Brown Butter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookes

 A FABULOUS cookie recipe from friends Dalene and Tanya! Thanks, ladies!

Using chocolate wafers instead of chips is a cookie game-changer. They spread as they melt, creating thin pockets of chocolate in each layer, and stay much softer at room temperature.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1.4-oz. chocolate toffee bars (preferably Skor), chopped into ¼-inch pieces

1½ cups chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao)

Flaky sea salt

• Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
• Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a 1½-oz. ice cream scoop, portion out 10 balls of dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3" apart (you can also form dough into ping pong–sized balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined baking sheet to make 10 more cookies.
• Do Ahead: Cookie dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.

Using chocolate wafers instead of chips is a cookie game-changer. They spread as they melt, creating thin pockets of chocolate in each layer, and stay much softer at room temperature. 

Roasted Vegetable Platter from Salt Fat Acid Heat

Beans
• 1 cup navy beans, dried
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 bay leaves
Roasted vegetables
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2 inch steaks
• 1/2 head romanesco, cut into 1/2 inch steaks
• 1 bunch carrots (about 8), halved lengthwise
• 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
Shallot vinaigrette
• 3 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
Remaining ingredients
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp za'atar seasoning, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh dill
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 4 ounces crumbled feta
• Maldon salt

Instructions

1. Rinse beans in cold water. Place in a medium bowl and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Let soak at room temperature at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans and place in a medium sauce pot with 3 cups water, olive oil, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for about 45 minutes or until beans are fork tender. Keep warm.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Toss all vegetables in olive oil. Arrange on baking sheets, using separate baking sheets for each of the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are caramelized and fork tender.
4. Make the shallot vinaigrette. Add shallots and vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pick fresh dill, parsley, and cilantro, discarding stems. Toss all together to make an herb salad.
6. Season beans with 1 tsp za'atar seasoning, 2 tbsp shallot vinaigrette, and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the beans. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Assemble vegetables and beans. Plate cauliflower and romanesco steaks followed by the carrots and Brussels sprouts. Season with za'atar seasoning. Top with the beans, and crumbled feta. Drizzle shallot vinaigrette, top with fresh herb salad and finish with a sprinkle of Maldon salt. Serve warm.

Helpful Hints: All you have to do is cut the vegetables, toss them in oil, salt and pepper, and roast. Ideally, you want to place each type of vegetable on a different sheet pan. Each vegetable cooks at a different pace so you want to be able to remove the ones that are ready when it is the proper time. I was only preparing this dish for two so I put them all on one baking sheet but made sure to group the same vegetables together.

Make the shallot vinaigrette and fresh herb salad and you are ready to plate. First the vegetables, a little za’atar, then the beans, feta, vinaigrette, fresh herbs and Maldon salt. As I said, there are many components but they work beautifully to complement one another. 

Zippy Green Beans

I was first drawn to this recipe because of the name, specifically "Zippy." It seems like the perfect way to bring some zip to an otherwise delicious but same-ol' same-ol' Thanksgiving dinner. It was a winner so a couple weeks later I served Zippy Green Beans to some friends and one comment was how much easier they are to eat than "regular" long green beans (The Week magazine, where I found the recipe, says this is an Indian-style cut). I agree, much more civilized. And, the best part, you can do all the prep ahead of time, including cutting and blanching the beans, so at the last minute it's very quick and easy. Oh, and I cut the recipe in half and still have enough delicious beans to serve 6-8 people. The full recipe will feed a crowd. Hope you like them!

Kosher or sea salt
4 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut crosswise intro 1/2-inch pieces
5 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/4 tsp black mustard seed (or 1 tbsp prepared Dijon mustard0
1 cup minced shallots
2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, grated
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Set a large pot of water over high heat and fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes. When water in pot boils, add a generous few pinches of salt, then green beans. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute—just until the beans are a brighter green. Drain and immediately transfer to the ice-water bath; drain again once they are thoroughly cooled.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add mustard seed; as soon as seeds start to pop and sputter, stir in shallots. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shallots are lightly browned on edges; reduce heat as needed so they don’t burn or scorch.

