I Want to Marry You Cookies

 1 cup butter

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats

¾ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips (combination milk, semi-sweet or dark)

¾ cup white chocolate chips

Nuts  (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until melted and starts to turn a golden color (don’t let butter become too brown or the liquids will evaporate and you will end up with dry, crumbly dough). Remove from the heat.

Immediately add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir until sugars are incorporated and smooth. You want to keep stirring until all of the grainy texture is gone. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix together.

Stir in the white chocolate chips and chocolate chips and optional nuts.

This recipe can be found here.

Roll into balls or use a scoop, and place on a light-colored cookie sheet.

Chill for 30 minutes or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The dough gets better when it chills for 24-48 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for 12 to 16 minutes.

Kentucky Butter Cake Cookies

 

2½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp butter extract

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Glaze

½ cup butter

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 tsp vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets.

Cream butter and sugars until fluffy and light. Blend in eggs and extracts thoroughly. Gently incorporate sifted dry ingredients, mixing until just combined, maintaining a smooth, cohesive dough without overmixing.

Scoop 1 Tbsp cookie balls. Delicately flatten each ball using fingertips or a smooth utensil to create uniform discs.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for subtle golden edges. Allow brief resting on baking trays.

 Melt butter in a small saucepan. Integrate sugar and water, stirring until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and blend in vanilla.

While cookies are still warm, generously brush or drizzle glaze across surfaces. Cool cookies completely.

Lemon Ginger Cookies

 

1⅔ cups flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp.  ground allspice

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup butter

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup finely chopped/minced crystallized ginger, divided

 

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in 2 Tbsp of the crystallized ginger.

Roll the dough into scant 1-Tbsp balls and lightly press a few pieces of the remaining crystallized ginger onto the tops. Chill the dough balls for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place dough balls on lined baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the centers still look soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Frosted Flakes Cookies

 

½ cup butter softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar packed

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup quick cooking oats

2 cups flour

1½ cups chocolate chips

1½ cups Frosted Flakes cereal

 

Note: this dough requires chilling.

Cream butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer. Add oil and stir until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mix until smooth, then stir in the salt and baking soda.

Mix in oats and flour until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and Frosted Flakes cereal. There is no need to crush the cereal; a stand mixer will do that for you. If you’re using a hand mixer, you may want to crush the cereal into large pieces before adding it to the cookie dough.

Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet covered in wax or parchment paper. No need to spread the balls out, you’re just going to chill them. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour. (If you chill longer than 4 hours you may need to let them warm up a few minutes on the counter before baking.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with silpat baking mats. Place cookies 2” apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown. Cool at least 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

This recipe can be found here.

Holiday Quinoa Salad

 

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 cup uncooked quinoa

½ cup crumbled feta

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

½ cup chopped green onions

½ cup dried cranberries

zest of 1 orange

citrus dressing (recipe below)

 

Bring water or chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to stand 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and chill.

Toss chilled quinoa, feta, pecans, green onions, cranberries and orange zest together.

Drizzle dressing over the mixture and then toss quickly to combine.  Serve cold.

 

Citrus Dressing

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Tbsp. olive or canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. kosher salt

10 cracks black pepper

1 tsp. creole seasoning

Whisk ingredients together.  If possible refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

 

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake with Chcolate Icing

 

 

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 sticks Butter

1 cup Boiling Water

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2 whole Beaten Eggs

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

FOR FROSTING:

1 3/4 stick Butter

4 Tbsp. (heaping) Cocoa

6 Tbsp. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 lb. (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

 

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add peanut butter. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into peanut butter/flour mixture until combined. Pour into sheet cake pan  (I use an 18x13 sheet cake pan)  and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the icing. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together and pour over warm cake.

Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best peanut butter sheet cake. Ever.

This recipe can be found here.

One Pot Moroccan Quinoa

 

2 tsp. unsalted butter or olive oil

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped shallots 

3 garlic cloves minced

2 Tbsp. mild harissa 

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

1 cup dry quinoa

1 (14.5-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup sliced green olives 

 

Heat butter in a large skillet with a fitted lid over medium-high heat. Once melted, add lemon slices. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown; flip and cook 1 to 2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate and reduce heat to medium.

Add oil, shallots, and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in harissa, cumin, paprika, and quinoa; stir to coat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly toast quinoa.

Stir in diced tomatoes, broth, and salt; increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until quinoa absorbs most liquid and plumps up about 15 to 20 minutes.

Uncover, and stir in spinach until greens wilt into the mixture, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almonds. Top with olives, fresh herbs, and caramelized lemon slices.

This recipe can be found here.

Crispy Ranch & Lemon Roasted Sprouts

 

1½ lbs Brussels sprouts

⅓ cup oil olive oil

3 tsp. ranch seasoning powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ tsp. zest of lemon

3 tsp. fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut off the hard ends of the brussels sprouts. Remove any yellow outer leaves.

Cut in half. Rinse under cold water. Drain and dry well on a kitchen towel.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, ranch powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Add in Brussels sprouts. Using your hands, toss and coat the sprouts well in the seasoned oil mixture.

Transfer to 2 large baking sheets, with parchment paper. Oil the parchment paper well with vegetable oil. Place facing the cut side down on the sheet about 1½-2 inches apart. Discard any fallen out leaves.

Bake in oven 18-25 minutes.

With 5 minutes remaining, add the almonds.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and salt.

This recipe can be found here.

Favorite Quinoa Salad

 

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed

1 medium cucumber, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

¾ cup chopped red onion

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

½ tsp. fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Cook quinoa in 2 cups water.

In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.

Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

This recipe can be found here.

Almond Cake

 

½ cup unsalted butter

2 large eggs, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup flour

1½ Tbsp. almond extract

½ cup slivered almonds

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan or 8-inch pie pan.

Cream eggs and butter in a medium bowl. Add sugar, flour, and almond extract; pour into pan.

Sprinkle with slivered almonds and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

This recipe can be found here.