Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have loved malts and malted milk since I was a wee one. These cookies combine the best of a chocolate chip cookie with the depth that only malt can give.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

½ cup malted milk powder (I used Carnation® Original flavor)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with foil. Spray the baking sheets with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again. In another bowl, stir together the flour, malted milk powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture slowly into the butter mixture until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for about 11-14 minutes (you will be the best judge of how your oven cooks) and remove from oven. Let cool slightly and enjoy with milk!

Barbecued Pork Burgers with Sriracha Slaw

Sometimes you need a change of pace from a traditional burger. Here the porky goodness meets the tangy-sweet barbecue sauce, gooey cheese and a creamy, spicy Cole slaw.

Ingredients (makes 4, with extra slaw for serving):

Burgers:

1 pound ground pork

2 teaspoons grill seasoning (I like Montreal steak seasoning)

½ cup prepared barbecue sauce

4 slices provolone cheese

4 buns

Slaw:

½ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon celery salt

½ teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

4 cups finely shredded cabbage

¼ cup finely sliced red onion

Directions: Make the slaw first so it has time to rest. Start by mixing the mayo, vinegar, sugar, celery salt, dry mustard, salt, pepper and Sriracha in a bowl. Stir in the cabbage and onion. Chill until ready to use.

To make the burgers, mix the pork and grill seasoning together and form into four patties. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and preheat it on medium heat. Add the burgers, cooking about 10 minutes per side, until golden on each side. Turn the heat to low, baste with the barbecue sauce and cook another 3-4 minutes. Flip and coat the other side with sauce. Test for doneness by cutting into a burger slightly. There should be very little pink and any juices should be clear. Lay a slice of provolone on each burger, turn off the heat (but leave the skillet on the burner) and cover with foil until the cheese melts. Serve on buns with slaw piled on top.

Pan Fried Corn Meal Mush (Polenta before it was cool)

Polenta wasn’t always the darling that it is now and that you pay $18 per bowl for. Corn meal was a cheap and filling foodstuff. And it is delicious! Try this version for your next Sunday brunch.

  

Ingredients (makes 18 sticks, enough for 4 good eaters):

2 3/4 cups water

1 cup cornmeal

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup cold water

½ pound of bacon

Syrup

Directions:

Prep an 8x8 baking dish by lining it with foil and spraying it generously with cooking spray. Bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Whisk the corn meal, salt, sugar and 1 cup of cold water together in a bowl. Gradually add cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring frequently. When thickened, turn heat to very low, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. Pour into your prepped baking dish. Cool then chill overnight.

Turn the cornmeal mush out by placing a plate on top and flipping it over.  Cut into slices about 3 inches long by 1 inch thick. Cook the bacon on medium heat in a large skillet until done to your liking and remove to a paper towel lined plate. Cook the cornmeal fingers in the bacon grease until golden brown on all sides (about 5 minutes per side). Place on plates; serve with syrup poured lavishly over the top and bacon on the side. Some fresh fruit on the side is fabulous!

Gruyere, Bacon and Chicken Roulades with White Wine Mustard Sauce

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  Here’s a fancy dish that is really easy. I know it looks like a lot of ingredients and steps, but if you start with the individually frozen chicken breast portions and use the microwave-ready bacon, it goes really quickly. Of course, you could pound out fresh chicken breasts and cook regular bacon up-completely up to you. 
  
  
  Ingredients (serves 4):
  Chicken:
  4 skinless, boneless chicken breast portions, thawed and pounded thin (tip: use the largest ones in the package-they will be easier to roll)
  Salt and Pepper
  2 Tablespoons stone ground mustard
  ½ cup baby spinach leaves (oh, about 15 or 20 leaves)
  4 sticks of aged gruyere cheese, each about the size of a small finger
  4 slices microwave-ready bacon, microwaved until crisp (about 25 seconds) and broken in half
  
  
  Breading:
  1 cup flour mixed
  1 teaspoon salt
  ½ teaspoon pepper
  1 egg
  ½ cup milk
  1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
  
  
  ¼ cup canola oil
  
  
  Sauce:
  1 Tablespoon diced shallot (about 1 big clove)
  1/2 cup chicken broth
  1/4 cup dry white wine 
  2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
  1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  2 tablespoons butter 
  
  
  Directions:
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Ready a baking sheet by lining with foil or parchment and coating with vegetable spray.
  
