Stan's Forgotten Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Set out the eggs and allow them to come to room temperature.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Once the eggs are at room temperature, crack the eggs and drop the egg whites into a mixing bowl.  Using a hand mixer, tilt the bowl to concentrate the egg whites and beat until peaks begin to form (first foamy then peaks).  Very, very, very slowly beat in the sugar until you have stiff peaks.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls on the cookie sheet.  Place into the oven.  Close the door and turn off the oven.  Leave them in the oven all night, not opening the door.  Store the cookies in an airtight container.  They freeze well.

An option to the recipe is to also fold in chopped nuts and/or coconut along with the chocolate chips.


Myrtle's Note:  My step-father introduced our family to these cookies.  I had forgotten about them until recently.   I like the sweet simplicity that melts a bit into your mouth after you break the crispy exterior.   Even the chocolate chips melt in your mouth.  Most folk would use the nut option, but I do not like mixing crunchy and smooth with these cookies.  Also, I would recommend doubling the recipe. They go fast!


Yield:  24

Source:  family recipe

Spicy Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

2.5–3 pounds chicken breasts
12 ounces beer (Honey Brown Lager)
12 ounces orange juice
1 vidalia onion
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 heaping tablespoons honey
2–3 chipotle peppers and all the adobo sauce from the can
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.


Directions:

Mince garlic and set aside.  Peel and quarter onion and set aside.

Dump the can of chipotle peppers and adobe sauce into a small bowl (or 2-cup glass measuring cup). Pour about 1/3 of the beer over the peppers to wash off the adobe sauce.  Then, pick out all but 2-3 chipotle peppers.  Two are plenty spicy to me.  Three makes your mouth burn and long for drink.  If you are brave, feel free to use more.  Using a mini-food processor, puree the peppers with a bit of the beer adobe liquid.

In a dutch oven, lay in the chicken breast.  Tuck the quartered onions in the open spaces.  Top with minced garlic.  Pour in the orange juice and the rest of the beer.  Add salt, pepper, cumin, and honey.  Add the adobo/beer liquid and the puréed peppers.  Use a rubber spatula to swirl everything around a bit. Cover and place into the oven.

Cook for two and a half hours, turning the chicken in the pot after an hour and then again after a second hour.   Remove and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, before pulling apart.

I recommend serving as tacos with sour cream, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, and topped with applewood smoked bacon.  You could also serve with diced tomatoes for those out there in the world who believe eating tomatoes is actually something good to do.


Myrtle's Note:  Since I am near addicted to the Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork tacos I've been eating, I have longed for a chicken option ...  mostly because I wanted to have bacon on my tacos.  My problem is that the rest of the world believes that using a slow cooker will not result in culinary disaster and seemingly everyone else also believes that you should use thighs for pulled chicken. I am a white meat kind of gal and so had to work out a recipe for myself. I also had to try and figure out the cooking time, since I figured chicken breasts would cook far sooner than a pork sirloin roast.  I used 24 ounces of liquid because the pulled pork recipe did.  I think it would be interesting to try it with straight orange juice, but I have enjoyed cooking with beer.

Yield: ~10  servings (filling for two tacos or one bun)

Inspired from:  http://www.homesicktexan.com/2013/09/chilorio-mexican-pulled-pork.html and http://www.cookingandbeer.com/2014/06/ipa-honey-chipotle-slow-cooker-chicken/

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• zest of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don't press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.  Serve cool.

Myrtle's Note:  The perfect lemon square, in my opinion.  PERFECT!  I just love, love, love the idea of a lemon square with an oatmeal crisp instead of that shortbread type crust.  Having the crisp on top or bottom works just as well.  

Yield:  12-16

Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares/

Roasted Rutabaga and Parsnips Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large rutabaga
• 4-5 small-medium parsnips
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large vidalia onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 – 12 oz bottle of beer (Honey Brown Lager)
• 1 cup homemade vegetable stock
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 plus 1/8  cup flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 large bay leaf
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
• 12 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese
• 16 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 can chipotle-adobo sauce, using 1-2 of the peppers
• brown sugar
• ground thyme
• sea salt, to taste
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Directions:
Peel, slice, and dice rutabaga and parsnips into 1/4 inch pieces.  Place in a large bowl.  Toss with olive oil.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, sage, and brown sugar atop the mixture.  Toss.  Repeat.  Toss.  Repeat once more to evenly distribute.  Spray a large metal pan with olive oil and spread the pieces evenly.  Roast until browned and , about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Whilst the vegetables are roasting, grate cheese and set aside.  Mince onions and set aside.  Mince garlic and set aside.  

In a sauce pan, melt two tablespoons of butter and slowly sauté onions, garlic, and bay leaf over low heat.  Set aside.

In a large sauteuse pan, melt the remaining butter.  Whilst it is melting, warm milk in the microwave (approximately 2 minutes).  Add the flour to the melted butter very slowly to begin a roux, whisking the entire time.  Once the flour is all mixed in, allow it to simmer and brown a bit.  Then, slowly add in the milk.  Once all the milk is added, allow it to simmer for a while to thicken.  Then, very slowly start adding the grated cheese by sprinkling it across the top of the roux and a stirring frequently so that the cheese melts into the roux.  Repeat until all the cheese is added.

Add in the onions, garlic, and bay leaves and stir.  Slowly, add in the beer, vegetable stock, and adobe sauce and peppers.  Stir.  Then add in the roasted vegetables, sprinkle the top with additional pepper, and bring to a strong simmer.  Cook for 30-40 minutes to thicken the soup.

