Ah-Mazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars

My little sister, M, should be receiving a delicious treat in her school mailbox right about now. In this case, not only am I food courting little M with treats, but I'm also courting her friends at school. Hopefully, I'll be most popular care package sender when her high school graduation rolls around this May!

I found these bars on one of my new favorite food blogs, The Entertaining Kitchen. When I read "OhmyGOD are these good!" I knew I had to try these out. They are AH-MAZING! M doesn't know what's about to hit her...these may be so good that they don't even make it back to the dorm before they get devoured. I had to get them out of the kitchen before I consumed the whole pan. I even cheated and had one last bite out of the package before they shipped out!
 

I didn't manage to take many pictures because the batter and chocolate chunks I was snacking on were so distracting! I followed the recipe below almost exactly, but didnt' have any chocolate chunks so I used a combination of Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips and cut up chocolate bar as noted below. I DEFINITELY think the big chunks of chocolate make a HUGE difference!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars

Prep Time: 15 mins              Cook Time: 25 mins          Servings: 36 bars

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1+ tsp vanilla
• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 10z chocolate chunks (I used crushed up Ghirardelli 60% cocao bittersweet baking bar)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg and vanilla and beat until well blended
3. Add peanut butter and mix well
4. Add flour and baking soda, mix well
5. Fold in chocolate chunks
6. Place into 9x13 inch pan and pat firmly so mixture covers the entire bottom of the pan
7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes (test for doneness)
8. Let cool and cut into 36 squares

Pasta Sauce...from scratch?!?!

One of Mr. D's claim to fame is that he can make pasta sauce from SCRATCH. I was honestly skeptical, but THIS sauce is amazing! I can't let Mr. D one-up me in the kitchen, so decided test my tomato peeling skills this week. Mr. D has a helpful technique, but peeling tomatoes is tough! They are slippery and messy...I had tomatoes flying off my counter and splattering on the floor.

It was all worth it because I was able to make two pots of tomato sauce and improve Mr. D's recipe by adding sausage and mushrooms. Now we have an extra jar in the fridge that will save me from cooking a few meals in the coming weeks. I also think I'm going to whip up another batch and freeze it for when I get lazy during the cold Chicago winter.

I started by using Mr. D's tomato peeling technique on my beautiful Roma tomatoes. It made it petty easy, but it still took me a good 30 minutes to get them all peeled.

I started by cutting an "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. This helps the skin slide right off the bottom later on.

Working with 5 tomatoes at a time, place them in boiling water for 20-30 seconds and then immediately shock them in ice water. The skins should peel right off after about 5 seconds.

Now its time to take your tomatoes from gorgeous to MESSY. Be sure to guard your fingers watch out for slippery culprits. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and squeeze out all the juice and seeds into the sink.

Chop your carrot, onion, and 4-5 cloves of garlic. Sautee the vegetables in olive oil until the onions are translucent.

I chose to add mushrooms and sausage to give Mr. D's recipe a little more pizazz. I went with spicy Italian sausage and 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes because like a little heat in my pasta sauce. Instead of regular white mushrooms, I got some flavorful Creminis at the market. Let the sausage and mushrooms cook then add the contents of the pan and peeled tomatoes to a slow-cooker pot.

Finish it off with some whole, peeled garlic cloves and fresh basil. I cut off the bottom of the garlic heads and zapped them in the microwave for 1 minute to make them easier to peel. Set your slow-cooker on simmer and cook for 10 hours. I broke some slow-cooker rules; occasionally stirring the sauce and breaking apart the tomatoes a little more. The sauce may look a little "juicy" when its done cooking, but I used a pastry blender and it really improved the consistency. If its still to runny when you go to serve it just pour the juice off the top.

Fresh Pasta Sauce

Prep Time: 45 mins          Cook Time: 10 hours       Original Recipe Yields ~6 cups

Ingredients

• 15 Roma tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium carrot chopped
• 2 medium onions (chop 1)
• 2 heads of garlic
• 3 Italian sausage links (use hot if you like spice)
• 3 cups of mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups basil, chopped
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

To peel the tomatoes:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Cut an "x" on the bottom.
3. Cook in boiling water for 20-30 seconds.
4. Immediately shock in ice water, then peel off the skin.
5. Half each peeled tomato lengthwise.
6. Squeeze out the seeds and juices.
7. Place in slow cooker pot and break up. 

