Over the Top Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies

* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 cup peanut butter
* 2 large eggs
* 2 tsp vanilla
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
* 32 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, each cut into 4 pieces

1. Mix the ingredients down to the vanilla. Add soda, salt, and flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
2. Using and ice cream scoop, scoop dough (these are big cookies). Place 6 scoops of dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Use your hand and slightly flatten each scoop of dough. Cook for 12 minutes at 350.
3. Remove cookies from oven and lightly press 8 cut up pieces of the Reese’s peanut butter cups over the top of each cookie. Return to oven for 2 more minutes. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes before placing on cooling rack. I think these cookies are best eaten warm. However, the still taste great the next day. Are best if eaten no later than the day after baking. Makes 18 cookies.

Variation: use mini or regular M&M pieces in place of the Reese’s pieces.

from real mom kitchen

Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

2 pounds ground chicken
6 pineapple rings (or equivalent slices, cut about 1/2" - 3/4" thick)
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce, 1/2 the paprika, 1/2 the chili powder, seasoning salt and cumin. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 6 even balls. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle and sprinkle with remaining paprika and chili powder. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Coat grates lightly with oil. Grill burgers over medium heat about 6 minutes per side. The burgers should flip easily when they are ready to turn, if they want to stick, give them another minute. Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. Grill buns if desired.

For the pineapple, if you are using rings, grill directly on the grates over medium heat. Carefully turn after 1-2 minutes. If you are using pineapple slices or chunks, thread onto skewers and grill skewers in the same fashion. Assemble burgers and enjoy.
from Homemade by Holman

Fruit Dip

From who knows where…
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 seven ounce jar marshmallow fluff
- Juice from one orange (I’ve substituted with limes for a tangier flavor – it’s great both ways)

Take cream cheese out of fridge and let soften. When the cream cheese is soft enough to blend, add the fluff and orange juice and beat the you-know-what out of it. Serve with fruit and prepare to be transported straight to paradise. Strawberries and green grapes are my favorite with this dip, but just about any fruit tastes great!
from this week for dinner

quinoa with sundried tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 ml) quinoa, uncooked
2 cups (500 ml) water
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, approximately
1/2 cup (125 ml) pinenuts, toasted
4 to 6 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 ml) fresh parmesan or romano cheese, finely grated (add more at the table)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Put quinoa into saucepan or rice cooker and add water to cover. Soak for 5 to 10 minutes. You may omit this step if short on time.

Drain and rinse the quinoa using a strainer/colander, stirring with your fingers as you run the water over the quinoa.

Add the water and quinoa to the rice cooker or saucepan on the stovetop to cook. If using the saucepan, cover, bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other ingredients - toast the pinenuts, chop the sundried tomatoes, cucumber and Italian flat-leaf parsley, and rinse and drain the chickpeas.

When the quinoa is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat on the stovetop, or transfer the quinoa from the rice cooker to a bowl, fluff with a fork (if it's a bit sticky you may need to break it up a bit) and let cool.

When cooled, add the pinenuts, sundried tomatoes, cucumber, Italian flat-leaf parsley and chickpeas.

Squeeze half a lemon into a measuring cup or bowl and remove any seeds. Add to the mixture and stir thoroughly.

Add olive oil, cheese (if using) and one or two grinds of pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly. Taste and add more lemon, oil or seasoning to suit your taste.
from teh tastetraveller

Golden Chickpea and Artichoke Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed well
5 to 7 artichoke hearts, drained and sliced lengthwise (canned or frozen both work fine. I like to rinse the canned ones.)
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted if desired
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I used more to taste)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (I used 1 teaspoon dried)

1. Heat oil in a seasoned wok or cast-iron skillet. Add the chickpeas and cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally to prevent burning, until the chickpeas are golden brown all over. When done, put them in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Add more oil to the pan and cook the sliced artichoke hearts until browned. Add them to the bowl of chickpeas.

3. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet (if desired) and then grind them in a food processor. Add the almonds to the artichokes and chickpeas. Season the salad with lemon juice and salt and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature, adjust the seasoning if needed.
from the cooking photographer

Lemony Couscous with Peas and Chicken

1/2 rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 wide strips of lemon peel, plus additional zest for garnish
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Skin and debone 1/2 a rotisserie chicken. Shred meat and set aside. Reserve any drippings from the carton.

Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth and drippings to pan and bring to boil. Stir in lemon peel and peas and return to a boil. Stir in couscous and stir and add chicken. Cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 7 minutes.

Add lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork. Divide into bowls and serve garnished with parsley and additional lemon zest.

Serves 4
Adapted from Everyday Food, May 2010
from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Spicy Edamame

Wok-charred Edamame (from Three Dog Kitchen)
1 pound edamame in the pod
2 TB salt
3 TB sesame oil
2 tsp. finely minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. white sesame seeds
1 TB sugar
1 TB soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp. shichimi (Japanese chili pepper, available at Asian grocery stores)
Heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 TB of the oil and toss in the edamame. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until well-coated with the oil.
Make a well in the edamame and add the remaining 1 TB oil, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 20 to 30 seconds, until barely light golden brown, then add the sesame seeds to the well. Stir to mix evenly, coating the edamame. Sprinkle in the sugar and toss several times, allowing the sugar to melt and glaze the edamame. Add the soy sauce, shichimi and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
from Charm and Salt

Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons olive oil – use divided
½ cup finely minced white or yellow onion (about ½ of a medium onion)
1 cup quinoa
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1½ cups water
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ cup slivered almond
1 green onion (white and green part) finely minced
¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely minced

Directions:

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced white or yellow onion and cook for about 2 minutes or until the onions are starting to get translucent. Add the quinoa and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. You want the quinoa to lightly toast but you do not want the garlic to get browned. Add the water and salt. Raise heat, bring to a full boil, cover pan with a lid and turn heat down to medium-low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

While quinoa is simmering toast the almond slivers in a dry skillet over high heat until they are browned and fragrant, stirring often. Watch them carefully so they do not burn. Take off heat and set aside.

When the quinoa is done, remove from heat and let sit in pan covered for about 3 minutes. Put in serving bowl and fluff with a fork. Add the minced green onion, parsley and toasted almonds. Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Serves 4 as a side dish.
from Simply Gluten Free

Soy-Maple Salmon

3/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
coarsely ground black pepper

Mix syrup and soy sauce in plastic bag. Arrange salmon in marinade making sure all fish is covered. Marinate in fridge, turning periodically, 4-48 hours--the longer the better (I generally start marinating the night before). Before grilling, season generously with pepper.

To marinate more fish, no need to double or triple the recipe, just make enough to cover the fish in proportions of 3 parts maple syrup to 1 part soy sauce.

Slow and Low Sweet POtatoes

Really really good!  I liked them with the skin peeled off before cooking, it gave them extra charred area.  -JT
Preheat oven to 350*
Slice sweet potatoes ~1/2” thick
Lightly coat with olive oil + a sprinkling of salt
Bake for 20min [turning once]
Turn heat to 400*
Bake for ~15-20min more [turning once]
Creates slightly crunchy browned skin, the center oozes with creaminess. 
from the edible perspective