  
  Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Spread the mustard evenly on one side of each chicken breast. Lay 4-5 spinach leaves on top of the mustard. Place one piece of cheese and one piece of bacon (two halves) on the lower end of each chicken breast, making sure that there is about ½ inch border of chicken on the sides. Roll up by folding the lowest portion of chicken (with the cheese and bacon up once, fold in the sides and then keep rolling up (think burrito style rolling). Secure with toothpicks, trying your best to keep all the cheese inside the roll.
  
  
  Get out three shallow bowls. In the first, mix the flour with the salt and pepper. In the second, use a fork to mix the egg and milk. Pour the panko into the third bowl. Feel free to add salt and pepper to both the egg wash and the panko as well, if you wish.
  
  
  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Roll each chicken breast first in the flour, then the egg wash and then in the panko. Cook in the oil until golden brown on each side. Remove to your baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes (check one by cutting just into the chicken of one roll-there should be no pink). When done, remove from the oven and set aside for about 5 minutes.
  
  
  While the chicken is cooking make the sauce by adding the shallots to  the skillet you used to cook the chicken (still on medium heat). Add the white wine, broth, mustard and vinegar, stirring to mix together. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low. Cook until reduced by half (about 5 minutes) and then turn off the heat. Swirl the butter into the sauce just to melt.
  
  
  Remove the toothpicks from the chicken. Put a spoonful of sauce on each plate and then place the chicken on top. Spoon any extra sauce right over the top.
  
  
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Cherries in the Snow Pavlova

Pavlovas have always been a favorite of mine. The light and crisp shell with cream and fruit is just so good. This is very simple and inexpensive, too. Don’t be afraid to try and don’t sweat trying to get a perfect circle (mine turned out more like an oblong). If you can beat egg whites, whip cream and open a jar of preserves, you will look like a dessert rock star!

Ingredients:

Meringue shell:

4 egg whites at room temperature

Pinch of salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Filling:

1 ½ cups whipping cream

1 Tablespoon sour cream

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1 (12 ounce) jar cherry preserves

1 Tablespoon cherry or raspberry liqueur (optional)

Directions:

For the meringue shell:

Clean a large metal bowl and electric mixer beaters thoroughly-I usually wash and then rinse with kosher salt, vinegar and then clear water to make sure everything is really clean. Any fat in the mix and your egg whites won’t beat. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray liberally with cooking spray.

Beat the egg whites and salt, starting on low and then advancing to high speed, until soft peaks form. Start adding the sugar/cornstarch mix in one Tablespoon full at a time. Add in the vanilla and vinegar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Spread the egg white mixture (meringue) in a circle (oh, about 8 or 9 inches in diameter) on the parchment paper. Make the edges a bit higher than the center so you have a slight well to place the cream and preserves in later.

Place in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 250 degrees F. Bake on the center rack for one hour. Turn off the oven and crack open the oven door and let the meringue sit in the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Slide an offset spatula or large knife between the parchment and the meringue. Be careful, here-it is delicate. Place the meringue shell on a serving dish while you make the filling.

For the filling:

Heat the preserves in a saucepan on very low heat until just melted. You don’t want them hot, but you don’t want them to be a big blog, either. Remove from heat and stir in the liqueur, if using.

With a clean bowl and beaters, whip the cream and sour cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Assembly: Now, to assemble (just before serving or you will lose some of the crunch from the meringue shell): Put a big dollop of the whipped cream in the center of the meringue and then a layer of preserves. Repeat. You can leave as is or make it fancy by swirling a knife up through the cream and preserves to give it a marbled look.

Chicken Chow Mein

Whenever my mom had the chance, she would order Chow Mein or Chop Suey at Chinese restaurants and with good reason-old school Chow Mein is just wonderful. I love all the flavors and it’s just so warm and comforting. Even better, you can work with whatever veggies you have in your house instead of the ones listed (although I recommend keeping in the celery, green onions, bean sprouts and water chestnuts). Don’t have fresh chicken, but you have leftover? Use that. Don’t want any meat or poultry? Fine and dandy, just use veggie broth in place of the chicken broth (and omit the oyster sauce if you don’t do fish/shellfish).

