Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

We call these: Pizookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar, can use light
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on bars

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. You can line the pan with parchment paper, if desired. Set aside.
• Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar to the brown butter and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir until combined.
• Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until just combined, don’t over mix.
• Stir in the chocolate chunks and chocolate chips.
• Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan with a spatula. Bake for 18 to 24 minutes or until the bars are set and golden brown. Don’t over bake the bars will continue setting up as they cool.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool before cutting into squares.

Fried Rice

If there were a mascot to our kitchen, this would be it. I don't think it's anyone's actual favorite, but it's in everyone's top five, there's veggies involved, and no one complains. Plus, very few dishes. Yay. 

Ingredients:

FRIED RICE:

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 bell pepper (I prefer orange), diced 

1 cup sugar snap peas, lightly chopped

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 t fresh ginger, minced

4 cups cooked rice, chilled

1/4 cup Buchan's Japanese barbecue sauce* 

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons sesame or avocado oil

salt and pepper, to taste

optional: everything but the bagel seasoning

toasted sesame oil

*you can totally just use soy sauce but this stuff is so good

**I usually serve this with chicken or steak, marinated in a teriyaki or ginger sauce (the Buchan's Japanese dipping sauce is also good as a dipping sauce). 

Preheat very large skillet so that it is very hot. Add half the butter and oil, then onion and and peppers. Cook for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and Ginger. Let cook for one minute. Add the last of the butter and oil, eggs, rice and snap peas. Toss and let cook, stir frequently for a few minutes. Add the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and seasonings. Stir to distribute, and push this to one side and turn down the heat to low or simmer. 

Add the meat to the side that's still hot and cook until cooked through. 

Top with Yum Yum sauce

(these measurements are estimates)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

1 t sugar

2 t rice vinegar

1/2 t garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

It's best if you make this ahead of time so the flavors and get all happy together

Carnitas

 

Ingredients

Scale

• 1 tablespoon AVOCADO OIL 
• 2.5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 6 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon CUMIN
• 1 tablespoon DRIED OREGANO 
• ½ tablespoon PAPRIKA
• 1 teaspoon PINK HIMALAYAN SEA SALT
• 1 tsp RED PEPPER FLAKES (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Heat a dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. While the dutch oven is heating, sprinkle the pork pieces liberally with salt. Once the dutch oven is hot, add in a tablespoon of avocado oil and then add the pork. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side until browned.

3. Add the garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth, salt, bay leaves, and spices to the pot. Stir until well combined, cover with a lid, and the braise for 3 hours at 300 degrees.

4. If you are using a slow cooker, once the pork has been seared, remove it from the pan and add it to the slow cooker. Next, add the remaining ingredients and cook the carnitas on high for 4-6 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

5. Once the pork is tender and shreddable, remove it from your dutch oven or slow cooker and transfer the meat to a sheet pan. Use two forks to shred the meat and then pour the remaining braising liquid back over the meat. Broil the carnitas in the oven on high until browned and crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Gramps' Fudge

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 cups semi chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is my fave)
• 1  jar of marshmallow crème, Kraft jet puffed 7 oz. jar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Chopped nuts are optional

Directions

1. Grease a 9 X 13 ” pan.  Alternative and much easier is to line a 9 X 13″ pan with parchment paper, this allows a much quicker release and clean up.
2. In a medium pot, mix sugar, butter and milk.
3. Bring the mixture to a full boil using medium heat, stirring constantly so the sugar dissolves and the mixture does not burn on the bottom of the pot. 
4. Boil for five minutes. This is important! Five minutes exactly !!
5. Remove the thickened mixture from the heat and stir in vanilla, then slowly add chocolate chips, while stirring.
6. Stir in the marshmallow crème. 
7. Add nuts if desired.
8. Pour into the prepared pan to cool.

Secret ingredient: You must be drinking Diet Coke while making this fudge or it won't turn out right

Uuni Pizza oven dough

 Ingredients

• 460g bread flour
• 460g all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 600g very warm water

Directions

In a separate bowl, add the warm water, olive oil, honey, and yeast. Stir until the yeast is dissolved and let sit. 

In large mixing bowl, combine the flours and the salt. Mix to distribute the salt. 

Add the yeast mixture to the flour. 

Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix for 3 minutes on low. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes and then mix again for 3 minutes. 

Separate dough into 200g balls and place in dough box or on floured cutting board and cover with a damp cloth.

Let rise for 4-6 hours. 

Cranberry Fluff

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups whole cranberries fresh
• ¾ cup sugar
• 20 ounces canned crushed pineapple drained
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

• Chop cranberries in food processor or blender until fine and no large pieces remain. Transfer to mixing bowl and stir sugar into cranberries. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Drain any accumulated juices from cranberries and reserve. Stir in drained pineapple and marshmallows. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream adding powdered sugar and vanilla to sweeten until soft peaks form. Fold into cranberry mixture until fully incorporated.
• Refrigerate or freeze. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Potato Corn Chowder

 Kids rating: 4 stars

my rating: 4 stars

Greg's rating: all the stars in the sky

• ▢6 strips (uncooked) bacon cut into small pieces
• ▢3 Tablespoons butter unsalted or salted will work
• ▢1 medium yellow onion chopped 
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• ▢⅓ cup all-purpose flour 
• ▢2 ½ lbs gold potatoes peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1” 
• ▢4 cups chicken broth 
• ▢2 cups milk 
• ▢2/3 cup heavy cream 
• ▢1 ½ teaspoon
• ▢1 teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• ▢2/3 cup sour cream 
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 8 oz cheddar cheese (medium or sharp), cut into small cubes

• Chives, and additional sour cream and bacon for topping optional

Instructions

• Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned.
• Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Add butter and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3-5 minutes).
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth (use whisk if needed).
• Add diced potatoes to the pot along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder. Stir well.
• Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).
• Reduce heat to simmer and add corn and sour cream, stir well.
• Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
• Place cheese cubes on the bottome of each bowl, before ladling in the soup. Top with bacon crumbles, additional sour cream and chives, if desired.