Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

If you've been following my blog this whole time, then you'll know that Dr. Sweetpea loves loves LOVES Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Whenever I say I'm in a mood to bake, he'll always request Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. This brings me to my next point, I hoard all sorts of OCC recipes just so I can try new ones out because Dr. Sweetpea loves them. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and it was a massive hit. The cookies were soft, chewy, and absolutely addicting!

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Source: justsotasty.com)

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon ,to taste

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter ,melted and cooled to room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 large egg

2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips , your favorite kind

1/2 cup chopped walnuts , optional but recommended

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda & salt. In a separate bowl beat together the melted butter and sugars using an electric mixer. Add in the honey, vanilla and egg and continue beating until combined. Turn the mixer down to low and beat in the flour mixer until almost combined. Add in the oats and beat on medium speed until combined. Then turn off the mixer and stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the chopped walnuts. Form the dough into balls of about 1/4 cup . Flatten slightly, set on a plate and cover with clingfilm. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and place the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops of the cookies look almost set. Remove from the oven and dot the tops of the cookies with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Allow to cool on the cookie tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Soy Mustard Glazed Salmon

This is another fantastic salmon recipe for an easy weeknight meal. It's very similar to the Pomegranate Balsamic Glazed salmon recipe that I posted several posts ago but with a different glaze. Dr. Sweetpea loved this meal and it will remain in our regular dinner rotation.

Soy Mustard Glazed Salmon

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1              teaspoon light brown sugar

1/2         teaspoon kosher salt

1/4         teaspoon cornstarch

4              center-cut skin-on salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each (see note)

Ground black pepper

1              teaspoon vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch in small bowl. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over top of flesh side of salmon, rubbing to distribute.

Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place salmon, flesh side down, in skillet and cook until well browned, about 1 minute. Using tongs, carefully flip salmon and cook on skin side for 1 minute.

Remove skillet from heat and spoon glaze evenly over salmon fillets. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until center of thickest part of fillets registers 125 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is still translucent when cut into with paring knife, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer fillets to platter or individual plates and serve.

Soy Mustard Glaze

3              tablespoons light brown sugar

2              tablespoons soy sauce

2              tablespoons mirin

1              tablespoon sherry vinegar

1              tablespoon whole grain mustard

1              tablespoon water

1              teaspoon cornstarch

1/8           teaspoon red pepper flakes

Whisk ingredients together in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Shish Tawook

Dr. Sweetpea and I LOVE Lebanese food. I was introduced to it when we were living in Chicago and there was this fabulous Lebanese restaurant that had amazing food. If I could eat without gaining any weight, I'd eat there every day. Anyway, I was browsing around Pinterest in bed one morning and came across this Shish Tawook recipe. It's similar to chicken kebabs but more garlicy, plus, it's meat on a stick. Who doesn't love meat on a stick?! Seriously! I bought the ingredients right away, let it marinade in the fridge for a few days, and grilled it after I got home from work for our dinner and it was fabulous! Dr. Sweetpea ate the chicken wrapped in pita bread and veggies and loved it. This is definitely a keeper recipe in our household.

Shish Tawook

(Source: curiouscuisiniere.com)

2 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-1 ½ inch pieces

For the Marinade

1 lemon, juiced (roughly 1/4 cup)

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon tomato paste

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients together. Place the cubed chicken into a flat, sealable container and pour the marinade over the chicken. Mix the chicken with the marinade to be sure all the pieces are well-coated. Cover the container and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Preheat your grill to a medium heat, roughly 350F. Thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, pressing the pieces up against each other. Grill the chicken skewers for 8-10 minutes a side, until the chicken is firm and golden. Serve the shish tawook with pita bread and sliced tomatoes or with rice and grilled vegetables.

