Hot Chocolate Cookies

From the Girl Who Ate Everything

Serves: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• ⅔ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 (1-oz) packages hot chocolate mix (not sugar-free; a total of about 1 cup of hot chocolate mix)
• 1-¼ teaspoons salt
• 1-¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2-3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or peppermint crunch)
• 15 large marshmallows cut in half

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients slowly until incorporated. The dough will be thick.
3. Fold in the chips. Chill the dough for an hour. Chilling the dough allows the ingredients to blend and also makes a thicker cookie.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Make balls of dough, around 1½ tablespoons each, and place onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. poke hole in top of the cookie and place the marshmallows in the half way down the hole. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. The cookies will still look soft. They will continue to cook as they cool. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. I love these warm. If your eating them after they have cooled you can warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 6 servings

Chockfull of hearty veggies and tender chicken in a refreshing lemony broth - it's pure comfort in a bowl!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken breast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4onion, diced, very small
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced, small
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 sprig rosemary
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

 

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

ASIAN TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Yield 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 pound ground turkey 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 to 2 red bell peppers, finely diced 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (or rice) 
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced 
• 1 head lettuce (iceberg or butter)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside. 
• Add garlic, bell pepper and onion to the saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. 
• Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and ground turkey until well combined. Add rice and green onions and gently toss to combine. 
• To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the turkey mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.
• adapted from damndelicious.com

Honey Glazed Salmon

This was sooo good. I made Caroline take a bite and she took two more willingly. Miracle. I really loved it.

HONEY GLAZED SALMON

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield4 servings

The easiest, most flavorful salmon you will ever make. And that browned butter lime sauce is to die for!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 salmon filets
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest of 1 lime 
FOR THE BROWNED BUTTER LIME SAUCE 
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• To make the browned butter lime sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the foam subsides and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, honey and lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
• Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Dredge each salmon filet with 1 tablespoon flour and drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey.
• Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add salmon to the skillet and sear both sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Place into oven and bake until completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
• Serve immediately with browned butter lime sauce and lime zest, if desired. 

Zuchinni Noodles with Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients

    3 large zucchini
    1.5 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1 tsp salt, divided
    1/4 tsp ground black pepper
    2 tsp any small hot pepper/jalapeño or to taste, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for very hot version)
    1 medium or 1/2 large lime, juice of
    3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
    Cooking spray (I use Misto)

Directions

    Using a spiralizer or mandoline, make zucchini noodles, transfer into a large bowl and set aside. You can also chop zucchini into any size pieces, if you don't have the gadgets for making zucchini noodles.
    Preheat large deep skillet on high heat and add chicken. Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and ground black pepper towards the end, stir and cook for another minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
    Wipe clean or wash and pat dry the skillet and return to the stove on high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add zucchini noodles. Saute for 1.5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add previously cooked chicken, remaining salt, small hot peppers/jalapeños, lime juice and cilantro. Stir gently and serve hot.

Christmas Cinnamon Rolls

These were perfect! Huge and soft and the mall frosting was sooo good. From melskitchencafe.com

Print

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls 

YIELD: MAKES 24 CINNAMON ROLLS

These rolls turn out far superior when I use whole milk but I've also made them with 2% and they're delicious (just not quite as tender). Also, if you don't have instant yeast and want to use active dry, up the amount to 2 1/2 tablespoons and dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup water with a pinch of sugar. If doing this, you'll need to add a bit more flour than if following the recipe using instant yeast.

INGREDIENTS

Rolls:
• 4 cups milk (see note above)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 tablespoons instant yeast (see note above)
• 4 large eggs
• 11-13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons maple extract/flavoring
• Pinch of salt
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• Cream or milk for consistency

DIRECTIONS

1. For the dough, heat the milk in a medium saucepan until the milk is scalded (which is basically heating it until right before it simmers - it will start steaming and little bubbles will form around the edge of the pan). Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or you can do this by hand with a large bowl, wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease).
2. Add the butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter is melted and let the mixture cool until warm but not hot. 
3. Add the yeast and eggs and mix until combined. 
4. Gradually add the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. The exact amount will depend on the temperature, humidity and how you measure flour. I usually end up adding just under 13 cups of flour. The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers. Let it knead for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.
6. Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion of dough (it's soft enough to be patted and stretched with your hands) into an 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread one stick of softened butter over each rectangle. 
7. Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of it over each rectangle. Pat it in slightly with the palms of your hands. Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible, pinching the seam lightly to seal. 
8. Working with one long log of cinnamon roll at a time, using a serrated knife, cut it in half. Then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions). Cut each of the four portions into three rolls - twelve cinnamon rolls total. Repeat this with the other roll - you'll have 24 cinnamon rolls total.
9. Place the rolls evenly spaced on a parchment-lined large, rimmed baking sheet about 11X17-inches (or 12X18-inches). I space the rolls 3 across, 4 down. If the ends have come free, carefully tuck them under the cinnamon roll. 
10. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
11. Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until only very slightly golden on top. Let the rolls cool almost completely in the pan before frosting.
12. For the frosting, in a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla, maple and salt and mix until combined. 
13. Gradually add the powdered sugar (if you add it all at once, be prepared for a huge snowstorm in your kitchen) and mix until thick and creamy. Add cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable to your liking.
14. Spread the cinnamon rolls with frosting. 
15. To freeze, once the cinnamon rolls are completely cooled, use a spatula to carefully transfer a single cinnamon roll to a quart-sized ziploc bag. Seal the bag with as little air inside as possible and freeze for up to a month. To reheat, remove the roll from the bag (it's easier than it seems - it will pop right out!) and warm on a plate in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Udon Noodle Stir Fry

We loved this. I left out the beef, just had tons of veggies and it was so good.

BEEF NOODLE STIR FRY

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Yield6 servings

The easiest stir fry ever! And you can add in your favorite veggies, making this to be the perfect clean-out-the-fridge type meal!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (7-ounce) refrigerated udon noodles, seasoning sauce packets discarded* 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces beef top sirloin filet, thinly sliced across the grain
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 ounces broccoli florets
• 2 carrots, diced
FOR THE SAUCE 
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flake and ground black pepper; set aside.
• In a large pot of boiling water, cook udon noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef and cook, flipping once, until browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
• Stir in mushrooms, broccoli and carrots to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in udon noodles, beef and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

NOTES

*Udon is Japanese-style thick wheat noodles and can be found in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store.

Skirt Steak and Bok Choy Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter 
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• Coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 1 pound skirt steak, thinly sliced crosswise (or flank, or tri tip)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
• 1 large head bok choy, cut 1 inch thick crosswise 
• 4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced on bias 
• Cooked rice, for serving 
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped 
• * I put whatever veggies I have: broccoli, red pepper, snow pea...

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, honey, and garlic; season with pepper.
2. In a bowl, toss steak with cornstarch; season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high. Add 1/2 of steak; cook, tossing, until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining steak.
3. To skillet, add soy mixture, bok choy, and carrots. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. Return steak to skillet; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice; sprinkle with peanuts.