Pecan Chocolate Chunk Bars

It's been a while since I've posted, and I have a myriad of lame excuses so we can skip them for now. Basically, life is grand and I'm happy to finally have time to share recipes I've been stock piling for some time!

This recipe was recommended by a friend and to be honest it was more like a command than a recommendation. Each time we spoke after she shared the recipe she'd ask if I'd made the recipe, and at the time I was thinking, I'll get to it! Yeesh! It's a bar recipe, no big deal.  Ha. No big deal? More like stop everything you're doing and make this bar right now deal.

Original recipe here.

Makes 30ish bars (depends how generous you're cuts are)

Ingredients
Crust:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2 pieces
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup golden corn syrup
• 3/4 sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 package large chocolate chips/chunks (just shy of 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cup pecan halves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
2. Blend the flour, butter and sugar in a medium bowl with a pastry cutter or forks, until you have a crumbly mixture. Press it into the prepare pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.
3. Beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla until combined, then stir in the chocolate and pecans. Pour the filling over the crust, then bake for 25-30 minutes.  
4. Let the bars cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then use the overhang of the parchment to lift the bars out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars and eat your heart out.

Apple Butter

I can remember a time when I was growing up when my mom and her friends made a very large batch of apple butter in our home, and what stuck with me most was that it took a very long time and that it was scary good. I probably exaggerated in my mind just how labor intensive it was, because 99% of the time it takes to create this delicious treat is spent waiting while the slow cooker does all the work. One thing I did get right is that apple butter is just darn delicious.

I feel bad for apple butter, in the same way I feel bad for oatmeal cookies -- it doesn't look or sound glamorous but when you try it you realize that it's absolutely scrumptious. You can spread it on toast or a fresh baked biscuit (hello extra gym time), eat it with a soft cheese and water crackers, alongside pork or chicken. Or you can eat it with a spoon straight from the jar. That's always a good option.

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs apples (I used 8 Granny Smith and 6 Fuji)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Juice of one medium lemon
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Special items for canning:

• Water bath (large stock pot)
• Tongs
• Canning jars, seals, and rings
• Funnel, wide-mouthed

Directions:

1. Peel, slice, and core the apples and place them in your slow cooker. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over top, then evenly pour the water, lemon juice, and vinegar over the apple slices. Use a large spoon to mix everything up. Cook on low heat for 10-12 hours. 
2. Transfer the apples to a blender and blend the apples until smooth, then return the apple butter to the slow cooker. Place the lid back on off-kilter so the steam can escape, and cook for an additional 4-5 hours, until it the apple butter has thickened (similar to the consistency of a hearty tomato sauce).
3. If you do not want to can the apple butter you can store it in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to one year.

Canning instructions:

1. When the apple butter is almost done, prepare the jars for canning.
2. Place your jars in the bottom of a large pot, then fill the pot with water up to a couple inches past the tops of the jars. 
3. Boil the jars and the lids for 15 minutes, then use tongs to remove them. 
4. Use a funnel to spoon the hot apple butter into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Place the seals and screw on the lids, then return the jars to the water bath and boil them for 15 minutes. 
5. Use tongs to remove the jars of apple butter and place them on a counter top or surface where they won't be disturbed. Leave until the lids pop to seal and the apple butter has cooled, approximately 6-8 hours. Once the lids pop to seal you loosen the rings to prevent rusting. You will hear the seals popping as the contents cool, and you can also test it later by pressing on the center of  the seal - if it doesn't budge it's sealed, if it pops in and out it's not. Any jars that didn't seal can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
6. Store your canned apple butter in a cool, dark and dry place for up to one year. Once opened, the apple butter will keep in your fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Simple Potato Salad

As the days grow hotter I try to avoid turning on my oven and instead stick with meals that can be prepared either entirely without heat (hooray for sandwiches!) or with minimal stove-top cooking. I love potato salad because it can be re-purposed into upcoming meals in so many ways. You can mix it with scrambled eggs for brunch, mash it with a little paprika and cumin and serve it with grilled chicken, chop some hard boiled eggs and dill pickles for a classic take on the potato salad, throw it in a wrap with salsa, beans, and veggies, or even eat it the same way as you prepared it for a couple days, it's tasty as is. This particular potato salad is mayo-free, too, which allows you to add other sauces later on without worrying about over-doing the sauciness (think barbeque sauce, salsa, tzaziki, hummus, etc.). That's right. This potato salad not only sets you up with a delicious side for this meal, but other meals to come as well.  And on hot summer nights, it's always a bonus to have dinner ready to grab straight from the fridge. Yep. It's pretty great.

