Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am trying to use whole wheat flour more and more so when I saw this recipe for Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookies over at Serious Eats, I was immediately on board.

Using whole wheat flour certainly didn't take anything away from the cookie. They were soft and chewy and disappeared from the cupboard just as quickly as any regular cookie.

The only thing I have changed from the original recipe is adding an extra cup of chocolate chips... I like my cookies chocolatey!

INGREDIENTS

3/4 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. chocolate chips



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs.

3. Whisk together flours, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and then fold in chocolate chips.

4. Drop onto a greased or lined cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Grilled Pizza

I finally got around to trying pizza on the grill. I've seen pictures and articles and recipes in the past but never had the time or guts... okay, guts... to try it myself.



This article is the one that finally inspired me enough to try it myself (seen on Serious Eats).

I'm not going to pretend that my first bash at grilled pizza was perfect (see that burnt pizza in the background?). As Adam mentions, it isn't difficult but it does take some practice, mostly because it is fast-paced. This is not to be tried by the slow or shy. You need to get in there and do things quickly. How quickly? In about 3 minutes, the pizza is coming off the grill.

I'm not going to put all of their steps here... you can easily click your way over there and read their how-to and tips... but here is what I learned my first go around:

• MEDIUM heat. Hubby had the grill at high and it cooked way too fast (see that burnt pizza in the background?).

• After you put the dough on the grill, immediately brush it with oil because it does not take long to need flipping (1-1.5 minutes).

• Have all ingredients prepped and sitting by the grill, ready to go.

• Don't use too many toppings. I know us North Americans are used to loading the ingredients 2 inches high... resist the urge. It takes too long. Focus on two or three, maybe four, flavors.

• Doing this with two people helps a LOT. They are not kidding when they say "top it like the devil himself is chasing your ass". The quicker your toppings are on, the quicker you can close the lid on the grill and let them warm/melt.

The result reminded me of eating in that italian restaurant a few years ago that served us wood-fired pizza. It wasn't quite the same but it was certainly closer than baking it in a traditional oven.

I'll definitely go back to this and try it again.

Spinach & Goat's Cheese Risotto

Mmm ... creamy risotto.



This particular risotto recipe comes from the Cook with Jamie cookbook. I found an adaptation of it on the Simply Recipes site so consulted my copy of the book and ended up somewhere in between the two.

The result was definitely worth it. The spinach and lemon gave it a fresh taste, while the parmesan and goat's cheese made it extra creamy. Hubby and I felt the goat's cheese may have been an overwhelming flavor in the dish, even though I only used about half of what Jamie's recipe called for. I'm looking forward to giving the leftovers a second try though.


INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cloves garic, peeled and finely chopped
nutmeg
5 1/2 oz. spinach, washed and dried
2 handfuls Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
lemon juice
4 oz. goat cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil and melt 1 Tbsp butter over gentle heat. Add the onion and 1 clove of garlic; cook gently until soft and sweet but not browned, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp butter in a saucepan with a splash of olive oil, a good grating (or pinch) of nutmeg, and the second clove of garlic. When the garlic has melted, add the spinach. Cook for 5 minutes, until wilted down. Allow to cool slightly and puree in a food processor (or chop finely by hand). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the rice to the onion and raise the heat to medium-high. Toast the rice, stirring constantly, until the rice starts to look translucent.


Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add about one cup of the stock to the rice; stirring constantly, cook until most of the stock has bveen absorbed. Continue by adding stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring, until the rice is cooked and tastes smooth (you may not need all of the stock).

4. Turn off the heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, Parmesan, and spinach mixture. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (or a good squeeze of a fresh lemon). Let the risotto rest for a minute before folding in the goat's cheese, reserving some to crumble on top when serving.

Spinach and Orzo Salad

I am a sucker for a pasta salad, especially during the summer.



When this Spinach and Orzo Salad was posted at Simply Recipes, I was all over it. The ingredients are simple but create a Greek-style pasta salad that is unlike any salad I have made.

The first time I made this salad I stuck to the original recipe. Olives and feta are always a good combination and I love the fresh taste of the spinach. I have not used pine nuts much but I love the mild nutty flavor and slight crunch they add to this salad.

This past weekend we had houseguests and I wanted to prepare this fancy salad. I knew they may not be as appreciative of black olives as I am so improvisation was a must. I decided to roast a couple of red peppers and substituted for the olives and the result was fantastic (pictured). The guests raved and insisted that I share the recipe.

I think this recipe has flexibility and a lot of room for experimentation and I intend to play with it.

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. orzo pasta

Salt

1/4 c. pine nuts

6 oz. feta cheese, roughly crumbled

2 oz. Kalamata olives, pitted, and roughly chopped

4 oz. baby spinach

1/2 c. red onion, chopped

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Pinch dried basil

Pinch dried tarragon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the orzo pasta according to instructions on the box for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly.

