Chicken and Dumpling Soup

I’ve been on a huge soup craze lately, and I’m not sure why….maybe because soups are low carb, maybe because it’s winter (although sometimes it feels more like spring in Dallas), or maybe its just because I’ve found some truly outstanding soup recipes.

Whatever the reason, you’ve got to try this chicken and dumpling soup that is extremely delicious. My mom discovered the recipe from the latest Bon Appetit magazine, and made it for my dad a few weeks ago. He was pleasantly surprised and ate three bowls of it the first night! One week later, I visited my parent’s house, and low and behold, she made the soup again. This time I got to try it; I concur with my dad, it is awesome.

The original recipe calls for gnocchi, but my mom did not have any ricotta cheese on hand (my dad went shopping for her, and since he does not like cheese, he probably “forgot” to buy ricotta on the grocery list – haha). Dumplings make a great substitute for gnocchi, and are what we used in this soup.

As far as taste goes, I would liken this recipe to a creamier chicken noodle soup. The broth has a savory flavor from the chicken thighs and cooked vegetables. The chives and parsley are a nice addition, and the Parmesan adds a unique twist you wouldn’t expect to pair with soup. I also discovered what a parsnip is… I’m not sure how to describe the taste, but it looks like a white carrot!

The recipe below looks long and extensive, but don’t let that scare you into making chicken and dumpling soup. The instructions are detailed, and the recipe surprisingly easy. Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

*Dumplings

2 cups flour

1/2 cup shortening (solid Crisco)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

*Note below

Chicken and Gravy
10 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 celery stalks, cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick slices
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 parsnip, peeled, cut into 1/4″
1 leek, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick slices
1/4 cup chopped flat parsley
1/4 cup press chives
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Shaved Parmesan

Directions

Dumplings

1. Mix the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of peas. Add the water and blend.

2. On a floured board, roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch squares. Let dry for about 15 minutes.

Chicken and Gravy
1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken; reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool slightly and shred into bite-sized pieces. Bring to broth to a boil and cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt buter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is pale beige in color, about 15 minutes (do not brown).
3. Scape roux into simmering broth; whisk until thickened and broth coats the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and add vegetables. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.

4. Drop dumplings into boiling soup. Cover tightly (don’t lift cover); reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until done. Using a slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to bowl, dividing equally. Ladle chicken and vegetables with gravy over. Season with peppers and top with Parmesan.

Yield: 8 servings
Recipe adapted from: Bon Appetit

*Note – my mom substituted her homemade dumplings for the gnocchi since she forgot to buy ricotta cheese at the store. The original gnocchi recipe is below:

*Gnocchi

1 pound ricotta

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 1/4 cups finely grated Parmesan

3/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Directions

1. If using fresh ricotta that has excess liquid, you may need to drain it overnight. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a medium bowl. Add ricotta; cover with plastic wrap and let drain overnight in refrigerator. If using supermarket ricotta, proceed with recipe; no draining required.

2. Gently mix ricotta, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, egg, Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl just to blend (do not overwork). Form dough into a ball (it will be sticky); wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Using your hands, roll 1 portion into a 1/2″-diameter rope; cut crosswise into 1/2″-thick pieces. Lightly dust gnocchi with flour and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover gnocchi with a kitchen towel and chill until ready to cook. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 months ahead. Freeze on sheets, then store, frozen in an airtight container.

4. Cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occassionally, until gnocchi float to the surface, about two minutes (slightly longer if frozen).

Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries

If you are a fan of all things crunchy, you must make this pecan-orange granola with dried cranberries soon! It beats any granola from a box, including Bear Naked granola, my favorite… until now.

My mom forwarded me this granola recipe from the latest Cooks Illustrated magazine. When I stopped by her house for a quick lunch this past week, I was pleasantly surprised to see and smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked granola.

