Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut cookies

Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

 Prep Time 10 minutes

 Cook Time 11 minutes

 Total Time 21 minutes

 Servings 8 cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter cut into tablespoons I prefer unsalted
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2-1 3/4 cup all purpose flour* see notes
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 2 cups walnut halves
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips* see notes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees and set rack in middle of oven.
2. Place butter into bowl and turn mixer on low. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
3. Add sugars and beat butter until smooth on medium speed. This should take about 1 minute. Mix until the butter pieces are completely blended with the sugar and is no longer visible in pieces.
4. Add the eggs and beat on medium just until incorporated with butter and sugars, about 30 seconds.
5. Turn the mixer off. Add the cake flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse the dry ingredients on low until the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together.
6. Pour the walnuts into the batter all at once. Pulse the batter 5-6 times.
7. Pour the chocolate chips into the batter and pulse again 5-6 times.
8. Pour the batter out onto a clean surface. Fold the dough together a few times until all of the chocolate chips and walnuts are mixed into the batter.
9. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces about 6 oz each. Use your hands to shape cookies. Do not use a cookie or ice cream scoop. The cookies are meant to be roughly shaped. Do not flatten the dough.
10. Bake 4 cookies per pan, for 11 minutes on regular bake or 400 convection bake for 8-9 minutes.
11. The cookies are done when the top is a bit golden and the bottom is also golden.
12. Do not over bake. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
13. To make the cookies without walnuts, see recipe notes

RECIPE NOTES

-It is important to let the oven fully heat up. Turn it on for at least 15-20 minutes before baking.

-I use 1 cup Cake Flour and 1 3/4 cup AP flour. You may try using 1 1/2 cups AP flour. I found the dough to be too sticky. If you have issues with the cookies flattening out, use 1 3/4 cups flour.

-If you do not have cake flour, try using All Purpose flour. 2 1/2 cups should work. When purchasing Cake Flour, look for it on the upper shelves of the grocery aisles. 

- If you can't find cake flour at your grocery, you can make your own at home by using this simple method: Measure out 1 cup of all purpose flour into a medium size mixing bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and place back in the flour container. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the flour in mixing bowl. Sift the flour and cornstarch mixture. Sift again about 3-4 more times. You now have cake flour! Place in a bag or container and use as needed.

-Cake flour is usually found on the top shelf at the grocery store, near the All Purpose Flour or near other baking goods.

-I buy chocolate chips in bulk and scoop my semi sweet chips out of a jar. This recipe calls for 2 cups of chocolate chips. Most bags of chocolate chips are 11-12 oz or closer to 1 1/2 cups of chips, which will work for one recipe, no need to open another bag of chocolate chips.

-I use food handlers gloves to shape the dough, and also weigh the dough balls on a scale. Each dough ball is approx 6 oz.

-These cookies freeze extremely well. After cooling completely, place cookies in a large ziplock bag or small sandwich size bags. Place in freezer. When ready to eat, either let thaw, or wrap in paper towel and microwave for about 15-18 seconds. The cookie will not have a crisp exterior after being frozen, but will still be moist and taste fresh.-In the recipe it says to turn the batter out onto a clean surface and mix the chocolate chips and the walnuts together by hand. I do not do this step. I add this to the recipe because it is shown in the video. I simply fold the dough a couple of times with a spatula in the bowl to make sure all of the walnuts and chocolate chips are distributed.

Update 5/3/2017**

-Dislike walnuts? You may add additional chocolate chips or try increasing the All Purpose flour by 1/4 cup. Add 4 cups chocolate chips in place of the original 2 cups chips and 2 cups walnuts. If you omit the walnuts, you must replace with another substance that will take up mass in the cookie. Two additional cups of chocolate chips or 2-11.5 oz packages per recipe. Bake as directed. Refrigerating dough for 30-45 minutes after shaping and before baking is recommended, especially if baking in a regular bake and not a convection bake oven.

Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Prep-10 min
Cook- 25 min
Total-35 min

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS peanut oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 white onion
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 TBS ginger garlic paste
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs but into bite-size pieces

Instructions: 

1. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion  until soft and translucent. 
2. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masalala, chili powder, cumin, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. 
3. Add tomato puree, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. 
4. Stir in half and half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently (begin step 6). 
5. Season with salt and pepper, add spices and needed for taste. Remove from heat and set aside. 
6. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. 
7. Reduce heat, and season with 1 tsp garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. 
8. Stir cooked chicken into sauce. 
9. Reduce sauce as needed and serve. 

Chicken Bundles

Costley Classic :)

Makes 8 bundles


Ingredients:

• Pilsbury Cresent Rolls (1 can with 8 rolls)
• 8oz Cream Cheese
• 3-4 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Celery Stalks
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 TBS Chicken Bullion
• 1/4 Corn Starch or Flour
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

The Bundles:

1. Pre heat oven to 350
2. Cook chicken breasts as desired and cube
3. Chop celery into bite sized pieces and combine with chicken, cream cheese, and salt and pepper
4. Place dollop of mixture in the middle of a crescent roll and pinch roll edges together, repeat 7 more times
5. Melt butter in a bowl
6. Roll bundles in butter and bread crumbs
7. Place bundles on baking sheet and bake for 10-15min or until golden brown

The gravy: 

1. Boil 1 cup of chicken broth and bullion in large pan
2. Mix remaining broth and corn starch/flour very well in a shaker
3. Once the broth and bullion is boiling SLOWLY whisk in the flour/corn starch mixture
4. Simmer for 3-5 min until thick
5. Thin if needed by whisking SMALL amounts of stock
6. Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken Vesuvio

This recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated, is Whole 30 compliant, and Mom LOVES it!
Serves 4-6
For this recipe you'll need a roasting pan that measures at least 16 by 12 inches. Trim all the skin from the underside of the chicken thighs, but leave the skin on top intact. To ensure that all the potatoes fit in the pan, halve them crosswise to minimize their surface area. For the most efficient browning, heat the roasting pan over two burners. Combining the garlic with lemon juice in step 1 makes the garlic taste less harsh, but only if the lemon juice is added immediately after the garlic is minced.

