Fancy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love anything with "chocolate chip cookie" in the title, but these aren't your ordinary chocolate chip cookies! These have coconut, nuts, and oatmeal which give them some extra chewiness and texture. They are the perfect cookie for dunking in milk.

Ingredients:

2 c shortening
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp soda
2 cups each of nuts, coconut, chocolate chips
2 c brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 c sugar
3 c flour
4 c oatmeal (quick oats work best)

Directions:

Cream shortening and sugars together. Add vanilla, then eggs (2 at a time) and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

*This recipe comes from my old home ward cookbook

Curry Coconut Peanut Sauce & Creamy Peanut Sauce

I've tried a ba-jillion peanut sauces and these two are by far my favorites. If Sawadee in SLC would give me the recipe to their peanut sauce, that would be my new favorite, but since they say it's secret or something like that, I guess I'm out of luck. You can use these as dipping sauces, as a base for a peanut sauce and rice noodle dish, as a salad dressing, marinade, chicken satay, tofu and vegetables. It's amazing. The coconut curry one just has a little more zip with the curry. The creamy sauce is just a good standard peanut sauce, plain and simple. You can thank Whole Foods for this recipe!

Curry Coconut Peanut Sauce (Can be GF if you use GF ketchup and soy sauce)

Ingredients:

1 tsp canola oil
1 small red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 tsp)
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
4 tsp minced fresh, yes FRESH ginger (You can usually find this already prepared near the tofu in a little jar)
4 tsp curry powder
4 tsp cumin
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (You can use lite coconut milk if you are watching calories)
5 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/4 c minced fresh cilantro
5 tsp tamari (or lite soy sauce)
4 tsp honey
1/8 c lime juice
1/8 c ketchup
3/4 c water

Directions:

Heat the canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, serrano pepper, and ginger until the onion is translucent. Add the curry powder and cumin; saute over low heat for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, cilantro, tamari honey, lime juice, ketchup, and water. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking often. Reduce the heat; simmer for 10 minutes. (makes 4 1/2 cups, serving size 1/8 cup)

Creamy Peanut Sauce


Ingredients:

1/2 c canola oil
1/4 c toasted sesame oil
1 c finely chopped yellow onions
1/8 c finely minced garlic (12 cloves)
1 2-inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped (fresh ginger, the kind you have to peel)
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 c water
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 c tamari
2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions:

Heat the canola and sesame oils in a large saute pan over medium heat; add the onions, garlic, and ginger, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, ketchup, peanut butter, cilantro, tamari, lime juice, and hot pepper sauce; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Cool the sauce mixture. In a blender or bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree the mixture until smooth. (Makes 3 cups, 1 serving = 1/4 cup)

Asian Spring Rolls with Soy-ginger Dipping Sauce

Although this was the first food my husband ever spit out after one bite (he's not a veggie kind of guy) his parents loved them. I love them! They are easy to make and are very delicious. I love the fresh herbs and the way the sauce gives them the perfect kick. A very nice twist on a fried egg roll!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 ounce uncooked rice sticks (you can get these at any Asian market, get the skinniest ones you can find)
1 cup peeled, shredded carrots
1/4 cup packed FRESH cilantro leaves (to get just the leaves, grab your bunch of cilantro, turn it upside down on a cutting board, then take a fork and start "shredding" the leaves off. Voila, all leaves, no stem)
3 Tbsp shredded FRESH basil (sorry gotta use fresh on this!)
1 cup shredded green-leaf lettuce
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1/4 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
1 cup seeded, chopped, red bell peppers (I prefer chopping them into matchstick size)
16 cooked medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, about 2/3 pound unshelled (I tried ground chicken cooked in a little bit of hot chili sauce and it was to DIE for!)
8 8-inch round rice-paper sheets (they looks like white transparent tortillas)

Directions:

Place the lime juice, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger in a screw-top jar. Shake viegorously until blended. Set the soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce aside.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the rice sticks, cook for 3 minutes. Drain, run under cold water, drain again.

Combine the rice sticks, carrots, cilantro, basil, lettuce, garlic, scallions, red-pepper flakes, and bell peppers in a large bowl.

Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise.

Place one rice-paper sheet in a shallow bowl or pan. Cover with 1 inch hot water and let stand for 30 seconds, or until soft. Place the sheet on a flat work surface.

Place 1/2 cup rice-stick filling in the center of the sheet. Arrange 4 shrimp pieces on the filling.

Fold in both sides and then the bottom of the sheet over the filling, then roll it up from the bottom to close. Gently press the seam to seal. Place the roll on a plate and cover with a damp towel.

Repeat with the remaining rice-paper sheets, filling, and sheep. Serve with the dipping sauce in small bowls.

Rocky Road Brownies

These are a family favorite. My grandma still has a pan of these sitting around almost every time I visit. As a child, I remember drooling over these and even getting in trouble for standing in front of the TV during an intense football game and screaming "I WANT A BROWNIE!" Um...yeah. Probably contributed to my tight pants syndrome.

Ingredients:

1 c margarine or butter
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c cocoa
1 1/2 c flour
1 c chopped nuts (optional!)
2 c sugar
pinch of salt
Miniature marshmallows (1-2 cups)

Icing:

1/4 c melted butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 tsp vanilla,
dash of salt
dash of milk to thin to correct consistency

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and sugar until melted and well combined. In a mixing bowl, add the melted chocolate mixture and then beat in 1 egg at a time. Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the marshmallows and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 25 minutes. These can also be made in a large cookie sheet for sheet style brownies that are a little thinner.