It’s an extremely easy recipe to make. Simply combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit, and bake for 40-45 minutes. Next, let the granola cool and harden for 1 hour before breaking into crunchy clumps of desired size and tossing with the dried cranberries.

As far as taste goes, I could probably eat all nine cups of this granola…it is that good! The combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and orange zest make for a warm and comforting snack that is seriously addicting.

Sprinkle granola over Greek yogurt, serve it in milk like you would cereal, or munch on it plain as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Enjoy!

Bake granola for 40-45 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Let cool for 1 hour.

Break granola into pieces and toss with dried fruit.

Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries
Ingredients
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed (2 1/3 ounces) light brown sugar
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups (10 ounces) pecans, coarsely chopped
2 cups dried cranberries

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and nuts until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8-inch thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking.
4. Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in dried fruit. (Granola can be stored in airtight container fro up to 2 weeks.)

Yield: about 9 cups
Cooks Illustrated, March & April 2012

Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Crisp Dilled Crust

Broiled salmon with mustard and crisp dilled crust is one of my favorite fish recipes… however it nearly cost me my love of baking and my oven!

Back when I was first learning how to cook in college, I made some mistakes that I am not proud of. One of those mistakes was catching Easy Mac on fire in the microwave. I know, I know… the word “easy” is in the name, but I forgot to add water!!!

Another mistake was when I was making this very same broiled salmon recipe: I nearly caught my oven on fire! As most of you know, the broiler element of the oven is much hotter than the normal baking temperature of 350 degrees F. To cook this salmon, you must broil it for 7-9 minutes. During the broiling process, I made two mistakes:

The oven rack was only about an inch from the heating element, rather than 3 inches.
I put way too much olive oil on the salmon – in fact a pool of oil collected on the aluminum foil…hint, hint – this is what ignited the fire.

As you can guess, #1 and #2 from above are what caused the fire in my oven. I remember smelling the awful burning odor from my kitchen, and seeing the smoke seep out of my oven door. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a small flame engulfing the top portion of my oven, and my salmon!

Note: this is a pretty flame…mine did not look like that!

If you’ve ever been in a scary situation, you can relate to the same weird, adrenaline-rushing sensation that I felt. I was shaking, everything was moving so fast, and I felt like I was “watching” the scene, rather than taking part in it. Luckily the flame was small enough, that I was able to extinguish the fire with just a juice glass-size of water. My ears were ringing from the smoke detector, but thankfully, it went off before anyone was dispatched. I even salvaged some of the salmon and ate the non-charred portion of it…I was hungry!

To this day, I’m still extremely scared of using a broiler (I’m even scared to use an outdoor grill), but I’ve had no accidents since then…”knock on wood”.

I hope you enjoy this salmon as much as I did. Obviously I would not be making it after my “accident” had I not LOVED it! The fish is flaky, the bread crumbs are crunchy and crisp, & the the dill is a perfect accompaniment to this extremely flavorful and slightly salted dish. You will feel as if you’re eating at a 5-star restaurant. Bon Appetit!

Pulse sandwich bread and pita chips into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 4-5 minutes, shaking once or twice until golden. Mix breadcrumbs with freshly chopped dill and set aside.

Rub olive oil, salt & pepper on salmon fillets and broil until opaque.

Coat salmon fillets with dijon mustard and bread crumbs.

Broil in oven on lower rack until 1 minute longer.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Crisp Dilled Crust
Ingredients
1 slice sandwich bread (high-quality, crusts removed)
1 oz. potato or pita chips (crushed into rough 1/8-inch pieces about 1/4 cup thick cut)
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh dill (leaves chopped)
2 salmon fillets (8 ounces each and 1 1/4-inches thick, skin removed)
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. table salt
black pepper (ground)
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

Directions
1. Adjust one oven rack to uppermost position (about 3-inches from heat source) and second rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Pulse bread in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade until processed into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces about the size of Grape-Nuts cereal (you should have about 1/3 cup). Pulse for about 10 one-second pulses.
3. Spread crumbs evenly rimmed baking sheet; toast on lower rack, shaking pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, and dill in a small bowl, set aside.
4. Increase oven setting to broil. Line baking sheet with foil and place salmon on foil. Rub each fillet evenly with 1/4 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon on upper rack until surface is spotty brown and outer 1/2-inch of thick end is opaque when gently flaked with pairing knife, 7-9 minutes.
5. Remove fish from oven, spread each fillet evenly with mustard and press bread crumb mixture onto fillets. Return to lower rack and continue broiling until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer. Use spatula to transfer salmon to serving plates.

