White Chocolate Biscoff Crunch Cookies

Alright, it's been a while.  I know, I know.  But we have a good excuse, I promise.

Our computer died.  Not good.

Yeah, we have an iPad and we can update from that, but really, it's more of a pain in the butt than anything.  And if you follow us on Facebook, you already knew our computer died a couple weeks ago.

BUT... we have an awesome friend that is fixing it!  Thanks, Jamie!

So anyway, I'm currently updating from my mom's computer.  I've been waiting to share this recipe for a while now.  Long story short: I had surgery on Friday, didn't want to recuperate at home in GA by myself for a week, so I decided that it would be a good idea to get on a plane and fly 800 miles back to MI to recuperate at my parent's house.  Don't worry, I'm okay.  I survived the flight with the help of pain killers and David Gray.

Okay, the cookies.  These cookies are awesome.  You must try them immediately.  You do know what Biscoff cookies are, right?  If you've ever flown with Delta, you probably do.  I used to just refer to them as the 'Delta Airlines cookies.'  When Beau was traveling every other week, he would get the cookies during beverage service on the plane and stockpile them for me (because he can't stand them).  So, when I would go visit him once a month, I would have a nice supply of Biscoff cookies to keep me occupied while he was at work. 

If you don't know what they are, doesn't matter.  Just go get some.  They are gingery and spicy and delicious.  And make these cookies promptly.

There are some of your ingredients.  You'll also need some sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, baking soda, and white chocolate chips. 

This is what the dough will look like.  I used a small cookie scoop for half the batch and a medium scoop for the other half.  Make the cookies whatever size you prefer.

Place scooped cookies on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or a baking mat) about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

They will look like this. 

Amazing.  Beau even liked these cookies and he really does not like Biscoff cookies.  Actually, when we go to the supermarket and I pick up a package of Biscoff, the Beau complaining starts.  And it doesn't stop until about half-way through the shopping trip.  He talks about how nasty they are.  He talks about how gross they are.  He talks about how he doesn't understand why I like them.  But magically, he loved this cookie concoction.  Go figure.

Enjoy!

- A

White Chocolate Biscoff Crunch Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
20 finely ground Biscoff Cookies
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
20 crushed Biscoff Cookies (coarsely chopped for an added crunch)
2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In a stand or electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and creamy. Add eggs then vanilla until well combined.

In a large bowl add the flour, ground Biscoff Cookies, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine then slowly add to wet ingredients until just combined. Add coarsely chopped Biscoff cookies and white chips until just combined.

With a medium cookies scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Adapted from
     Picky-Palate.com



Stuffed Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Those of you who know who Donnie Baker is know he has an infatuation with pork.  If you don’t know who Donnie Baker is, you must immediately go to this website… www.shutuprandy.com.   I, too, am starting to have a thing for pork.  You can do so many different things with it.  Barbeque it, roast it, boil it. The possibilities are endless. 

Today I will be introducing you to what is possibly my favorite rendition of the other white meat.  Stuffed pork chops.  At first I thought it sounded a little less than desirable.  The key is to find the perfect stuffing.  You can experiment with different types of stuffing if you’d like.  I’m here to tell you that I have found the perfect stuffing for my personal tastes - Stove Top pork stuffing.  It has the perfect amount of herbs and spices to add just enough flare to any old bland pork loin.  Now, the trick is to pair it with something amazing.  Most dudes will tell you that meat and potatoes are the way to any red blooded American’s heart.  That’s why I recommend you pair this with skin-on mashed potatoes and pork gravy.

Donnie Baker’s Three Way Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

·         Pork loin (sword of the pork)

·         3 Tbsp. olive oil

·         Seasoning salt (as needed)

·         1 box Stove Top pork flavored stuffing

·         Tin foil

·         3 tbsp butter

·         Milk or cream, room temperature (enough to make potatoes fluffy)

·         4 large sized Idaho potatoes

·         1 package pork gravy packet

First things first, place the potatoes in a pot on the stove with water covering the tops.  Turn on heat to high.  (Do not cut potatoes before you boil them.  Boil with skin on as a whole.  You will get a much better finished product).  This will take about 40 to 50 minutes.  Don’t mess with them; let the water do the work.  You'll also want to line a baking pan or dish with foil at this time.

