Pinspired – NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Raise your hand if you have heard of Pinterest. Keep your hand up if you have an account. Now, how many of you have a pinboard dedicated to cooking a recipes and haven’t made a single thing on that pinboard. I can’t be the only one! In order to combat this, I am going to start making the recipes on my board, adjusting when necessary, and sharing my results and the original with you.

I decided to start with an amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe I repinned from the Other Side of Fifty blog. See, I really don’t like chocolate chip cookies; usually they are bland and don’t have enough chocolate. When I saw these cookies though they looked like they had swirls of chocolate, chocolate chunks, and chocolate chips. Plus they used cake flour and bread flour in place of all-purpose, hinting at a lighter texture than the regular cookie.

The Other Side of Fifty’s cookies looked a bit more like traditional cookies than mine did….

So I gave the cookies a try, with a few changes. First, I didn’t have bread flour, so I used whole wheat. Second, I adjusted the ratios of white to brown sugar because I wanted more of the rich flavor from brown sugar. I used a microplane to grate my semi-sweet chocolate which created a bit more of a powdered chocolate than grated chocolate, which is why I think my final cookie doesn’t have the swirled appearance of The Other Side of Fifty cookies. Still they were delicious. I will never make another chocolate chip cookie again.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (not packed)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated
8 ounces milk chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) Sift together first 4 ingredients.

3) Cream butter, sugars, and vanilla together until fluffy, about 5 minutes at medium to high speed.

4) Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.

5) Fold in 3 different types of chocolate.

6) Refrigerate for about 3 hours, or over night.

7) Drop by rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a non-stick cookie sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on wire rack.

Running Hare Vineyard, Tasting Along the Patuxent Wine Trail

Oh no, folks, I’m eating lava cake again…with cheetos. Eeep! Talk about stress eating on the road! Thought they would lighten up on us just a little for this last week. Boy, were we wrong! We were one frazzled bunch when we left our “war room” Friday evening. Five more days and counting. In the meanwhile, wine! Lots and lots of wine! Speaking of wine, as you may recall from last week, I had started a post on Running Hare Vineyard, one of the wineries I have visited along the Patuxent Wine Trail here in Southern Maryland. Well, I finally finished it. Don’t worry.  I did my homework first, lol!

Running Hare was a recommendation of one of my team mates, and so I made it my first stop on the trail. Having traveled “down and around” crossing into Maryland over the 301 bridge, I did not realize how close to D.C. I was until I was informed during my tasting that we were only about a half hour from the beltway.  A long haul for me either way, but extremely accessible to the many living in and  around D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis. The winery reminded me a lot of Potomac Point back home with its Mediterranean style villa atop a hill surrounded by thriving grape vines. Nestled at the bottom of the hill you’ll find a shaded wooden pavilion, which is where the tastings take place.  It was a lovely first impression. When I stepped out of the car and heard the live music drifting from the pavilion I had a feeling this place was a winner.

Typically, you will find eight wines on the tasting sheet, but unfortunately for me the Sangiovese had sold out and the next vintage wasn’t yet available. I did get to taste the remaining seven wines: two dry whites, two dry reds, a red and a white “fanciful” wine, and a dessert wine.  Here’s a summary of my tasting notes.

Chardonnay 

• Source: Sonoma
• Zippy and refreshing, this wine luckily is not over exposed to oak (only three months) as befalls most its brothers and sisters.  Properly chilled, the few remaining nutty notes are well balanced by a clean citrus zing. I can yell you from experience that it pairs well with a lovely day.

 Pinot Grigio

• Source:  Washington State
• Terrific  wine for a warm summer day, this one is sweeter than the Chardonnay though still a dry white. It took me awhile to figure out the flavors I was tasting. It wasn’t quite apple, then it hit me. Tart stone fruits just beginning to ripen!  I enjoyed the twist on a varietal I have typically come to associate with tart lemons. Very pleasant and enjoyable.

Malbec

• Source: Chile
• I could not get enough of the nose on this one. Clean with lovely floral notes that reminded me of lavender.  So pretty! As is typical with this varietal, it had a lovely dark fruit forward  flavor, but unlike a typical Malbec it had an astringency that made my mouth water like a nice juicy steak does. I think this will go wonderfully with a summer grilled steak or BBQ.

