brown butter sea salt cookies

First choice - go buy these from the Brown Butter Cookie Company in Cayucos, CA. http://brownbuttercookies.com/  Thanks to my sister for introducing me to these gyms and for this recipe.

Second choice - bake these goodies at home.  Roll the dough by scant tablespoonfuls into balls - do not make them larger!  You could fancy them up by dipping them into melted chocolate after they bake and cool.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Caramelize 12 Tbs. unsalted butter over medium heat in saucepan until nutty with brown bits - watch carefully so it does not burn!  Pour this brown butter into a medium bowl.  Stir in 1/2 c. lightly packed brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl stir together 1.5 cups flour and 1 tsp. baking soda.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and combine well.  Let dough cool to room temperature.  Form dough into scant Tbs. size balls and place on baking sheets.  Sprinkle tops with sea salt flakes.  Bake 15 minutes, or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

mexican style pasta with chicken

Mexican-Style Chicken with Penne

Serves 4.  Another winning combination of flavors from Food and Wine magazine.

            ¾ lb. penne rigate

            5 Tbs. olive oil

            1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” dice

            kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

            1 onion, cut into ¼” dice

            1 large garlic clove, minced

            1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

            1 large chipotle in adobo sauce, seeded, minced, + 2 tsp. adobo sauce

            ½ c. frozen corn

            ¼ lb. queso blanco or mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (1⅓ c.)

            ¼ c. coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add penne and cook until al dente, drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 3 Tbs. of the olive oil.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Add diced tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Add corn, season with salt and pepper and cook until corn is heated through, about 1 minute.

Add cooked penne and remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil to sauce and toss to coat.  Add 1 c. of the cheese and toss.  Transfer pasta to bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese and cilantro and serve. 

tasty brussels sprouts and sausage

Brussels Sprouts with Sausage and Cumin

Serves 4.  I don’t know if this dish from the Jan. 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine is a hearty side dish or a main dish.  Either way, it is delicious.

            2 Tbs. olive oil

            14 halved Brussels sprouts

            salt and pepper

            2 sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed

            1 tsp. dried oregano

            1 tsp. cumin

            ¼ c. fresh orange juice

            1 tsp. honey

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add Brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook over moderately high heat until golden, 4 minutes.  Add sausage, oregano, and cumin.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked, 3 minutes.  Stir in orange juice and honey, toss to coat.

gluten free cookies

First I made some lamb chops (from the January 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine):  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/rosemary-garlic-lamb-chops-with-pimenton-and-mint
and then I enjoyed these lovely cookies.

Five-Ingredient Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 30.  Thanks to Martha Stewart Living magazine (March 2015 issue) for these soft and delicious bites of comfort.  I had some extra honey-roasted almond butter at home and decided to try these.

            1 c. almond butter

            1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

½ c. packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

½ tsp. coarse salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees,.  In a bowl, stir together almond butter, chocolate chips, sugar, eggs, and salt until a dough forms.

Place 1-Tbs. mounds of dough 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until puffed and tops are set, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.  Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.    

gourmet grilled cheese sanwiches

Grilled Cheese and Pepper Jelly Sandwiches

Serves 4.  Inspired by a recipe in the Jan. 2015 issue of Food and Wine, we decided these were the best grilled cheese sandwiches we’d ever had.  We like a local pepper condiment called Cannon’s Red Hots for the jelly.

            ½ c. pecan halves

            1 Tbs. oil        

            1 tsp. kosher salt

            4 Tbs. butter, softened

            eight ½”-thick slices of good white bread

            4 Tbs. hot pepper jelly

            8 oz. sliced provolone cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a pie pan, toss pecans with oil and salt.  Bake for 8 minutes or until toasted.  Let pecans cool, then coarsely chop.

Spread ½ Tbs. butter on one side of each slice of bread.  Spread ½ Tbs. pepper jelly on the other side of each slice.  Arrange provolone on the jelly side of 4 slices of bread and top with the pecans.  Cover each sandwich with another slice of bread, butter side facing out.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over moderate heat.  Add 2 sandwiches and grill for about 4 minutes.  Flip the sandwiches and cook until golden brown on the bottom and cheese is melted, 4 minutes more.  Transfer to a work surface and cook the remaining 2 sandwiches. 

I served this with a sauteed spinach dish, using a red spinach:  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sauteed-spinach-with-lemon-and-garlic-olive-oil

grilled chocolate sandwiches

Grilled Chocolate Sandwiches with Caramel Sauce

Serves 6.  From the Jan. 2015 issue of Food and Wine, this could also be a brunch dish.  I remember dipping toast into hot chocolate as a kid – this is better.  We use the salted caramel sauce from Trader Joe’s for dipping.

            Dark Chocolate Ganache:

            ⅔ c. semisweet chocolate chips

            4.5 oz. 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped

            ¾ c. heavy cream

            ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

            1 Tbs. sugar

            ¼ tsp. kosher salt

            Sandwiches:

            twelve ¼”-thick-slices white country bread

            4 Tbs. butter, melted

            1.5 c. salted caramel sauce, for dipping – slightly warmed

Make the ganache:  In a heatproof medium bowl, combine both chocolates.  In a medium saucepan with as candy thermometer attached, combine cream, cocoa powder, sugar and salt.  Cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture is smooth and thick and registers 165 degrees on the thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes.  Pour cream mixture over chocolate and stir until smooth.  Let cool to room temperature. 

Make the sandwiches:  Spread ¼ c. of the ganache onto 6 slices of bread.  Top with the remaining 6 slices of bread and brush both sides with melted butter.

Heat a large nonstick skillet.  Place 3 sandwiches in the skillet and cook over moderate heat until golden and crisp and the ganache is melted, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer the sandwiches to a platter.  I like to cut them into either triangles or strips.  Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.  Serve with the dipping sauce. 

pasta with squash, sage, and ricotta

I like how this Martha Stewart recipe uses the seeds from the butternut squash:  http://www.marthastewart.com/1086315/orecchiette-butternut-squash-and-sage