CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This is a simple easy cookie recipe that is my go-too recipe when the Cookie Jar is looking empty. Who doesn't have a couple of eggs in the fridge and some flour and sugar in the pantry? You just have to remember to keep a package of ground almonds in the freezer. I usually mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl, first wet and then dry. EASY - Only one bowl, one measuring cup and a spoon to wash! 
Try making it with your kids or Grandkids.

Preparation:

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

No need to oil the paper.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C

Preparing the batter: 15 minutes 

Baking time: about 15 minutes for each batch (you can put two pans in the oven at once)

Makes about 50-60 cookies

Ingredients:

1 margarine (200 grams)

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs 

1 packet vanilla sugar

1 packet baking powder

1 cup (100 grams) Ground Almonds

1 cup Chocolate Chips

2 cups regular flour

Pinch of salt

Melted margarine, flour, ground almonds, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips

 Preparation: “Mix” by hand with a spoon

In a large bowl:

·       Melt the margarine

·       Add the sugar and the vanilla sugar

·       Mix until sugar starts to dissolve

·       Add the eggs

·       Mix well

·       Add the Ground Almonds

·       Mix well

·       Add flour, baking powder a pinch of salt to the wet mixture (the mixture will be somewhat thick, don't forget to scrap the bottom of the bowl)

·       Mix well, but not too much!

Dough before adding Chocolate Chips

·       Add the Chocolate Chips

·       Mix until the Chocolate Chips are more or less evenly distributed (see below)

Dough after adding Chocolate Chips

Baking:

Scoop ping-pong size balls of batter onto the cookie sheet (I use a mini-ice cream scoop) leaving space between each – the cookies will spread a bit – make sure there are some chocolate chips showing.

[You could make them larger or smaller.]

[The dough will be easy to handle and not sticky or too dry. If the dough seems too dry, add an additional egg; if the dough seems too wet add a ¼ cup of flour.]

Cookies on the way into the oven

            CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE COOKIES
(THEY LOOK LIKE THEY CAME OUT OF A PACKAGE)

Pappardella Pasta with Garlic,Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

(An Easy to Make Olive Oil Based Light Pasta Sauce)

Tonight I felt like something filling and hot, but I didn't feel like fussing, so I looked in the refrigerator and this is what I found: some garlic, a handful of cherry tomatoes, a half bottle of white wine, feta cheese and some Kalamata olives. I knew I had some fresh Basil growing outside and then I remembered I had a couple of handfuls of Pappardelle* in the cabinet, here is what I did:

[Preparation time: 20 min = cooking and cutting time]{It took me longer to write this blog}

Servings: makes about 2 medium-sized portions – easily doubled or tripled

Ingredients:

Two (2) servings of Pappardelle Pasta (they come in portions)

The Pappardelle Pasta (*an Italian flat pasta, usually cut into a broad ribbon shape; curled into handful size portions, it’s width is between Lasagna and Tagliatelle), should be cooking while you are preparing the sauce. Cook until El Dente, save about 3 Tablespoons of the pasta water.

Ingredients for the Sauce:

·       5 Tablespoons of good quality olive oil

·       4 cloves of garlic – sliced the long way

·       5 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters the long way

·       ¼ cup white wine

·       4 or 5 fresh basil leaves, sliced

·       Some Feta Cheese – sheep feta – about 3 slices cubed

·       A pinch of sugar

·       ¼ teaspoon of dry oregano

·       3 Tablespoons of Pasta Water

·       Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Fresh ground pepper, sliced garlic and cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes cut in quarters lengthwise

Preparation:

·        In a medium frying pan, heat 5 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

·      Add the garlic slices and simmer until the garlic begins to soften*

·       Add the cut up cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper

Cherry tomatoes and garlic simmering in olive oil

·        Continue cooking until the cherry tomatoes they begin to soften 

·        Add the white wine, the pan will sizzle, let the liquid thicken a bit

·        Add the pinch of sugar

·        Add the dry oregano

·        Mix and let simmer for another minute or two

·        Add the pasta to the sauce

·        Add the 3 tablespoons of the pasta water

Pappardelle added to the Sauce

·        Mix well – give it a minute or two for the sauce to cook into the pasta

·        Salt and pepper to taste

·        Place on serving dish

·        Sprinkle with the Feta Cheese

·        Add the Kalamata Olives

Quick Light Pasta Sauce with Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives

You might want to add a few grains of kosher salt to enhance the flavors without making this dish too salty. If I were feeling ambitious, I would have made myself a simple green salad and garlic bread. But I didn’t J

*Garlic - be careful not to overcook garlic - it gets bitter

Quick Pan Cooked Chicken Breasts with a Whisper of Asia

This one of the easiest, tastiest, and quickest things to do with fresh Chicken Breasts, and have them come out succulent and tasty. It is also low in calories.

The result is hard to describe, not sweet, not salty – very tasty, delicate Asian flavor. You do have to stand over the stove (10 minutes at most) while they are cooking, but it is certainly worth the effort. 

[Preparation time: 10-15 minutes]

Servings: 6-8 chicken breasts (takes longer if you make more)

Ingredients:                                                 

·        2-3 generous tablespoon of canola oil

·        6-8 fresh chicken breasts (not schnitzel)

·        The star of this recipe is Healthy Boy brand* – Sweet Soy Sauce

·        About 2-4 tablespoons of Sweet Soy Sauce

·        Black Pepper to taste

fresh chicken breasts - not too thick / not too thin

Preparation:

·        Heat your frying pan

·        Add the oil – let it warm up but don’t let the oil smoke

·        Add in a couple of unseasoned chicken breasts

·        Make sure they have oil underneath – I actually use my hand as I put them in the frying pan, dipping them in the oil to coat them and then still moving them where I want them in the pan

fresh chicken breasts in hot frying pan
(with a bit of oil underneath to prevent sticking)

·        Drip a couple of tablespoons of Sweet Soy Sauce on the uncooked side of the chicken

·        Grind some fresh black pepper over the uncooked side

chicken breasts with Sweet Soya Sauce & freshly ground black pepper

·        When the edges of the chicken begin to look whitish (cooked) turn the chicken breasts over

·        Cook gently – as the chicken cooks the sauce begins to caramelize and thicken a bit

·        Keep turning the pieces over until – this takes about 2-3 minutes

chicken breasts after being turned a few times

·        You might want to add a drop or two of water if the sauce begins to dry too quickly

·        Remove from the pan – they are ready to eat!!

succulent chicken breasts 

Careful not to Over Cook!!!

Options:
Thinly slice the breasts and add them to a salad.
Cube into small pieces and add them to fried rice

*I have been using Healthy Boy Sweet Soy Sauce for over 20 years.
I use it for my fried rice and it is a fantastic seasoning for other Asian dishes.

   Healthy Boy Sweet Soy Sauce

*You can order it on Amazon if you cannot find it in the Supermarket or in an Asian food shop near you.

Calories in Healthy Boy Sweet Soy Sauce

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Boy - Sweet Soy Sauce

    

Calories	60	Sodium	240 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	14 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	12 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg