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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies ::: Cure for a rainy day

My kitchen aid stand mixer is my best friend and my worst enemy.

Especially on beach days that turn into couch days because of a massive thunderstorm in Miami.

Since receiving the mixer as a gift from Peter’s family for Christmas I’ve made banana peanut butter cookies, banana cookies, peanut butter cookies, and chocolate chocolate chip cookies. None have been so fabulous that I felt like blogging them though.

THESE however are fan freaking tastic and you should go make them right now.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies     makes 24

Adapted from Martha Stewart 

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened, plus more for the pans
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon water
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 /4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Butter or line 2 rimmed baking sheets with a slipmat.In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl {I used my stand mixer}, beat together the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and water. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoons  of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the dough 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden in color. Let sit for at least 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

 

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::: keelymarie :::

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Easter Dinner ::: Your Menu for Sunday

Are you hosting Easter this year?

The last 3 years I’ve hosted Easter dinner at our house. Last year my Mom and her boyfriend were in town and before that we had a group of friends over in Manhattan Beach.

This year I am getting out of the day long ordeal {though I love cooking for loved ones} and heading to Orlando for my sister’s birthday. We’ll probably attend mass with the family and go out to brunch.

My menu from the last few years is below, if you need some inspiration!

Continue reading “Easter Dinner ::: Your Menu for Sunday”

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Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables

cassoulet-6759

This cassoulet was a great recipe to delve into traditional French cooking. It is also my recipe choice for this week’s Food Matter’s Project!

Cassoulet can be made into a week-long project like Julia Child’s recipe or you can choose to conquer this quicker version by Mark Bittman. It is more of a fall/winter dish {not so much April in Miami} as it is extremely hearty and filling, but Bittman makes it lighter by omitting the “cassoulet typical” pork rinds/goose fat and adding more veggies. We served it at a dinner party with our close friends last night and it was a hit!

Continue reading “Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables”

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Red Curried Vegetable Tomato Soup ::: The Food Matters Project

This post has to be quick, I am currently doing two jobs at my company and March has been manic! The great news is that I will be taking on a new position in April…more to come there soon.

I love soup, but I rarely make it at home. Strange because I almost always order it at restaurants.

This curried soup recipe from the Food Matter Project was unknown for me. I have never had soup with curry flavors nor have I cooked with coconut milk before. The flavors end up mixing really well. Spicy, sweet, bold, and hearty…this soup will be going into the favorite soups file.

The full recipe can be found here at Eats Well With Others by Joanne and on page 107 of The Food Matter’s Cookbook.

For my version I added an extra jalapeño because I love very spicy soup, 3 stalks of celery, an extra carrot, and used red curry powder.

* I have a lot left over,  so I plan to try the poached egg version where you crack  an egg in the gently boiling soup and then serve.

::: the onion, jalapeño, celery, garlic, and ginger sautéing in dutch oven :::

Red Curried Vegetable Tomato Soup     serves 4-6

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
  • 2 tbsp red curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • big pinch of sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrot, chopped
  • 3 stalks of celery, chopped
  • salt and black pepper
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped, for garnish or opt to poach the eggs in the soup
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Put the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it is hot add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened 3-5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook and stir until the spices become fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for a minute or 2 then add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture gently bubbles.  Cook, stirring once in a while, 20 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and adjust the heat to the mixture bubbles gently again. Cook until all the vegetable are very tender about 15 minutes more.

The soup will refrigerate great for 3-4 days and you can also freeze it to re-heat later.

optional: Serve with chopped hard boiled eggs and cilantro.

 

And to see some creative renditions of the original recipe head here to where the other Food Matter’s Project members posted their recipes.

::: keelymarie :::

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Seared Bean Sprouts with Beef & Sesame Orange Sauce

Picture from catesworldkitchen.com

{Picture from cate’s world kitchen}

 
Sprouts. 
Fillers. 
Tasteless. 
Waste of space. 

Well Mark Bittman, you’ve done it again.

Maybe this is the theme of this Food Matters Project, but I was scared of the amount of sprouts in this recipe. SPROUTS? They are a filler food to me. I hate when Benihana or better yet, KOBE’s, puts them in their fried rice. Total blemish in a perfect food.

But these sprouts won me over. Just like the brussels sprouts won so many people over last week. Pretty good @Bittman, pretty good. This recipe is for keeps. Thanks for a great pick this week Dominica!

I was excited to try this recipe because of the asian style sauce and the quick cook time (less than 20 min!).  Minus the sprouts- I know, I know I can stop with the sprouts. But that’s the idea of this Food Matters Project right? Expand my horizons and eat a little better. I did make a side of chicken fried rice though just in case. 😉

I stuck to the recipe 100%, but hesitated while searing the beef on high. It was sliced so thin and the pan is supposed to be on high with oil, I really thought I would ruin it. My bad, I turned the heat down and afterwards wish I had seared it on high. Cooking such thin cut meat on high for just 2 minutes will help it stay tender, mine ended up a bit more tough.

This recipe’s sauce was pretty watery since it’s made with fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, and honey.

::: I’d like to make it again, but begin by sautéing the sauce in a saucepan on the side with a bit of corn starch. This will thicken it up a bit before pouring it over the sprouts and beef.  I will also add crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 more tablespoon each of  honey and soy sauce. :::

Seared Bean Sprouts with Beef and Sesame Orange Sauce

Full Recipe by Mark Bittman found HERE at WINE FOOD LOVE

Ingredients:

  • thinly sliced beef
  • 2 oranges, squeezed and zested
  • soy sauce
  • honey
  • lots of sprouts
  • sesame seeds
  • scallions

Tips:

  • Good pick for a quick carb free meal (less than 20 minutes)
  • Don’t be afraid to sear the meat on high, just keep it to 2 minutes
  • Potentially try cooking the sauce on the side and thickening it with a bit or corn starch before pouring it over
  • For a bold flavor add 1 more tablespoon each of soy sauce and honey
  • For spice add a pinch of crushed red pepper
 ::: Head here to see how the other members of the Food Matter’s Project fared. I can’t wait to see if anyone got creative! :::

Chicken Fried Rice       side serves 4

  • 1 chicken breast, chopped very small
  • 1 cup of white or brown rice, cooked and set aside (makes 3 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 a large sweet onion diced
  • 3 scallions, sliced up to some of the green
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup frozen edamame
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat olive oil on medium high heat. Cook chicken for 3 or 4 minutes until there is no pink you can see. Add onions, scallion, and carrots and cook for 4 minutes. Add peas and edamame cook for 4 more minutes. Add rice, garlic powder, ginger, soy sauce, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 4 more minutes.

Push rice to the side and crack the eggs into the pan. Let cook for 30 seconds (until fluffy) then mix into the rice. Add sesame seeds.  Add more seasonings to your preference.

::: keelymarie :::