Yield: 2 servings
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated – published April 24, 2007

Turkey Meatballs in Homemade Tomato Sauce

Mmmmm…I’ve only recently discovered how much I love meatballs! Not only are they super cute and bite-sized, they are super easy to make and taste wonderful.

I’m sure you’ve also guessed by the name Turkey Meatballs, that these are pretty healthy. Yes, meatballs with sausage and beef may be more flavorful, but they also contain more fat. Not this recipe! The only fat you are getting is from the ground turkey, which depending on the leanness, could range anywhere from 1 to 6 grams of fat.

The red pepper flakes gives these meatballs an ever so slight spicy “kick” to them and the minced shallot gives you that savory pop of flavor. The homemade tomato sauce has a nice combination of Italian flavors, but be sure to simmer the sauce long enough or you’ll make the mistake like I did and have a thin sauce….you’ll want it semi-thick. (If you’re lazy, just heat up some of your favorite mariana sauce.)

For a healthy alternative to Italian meatballs, give these a shot and let me know what you think!

Combine the milk and breadcrumbs and let stand for 5 mintues. Add the turkey, salt, red pepper flakes and minced shallot. Mix well.

Form small balls using your hands, or to be more precise, use an ice-cream scooper. Bake for 20 minutes in a 375 degree F. oven.

Meanwhile puree tomatoes in a food processor. Pour into a heavy saucepan and simmer oregano, garlic and salt for 20 minutes or until thickened.

Once meatballs are cooked, place them in the tomato sauce.

Serve meatballs plain or with pasta, spaghetti squash, or any other carb of your liking. Don’t forget the freshly grated Parmesan cheese (picture above)!

Turkey Meatballs in Homemade Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
1. Puree your tomatoes in a food processor or blended until smooth. Pour into a large dutch oven or heavy saucepot and bring to a simmer with oregano, garlic and a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Let simmer for about 20 minutes to thicken.
2. Combine the milk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl and let stand for 5 mintues.
3. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, 1 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes, minced shallot and the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix well and form small balls (you can use your hands or use an ice-cream scooper to form perfect-looking balls).
4. Bake the meatballs for 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Once done, drop into tomato sauce and serve plain or with pasta and Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Recipe from: Eat, Live, Run

“Flat as Flapjacks” Chocolate Chunk Cookies

As the common saying goes: “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, so don’t judge these cookies by their looks because they are ugly and “flat as flapjacks”. I’ve never made cookie that flattened out as much as these, and was quite shocked in their texture. However…

… after my first bite, I absolutely fell in love with these chocolate chunk cookies! My mom had not eaten a cookie yet, and was just about to throw the entire batch away in the trash (since they were so ugly), until I stopped her. Seriously, these cookies are now one of my FAVORITE chocolate chunk cookies ever!

What makes these cookies so good you ask? Well for one, the recipe calls for chunks, not chips. Chunks make these cookies richer, more chocolately, and seem to “melt in your mouth” better than chips. In addition, these cookies have a “secret” ingredient….cinnamon! The cinnamon is definitely noticeable, but it is not over-powering. It almost makes these cookies taste like a cross between a snicker doodle and chocolate chip cookie… absolutely, positively, unbelievably delicious!

