Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Canola oil
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 6 ounces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on low speed with an electric mixer. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix on low until just combined.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to butter mixture and mix by hand until combined. Portion heaping teaspoonfuls (or use a 3/4 ounce scoop) onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Lightly flatten cookies with finger. Rotate baking sheet and bake an additional 3 minutes.

Yields 38 (or perhaps 2 dozen).

VERDICT:  These may not have turned out exactly as written--we made them with Eleanor, and she has little patience for exact measuring and also ate a little bit of the cream cheese--but I think they turned out well, and I don't really like homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Keep.

Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili

Chili:

• 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) olive or vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 cup pale beer or vegetable stock/broth
• 1 (32- ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans
• 1 (14-ounce) can dark red kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne hot pepper sauce, several drops
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans

Toppings:

• 8 ounces (2 cups shredded) spicy monterey jack or smoked cheddar
• Chopped scallions, whites and greens
• Diced fresh seeded plum tomato
• Blue and red corn tortilla chips or black bean tortilla chips, for dipping

Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.

Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese, scallions, and tomatoes. Place bowls on charger plates piled with assorted tortilla chips.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:   The name of this chili is awful (that's Rachel Ray for you), but it was easy to make and tasted good.  I added the whole can of refried beans, but it was still really liquidy, so I added an additional two cans of whole beans, which helped.   Keep.

Brie Toasts with Eggplant Marmalade

• 6 cups finely chopped eggplant (about 12 ounces)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices diagonally cut multigrain bread
• 4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 8 slices
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 
Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 30 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in garlic. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat broiler.

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Top each slice with 1/4 cup eggplant mixture and 1 slice Brie. Broil 1 minute or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4 (2 toasts); 346 calories.

VERDICT:  Good and easy--I love that you throw everything in one pot and let it cook down and that you essentially only have to chop the eggplant.  Keep.

Healthy Morning Muffins

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 4 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

 

Serves 12.

 

VERDICT:  Good!  Based on the batter, which seemed to be entirely made out of carrots, I did not think this was going to work at all, but these muffins turned out beautifully.  I substituted 1/2 c. of whole wheat flour for 1/2 c. of the white flour and used light brown sugar.  I ate one with a salad for lunch and thought myself incredibly healthy.  Keep.

Quinoa-Pumpkin Seed Granola

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup whole and/or slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup flaxseed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, cranberries, golden raisins, and/ or snipped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine quinoa, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and flaxseed. Heat honey for 20 seconds in microwave. Stir in oil, cinnamon or salt. Pour over quinoa mixture and stir to combine. Spread onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring twice. Add dried fruit and let cool 15 minutes. Break any large chunks into small pieces and store in airtight container. Store up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.


Serves 13 (1/4 c.); 191 calories.

VERDICT:  My batch is a little burned--I cooked it extra in an effort to dry out the water from rinsing.  Even if not burned, I don't think I'd like it--it's very birdseed-y.  Toss.

Homeroom's Classic Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

For the bechamel:

• 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

To assemble:

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 8 ounces shredded 2-year aged sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)
• 3 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 cup)
• 2/3 cup panko (optional)

For the bechamel:
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown in color, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

While whisking constantly, slowly add the hot milk to the flour mixture until evenly combined and smooth. (It will get very thick when you first add the milk, then thin out.)

Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and while whisking constantly, cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt, taste, and add the remaining salt as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To assemble:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until it’s almost al dente (just on the edge of being underdone), then drain and rinse with cold water; set aside. (If you plan to top the mac ‘n’ cheese with panko and bake it, heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.)

Place the reserved saucepan of béchamel over medium heat and stir in both cheeses just until melted and smooth. Add the pasta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is heated through and steaming, about 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately or, if baking, transfer to a 5-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the panko, and bake until bubbling and brown on top, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves 6 (generously!).

VERDICT: This may be my new favorite macaroni and cheese recipe.  We baked it in a buttered 2-quart 9x13 and made French Green Bean Salad while it was in the oven.  The panko was unfussy but made a nice crisp layer and the cheesy sauce (made very successfully by John) was good enough that I was scooping it plain out of the saucepan.  The recipe is from Homeroom, a mac-n-cheese only restaurant in California.  Keep.

French Green Bean Salad

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (from 1/2 of a small shallot)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 pound haricots verts
• 1 tablespoon Whole-Grain Dijon Mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Combine the shallot, vinegar, and garlic in a large, nonreactive bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Also, prepare the beans by cutting the stem end off of each, leaving the wispy tail on.

When the shallot mixture is ready, add the mustard and measured salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the capers. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed; set aside.

When the water has reached a boil, add the trimmed beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and immediately add to the dressing. Using tongs, toss until well coated, then transfer to a flat serving dish. Spoon the remaining dressing over top and sprinkle the beans with the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Serves 6.

 

VERDICT:  Strongly flavored and acidic, but delicious.  We made these for a side with mac and cheese and were able to make it while the casserole baked.  The original recipe is here.  Keep.