 For the Saucs:

1. Chop 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 4 cloves of garlic.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan.
3. Cook carrot, onion, and garlic for 10 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add sausage and break-up your links in the pan. Cook until browned.
5. Add mushrooms and red pepper flakes (optional) and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Combine contents in the saucepan into the slow cooker.
7. Add chopped basil.
8. Peel the rest of the garlic cloves and add to slow cooker.
9. Slice one onion in half and put in slow cooker.
10. Cooker on simmer for 10 hours.
11. Before serving break-up tomatoes with a potato masher or a pastry blender.

Restaurant Quality Chicken Madras Curry

Mr. D and I love Indian food! We've scoured the city of Chicago, from Devon st to downtown, for the best take-out and dine-in options. Unfortunately, our go-to choice is a budget buster and happens to be right near our apartment.

When I began my journey through the kitchen I knew I needed master Indian curries that made me think I was eating take-out from India House. After finding impossible looking recipes on the internet I sought out my mom's friend, C. She cooks wonderful curries and gave me a great recipe for Coconut Chicken Curry that resembled my Chicken Madras order from India House. This seemed like something I could do and after seeing Mr. D's reaction, it will definitely be a repeat recipe. I changed C's recipe a bit by taking a few liberties with the spices and decided to try out my new slow-cooker.

First I chopped up 1 large onion, peeled 5 cloves of garlic, and chopped and de-seeded 4 dried, hot red chillies.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large sauce pan. Fry onions on high for a few minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, the minced garlic, 1-2 inches fresh minced ginger root, and chopped chillies.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground corriander. Turn the heat to low after another minute and add one can of coconut milk.

Take in the fragrant aromas and continue cooking while you prepare your chicken. I used a package of boneless chicken thighs (8 pieces). Pour sauce into your slow-cooker and cover for later.

Add 1-2 tablespoons oil to your saucepan and heat on medium. Add chicken thighs. Season with 2 t. curry powder, 2 t. ground cumin, 2 t. ground coriander, and cayenne pepper per your taste preference. Brown chicken until it turns white then add it to the curry sauce in the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours. When its finished skim some of the fat off the top and stir curry. I served my curry with some left over basmati rice and naan I bought at Trader Joe's.

My Chicken Madras was a HUGE success with Mr. D! Next time I would half the amount of chicken or double the amount of sauce I made. The best thing about curry is your can customize the spices and hotness to taste preference. You can also make extra sauce to save for a later date. I'm officially sold on the slow-cooker curry!

Chicken Madras Curry

Prep Time: 20 mins      Cook Time: 7-8 hours        Serves: 2
20 mins

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 1 large yellow onion
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 inches ginger root
• 4 dried red chillies - chopped and deseeded
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground corriander
• 1 can coconut milk (light is fine also)

For the Chicken:

• 4 boneless chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for preference of spice)

Directions

For the sauce:

1. Chop onion.
2. Peel garlic cloves
3. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan.
4. Add onion and cook on high for 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and chillies.
6. Add turmeric, cumin, and corriander.
7. Turn the heat to low after another minute and add one can of coconut milk.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Then pour curry sauce into your slow cooker.

For the chicken:

1. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in your saucepan.
2. Add chicken.
3. Season with curry powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper.
4. Cook until all sides are white, then add to the slow cooker pot.
5. Cook the curry on low for 7-8 hours. When done, skin fat from the top and serve over basmati rice.

The Perfect Tailgating Addition - Pulled Pork

I would say fall is my favorite season. I love waking up for an early morning run and feeling that crisp air bite at your lungs. Spending most my high school years and college in the beautiful Northeast, I was able to witness the magical changing of seasons and pristine fall colors. Now that I live in Chicago, I have learned to appreciate fall and enjoy every crisp, sunny weekend I can before the dreaded snow hits our city.

Fall also means football, chili, tailgating, and Halloween! I've adopted the Northwestern Wildcats as my Big 10 team and spend many Saturday afternoons (rain or shine) rooting on the cats at Ryan Field. Aside from the annual Chili Cook-off, I usually just contribute mimosas or beer. This year I thought I'd step it up and try out Mr. D's aunt's Pulled Pork recipe along with some coleslaw. I figured the seemingly easy recipe for slow cooker pulled pork would be a perfect addition to our Northwestern tailgate this Saturday. I got it from Mr. D's sister and have heard rave reviews! After checking out grill master, Bobby Flay's, recipe for pulled pork I decided the only alteration I needed to make was the addition of a rub to give the meat a little more flavor.

