26 March 2013 Extreme Peanut Butter Cookies

Extreme Peanut Butter Cookies

March 26, 2013 By

Extreme Peanut Butter CookiesMy friend Kim was once again willing to share one of her tasty cookie recipes with me so I can loop all you peanut butter aficionados in on this simple recipe.

Ingredients:

  •  1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar or ½ cup honey
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 8-ounce bag of bite-sized Reese’s mini peanut butter cups

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder and 1 cup of the flour. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in remaining flour. Stir in mini peanut butter cups.
  4. Shape dough into 1½ inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,
17 March 2013 Michael Psilakis Gyro Spiced Sliders

Michael Psilakis Gyro Spiced Sliders

March 17, 2013 By

Gyro Spiced SlidersI sampled these sliders at the Morristown Buick Discovery Tour event last weekend. These are by far the most flavorful sliders I’ve ever had and a very good example of how delicious Michael Psilakis’ food is.

Gyro Slider Spice Ingredients:

  • 12 tbsp. Cumin
  • 2 tbsp. Coriander
  • 8 tbsp. Yellow Mustard Seed
  • 2 1/2 tsp. Cloves
  • 2 tbsp. Black Cardamom
  • 4 tbsp. Fennel
  • 2 tbsp. Cinnamon

Tsatziki Ingredients (makes one pint):

  • 1/2 English cucumber, peeled
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 shallots, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill
  • 1 1/4 cups strained Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Gyro Slider Ingredients:

  • 12 2-ounce beef patties
  • 12 slider potato rolls
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 12 cornichons (optional)
  • 12 frilly toothpicks

Gyro Slider Spice Directions:

  1. Combine all spices in mixing bowl, transfer to airtight container.

Tsatziki Directions:

  1. Cut the cucumber into very small pieces, even dice. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
  1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, shallots, and dill. Pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed.
  2. Add the mixture to the cucumbers; add the yogurt. Fold together with a rubber spatula, adding the olive oil and lemon juice.
  3. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper, starting off with 1 tablespoon salt.
  4. You can store the Tsatziki in a covered, clean jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Gyro Slider Directions:

  1. Preheat a large cast iron skillet on medium high heat and coat bottom of pan with olive oil.
  2. Season sliders on both sides with salt and pepper and dredge sliders in Gyro Slider Spice mixture.
  3. In small batches of 3-4 patties sear sliders for approximately 1 minute per side. Allow to rest once cooked.
  4. Remove excess grease with paper towel and repeat until all sliders are cooked.
  5. To serve, place each slider on bottom of potato roll and top with dollop of Tsatziki sauce and cover gently with bun top and cornichon. Spear with toothpick.

Makes one dozen sliders.

Filed Under: Beef, Entrees, Greek, Sandwiches, Sides Tagged With: , ,
5 March 2013 Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

March 5, 2013 By

Cookie BrowniesI’ve been seeing a few cookie brownies recipes popping up on Pinterest and decided to use my Ghirardelli Dark Fudgy Brownies and my Crispy Chewy Triple Chip Cookies to make my own creation.

Ingredients:

Cookie Brownies 2Directions:

  1. Make the brownie batter according to the recipe then pour the batter into a greased 8×8 pan.
  2. Make the cookie dough according to the recipe and instead of scooping onto baking sheets, drop cookie dough by the tablespoons onto the brownie batter. Cookie dough should cover most of the surface of the brownies. Using a knife, gently push the cookie dough into the brownie batter. Cookies should not be covered in batter.
  3. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Makes 16 cookie brownies.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,
3 March 2013 30-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

30-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

March 3, 2013 By

Tortilla SoupMy guy loves chicken tortilla soup and orders it anytime it’s on the menu at a restaurant. Me, I love the tangy lime and cilantro flavors of this soup but not the quick-to-turn-limp tortillas floating in the soup. Compromise – tortilla chips served on the side that can be added to the soup…or not. I’ve made this with leftover roast chicken and store-bought rotisserie chicken and don’t see much difference.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped into small dice
  • 1 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped into small dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. each, salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • 48-ounce can chicken broth
  • 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 small plain deli chicken, meat pulled off the bones and shredded
  • Diced avocado, optional
  • Tortilla-style chips, optional

Direction:

  1. Over medium-high heat, in a large heavy saucepan, heat oil for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and jalapeno pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables have softened, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and cilantro. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the broth, tomatoes, lime juice and chicken and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. When ready to serve, pile some shredded chicken in the center of a bowl and ladle soup around it. If using, serve with a side or avocado and tortilla chips.

