Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

Even at 23, I still can't resist peanut butter and jelly. It's a childhood staple that has become an adult comfort food. When I found this Martha Stewart recipe, I knew the cookie version sounded good, but I had no idea how much it would taste like the original! Just a little sweeter and a little naughtier! A basic peanut butter cookie is rolled in granulated sugar and baked with a dent in the middle. After the cookie cools for a few minutes, the centers are filled with you favorite jam or jelly. (The cooling prevents the preserves from melting and the cookie from becoming soggy.) I was also surprised how well these kept stored in an airtight container on the counter (although they were all devoured by day 3 so maybe it wasn't the best test)! Refrigeration might further extend their life.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar + extra for rolling
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
raspberry and strawberry jam (or your favorite flavor)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

3. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and form into balls. Roll them in granulated sugar to coat. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Indent each ball with the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Bake in preheated oven until puffy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly re-dent the centers of the cookies with the back of the wooden spoon. Return to the oven to continue baking for 3-5 more minutes, until golden on the edges.

5. Remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack. Once the cookies have cooled, fill the centers with a teaspoonful of jam. Cookies will keep stored in a airtight container at room temperature for about a week. 

Makes 24-36 cookies. 

(Adapted from Erin Cooks)

Greek Orzo Salad

Blogger is giving me a lot of trouble this morning. When I push "publish" it keeps messing with the format of my photos. I don't know why it decided to be so annoying today. Maybe it's picking on me. I'm already in a sour mood because despite the blizzard-like conditions outside my front door, I'm supposed to go to school. The snow is coming down so hard right now that I can't see the street. We had off most of last week for less dangerous conditions, so really, why is the university being so stubborn today?

The public schools tried to pull the same stunt and the buses showed up early this morning. Now they've canceled and are shipping the kids back home. What a waste. If they could just get around to making up their minds, we could all have stayed in bed and been a little less cranky this morning.

Here's something more cheery to talk about: Greek pasta. Maybe not what you're craving on a cold winter day, but it'll bring a little sunshine into your kitchen. I promise. I'm a big fan of orzo- mini oblong noodles that somewhat resemble over-sized rice. This dish is simply a pasta version of traditional Greek salad. While any pasta could be used, I wouldn't trade the orzo for anything. They're soft, succulent, and adorable. They soak up the lemony-vinegar dressing and meld with the tangy feta to create a mouthful of Mediterranean magic. (I served the pasta alongside these Marinated Greek Chicken Skewers.)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta
12 oz. can/jar artichoke hearts, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, halved, seeded and sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, olives, feta, and parsley. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Add more oil and/or vinegar before serving, to taste, if necessary.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Chicken, Corn, and Potato Chowder

I'm so behind. I find a few minutes to publish a post and never get around to writing about it. I figure you'd rather have description-less recipes than no recipes at all! Am I right? When I read other food blogs I usually don't even bother reading the story at the beginning. I might, if a recipe really peaks my interest and I want to know everything the author had to say about it. So in all honesty, I bet that very few of you pay attention to what I say. The photos do most of the talking. A food photo is worth more than a thousand words, since it can stimulate such an intense craving that even the best descriptive literature could never match!

Browsing food blogs can be hazardous to your health. All those sensuous food photos popping up in your face. A girl could put on a lot of weight if she's not careful. When you're home and hungry and alone, it's not the time to be sneaking peeks at what the bloggosphere is serving up. Definitely don't go looking at Tastespotting or Food Gawker. You're a goner.

Crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese atop a piping hot bowl of chowder might make you crazy too. Who can look at bacon and not salivate? Well, this soup tastes as superb as it looks (better, actually- my photography skills are less than great). This chowder is full of tender chicken chunks, cubed gold potatoes, and creamy corn kernels. It's rich and luxurious (without being too fattening). While the base is flavored with a bit of its grease, the crisp bacon is saved for sprinkling on top. The perfect finishing touch.

INGREDIENTS
3 slices bacon
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced green chiles
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3-4 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (I left the skins on for fiber!)
1 (14 oz.) can whole-kernel corn (could use fresh or frozen corn)
1 (14 oz.) can creamed corn
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated + extra for serving
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, for serving
scallions, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside on a paper towel. Drain all but 1 Tbsp. of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the onions, red pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often until onions are translucent and soft. Add the chicken and cook for several minutes until browned. Stir in the green chiles, chicken broth, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

2. Meanwhile, measure flour into a medium sized bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk so that no clumps remain. When the potatoes are soft, stir in the whole kernel corn and creamed corn. Add the milk and flour mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cheddar cheese to melt. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.