Slow Roasted Spiced Pork

Before heading home for Christmas, I watched an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina Garten made this delicious looking Slow Roasted Spiced Pork for dinner. I emailed the recipe to myself and made a mental note that I would make for us after the holidays. Dr. Sweetpea loved that I was making slow roasted pork but was skeptical about the spice mixture until he started to smell the pork roasting away in the oven. It took a long time to cook but it was totally worth the wait. Dr. Sweetpea RAVED about how good the pork turned out. In fact, after we ate most of the leftovers a few days later, I tried to toss the little bit of pork out but Dr. Sweetpea dove right into the garbage can and shoved the little piece of pork into his mouth. It's. That. Good. 

Slow Roasted Spiced Pork

(Source: Ina Garten)

1 (7- to 9-pound) bone-in pork butt with a layer of fat on top

6 garlic cloves

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, ribs removed, seeded, and chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Test your oven with an oven thermometer to be sure it's accurate!

Score the fat on the pork diagonally with a sharp knife in a crosshatch pattern. With a small paring knife, make a dozen 1/2-inch-deep cuts in the top and sides of the pork to allow the seasonings to permeate the meat.

Place the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and oregano in a food processor and process until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the cumin, chile powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and process for 30 seconds to make a paste. Add the vinegar and olive oil and process to incorporate. Rub the mixture all over the pork, including the sides and the bottom, and place the pork in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Pour 2 cups of the wine into the pan and cover the whole roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 2 1/2 hours, remove the foil, and roast for another 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until the meat is very, very tender when tested with a carving fork. Every 2 hours, add another cup of wine to keep some liquid in the pan.

Remove the pan from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the meat to rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Slice, sprinkle with salt, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Thai Massaman Curry

When we lived in Minneapolis, there was this fabulous Thai restaurant where I ordered Massaman Curry all. the. time. I was absolutely addicted to the peanut flavored curry and I'd literally eat every drop of the sauce. I haven't found a place that makes Massaman curry that well in Houston yet but I attempted to make it myself and home and it turned out AMAZING. Dr. Sweetpea had two servings in one sitting and all the left overs were gone the next day. This is definitely a keeper in our household!

Thai Massaman Curry

(Source: Life Made Simple Bakes.com) 

2 tbsp. olive oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices

2 cans (13.5 oz) coconut milk

1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. red curry paste

1 (4 oz) can massaman curry

1 lb. chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts

In a large skillet or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onion until tender. Add the carrots and potatoes, cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, bring mixture to a simmer. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and curry pastes, mix to combine. Let the potatoes and carrots simmer for 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the heat, serve over freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with additional peanuts, sliced lime and thai basil, if desired.

Pork with Mushroom Sauce

Back in December, I watched Ina Garten on make her Filet Mignon with Mustard and Mushrooms and immediately made a mental note that I'd have to make that for Dr. Sweetpea after the holidays when we're back in Houston. Since Filet Mignon tends to be pricey, I substituted bone-in pork chops and they still turned out amazing. I think the sauce is really what makes this meal over the top but it's super easy, tasty, and perfect to serve when you have guests over. Dr. Sweetpea kept raving about how good his meal is. 

Pork with Mushroom Sauce

(Source: Ina Garten) 

2 (2-inch-thick) filets mignons, tied (10 to 12 ounces each)

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel

1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 tablespoon dry sherry

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons good olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 1/2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Be sure your stove is well ventilated!

Heat a large (10-inch) cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Pat the filets dry with paper towels and brush all over with the canola oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a small plate and roll the filets on the top, bottom and sides in the seasoning, pressing lightly to coat. When the skillet is very hot, add the filets and sear evenly all over (top, bottom and sides) for about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the steaks from the skillet to a sheet pan (set the skillet aside) and place in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes, until the steaks register 120 degrees F on a meat thermometer for medium rare. Remove from the oven, cover the sheet pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium (8-inch) saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until they release their juices. Stir in the sherry and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

At the same time, add the olive oil to the cast-iron skillet (don’t wipe it out), add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add the Cognac, stirring to deglaze the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, until the Cognac evaporates and the shallots are tender. Stir in the cream and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the two mustards and taste for seasonings.

Remove the strings from the filets and place on a platter. Spoon the mustard sauce around the filets. Spoon the mushrooms on top of the filets and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.