Thanksgiving - The Sequel

If you love Thanksgiving like I love Thanksgiving, then you know that it's ok, nay, encouraged to enjoy Thanksgiving flavors at other times during the year.  Here is a wonderful and amazing link for some Thanksgiving-esque foods.  Visit. Read. Drool. Make. Eat. Enjoy!

Cookie Bars & A [Somewhat] Related Story

Let me tell you a story.  I once had a roommate.  A wonderful, beautiful roommate.  Her name was Emily.  We became great friends.  We enjoyed dancing around in our living room; cleaning our kitchen with our Swiffer Wet Jet; watching episodes of Grey's Anatomy; and having discussions over a mixing bowl of brownie batter.  In those days, the brownies were out of a box.  There is nothing wrong with a good ol' boxed brownie mix, but if we had known that the recipe I'm about to share with you existed, we may never have stuck a spoon into boxed brownie batter ever again.  As many of you know, I have a new roommate.  His name is Dan.  He married me in June of 2009.  We occasionally dance around our living room; we use our Swiffer Wet Jet, but we don't have any inside jokes about it; we generally prefer TV comedies to medical dramas; and Dan has a serious thing for peanut butter and chocolate.  This is awesome because I, too, have a serious thing for peanut butter and chocolate.  What's that?  You don't?  Get out of my blog.  Seriously, doesn't everyone love peanut butter and chocolate?  This is why they make Reese's Peanut Butter Chips.  And that is where my story truly begins.  On the back of the bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips is a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies.  I stirred up a batch last night.  I'm lazy when it comes to cookies, though, and I don't enjoy making 12 at a time.  So instead of scooping the dough into cookies, I spread the dough in a bar pan and made cookie bars.  Oh yes.  Ohhhh yesssss.

Want one? Of course you do.  Here's how you can accomplish chocolate, peanut butter bliss:

Beat 1-1/4 c. softened butter and 2 c. sugar until fluffy.  Add 2 eggs and 2 t. vanilla.  Beat well.

In a small bowl, mix 2 c. flour, 3/4 c. cocoa powder, 1 t. baking soda, and 1/2 t. salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Stir in one package of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips.

Spread batter into a bar pan.  (If you don't live in the midwest, you might call this a "jelly-roll pan".) It would be prudent of you to try *at least* a few spoonfuls of the dough.  You never know, something could have gone terribly awry in your baking process... ;)  Your roommates/friends/neighbors/significant others might like to try a few spoonfuls of the dough as well.  I'm just sayin'...

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  The goal here is to underbake them slightly so that they stay incredibly chewy.  Chewy = awesome.

I dare you not to try these.

ENJOY!!

Crispy, Herby Chicken & Braised Brussel Sprouts

What I had for dinner last night:

Crispy, herby chicken with Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend and braised brussel sprouts.  But I don't like brussel sprouts, you say.  Wrong! I reply.  You DO like brussel sprouts.  Check it out:

BRAISED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pint brussel sprouts, sliced or shredded

1 t. allspice

1 T. sage

1 c. chicken stock

1) Melt olive oil and butter in saucepan.  Saute onions for about 5-6 minutes or until translucent.  Add brussel sprouts, allspice, sage, and salt & pepper to taste.  Toss.

2) Add stock.  Bring to a bubble.  Reduce and simmer for about 15 minutes.  If you are feeling like a rascal, stir in a handful of chopped radicchio in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking - it will add color and crunch to your side dish. 

CRISPY, HERBY CHICKEN

4 chicken cutlets, pounded to quarter-inch thickness

2 T. olive oil

1/4 c. white wine

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. bread crumbs (unseasoned)

1 t. oregano

1 t. parsley

1 t. paprika

3 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 c. parmesan

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Grease baking dish.  Set up two dipping stations.  In one bowl combine olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice.  In the second bowl combine bread crumbs, oregano, parsley, paprika, garlic, and parmesan.

3) Dip each chicken cutlet into liquids and then into the bread crumb mixture.  Make sure that each cutlet is completely covered in the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken into the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining bread crumb mixture over the chicken.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, but still juicy.

ENJOY!!