Whilst the soup is thickening, using kitchen sheers, snip 1/4 inch slices half a strip of bacon per planned serving into a frying pan.  Cook until golden brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towel and set aside for garnishing the soup.

Serve with crusty bread, preferably sour dough.

Myrtle's Note:  First off, this is a halved recipe and still serves 8-10.  When making the recipe, I found it odd to have something noted as serving 4 completely filling my stock pot!  [I was a bit dense in adding up the liquids before commencing this recipe.]  Though halved, I did not halve the vegetables in the recipe above, because they were a bit thin in the ratio department in the original recipe.  Given the amount of liquids in this soup, I ended up using just a third of the stock and could not fathom using all of it.  As it is, this is a bit of a thin cheese soup, although very full of flavor.  I also changed how I roasted the vegetables a bit.  And, at the most brilliant suggestion of my neighbor, I changed the garnish.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Source:  http://honestcooking.com/roasted-rutabaga-beer-cheese-soup-recipe/

Lemon Basil Orzotto

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 cup orzo
• 3 cups homemade vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced basil
• juice of a large lemon
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup fresh Romano cheese
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Zest (and mince if long curls) rind of lemon and set aside.  Juice lemon and set aside.  Mince (or purée) onion and set aside.  Mince garlic and set aside.  Grate Romano and set aside.

In a sauteuse pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until fragrant and translucent. After the onion is partially cooked, add in garlic.  Then, when the onion is finished, add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.

Gradually add the stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a vigorous simmer, lower the heat, and cover. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. [You may need to remove the lid for the final few minutes to reduce the stock.]  Remove from the heat.

Stir in Romano, fresh basil, lemon zest, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Season the orzo with sea salt and pepper, to taste.  Top with shaved Parmesan and serve immediately.

Myrtle's Note:  Lemon and basil needs garlic, right? That's the first change I made.  I also changed from chicken stock to vegetable stock and from Parmesan to Romano.  But I did work in some Parmesan.  Since I only like and have one kind of white wine, I did not use a dry wine; I used my beloved Barefoot Moscato.  And, of course, I ditched the peas.  I am not a fan of rice, having grown up eating far too much of it, so I was delighted to discover that you can make a risotto with orzo ... orzotto!


Yield: 4 main servings; 6-8 side servings

Adapted from:  http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/lemon-basil-orzotto.html

Black Bean Soup with Roasted Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry black beans
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 4 cups homemade vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 4-5 large garlic cloves
• 1 red onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack® Ancho Chile Pepper
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon McCormack® Peppercorn Medley
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400.


Directions:
Soak the beans overnight in water.  Mince the garlic and set aside.  Mince/purée the onion and set aside.

In a large pot, heat up two tablespoons olive oil and butter.  Brown onions and garlic.  Add cumin, chili powder, coriander, cilantro, salts, and peppers.  Stir.

Add vegetable broth, water, and beans.  Cover and cook for 2 hours at vigorous simmer/light boil.

While the beans are cooking, place the three bell peppers on a metal pan and place in the preheated oven.  After 10 minutes, remove, and turn one quarter.  Cook 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, and turn one quarter.  Cook 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, and turn one quarter.  Cook a final 10 minutes.

Place one of the peppers on their side and slice open (liquid will spill out).  Scoop out seeds and cut away the stem.  Transfer to a dry cutting board.  Slice very thin and then dice the strips into tiny pieces.  Repeat for all three peppers.

At 2 hours of cooking, add the roasted bell peppers, and cook covered for another 30 minutes.  Then, remove the lid, raise the temperature a bit, and continue cooking to reduce down the liquid to your desired thickness (I cooked it another 30 minutes).

Serve with a dollop of sour cream in the middle.

Myrtle's Note:  I have a texture issue with onions and peppers and such, so I avoid them.  I have been cooking with onions for a while now, instead of onion powder, but I generally purée the onion first.  I wanted to have the bell peppers, but did not want the crunch of them.  So, I opted to roast them.  The resulting flavor was quite tasty, if you ask me.  The reason for two salts is that the original recipe called for Kosher salt.  Since I used homemade vegetable stock that had no salt, I needed to add more salt and chose sea salt.


Yield:  6-8 servings

Adapted from:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/04/black-bean-soup/

Maple Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces carrots
• 12 ounces parsnips
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• sea salt
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Directions:

Lightly spray metal pan with olive oil and set aside.  Mince fresh thyme and set aside. Peel carrots and parsnips and cut into matchsticks.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, and thyme.  Place the vegetables into a large, shallow bowl and pour 1/3 of the marinade.  Toss thoroughly.  Pour another 1/3.  Toss thoroughly.  Pour the rest.  Toss thoroughly.

Spread out onto your pan.  Sprinkle with 2-3 pinches of salt.  Dust with pepper.  Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, toss, sprinkle with salt and dust with pepper again.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, toss, and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm.


Myrtle's Note:  I took down the amount of vegetables a bit because, as I was chopping them into matchsticks, I thought I had enough for four servings and I always like more sauce or marinade that most recipes provide.  I substituted fresh thyme for dried.  And I did not reserve some of the marinade for "drizzling" afterwards because it is really thick and I couldn't picture drizzling actually happening.  I found them to be a bit tacky, as in candy, but not overly sweet.  Nor were they mustardy in flavor.  This dish was more of a warm and comforting kind of dish than the Zesty Roasted Rutabaga and Carrots, which can be served cold as well.


Yield:  4 servings

Source:  http://www.alaskafromscratch.com/2012/11/14/maple-roasted-carrots-parsnips/