ChezCindy: Peanut Butter Chocolate Marbled Cookies - GF

 

These cookies are similar to a recipe I previously published for gluten-free peanut butter cookies.  Still gluten-free but these are a double-chocolate and peanut butter mash up.  The cookie texture is chewy and oh so delicious with the addition of chocolate.     

After making the peanut butter cookie dough, half of the dough is set aside for the peanut butter part of the cookie.  The remaining peanut butter cookie dough gets the addition of cocoa and chopped bittersweet chocolate to create a chocolate cookie dough.  Each dough is scooped into tablespoons scoops, then pressed together to shape into a neat ball of cookie dough.  Pressed into disks, then topped with granulated sugar.  Yum!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Marbled Cookies

1 16-ounce jar smooth peanut butter (not natural)

2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for assembling

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate*

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the peanut butter and sugar, whisking on high speed for about 1 minute until just combined.  Add the eggs and salt, whisking on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.  Transfer half of the dough to a medium size bowl, setting aside.  

To the remaining cookie dough in the bowl of the electric mixer, add in the chopped chocolate and the cocoa, whisking until combined.  

Portion out the peanut butter dough into 1 tablespoon scoops, making about 18 scoops.  Separately, portion out the chocolate dough into heaping tablespoons scoops, matching the same number of scoops.  Press together 1 scoop of peanut butter dough and 1 scoop of chocolate dough, then gently roll into a ball.  Place the ball of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining cookie scoops placing them 1 1/2-inch apart.  

Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup dipped into granulated sugar, press each cookie ball into a flat disk about 1/2-inch thick.  Sprinkle the top of each cookie with additional granulated sugar.  Bake the cookies one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes until slightly puffed.  Remove from the oven allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.  The cookies will be crumbly if transferred right after baking.  Cooling time allows them to firm up.  

*Bittersweet chocolate is recommended as it balances out the sweetness of the peanut butter. 

ChezCindy: Fresh Tomato Board Sauce

 

Tomato Board Sauce is made on a board and served from the board.  It is not fancy.  It is fabulously fresh and delicious.  

Start with the best cherry tomatoes you can get, bought directly from a farm or market.  Good olive oil, garlic, salt, and basil.  Simple.  

I serve this with great bread that has been toasted, rustic sour dough, baguette, or flatbread.  The sauce is wonderful draped over grilled meats, placing the meat directly onto the board allowing the meat juice to mingle in.    

Fresh Tomato Board Sauce  

1-pint cherry tomatoes, mixed color

2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Working directly on a cutting board that is suitable for serving upon, coarsely chop the cherry tomatoes.  Add in the minced garlic, using the back of the knife to combine with the tomatoes.  Sprinkle on the salt.  Pour about half of the oil over the tomatoes, again using the knife to combine, gently mixing in with the released tomato juices.  Garnish with the basil, adding more olive oil to create a saucy consistency.  Taste for seasoning adding a bit more salt as needed.  

ChezCindy: Mediterranean Flatbread

 

This recipe for Mediterranean Flatbread is super easy.  You can be enjoying warm, homemade bread from start to finish in about 30 minutes.  Really.  

The mixing and kneading time takes about 5 minutes.  Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.  Then it is ready to form the flatbread and "bake" in a hot skillet, each flatbread taking 6-7 minutes to become golden brown and fluffy.  The recipe makes 8 flatbreads, enough for several meals or to share with guests.  

Mediterranean Flatbread

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup 2% Greek yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt and 1/4 cup water until smooth.  Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture, mixing until combined.  Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently kneading the dough until soft and smooth, about 3 minutes.  

Place the dough into a third bowl, cover with plastic wrap letting the dough rest for 15 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a floured surface, dividing it into 8 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a ball, cover with plastic wrap.  

Heat an 8-inch cast-iron or black-iron skillet over medium heat.  Lightly spray the hot pan with a nonstick spray oil.  Begin with 1 ball, on a lightly floured surface, gently flatten it into a small circle.  Then use a rolling pin to form a 6-inch circle.  Brush the top with a small amount of olive oil and place it into the hot skillet oil-side down.  Cook on side one for 2-3 minutes until this side is golden brown.  Brush the second side with olive oil, flip it over to cook on side two.  Continue cooking this side for another 2-3 minutes until side two is golden brown.  Remove from the pan, placing the flatbread onto a towel, covering it to keep warm.  Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.  

