Chocolate Muddies

These cookies are so amazing.  Rich and chocolaty and moist.

Ingredients
3 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use light)
3/4 cup stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
2/3 cup chocolate fudge ice-cream topping (warm if needed to pour-we used Mrs. Richardson's)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1+ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.  Heat oven to 350.  Line cooking sheet with silpat or parchment.
2.  Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.  (If using light cream cheese, take care not to over mix).  Add sugars, vanilla, almond extract, eggs, and chocolate fudge.  Beat about 3 minutes or until fluffy.
3.  In a separate bowl mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until evenly mixed.  Fold in chocolate.
4.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
5.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be very soft).  Cool 5 minutes, remove from cookie sheet.  Cool on wire rack.

Notes:
You can vary the type of chip...we love the white chocolate chips with the bittersweet chocolate.  But you could also substitute peanut butter chips for the while chocolate for a peanut butter variation.

These cookies freeze well.  You can freeze the dough in dough balls.  Or you can freeze the cookies--just separate layers with a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper if you stack them.

One Hour Dinner Rolls

These have recently become a favorite around here.  So quick to make, but more flavorful then other quick breads. 

Ingredients

1 ½  cups non-fat milk or water

3 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 ½ - 2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour, divided

1 tablespoon rapid rise/quick rise yeast (or if you  have packets, one packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) will work just fine))

1 ½  teaspoons table salt

1 egg at room temp (place in a bowl of warm water for at least 5 minutes)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 170-200 degrees.  Then turn off immediately once it comes to temperature.  This will help creating a “proofing” box so your rolls can rise faster.

Place milk (water), butter, and sugar in a microwavable container and heat for about 2 minutes.  You want this mixture to be between 120-130 degrees, for best results use a digital instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature.  While the mixture is heating, combine 3 ½  cups of the flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl.  When milk mixture is heated to about 125 degrees, add to the flour mixture and start to beat.  Add egg and continue to beat until everything is combined.  Scrape down sides of bowl and then add the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time.  You want the dough to be soft and sticky so don’t add too much flour.  I usually do about 4-4 ¼ cups.  

Place remaining flour on a cutting board and very gently scrape out the dough using a spatula.  Dust the top of your dough with flour and then using your hands, lightly pat the dough into a rectangle.  Score the dough into 24 sections for dinner rolls and gently form portions into balls.  I like to stretch and tuck the bottoms under making a nice smooth top.  Place in a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.  

Let dough rest for 30 minutes until puffed and almost double in size.  To accelerate rising, you can place dough in a warm oven that has been turned off.  After 20 minutes, remove rolls, cover loosely with a towel, and let them finish rising on the counter.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites (I subbed half WW flour, use water and margarine sometimes to remove dairy for food allergy purposes, and modified some of the instructions).

Bright Green Smoothie

slightly adapted from weelicious.com.  A favorite for Saint Patrick's Day!

Ingredients
3+ cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
1 large banana
1 orange
1 cup orange juice, water, or other liquid

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

Easy Banana Cream Pie

This is one of my husbands favorites.  He prefers this to a homemade pudding.  And it's so easy to make, my kids like to make it for Dad!  To make it "healthier" you can sub sugar free pudding and fat free cool whip and it still tastes great.  We like it best with regular pudding and light cool whip or real whipping cream.

INGREDIENTS
2-3 ripe bananas, sliced
1 prebaked pie shell or graham cracker crust
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (4oz) french vanilla or vanilla pudding
1 pacakge (4oz) banana pudding
2+ cups thawed cool whip or sweetened whipping cream

DIRECTIONS
Position the banana slices on the bottom of the crust creating a uniform, even layer.  Set the other half of the banana slices aside.

Pour milk into a large bowl.  Add the dry pudding mixes.  Beat with a wire whisk about 2 minutes or until well blended and starting to thicken.  Gently stir/fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping or whipping cream.

Spoon half of the pudding mixture onto the crust.  Top with the remaining banana slices.  Cover with the remaining pudding mixture.

Refrigerate 3 hours or until set.  Serve with the additional whipped topping and garnish as desired.

Multigrain Pizza Dough

Makes two 14-inch pizzas.  From America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.

1 3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup (5oz) seven-grain hot cereal mix
2-2 1/4 cup bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

1.  Stir the boiling water and cereal mix together and let stand, covered loosely about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  It will turn into a thick porridge and be warm (about 110 degrees).

2.  Pulse2 cups of bread flour, whole wheat flour, yeast and salt until just combined.  Dollop the porridge over the top and drizzle on the olive oil.  Process for 30-40 seconds until a rough dough ball forms.

3.  Let the dough rest for 2 minutes and repeat 30 seconds longer.  If the dough is sticky and clings to the blade add a little flour 1 T at a time, pulsing to incoporate.

4.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countered and knead into a smooth, round ball.  Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size 1-1.5 hours before using.  Or you can put the dough in the fridge for up to 16 hours ahead of time, letting it come to room temperature 30 minutes before using.*

5.  To bake, preheat oven to 475-500 degrees using a pizza stone is optimal.  Divide the dough in half.  Roll out dough into a 14-inch round.  Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil if desired.  Spread pizza sauce, top with cheese, toppings, etc.  Bake until the edges are brown and the cheese is golden in spots 8-13 minutes.


