Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

A chocolate chip cookie is one of those desserts that I think just seems quintessentially American. Who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip cookie? There are so many variations of this type of cookie that I want to try, but when I saw this recipe on my friend Lisa’s blog, I was so incredibly excited about it that I moved it right to the top of my list.

What makes these cookies special and unique is that you brown the butter before you add it to the cookies. Butter + brown sugar = TOFFEE HEAVEN. The original recipe is just called “Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies,” but I added toffee to the title because you do get a really strong toffee flavor in these. They make your house smell incredible while they’re cooking, and they taste even better than they smell. They’re crispy on the edges and perfectly soft in the middle, and they have such a deep, complex, amazing flavor.

These aren’t really a classic chocolate chip cookie to me because of the strong toffee flavor, so for the classic version I think Martha Stewart’s cakey cookie will still be my go-to. But these were still delicious, and we all loved them so much that I will for sure make them again.

Oh, and a final word of warning: These cookies will seriously be nearly as big as your head. Just so you’re not as surprised as I was when I took them out of the oven. :)

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
from America’s Test Kitchen

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta

I know I’ve mentioned this before (and those of you who were around here last summer experienced it first-hand), but when I was pregnant with my sweet little Will I could not get enough barbecue. They say you crave strange things when you’re pregnant, and craving barbecue was definitely odd for me since I’d never really been a big fan of it. I liked it okay, I guess, but would never go out of my way to eat it in a restaurant or cook it at home.

But even now that Will is here, I’ve found that I still just can’t get enough of anything and everything barbecued. The craving stuck around! Needless to say, Joe is thrilled about this, since barbecue is one of his favorite things. When I saw this recipe show up on one of my friend Allison’s weekly meal plans, I was instantly sold. I knew we’d love it.

Because I have to be me, I made the recipe just slightly more complicated by cooking the pasta separately, then adding it to the sauce. I also added some bacon to make this even smokier and more delicious. It may sound a little odd -- BBQ chicken in pasta? -- but trust me, this is so good. It’s smoky and creamy and cheesy. It’s pure comfort food, and something that this barbecue-loving family will be indulging in frequently.

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta

adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

1 pound penne or other short pasta
1 pound bacon, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks

1 red onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese for garnish, if desired

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel.

3. Add the chicken and red onion to the bacon grease in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the onion is softened. Stir in the reserved bacon, barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the shredded cheese. Add pasta and stir to combine; heat through.

4. Serve immediately, garnishing with red or green onions, bacon and shredded cheese, if desired.

Southwestern Veggie-Stuffed Peppers and Leftover Baked Veggie-Rice Burritos

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I was home with my youngest son, who has croup. The poor little thing was so pathetic and just wanted to be held all day long (who can blame him?) so I didn’t have a chance to get on the computer. To make up for my second child-related absence in two weeks, I’m giving you a two-for-one recipe today.

Who doesn’t love a good stuffed pepper, right? I have to confess that this is the first time I’ve ever made stuffed peppers at home, but it definitely won’t be the last. They were incredibly easy -- much more so than I thought they’d be. I adapted the recipe from one I saw on $5 Dinners, but I only used one type of beans and added both zucchini and corn to the filling to make it even more veggie-full.

(I did have an unfortunate tearing incident with one of my peppers, which is why you only see half a pepper filled in the second picture. But it was the perfect size for Andrew, who devoured it!)

I had a ton of filling left over, so I used it the next night to make us some delicious baked burritos. I mixed sour cream and cheese with the leftover filling and rolled it up in flour tortillas, and it made another big, satisfying, yummy dinner for us (pardon the picture; I know it's awful). Make the peppers on Sunday night, since they take a little longer, and have the burritos on Monday since they take no time at all. We’ll be having this combination of dinners a lot!

Southwestern Veggie-Stuffed Peppers
adapted from $5 Dinners

1 cup instant rice

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

4 green peppers

Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook the rice as directed; set aside.

2. In a small amount of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and zucchini until softened. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, corn, and cilantro. Season with chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in rice.

3. Meanwhile, slice the stem out of the top of the green peppers and place them in a pot of boiling salt water for 5 minutes. Remove from water, then stuff with the filling. Top with a pinchful of shredded cheese.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Leftover Baked Veggie-Rice Burritos

(Approximate the ingredients according to how much filling you have left.)

Leftover filling
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine leftover filling, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

3. Divide filling in equal amounts among flour tortillas. Wrap each filling securely and place seam-side down in a casserole dish you’ve sprayed with cooking spray.

4. Bake until flour tortillas begin to crisp, about 20 minutes.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 9.27.10

Monday: Ranch chicken, roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Vegetable oven pancake, fruit

Wednesday: Crock pot pork roast with potatoes and carrots, salad

Thursday: Creamy tortellini with spinach and tomatoes

Friday: Pizza night

Saturday: Chicken enchilada ring. This looks like good football watchin’ food to me! Big 10 conference play starts next weekend -- Go Bucks!!

Sunday: Fall minestrone, rolls

Boston Cream Cake

Can you look at that picture without drooling?

Yeah. Me neither.

My husband and I celebrated six years of marriage early in August, and we aren’t really big on gifts for special occasions. For our kids, yes; for ourselves, not so much. Usually, if we see something we want throughout the year (for ourselves or for each other), we just buy it then. So on gift-giving occasions such as anniversaries, neither of us ever knows what to give to the other person.

This year, I decided to make Joe this cake. He loves Boston cream pie, and I’d had my eye on this recipe for a while, so it seemed like a natural fit. Not surprisingly, he loved this! Everyone who tried it did, in fact. And really, what’s not to love? There’s just something so perfect about the combination of a moist yellow cake, a cool pastry cream, and a silky, velvety chocolate ganache. You could of course use a homemade yellow cake recipe, but the boxed SuperMoist mix works just fine for me.

Give this one a try for your next special occasion!

Boston Cream Cake
adapted from Rachael's Favorite Recipes

For the cake:
1 box moist yellow cake mix
Water, oil, and eggs called for on box

For the filling:
1 3.4-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Prepare cake batter according to directions on box. Divide batter evenly among two greased 8- or 9-inch cake pans. Bake according to directions on box. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

2. Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate while you prepare the ganache.

3. Place chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a saucepan to boiling. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Stir in a figure-eight motion until chocolate is completely melted and ganache is shiny and smooth. Let cool slightly.

4. Place one of the cakes on a cake plate. Spread filling evenly over cake, then place the other cake on top. Pour ganache over completely cooled cake. (Be sure the ganache and cake are both cool.) Refrigerate before and after serving.