Serve warm with olive oil or hummus.  Or make a gyro-style sandwich filling it with your favorite ingredients.  

ChezCindy: Brunch-style Tartine "Open-faced" Sandwiches

 

What is the difference between a tartine vs an open-faced sandwich?  Probably a few dollars at a restaurant for the tartine because the name stems from a French breakfast or lunch dish.  Open-faced is American diner food.  Both delicious, just depending on how fancy you would like to be.  

Pictured above, Roast Chicken & Brie, fall into the tartine category.  Meant to draw attention to the placement of ingredients in an artful manner.  Open-faced diner sandwiches bring to mind of a slice of meatloaf placed on top of a thick slice of country bread smothered in gravy, equally visually appealing, just not as fancy.  

Other related sandwiches, that come to mind for tartine vs open-faced are the popular Kentucky Derby Hot Brown sandwich, which seems more like an open-faced in that it is hardy.  The fashionable avocado toast falls into line as a tartine with the placement of ingredients.  Both are delicious and perfect for lunch or brunch.  

Roast Chicken & Brie Cheese Tartine

For the Tartines: 

2 oval loaves rustic French bread

2 8-ounce round Brie cheese wheels 

2 whole roasted chicken breasts (from rotisserie chicken)* room temperature

12 large cherry tomatoes, each tomato cut into 3 slices

1/4 cup micro-greens or chopped arugula

For the Honey-Mustard Sauce:

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Makes 12 tartines

This recipe is based on bread slices being 6-8-inches long.  

Cut each chicken breast into 6 thick slices, cutting at an angle across the breast.  Cut each slice into 3 even pieces.  Set aside.  Cut each cherry tomato into three equal slices.  Set aside.  

Make the Honey-Mustard Sauce:  In a small bowl, add in the Dijon, honey, and mayonnaise, whisking together to create a smooth creamy sauce.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the 2 loaves of bread into 12 thin slices, no thicker than 1/2-inch, cutting at an angle across the full width of the loaf (6 center slices from each loaf.  Save the smaller end pieces for another use, such as croutons.)  Place the bread slices onto 2 sheet pans, in a single layer.  Place the bread into the hot oven, toasting for 8-10 minutes until the top side is golden brown.  The bottom side of the bread will be toasted but may not be golden brown.  This is okay.  Remove the trays from the oven.  

Slice the Brie cheese into 6 small wedges.  Slice each wedge into 3 thin slices.  Place 3 cheese slices onto each slice of toasted bread spacing evenly over the length of the bread.  The warm bread should gently melt the Brie.  If not, place the tray back into the oven for 1 minute.  

Top each slice of Brie with 1 piece of the cut chicken.  Top each chicken piece with a small pinch of micro-greens, top the greens with a slice of cherry tomato.  Drizzle with a teaspoon of Honey-Mustard sauce.   Serve at room temperature within 1 hour of completion.  

*Save the remaining rotisserie chicken for another use.  

ChezCindy: Watermelon and Pineapple Salad with Feta

 

This recipe for Watermelon Pineapple Salad will become a go-to dish for many summers to come.  It is delightfully refreshing, with a bit of heat from finely diced fresh jalapeno pepper, and a balance of sweet from the pineapple and watermelon, perfect for a summer get-together.  

For best results, try to serve the salad soon after assembling.  To get ahead, the recipe can be made up to the point of adding the feta and fresh mint.  Refrigerate until ready to serve, then add the feta and mint, stir well and enjoy! 

Watermelon and Pineapple Salad with Feta & Mint

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 large lime

1 tablespoon agave

1 tablespoon finely diced fresh jalapeno pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1-pound fresh seedless watermelon, cut into pieces

1-pound fresh pineapple, cut into pieces

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces

In a large bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, lime zest and juice, agave, jalapeno, and salt.  Add in the chopped red onion.  Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes.  

While the dressing is marinating, cut the watermelon and pineapple into bite-size pieces, about 1-inch.  Add the watermelon and pineapple to the dressing, tossing well to coat.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, add in the crumbled feta and torn mint leaves, tossing to combine.  Serve immediately.  

ChezCindy: Parmesan Orzo Pasta with Black Truffle Butter

 

This recipe for Parmesan Orzo Pasta is one I find myself making over and over again.  I love the size and shape of the orzo pasta and how it mixes well as a support ingredient without being the star of the dish.  In this recipe, the Parmesan is the star along with the black truffle butter.  If you don't have truffle butter, you can substitute a quality salted butter such as Kerrygold, a delicious Irish butter.

Orzo is also known as "risoni" in that it resembles large grains of rice.  The rice-like shape often leads to confusion as people sometimes mistake it for rice or barley due to its appearance.  If you are not familiar with orzo, it can be found on the grocery shelf with all of the other pasta shapes.  

I have several recipes on this blog using orzo, another favorite being this one pan shrimp scampi.  But I think my all-time favorite is this orzo pasta salad.  

Parmesan Orzo Pasta with Black Truffle Butter  

1 bunch asparagus, about 10-12 stalks

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

2 tablespoons kosher salt (for the pasta water)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons black truffle butter

Serves 4

Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus.  Set aside.

Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil.  Place the asparagus into the boiling water, stirring for 1 minute to blanch the asparagus.  Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the asparagus, setting the aside on towels to cool and dry.  

Return the water to a boil.  Add in salt and orzo pasta, stirring to combine.  Cook 2 minutes less than the package directions.  Drain into a colander.  Transfer the orzo to a bowl, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta and set aside.  

While the orzo is cooking, cut the now cool asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces, cutting on the bias.

In an 11-inch-wide skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add in the cut asparagus and sliced garlic, stirring to combine.  Reduce the heat to medium, add in the cooked orzo, and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine.  Add in the heavy cream and butter, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.  Off the heat, add in the 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and black truffle butter, stirring to combine.  Serve, sprinkling with the remaining tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese.  

ChezCindy: Lime Pound Cake with Key Lime Glaze

 

 This tangy lime glazed pound cake is perfect for most any occasion.  Not considered as a fancy dessert, but maybe more of a snacking cake with afternoon tea.  Personally, I like to eat it for breakfast.  But I also enjoy it after dinner with a glass of a crisp white wine.  

Key limes are not essential but do add a bit more sweetness than standard limes.  Either way, the cake and the glaze are not shy on the amount of lime in flavor.  The cake could also be made with other citrus, or a combination of, such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit.  

Lime Pound Cake with Key Lime Glaze  

For the Cake 

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons lime zest

1 tablespoon lime juice

For the Glaze 

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Key lime juice

2 tablespoons lime zest

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Generously butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, add in the flour and baking powder, whisk together then set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, combine the butter, cream cheese, and salt mixing on medium speed.  Once blended, gradually add in the sugar, mixing for 5 minutes until light in color and fluffy.  Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next egg.  Mix in the lime zest.

Add in a third of the flour mixture, along with half of the lime juice, mixing until just combined.  Add in the next third of the flour mixture and remaining lime juice, mixing until just combined.  Add in the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, filling until 1-inch from the top.  You may have some batter left over but do not use it to fill the pan.  The cake may spill over if you use all of it.  Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.  

Bake for 1 hour until the cake is set in the middle.  Check the cake after 30 minutes.  If it is browning too quickly on the top, tent with foil and continue baking loosely covered.  At 1 hour, check for doneness in the middle, baking additionally at 5-minutes intervals until fully set.  Remove from the oven, allowing to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Loosen the edges and turn out the cake onto a serving plate with raised edges to contain the glaze.  

Meanwhile, make the glaze.  In a glass or ceramic bowl, add in the cream cheese and butter, mixing until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.  Mix in the lime juice.  Place the bowl over a pan of hot water creating a double boiler stirring for about 1minute until the mixture loosens to form a glaze.  Alternatively, the bowl can be gently warmed in the microwave, heating and stirring at 20 second intervals until loose.  

Use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the now cooled cake.  Pour half of the lime glaze over the cake, letting it sit for 10 minutes.  Then pour the remaining glaze over the cake, and sprinkle with the lime zest.