Book Club Brunch

     Today was the day of the second annual Post Christmas Book Club Brunch.  Our book club (aka The Hens), for those of you keeping track, has not really kept up with the reading part of the club but we do a good job of chatting and eating whenever we get together.  Today we did choose a new book and hopefully when we meet next, we will devote a few minutes of our time together to discussing the book.  This time we opted for Bossypants by Tina Fey- something lighter and hopefully funny since our past choices have been either serious, dark, or depressing. 

     At last year's brunch, everyone brought food and it was over the top.  This year, I wanted to keep things simpler so I went with a make your own waffle menu.  I prepared two different waffle batters and had a few friends bring their waffle irons.  I also had a variety of toppings ready, including fresh whipped cream.

The Hens

Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1 /2 cup almond milk
6 tbsp butter, belted
2 tbsp brown sugar

Method
1. Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the eggs, milk, butter, and brown sugar together.
3. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until blended.
4. Pour the batter on a preheated and greased waffle iron.

Waffle Mix

Ingredients
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1. Beat eggs in a large bowl with a beater until they are fluffy.
2. Beat in flour, milk, oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.  The mixture should be smooth.
3. Spray the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray.  Pour the mixture onto the iron and cook until golden brown.

Toppings.

The Taste Test

   The waffles were a big hit!  They both tasted great.  Each recipe made enough for 6 large waffles.  I had so much extra mix leftover that I invited my family over for waffles for dinner.  Two gatherings with only one prep session!

Christmas Eve Chocolate Pie

     It's Christmas Eve!  Christmas came out of nowhere this year and maybe it is the milder temperatures or the lack of snow, but it just hasn't felt like Christmas time this year.  On Christmas Eve, my family traditionally gathers at my Nanny's house, which we did tonight.  Being with family helped to stir up Christmas cheer.  I tried out a new chocolate pie recipe for the occasion.  It was delicious and so easy to throw together.  A definite keeper.  The thing I have been most excited for this season has been for our pups to wear their Christmas pajamas that I purchased for them a few weeks ago.  I hope everyone has a great time with their loved ones!

Chocolate Pie

Ingredients
1 Nine Inch Pie Crust
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup light colored corn syrup
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Spread pie crust in a pie dish.
2. Evenly layer the milk chocolate chips, semi sweet chips, white chocolate chips, and shredded coconut in the pie dish.  Top the coconut with the pecans and almonds.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, salt, and vanilla.
4. Slowly pour the mixture into the pie dish, allowing the mixture to sink to the bottom.
5. Cover the edge of the pie crusts with foil to avoid burning.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Gently shake the pan to see if the center wiggles, it should be pretty firm when done.
7. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate if you are serving this pie after two hours of baking. 

200th Post! No Bake Holiday Cookies

     A friend at work made these cookies a few weeks ago for a staff meeting.  The were the talk of the school, so naturally I had to give them a try!  I had the perfect excuse for these no bake treats since my sister and her family drove home from North Carolina for the Holidays.  I was keeping my fingers crossed that Jaxson, a very picky eater, would enjoy the peanut butter sandwich cookies since they contain many of his favorite foods. 

Chocolate Covered Ritz Treats

Ingredients
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
smooth peanut butter
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tbs shortening

Method
1. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on one cracker.  Place another cracker on top to form a sandwich.  Continue until the entire sleeve of crackers has been used.
2. Place a glass bowl above a boiling pot of water, the bowl should not touch the water.  Pour 1 cup of chocolate chips into the bowl along with 1 tablespoon of shortening.  Melt the chocolate and stir until smooth.
3. Dip each sandwich into the chocolate.  We used a fork to remove the sandwiches from the chocolate.
4. Place the cookies on waxed paper to harden.  Once cooled, move to refrigerator.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients
1 package of Oreo Cookies
1 package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup chocolate chips (semi sweet or white)

Method
1. Use the food processor to transform the cookies into fine cookie crumbs.
2. Press the cookie crumbs into the cream cheese until well combined.
3. Roll the dough into 1 inch spheres. 
4.Place a glass bowl above a boiling pot of water, the bowl should not touch the water.  Pour 1 cup of chocolate chips into the bowl .  Melt the chocolate and stir until smooth.
5. Place a few Oreo spheres into the chocolate.  Use a spoon to make sure that they are completely covered in chocolate and then transfer to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate to harden completely.  

The Taste Test
    My favorites were the Ritz Cookies.  The Orea Truffles are really rich.  They also looked a lot messier, especially the ones I tried to roll in white chocolate.  I think that dipping cookies into chocolate, neatly, takes some practice.  Jax liked the peanut butter cookies, as you can see from his thumbs up!

Warm Bean Hash

     This recipe comes from December's Everyday Food Magazine.  For such a tiny magazine, it has a lot of really easy and practical ideas.  This dish is suppose to be served with halibut on top but I thought it sounded like it would be good on it's own-so that's just how I prepared it.

Warm Bean Hash

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch round pieces
2 medium carrots, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tsp parsley flakes or 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Method
1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions then season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Stir occasionally. 
2.  Add the beans and vinegar and cook allow to cook for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.