*You can also freeze the dough.  Wrap it very tightly in grease plastic wrap.  Then wrap it again with more plastic wrap and freeze.  Let the frozen dough thaw on the counter about 3 hours or 24 hours in the fridge before using.

Spinach Salad with Sweet-Spicy Nuts, Apples, Feta and Bacon

This salad is super yummy!  The bacon, cheese, apples, and sweet spicy nuts ,etc are a delicious combination.  Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  Served with grilled chicken it's a great entree.

Salad:

16 ounces baby spinach

½ small red onion, slivered

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped into small pieces

1 cup Feta cheese crumbles, more or less to taste

1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, more or less to taste

1-2 crisp apples, cored and sliced thin

Sweet Spicy Nuts:

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of cayenne (more to taste if you want)

Pinch of salt

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste

Fresh cracked pepper to taste

For the dressing, shake all the ingredients together in a mason jar until well combined or run them through a quick blender cycle. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.

For the nuts, lightly toast the nuts in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. While they toast, place the sugar, cayenne and salt in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the sugar mixture until it liquifies completely, adjusting the heat so it doesn't bubble and burn….this takes awhile but you have to watch it.  When it starts to liquefy it happens fast and can quickly burn.  Quickly toss in the toasted nuts and stir to coat the nuts with sugar.   Spread out on waxed paper and let the sugared nuts cool completely.

To assemble the salad, toss all the salad ingredients together along with the cooled nuts. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette on the side.

Baked Brown Rice

The main way I cook brown rice.  It does require longer, prep but the rice cooks up so nicely not like soggy brown rice. I always make a 9x13 pan size, and freeze half of it for a later meal.  Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

3 cups brown rice

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water (if using water, add 1 teaspoon salt)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 glass* baking pan. Place the rice in the prepared pan and pour in the liquid. Stir to equally distribute the rice. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes.  I like to check it after 1 hour, peeking at the bottom to make sure it’s not burning.  Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before removing the aluminum foil and fluffing with a fork.

*If your rice still has a bit of liquid on the bottom or conversely, if it is dried out, adjust the baking time up or down to make changes.  I like to use a glass pan so I can check on it before fluffing it.  One hour and fifteen minutes is usually perfect in my oven.

M&M Rainbow Cookies

makes about 18 large cookies

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of salted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup M&M’s
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take eggs out of the fridge if needed.  Melt butter and set aside.  

Using a whisk mix the flour and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugars until they are combined.  Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir with a whisk for 30 seconds..  Let sit for 3 minutes then whisk for another 30-60 seconds.  Repeat the resting and whisking until mixture is smooth, thick, and shiny.

Gradually add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. Fold in the m&m’s and chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into large 2T size dough balls.  I literally use my tablespoon measure to scoop the dough.  After shaping the dough balls try this baking tip:  tear the dough balls in half so you’re left with 2 pieces.  Each piece has a jagged side and a smooth side.  Squish the smooth sides of each half together and place the rough edges facing up and down to make what my girls call "bumpy snowmen". Place the dough with a rough-side up on a baking sheets leaving about about 2 inches in between each cookie.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then turn the oven up to 375 and bake for 2-3 more minutes. or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Transfer to cooling rack after about a couple of minutes.

For smaller cookies, just use 1 tablespoon of dough and decrease baking time by about 2 minutes.

Slightly adapted from here (check out the site for some great photos of these amazing cookies!).  I modified the directions, upped the baking temperature, and subbed whole wheat flour.

Brown Rice

Different from conventional methods of cooking rice, this is more like cooking pasta--you bring the water to boil first, add the rice and boil with the lid off.  Drain, then return to the pot off the heat and let steam with the lid tightly on for 10-15 more minutes.  And voila!  no more soggy brown rice.  While I primarily make the baked brown rice since it's more hands-off, this is my fall back recipe when I don't have an hour and half of prep time.  From Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

1 cup brown rice (any kind basmati, jasmine, etc)

6 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring water to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. While the water is coming to a boil, rinse the rice under cold water for 30 seconds. When the water comes to a boil, stir in the rice and salt, stirring once.

Boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Pour the water off the rice into a colander in the sink. Let the rice drain quickly for just 10-15 seconds.  Then pour it back into the pot while still moist.  

Put the pot on the stove but off the heat.  Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. If your lid isn't really tight, place a kitchen towel over the pot before nesting the lid tightly into the pot. Let the rice steam for 10-15 minutes before uncovering the pot and fluffing the rice with a fork. Season with more salt, if desired.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Notes:  I use skim or 1% milk in this sauce and it works. Also, I use low-fat cream cheese. To make a richer creamier version you can use full-fat cream cheese and/or some whole milk.  Makes about 2 cups of sauce (enough for 1 box of pasta).