The recipe I used is this German Potato Salad recipe from Bon Appétit. Sometimes I like only the bare bones of a recipe, and other times I come across a gem like this and I stick close to the original. The only deviations I made from the original recipe are as follows:

• I skipped the toasted caraway seeds because I do not have any on hand
• I only used 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill. I prepped the called-for 2 tablespoons of dill, mixed 1 tablespoon into the potatoes and tasted it and I felt that that was plenty "dilly". Obviously everyone has their own preferences, so I encourage you to make your own decisions (I hope this is already standard practice for you!). 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small waxy potatoes, halved or quartered to even size (I used golden baby potatoes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil  (If you have an infused olive oil such as garlic or oregano this would be a good time to try it!)
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste (I used 1/2 tsp smoked salt and 1 tsp cracked pepper)
• 4 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 1+ tablespoons fresh chopped dill

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Cook until fork tender, roughly 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside in a large bowl. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium-size pan over medium heat. Add the oil, then the chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent and slightly golden, about 5-8 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vinegar, then toss in the potatoes. Add the salt, pepper, scallions, and dill, mix gently with a large spoon until all potatoes are evenly coated.You can serve this warm, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. 

Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Cream

Strawberries are the perfect accompaniment to a summer dessert, and this recipe makes for an easy treat so you can spend your evening relaxing on the patio with a cool drink rather than fussing over a dessert inside. The hardest part of the whole recipe is to keep yourself from eating the vanilla cream with a spoon. So as long as you have a little self-control you're all good.

Vanilla Cream

• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

Vanilla Cream Directions:

1. Blend the vanilla, sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Add more vanilla extract if it is too thick (should not form peaks when stirred). Set aside until you're ready to serve the tart.

StrawberryTart Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to directions on the package
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Tart Directions:

1. Preheat the oven 400 F. 
2. Beat the egg, cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla with a whisk until smooth and almost pillowy, about 3 minutes.
3. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/2" thick (roughly 10x16"). Prick the dough with a fork every three inches or so.
4. Blind bake for 4 minutes, then remove the puff pastry from the oven. Spoon and spread the cream cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving about 1 inch border un-touched (like a pizza). Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the pastry is golden around the edges.
5. Top with the sliced strawberry wedges and let it cool to room temp before drizzling on the vanilla cream. Use a pizza cutter to slice up the tart into squares before serving, as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's been a while since I last shared a recipe, and I hope that this delightful cookie recipe will make up for the wait. I am always intrigued when I find a recipe with a twist on a classic recipe, and when I came across this recipe for Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies from Plain Chicken I knew I had to try it. I love coconut flavors in both savory and sweet foods, and fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) I had all the ingredients on hand. To those who do not use coconut oil, you're missing out. You can cook with it like other oils, make your own chocolates like these, heck you can even use it as a hair mask. Basically, it's pretty darn handy.

The coconut flavor in these cookies is not overwhelming, but more a subtle hint in these pillowy-chocolate-chippy morsels.

I know you're not supposed to trust people when they say Trust me. But trust me on this one, these will change the way you look at those jars of coconut oil at the grocery store. Seriously.

I halved the recipe and made jumbo-sized cookies (8 total, so I'll give y'all the regular amounts in case you have a party or a bake sale to attend), but other than that I stayed true to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mix until combined. 
3. Fold in the chocolate chips, then divide the batter into golf ball-sized pieces of dough. This should yield roughly 3 dozen cookies, but if you want to make jumbo cookies, divide the batter into larger pieces so you make 16 large cookies
4. Bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes. For jumbo cookies, the baking time increases to closer to 15-17 minutes.

Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Or if you're like me, wait until the chocolate is not molten so you can scarf one down and then regret not savoring the chewy, soft, coconutty flavors, rationalize that you really must experience that taste again and eat another one much slower. Then feel really full and delay making dinner for another 3 hours. 

Homemade Pizza

I have been wanting to try a new pizza dough recipe for some time and recently I had enough free time to make it happen without feeling overwhelmed.

There is something mistakenly daunting about dough. We hear "kneading" and "rising" and suddenly we act like we have to slay a dragon to get to the good part. That's not true! Yes, the dough takes time to rise (in this recipe, it takes an hour all in one go). Yes you will have to do a little kneading (in this recipe, twice, quickly). But it's not difficult or complicated to do, so get over it and just make the darn dough. Alright?!

I used this recipe from Food Republic because of the simplicity of the recipe, and also because after many Google searches and Pinterest scouring, this seemed match most generally agreed-upon basic pizza dough recipes. The only thing I tweaked was the baking temperature, which I increased to 500 F. 

For the toppings I kept it simple: roasted garlic and olive oil topped with a variety of sliced meats and melty cheeses from a local delicatessen, Choux Choux Charcuterie (for all the Victoria folks out there, I highly recommend trying at least one thing here -- it's all good), but really anything can go on your pizza: arugula, feta, sauteed mushrooms, chicken, roasted veggies, tomatoes and basil... dang it. Now I'm hungry for pizza all over again.

Makes two 12" pizzas
Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for greasing the dough and rising bowl  (Note: I used an infused Tuscan Herb olive oil for extra flavor)
• 3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface

Directions:

1. Pour the warm water into a large bowl, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until creamy and lightly foamy.
2. Mix in the the sugar, salt, and olive oil. Lightly dust a separate work surface with flour. You will want to do this now before your hands are covered in dough. Trust me, you'll be so glad you don't have to think about the logistics in about 5 minutes.
3. Gradually mix in the flour. If you have a stand mixer, you can use a dough hook and mix on low until a dough ball forms. Otherwise, get in there with clean hands and mix the dough until a ball forms. Turn the dough out onto your flour-dusted work surface and knead until the dough is smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Lightly grease a large bowl then place the dough inside. Brush a little oil on top, cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, breeze-free place for one hour or until doubled in size. Basically don't put it by an open window, leave it somewhere it won't be disturbed while it rises.
5. When there is about 15 minutes of rising left preheat your oven to 500 F. 
6. Once the dough is ready turn it out onto your work surface again (top up on flour if you need to). Use a dough-cutter or a large knife to cut the dough in half. Gently knead one half, form into a ball again, then roll it out into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough gently to a pizza stone or non-stick (or lightly greased) baking sheet. Repeat for the second ball of dough. 

1. Top with whatever toppings you choose, then bake for 12-15 minutes. Try not to open the oven while it's baking as you don't want to loose any heat while it's crisping up.
2. Remove from the oven when the crust is golden, let it sit for 3-5 minutes so the cheese can set up a bit before slicing and serving. 

If you want to make calzones you can use this dough recipe as well. Rather than cutting the dough into two portions you can quarter it and roll out 4 rounds for easy homemade calzones. Baking time would remain about the same, although depending on how much you stuff your calzones you may need a few extra minutes. Golden crust = cooked crust.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

I kept seeing recipes for whole roasted cauliflower cropping up on Pinterest and other food sites I frequent (like this one from Bon Appétit), so when I was perusing the produce section at the grocery store last weekend I snagged a big head of cauliflower. It's all about preparation, people! The amount of times I am craving something I've seen all week and yet didn't get the ingredients to make is just too high to count, so I try to make up for that by doing things like buying the cauliflower when I know I want to eventually make it.