Shiraz

• Source: Chile
• With a delicious palate of dark berries and pepper, this wine has all the favorite characteristics Shiraz is known for. I love how smooth and fruity it tasted.  Extremely approachable, this lovely red can be enjoyed all on its own, but will still hold its own with food. I think this would go wonderfully with chocolate cake!

Jack Rabbit White

• Source: Running Hare Vineyard and New York State
• A sweet white blended from Cayuga and Niagra grapes, one sniff will make you smile as you think of grape jelly. Too sweet for me, but I can see the appeal of a glass of this very well chilled on a hot, hot day!

Jack Rabbit Red

• Source: New York State
• Another sweet table blend. This wine is made from Rougheon and Concord, neither of which are traditional wine making grapes. (I don’t know much about Rougheon, but I do like my Concord grape jelly!) Not as sweet as the Jack Rabbit White, this wine exhibits layers of flavors , like ripe strawberries, similar to that of a sweeter style rose.

Chambourcin

• Source: Running Hare Vineyard
• Chambourcin with a dash of Cab Sauv (10%), this wine apparently began as a mistake. Luckily for us all, the winemaker had written down the recipe because this port style dessert wine is (literally) a winner. Chambourcin is grown a lot in Virginia, so I have been fortunate to try it many times. Typically made into dry style red wine, the dark berry characteristics come forward in lush, velvety goodness in this dessert wine. Think ripe blackberries and mulberries bursting on your tongue with caramel smoothness. Needless to say, this wine will go wonderfully with chocolate, but also just as well with a cheese and fruit tray.

Well, time to put my student hat back on. I can’t wait to share the other wineries with you!

~Ruth

Raspberry-Peach Popsicles

A few months ago I decided I desperately needed wanted popsicle molds. I had these delicious visions dancing through my head of cool sweet treats enjoyed after a run. Of boozy nights enjoying a cocktail in a whimsical frozen shape. And of sweltering D.C. summer days sitting pool side desperately trying to finish my awesome frozen treat before it melted down my arm. Yep, I needed these molds, so when I received an Amazon gift card from my grad school career services department for completing a survey, I knew there was only one way to spend it.

I received the molds just before I headed to Ruth’s for a month of house sitting, so I brought them along. For my first popsicle attempt, I kept it simple with just 3 flavors and no alcohol. Which have made them the perfect after run treat. In fact, I might add a little protein powder to them next time to pump up the post workout recovery benefits. Oooo – or plain Greek yogurt! I might need to buy another set of popsicle molds – the traditional looking molds were really cute too…

2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 can peach nectar, ideally without sweetener like corn syrup
1 dozen large mint leaves torn
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey*

*If you can’t find peach nectar without sweetener, you may want to skip the extra sweetener. Taste your puree before adding the agave.

Use a traditional or stick blender to puree all ingredients together.

Carefully pour into molds of choice, leaving approximately half an inch of space at the top so the popsicles can expand as they freeze.

Freeze for at least 4 hours, although overnight is better.

Enjoy! (I have to run the molds under hot water for about 20 seconds to remove the popsicle.)

Almost, but not quite!

“We’re not working this weekend, right?” Feeling several eyes on me, I looked up to see my team mates giving me that look. “Yeah, we’re talking to you!” Then, before the second exam was handed out, the instructors kicked the class of with telling us to make sure we made an effort to enjoy the expected beautiful weekend weather. “You’ve had an intense two weeks, enjoy yourselves a little!” Okay, okay already! I get it. Two weeks down, two more to go…let’s not burn out here. Actually, I was thinking, “Give me the test already before I freak out and forget everything!”

That’s how my planned post today was going to begin…

Reviewing my notes on my Running Hare Winery tasting as I enjoy a glass of their Chardonnay with the sunshine.

I really thought I would be able to get one out to you today! I wanted to tell you about at least one of the two wineries I visited this past Saturday in an effort to decompress before tackling the last half of this class. Half of the post is complete, as I typed away at it in between course readings on Sunday. Then Monday happened. Can you believe we’ve already built and presented two briefings and will be tackling a third today and begin our fourth tomorrow? Somehow we’re supposed to fit studying for Friday’s exam in somewhere…

Good news, though, we’re over the halfway mark!