Add ginger and red pepper flakes, then green beans. Toss to coat evenly and cook until just warmed through. Taste, and add salt as needed. Serves 8 to 12.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Aren't these one of everyone's favorites? I made these for our Mexican-themed party on Sept 1, 2018 and they were a hit! SueV said they were the best she's every had! I mixed part walnuts and part pecans and double the whole recipe for 20 people. Also, I used the food processor to finely chop the nuts. After the discs of dough are chilled you can easily cut them with a long knife in a grid to make even pieces to roll into balls. Best way to "roll" the balls in powdered sugar... put powdered sugar in a ziplock bag and add about 5 little balls of dough at a time. Gently tumble until coated. I got about 70 cookies. My leftovers are now in the freezer :-)

• 1 cup (115 g) pecan pieces
• 1 cup (225 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (85 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cup (145 g) powdered sugar, to coat the cookies

1 Toast the nuts on the stovetop: Place the nuts in a medium skillet and place over medium heat. Toast the nuts, stirring frequently, until they darken slightly and smell fragrant and nutty, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and let the nuts cool in the pan.

2 Crush the nuts: Once the toasted nuts are warm to the touch, but not hot, pour them into a quart-size sealable freezer bag. Seal the bag, and then use a rolling pin to roll and crush the nuts until they are crushed into a chunky powder. Set aside until needed.
(Alternatively, pulse in a food processor until powdery. Be careful of over-processing or the nuts will turn into nut butter!)

3 Mix the butter and sugar: Place the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together on medium speed until the sugar is absorbed into the butter and the buttery paste clings to the side of the bowl. Add the vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds to incorporate.
4 Add the flour and salt: Mix on low speed. As the dry ingredients start to absorb into the butter-sugar mixture, you can increase the speed back to medium. Once all the flour is mixed in and a dough has formed, stop the mixer.

5 Empty the crushed nuts into the bowl with the dough: Mix on low speed to incorporate.
6 Chill the dough: Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until the dough is firm.

7 About 10 minutes before you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
8 Remove the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and form into 1-inch balls of dough. (If your dough chilled longer than 1 hour, you may need to let it soften for a few minutes at room temperature.) Roll the balls of dough in powdered sugar and place on the baking mat, spaced slightly apart.

9 Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the cookies start to brown slightly on top and are golden brown on the bottoms. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes after baking.
10 While the cookies are still warm, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar again. Return the cookies to the cooling rack and let cool completely before serving.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep well for at least a week.

The Best Chicken Soup

We are all convinced that this is the best chicken soup recipe we have ever had! It's Paleo and, it's so easy! Thank you to our friend and excellent cook, Sarah Waldron, for the recipe and her variations, which we think make it that much better.

1 small whole chicken (4-5 pounds) We've been using the new "smart" chicken at New Seasons
1 leek, white part only, diced
8 crushed cloves of garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
4 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled and sliced
5 large sprigs of thyme
1 golf ball size knob of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsp sea salt
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry sherry

Place your leek, garlic, celery, carrots, thyme, and ginger in the bottom of a 6 qt or larger crockpot. Place your whole chicken on top of the vegetables, add stock and sherry and salt. Cover and cook on igh for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours (until the chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone). Remove the chicken from the crock pot to a large plate or backing sheet, let cool slightly and then shred all the meat with your hands (discard bones, skin, cartilage, etc.) Add the meat back to the broth and vegetables and serve warm. It's also delicious to add a bit of diced avocado to each bowl before adding the hot soup.

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

These are particularly good muffins that qualify as gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo. I used 2 ripe bananas (I tried a quick-ripe in the oven, in the peel, for 20 minutes, worked like a charm) and only one Tbsp honey with a cup of blueberries. I thought they were plenty sweet but you could add more honey. Let me know if you try any of the variations that turn out well.