8      (5-2 ounce) bone-in-chicken thighs, trimmed
        Kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, halved crosswise
2      Tablespoons vegetable oil
14    garlic cloves, peeled (2 whole, 12 halved lengthwise)
1      Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2    teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 Cups cooking white wine
2       Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle on both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Mince 2 whole garlic cloves and immediately combine with lemon juice in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in large roasting pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken, skin side down, in single layer in pan and cook, without moving it, until chicken has rendered about 2 tablespoons of fat, 2 to 3 minutes longer, moving chicken and potatoes to ensure even browning and flipping pieces when fully browned. When all pieces have been flipped, tuck halved garlic cloves among chicken and potatoes. Remove pan from heat and pour wine into pan (do not pour over chicken or potatoes). Transfer pan to oven and roast until potatoes are tender when pierced with tip of paring knife and chicken registers 185 to 190 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken and potatoes to deep platter, browned side up. Place pan over medium heat (handles will be hot) and stir to incorporate any browned bits. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic cloves to cutting board. Chop coarse, then mash to smooth paste with side of knife. Whisk garlic past into sauce. Continue to cook until sauce coast back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and whisk in reserved lemon juice mixture and 1 tablespoon parsley. Pour sauce around chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.

Sweet Potato Biscuit

Sweet Potato puree: peel and cube one sweet potato, place in sauce pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook, partially covered, until tender (easily pierced by a knife) about 15 min.

Drain sweet potatoes and puree in a blender, food processor and place aside.

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tables chilled butter, in pieces plus additional 1/2 Tbsp. for topping biscuits
3/4 cup sweet potato puree (see recipe above made from 1 med sweet potato)
1/3 Cup buttermilk

Pre heat oven to 425 and grease and 8 inch cake pan

Place the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor and pulse few times to blend. Distribute the butter around the bowl and plush again until mixture resembles small peas, about 10- 2 second pulses.

(If you do not have a food processor you can incorporate the butter by hand using a technique called cutting. Hold a piece of butter between two knives and make and x shape with your hands, essentially cutting the butter piece and incorporating the flour. Repeat until well combined.)

In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sweet potato puree and 1/3 cup buttermilk. Add the flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir briefly, until just combined (over mixing will make the biscuits dry and tough).

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead very gently until dough comes together but is still slightly lumpy, five or six times.

Shape into a disk and use the palms of your hands to pat into an even 1 inch thickness. With a floured 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits as close together as possible. Gather together scraps and repeat to cut out more biscuits.

Arrange biscuits snugly in the greased pan burst with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter

Bake until golden, coating once, about 15 min

Tres Leches

one yellow cake mix, baked to recipe

when cooling/cooled (whichever you have time for), poke holes in the cake.

mix 1 can: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and same amount of half and half
pour mixture over cake and refrigerate until cold.

Serve with whip cream and slice strawberries.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

from: @cleaneats_cleantreats (Traeger Grill's Night Out)

NOTE: This salad is FABULOUS, and a crowd pleaser. Lots of prep work! Dress just before serving.

Prep Time:25     Cook Time: 1 hours     Serves 10-12 (add greens to go further)

Ingredients:
2 big bags Mixed Greens (Spinach, Arugula, Romaine)
1/2 C dried Cherries
2 Diced Honeycrisp Apples
2 oz Machego Cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 C roasted Pumpkin seeds
1/2 lb Bacon, cooked and chopped

For Roasted Brussels:
1 lb Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Honey
1 T Olive Oil
1 tsp Lemon Zest
1/2 T garlic powder
Sprinkle of salt
Dash of pepper

For Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 1/2 lb Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1' cubes
2 T olive oil
1/3 C grated parmessan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 T garlic powder
Sprinkle of salt
Dash of pepper

For Roasted Beets:
8 cooked, beets, quartered or smaller for comfortable bites
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
sprinkle of salt
dash of pepper

For Apple Cider Dressing:
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C Apple Cider (I used juice, you could use sparkling apple cider as well.  Carol used a Capri Sun)
1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
2 T Shallot, finely chopped
1 T dijon
1 T pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp tyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


Preparation:
Pre-heat your oven (or Traeger) to 425 F. Coat three small baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.

For Brussels:
Place brussels in prepared pan. Drizzle with 2T vinegar and oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, toss to coat. Reserve 1 T viengar for later. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir, drizzle honey and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until sprouts are crispy and browned. Drizzle with remaining 1 T vinegar and lemon zest, and let cool.

For Butternut:
Place prepared squash in pan. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast 15 mintues then stir. Roast an additional 5-10 minutes then sprinkle with cheese and basil. Roast another 5 minutes until tender. Let cool.

For Beets:
Place beets in prepared pan. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

For the vinaigrette:
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight lid and shake well.

To Assemble:
 Place washed greens in a large bowl or platter. Top with remaining ingredients. Right before serving drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.