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

Chicken:

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon good sherry (not the ‘cooking’ variety)

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch pieces

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons corn starch

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sherry

½ cup chicken broth (cold)

Optional-2 teaspoons of oyster sauce

A few drops of sesame oil

2 Tablespoons canola oil

Vegetables:

2 stalks celery, green part only, sliced thin on the diagonal

¼ of a white or yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons

¼ cup red bell pepper, sliced

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms-any kind (I’m using fresh shitake, so I’m taking off the tough stem and saving it for      broth)

1 (14 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained (or use fresh-they are even better)

1 (5 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2-3 green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal

Optional: a handful of baby spinach leaves—I just love the dark green in there.

Noodles:

1 (16 ounce) package chow mein noodles (or you can stir fry some cooked and cooled noodles, but gosh I love those crispy ones!)

Directions:

Stir together the corn starch, soy and sherry for the chicken and then toss in the chicken pieces. Let stand for 15 minutes. Then, drain off the marinade and discard it.

Stir together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat the oil in a very large skillet or wok on medium high until shimmering but not smoking (just about 3 minutes). Toss in the chicken and cook until no longer pink, stirring often. Add in the celery, onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, bean sprouts and water chestnuts and cook, stirring constantly for another 2 minutes. Add in the green onions (and spinach, if using) and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir the sauce together again and then slowly add into the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve over noodles.

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes and Mushrooms

Here’s a side dish recipe to get you out of the winter potato rut. If you haven’t tried Jerusalem artichokes (also called sun chokes), give them a try—they are earthy and nutty and work great as a side dish. I especially like how the edges get caramelized when they roast.  They are slightly sweet and go so beautifully with mushrooms and deeply flavored herbs. You can peel Jerusalem artichokes if you want, but it isn’t necessary if they are well scrubbed.

Ingredients:

About 12 Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed clean and halved (quartered if very large)

About 12 mushrooms (cremini, shitake, white button, doesn't matter), cleaned and stem end trimmed

2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil (just enough to coat the veggies)

2 teaspoons coarse salt (sea or kosher)

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the Jerusalem artichokes and mushrooms with the oil and then sprinkle on the seasonings. Toss together onto the baking sheet and even out to one layer. Roast for 30minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Mini Cannoli

Need a good dessert fast? This one is for you—the classic flavors of cannoli in bite-sized phyllo cups. Not only are these incredibly tasty, they go together in no time flat. You may have filling leftover-you can either pick up another package of phyllo cups and make more or don’t tell anyone and grab a spoon. I’m in favor of the latter.

Ingredients (makes 30 mini cannoli):

1 (16 ounce) part skim ricotta cheese, drained of any excess liquid

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Zest of 1 large orange

½ cup mini chocolate chips

2 packages (15 per package) baked mini phyllo cups

Directions:

Mix the ricotta, powdered sugar, orange zest and chocolate chips in a bowl. Spoon into the phyllo cups. That’s it-done!

Just a hint-you can make the filling ahead of time, but don’t spoon it into the shells until you are about ready to serve, otherwise the shells can get soggy. 

Reuben Style Patty Melts

Sometimes, nothing but a hot sandwich will do. I love a Patty Melt, which is really just a hybrid of a burger and a grilled cheese. Take that a step further with some Reuben ingredients and you’ve got something special. The onions and sauerkraut cook down until they are slightly sweet and nutty, making this one great sandwich.

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches):

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup thinly sliced onions

½ cup sauerkraut, drained

1 pound ground sirloin

Salt and pepper to taste

8 slices rye bread

Tub butter or margarine to coat the outside of the bread slices

About ¼ cup Thousand Island salad dressing

4 slices Swiss cheese

8 kosher dill slices

Directions: Heat a large skillet over medium low heat and melt the butter. Add the onions and toss to coat. Cook on low until caramelized and lightly golden brown, stirring often (about 20 minutes). Add in the sauerkraut, stir and cook 15 minutes longer. Remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

Mix the ground beef and salt/pepper together and form into 4 thin patties, about the size of your bread slices. Turn the skillet up to medium high and cook the patties until done to your liking. Remove the patties to a plate and wipe out the skillet again.

