Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat the butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla extract and mix for 10 seconds.
• In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa).
• Mix into the wet mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.
• Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
• Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_nutella_cookies/

Nutella Gelato

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 heaping cup Nutella
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate covered pretzels

Directions

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the milk is warm (around 175 degrees), about 5 minutes. Be sure not to burn it.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. Keep temperature around 165-180 degrees.
Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chocolate-hazelnut-gelato-recipe.html

Winter Salad

This salad is soooo fresh and delicious tasting.  The only reason I can think of why it's called a Winter Salad is because it is red and green...like Christmas. :-)

This makes salad for a large crowd.  For just 2 or 3 people, make only 1/3 of the recipe--1 heart of romaine.

SALAD

3 hearts of romaine lettuce
2 crisp apples, diced
2 pears, diced (crisp but ripe--I use asian pears)
1/2 c dried cranberries OR 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
3/4 cup cashew halves OR toasted almonds
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (I use baby Swiss OR TJ's Swiss and Guyère)
1/2 small red onion (or less) thinly sliced


DRESSING (make ahead and chill)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar (I probably put about 1/3)
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 T poppy seeds, added at the end

Make in blender.  Chill well.  Dress salad just before serving.

Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon+ minced garlic
• 1-2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1-2 tsp paprika
• garlic powder
• 1/2 sliced onion 

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup red wine
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Season chicken on both sides with plenty of paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Place chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides.
2. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar. Pour red wine around chicken. Cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Easy Thai Yellow Curry Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

Oil for sautéing veggies

1 bottle Trader Joe's Yellow Curry Sauce 

3/4 lb Carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2" rounds-I cute them a little smaller)

1 med onion chopped

1 large red bell pepper (cut into 1" pieces)

1 lb Yukon Gold Potato (about 1 large) (pulled and cut into 1/2" pieces)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1" pieces)

1 (15oz) can unsweetened coconut milk

Fresh cilantro to use as a garnish (you can garnish heavily and stir it into your soup or don't garnish at all...it's good either way)

Directions:

1) Sauté onions, carrots, and bell pepper in oil and 2T-ish of the curry sauce until the onions are translucent.  

2) Add the coconut milk and rest of curry sauce (use some water to rinse the coconut milk can and the curry bottle, and add to the pot).  Bring to a near boil

3) Add potatoes and chicken.  Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done. 

4) Serve immediately and garnish with cilantro

This would also be good poured over rice. 

YUM!

Recipe from Mason Lyman

Chicken Barley Soup

This recipe is halved.  I found it on a blog, and she cut it in half....his soup is absolutely delish!!  Once I find my original recipe, I will post the recipe for the full amount.

FMD

½ recipe

from http://positivelystacey.com/2016/02/chicken-and-barley-soup-recipe-fmd-phase-one/

4 c chicken broth

4 c veggie broth

2 pounds chicken breast meat

1 c diced onion

1 T crushed garlic

1 whole bay leaf

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 cups peeled and cubed butter nut squash

2 cups cubed yellow summer squash

2 cups cubes zucchini

1 c broccoli florets

1 c chopped fresh mushrooms (I do about ½ c)

2 cups barley

Directions

•     Add four cups of water and the broths to a large soup pot.
•     Add the cubed chicken, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir together.
•     Bring all ingredients to a boil, then turn to low.
•     Allow soup to simmer for 1 hour.
•     Add the vegetables and barley to the soup pot.
•     Bring back to boil.
•     Turn to low and simmer for another hour – or until vegetables are done to your likeness.

8       

Curried Couscous ala Mendocino Farms SOOOO GOOD!

Mendocino Farms' curried couscous with roasted cauliflower

50 minutes. Serves 10

1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous or orzo

1 head cauliflower, florets broken into pieces

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, more to taste

3 tablespoons oil

2 small carrots, peeled, finely diced

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (or mayonnaise)

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime, juiced

1. Cook the couscous according to the instructions on the package. Rinse in cold water, drain well, put in a bowl and set aside. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a separate bowl, toss the cauliflower with the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, cayenne, brown sugar and oil. Spread out on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until cauliflower is browned around the edges but still crunchy, about 10 minutes. Remove just the cauliflower and put it in the bowl with the pasta.

3. On the same rimmed baking sheet, place the carrots and, using a spatula, toss the carrots with the leftover spices and oil. Roast the carrots until brown around the edges but still crunchy, about 8 minutes. (If you find that the spices and oil are a little overly browned from roasting the cauliflower, toss the carrots using the same proportion of new spices, salt, sugar and oil.) Add to the couscous.

4. Fold in the vegan mayonnaise, cilantro and lime juice with the pasta. Taste, and adjust spices and seasoning if desired. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

EACH SERVING

Calories 390

Protein 7 grams

Carbohydrates 46 grams

Fiber 4 grams

Fat 19 grams

Saturated fat 3 grams

Cholesterol 0

Sugar 5 grams

Sodium 513 mg

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