Soft Double Chocolate Cookies

These are dangerously rich. The edges are slightly crisp but the whole of the cookie is soft like a brownie. They are great with icecream. Pretty simple to make yet packed with chocolate flavor.  I get 4 dozen out of this recipe but I like them on the smaller side because of how rich they are. I use a slightly over filled #7 scoop for my cookies which is about the same as a mounded tablespoon. 

Soft Double Chocolate Cookies adapted from The Gourmet Cookie Book

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

4 oz unsweetened chocolate *(or 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa mixed with  4 tablespoons canola oil)

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick) cut into chunks

4 large eggs room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

In a medium, microwave safe, bowl put unsweetened chocolate, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and butter. Melt in 30 second increments stirring in between each, until smooth. 

In a separate large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugars until thick, light colored, and fluffy. Really give it a good beating. 

Add vanilla and beat some more. 

In a small bowl stir together the flour, salt, and baking powder. 

Carefully fold the chocolate into the eggs.  

Stir in the flour and remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. 

Allow the dough to rest for 15 min.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop mounded tablespoon fulls onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. They should be puffy and cracked. Don't over cook them, they should be soft, but don't under cook them either or they will be too soft and doughy to handle. You will get a good measure of time after you bake the first batch. If they are under done, just slide them back in for another minute or two. I take them out of my oven at exactly 10 minutes. 

Let them cool and rest on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

Mexican Stewed Chicken

Trust me on this one. Sounds weird and looks weird but it's really good. Promise. My husband reminded me tonight it's one of his favorite meals that I make. I wish I had come up with it but we have Rachel Ray to thank for that. I have made this a few different ways and they have all turned out good. She originally uses chorizo but I have never been a big fan of it, or I have never had good chorizo. Who knows. But, a butcher suggested kielbasa to be a good substitute so that is what I have always used (yes, "hot dogs" again for my 3 year old. Gotta use up what's in the fridge :)).

I have a hard time deciding whether to eat this with a spoon or a fork. I guess you could shred the chicken after you cook it, or start with it cut up. But I like the rustic feel of having a whole thigh, or breast in my stew so I guess the the battle will continue. My husband likes this with rice while I prefer a big chunk of crusty bread to soak up all the good juices, so I try to have both on hand when I make it. I love having this as leftovers mmmm. Bless you Rachel Ray. 

Mexican Stewed Chicken adapted from Rachel Ray

Serves 6

Ingredients 

7 oz kielbasa diced

6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (I've used breasts as well)

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup white wine OR chicken broth 

1/2 onion diced

1 large red OR green bell pepper diced 

1 1/2 cups celery diced (same amount as onion combined with pepper)

1 carrot diced - optional

1 jalapeño sliced, (usually take half the seeds and ribs out to tone the heat down for my 3 yr old)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 can chicken broth

~3/4 cup green olive with pimentos OR black olives

Salt and pepper

Toppings: cilantro, avocado 

Eat with: rice, and/or crusty bread

Directions

Heat oil in a large deep pan over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper and brown chicken on both sides and remove to a medium bowl.

Brown kielbasa and remove to the bowl. 

Turn heat to medium.

Add all veggies to the pan and allow them to sweat and soften.

Pour in white wine to deglaze pan. 

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and olives. 

Add a bit more salt and pepper to taste. 

Also add back to the pan the kielbasa and chicken to cook through- about another 5 min or so. 

Serve with rice and/or bread. 

Top with cilantro and/or avocado.

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

I have really been loving hummus lately. Strange for me because I used to not like it so much. I finally decided I needed to do something with the container I had in the fridge, other than just eat it with crackers.  So I whipped up some flatbread and got to cooking some chicken. It turned out pretty darn good.  My 3 year old even asked for leftovers for lunch the next day so I decided to post it. 