2-1/2 cups almond flour or almond meal
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs
⅓ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree, thawed winter squash puree, butternut squash puree, unsweetened apple sauce, or mashed very ripe banana
2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted) or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar (white or cider)
Optional Flavorings: 1 teaspoon extract (e.g., vanilla, almond), citrus zest, dried herbs (e.g., basil, dill), or spice (e.g., cinnamon, cumin)
Optional Stir-Ins: 1 cup fresh fruit (e.g., blueberries, diced apple) or ½ cup dried fruit/cacao nibs/chopped nuts/seed

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 10 cups in a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
2. In a large bowl whisk the almond flour, baking soda and salt (whisk in any dried spices or herbs at this point, if using).
3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, honey, oil and vinegar (add any extracts or zest at this point, if using).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until blended. Fold in any optional stir-ins, if using.
5. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 18 minutes until set at the centers and golden brown at the edges. Move the tin to a cooling rack and let muffins cool in the tin 30 minutes. Remove muffins from tin.

Ottolenghi Marinated Rack of Lamb

Or individual Lamb Loin Chops

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 lb / 1 kg rack of lamb, French trimmed
2/3 oz / 20 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks
1 oz / 30 g mint, leaves and stalks
1 oz / 30 g cilantro (coriander), leaves and stalks
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 oz / 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 chiles, seeded
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 tbsp / 50 mL lemon juice
4 tbsp / 60 mL soy sauce
1/2 cup / 120 mL sunflower oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS
Make sure that most of the fat is trimmed off the lamb, leaving a uniform thin layer that will keep the meat moist and add to the flavour.  Use a very sharp knife to separate the rack into portions of 2 or 3 chops.  Place in a non-metal container.  {I just used a Ziploc bag – gallon size.}
Blitz together all the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Pour them over the lamb and make sure it is well covered in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C.  Heat up a heavy cast-iron pan, preferably a ridged grill pan.  Remove the meat from the marinade and shake off the excess.  Sear well on all sides, about 5 minutes total.

Transfer to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the rack sections and how well you want them cooked.

Judy's Spinach Pie

This is the most delicious frittata casserole type recipe (originally enjoyed at a brunch at friend, Judy Shabbert's house)! It makes enough to serve 8-10 in a 9x13" pan. There's quite a bit of prep work so if you're serving it early in the day, say for a brunch, do all the chopping and preliminary cooking the day before. Store the vegetables together and all the cheeses and beaten eggs together. Then, in the morning you just mix it all together and add the dill.

3 Tbsp olive oil, more as needed
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
Sea salt
3 red or orange bell peppers (I added this and I like the extra flavor and color)
2 pounds (yes, 2 of the big, big boxes of pre-washed) spinach
Vegetable oil or non-stick spray for the baking dish
1 pound feta cheese, rinsed in cool water, then crumbled
12 oz ricotta cheese
5 oz (about 2 cups) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 large eggs lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, or to taste

1. In a large skillet over low heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and pinch of salt and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Return pan to medium heat. Working in batches, and adding 1 Tbsp oil or a little water to each batch, sauté spinach until wilted, then transfer to strainer and squeeze hard to remove as much excess liquid as possible. (I wait for it to cool off a bit or use clean rubber gloves). Chop spinach and add to mixing bowl.
3. (optional) Grill or broil 3 red bell peppers until skin is blackened. Peel, remove seeds and stem and chop. (do not use water!) Add to mixing bowl.
4. In another large bowl, combine feta, ricotta, Parmigiano, eggs and a generous amount of pepper.

At this point you can just put everything in the fridge until about 1.5 hours before you want to serve the next day. You've really done all the work.