In addition this is a super easy recipe, thus it doesn’t take a gourmet chef to whip up a batch of these homemade cookies. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 Tbsp.), room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F if using a convection oven).
2. In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla and cinnamon on medium speed, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on medium-low speed until combined.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add all at once into the batter, mixing on low speed until combined and flour is incorporated.
4. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough with a spatula or spoon.
5. Flatten dough into a shallow pan, such as a pie plate, and freeze for 20 minutes.
6. Coat two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
7. With a 2-ounce ice cream scooper, scoop cookie dough onto each sheet.
8. Bake for 15-17 minutes until just golden on top (for a more chewy cookie, decrease the baking time). Cool cookies on a wire rack.

*Note: Do not flatten the scoops of cookie dough. Allow them to keep their round shape and they will naturally flatten in the oven.

Yield: 12-14 cookies
Recipe from: Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook: Breakfast, Brunch, and Beyond from New York’s Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant

Cherry Cheesecake Pie

Here’s an extremely easy and extremely tasty pie that you must try! I discovered the recipe at The Southern Lady Cooks last week on National Pie Day and couldn’t resist trying it. With just six ingredients, it doesn’t take a gourmet chef to create this eye-appealing dessert.

My husband was out of town last week, and since I had no one to cook for, I invited his parents over dinner. My mother-in-law, Paula, is a huge country cook…we are total opposites. 🙂 I don’t know if this is a “country” thing, but when she has people over for dinner, she begins cooking early in the day. That way, when people come over, she can talk & visit and not worry about the food.

When 4:30 pm rolled around, Paula asked where dinner was. For one – she eats early, around 5:00 pm, and two – she was shocked that I had not even started cooking yet…that would have stressed her out.

Growing up, my mom would always start dinner around 5:15 to 5:30 or so. We would be sitting down to dinner at 6:20 – 6:30…it was like clock work. Therefore, I was not at all stressed to be preparing an entire meal in under one hour.

The dinner for my in-laws turned out great! They cleaned their plates: the quick chicken parmesan, garlic bread, side salad, and 2 slices of cherry cheesecake pie disappeared before our very eyes!

As far as taste goes, the cherry cheesecake pie is outstanding! The filling is light and rich at the same time. The graham cracker crust is a perfect complement to the sweet creamy filling and juicy cherries. This pie actually reminds me of one of my favorite summertime desserts – Limeade Pie. The ingredients are nearly identical, sans the cream cheese and limeade concentrate, and the recipe is just as easy.

Enjoy!

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.

Pour into graham cracker crust and chill for at least 3 hours.

Once filling is set, top with cherry pie filling and serve.

Cherry Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
1 graham cracker pie crust (or make your own)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1/3 cup lemon juice (I takes about 4 fresh lemons)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Slowly add condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla, beating until smooth.
2. Pour into crust.
3. Chill at least 3 hours or until firm and then top with cherry pie filling.

Yield: 1 pie, 8 servings
Recipe from: The Southern Lady Cooks

This recipe is featured in The Kurtz Corner: Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 23}

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana and White Chocolate

I am a huge fan of oatmeal! I eat oats for breakfast every morning, and depending on my mood, I’ll eat it cold or warm. My favorite cold version of oatmeal, perfect for a warm summer morning in Texas, includes swiss oatmeal or overnight chocolatey oats. When I want pipping hot oatmeal, I opt for original baked oatmeal or a sweeter version: baked blueberry oatmeal.

I found this baked oatmeal with strawberries, bananas, and chocolate on one of the newest and most addicting websites, Pinterest. The picture of the breakfast casserole was so divine-looking, and I couldn’t wait until the weekend so I could make this recipe for brunch! There are a few changes I made to the recipe as seen below:

I substituted white chocolate chips for semi-sweet because I am not much of a chocolate fan for breakfast, thus I thought white chocolate would be less intense.
Please use ground cinnamon for your spice. I used Chinese five spice, as the original recipe called for, but would recommend you use ground cinnamon instead. The Chinese five-spice blend was a little over-powering and too “spicy” for me.
I substituted chopped pecans for walnuts. Either is fine…use whatever you have in your pantry.

