Tuesday, September 19, 2023

[ MONSTER cookies ]

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts + salt)
  • 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free if desired)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips, dairy free if desired
  • Flakey sea salt for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In small bowl mix together the oats and baking soda; set aside.
  • In a large bowl mix together peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, then gently fold in chocolate chips.
  • Roll cookies into 2-inch dough balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. BARELY flatten the top of the cookie with your hand. The dough should be pretty sticky so if you find this method annoying, simply use a cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. The cookies may not be as round in shape and perhaps a bit thicker, but that's okay, they will still be delicious!
  • Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes and remove when edges barely begin to turn a golden brown. The cookies may look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven. 
  • Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle each cookie with flakey sea salt. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Makes 16-20 cookies.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

[ Tracy's Thai Wraps ]

 These are SO good.


Ingredients:

- wraps (she likes using the x-large burrito wraps or the spinach wraps)
- sauce: mayo, lime juice, peanut sauce (optional: sriracha hot sauce, sesame dressing)
- romaine or large leaf lettuce
- jasmine rice
- half to whole red pepper
- cucumber
- carrots 
- optional: crushed peanuts, sprouts, shredded cabbage
- Protein // chicken or beef or shrimp ...

Directions:

- Set out a square of tin foil

- put the wrap in the tin foil

- mix up the mayo based peanut sauce (mayo, peanut sauce, lime juice, sesame dressing if wanted)

- cook the rice, but add in a generous glob of peanut sauce and the diced pepper while it's cooking.

- spread a layer on the wrap, with the sauce (like you're putting tomato sauce on a pizza)

- lay down a large leaf of lettuce

- spoon out a line of rice on the lettuce leaf

- add protein

 - slice up the cucumber in thin strips, add a line of those.

- grate carrot, add a line of that.

- add whatever add ins you want (sprouts, crushed peanuts, extra sauce etc ...)

- fold the bottom up and inch first, then wrap the left side over, then the right, and wrap the foil tightly around it all (same order, the bottom, left then right)


Saturday, June 10, 2023

[ TWIX Bars ]

 

Homemade Twix Bars

Prep Time: 25minutes 
Cook Time: 30minutes 
Total Time: 55minutes 
Servings: 15

Ingredients 

Shortbread Layer:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup butter , softened slightly

Caramel Layer:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 Tablespoons corn syrup

Chocolate Layer:

  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil , or coconut oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine the flour and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Then cut the butter in with a pastry cutter or two forks, until it forms a crumb mixture.
  • Then press down into the pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. Be careful not to over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  • For the caramel, add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium-heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir an additional 2 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Pour over cooled shortbread bars. Allow to cool.
  • Once the caramel has become firm, mix the chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 1 minute. Stir and cook in 15 second intervals, until the chocolate is melted. Then pour over the caramel layer and allow to set. You may place in the fridge for 10 minutes to help set faster.
  • Once the chocolate has hardened, slice into squares with a warm knife.

Notes

Note: These bars will stay fresh for about 2-3 days if kept in an airtight container.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

[ Chicken BBQ Marinade ]

 Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts Tenders, or Thighs
  •  - ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil depending on preference
  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • ¼ cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced or ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

[ CHOCOLATE CHP PEANUT BUTTER SKILLET COOKIE ]

 We had this at Scott + Karen's and it was THE BEST.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1 cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 tsp vanilla

2 cups milk chocolate chips  (and chopped mini peanut butter cups)
12 tbsp creamy peanut butter

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven 350F, and butter 12inch cast iron skillet
2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt + mix until well combined.
3.  In a separate medium bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract and mix until well combined.  
4.  Stir in the flour mixture.
5.  Stir in the chocolate chips.
6.  Transfer half the dough mixture to the cast iron skillet.
7.  Add peanut butter in dollops around the dough mixture.  
8.  Add the remaining dough mixture so it covers the peanut butter and is evenly distributed.
9.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are browned and centre is set.
10. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.
11. Serve with ice cream.

[ BEEF JERKY ]

 

The Best Homemade Beef Jerky Recipe

This is the best homemade beef jerky recipe, and it’s easy to make without any special equipment.

Servings: 12 to 14 servings
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Total Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes, plus at least 12 hours to marinate

INGREDIENTS

  • One 3-pound eye of round roast (see note), trimmed of fat and silver skin
  • 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon unseasoned meat tenderizer (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Slice the meat between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick with the grain. (If the roast is too thick to slice easily, cut it in half horizontally before slicing.)
  2. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, meat tenderizer, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk until evenly combined and the sugar is dissolved.
  3. Add the meat to the marinade and toss until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a large ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. Toss the meat (or flip the bag) once or twice to be sure the meat marinates evenly.
  4. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place a wire rack over each pan. Preheat the oven to 175°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
  5. Arrange the marinated meat on the wire racks in a single layer. Bake, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom midway through, until the meat is dried out, 3 to 4 hours. To determine if the jerky is thoroughly dried out, take a piece out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. It should be dry to the touch, leather-like in appearance, and chewy but still somewhat tender.
  6. Store the jerky inside an airtight plastic container, Ziploc bag, or airtight glass jars. Properly dried jerky will keep at room temperature for about one week. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
  7. Note: Pop the meat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours before slicing; it will be easier to cut.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

[ Earls Clam Chowder ]

Ingredients

1/8 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 1/8 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup clam base (or substitute seafood or chicken base)
1 1/2 cups low fat milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup unpeeled potatoes, chopped, about 1/2 pound
5 2/3 cups (45 ounces) clams, canned or frozen, including juice

Directions

In a large stock pot; sweat chopped bacon over medium heat until almost crispy, about 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, black pepper, thyme, tarragon and bay leaf. Heat until carrots are tender, about 8 minutes more.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and heat until almost golden, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add to stock pot.

Slowly stir in clam base, milk and heavy whipping cream, making sure there are no lumps. Add potatoes and clams with juice and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes.

Note: May be refrigerated for up to 3 days.