I went to my new favorite butcher at Paulina's Market and he helped me pick a hearty 4 lbs chunk of pork shoulder and their homemade BBQ sauce. Pulled pork wasn't going to be the only highlight of the tailgate so I planned for 1/3lbs per person. We ended up with more than enough for 10 people!

I started by seasoning the pork shoulder with salt and pepper on all sides. Then I set-off to create the dry rub. I had to modify Bobby Flay's recipe because I was missing some of the ingredients and I scaled it down, but it worked out pretty well. I combined 1/3 cup Blackened Creole Seasoning, 1/3 cup chili powder, 1 t cumin, 2 t dry mustard, and 2 t coriander in a small bowl. I didn't have any paprika, so I substituted the pre-made blackened creole seasoning because it had paprika and most the other dry rub ingredients. I even saved the left over mix in an extra spice jar for a later date.

 Then I massaged the dry rub into all sides of the pork shoulder. You've got to make sure to work it into the meat so it doesn't all fall off.

It gets easier once this is done! Now you just have to DUMP all the ingredients into the slow-cooker. Cut the onion into 8 sections and add half to the pot. Pour in 1/2 a bottle of BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup cider vinegar. Then add the seasoned pork shoulder, the rest the BBQ sauce, and the can of coke. My 4lbs of pork shoulder was a little too big for the 3.5 quart dish so I had to make sure everything was covered.

Cook the meat for 6-7 hours on high. I accidentally only cook the meat on low for 8 hours and it turned out JUST fine - I'll let you know if its any different when I cook it correctly next time.

The hardest part of the recipe was pulling the pork shoulder off the fat or bones. (There is apparently a TOOL that can help.) I also didn't make it any easier by waiting until 11pm on Friday night after my flag football game and couple drinks with the team. I used two forks and then switched to my hands when I got close to the bone.

Notice all the fat I picked off the meat...maybe this means its a healthy addition to the tailgate?!?!

I put my pulled pork in the fridge until the next morning right before I was going to serve it. Before reheating the pork the next morning I tossed it in BBQ sauce and cooked it on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. My pulled pork sandwiches were another successful attempt at food courting. I served them with Barefoot Contessa's coleslaw (modified recipe below), optional hot sauce, and a little extra bbq sauce.

Pulled Pork

Prep Time: 40 mins      Cook Time: 10 hours      Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs pork shoulder
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 can of coke

Dry Rub:

• 1/3 cup blackened creole seasoning
• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 1 t cumin
• 2 t dry mustard
• 2 t coriander

Directions

1. Get your slow-cooker ready. (I used a 3.5 quart cooker)
2. In a small bowl combine the ingredients for your pork rub and stir until mixed.
3. Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper on all sides then rub the dry rub over the pork.
4. Cut you onion into 8 pieces and place half in the slow-cooker.
5. Add the cider vinegar and 1/2 bottle of bbq sauce.
6. Place the pork in the slow-cooker, covering it with the sauce.
7. Add the rest of the barbecue sauce and the can of coke.
8. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours.
9. Remove pork should and let it cool for 20-30 minutes.
10. Pull the pork apart from fat and bones using your hands or a fork.
11. Place the pulled pork in a roasting pan and cover with onions.
12. When ready to serve, toss other bottle of barbecue sauce into the pulled pork.
13. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees and serve! 

Barefoot Contessa's Coleslaw

Prep Time: 25 mins     Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1/2 small head green cabbage
• 1/2 small head red cabbage
• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 2 cups (16 ounces) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Chop cabbage, cilantro, green onion, and parsley.
2. Peel your carrots and chop into appropriate size.
3. In a medium bowl combine mayo, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, vinegar, celery seed, and celery salt.
4. Stir thoroughly and add pepper to taste.
5. When ready to serve mix in dressing and serve. This helps prevent the vegetables from getting soggy.

You know you've been busy in the kitchen when...

...you do the dishes twice a day
...your friends ask what you made today
...everytime you walk in your apartment there are wonderful smells wafting through the door
...your food courting begins to pay off and you receive texts and emails requesting more treats!

I've had a pretty busy week, but luckily had enough time to test out a few meals and photograph the process. I don't want to keep anyone in suspense, so here's what you can look forward to!