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly oil a shallow 9x13" baking dish. Mix all ingredients together, stirring well, and add dill. Spoon into baking dish and pat down evenly, drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Bake pie for 30 minutes. Raise heat to 350° and bake until lightly firm in center (test with knife) and golden on top, about 20 more minutes. To serve, allow pie to cool slightly before cutting into squares. It may also be served at room temperature.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Zucchini Corn Salad

This has now become a staple for us. The raw zucchini actually tastes like al dente pasta and the creamy avocado sauce makes it seem wildly decadent. Zucchini vary greatly in size so use your judgement, I usually use 3 zucchini for this amount of sauce. Leftovers keep remarkably well in the refrigerator for a day but I like to serve it as freshly made as possible.

For the sauce:
1 lime, juiced
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
1 small clove of garlic, minced
water to thin, if needed
salt and pepper

For the rest:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium ear of corn, kernels shaved off
½ teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 medium zucchinis, Spiralized like spaghetti with Blade D, noodles trimmed (or make a lengthwise slit halfway through the zucchini before spiralizing to make little noodle circles.
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the corn and season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for 5 minutes or until corn is cooked through and fork tender. Set aside when done.
2. Place all of the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust, if needed.
3. Place your zucchini noodles into a bowl, pour over the creamy sauce and mix to combine thoroughly.
4. Divide the dressed noodles into two to three plates and top with corn and tomatoes.

This is not as filling as pasta, in fact, quite light, so figure this will serve 2-3 people for lunch or 4 people as a side for dinner.

Basil Almond Paté

My friend, Carole Kahn, makes this when we come for dinner, knowing how much I love it. Now I can make it myself and I encourage you to give it a try. It's delicious and nice to serve with thin slices of cheese like Manchego on the side, as she recently did. You'll want either crackers or toasted French bread to spread it on. Yum!

1 c almonds
1 c basil, tightly packed
1/4 c water
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl shoyu
2 tsp garlic, minced
Sea salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste

Soak almonds 8 hrs or overnight
Place almonds in food processor & process until smooth
Add remaining ingredients, process until smooth, scraping sides a couple of times

Trail Mix Salad ala Izaak Walton Inn

I can’t give exact proportions because I got the "recipe" directly from the chef at Izaak Walton Inn, which existed of a list of ingredients. I will give you the Champagne Vinaigrette recipe I used but you may have a favorite. The salad is named for the delicious Trail Snack they included in our lunches when we had boxed lunches packed for a day of skiing. I store the trail snack, dressing and greens separately and put them altogether an hour or so before serving. The amounts below will make a large bowl of salad, serving about 8-10.

Mix in large bowl:
dinosaur kale (I use 1-1.5 bunches), cores and stems removed, shredded (I use the food processor)
shredded Brussel sprouts, I use about 1.5 cups whole, or to taste (I use the food processor)
stems of 1 bunch broccoli, julienned (save the florettes for another use)

Champagne Vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dijon Mustard
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 or 3 dashes hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, you can combine all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and pureé until smooth.

Trail Mix (to sprinkle on top and lightly mix in):
roasted whole almonds, roughly chopped
roasted and salted shelled sunflower seeds
dried apricots (sliced in thin slices)
dried sour cherries or cranberries, roughly chopped

Paleo Beef Roulade

One nice feature of a roulade is that it can be made several days early and then cooked just before serving. Additionally, you can experiment with the stuffing, changing it by adding or subtracting ingredients.  First served at SisterFest 2015 in Portland, with Cauliflower Puree and Spiralized Pesto Zucchini "spaghetti." Serves 6-7

1 1/2 to 2# flank steak
Salt and Pepper
4-5 strips thick bacon, cooked not crispy, chopped
2+ cups loosely packed spinach leaves
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1 cup chopped white button mushrooms (7-10)
Butcher's twine

5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp oil (coconut or olive)

Prep Day:

1. Pound the flank steak with a meat mallet to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Doing so will give you more surface area to work with when rolling the steak.
2. Lay the steak out flat, and season both sides with sea salt and pepper.Layer chopped bacon, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms evenly over the steak. It will look very full so you can't imagine rolling it in any neat fashion without everything falling out.
3. Roll the steak tightly into a log so the grain of the meat is running the long way on the roll. (When you cut slices you'll be cutting across the grain.) Tie the roulade in at least 3 places. Next time I would estimate how many servings I will cut and tie twine for each one so when you cut you have a piece of twine holding the rolled slice together. Having someone help with this makes it easier.
4. Wrap the steak in double or triple plastic wrap, seal it in a plastic bag and either freeze or store a day or two in refrigerator.