Ok, back to software integration issues and technology readiness!

Miss all of you!

~Ruth

White Bean Spread and Artichoke Sandwich

Beans are a superfood. Tell me I’m wrong. They are packed with protein and fiber. They have been shown to lower bad cholesterol and help with weight loss and general healthy diets. On top of a long list of health benefits, beans are cheap. While dried beans are, per serving, cheaper that canned beans I don’t mind paying for the convenience. I still manage to find them for a around a dollar, and can get 2-3 meals out of that can.

With all of this pro-bean information, and a desire to pack a few lunches for outdoor eating while the weather remains nice, I spent a solid 20 minutes last week just staring at a can of navy beans I had accidentally picked up at the store. (I wanted cannelli beans, but that’s another story for another day). I thought about putting them in a pasta salad, then I though about some type of chilled soup. Then it hit me – sandwich spread. Who doesn’t love a sandwich packed full of veggies with a creamy spread to hold it all together? A little more rooting around in the kitchen,produced some sundried tomatoes, a can of artichoke hearts, spring greens, and a red pepper. This was an ingredient list I could work with.

Two slice wheat bread
Spring green salad mix
Canned artichoke hearts
red pepper
White bean sandwich spread (recipe below)

Lightly toast wheat bread. Spread a thick layer of the white bean spread on both slices of toasted bread. Top one side with spring green mix, artichokes, red peppers, and additional veggies if desired. I didn’t have any olives at home, but I think black olives would have add a nice saltiness to the sandwich. Place second slice of bread, spread side down, on top. Enjoy!

White Bean Sandwich Spread

1 can of white beans (Navy, Canelli, or Great Northern Beans), drained
2 heaping tablespoons julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil, in addition to above
3 tsp fresh or frozen basil
3 cloves of garlic
good quality olive oil

In a food processor, chop tomatoes and garlic, add beans and process until smooth.Once smooth, add olive oil, about a tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. I wanted a thick spread for sandwiches, so I add  2.5 tablespoons olive oil.  If you want a dip for veggies, you will need to add more oil. Depending on how thin you want the spread, you may want to add water to the spread after 4 tablespoons or so of oil total, to avoid it being to greasy.

Veggies for Breakfast: Roasted Potatoes and Cauliflower

As you learned on Monday, Ruth is stuck in Pax River, Maryland for the month of June with tiny extended stay kitchen, next to no cookware, reading giant tombs on project management and acquisitions, and playing video games (I swear she told me herself). Because I want her to do well in school (and because I get to live at her house for the whole month, cutting my daily commute by an hour and 15 minutes, so I owe her), I am sharing with you a quick, not particularly cutting edge recipe, so she can keep studying.

I love breakfast foods and would eat them all day if I could. Sadly, there is one thing breakfast is missing – vegetables. I can’t tell you how frequently I sit down at a diner, find the perfect egg dish, and then realize sadly that my side options are carbs, carbs, and a sad fruit salad. Sure, you can get a veggie filled omelet, but that then comes with a side of toast and potatoes – not exactly a health inspiring set of options.

In order to combat this trend, I’ve started adding cauliflower to my breakfast potatoes. This is not a breakthrough recipe by any means. I would be willing to bet we have all made a version of this and served it with chicken at dinner. I argue that the innovation is in finding another way to add veggies to my breakfast plate and creating a truly healthy meal to start my day.

Breakfast Potato and Cauliflower Roast

Small head of cauliflower, cut into half inch florets
1 lb new potato variety package
half a red onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
spring of fresh rosemary (about 1.5 tsp chopped)
.5 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1) Pre-heat oven to 425°F.

2) Sort through your potatoes and take any that are too large and cut into approximately half inch – 3/4 inch chunks.

3) Toss cauliflower and potatoes with herbs, diced onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.

4) Drizzle about a tablespoon of oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Drizzle about another half a tablespoon and toss once more.

5) Place in pre-heated oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until cauliflower starts to brown and crisp.

