bigger and then pressed them over the top of the ramekins. Since I wanted the crust to be reminiscent of garlic bread, I made a glaze of butter, roasted garlic, parsley and thyme. I fired up Alexis' Big Green Egg to 450f and set it up in “convection oven” mode with the plate setter legs down. I baked the pot pies on a pizza stone on the plate setter. About 15 minutes in, they started to brown.
The Brownie That Will Change Your Life - StumbleUpon Let me start off by saying that viewer discretion is advised for today’s post. OK now with the story that preludes possibly the greatest brownie I have ever sunk my teeth in thus far in my life. Last Saturday Mrs. Zesty had a baby shower to attend and she was designated for a dessert/sweet treat for the girls. I knew time was tight and I didn’t want to spend all night Friday night to prep a dessert. This recipe, I cannot take any credit for and nor will I try as it is compliments of Nestle Toll House and as you can see from the reviews…. Ingredients 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix1 cup chopped nuts ( Optional )1 cup Evaporated Milk1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted35 (10-oz. pkg.) caramels, unwrapped2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Method Preheat oven to 350° F.Combine cake mix and nuts in large bowl. Bake for 15 minutes.Heat caramels and remaining evaporated milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Thanks zesty
Recipes from Kevin & Amanda This post is in partnership with French’s Sweet Yellow Mustard and Spicy Yellow Mustard. I received compensation to write this post through the Sweet and Spicy Influencer Program. All content, photos, and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting sponsors that allow me to create new content for Kevin & Amanda! Today I’m partnering with French’s Mustard to bring you this fabulous Honey Garlic Shrimp. How fabulous do these veggie noodles look?? Here’s all you need: Shrimp, garlic, honey, red bell pepper, zucchini, squash, parsley, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and French’s Sweet or Spicy Yellow Mustard. You can use either one of these new mustard flavors from French’s today! First we’ll make a decadent sauce for this Honey Garlic Shrimp. Next, cut the zucchini and yellow squash into noodles (long, thin strips). Delicious yellow squash noodles! Next, dice up a couple red bell peppers and saute over medium high heat. Until slightly blackened. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.