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts 

1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme OR oregano leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes

Toppings:

This Hummus or your favorite hummus (I've been loving roasted pine nut) 

1 cup sliced black OR green olives

3-4 leaves sliced romaine lettuce

1/2 English cucumber chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese

4-8 flatbreads or tortilla wraps

Directions

Place chicken in a gallon ziplock bag along with the garlic, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pound the chicken to equal thickness if it's not already pretty even.  Allow it to marinate for the amount of time it takes you to chop and prepare all the toppings and heat a medium pan over medium-high heat -  or longer I'm just not that on top of it. 

When the pan is hot, pour the chicken into the pan along with the marinade. Brown one side of the chicken, about 7 minutes. Flip the chicken over and pour in the tomatoes. Allow the chicken to cook uncovered in the tomatoes until pretty much all the tomato juice has evaporated. We don't want a soggy wrap. Add a little more salt to taste. I also like to smash or cut the tomatoes a little with my spatula while they are cooking. 

Slice chicken and layer your wrap starting wih hummus, then chicken and tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, olives, and feta. Yum :)

Grilled Asian Chicken and Edamame

The grill has revolutionized stir fry for me. I guess it's not really stir fry anymore. Meet the humble rice bowl. So ridiculously good. In order to accomplish such great flavor in your veggies I recommend buying a grilling basket. Ours has holes that are just big enough that the edamame doesn't fall through. Perfect :) 

Grilled Asian Chicken and Edamame  

Serves 4 

Ingredients

3 teaspoons sesame oil

4 chicken breast

1/2 of a small head of cabbage, chopped

1/2 small onion, diced

2-3 cups shelled frozen edamame

4 cups cooked Jasmine rice

Sauce

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup oyster sauce

1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped 

1 tablespoon fresh ginger 

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together the sauce ingredients. Pour about 1/4 - 1/2 of it into a gallon size ziplock bag. 

Add chicken and 2 teaspoons sesame oil to the gallon size bag. Use a kitchen mallet or something heavy and flat to pound the chicken carefully to about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thickness. *It's important to always flatten your chicken to even thickness to make sure it cooks evenly and you avoid dry edges. Allow to marinate while you chop the veggies and heat the grill. Or longer if you like but I rarely think that far in advance :)

Heat grill to 400 degrees

In another gallon size bag add chopped cabbage, onions, edamame, remaining sesame oil, and salt and pepper. Close it and mix well. Pour onto grilling basket.

Turn all the burners to medium and place chicken on one side and the veggie basket on the other. Close the lid. Flip the chicken and stir the veggies after 7 minutes. Cook another 7 minutes. Remove from grill and allow the chicken to rest for about 4 minutes. slice the chicken. 

I like to put the chicken and veggies on a giant platter and serve the sauce and rice separate so everyone can make their own bowl the way they like it. My little boy is a fan of serving himself lately. 

Enjoy! 

Kale and Sweet Potato Hash

My husband has a friend who just finished an Iron Man. Wow, do I feel lazy. He posted a picture of his lunch on Instagram one day and it looked good. Real good. So he inspired me to eat more veggies. Join with me by making this dish. It can be vegetarian as well, just leave out the kielbasa (aka hot dogs as my 3 year old calls them). I lured my little guy into wanting to eat it with "hot dogs" but it is yummy without them too. 

Kale and Sweet Potato Hash

Serves about 4

Ingredients 

3 Tbs olive oil - just to coat the pan

One lg sweet potato peeled and diced into cubes

3-4 small potatoes diced into cubes, I like to leave the skin on these

2 cups chopped purple cabbage

4 kale leaves, ribs removed and chopped

2 carrots diced 

1/2 small onion diced

1 clove garlic 

Juice if one lemon

7 oz  turkey kielbasa diced 

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oil in pan. Sauté potatoes over medium high heat about 10 min or so until tender. Add salt and pepper and stir often to avoid sticking if you aren't using a non stick pan.  I covered mine for about half the time to help steam them. Set aside. 

Add kielbasa, onions and garlic to the hot pan and stir often and let the onions get soft. Add the cabbage and kale and pour lemon juice over the top, stirring to coat. Cook until kale is just slightly limp, bright green and not soggy. Salt and pepper and stir in potatoes just to mix them together. You can do this part in a bowl if your pan is too small. 

Enjoy!