This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!
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Hello again readers of my wife’s blog, it’s been awhile since I have guest posted so I’m back. Today, I’ll weave a tale of deliciousness that my wife first spun before I even met her. Naturally, this meant that there was quite a bit of pressure on me to live up to those standards. But I persevered and I believe they turned out pretty well. So here’s the recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (adapted from 1001 Cookie Recipes by Gregg Gillespie)
So…delicious…
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 cup canola oil (vegetable oil does NOT work)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (although I did use dark brown sugar)
1 large egg
2 1/2 t vanilla
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips for topping
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat the canola oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, then beat in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips (12 oz). Spread the dough in the pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan and immediately place the chocolate chips for the topping (6 oz) on the warm dough. Place the pan back in the oven for five minutes. Remove the pan and use a spatula to spread the chocolate chips around. Let cool (or don’t bother waiting) and enjoy.
You know what’s just fabulous for cold, snowy and icy days? A steaming hot bowl of soup. But not just any soup… soup that is filling, tasty, and comforting. Soup that reminds you of childhood. And no soup reminds me of childhood quite like tomato soup [with grilled cheese, of course! Duh!] And this, my friends, is the best tomato soup I have ever had. I know saying that something is the “best” is a bold claim but I’m bold like that. 🙂 This soup may seem a little complicated, but I promise you it is worth it. Creamy tomatoes + cheesy tortellini = delicious awesomeness. You don’t even need grilled cheese to dip! But I wouldn’t object if you did… Enjoy!
4- 14 ounce cans of tomatoes [I used diced, salt-free tomatoes]
¼ cup parmesan cheese
9 ounces cheese tortellini, uncooked [I used dried but you could use fresh]
salt and pepper
Directions:
Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large stock pot. Add broth, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally. Then, puree the mixture. You can use a blender or food processor, I like to use my immersion blender with hot liquids. If you need to use a blender or food processor, be careful and let the liquid cool a little first. Return soup to pot and stir in tortellini. Heat thoroughly and add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes:
This makes a lot… great for a crowd or leftovers, but if it’s too much for you, halve it!
Question of the Day: What food reminds you of childhood?
So, are you snowed or iced in today? Or were you yesterday? Something like 30+ states have been affected by this massive winter snow/ice storm. Indiana is one of them. As a precaution, I ran 8 miles on Monday knowing that I probably wouldn’t be able to get out and run for at least a couple days this week. Some people buy bread and milk, others run. What? 🙂 I am marathon-training after all…
As such… I’ve been sitting at home since Monday night relaxing, baking some delicious lemon-blueberry bread, and doing massive amounts of homework. Oh, and thinking about these delicious Bacon-Wrapped Feta & Almond Stuffed Dates and how great they would be on Super Bowl Sunday. Mmmm I can almost taste them already!
We all know that bacon makes everything better, but let’s be honest here–these stuffed dates would be just as good on their own. [Vegetarian friends, rejoice!] Salty almonds paired with tangy feta stuffed inside a sweet date… what’s not to love? Plus, they’re an appetizer you can make in 5 minutes flat then bake and serve… all while making your guests or your husband think you slaved away in the kitchen. Perfect-o! Now, if only the storm would break so I can get to the store…
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place wire cooling rack on top of jelly roll pan [or any large baking dish/sheet with sides]. Then, cut a slit in the side of each date and stuff cheese and an almond inside. Wrap one slice of bacon around each date, sealing the cheese and almond inside. Place on wire rack and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Cool for a few minutes on rack before transferring to a paper towel-lined plate to degrease. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes:
These can be made with fresh dates, but those will require pitting and likely more cheese and almonds to fill them.
Question of the Day: What’s the weather for you today?
The Pajama Chef 