Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I don't think this needs more introduction than the title.  Just yum.  Tart fresh cranberries contrast with the sweet white, milk and semi-sweet chocolate trio.  They are also very delicate!  A great holiday cookie!

This recipe is from Bon Appetit, December 2004.
Makes about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh (or frozen) cranberries

optional: 2 oz milk or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling)

Instructions:

1. Position rack in center of oven preheated to 350 degrees F.  Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend.

3.  Cream butter and both sugars in electric mixer until smooth.

4.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

5.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.

6.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in oats and then chocolate chips and cranberries.

(I love that picture! It should be a holiday card! so pretty :-))

7.  Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. 

8. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 16 minutes.  Cool on sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

(for optional chocolate drizzle: stir chopped chocolate in a top of a double boiler until melted and smooth and then drizzle over cookies in a zig-zag pattern.  let cook until chocolate sets, about 1 hour)

Enjoy!

Happy Veteran's Day!

It is a beautiful fall day here in Voorheesville.  The sun is out and the air is still and calm and I feel at peace.  It is a day to think of all of the people who have gone to fight for our country.   Sitting in my sunny and quiet kitchen in my pajamas, it is hard to imagine what they do and see and experience around the world -- the suffering and violence and fighting -- their bravery and sacrifice, and that of all their families, astounds me.  Thank you to them all!

In store for today is a hike in a nearby preserve and relaxing -- reading my book, knitting, and not doing anything crazy!  It has been a very full weekend here so far.  I ran a 15K yesterday (9.3 miles) and rocked it!  It felt great!  I finished in 1:20:18 -- a 8:37 average mile.  What a great race!  It started in central park in Schenectedy and went through beautiful historic neighborhoods and the graveyard before circling back to the park.  Very fun!

I also passed the last two days in the kitchen engaged in a cooking and baking frenzy!  Here is a look at what I made... the damage was severe... the hours long... the calorie intake impressive...

Triple chocolate chip, oat and fresh cranberry cookies:

YUM. Look at the batter:

I want to live in that bowl...
Art my friends, art.

And my first attempt at homemade Challah bread was a success!  DELICIOUS.  nothing. like. it.  period. so good. so good. heaven.

Homemade spaghetti and meatballs was on the menu Saturday night (pre-race carbs! great excuse!)

Then for guests on Sunday night I made... a lot:

Jim Lahey's no knead bread... delicious as always...  crusty outside and moist inside...  MMMMM...

Moroccan lamb stew.  OK.  This dish is to die for.  Really.  I would like it to be my last meal before I die.  My stepdad made it last time I was home and I had to have the recipe (from epicurious).  It changed my world.  My husband and our guests all loved it.  It is now part of the permanent file.  I served it with Jasmine rice, the bread, and a green salad.  Perfect meal.

And to put us all into food coma and over the edge of full, a flourless chocolate cake, which I served with whipped cream.

Yeah... I know... I went a LITTLE over the top this weekend.  I cooked a lot.   My dad says he would never survive in my house... he would be so fat... sigh... well, what can I say.  I had fun.  I ate well.  I have many recipes to post.  I am happy! 

And so are the animals.... time for a little animal slideshow... and then I am off to read, and knit, and relax!

Awww!!! So cute. 

-- Anya

Chicken, Rotini and Tomato Casserole

This was a great weeknight quick whatever is on hand casserole.  I did not grow up with casseroles.  Period.  I don't think I ever had a casserole from my mom's oven.  It wasn't part of her culture.  My husband, on the other hand, knows the world of casseroles and he loves them.  Whenever I give him a choice between casserole and pasta or casserole and soup or casserole and stew, the answer?  You got it, casserole.  And I must admit, you can do a lot in these one pot wonders.  The possibilities, my friends, are endless.  This one has:

1 lb or so skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 cups cooked Rotini
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 an onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
the few mushrooms I had left in my fridge (1 would add more if I had them, they were good in here!)
1 cup mozzerella,
1/3 cup parmesan,
more mozz and parm for topping, and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs.

Here's what you do: cut up and saute the chicken breast (I used two breasts

Saute the onion and celery, add them to your casserole dish

Same with the shrooms

And diced tomatoes with their juices

Add the cooked chicken

And the cooked pasta

And the cheese

It looks yummy already

Top with more cheese

And some breadcrumbs

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This was good.  Very good.  I really love the combination.  I loovvvvvveeeeee sweet potatoes.  They are so satisfying.  And really healthy.  And versatile.  I wanted some.  And I wanted curry.  And chickpeas.  So here is what I came up with.... sorta on my own... I adapted it from a recipe I found on food.com by adding a bunch of veggies and spices.  I am trying desperately to break free from recipes... I think this is progress (baby steps people!).  I wanted healthy so I didn't go the coconut milk curry route.  I think this was a good choice.  YUM.  A definite repeat!  Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, cooked (I baked but you could steam them or broil them or even boil them)
10 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 green chile, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2-3 T fresh ginger, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, with juices
Curry powder
Cinnamon
Cumin powder
Cayenne pepper
Red chili powder
Tumeric powder

Cilantro to garnish
Basmati (or brown) rice

Instructions:

First, get your sweet potatoes cooking.  I baked mine in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  You can prep the rest of the ingredients while those babies bake.

Dice up the onion, green chili, red bell pepper, and ginger, and set aside

Pretty!

Next, remove stems from spinach and coarsly chop.  Set aside.

Drain and rinse chickpeas in colander and set aside.

Chop up some fresh cilantro and set aside.

When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, cut into 1 inch chunks.  You don't have to remove the skin -- it is actually packed with nutrients and I usually leave it on but it wanted to come off after baking so I removed it for this. 

OK now arrange everything you need and start cooking!

Heat 1-2 T canola oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot.  I used my trusty dutch oven.  When oil is warm, add the diced veggies.

Cook for a few minutes, until onions are soft and transparent, and then add spices as follows: 2 T curry powder, 1 T cumin powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cayenne, 1/2 tsp. red chili powder, and 1/2 tsp. tumeric (note: not sure what if any difference there is between cayenne and the red chili powder I have from the Indian market but I used both.  I am sure you could use either, or neither if you don't want it too spicy).

Cook for a minute or two until fragrant.  Add chickpeas, stir and cook for a couple minutes.

Add sweet potatoes.

Add diced tomatoes.

Then add spinach and stir until it is cooked down and wilted.

Turn into a serving platter.

Serve over basmati rice.  Garnish with cilantro.  Enjoy!