Makes 6 servings.

Filed Under: Chicken, Mexican, Soups Tagged With: , ,
2 March 2013 Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

March 2, 2013 By

Flourless Chocolate CakeI love a richly-chocolaty cake. This cake doesn’t have fancy frosting or 3 cake layers, it’s simply dense, moist chocolate decadence. Yeah, I know I’m calling it “flourless” when it has a tablespoon of flour in it – what can I say?

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 4 Tbsp. butter, cut in a few pieces
  • 3 ½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
  • ½ cup almond flour*
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Flourless Chocolate Cake SliceDirections:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  2. Butter an 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and dust with cocoa powder.
  3. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the teaspoon of sugar until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, microwave the butter and the chocolate for 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds. If the chocolate isn’t fully melted after 60 seconds, heat for up to an additional 30 seconds, stirring after 15 seconds.
  5. Using a hand whisk, add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture. Add the ½ cup powdered sugar, the almond flour and the all-purpose flour to the chocolate mixture and whisk to fully combine.
  6. Gently whisk 2 tablespoons of the egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate – do not over mix as the batter will deflate.
  7. Pour the batter into the tart pan and bake for 16 – 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes then loosen it out of the tart pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

Serves 8.

Notes: Almond flour should be relatively easy to find at your local grocery store, but if not, don’t fret! Here’s an easy way to get ½ cup of almond flour for this recipe: Add 1 cup of whole, unsalted almonds to a small food processor and pulse until the almonds are very finely ground. Push the ground almonds through a fine sieve.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, French Tagged With: , ,
26 February 2013 Madeleine Cookies

Madeleine Cookies

February 26, 2013 By

MadeleineAt work, it’s sort of customary for me to bring treats for the guys in the warehouse during the last few days of the month as they work exhaustively to get all the last minute orders out.

This past month, Kayla, who works on my team, made scrumptious Madeleines as she’s recently gotten a Madeleine pan and wanted to try it out. Below is the AllRecipes.com version she used.

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour twenty-four 3-inch Madeleine molds.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny.
  3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full.
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top s spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen cookies with a knife. Invert cookies onto a rack and cool. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops or melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 24 cookies.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, French Tagged With: , ,
24 February 2013 Ingredient Spotlight – King Trumpet Mushrooms

Ingredient Spotlight – King Trumpet Mushrooms

February 24, 2013 By

King MushroomsAs I detailed in a recent post, I had the pleasure of visiting Mitsuwa Marketplace with Danny, of Eat with Dan, where I did some food shopping. One of the things I purchased was King Trumpet Mushrooms, a favorite of mine.

King Trumpet Mushrooms, also known as Pleurotus Eryngii, have thick, meaty pearl white stems and small sand-colored caps. Although these mushrooms are widely available at most Asian markets, they are indigenous of the Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

In their raw state, King Trumpet Mushrooms have little to no aroma or flavor. Once cooked, they develop a woodsy, earthy flavor and a meaty texture.

King Mushroom SaladThese mushrooms have a long shelf life if they’re not washed until just ready to use and if stored in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator.

My favorite way to eat these handsome mushrooms is to slice them long ways, drizzle them with a little soy/sesame seed oil/vegetable oil concoction then grill them as one would grill meat. On this occasion, I served them on a salad, but they can be prepared and presented in so many ways including in soups, stir-fries and tempura.

Have you had these beauties and if so, what’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Filed Under: Asian, Culinary Travel Tales, Entrees, Mushrooms, Starters Tagged With: , , ,
20 February 2013 Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala

February 20, 2013 By

Chicken Tikka MasalaI love Indian food but the idea of making it at home always seems daunting to me. This week, I decided to try to replicate Grace Parisi’s Chicken Tikka Masala as featured in Food & Wine. The results were incredible and the aroma that permeated my home was straight out of an Indian restaurant.