Serving Day:

1. Thaw the roulade in the refrigerator overnight and a day.
2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425°
3. In a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, melt the oil.
4. Place the roulade in the skillet and sear until brown on all sides, 2-3 minutes total. OR sear the steak on a HOT grill, turning to brown all sides. DO NOT cook the meat through!
5. Remove steak from stove or grill,  (if you've used the grill place the steak in an oven-proof pan) sprinkle with minced garlic all over.
6. Roast in hot oven for 10-20 minutes, or 130° on a meat thermometer, until the meat is cooked but still pink in the center.
7. Remove from oven, cover lightly with foil and a kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes.
8. Slice into pinwheels at least one inch thick.

Mom's Real Pie Crust

Mix together: 5 cups all purpose flour and 1 Tbsp salt
Using pastry blender cut in 2 cups (1 #, usually one box) lard
Beat together: 2/3 c. ice water and one cold egg
Mix until barely holding together, do not over work.

Divide into 6 flattened balls and freeze individually, wrapped in foil. Let thaw over night in 'fridge before rolling out.

Jewish Crack

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you’ll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.
Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it’s really not necessary.)

Once completely cool — I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) — break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I’ve never seen it last that long.

French-style Ratatouille

• 1 pound eggplant, sliced in rounds
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced in rounds
• 1 pound bell peppers, sliced
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• olive oil
• bay leaf
• thyme sprig
• salt and pepper

1. Wash and slice all of the vegetables. To peel the tomatoes drop them in boiling water for about 10 seconds and use a sharp paring knife to help slip off the peel.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced eggplant and cook, turning occasionally for five minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove the eggplant from the skillet.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and add the zucchini slices. Cook for about five minutes, turning occasionally, then season with salt and pepper and remove from the skillet.
4. Repeat the procedure for the bell peppers.
5. Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and the pre-cooked vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers. Stir to combine and then add the bay leaf and thyme. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
7. Add the garlic and salt and pepper if needed and cook covered for another 10 minutes.

4 to 6 servings

Almond Crisp Peaches

4 ripe peaches
1/3 cup (55 grams) whole almonds
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons (45 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Optional extras: 1/4 cup (20 grams) rolled oats, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch of sea salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve peaches and remove pits. Place fruit cut side up in baking dish. In a food processor, grind almonds and sugar together until coarsely ground (with a few pebbles left). Add oats and other flavorings, if using, then butter, pulsing the machine until the ingredients are just blended. Spoon the almond mixture into the center of each peach, then press it flat, as if icing the tops of the peaches with it. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (baking time varies with peach size), until the top is brown and crisp and you can easily slice through the fruit with a fork or spoon.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with creme fraiche, lightly sweetened whipped cream or even plain yogurt, cold, for breakfast.

Grilled Lemon and Rosemary Chicken

4 Servings

 

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grill grates and drizzling
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 pounds chicken cutlets (8 thin cutlets)
1 lemon, sliced in half, optional

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-deen/grilled-lemon-and-rosemary-chicken-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Paleo Breakfast Cookies

1 cup raw almond butter or organic sunflower seed butter
1 egg
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup or a combo of the two (I use a tad less if I'm using choc. chips)
3 cups total add-ins of choice (I use lots of unsweetened shredded coconut,  chocolate chips-the darkest I can find or raw cacao nibs, sunflower seeds, raisins and some chopped nuts like almonds or macadamia nuts. Chopped dates are good, too)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer until thoroughly blended. You may have to manually push the chocolate chips into the dough. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased, Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Press down lightly with fingers

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, be careful not to overbake. Allow to cool on wire rack. These freeze beautifully! Yum!