2. Toast the pine nuts. Heat a small skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts and stir occasionally until nuts are lightly browned. Be careful: they will burn if you are not watching them closely.

3. Process half of the spinach in a food processor or blender. Add one tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large serving bowl mix the spinach puree with the cooked orzo until the pasta is well coated. Roughly chop the rest of the spinach and gently mix with orzo along with red onion, feta cheese, pine nuts, and olives.

4. Combine the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, basil, and tarragon in a small jar (with a whisk) or bowl (by shaking). Pour over orzo spinach mixture and gently mix until well incorporated.

5. Chill for one hour before serving.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin with Smoked Gouda

There was a lot of vegetable tray leftover after a bonspiel at the curling club. All of a sudden I had a lot of cauliflower and broccoli hanging out in my fridge and was needing something to do with it.

At the same time, I was wondering what to do with a nice chunk of smoked gouda that I had picked up at the market a few days before.



Enter my first friend: Google. A search for "broccoli cauliflower gouda" produced my second friend: Christine Cushing. I used to watch her show quite often on the Food Network and really enjoyed her television personality and, more importantly, her recipes.

She certainly saved me this time. The smokiness of the gouda complimented the cauliflower and broccoli so well. I love that it is melted into the Bechamel and browned on the top. Add a little parmesan and sun dried tomato and I am in gratin heaven.



This is a quick gratin so was easy to make on a weeknight after work. A word of advice: This is definitely one of those recipes where it helps to prepare many of the ingredients ahead of time. The Bechamel needs attention which makes it difficult to prepare the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Bechamel Sauce
3 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 1/4 c. milk (I used skim)
Pinch of grated nutmet
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 c. grated smoked gouda cheese
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

3 cups broccoli florets
3 cups cauliflower florets
12 button mushrooms, sliced in half
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
5 sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Topping
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. smoked gouda, grated
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese



DIRECTIONS


For Bechamel sauce...

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

2. Remove pan from heat and in a steady stream whisk in cold milk. Stir well until smooth. Return to medium heat and stir until thick and sauce begins to boil.

3. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup grated smoked gouda and 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese.


Meanwhile...

1. Blanch broccoli and cauliflower florets in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, sautee mushrooms until slightly soft. Put broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms in a large bowl.

2. Add sun dried tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and half each of the parsley and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.

3. Pour the smoked gouda bechamel sauce over vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish.

4. Cover with foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven until hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with grated gouda, bread crumbs, and the Parmesan cheese. Turn broiler on and place under broiler until top is golden brown and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

5. Garnish with remaining parsley and basil.

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Couscous

I got a craving for couscous one night last week and knew that there was an unopened box of it in my pantry. It has been sitting there for months because couscous is just not one of those things that you see Carleton County dwellers making very often. I've eaten it a few times before, prepared a few different ways (and isn't that the beauty of couscous?), and really liked it a few times. Plus it's really easy to incorporate into a lifestyle that is about eating healthier.

Couscous is not a grain; it is pasta made of tiny pieces of dough that are steamed. It comes from and is a staple throughout North Africa. It can be used for everything from breakfast to dessert, making it very versatile. I'm sure there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of different recipes online.

This particular day I was searching for a couscous recipe using sun dried tomatoes to go with a Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin recipe with the same ingredient. The recipe combined the tomatoes with basil, a tried and true combination, and onion. It worked very well.

INGREDIENTS

2 c. vegetable broth (or chicken, if desired)
1/4 tsp. dried garlic powder
1 x 5.6-oz box 5-minute plain couscous
1/2 c. oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and diced
1/4 c. green onions, tops included, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp. sun dried tomato vinaigrette
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir garlic powder into the broth.

2. Prepare couscous according to the directions on the box, using the broth mixture instead of water. (Mine called for microwaving the couscous in the broth; others call for adding the couscous to boiling broth and steaming in a covered bowl)

3. Fluff with a fork and gently stir in the sun dried tomatoes, green onions, basil, and sun dried tomato vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Fluff again with a fork and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread (Breadmaker)

We got a breadmaker for Christmas and, ever since, I have been trying different bread recipes. I don't think we've bought a loaf of bread since Christmas. I started with the book that came with the maker and they seemed to come out okay... or so I thought.

I decided to look online for recipes and found a couple that knock the others out of the running.

We are trying to eat healthy so I have been focusing on just whole wheat recipes. This particular one is really just a plain whole wheat bread but with oatmeal in it. I modified the recipe to include vital wheat gluten which, I have read, makes whole wheat bread rise better. I couldn't be happier with this recipe.


INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 c. warm water (70-80 degrees F)
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp honey
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp skim milk powder
1 1/2 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
1/3 c. quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast


DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan, in the order suggested by the manufacturer (these are in the order I add them).

Select loaf size and crust color. This recipe makes a 1 lb. loaf and I usually use the light crust.



By the way, if you wondered what bread I used to make the portobello panini, this is it.