Spanokopita

Phyllo Mushroom Bites

Coconut Chicken Curry!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

Garden Pasta

This summer my mom has been testing out her green thumb and had some major success! She's grown beautiful Roma tomatoes and a giant basil plant. I was lucky enough to receive my own supply of basil on my last trip home! Watching my mom whip up fresh tomato basil pasta, pesto, and summer pasta sauce from her homegrown ingredients inspired me to try my hand at garden cooking. Since I only had freshly grown basil on hand, I decided to head over to Chicago French Market to get the rest of my ingredients. 

The market opened last December in the Loop and has tons of fresh, organic vegetables and meat. They also have some great food stalls filled with local vendors that offer lunch options, pastries, and great cheeses. I walked away with organic tomatoes, pine nuts, and reasonably priced shrimp that was peeled and deveined. (Less work for me!) I also made a stop at the Pastoral Artisan Cheese stall and picked up some wonderful Pecorino Romano. The man who helped me said it was saltier than Parmesan, but is wonderful for grating and when used in recipes. Overall, I would consider my trip to the French Market a success! I headed home and set-off on my mission to make homemade pesto.

 I started by cleaning my basil and chopping off some of the longer stems. I figured I had about 2 cups of packed basil to work with and had no clue how much pesto I would end up with.

I knew I needed pine nuts, garlic, onion, cheese, and olive oil to complete my pesto, but had no clue how much of each ingredient. Barefoot Contessa had the answer: I just scaled her recipe and adjusted it for the ingredients I wanted to use.

The next step was toasting the pine nuts. This is apparently one of the KEY steps to delicious pesto, but proved to be the hardest for me. Mine ended up charred, but www.bonappetit.com has a helpful "how to" for next time. I'll have to make sure to shake the skillet more frequently next time. I'll also have to remember to take some pics of the process.

Once all my FRESH ingredients were ready to go I broke out my trusty Magic Bullet as a food processor substitute. I added 2 cups of packed basil, 3 cloves of chopped garlic, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, and and 1/4 cup of my burned pine nuts to the bullet.

I blended those ingredients for 20-30 seconds, then added 1/4 cup olive oil (you can mess around with this measurement) and 1/4 of my grated cheese. I blended until I had a nice puree and added about 1 tsp of pepper to adjust the taste.

With the pesto completed I began preparing 1/2 pound of fusilli pasta. I just used whatever pasta I had on hand, but usually when I cook shrimp I like to use linguine.

I heated about 2 T of oil in a skillet on medium heat. I added my 10 scrimps (aka shrimp), peppered them, and brushed them with about 1 T of pesto. Scrimps always cook much faster than I expect and taste kind of chewy when they are over done. I try to cook them for 1-3 minutes a side depending on the size. You know they are done when they turn pink and are overdone when they shrivel up really small. Shrimp are a great way to change up your weekly menu and can be added to any quick meal!

Once the pasta cooks, I strain it and return it to the pot. I added 2 T of my fresh pesto and tossed into the pasta. This alone would be an easy, delicious weeknight meal with some left over chicken!

Since I was making a little lunch for myself; I just added some pasta, four shrimp, a handful of chopped Roma tomatoes, and some grated cheese to a bowl. The rest will make great lunch or dinner leftovers some other day this week. The fresh basil really stood out in the pesto and the tomatoes I got at the French Market were fabulous. If I had my own outdoor space I'd be makign garden fresh meals everyday.

Homemade Pesto

Prep Time: 10 mins     Cook Time:   5 mins         Recipe Yields: 1-2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan (I used Pecorino Romano)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Directions

1. Toast pine nuts in a small frying pan.
2. Chop onion and garlic.
3. Grate cheese.
4. Add all the dry ingredients to a food processor for 20-30 seconds. Add olive oil and blend until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. 

Pesto Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time: 10 mins          Cook Time: 15 mins           Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 lbs pasta
• 8-10 uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 T olive oil
• Pepper to taste
• 3 T pesto
• 1/4 c shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot and cook pasta as instructed.
2. Season shrimp with pepper and then toss with 1 T pesto.
3. Heat olive oil on medium in a skillet, when hot add shrimp. Cook shrimp until pink. (1-2 minutes per side)
4. Drain pasta and return to a large bowl.
5. Add 2 T of pesto and toss in the pasta.
6. Add chopped tomatoes to the pasta and toss again.
7. Top with cooked shrimp and sprinkle with cheese.