My Wine Rack – Budget Wine Finds

Wine is the subject of many myths designed to intimidate the “common” man. For example, Ruth and I debunked the myth that the legs, or tears, of a wine are indicative of the quality of a wine in our post about our sommelier class in Alexandria where we learned that legs are only indicative of the alcohol content in a wine.

Another myth that I think needs to be dispelled frequently and fervently is that the price point of a wine is indicative of its quality. Sure, there are some lovely wines out there that are also very expensive, but the price point of a wine takes into account much more than just the quality of the wine. It might include the number of bottles available from a certain vintage,  the type of wine,  and the popularity of the varietal or brand name, among other factors. Part of the reason champagne is so expensive is because Champagne-with-a-capital-C can only be made in a small area of France, but you can find fabulous sparkling wines much cheaper than a bottle of Cristal that are made in Italy, Germany, or California. Sure, they aren’t Champagne, but when you are saving $193, that probably won’t matter. (Seriously, a bottle of Cristal averages $200, the Prosecco I list below is about $7!)

In an effort to help banish the “expensive = good” myth, I am highlighting 5 wines that I love and that I have never purchased for more than $15. Now, I know that personal taste plays a huge factor in whether or not you might like a wine (as you’ll notice there is not a chardonnay to be found on my list, and there will likely never ever be a chardonnay on a top wine list I create), but each of these wines has earned general aplomb from fellow winos and friends throughout the country. So, if you are looking to fill your wine rack while keeping your wallet full, give these a try.

Reds:

Ménage à Trois Rouge, Folie à Deux Winery

This wine was my first ever “house wine,” the wine that I would keep on hand for a sudden dinner party invitation or a call from a friend who had a particularly bad day and needed a sympathetic ear and a glass of wine. It is a smooth supple wine that is great for those who are new to red wines or as a lighter red with grilled chicken and meats.

It is a blend of three wines – Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon all fermented separately and then blended prior to bottling. The Zinfandel provides a fruit forward and slightly sweet aspect to the wine, while the Merlot and Cab Sauv provide structure to the wine. Furthermore, this incredibly approachable wine remains consistent from vintage to vintage, so no matter what bottle you are picking up, you can be confident it will be good.

($7.97 at Total Wine, Virginia)

Crush, Dreaming Tree Wines

This is the most expensive wine on my list, but a recent favorite. The 2009 vintage is a simple blend of Zinfandel and Merlot grapes.  I suspect that the blend may change through the years depending of the harvest, and I am hoping that, like the Ménage à Trois Rouge, the vintages remain consistently good.

This is full of smokey blackberry flavors with jammy pop on the finish. It is a medium body wine with just enough tannins to keep the fruit flavors from being overwhelming. This is definitely made to enjoy now, so, at this price, buy a couple of bottles, and don’t hesitate to pop the cork.

($14.00/$12.00 on sale at Target, Virginia)

Malbec, Don Miguel Gascón

I have not met a Malbec I don’t enjoy. At about $10 a bottle, this is one of my favorites because the quality of the wine really exceeds the price you’re paying. While the nose is very light, the flavor is bursting with cherries and blackberries touched with black pepper. Enjoy this bottle of wine below room temperature, by chilling it in the fridge for about an hour before serving, as some of the fullness is lost when enjoyed at room temperature. On really hot days when I still want a glass of red, I will refrigerate this all the way down to 50 or so degrees and enjoy it chilled.

($10.99 at Total Wine, Virginia)

Whites:

Vinho Verde, Casal Garcia

This young Portuguese white wine is made for summer enjoyment. The wine, which is aged entirely in steel barrels, as a slightly effervescent feel on the tongue and is full of crisp citrusy flavor. Do not hesitate to chill this wine all the way down to 40 or so degrees, as the flavors are strong enough that they will come through the chill while still leaving you with a refreshingly cool drink for pool-side sipping. This wine is amazing on its own, but it does compliment lighter seafood dishes and salads, such as spinach salad with tuna cakes (wink, wink), really well.

($6.49 at Total Wine, Virginia)

Martellozzo Prosecco

This crisp, dry, and bubbly white wine is easily the best Trader Joe’s has to offer in the sparkling wine department. It has a lovely straw-yellow color with slightly sweet stone fruits – think peaches and mangoes – on the nose. The bubble are lighter than a champagne, which contributes to the smoothness of this wine. I enjoy it as a summer sipper, with scallops, or with a small scoop of sorbet (raspberry or lemon, please) as an after dinner dessert.