Overall, I thought this baked oatmeal was very good. I recommend sprinkling brown sugar on top, and returning the casserole to the oven to broil it and create that extra crunch! You can also drizzle maple syrup over the top for an added sweetness, but I didn’t feel it was necessary.

My husband also really liked this. It’s always nice when he enjoys new recipes, especially “girly” and fruit-centered recipes that don’t involve red meat! Haha.

Enjoy!

Combine oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, half the strawberries, half the nuts, and half the chocolate chips.

Whisk together the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla extract.

Add the oat mixture to the prepared pan.

Top with remaining strawberries, bananas, and nuts.

Pour the milk mixture over fruit and oat mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Sprinkle with brown sugar. Return to oven and broil for 20-30 seconds.

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana and White Chocolate
Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used Chinese five-spice…as the original recipe called for, but I don’t recommend it)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pecan or walnut pieces, chopped
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, half the strawberries, half the pecans and half the chocolate. (Save the other half of strawberries, walnuts and chocolate for the top of oatmeal).
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract.
4. Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange the remaining strawberries, nuts and chocolate on top. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shimmy/shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set. For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar on top then place back in the oven under the broiler and broil for 20-30 seconds. Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of sugar or drizzle in maple syrup.

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe adapted from: Inspired Taste

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

At church, when someone has a baby, a sign-up list goes out asking for volunteers to bring them meals for dinner. It makes life easier on these couples, and since I LOVE to bake, I had no problem signing up to bring dinner. Even though it was 70 degrees this weekend in Dallas, the temperature dropped and it never made it out of the low 50s the next day. With the cool front that rolled it, I thought it fitting to bring over taco soup and perfect cornbread to my friends (and new parents) at my church.

I had debated on what dessert I should make for them all day. I had narrowed it down to coconut chocolate chip bars…until I talked to my sister. For those of you who don’t know, my sister is an extremely talented baker! She bakes sweets for the entire Oklahoma State cross country team before each one of their races. As I was telling her my cooking plans, she mentioned some chocolate chip Oreo cookies (from the Picky Palate blog) that she made for her fiance, Colby.

Colby, like me, LOVES Oreo cookies! He likes the double-stuffed kind, the regular, the inside-out version…any kind of Oreo. Despite his love for the black and white cookie (and cotton candy), Colby does not like sweets…weird…but probably a good thing! 🙂 However, this past year, my sister has been working on getting him to eat more desserts, especially cookies. When she told me that he ate SIX of these chocolate chip Oreo cookies, I knew they must be delicious. Colby normally eats one to two cookies at a time, not six!

Let me know what you think of these. It is the perfect combination of cookie and Oreo, and satisfies both cravings. The Oreos add a slight crunch, as well as contributes to a more chocolately, chocolate chip cookie. Enjoy!

After combine ingredients, gently fold in Oreos and chocolate chips.

Using a medium-sized cookie scooper, place dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 mintues at 350 degrees F.

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with a tall glass of milk, like you would a plain ‘ole Oreo cookie!

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soday
1/2 tsp. salt
8 broken pieces Oreo cookies (we used regular Oreos, NOT double-stuff)
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add egg and vanilla until mixed well.
2. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir in Oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.
3. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cooked, but still soft.
4. Let cook on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Yield: 2 dozen
Recipe from: Picky Palate

This recipe is featured on Tuesday Tutorials Link Party {No. 20} at The Kurtz Corner

Chocolate Pudding

This chocolate pudding is a recipe you need to add to your “to-bake” list. My husband was craving something sweet this weekend, even though I had just made him a batch of Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies! I went rummaging through my cookbooks, and discovered this “healthy” chocolate pudding recipe from a cookbook my mom bought me for Christmas: Cooking Light Way to Bake: The Complete Visual Guide to Healthy Baking – delicious recipes, fresh healthy ingredients, smart tools & techniques.

