broccoli chowder with cheddar toasts

from food network magazine. our friends tried this with us one night and we all liked it!

ingredients
2 strips bacon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups milk
4 small red-skinned potatoes (about 6 ounces), quartered
1/2 head broccoli (about 10 ounces), broken into florets, stem peeled and sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 baguette, sliced into 8 1/4-inch-thick pieces
4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 8 thin slices

directions
cook the bacon in the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until it renders slightly, about 2 minutes. add the onion, garlic and celery seed and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. scatter the flour over the mixture and stir to coat. gradually add the broth and the milk, whisking until smooth.
add the potatoes and sliced broccoli stem; increase the heat to medium and simmer, covered, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. add the broccoli florets and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. continue cooking, uncovered, at a rapid simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
meanwhile, position a rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler to high. spread the mustard on each piece of baguette and top with a cheddar slice. place on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese melts; serve with the soup.

dirty rice with sausage

from down home with the neely's. big hit with the family.

2 cups long grain white rice
5 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound smoked pork sausage, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

make the rice, in a medium saucepan combine the rice and chicken stock. bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until all the stock is absorbed into the rice, about 20 minutes.
meanwhile heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. brown the sausage. once browned, add the garlic, onion, celery, and green bell pepper. cook until softened, about 5 minutes. season with salt and pepper. add 1 cup chicken stock and cayenne. cook until the stock has reduced a little. add the cooked rice and parsley and stir thoroughly. taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

totally chocolate chocolate chip cookies

this is from nigella lawson. i love her easy, relaxed way of taking on a recipe.

4 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels or dark chocolate chips

preheat oven to 325. melt the 4 oz of chocolate.
measure the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
cream the butter and two sugars in another bowl.
add the melted chocolate and mix together.
beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. finally stir in the chocolate chips.
scoop out 1/4 cup-sized mounds, and place on a lined baking sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart. do not flatten them.
bake for 18 min, testing with a cake tester to make sure they come out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. if you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
leave to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 min, then transfer to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato and wine sauce, served over pasta

this is from a magazine i found in a dr's office. it's really really good.

3 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 lb dried pasta
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup white wine (i use chicken broth)
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, chopped (i usually use the ones in a bag, not oil-packed)
3 tbs chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

bring large quantity of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.

melt butter and oil in large skillet. toss chicken strips in flour and sear over med-high heat until golden brown and just cooked. transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.

add pasta to boiling water. add shallots to skillet and saute over medium heat for 1 minute. stir wine, cream, tomatoes, and basil into the skillet, scraping up bits of chicken. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens.

return chicken to skillet to heat through. salt and pepper to taste.

when pasta is al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water to add to sauce if it needs more liquid, or for added richness, add more cream. serve sauce over cooked pasta.

peanut butter whoopie pies

from martha stewart. fun to make and yummy to eat.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch-process
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

preheat the oven to 375 degrees. sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. mix in remaining flour mixture.

drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
make filling: put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. mix on high speed until smooth. reduce mixer speed to low. add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. season with salt, if desired.
assemble cookies: spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. sandwich with another cookie. repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

frozen chocolate bananas

i found this in cookie magazine. afton absolutely begs for these.

2 ripe but firm bananas
6 oz dark chocolate, chopped or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup granola, chopped pecans and walnuts, or sprinkles (optional)

line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
cut the bananas in half and insert a popsicle stick into each half. place them on the baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
meanwhile, melt the chocolate with the oil in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave (check every 30 seconds). stir until smooth
roll each banana half in the chocolate, then quickly sprinkle with your topping, if using.
freeze until the chocolate sets, 30 minutes.
serve or freeze in an airtight container for up to a week.

alton brown's basic waffle recipe

"these are the best waffles" said the girls. from alton brown.

4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
4 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1 cup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
16 ounces buttermilk, room temperature
vegetable spray, for waffle iron

directions
preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.
in a medium bowl whisk together the flours, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. in another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. allow to rest for 5 minutes.
ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.