Tara O'Brady's Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup | 225 g unsalted butter, chopped

• 3 1/4 cups | 415 g all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoons medium-grained kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups | 320 g packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup | 100 g granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 12 ounces | 340 g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

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  METHOD

  Preheat an oven to 360°F | 180°C. Line two baking sheets or sheet pans with parchment paper.

  In a medium saucepan over the lowest heat possible, melt the butter. There should be no sizzle, crackling or pops; let the butter ooze into liquid, without boiling, so minimal moisture is lost. Stir regularly, until the butter is almost completely melted. (This is a good time to chop the chocolate.)

  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

  Pour melted butter into a large bowl, and then whisk in the sugars. The mixture may look to seize, but will relax with a few seconds of stirring. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking briskly after each addition, but only to combine. Stir in the vanilla. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir in the dry ingredients. Once mostly blended, fold the chocolate into the dough until the remaining flour is incorporated and the dough no longer looks dusty. Bring any stray ingredients up from the bottom of the bowl. Do not over mix.

  If the dough seems warm or looks overly glossy, refrigerate for 5 minutes. Roll into balls using 3 tablespoons of dough for each. Arrange on the prepared pans, leaving 3 inches in between each. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Bake in the hot oven until the tops are cracked and lightly golden, yet still soft at the center, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Leave the cookies on the sheet pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Continue shaping and baking cookies with the remaining dough, making sure to use a cold sheet pan for each batch.

• FROM: Tara O'Brady

Teriyaki Chicken Alfredo

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound fettuccini noodles (1/2 standard box)
2 tablespoons oil of choice, divided
4 cups assorted chopped veggies (bell pepper, zucchini, squash, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.)

For the Chicken
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dry ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup good teriyaki sauce (I use Kikkoman Baste and Glaze, or homemade)

kosher salt and pepper to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of oil, tilting to cover bottom of pan, and then add vegetables.  Note:  If you have veggies that take longer to cook, bell peppers for example, put them in first and saute for a few minutes to soften before adding the more tender veggies so they are all done at the same time) Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook until tender-crisp, or however you’d like them (I like mine a little softer!) about 5-10 minutes.  Remove veggies and cover to keep warm.

While veggies are cooking, sprinkle chopped chicken with garlic, onion, ginger, pepper and salt.  Add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet, tilt to cover bottom of pan, and then add chicken and cook until done.

Push chicken to one side of pan and add butter to open side of pan to melt.  Add cream and teriyaki sauce.  whisk together and then use a rubber spatula to stir it around with the chicken.  Bring it to a low simmer and cook for about 2 minutes.  It thickens slightly as it cooks.

Turn off heat, and add pasta and veggies to pan and toss everything together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (this step is important,  the salt is purposely kept lower at the beginning due to varying amounts of salt in different teriyaki brands).  Sauce will thicken upon standing.

You are welcome to add more teriyaki if you’d like that flavor stronger.

Tuscan Chicken and Rice

 Ingredients:

Chicken-

3 Chicken Breasts, cubed

4 Garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. Dried Basil

1 tsp Chili Flakes (or a shake of cayenne pepper)

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Smoked Paprika

3 tsp Olive Oil

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup Spinach

Creamy Sauce

1 1/2 cups milk

2/3 package of Cream Cheese

40 g grated Parmesan

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 tsp Basil 

Mix cubed chicken with spices and stir for a few minutes.  Put all ingredients for creamy sauce in a blender and mix till smooth.

Cook chicken in skillet till done, lower heat to low and let cool slightly, then add creamy sauce, tomatoes and spinach.

Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes until sauce thickens, the spinach has wilted and tomatoes have softened.

Serve with Rice (see below)

RICE

Ingredients

• 2 cups Jasmine rice (or Basmati Rice) 
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (be sure to reduce this amount if you are using a store-bought chicken broth)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

• Combine the rice, chicken stock, and any DRIED herbs in a large saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.
• Simmer covered over low heat for 16 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs, if using FRESH herbs.
• Stir in a tablespoon or two of butter and fluff with a fork. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.