V-Neck and a Cardigan

crepesofwrath:

Nutella Milano Cookies

Ohhhh yep. 

crepesofwrath:

The Perfect Breakfast Potatoes

I love you. I honestly love you.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Salted Chocolate Drizzle

I know I’ve said this before, but I think the Cook’s Illustrated chocolate chip cookie recipe is pure perfection. The browned butter makes for the perfect tasting cookie. I decided to take it to the next level by adding a little extra to top them off.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp  baking soda
• 14 tbsp unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl and set aside.

2. Heat 10 tbsp butter in skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tbsps butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips, giving the dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
6. Remove cookies from sheet to cool completely. Meanwhile, melt the rest of the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Heat and stir until chocolate is smooth and has a sheen. Drizzle chocolate on top of the now cooled cookies. If the chocolate becomes firm just reheat over the double boiler again. Sprinkle sea salt on top of the cookies. Place in fridge to allow chocolate drizzle to harden.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili

This is a great vegetarian dish. The squash is a nice complement to the spice of the chili. I highly, highly recommend it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/2 chili powder
• 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 cans black beans
• 2 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 2 1/4-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking bulgur

Recipe

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Sprinkle chili powder and stir for another minute. 
2. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, chipotles, jalapenos, and oregano. Add 5 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until water cooks down, stirring occasionally (about 2 hours). 
3. Stir squash and bulgur into chili. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until squash and bulgur are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

You can top this with chopped red onion, sour cream, cilantro, and/or jack cheese.

Enjoy!

Turkey Bolognese 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 yellow onion, peeled quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thirds
• 3 broccoli stalks, peeled and cut into thirds
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 pound ground turkey (I used 99% fat free turkey)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups unsalted, fat-free beef broth
• crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta to package directions and drain. Set aside.
2. In a food processor (!!!) chop the garlic and onions, set aside. In the same processor, chop the carrots and broccoli stalks. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions. Cook 3-4 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add the carrots and broccoli stalks, and cook an additional 5-6 minutes until the carrots soften, then in add the tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook 2-3 minutes stirring continuously until the tomato paste becomes fragrant.
3. Heat another large skillet over high. Add the remaining oil. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet and brown 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the meat to the skillet with the veggies. Add the broth. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until the meat is cooked through and the sauce reduced by half. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes (I like my sauces a little on the spicy side). Turn off the heat, and slowly stir in the cream cheese. Toss the sauce with the pasta and sprinkle with cheese if you want.

Food processors = so much less prep time! So amazing.

crepesofwrath:

Coffee & Doughnut Holes

You are perfection. 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These are my favorite fall dessert and they’re making their triumphant return for a bbq this weekend!.

Here’s the recipe for anyone who may have missed it last year. It includes my absolutely favorite cream cheese frosting recipe. 

Ingredients for Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp ground cloves
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups chilled pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for cream cheese filling

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butted
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, and cloves. 
3. In a separate, large bowl whisk together the brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until incorporated. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time until thoroughly combined.
4. Scoop out 2 tbsp-sized drops of dough onto baking sheet with parchment paper. They should be 1 inch apart. Dip your fingers into water and flatten the dough into disks.
5. Cook for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies start to crack.
6. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. 
7. In an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add in the cream cheese until combined. Add in sugar and vanilla, mix until smooth.
8. Once the cookies have completely cooled, put a generous (really, generous!) helping of the filling on the underside of one cookie. Press second cookie on lightly to make sandwich. Refrigerate the sandwiches for 30 minutes-1 hour before serving, it really makes them much better!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Welcome back fall… I’ve missed you.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until foamy 
3. Beat in the flour and both sugars until well blended
4. Add in vanilla extract, pumpkin and nutmeg/allspice/cinnamon mix until combined.
5. Blend in melted butter
6. Toss chocolate chips with a sprinkling of flour and fold into batter
7. Pour batter into a lined/greased cookie sheet
8. Bake for 25 minutes, or until center is completely cooked through.

Chicken Enchiladas served with Black Bean and Jalapeno Rice

This might be one of my favorite dishes I’ve ever made. Huge tip of the hat to Cooks Illustrated for the base of this recipe. I can’t recommend you make this enough.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cans of 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken (I used the thin sliced chicken breasts)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine 1/2 tsp salt, the chopped onion, and the oil in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8-9 minutes until the onions have softened. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook this together until the smells fills the air (30-60 seconds). Then mix in the tomato sauce and water. Bring this to a simmer and cook until it thickens (approximately 5 minutes).
3. Trim the fat off the chicken and nestle it in the sauce so it’s completely covered. Reduce the heat to low and cook until chicken is no longer pink (10-13 minutes depending on thickness). Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it cool.
4. Strain the sauce into a medium bowl, pushing on the onions to get all the liquid out. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. 
5. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss the chicken with 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the chopped up jalapeno, and salt and pepper. 
6. Place the 12 tortillas in a stack on a plate and microwave for 60 seconds until warm. Spread the tortillas onto a clean surface and begin assembly (place 1/3 cup of the mixture in each tortilla, then tightly roll the tortilla around the filling and set seam-size down in a 13x9 baking dish).
7. Spray the tops of the enchiladas that are now in the baking dish with some cooking spray. Then pour 1 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas, coating them completely. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top and cover the baking dish with foil. Cook for 20-25 minutes. 
8. Remove the foil and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese browns. 

For the rice, I just sauteed 2 chopped jalapenos in a little bit of vegetable oil, added the black beans until warmed through, and then added in the cooked rice. 

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (separated into 10 tbsp and 4 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg, and 1 large egg yolk
• milk chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)
• crushed pretzels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, set rack at middle of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Heat 10 tbsp butter in a pan on medium-high heat. It should take 2 minutes for the butter to melt. Then swirl/stir constantly for another 1-3 minutes until butter becomes browned. Remove pan from heat and pour melted butter into a large, heatproof bowl. Add in the other 4 tbsp butter and stir until it’s completely melted.
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanille to butter and stir until incorporated. Add in egg and egg yolk and mix until no sugar lumps can be seen. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 3 seconds. Repeat this wait and whisk process two more times. 
4. Stir in flour mixture with spatula. Add in chocolate chips and pretzels (the amount is really up to you, just make sure there’s enough dough to make a cookie that won’t fall apart).
5. Make 3 tbsp sized cookies and place 8 on each baking sheet. I flattened them out a bit because they don’t spread much while baking. 
6. Bake sheets one at a time, for 10-14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through for even cooking. 
7. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

nutellaalldayeveryday:

Nutella Chip Cookies

For the nutella chips, I used this recipe. 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Cook’s Illustrated)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 14 tbsp. unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, and 1 large egg yolk
• nutella chips (replacing chocolate chips)

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl and set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted (~ 2 minutes). Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in nutella chips and give the dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Scoop 3 tsbp balls of dough and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place 8 per baking sheet.

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely before serving. 

nutellaalldayeveryday:

Self-Frosted Nutella Cupcakes

These are called self-frosted because the nutella is swirled into the batter rather than just being plopped on top of the cupcake. 

Ingredients

• 10 tbsp softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup of nutella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
3. Add vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir until all ingredients are completely combined. 
4. Separate 1 cup of the batter into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of nutella. 
5. Line muffin tins with liners. Add a teaspoon of the regular batter, and then the nutella batter on top. Swirl the 2 layers together with a toothpick. 
6. If making mini cupcakes, they bake for approximately 12-14 minutes. Full sized cupcakes will be around 20 minutes. 

Note: I may have also topped some of these with nutella once baked and cooled. You can never have enough nutella.