Raisin & Rosemary Crackers

1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp raw sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, rosemary and sea salt until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Drain the raisins, reserving 2 Tbsp. of the soaking liquid. Add the raisins and sesame seeds to the food processor. Pulse until the raisins are reduced to small flecks and are incorporated into the seed mixture.

Add 1 Tbsp of the reserved water and process until a rough dough forms. The dough should hold together when pinched between your fingers, if it does not, add a little bit of the remaining reserved water at a time, to achieve the right texture (it is just barely not crumbly.

Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper. Using your hands, shape the dough into a thick rectangular mass. Place another piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll out to about 1/8" thickness. I use 2-1/8" thick sticks to run the rolling pin along an the sides of the dough but you can eyeball it.

Remove the top sheet of paper and transfer the dough, paper and all to a baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter cut dough into desired shapes, maybe 1x1 1/2" squares. You can square off the edges a bit, they'll look a little "rustic," which I think is fine.

Bake for 12 minutes, watching carefully. Remove from oven and separate the little crackers with a spatula, spreading them out a bit to crisp the edges. Return to the oven for about 4-5 more minutes, until golden brown. Store in airtight container. Recipe is easily doubled.

Chili without Beans

Looking for a good chili recipe without beans so it would qualify as Paleo I ended up taking ideas from several places and adding a few of my own ideas. I was really happy with the results... rich, filling, satisfying, without being heavy. Even Andee asked for the recipe! This would serve 4 so next time I would double it, at least. I used my crockpot but this could be done in a soup pot on the stove, over a low flame.

• 1 lbs grass-fed, grass-finished organic ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 yellow or red bell peppers, deseeded and diced
• 1 poblano peppers, deseeded and diced
• 3/4 tbsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tbsp oregano leaves
• 3/4 tbsp ground coriander seed
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp ground ancho chile powder or chipotle powder
• 14 oz drained fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 3/4 tbsp arrowroot powder made up in 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp pure organic cacao powder OR 1 square 100% dark chocolate

Optional garnish: chopped cilantro,  cubed cooked yamsServe on top of Cauliflower "Rice" (below)

Instructions

1. Brown your beef in frying pan, draining any excess fat before putting it into the bottom of the crock pot. While you are doing this, chop all veggies and set aside.
2. Once all the beef is browned, drained and in the crock pot, heat a little coconut oil in a large pan and add the vegetables.
3. Saute the vegetables until the volume in the pan starts to reduce and the onions become translucent.
4. Add seasonings and chile powder to the pan; cook until fragrant. There should be little to no moisture in the base of the pan.
5. Add diced tomatoes to the pan, stirring the mixture through before adding to the crock pot. No need to stir in the crock pot, just layer the vegetable mixture on top and pat down.
6. Add the beef stock before putting on the lid and turning on the crock pot. Cook for approximately 3 hours on high, depending on your crock pot.
7. Add the arrowroot powder mixture and the 100% chocolate OR cacao powder. Stir through so that everything is combined, season to taste with salt, then cook for another hour on high. Add diced cooked yam at the very end to just warm.

Cauliflower Rice: During last hour of cooking break one full head of cauliflower into smallish flowerettes and place in food processor, being careful not to fill more than 1/2 full. Pulse each batch until cauliflower resembles kernels of rice. Dump onto parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet, spreading to 1/4" to 1/2" thickness and roast in a 375° oven for 15 minutes. This brings out a delicious nutty flavor in the cauliflower. To serve spread "rice" in bottom of each bowl, top with chili and garnish with cilantro. You can freeze the rice separately, after it's roasted. Thaw and warm in microwave.