There are a lot of recipes out there and after making it just once I finally understand why. It's really really really easy to make. Plus, if you've had roasted cauliflower with just salt and pepper you know that it lends it's own caramelized veggie umami flavor without much coaxing. Wins upon wins, my friends!

To be honest it, I kind of winged it, and this was a success in my books as in nothing I would have changed. Next time I will try this recipe just because the pictures are so dang tantalizing. And because as soon as I was finished I wanted to make a million more.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons green curry paste
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Note:  You are going to first boil the cauliflower so if you don't have a gigantic stock pot, just use a pot large enough to at least fit the cauliflower and cover it halfway up with water.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the bay leaf. Place the cauliflower head in the water, and boil for a total of 10 minutes, rotating the cauliflower halfway through.
3. Drain, and rinse gently with cold water until cool enough to handle.
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. 
5. Place the cauliflower stem-side down in a pie dish or casserole dish wide enough to hold the cauliflower. Rub the seasoning mix all over the cauliflower.
6. Roast in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes, until it is a deep golden color. 
7. Remove carefully with a large spatula and serve it warm on a plate. You can gently slice wedges of the cauliflower to serve, similar to how you'd cut a cake.  Serve it hot as veggie side dish with dips/spreads such as baba ganoush or tzaziki. We ate this with roasted chicken and it was perfecto.

Simple Banana Bread

 

Banana bread is one of those things that I really love but rarely make for myself. I remember to buy bananas like 3 times a year, and when I do remember to buy bananas I usually end up eating them all during the week instead of waiting for that perfect overripe state. But not this time! No! I was super prepared and I bought enough bananas to cover both breakfasts and bread making for the upcoming week. I purchased a slightly under-ripe bunch of bananas on Sunday and on Wednesday I had bananas that were just starting to speckle with brown. And so begins my tale of how to make banana bread.

Makes one 9x5" loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• Optional: 1 cup chopped pecans or 1 1/2 c. large chocolate chips (you can use regular ones, but I swear by the jumbo babies because I like the size better in a loaf -- regular chips tend to melt away and lose their shape). Heck if you really want you can add 3/4 c. pecans and 3/4 c. chocolate chips. It's your world.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F and position the rack into the middle of the oven.
2. In a large mixing bowl mash your bananas. You can use a fork, a pastry cutter, a potato masher... Really anything. Just mash those nanners up until there are no pieces bigger than a big pea. Or a bean. Or a Junior Mint. You see, this is clearly an exact science. You may proceed.
3. Mix in the melted butter, then add the sugar, egg, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
4. Next add the baking soda and salt, mix again to combine. Then add the flour and mix.
5. If you decided to add nuggets of goodness (aka pecans or chocolate chips), now is the time to fold them in.
6. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let it rest in the pan uncovered for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely, another 45 minutes.
7. Store in an airtight container or covered in foil for 3-5 days. 

 

Gin & Soda with Lime

Now for something short and sweet: I love gin and tonics like Augustus Gloop loves chocolate. I love chocolate, too, but when it comes to adult beverages I prefer unsweetened and even a bit on the sour side. Thus my undying love for G&T's. Unfortunately tonic water has almost as many calories as regular sweet carbonated beverages like coke or ginger ale, so I like to swap the tonic for zero-cal soda water.  This is a perfect example of adulthood: attempting to be health conscious while I get my drink on.

Makes 2

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces gin (I prefer Beefeater)
• 12 ounces soda water (1 can)
• 1 lime, sliced
• Ice 

Directions:

1. Place ice in two glasses. Add 2 oz. gin to each glass, pour 1/2 can soda water into each glass.
2. Lightly squeeze one slice of lime into each glass, then add the remaining slices to the glasses and stir. Serve and enjoy!

 

Ginger Beef and Bok Choy Stir Fry

Delicious and flavorful dishes do not have to be complex or expensive, and this is a perfect example of a quick and cheap yet scrumptious and filling meal. I kept thinking that I was forgetting something when I went to dish it up, that's how minimal the work is! It took me more time to eat my dinner than it did to make it, and that's a sure sign of a successful meal in my books.


Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil  (can substitute canola)
• 1 lb beef (chuck steak cut into strips, most grocery stores will sell the strips all prepped for you)
• 8-10 baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, sriracha

Directions:

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil the the hot pan, then add in the beef. Cook the beef for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown all over. 
2. Add the baby bok choy, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Cook until bok choy is tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds then serve it up! I drizzled sriracha on my bowl of beef and baby bok choy for some heat.

White Sangria with Strawberries

This is unbelievably easy and perfect for those times that you want to get your party on but also pretend to be classy, like when you host ladies night at your place or bring a specialty drink to a barbeque.

To be quite honest before last weekend I had never made White Sangria, so I was a bit nervous. I mean, you pour everything in and have to hope for the best! Yikes!

However, after a Pinterest binge and a chat with a really friendly woman at the liquor store I just went for it. The beauty of Sangria is that you can tweak it to be what you want, not what it should be.

Also quite the bonus, you don't have to splurge on a crazy expensive wine, because all of the other ingredients will smooth out any cheapo wine you pick.

Makes 8-10 tumbler-sized servings (you'll probably want to double, triple, quadruple this recipe, it's just so dang delicious)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint strawberries, sliced (about 2 cups sliced)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 lemon 
• 1 bottle Pinot Grigio
• 1/2 cup Triple Sec
• 16-24 oz. ginger ale

Directions: 

1. In a small sauce pan add the strawberries and orange juice. Lightly simmer until the orange juice thickens to a more syrupy consistency, about for 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the orange and lemon and place in a large pitcher.  Add the strawberries, wine, and Triple Sec. Use a long spoon to mix the fruit and wine, then let it sit covered in your fridge at least 4 hours (overnight if you can!). Pour in 16oz. ginger ale right before serving (adding more if needed).
3. Serve with a ladle, scooping some fruit into each cup as well. 

Substitution Options: 
Orange juice:  Any other citrus juice such as limeade, lemonade, or grapefruit juice etc.
Triple Sec:  Brandy, Cointreau, or White Rum
Ginger ale: Sprite, 7-up, Lemonade
Fruit: Apples, peaches, pineapple, mango... really anything that's in season!

Pizza Dip

I first made this dip in university for my boyfriend and his friends, and it was promptly devoured. I'll be honest, I was worried when I made this the first time. My bf doesn't like tomatoes, and I wasn't sure if a pizza dip with very little, uh, pizza sauce was going to be good. It doesn't look the greatest, but don't let that fool you. In fact, once you've tried it you'll secretly hope other people won't want to try it so there's more for you. This is good.

The name is really descriptive, but it's really all you need to know. It's pizza in the form of a dip.

I make it every year for the Superbowl as it seems to go well with chicken wings, beer, and binge eating. Like I said, perfect for game day. This is also not super gourmet, which makes it extremely easy to throw together. It's all about eye-ballin'. Want a more tomato-y sauce? Add more tomato sauce. Want more garlic? I have an idea! Add more Garlic. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Granted, we should be very clear that by making this dip you are essentially throwing out all plans for a nutritious and healthy game time snack.

Seriously, this dip is so filling on its own that the only other thing you might need is a long run to burn off the extra calories.

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup chopped pepperoni (or salami or any preferred fine, cooked sausage)
• 8-10 white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 brick cream cheese
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black cracked pepper
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• Optional: 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. In a medium pan over medium-low heat saute the garlic and onions until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the pepperoni and mushrooms. Stirring occasionally, cook until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, mix the sour cream, cream cheese and tomato sauce until well blended. Add the pepperoni and mushroom mixture, black olives, green onion, chili flakes and s & p, and mix to combine. Optional: if you're really going for it, you can also mix in 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese at this time.
3. Can be made one day ahead, keep covered and chilled in refrigerator until ready to bake. 
4. Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes, or until edges are bubbly. Serve hot with garlic bread, tortilla chip, or dipping veggies.