Remove from oven and cover evenly with the miniature marshmallows. Put back in the oven and bake 5 more minutes. Cool and then ice! Try to avoid eating the whole pan in one sitting.

Snickerdoodles

A cookie that has a perfectly chewy texture and the perfect amount of cream of tartar for a little kick. I would dare say this is the best snickerdoodle recipe I've ever tried. They are my husband's FAVORITE cookie.

Ingredients:

1 C butter (you can do 1/2 shortening, 1/2 butter)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar + 3 tsp cinnamon (Do not add to dough)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffly. Add eggs, mix well. Mix the dry ingredients first and then add to the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar.

This dough works better if you chill it for about 30 minutes. I use a cookie scoop for these which holds about 2 tablespoons of dough. Roll the dough into a ball and then roll the ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Makes 24 cookies.

Whole Wheat Bread

This bread is fail-proof. It is soft, sweet, and keeps for a very long time without getting crusty. Follow the directions exactly, and you can't go wrong. Plus, it makes your house smell awesome.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp dry yeast
1/3 c warm water
2 2/3 Hot tap water
1 1/3 tsp salt
1/3 c oil
1/3 c honey or sugar
1/6 molasses
8 cups flour (whole wheat)

Directions:

Add 1 tbsp of sugar to 1/3 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast into the water and sugar mixture. Allow the yeast to do its thing- don't stir it up too much. Combine hot tap water and about 5 cups flour in mixer, using the beater bar. Mix until well blended. Add salt,  oil, sugar or honey, molasses and 1 cup flour. Add prepared yeast. Blend thoroughly. Switch to dough hook, Add 2-4 cups flour, knead for about 10 minutes or until dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl. Let rest for a few minutes before putting into greased bowl. Oil top of bread. Cover with a soft towel. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 30 minutes) Punch down, let rest for a few minutes- shape into loaves and put in well greased bread pans (2 small loaves) let rise again until it looks like it's just peeking over the top of the bread pan. Bake 30 minutes at 350 or until done.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Who doesn't love a soft pretzel? These can be made at home in a snap. There is a fabulous restaurant in Jackson Hole called Sidewinders and they fill a homemade pretzel with cheese, pepperoni, and give you sauces for dipping. It is shaped in a giant "S" and so Dan and I decided to try to make some at home because they are the best carbohydrate invention. Ever.  You can leave these pretzels plain, or fill them honeymustard and chicken, ham and cheese, chocolate chips, cinnamon and sugar, and anything else you can imagine. These are from Alton Brown.


Ingredients: 


1 1/2 c warm water
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast (make sure it isn't too old or it won't work as well!)
4 1/2 c flour
2 ounces melted butter
10 c water
2/3 c baking soda


Directions: 

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving

Spicy Chickpea Patties with Cilantro, Lime, and Chilies

These delicious vegetarian patties are insane! This recipe comes from the Whole Foods cookbook and can be served as a side dish or as the main dish.

Ingredients:

1/8 cup canola or olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
1 jalepeno pepper, minced (optional if you don't like heat)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 (15 3/4-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chickpea flour (if you don't have chickpea flour, try grinding some oats in a blender or coffee grinder for a quick substitute)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
3 scallions, minced
Juice of 2 limes
Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large nonstick pan, heat the canola or olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, jalapeno, curry powder, and cumin for 3 minutes, until the onion is softened. Transfer the spice mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a standard 5 blade, and process for 20 seconds, until coarsely chopped. Add the chickpeas, chickpea flour, bread crumbs, cilantro, scallions, lime juice, and salt.

Continue to process for 20 seconds more, until the mixture is coarsely chopped, well combined, and has fomed a thick paste. The paste should be firm enough to be scooped and shaped into small patties. After making the patties, lightly dust them with chickpea flour.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and spray it with the vegetable oil. Saute the patties for 4 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and heated through. For an even crispier patty, place one on a sheet pan for 10 minutes in the center of a 375 degree oven. Serve with a simple cucumber raita  (recipe below)

2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 small red onion, minced
1/2 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and minced
1/2 medium tomato, seeded and minced
1/2 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/8 cup minced fresh mint
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced (1/2 tsp)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Javanese Roasted Tofu with Pepper Rainbow

This delicious dish from the Whole Foods Cookbook is to die for.

Ingredients:

1 pound extra-firm tofu
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup tamari or shoyu (tamari can be found by the soy sauce, or just use lite soy sauce)
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt

1/8 cup canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced green pepper
1 cup thinly sliced yellow pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the tofu into 1-inch thick slices across the short side of the tofu block. You will have 6 slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet, and bake them in the oven for 25 minutes. The tofu should not be crispy-you want it to simply dry out and firm up.

While the tofu is baking, in a medium bowl blend the peanut butter, tamari, honey, water, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne pepper, and salt.

Pour the penut butter sauce over the cooked tofu, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and continue to bake at 350 for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. remove the tofu from the oven, and place on a serving dish.

Just before the tofu is done, heat the canola oil in a large sate pan, and saute the red, green, and yellow peppers for 2 minutes, until softened. Top the tofu with the peppers.