Moosewood Lentil Soup

     I have made lots of lentil soups, yet I've never made the same recipe twice.  There are just so many different variations.  This week I turned to my Moosewood Cookbook for guidance and this is what I came up with.  Now that the weather is finally feeling a bit chillier, this will make a perfect winter's day lunch.

Moosewood Lentil Soup

Ingredients
3 cups dry brown lentils
7 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
2 stalk celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
black pepper
3 medium tomatoes

Method
1. Add lentils, water, and salt to a large pot.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, with the pot partially covered, for 20-25 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
2. Add the vegetables, herbs, and black pepper.  Continue to simmer for 25-30 more minutes.
3. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add the tomatoes for 10 seconds.  Remove the tomatoes, peel the skin, and remove all seeds.  Add the tomatoes to the soup and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Drizzle with vinegar or balsamic vinegar before serving.

Other Lentil Soups I've Attempted:
Wheatberry and Lentil Soup
Spinach and Lentil Soup
Another Lentil Soup

Holiday Baking: A Test Run

     It has been difficult for me to get into the holiday spirit this year-with grad school plaguing my last few weekends.  Yesterday marked my last weekend class for the semester and with all my major projects behind me, I decided to try and coax the spirit in.  Arnauld and I trekked all the way to Home Depot to choose a Christmas tree.  We ended up coming home with two because Arnauld insisted that our dogs needed their own pint sized tree. 
    With the trees decorated, I turned on some holiday tunes and got down to some holiday inspired baking-once again for meetings at work.  I have practically been going to school non-stop since I was three years old.  As my third stint in grad school is winding down, I found myself trying to find a way to convince HR that they should count courses at a culinary school towards my salary advancement.  These days I am doing an awful lot of baking for school, I think I could make a case.  A girl can dream...

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints
Recipe from December's Everyday Food

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
crushed candy canes (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using a mixer on medium high, until fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. 
3. Add the flour mixture gradually and mix until combined.
4. Place 1/2 of granulated sugar,or to be more festive use red sugar, in a small bowl.  Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar.
5. Place each cookie 1 inch apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove cookie trays and use the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon to create an indent in each cookie.  Return to oven and back for 4 minutes.
6. Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to wire trays to cool completely.
7. Place chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of butter in a microwavable bowl.  Melt the mixture, 10 seconds at a time and stirring in between, until completely melted.  Stir in the peppermint extract and allow to cool for five minutes.
8. Pour the chocolate mixture into a ziplock bag.  Cut one corner of the bag so that you can pipe the chocolate into the middle of each cookie.  Sprinkle with crushed candy cane, if desired. 

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 ounces of dark chocolate chips

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Place the coconut on a baking sheet and toast for 7 minutes.  Stir once and when toasted, set aside to cool.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. 
3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat together until well blended.  Beat in the vanilla and egg. 
4. Add the flour mixture until well combined.  Stir in coconut and chocolate.
5. Drop tablespoon scoops of the dough, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool.

Heath Bar Cookies

     Another meeting at school and another batch of cookies.  I had to give up the cake of the month for December because I have class every weekend leading up to winter break, therefore no time for cake baking.  Thankfully I have a great teammate on the birthday committee who is picking up my slack.  I'm just fitting in this batch of cookies between walking the dogs , making dinner, and calling the IRS to figure out where my 2010 tax return is so that I can pay for more grad school classes!


Heath Bar Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup Heath Bar bits

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar together.  Beat in each egg separately. Then add the vanilla.
3. Alternate between mixing the flour mixture and the Heath Bar bits, into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Chill the cookie batter in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
5. Form 1 inch spheres with the cookie dough and transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Leave about three inches between each cookie because they really spread out.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden.  Allow to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

This recipe makes 6 dozen cookies, which may be the perfect amount for a cookie swap!  Tis' the season!

The Taste Test
    Another successful treat!  Baked goods makes any meeting better.  I threw in a half a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips in addition to the heath bar bits, but the cookies would have been just as good without them.  I even passed the recipe along for someone who is going to a cookie swap this weekend.

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans

     My mom forwarded me this recipe, from The Food Network, earlier this week.  I passed it along to Arnauld who responded favorably.  When he suggested going out for a nice Italian dinner this weekend, I reminded him or this recipe-keeping my fingers crossed that he would take the bait and we could wear sweatpants to dinner.   It worked and comfort prevailed!

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans
Recipe from The Food Network

 Ingredients
3 large tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 can cannellini beans
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 450 degress
1. Cut each tomato into 4 wedges and scoop out the seeds.  Place the tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish then drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. When the tomatoes are done, pick the garlic out and mash in a small bowl using a fork.
4. Rinse and drain beans in a colander.  When pasta is done cooking, drain the pasta over the beans to warm them.  Return the pasta and beans to the pot.
5. Add the garlic, tomatoes, basil, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

The Taste Test
    This was a very simple dish that didn't pack a whole lot of flavor.  The Parmesan cheese really added a lot and should not be overlooked.  This recipe was simple and nutritious, perfect for any night of the week.