For those of you without a Trader Joe’s, I haven’t been able to find this simply decorated bottle anywhere else, but I’ll be sure to keep looking. Anything for my readers.

($6.49 at Trader Joe’s)

The Art of the Grilled Cheese

Earlier this week D.C. restaurant Ripple premiered their “Grilled Cheese Bar.” This absolutely, amazingly, fabulously (I could go on) concept essentially lets dinners craft their own gourmet grilled cheese by choosing from 14 artisanal cheeses, house-made spreads, and a variety of veggie and meat fillings. It also includes 7 house creations, including a $12 sandwich with a rare Swiss cheese called challerhocker.

This sandwich does not include a rare Swiss cheese, but it was still delicious.

Doesn’t this sound like heaven? I can’t be the only person out there who would eat a grilled cheese sandwiche everyday if someone told me they could provide all of my nutritional needs and not affect the size of my hips. That lovely crunch followed by smooth, rich melted cheese is an art in its own right. But what should you do if you are craving a little art appreciation in your life, and can’t make it to D.C. any time soon? Continue reading, because I have some tips for taking your ho-hum Wonderbread and Kraft singles sandwich to the next level.

• Always use butter, never margarine. Also butter the inside and the outside of each slice of bread.

• Use two different cheeses. My standby is cheddar and Monterrey jack, but I’m also a fan of smokey Gouda and Havarti. For this sandwich I chose Kerrygold’s Dubliner and Gruyere.

• Pick one simple ingredient to add to the sandwich, like thinly sliced apples, caramelized onions, or ripe tomatoes.

• Add a little salt and pepper to the outside of your sandwich just before you place it in the pan.

• Be patient. Keep the stove on medium-low and watch that grilled cheese carefully. I like to put my sandwich in a warm pan (placed over the heat for about 15-30 seconds before adding the sandwich), cover it with a lid and let it heat up for about 5-7 minutes. Then carefully flip it and let the second side cook uncovered. Voila

Humpday Happy Hour: Spicy Screwdriver Cocktail

One of my pet peeves during a night on the town is when I enter a bar and ask the bartender if they have a drink they recommend. Almost automatically, he or she recommends something god awfully girly and sugary sweet. Do I look like I want a girly drink? Ok, don’t answer that, lol!

I approach drinks the same way I approach food. A single dimension is typically not my style. I like layers of flavor that complement each other and excite my taste buds. Take for example one of my favorite drinks, Bushmills Black Bush. If you can get past the burn of the whiskey, it has some nice dried fruit notes but also a nuttiness. Or let’s talk about that wonderful Lavender Martini from Cypress: floral nose, creamy vanilla, tart lemon, and a hint of sweet from the lavender infused simple syrup. And what about Emilie’s Strawberry Bourbon Milkshake last week??? Smokey [yet sweet] bourbon, creamy and cool vanilla ice cream, and fresh sun kissed berries, oh heck yeah!

Now granted, the Lavender Martini (like my Rose version) and the milkshake take a little effort as well as special tools or ingredients, but you can still take a simple, special-tool/ingredient free cocktail and give it a nudge in a new direction. That is what I did with this twist on the classic screwdriver. I love how the heat of the Texas Pete complimented the orange and lemon juice. Next time I think I might also muddle some of the jalepeno to get that crisp fresh pepper flavor rather than using it only as a garnish.

Spicy Screwdriver

Ingredients

• 2 parts orange juice
• 1 part vodka
• juice of half a lemon
• 2-3 dashes Texas Pete hot sauce
• pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
• jalepeno slice for garnish (optional)
• ice, enough for fill your glass

Directions

1. Put a few ice cubes in your glass
2. Add vodka, and lemon juice (and cinnamon if using) into your glass and stir to mix.
3. Now add the Texas Pete, about 2-3 dashes. Stir.
4. Pour in the orange juice, stir and taste. Add more Texas Pete if desired.
5. Fill glass with more ice and garnish with the jalepeno slice.