Next, cut the pork loin into at least 2”-thick chops (if you don’t want to, the butcher will).   Then take the cut pork chops and slit them down the side to create a pocket for stuffing.  Lightly season one side of the pork with seasoning salt.  Put the olive oil in a sauté pan.  Heat on high.  You’ll only want to do one chop at a time.  They go fast.  When the pan is very hot, put the chop seasoning side down in the pan to sear in the juices.  Brown the chop on each side for 30 seconds; while you brown the pre-seasoned side of the chop, lightly season the other side.  When the sides have both been seared pull them out and put them on the foil-lined baking pan/dish. 

Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes.  This will give you time to make the stuffing.  Follow the instructions on the box.  This should take less than 5 minutes.  Take the stuffing and pack it into the pork chop via the slit down the side.  Completely wrap the chops in some more foil.  Place them in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.  The foil wrapping will keep the chops very moist. 

Next step, make the gravy.  With about 10 minutes left in the cooking process, mix up your gravy packet.  Follow the directions on the packet.

Finally, mash the potatoes, skin on, with butter and milk.  Take the pork chops out of the foil.  Be careful, they are hot.  Watch out for steam.  Plate everything up.  Pour the gravy on the potatoes and stuffed chops.  Enjoy.

* * * 

I did learn something new while making this.  Dogs love pork.  Just as I was about to pack the leftovers for my lunch the next day, I looked at the table and the plates were empty.  Apparently our dog helped herself to my future lunch.  She ate three stuffed pork chops and about three servings of mashed potatoes and gravy.  While I was mad, I definitely couldn’t blame her. 

It was a delicious disaster.

-Beau out

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

I've been feeling bad because I haven't been cooking any of our dinners throughout the week. 

Beau works 12-hour days, comes home, and immediately starts cooking a [delicious] dinner.  I love him for this, but I don't want him to feel like he has to cook for me 24/7.  Then again, I know he loves cooking, so maybe I'll just let him carry on.

I am fine with always having dinner made for me, ya know...

Anyway, Beau had a tough day last Wednesday and didn't get home until late.  I didn't make anything for dinner because I had no idea what time he would be getting home.  So on Thursday, I decided I would surprise him - meal cooked, dishes done, table set - right when he walked in the door.  Since he has become quite the Iron Chef lately, I had to find something good. 

A couple of weeks ago, I stole a Taste of Home magazine from my parent's house.  I know stealing isn't right, but I had to.  My subscription ran out months ago.  And I mean, can you ever go wrong with that magazine?  I don't think so.  The main focus of this particular magazine is soup and being that the weather is getting a tiny bit cooler here in Georgia, I figured a warm, hearty soup would be a good choice.  If nothing else, maybe it would fool me into thinking its Fall-like outside rather than like the inside of a volcano 90% of the time.

We both love chicken tortilla/enchilada soup, so I settled on the Chicken Tortilla Chowder.  Mainly because the ingredient list isn't 2 miles long.  If you know me, you know I get really scared of a long ingredient list, especially in regular food, non-baked good recipes.  The soup was easy to prepare, didn't take long at all, and tasted wonderful.  It also calls for flour tortillas cut into strips that actually cook up like noodles.  Here's the recipe:

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups 2% milk
1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (11 oz.) Mexicorn, drained
1 pkg. (10 oz.) ready-to-serve roasted chicken breast strips, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
3 flour tortillas (8 in.), cut into 2-in. x 1/2-in. strips
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
Additional shredded cheddar cheese, optional
Tortilla chips for garnish, optional

In a large saucepan, heat the soups, milk, and broth, stirring frequently.  Add corn, chicken, and chilies; bring to a boil.  Stir in the tortilla strips.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.  Stir in the cheese until melted.  Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese and tortilla chips, if desired.

A few changes I made or would make: I used skim milk instead of 2% and I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I cooked myself and chopped up.  I really don't like the taste of the pre-cooked chicken in a bag.  If anything, I may use canned chicken next time.  Next time I probably would use less of the tortilla strips.  Or I may completely omit them.  They were okay in the soup, but there were too many, for my liking.  Not to mention, after reheating the next day they became a little gummy.  I would also add a little more spice.  Chopped jalapenos, a can of Rotel, more chilies, chopped habaneros...