For those of you who prefer not to eat chicken, replace it with cubed paneer, a fresh cheese from India.

 

Marinade Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp. ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Roasted Almonds

Roasted Almonds

Chicken Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. Garam Masala
  • 1 ½ tsp. pure chile powder
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • One 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes, finely chopped, juices reserved
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Easy Basmati Rice recipe
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Onions with Spices

Onions with Spices

Marinade Directions:

  1. In a gallon-size zip top bag, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne, turmeric, salt and pepper.
  2. Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes in each piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, seal the bag and rub the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate overnight.
Chicken Simmering

Chicken Simmering

Chicken Directions:

  1. Preheat the broiler and position a rack about 8 inches from the heat.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off some of the marinade. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  3. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the pieces of chicken on it. Broil the chicken, turning once or twice, until almost cooked through and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add the almonds and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool completely. In a small food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. Set aside.
  5. In a large cast-iron casserole or skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 8 minutes.
  6. Add the Garam Masala, chile powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  7. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the water and the sugar. Cover partially and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
  8. Add the cream, ground almonds and the chicken and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
  9. Serve with Basmati rice and chopped cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

{Inspired by Food & Wine Chicken Tikka Masala)

Filed Under: Chicken, Entrees, Indian Tagged With: , ,
19 February 2013 Mitsuwa Marketplace

Mitsuwa Marketplace

February 19, 2013 By
Japanese Rice with Roe

Japanese Rice with Roe

Yesterday, I had a day off and as we’d promised each other for weeks now, fellow meat-product aficionado and New Jersey food photographer/blogger Danny of Eat with Dan and I went to lunch at one of his favorites, Mitsuwa Marketplace.

Situated on the west side of the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey, Mitsuwa Marketplace is a shopping center straight out of Tokyo.

Mitsuwa Marketplace encompasses a vast selection of Japanese groceries, an extensive wine, beer and sake department and a delicious variety of Japanese foods at cafeteria-style Restaurant Row.

Ramen with Pork Belly

Ramen with Pork Belly

Danny and I first walked around the produce and meat/fish departments to my amazement. After we passed the 20-foot long grocery cooler with sashimi-grade fish and seafood, I remember telling Danny “This is Disney for foodies”. What an incredible array of top-quality grocery items.

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Black Sesame Ice Cream

After our tour, Danny introduced me to his favorite food counters where we got lunch. We opted for the popular Santoka for a bowl of ramen noodles with sides of rice topped with salmon roe and a soy hard-boiled egg. The ramen bowl featured pork belly and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms. The ramen noodles were cooked perfectly, just a bit chewy, and the pork-laced broth was out-of-this-world. The side of rice looked innocent enough, but as I got a chopstickful, I realized how delicious the rice was and what a pleasant brininess the roe offered the slightly sticky rice. Stuff foodie dreams are made of.

Japanes Bakery

Japanese Bakery

The noodles inspired me and I went back to the grocery store to buy all I’d need to fix ramen and udon at home. I even bought the biggest king trumpet mushrooms I’d ever seen.

Take Home Groceries

Take Home Groceries

We ended our adventure with a Japanese pastry and a cup of black sesame ice cream, one of the best ice creams I’ve had.

I’m forever grateful to Danny for introducing me to Mitsuwa Marketplace and for sharing a special foodie journey.

595 River Road, Edgewater, NJ 07020

TEL: (201) 941-9113

Open 7 days/week

Grocery Store: 9:30AM – 9:00PM

Restaurants: 11:00AM – 8:00PM

Filed Under: Asian, Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,
18 February 2013 Easy Basmati Rice

Easy Basmati Rice

February 18, 2013 By

Basmati RiceMy dad, Jean-Guy, makes the best Basmati rice, period. It’s light, fluffy and delicious served with just about anything. He’s passed the recipe to my brother-in-law, Etienne, who’s been kind enough to share it with me.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions:

  1. Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse the rice under running cool water for 1 minute.
  2. Add the water, butter and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. Add the rice to the water and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaf, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook without removing the lid for 35 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat then fluff with a fork gently.

Makes 6 servings.

Filed Under: Asian, Entrees, Sides Tagged With: ,
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