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press

4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces

1 cup milk

3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add the cream cheese,  whisking until smooth.  Note: It may look lump at first, but keep stirring for a couple of minutes and it will turn into a a smooth, creamy paste. Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt until cheese is melted and the sauce is your desired consistency. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.   We prefer whole wheat penne.  Tastes great with sautéed zucchini and chicken (either grilled chicken or leftover rostisserie chicken).

Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I decreased the garlic and garlic cooking time and added a few other preferences like serve with whole wheat penne.

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark is one of my favorite holiday treats.  And since the main components are the white and/or dark chocolate--the type of chocolate you use really matters!  I like it plain with just white chocolate.  I like it with the dark chocolate drizzle.  And I like it with a light crunch from Rice Krispies.  Over the years I've become quite opinionated about how to make it and blended several recipes.  I prefer the taste of peppermint oil over peppermint extract (but extract works too).  I like Bob's candycanes best.  I only use Ghiradelli white chocolate chips.  But I like to mix those with with high quality melting wafers or white chocolate bars from specialty shops--I don't ever use almond bark.  So here's my favorite recipe:

12-15 candy canes
1 pound white chocolate (I use a 12oz bag of ghiradelli white chocolate chips and 4-6oz. of melting wafers, you could also chop a block of white chocolate)
4 drops peppermint oil (or 1/2 t peppermint extract)
1 1/2 - 2 cups crispy rice cereal
**1/3 dark chocolate chips or 3-4 oz. of chopped high quality dark chocolate

1.  Spray a rimmed cookie sheet.  Then line with wax paper.  (The spray is strictly to help the wax paper stick to the cookie sheet).
2. Crush candy canes.  Place unwrapped candy canes in a quart size ziploc bag.  Place that ziploc in a gallon size bag.  Smash into pieces using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.  Sift candy cane pieces through a fine mesh seize and toss or set aside the dust to use with hot chocolate.
3.  Melt white chocolate and wafers.  I prefer to heat in the microwave at 50% power for 30-60 second intervals, stirring in between.  (Confession, I always do the first minute at full power without the chocolate ever burning).
4.  Add the peppermint oil/extract and half of the crushed peppermint and stir.
5.  Gently fold in crispy rice cereal.
6.  Spread out in an thin even layer on the wax paper.  (**If adding a dark chocolate drizzle, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave and drizzle on with a fork in zig-zag motions before the white chocolate sets).  Then generously sprinkle with the remaining candy cane pieces on top.  Press gently into the bark.  Chill for at least an hour.  Break into pieces.

Ruby Jewel Cookies

slightly adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/12/sugar-rush-10-ruby-jewel-cookies.html

INGREDIENTS

3 large egg yolks

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

About 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam or caramel*

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting or chocolate for drizzling*

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets or mini muffin pans and liners.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla together; set aside. Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the top of the flour and sugar and with a pastry blender or two forks, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk mixture and carefully mix to combine until the dough starts to come together (this worked best using my hands).

3.  Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

4.  With lightly floured hands, pinch off pieces of dough and shape the dough into ¾-inch balls. Place each ball in a mini muffin paper liner, if using. If not using a mini muffin pan, place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

5.  Using the end of a wooden spoon handle dipped in flour, make an indentation in the center of each cookie, but do not press all the way through the dough.

6.  Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.

7.  Bake the cookies until the edges are golden, 15-20 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the pans on wire racks. Transfer cooled cookies to wire racks and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

*For Caramel Cup Version

Keep the directions the same as above for steps 1-5.  But instead of filling with jam, bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes unfilled.  Remove from oven, and reform the indentation on the half-baked cookies.  Fill each cup quickly with a thick caramel sauce.  Return to the oven for another 4-6 minutes.  Let the cookies cool completely the remove to a wire rack.  Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Jill's Gingerbread and Royal Icing

These gingerbread cookies are soft and flavorful.  You cut out the dough while still warm eliminating the time-consuming step of chilling.  From my friend, Jill Hunter.

Gingerbread

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup molasses

1 t ginger

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t cloves

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t baking soda

2/3 c butter, cut into pieces

1 egg, beaten

4 cups flour

In a medium saucepan mix sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt over medium to medium high heat.  Cook until just beginning to boil.  Stir and add butter until melted.  Remove from heat and add baking soda.  Mixture will foam up a bit.  Quickly add in the beaten egg stirring constantly.  Then add flour one cup at a time.  (I had trouble stirring the thick dough by hand, so I moved the mixture to my Kitchen Aid for the last 1-2 cups to mix).  Roll dough out immediately on a floured surface while still warm and cut into shapes.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 6 minutes.  Let cool on pans for a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  Cool completely before icing.

We love these topped with Royal Icing

Royal Icing

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (8oz)

1 1/2 T meringue powder

1/4 cup lukewarm water

Combine in large bowl, beat a medium speed of mixer for 5-6 minutes or until the icing is firm enough to pipe, but still spreading consistency.  Add a few more drops of water if needed.  If desired, tint frosting using paste food coloring.  Note: icing dries quickly, keep it covered at all times with a damp paper towel.  Spoon icing into ziploc freezer bags and snip a small hole for piping.  Pipe around the edges of the cookies then fill in.  Add sprinkles and decorations while still wet.  Let set for one hour to dry.