Chocolate pudding is the perfect dessert to make for my husband for two reasons:

He LOVES chocolate
He LOVES chocolate pie, but HATES the crust (crazy, I know!)

Well, this dessert was a winner! The pudding was smooth, extra thick, extra creamy, and had a nice milk-chocolate taste you would expect from any good custard. It is also considered “healthy” since the recipe calls for fat-free milk instead of whole milk, and only 2 teaspoons of butter.

I would also recommend this pudding as a lunch-substitute… and here is why: I gave my Dad a container of chocolate pudding when he came to visit me at work yesterday. Before arriving, he had been to the dentist to fill a cavity. His mouth was still partially numb from the novocaine, so he skipped lunch. Later than evening when he called me, I asked if he had tried the pudding.

He responded, “It’s gone.”

“What do you mean it’s gone?” I asked.

“I ate it all.” He said.

To my surprise, I found out that he had eaten almost all of the pudding for lunch and said that it was outstanding! Makes since to me…when my mouth is sore or numb, the first thing I want to eat is pudding.

Before I give you the step-by-step instructions, here are some final tips, found in Cooking Light Way to Bake, about making pudding.

Recommendations:

Tempering is a process that combines a hot liquid with a cool one, protecting the delicate eggs from coagulating/clumping too quickly. (Be very careful…I nearly coagulated my eggs!)
Pudding is thick enough with it coats the back of spoon.
Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a thin, rubbery skin from developing on top.

P.S. Sorry about the photographs. The lighting in my kitchen would not cooperate with my camera this time!

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl.

Combine 1/2 cup milk and egg yolks, stirring well with a whisk.

Add egg yolk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring well.

Temper egg yolk mixture with milk, then pour into milk mixture. Return pan to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Add chocolate, vanilla, and butter. Pour pudding into individual ramekins and refrigerate until chilled.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream!

Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions
1. Place 2 cups milk in a medium, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
2. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and egg yolks, stirring well a whisk. Add egg yolk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring well. Gradually add half of hot milk to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
3. Return milk mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
4. Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate, stirring until butter and chocolate melt.
5. Spoon pudding into a bowl. Place bowl in a large ice-filed bowl for 15 minutes or until pudding cools, stirring occasionally. (I skipped this step.) Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap; chill.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)
Recipe from: Cooking Light Way to Bake: The Complete Visual Guide to Healthy Baking – delicious recipes, fresh healthy ingredients, smart tools & techniques

Toasty Parmesan Chickpea Salad

This toasty parmesan chickpea salad is my new favorite side dish. It is absolutely delicious! It has a nice crunch from the green peppers, red onion, and bacon that has been sizzled in salty bacon drippings. It is sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese that holds everything together like glue. With a pleasing flavor, my husband even enjoyed this… and I’m not sure he’s even eaten chickpeas before!

In terms of nutrition, the health benefits of chickpeas are numerous. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans are high in protein and fiber. They also are a healthy source of carbohydrates for people with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. Chickpeas are low in fat, have a healthful source of zinc and folate, and also assist in lowering cholesterol in the bloodstream!

Give these a try and let me know what you think! From now on, I will always have a can of chickpeas in my pantry to make this savory salad. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

After roasting chickpeas, saute onions and peppers for 2 minutes.

Add chickpeas, toast for another 5-7 minutes.

Add bacon, Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately.

Toasty Parmesan Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 slice of bacon, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
bunch of fresh chopped parsley (I didn’t have, so omitted)

Directions
1. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add bacon and fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel, leaving grease in the skillet.
2. Add onions and green peppers to the bacon fat, and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Make sure chickpeas are dry and toss with paprika and pepper. Add to onions and peppers, stirring and toasting for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Turn off heat and add Parmesan cheese and parsley. Sprinkle on bacon. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings
Recipe from: How Sweet It Is