Do you love chocolate, or brownies, or cookies? If so, you need to check out this easy and delicious recipe from Food and Wine. Everyone knows chocolate is most popular in February for Valentine's Day, but my friend Lindsay, who is Sawyer's mother, has a birthday in February and one of her favorite cookies is a chocolate cookie from a local deli. I'm trying to duplicate it for her, and although I haven't done that exactly, these practice cookies are definitely a recipe worth having! Don't forget "Mise en Place", which means "everything in its place". Put all of your prepped ingredients and the tools you'll need in one place before you start mixing and blending (this means you have to read the recipe in its entirety before you start!). I promise, it will make your cooking and baking experiences seem effortless and be so enjoyable! START WITH A FEW SIMPLE INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Here's a link from TheKitchn that I intend to use to freeze cookie dough and have it on hand when needed. http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-freeze-cookie-dough-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-195223 Brownie Cookies,..for a chocolate lover they are perfect for any occasion! Dished With Love, Denise!
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There's nothing like cold weather in February, when it's time to bring out all the hearty, meaty soups, stews and dishes that warm the heart and soul! This Winter we've had to make our own comfort food nights without the cold weather because Winter hasn't come to Georgia yet! It's in the 70's today! I'm not complaining, except I don't know how to dress, I'm not ready to begin cutting the grass yet, and I hope there are no tornados or blizzards looming in the near future. With that said.... My sister and I love Parmigiana dishes, usually made with chicken cutlets and pasta. We're working on reducing carbs in our diet, so we didn't have pasta here. I had a thawed out two-pound center-cut pork loin in the refrigerator so I made my own pork "cutlets" This is a really simple dish, but you can't really tell that when it's finished. Oh, and it has two different cheeses, sliced mozzarella and grated Parmesan! Click on the picture for the recipe, and let me tell you how I made this! I used regular Panko bread crumbs because that is what I had on hand. It worked just fine, but the finer bread crumbs give you the more traditional dish. I like to use the herbs and spices in recipes but I usually cut back on those, to taste. When you use them you'll learn how intense some of them can be and how to use them to your own taste. Don't forget, you can add them but you can't take them away. Use a little at a time, tasting along the way, to make your dish perfect.
One of my most favorite things in the world is an aromatic tomato sauce, and this is a simple and delicious version I'm sure I will make over and over. It tastes like the sauce that is piled on top of a favorite lasagna at a local restaurant, and they also serve it with homemade bread. Heat some olive oil, saute some finely chopped onions and fresh garlic, add two cups of canned crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes, and you have heaven! The attached recipe calls for a large skillet and a baking dish for completing the dish, but I used my iron skillet on the stove-top and in the oven, making this a one pot recipe. You can't get much better than that! We thoroughly enjoyed this, and it's perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner! The next time I make it I will use chicken, which is a main staple in our household, and I'm already looking forward to it! Dished With Love, Denise! Hailing from Georgia, congratulations to the Atlanta Falcons for making it to the Super Bowl. It would have been nice if we had won, but we'll be rootin' for them in the Fall! We began having a Super Bowl party 12 or 13 years ago with friends, and throughout the years there have been many, many friends come in and out of the doors, in the house, in the yard, in the garage, on the carport, and we have had at least three large screen televisions set up each year if you want to watch the ballgame! It's always fun to see old faces and meet new people! Of course, this year was extra special because Atlanta was in the game! Now let's talk about the food at the party! For those of you who know I am constantly trying to eat healthier and lose weight, Super Bowl Sunday is a cheat day! Gail, who hosts the party in her home, made lasagna this year, so I found this easy, easy garlic knot recipe. Who doesn't love garlic bread drowning in garlic and butter?? I would love to say I made the dough for this bread (I did go to culinary school after all), but I bought pizza pie dough from the bakery at Publix. I love it. It takes some flouring, and a lot of "stretching", but it's very convenient! Here's how to use it and what you need: Pizza Pie Dough (store bought or homemade) A little olive oil for brushing Flour for lightly dusting A stick of butter (eight tablespoons) Kosher or Coarse Sea Salt 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Romano Cheese-Had it on hand 2 Tbsp of fresh chopped parsley (I left the herbs off because I have friends who have adverse reactions to herbs, but this bread was gobbled up!) Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two large baking sheets. (I used my Misto that holds olive oil). Recipe makes about 24 knots. Set the sheets aside. Lightly sprinkle some flour on the ball of dough, and the cutting board, and the rolling pin, and roll the dough out into about a 12x16 rectangle. I'm no expert here, but pick up the dough and let the weight of the dough stretch it (like pizza makers on television). If you're brave you can toss it in the air. I did not try that. Try not to overwork the dough, it will get tough. Brush the rectangle of dough with olive oil, and slice as shown above. Stretch each piece a little, if needed, and tie it into a knot! Place the knots on prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Sprinkle the tops of the knots with salt. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss gently with the warm garlic butter, Parmesan Romano cheese, and parsley. Add salt to taste if necessary. Serve immediately. There's provolone for the ham and cheese sliders, extra sharp cheddar and pepper jack for Jumpin' Jack Cheddar, and extra sharp cheddar for sausage balls! Easy and popular appetizers and party dishes! Here's another fan favorite, my Jumpin Jack Cheddar! Go to the little searchy thingy on this page and you'll find the recipe! The recipe has been edited a couple of times, and I think I have it just right! Here's a classic! These were requested by my sister. Some recipes call for three cups of Bisquick, but that makes them really "biscuity" and a little dry, so cut back on the Bisquick and you can judge by the raw, mixed dough before you get them too dry. Bisquick Sausage Balls
Combine all ingredients. Mixing by hand mixes it the best. Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet one inch apart. I used a cookie scoop for making evenly sized sausage balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. How easy is that?? Here's a Super Bowl Party staple, and always a favorite. I buy the two packages of the black forest ham and one of the provolone cheese in the big packages at Sam's, along with the King's Hawaiian rolls. I use one slice, folded, of the ham, and one-half of a cheese slice, folded, on each roll. This makes at least seven (7) dozen sliders. Click on the picture above for the recipe! My sister (sous chef) is always helpful in helping me put these together! Cook's Tip: If you buy the Hawaiian rolls that have not been pre-sliced, place the layer of rolls on your cutting board or a flat tray. Hold gently by placing the clean palm of your hand on the rolls, and slice the pack of rolls gently with a long, sharp serrated knife. Voila! These delicious chicken wings get honorable mention, because you can't have a Super Bowl party without them, right? My sister contributes toward these every year. These were actually some that were steamed, and not crispy like we like them. We brought home the leftovers, I dried them out on a rack in the oven at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping them once. They still weren't crispy enough, so I fried them in my iron skillet. I'm glad this was all we had because I could have eaten a hundred. They were so delicious, fried, as they should be! Another Super Bowl gone by, hopefully Atlanta will make it and win next year, they deserve it! Before I end, let me show you current pictures of Girly Sawyer! This was before a daddy-daughter date at Chick-Fil-A. She gets more beautiful every day! Until next time, Friends! Thanks for stopping by and your comments are always appreciated!
Dished with Love, Denise |
Denise ClarkA place to share my favorite things...friends and food, dogs, college football, and my inspiration, Sawyer, the most beautiful little girl in the world! CategoriesArchives
December 2022
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