No bake chocolate peanut butter cookies

So I may have just discovered the most perfect chocolate cookie recipe.  It happened because I ran out of oats.  I am addicted to the chocolate no-bake cookie recipe....but without oats I always assumed they would just be goo.  With a little tweaking however what I discovered was a perfect (and fast) recipe.  The challenge now is to try and improve what it looks like.  I am thinking next time I will drop the goo into cookie cutters to harden.

For your eating pleasure:

You need:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (powdered)
1/4 cup milk (best when you use just shy of a quarter cup_
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 tsp vanilla

To make it:
1. mix butter, sugar, cocoa and milk together until it starts to boil
2. remove from heat
3. add vanilla and peanut butter
4. stir until combined
5. drop onto parchment paper or wax paper...about the size of Oreos (or drop into cookie cutters to make shapes

That's it.  They take about 10 minutes to harden completely...although you can always stick them in the fridge to make it happen quicker.

Note: that this recipe doubles and halves really well

Meatloaf should be easy

I don't have a lot of time and don't want to spend what time I have on dinner.  Meatloaf shouldn't be hard, require a trip to the store or make dishes.  This one doesn't.

What you need:
1-2 pounds of ground beef or turnkey
1/2-1 onion, diced (depending on how much you like onion)
2 pieces of bread (any kind) torn into pieces (make it 3 pieces if you use 2 pounds of meat)
1 egg
2 of the 3: 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 1/2 cup molasses

Bonus ideas:

• for tangier meatloaf add: 1/4 cup mustard 
• for cheesy meatloaf add: 1/2-1 cup of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese.  Stuff cheese into loaf once formed.

To make it:
1. pre-heat the oven to 350
2. mix everything in one bowl
3. spray an oven proof pan
4. shape into desired shape (i prefer the classic loaf)
5. cook for 50 minutes (if you forgot to pre-heat like I always do it might take 55 minutes)

3 Apples, 15 minutes...Breakfast for 3!

I was, as usual, short on time the other morning.  Trying to rush through breakfast so I could get to work on time and all I could find as a main ingredient were apples.  In 15 minutes I created 3 different things that please each of the people I was cooking for.  I was impressed since my audience was two toddlers and a picky husband.

So here it is: 3 apples, 15 minutes...go:

1. put on water to boil
2. turn the over on to 350 (although if you don't pre-heat its not a big deal)
2. using at least one apple per person ( I used 4, one for each kid and two for my husband)
3. peel two of the apples
4. cut one of the pealed apples up crudely (this will become apple sauce)
5. cut the other peeled apple into thin long strips (dipping sticks)
6. cut the remaining unpeeled apples into square chucks (baked apples)

To make the applesauce:
1. dump the crudely cut apples into the boiling water (about 5 minutes)
2. remove apples when soft
3. mash with fork and add cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste

To make the dipping sticks
1. take the thin strips of apple and arrange on a plate
2. using available (appropriate) condiments create mini dipping piles.  We ended up with organic maple syrup from our neighbors farm, peanut butter and at his request tomato sauce

To make the baked apples:
1. take the remaining apples, toss with 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
2. add apples to a pan you can put in the oven (I like to mix the sugar mixture with the apples in the pan to save a dish)
3. cook at least 5 minutes...to as long as you want...they just get mushier the longer you leave them in

Risotto Simplified

I first made Risotto when I was newly married to my first husband.  I enjoyed the process, the multiple pots on the stove, the slow, consistent cooking.  I never deviated from the recipes, and always felt a sense of accomplishment when it was time to add the cheese at the end.

Fast forward 10 years and I'm on my second husband and have two toddlers and the idea of multiple pots and all that stirring makes my head spin.  So here is what I have learned about making risotto:

You will need:

• 3/4-1 cup risotto rice
• 1 onion 
• some butter (optional)
• 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups water
• 6 chicken bullion cubes
• 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh or from the container)
• Anything else you want to add...sausage, tomatoes, apples, beef, spinach etc.

Directions:

1. Chop up the onion, cook it in a pot with whatever amount of butter you want for a few minutes until it starts to get see through
2. Add the rice and stir
3. Add the wine
4. If you are adding meat, have it cooked and add it here (you can drain it or not...I usually don't)
5. Once the wine is absorbed start adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time
6. You do not need to warm/make your broth separately.  When you start adding the broth just put in all the bullion cubes with the first 1/2 cup of water.  I usually use 6 cubes for 3/4 cups of rice.
7. Keep adding the water in 1/2 - 1 cup increments until the rice is tender (I usually use 3 or so cups of water)
8. If you are adding vegetables add them before you add the last 1/2 cup of water
9. Take it off the heat, add some more butter (a tablespoon is plenty) and the cheese
10. You can eat it right away or let it sit

That's it.  Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking...cook it on medium heat...you will have dinner in about 45 minutes.   Also reheats really well the next day.   Enjoy!

Some of my favorite combinations for risotto:

• basil, tomato and spinach (1 large tomato, 1/2 cup fresh spinach, 3 sprigs basil)
• spicy sausage and apples (2 uncooked sausages and 1 apple)
• chicken and asparagus (6-10 stalks asparagus, 1/2-1 cup cooked chicken)
• saffron and apples (1 tsp saffron, 1 apple)

Asparagus Wrapped Chicken

I love easy dinners.   And if I can make one that somehow looks "fun" to my toddlers it's a bigger win.  I found an image in Pinterest showing asparagus wrapped in a chicken breast and thought I bet I could turn that into fun finger food.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: depends some on how thick the chicken is...the range is 15-25 minutes.  Usually 20 does the trick

Ingredients:

• Chicken tenders (raw)
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Bread crumbs or shake and bake
• Asparagus

Steps:

1. Take a look at your chicken tenders.  The should be long and thin, you will want to cut them in half to create two pieces that are almost square...then beat them a little with a wooden spoon t flatten
2. In a 9x13 pan, use butter (or pan spray if you prefer) to coat the bottom of the pan
3. put bread crumbs or Shake and Bake on a plate
4. Place the chicken on the plate (on top of the crumbs_
5. Place 3 stalks of asparagus on each piece of chicken
6. Cut thin inch long strips of mozzarella cheese and place on top of asparagus
7. Fold the chicken over so the two edges are touching or nearly touching (you don't much overlap)
8. Bake at 375

You'll be left with a cooked but firm asparagus, melted cheese and crisp but still juicy chicken.   Each piece could be eaten in 2-3 bites.  Perfect for toddlers who like finger food and appetizers at parties.  It looks like a lot of steps but it really did only take 15 minutes of prep.

Enjoy!