But unless I plan on eating the entire pot myself, I can't add more spice because Beau doesn't do spicy.  At all.  He will whine and cry and I don't necessarily want to hear that.

Regardless, Beau loved the soup.  And loved the fact that dinner was all ready and waiting for him after work. 

Now maybe he'll feel bad about never baking for me.  I can only hope.  Pretty much because I just want to see Beau whipping up a batch of cookies or cupcakes all by himself.

-A

Meatball Extravaganza

I was sitting in my living room attempting to bootleg the Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs game...

I wanted to make something to eat for a quick game time meal.  The Lions were running all over the Chiefs. I was going to do barbeque in honor of the matchup, but I decided that because I didn’t have 12 hours to burn I would need something a little less intricate.  I thought that a meatball sandwich would be ideal... given the time constraint.  I went online, completely stole this recipe from another blog that we follow, and then rebuilt it to suit my own selfish needs. 

Selfish need number one: more cheese.  Even if this recipe had 6 pounds of cheese, I would add more cheese.  Cheese makes life grand.  Need number two: garlic bread.  Why on earth would you make a meatball sandwich on anything but?  Need number three: fat.  The original recipe uses low-fat meat.  I’m saying, go big or go home.  80/20.  Save that 93/7 beef for Weight Watchers recipes and professional athletes.  I enjoy high-fat meat because I don’t want the added pressure of being a professional athlete.  And finally, need number four: sauce.  Don’t just dump some Ragu on your meatball sandwich and call it a day.  Take some time to personalize the sauce.  It takes two minutes and it will be the difference between eating something that tastes like a you got it from the frozen food section vs. having your game day feast catered in.  I call this one the Detroit Stunna'.

- Beau out.

Detroit Stunna' Meatball Hoagie

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons Tabasco Hot Sauce
½ cup Italian Seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
15-1 inch mozzarella chunks

1 26 oz. jar pasta sauce, or homemade sauce2 small diced tomatoes1 tbsp soy sauce3 cloves garlic minced

6 Ciabatta Rolls3 slices provolone cheese, each cut into halves
Unsalted butter
Garlic salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Place beef, egg, milk, hot sauce, bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, pepper, oregano and basil in a large bowl.  With hands, mix until it becomes a ball, like meatloaf.

2.  Scoop about ¼ cup meat mixture in hands (or use large cookie scoop); press 1 mozzarella ball into middle of meat and form a ball around the cheese.  Do this until all meat and cheese is used up; makes about 12-15 large meatballs.

3.  Place all meatballs into a 9×13-inch baking dish that has ¼ cup olive oil spread into bottom.  Bake for 20 minutes; flip all meatballs.  Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

4.  Place pasta sauce into a large pot with 3 cloves minced garlic and two small diced tomatoes.  (This is also where I like to add 1 tsp soy sauce for a salty flavor.)

5.  Place cooked meatballs in sauce.  Simmer on low heat until tomatoes are soft.

6.  Place cut slices of provolone onto the cut sides of rolls.  Spread a little butter and sprinkle some garlic salt on both sides of bread.  Place onto tin foil or baking sheet and broil in oven for 1-2 minutes or until rolls are toasted and cheese is melted.

7.  Place 3-4 meatballs onto bottom halves of toasted rolls.  Spoon pasta sauce over meatballs and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Feel free to add more mozzarella or any other cheese.  Close with top roll and serve warm.

8.  Prepare to be stunned.



Adapted from:

     Picky-palate.com

The Beginning: Anissa's Perspective + Delish Fall Recipe

Contrary to what many people may think, I really haven’t been baking for that long.  Many of my previous jobs have been in the food industry, but I never got into it outside of work.  It all started when my cousin (Hi Meg!) and I started baking together at my first apartment.  She’s a phenomenal cook and baker and I was not - at the time.  She taught me how to make some of the simplest desserts, such as Chex Puppy Chow.  She bought me a beginner’s cookbook.  I would call her almost every time I would attempt a new recipe with a million questions.  And now that I look back on it, I’m sure they were some of the stupidest questions ever.  But she never led me to believe that… well, maybe she did make fun of me a few times. 

