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.