3. Crumble bacon once cooled. Ladle soup into bowls and serve garnished with crumbled bacon, cheddar, and scallions.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Cookin' Canuck)

Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

Snowed in again! Being stuck indoors in a snowstorm is less glamorous the second weekend in a row. (And don't worry, they're calling for more next week. This is very unlike Virginia weather, especially Richmond. One big storm a year is unlikely here, and we've already had three!) I'm tired of being stuck inside on Saturdays. Since all our weekend plans were canceled, again, we have other activities ahead of us. Most of which involve food... cooking, baking, eating, snacking, and some Superbowl watching. And studying. (Oops- I'm sorry that those dirty words escaped me- I'll shouldn't mention such unappetizing things on a cooking blog. I'm getting nauseous just thinking about it.)

Last snow weekend I warmed up the kitchen by baking these cute cookies. Not my most creative creation- the recipe came right off of the back of the Craisins bag! They just sounded so good and I happened to have all the ingredients sitting in my cupboard. These little oatmeal clusters were exceptionally soft and chewy. A comforting treat to brighten a cold snowy day!

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line a cookie sheet.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. In a separate bowl, stir to combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients, mixing well to incorporate. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. Let cool for 1-2 minutes on pan, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies.

(Adapted from Ocean Spray)

Sausage, Apple, and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

Confession. I'm boring when it comes to breakfast. I eat the same thing every day...honey whole wheat bread. Sometimes I mix it up by making toast, or eating sunflower whole wheat, or even nine grain! (Yes, that's how exciting my mornings are.) And Dustin gets stuck with a bowl of cereal. He doesn't mind. It's the one normal meal he's guaranteed each day, never knowing what dinner will throw his way. I guess I'm allowed to be lame in the A.M. since I rarely repeat a dinner dish.

My dull breakfast routine started when when I realized that if I ate lighter fare in the morning, my stomach would feel better the rest of the day. (I was once diagnosed with IBS, an ambiguous label for "we don't know why your colon is so spastic", and have struggled to find a solution to my stomach woes for years.) So bread and fruit and yogurt are my staples.

Funny thing is, breakfast is my favorite meal. Or rather, breakfast is my favorite category of foods. It's definitely because of the carbs- the pancakes, waffles, muffins, donuts, bagels, french toast, syrups, jellies, jams, and honey. All amazing. All technically desserts, but that's for another post. Instead of never ever eating these things, when I do crave breakfast foods, I serve them for supper. Who doesn't love pancakes, eggs, and bacon at night? And that's what happened with this dish. While it might be a breakfast casserole by name, it makes a delightful dinner!

This isn't a light dish. But it's wholesome and hearty. Crusty whole grain bread is ideal for soaking up the creamy custard. Turkey sausage could be substituted for pork, but let's be honest, it never tastes the same. I'd rather eat the real deal once and a while. Pick your favorite crisp juicy apples and piquant sharp cheddar (the sharper the cheese the farther the flavor goes). I thought this was a breeze to throw together and definitely worth the minimal prep. I had a hard time not pulling out what little we had left over (note that I halved the recipe- we're not that gluttonous!) and devouring it first thing the next morning. Oh, wait. I did.

INGREDIENTS
6 cups crusty whole wheat bread, cubed (I used whole wheat sourdough)
4 medium shallots, sliced
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I used a mix of golden delicious and fuji)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb. mild Italian pork sausage
4 eggs, whisked
4 cups half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

2. Meanwhile, saute the sliced shallots in the olive oil in a skillet until translucent and starting to brown. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook until no longer pink, breaking up into pieces with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3. Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half in a bowl with the salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and set aside.

4. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. In the bottom of the baking dish, spread half of the sausage/shallot mixture, half of the cubed apples, and half of the cheddar cheese. Top with the toasted bread cubes. On top of the bread cubes, layer the remaining sausage/shallot mixture and the remaining cubed apples. Pour the half-and-half mixture over the dish, pressing the bread cubes down gently so they all get moistened. Top with the remaining grated cheddar.

5. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown on top and set.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Feel Good Eats )

Smoked Gouda, Tomato, and Caramelized Onion Panini

This sandwich was inspired by a quirky basement cafe in downtown Richmond. They serve a mostly vegetarian menu, and although I'm one who quite appreciates meat, I love this place! Because every dish I've tried has been so dang good. You don't always need meat. Vegetarian cooking can be fabulous. And Ipanema Cafe does it right. It was in one of their wooden booths that I had my first taste of tofu (grilled and sandwiched between fresh rolls with caramelized onions and oven roasted tomatoes ... oh, yum!)

This is my version of Ipanema Cafe's smoked Gouda, tomato, caramelized onion, and thyme panini. Since they serve sweet potato fries on the side, I did the same. It turned out suspiciously similar to the original. I'm thrilled that I can replicate their masterpiece at home, but I have to admit the experience wasn't the same. It was missing the low lighting, candlelit brick walls, and trendy yet friendly waitstaff. Don't worry little cafe, I'll be back as soon as I can to try out the rest of the menu!

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tomato, sliced
smoked Gouda, thinly sliced or grated
4 slices crusty whole grain bread

DIRECTIONS
1. To caramelize the onions, preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and stir to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Reduce the heat as you are cooking if they are beginning to burn. When the onions are done, stir in the fresh thyme.

2. Preheat griddle or panini press to medium-high heat. Stack a slice of bread with Gouda, tomato, caramelized onions, and the other slice of bread. Repeat with the second sandwich. Brush the outside with butter, olive oil, or spray with cooking spray. Grill on preheated press until the cheese has melted and the outside is crisp and golden brown. Slice and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

(Inspired by Ipanema Cafe)

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

I've been snowed home for four days now (two days of actual snow and two days of cancelled school ). Let's just say the couch and I have become quite cozy. If I don't get back to class soon my figure might become permanently imprinted on the cushions. I wish I could say this hiatus from life has inspired a flurry of kitchen activity and culinary creativity. But alas, it has not. Dustin and I have almost made it through a whole season of Chuck and plowed through a pile of DVDs. But be productive? Hasn't happened. Fortunately, last week I kept busy enough that I still have a few recipes up my sleeve. And here's one of them...

This is one of the easiest, most rewarding recipes I've met in a long time! It's so fast, so simple, and really delicious! A fantastic fresh Mexican meal in minutes. The chicken is incredibly juicy and boldly flavored with oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, and lime. A fresh, sensational one-skillet dish. Don't wait to give this one a try!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken breast halves
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
salsa or pico de gallo
tomato, diced
lettuce, shredded
cheddar or Monteray jack cheese, grated
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cut chicken into thin strips, season generously with salt and pepper, and sear in the preheated pan until browned on the outside. Add the remaining salt and pepper and the oregano, stirring to coat. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the vinegar, lime, sugar, garlic, and onion. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink (this should only take a few minutes). Serve immediately with flour tortillas, salsa, tomato, lettuce, cheese, cilantro, and sour cream.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Tangy Tangerine Vinaigrette

First off, let me assure you that I did not make an error and omit any ingredient in this recipe. When I first read through it I had the same reaction, "What? Where's the oil?!" I thought surely this was a mistake. So I immediately called my friend who had graciously given me the recipe to inquire. She laughed and assured me that she didn't leave it out- it was never there in the first place. "Really? How awesome!", I thought. I had drizzled this tantalizing vinaigrette over a big bowl of greens, savored every bite of that salad, and had no idea that it was oil-free!

What it lacks in olive oil it makes up for with tangy Dijon mustard. It gives this dressing its kick. While I could tell that mustard was a main ingredient, it didn't overwhelm the other flavors. (And I promise you, I'm no fanatical mustard-lover.) Since citrus is in season, I chose a plump juicy tangerine instead of an orange. But either would do.

My only disclaimer is that because this dressing lacks oil, it is very thin and doesn't cling as well to lettuce. If you must have a thick, sticky dressing, I suppose you could add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. I wanted to keep it light and didn't feel the need. With tart dried cranberries, toasted almonds, and crumbled feta which absorbed the vinaigrette, this salad was a sweet treat!

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice (any type of orange could be used)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

green leaf lettuce, chopped
feta, crumbled
dried cranberries
sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl whisk together tangerine juice, vinegar, mustard and honey until smooth. (Or combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.) Season with pepper. Drizzle over a layer of lettuce sprinkled with feta, cranberries, and almonds. Dressings keeps for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

Serves 6.

(Recipe courtesy of Chelsey Sanford, originally from All Recipes)