Fast forward a couple years, my then fiancé was offered a job in Atlanta, GA, which meant him moving right then and there.  I lived in MI while he lived between GA and NC for our whole engagement.  I decided try baking (on my own!) to keep myself busy.  I started with my Mom’s Taste of Home magazines and just picked a new recipe each time.  It became a stress-reliever for me.  It kept my mind off having to be away from my soon-to-be husband.  It was relaxing.  By the time said fiancé came back for our wedding, I was a baking fool. 

Fast forward another 3 or so years, I am now teaching Meg how to make more difficult pastries, such as my family’s secret recipe baklava and answering her random baking and decorating questions.  My first job in GA was in a bakery.  I (finally!) left there and went to another bakery.  No matter how hard I try, I can’t get away from food service.
   
And now I can sit around and chat about food, cooking, baking, unique ingredients, etc. because I actually know what I’m talking about these days…
…I like to think so at least.
My favorite husband, Beau has also become addicted to the kitchen.  This makes me so happy.  Why?  Because now I’m not alone in my addiction!  So we thought, why not start a food blog?  We hear about how we should start one on an almost daily basis.  We are constantly being asked to share our recipes and photos.  We both need a hobby, aside from being in the kitchen and at work 24/7…  So, let’s do this!

* * * *

The first recipe, Apple Cinnamon Toffee Blondies, is in honor of the first day of Fall, which is Friday.  Anything with apples and cinnamon reminds me Fall, which then reminds me of Fall in Michigan - my absolute favorite time of the year!  And then I start to get really homesick, but I digress…   Head to your local apple orchard (or supermarket), pick up some of your favorite apples, and try this recipe.

 

Apple Cinnamon Toffee Blondies

2/3 cup room temperature butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup peeled, chopped tart apple (1 large)
1/2 cup toffee bits


Preheat oven to 350°. 
Spray 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking or baking spray.
Cream butter and brown sugar in mixer until smooth.
Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium until combined.
On low, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mixing until just combined.
Stir in the chopped apples and toffee bits until evenly distributed.
Spread in prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes until the center is set.
Let cool completely before slicing or frosting.

Brown Sugar Frosting


1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar


Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in powdered sugar with a whisk.
Let cool until it thickens enough to spread.
Stir before spreading on top of blondies.
Let frosting set for 30 minutes and then cut into bars.

Adapted from:
     Cookies and Cups.

The Beginning: Beau's Perspective

We (myself, Beau and my wife, Anissa) decided to start this blog because we keep hearing two words over and over again: recipe, please. My wife has become quite the baker over the last few years. She liked it so much that she decided to take it on as a full-time career. And it's certainly a far cry from what she went to school for.
We met in 2006. I remember it like it was yesterday. We went to PF Changs in Lansing, Michigan. I got cashew chicken and she got tipsy. We were both so nervous that we didn’t say much at dinner. After an hour of almost sheer silence, we decided to go see a movie. We ended up going to see "Date Movie". It was positively painful. That was the last time in our relationship I was ever allowed to pick a movie. Definitely a wise decision on the part of my better half. The relationship progressed and we decided to take it to the next level. I made it official on my birthday.

About a year and a half and zero movies picked by me, we decided to move to Atlanta, Georgia. After a very memorable and hilarious proposal acceptance, we started planning a wedding and started our new lives together. She took on a job at a cookie bakery. It was a little rough at first, but a good experience for both of us. I still work at the body shop that brought us down to Georgia. She put in a couple of years at the cookie shop and then moved on to the cupcake shop.

I saw how happy she was all the time.

I asked, "How do you do it? How do you stay so happy all the time?"

She replied, "I just bake. When I'm stressed, I bake. When I'm homesick, I bake. When I'm pissed off, I bake. I love to bake."

That was it. I took the hint and started cooking. I hadn't been in the kitchen much since I was a kid. I burned some stuff, trashed some equipment (and the entire kitchen), and definitely ruined quite a few meals. It helped me relax. And like my wife, it made me happy.

So here we are today. We finally decided to put this out there.