Lay out a piece of wax paper (for easy clean up) and spread the tub butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread butter side down on the wax paper and spread the Thousand Island on four of the bread slices. Top the dressing with a heaping Tablespoon of the onion/sauerkraut mixture and 2 slices of pickle. Top that with a slice of Swiss and then one of the patties. Top with another slice of bread (butter side out).

Cook, in batches, about 4 to 5 minutes per side on medium heat, flipping once, until both sides of the sandwich are golden and the cheese is melting. Cut in half and devour.

Mushroom, Beef and Barley Stew

I’m going for deep, rich, earthy flavor today. Three levels of mushroom flavor, caramelized beef, two types of onions and a long, slow cook make this wonderful and a perfect comfort dish. Plus, it is a one-pot dish-can’t beat that.

Ingredients (easily serves 6):

Salt and pepper to taste (use throughout the recipe, as you wish)

½ ounce (1 small package) dried shitake mushrooms

1 cup hot tap water

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound beef chuck steak, cut into bite-size cubes, with visible fat removed

1 beef bone for soup

3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

½ cup sliced leeks

4 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon beef base (optional, but awesome-‘Better than Bouillon’® is fantastic)

1 teaspoon mushroom base (optional, but again awesome—mine is the ‘Better than Bouillon’® brand)

1 teaspoon dried thyme, more or less

½ teaspoon dried rosemary, more or less

1 cup medium barley

1 cup water

1 good swig of Marsala Wine (optional)

½ pound frozen pearl onions, thawed

Directions: Place the dried shitakes in the hot water and let steep until the mushrooms have reconstituted (about 30 minutes). Heat the oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss in the pot, along with the beef bone. Brown the meat and then remove to a plate. You may want to brown the meat in two batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, add in about ¼ cup of the broth (or even water or some of the Marsala you will be using later-you just want some liquid to help stir up the browned bits on the bottom) and toss the cremini mushrooms and leeks in the pan. Cook until they are soft and starting to caramelize, stirring often. Add the meat back in and stir. Add the broth, beef and mushroom bases, thyme and rosemary. Remove the shitakes from the soaking liquid (save that liquid) and chop. Toss them into the pot, along with the soaking liquid, being careful to stop pouring that liquid before the sediment on the bottom is added. Bring the pot to a boil; reduce to a simmer and let cook on low for 2 hours, stirring often. Add in the barley, water, pearl onions and wine, if using and stir. Cook for another hour, stirring and checking the seasoning along the way. Depending on how thick you like your stew, you may even want a little more water stirred in.  Discard the bone and serve hot.

Savory Popovers

Anybody else remember Home Ec classes? Plain popovers were the very first food I made in that class back in my day. It was like magic to see how this batter transformed into a light, airy pastry back then, and it still is today.

Ingredients (makes 6 in a standard popover tin):

Cooking spray, vegetable shortening or butter to coat the popover cups

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Savory Mushroom Salt (recipe below)

Directions: Liberally spray each cup of a six cup popover tin (you can use a large muffin tin if you want, but then this will make 12 smaller popovers). Place the popover tin on a baking sheet and place in a cold oven. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F while you prepare the batter. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil, flour and Savory Mushroom Salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Using good, sturdy, oven mitts, remove the baking sheet with the popover tin on it from the oven. Carefully ladle in the batter until the cups are just half full. Return the sheet to the oven and cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. DO NOT PEEK. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes (mine took 20) until the popovers are very firm and brown. Turn off the oven and let the popovers sit in there for another three minutes. Remove from the oven; prick the tops with a sharp knife to let the steam escape and serve hot.

Savory Mushroom Salt

Here is a lovely all-purpose seasoning blend that will add depth to anything bland like potatoes. The salt, thyme and onion powder/shallot salt can all be customized to your taste.

Ingredients:

1 package (1/2 ounce) dried shitake mushrooms

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon onion powder (or shallot salt if you have it)

Directions: Pulverize the dried mushrooms in your food processor, blender or super-duper smoothie blender. Pour the powder into a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients.