The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

How is October already almost over? This month flew by! While everyone seems to be heavily in the Halloween spirit by now (or for some, the spirit started Labor Day weekend), Brian and I are a bit behind. We have no pumpkins, decorations, or costumes, due in part to our recent vacation.

We do have candy, which is, arguably, all that really matters for this holiday (at least for the kids).

If you can still see through all the orange and black and witches and ghosts, there are several other celebrations going on in October besides Halloween. So today we're focusing on the fact that October is National Cookie Month!

Seriously! Google it.

In honor of this sweet celebration, whip up a batch of these incredible chocolate chip cookies for you, your family, your friends. These are life changing, too; it was the first time in my history of baking cookies that they all came out perfectly soft, chewy, cakey, and melty.

Dotting the dough balls with a few chips before they bake makes them turn out very pretty. If you're into having good-looking cookies...

The key is leaving the dough in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. In doing our research on why this recipe was better than the classic Nestle cookie recipe, we found the instruction to chill the dough for one or two days at a time was somehow lost in translation.

But now, the secret has resurfaced. So - chill the dough!

For at least 24 hours.

Maybe 48.

Did I mention to chill the dough?

PS - Cup of Jo thinks they're the best, too.

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The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from The New York Times

• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1 ⅔ cups bread flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• 1 cups bittersweet or dark chocolate chips or disks, at least 60 percent cacao content
• 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips 
• Sea salt

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment (KitchenAid), cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 3 ½ ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

5. Eat warm, with a big napkin, and a tall glass of milk.

I Leave You With...Simple Alfredo Sauce, Four Ways

When we booked our vacation back in July, I felt like the day would never come. Now it's here! It's tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow. But before then, here's a doozy of an Italian post I've been planning for a while! Enjoy, and I'll see you back here at the end of the month!

You know that scary saying "bad things come in three's"? That superstition might apply to some aspects of life, but not all. In my opinion, some of the best things come in three's: Caprese (mozzarella, tomato, basil). Pizza (bread, tomato sauce, cheese). Amigos. Donald Duck's nephews - Huey, Dewey and Louie. And the best Alfredo sauce you'll ever have (heavy cream, butter, cheese).

Superstition? Or strong modern belief?

Alfredo sauce holds a rather large space in my heart (sorry Brian) because the simplicity of the dish is what got me into trying more Italian foods, and just branching out of my food comfort zone in general.

Ironically, eating too much Alfredo will likely stop my that section of my heart which it holds; maybe even the entire organ. I mean, those ingredients? Heavy cream, butter, cheese...amazing, but dangerous.

Oh well, living life on the wild high-calorie side is fun. I usually make and/or eat this dish maybe three times a year; but since I wanted to share it, I've had it several times within the last few weeks! So today I'm glad my ticker is still ticking, and I can share my base recipe for the best Alfredo sauce ever, including three different variations of it: Cajun Cream, Pesto Cream, and Lemon Cream.

First, melt two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet with high sides over medium heat.

Add 1-2 cups of heavy whipping cream, depending on how many you're serving, and heat, stirring frequently – don’t cook too fast.

The key to good Alfredo sauce is to use finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Both are delicious, and if they're finely grated by your own hand, the easier they melt into the cream.

Stir until blended, and add your choice of cajun seasoning, pesto sauce, or lemon zest/juice directly into the pan. Taste as you go, adding more as needed.

I like to have the pasta already cooked and then add it directly into the sauce. Even coverage is key!

We make the cajun Alfredo by adding cajun seasonings and red pepper flakes into the sauce. Then, its mixed with whole wheat fusilli (spiral) or fresh fettuccine pasta, broccoli, and cajun-seasoned chicken breast. Chop the raw chicken breast into chunks and sauté in olive oil with salt, pepper, and more cajun seasoning until cooked through.

I love lemon cream sauce over ravioli. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon and a teaspoon of the zest of the lemon to give your Alfredo sauce some tang. As a general rule, when making ravioli with a cream sauce, try not to get plain cheese ravioli - its best to mix up the flavors a bit. We paired it with a shrimp scampi ravioli! Crab, mushroom, or lobster filling would be delicious, too.

And for the pesto cream sauce, we used lobster ravioli. This would also be delicious over cavatappi pasta with some cherry tomatoes and arugula! Or with a spinach and ricotta ravioli.

Be still, my arterial-malfunctioning heart.

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Alfredo Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1½ - 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 - 1½ cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or grated Parmigiano Reggiano)
• Pinch of salt
• Ground pepper to taste
• Cooked fresh pasta (ravioli, fettuccine, fusilli)

1. Add butter and heavy whipping cream to a large skillet with high sides and bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring frequently – don’t cook too fast. 

2. Once it boils, add the Pecorino Romano cheese and lower heat.  Use a whisk to continue stirring and break up any cheese clumps. Stir in a pinch salt and ground pepper.

3. Add cooked chicken, shrimp, pesto sauce, cajun seasoning, and/or lemon zest/juice to the sauce to taste, as desired.

4. Add cooked fresh pasta of choice into pan and stir. Divvy onto plates. Top with fresh parsley, ground pepper and more Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.

Notes:

1. For Cajun Alfredo Sauce, add 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning and 2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning.  Great with chicken, shrimp, or scallops!

2. For Lemon Cream Sauce recipe, add juice of 2 lemons.

3. For Pesto Alfredo Sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons pesto sauce.

Skirt Steak with Smoked Paprika Butter

October is one of the most beautiful months of the year usually, but so far this one has been soaking wet - It's been raining in Richmond for about a week. Straight. When it's not pouring, it's misting. The horrible mist. Not exactly helping my seasonal affective disorder.

While cozied up on the couch with wool socks and a fuzzy puppy, I was looking through some Bon Appétit magazines from a few years ago and found a recipe for Skirt Steak with Smoked Paprika Butter. I love cooking with paprika and knew it would be delicious!

Skirt steak, the younger step brother to his older, mature siblings (read: rib-eye, filet) is actually quite delicious and affordable. The meat is long, flat and full of flavor, yet often overlooked. It cooks easily and quickly, which is helpful for grilling outdoors on these upcoming chilly evenings (or current rainy ones).

Have a bigger crowd to feed? Just grill an extra skirt steak or two (or three). They allow for a lot of flexibility of appetite. Hungry carnivores and those for whom a slice or two will do all benefit from this meal.

Slice it thin and serve it with a this lightly smoky, tangy paprika butter and you're in business. The butter is also tasty on vegetables. It sorta ran over the plate onto our roasted brussels sprouts... I don't hate it.

PS - it pairs perfectly with roasted potato wedges. Enjoy!

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Skirt Steak with Smoked Paprika Butter
serves 3-4

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Kosher Salt
• 2-3 pounds skirt steaks 
• Vegetable oil, for rubbing
• Freshly ground pepper

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan.

2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt; keep warm.

3. Rub the skirt steaks with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely charred and rosy within; medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. We did 2 ½ minutes on each side for medium rare, and it was perfect. 

4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the steaks across the grain. Spoon the paprika butter over the steak and serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD: The paprika butter can stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours; reheat the butter gently.

Oven-Roasted Seafood with Fennel, Feta, and Tomato

I know I've professed my love for Barefoot Contessa and her cooking over and over on this little blog, anddd I'm here to do it again. She brought this no-fuss, Greek-inspired seafood dish into my life and I'm so thankful.

Oven-Roasted Seafood with Fennel, Feta, and Tomato: a combination of tomatoes, feta cheese, shrimp and/or scallops, lemon, garlic, and fennel. I'm not even going to ask how many people have cooked with fennel before, because I have a feeling the number will be sleeeiiim. I never cook with it other than when I'm making this meal, but its so darn good I should really use it more.

So, veggies 101: Fennel is crunchy like celery, but slightly sweet, and smells like licorice. You can eat the bulb, stalks, and leaves - but for this recipe, I use the bulbs and part of the stalks.

Begin this masterpiece by sautéing fennel and minced garlic in olive oil until tender. Make sure you use a pan than has thick edges (to hold the sauce) and is oven-proof.

Add ¼ cup dry white wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. 

Add one 14 ½ ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons tomato paste, oregano, Pernod (optional), salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

While that's simmering, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. To make breadcrumbs, place a single layer of whole wheat bread slices on a baking sheet and baking at 300 F until completely dry and lightly browned. Or, pop them into the toaster until they're good and brown. Cool the slices before processing in a blender or food processor until the desired texture is achieved.

Place the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. 

Tail on or tail off? Tail on makes for a prettier presentation, whereas tail off saves time (and sanity) when eating. I also like to squeeze in 4 or 5 scallops in this dish, too, if there's room. 

Scatter crumbled Feta cheese and the breadcrumbs over everything.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp.

Even the meat and potato guys will like this dish! I pair it with a side of orzo, cous cous, or thin spaghetti to make a meal. It takes about an hour to make, and tastes totally gourmet. The feta gets soft, the tomatoes cook down...so a loaf of crusty bread is a must with this meal.

 

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Oven-Roasted Seafood with Fennel, Feta, and Tomato
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups fennel, diced medium sized
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 14½ ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Pernod (I omit this ingredient)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound (16 to 20 per pound) peeled shrimp 
• 4-6 scallops (optional)
• 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (see below)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Juice of 2 lemons

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-or 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. 

3. Add the fennel and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. 

4. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, Pernod, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Arrange the shrimp, tails up, and scallops in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle over the shrimp.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp. Serve hot.

To make breadcrumbs, place a single layer of whole wheat bread slices on a baking sheet and baking at 300 F until completely dry and lightly browned. Cool the slices before processing in a blender or food processor until the desired texture is achieved.

DIY Crafty Banner

If you're living above a rock these days, you've probably seen the tons of adorable banners floating around Pinterest and Etsy. All of them are way cuter than that multi-colored metallic one from the party store that was cool in 1997.

There are also a million and one ways to create an cute banner. I followed Shanty2Chic's way of creating a super easy banner to welcome my sister back to Richmond. All the required supplies, except for the letters, could be found at a craft store:

• Shanty2Chic's printable letters
• Heavy scrapbook paper
• Mini clothespins
• Glue stick
• Scissors 
• Twine

Print all of your letters and cut out each one. I used a glue stick, but using whatever adhesive you have handy, stick each letter on a different paper. Two letters can fit on one 12×12 sheet. Cut a small border around the letters and hang them up with your clothespins on the twine.

Easy, cheap, and it doesn't look half bad! :o)