Now go throw your self-hate and shame out the window, embrace your inner wild child, and go crazy on this dip. Just do us all a favor and reserve a bit of that enthusiasm for the gym later. You'll need it.

Double Chocolate Cookies

I always make room in my life for chocolate, and since it's Superbowl Sunday I decided to whip up a batch of cookies to bring along.   Baking is not like cooking, you can't "fake it 'til you make it", so after a bit of searching in my cookbooks and online, I decided to try Martha Stewart's Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Imagine the best chocolate chip cookie and the best brownie you've ever had, combine the two, and that's what these cookies are like. What more can a girl ask for?

These cookies are super rich and indulgent, so prepare to share with others unless you want to go into a chocolate coma.Which, I mean, is totally your choice.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces semi-sweet bakers chocolate
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (you can use semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate if you prefer)
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining with parchment paper, set aside. 
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 
3. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double-boiler until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a large bowl, then mix in the sugar and eggs until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients you prepared earlier. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Use a tablespoon to scoop golf ball-sized amounts of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the dough about 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. The cookies will look very soft, just slightly beginning to crack when you remove them from the oven. You'll probably even think, no these aren't done! Ignore your reaction, transfer the parchment to a wire rack and let the cookies cool at least 10 minutes before handling. 

Simple Prime Rib

I easily consider myself a "steak and potatoes" kinda gal -- red meat is something that I never tire of, particularly a good roast beef.  Of course, like every one else I have a budget, I value my health, and I also like to change it up, so I don't eat red meat every single day. Hello, Adulthood. Right after Christmas I purchased a turkey and a few prime rib roasts (see, that's my budget playing into my food choices!) to portion out and freeze for later on.
To celebrate the weekend (it's the little things in life) I served this prime rib roast along with a warm carrot and potato salad. Leftovers are going to be eaten today in the form of a sandwich... unless I get too lazy and just eat the roast beef straight out of the container. There's a high probability of that happening.

And, always a recurring theme on here, it's really easy to make.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 standing prime rib roast (3-4 pounds for two people, or 1 bone for two people)
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Bring the prime rib out of the refrigerator and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes (to allow it come to room temperature). Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Coat a roasting pan in foil and grease lightly.
3. Mix the salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub the oil all over the roast, then rub in the salt and pepper mixture to coat the whole cut of meat.
4. Stand the rib fat-side up in the pan and roast in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, and do not open oven. Turn the heat to 350 F and cook an additional 15-17 minutes per pound for medium-rare (use a meat thermometer for the safest and most accurate cooking: 115-120 F for rare, 125-130 F for medium).
5. Remove roast from oven and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before carving. At this time you can use the pan drippings for a gravy if you wish.

 Note: If you are serving the meat later on, you can reserve a portion of the drippings in the pan, carve the roast, then place the meat back in the pan to keep everything moist.

Homemade Granola

Granola is a very humble treat, but that's part of the beauty of this unassuming snack. It's like oatmeal cookies, not very glamorous but oh so tasty.  Plus, when you make your own granola you know what you put in it. I am not a big fan of super sweet granola and I also prefer a less-sticky granola, so by making my own I can make it exactly how I want. Also, it's a great on-the-go breakfast or snack that I can carry around. When I first make a batch I portion it out into a few small and medium containers so that I have it ready to go later on. AND just be to even more wild I add dark chocolate chips to my granola so it's just as lovely on its own as it is on top of yogurt, mixed with berries, stirred with milk... you get the picture!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cranberries*
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 F. 
2. Mix the honey, brown sugar, water, vanilla, and oil in a large bowl. Mix in the oats and almonds until coated. 
3. Spread the oat mixture over a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 7-10 minutes. Bake until granola is golden.
4. Let granola cool on baking sheet, approximately 20 minutes. Pour granola into large bowl, mix in the cranberries and chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container. This granola will keep in the fridge indefinitely.

You can swap the cranberries for any other dried fruit such as blueberries, raisins, pineapple, mango, or goji berries. Remember, this is your granola, make it how you want!