COOK: Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I make cookies at least every other week for KC to take into work, I figure if his coworkers have to put up with him for 40 hours a week, the least I can do is make them some cookies!

I have a lot of fun trying to come up with new flavors, and although some of them don't turn out, the ones that do I'm happy to share the recipes for.

These Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese frosting are one of my favorites, they aren't super sweet, but have a great espresso flavor, and I'd eat almost anything if you put cream cheese frosting on it!

Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 30

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Instant Espresso Powder

1 Egg (Room temperature)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Corn Starch

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Frosting:

4 Ounces Cream Cheese (Softened)

1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (optional)

Preparation:

Set oven to 375 degrees, prepare baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Melt butter and mix in espresso powder, let sit in fridge for about 10 minutes to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, combine butter mixture, egg, and vanilla.  

In a separate bowl whisk together all dry ingredients: flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

While mixer is turned on low slowly pour in dry mixture until fully incorporated.  

Scoop cookies using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop (I love this set), or a soup spoon, onto cookie sheets leaving about an inch in between, 12 should fit on a half sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set.  Let cool about 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then  move to a cooling rack.

While cookies cool mix whisk all of the frosting ingredients (except for cocoa powder) together until well combined and fluffy.  

Frost cooled cookies using an offset spatula or use a piping bag and your favorite tip.  If you want dust cookies with cocoa powder before frosting sets.

Store in a plastic container or zippy bag for up to 5 days.

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COOK: Chicken Piccata

This is one of my favorite dinners!  It's quick enough it can be a weeknight meal, but also seems fancy enough you can serve it to guests and impress them.  

The last time I made this I served it over some herby orzo pasta, it also goes well with a simple angel hair pasta, with a nice green salad, or even with a quick rice pilaf.  (I always keep a few boxes of Rice-A-Roni in the pantry for quick side dishes.

Chicken Piccata

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Large Chicken Breasts (Cut in half lengthwise, directions below)

1/2 Cup Flour

1/2 Cut Parmesan Cheese (Finely grated, divided)

1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

1 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine  (Can substitute chicken or vegetable broth)

5 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

3-4 Tablespoons Capers (Drained)

1 Cup Chicken Broth

3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped)

Preparation:

To cut the chicken in half lengthwise you'll want to lay the chicken breast on your cutting board, press down on the top with your non-dominant hand, and place your knife in the middle of the breast and cut as if you were going to butterfly the breast, but cut it all of the way through.  This website gives a great step-by-step instruction: How To Cut Chicken Breast In Half Lengthwise

Once you have 4 pieces of chicken, in a wide short bowl, or a place with edges, mix together flour, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.  In a large skillet heat butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Dredge each piece of chicken in flour mixture, shake off excess, and cook chicken until golden brown on each side.  (About 3-5 minutes per side).  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  

Turn heat down to medium low, pour in white wine (or 1/2 cup of broth) and garlic, scrape up any brown bits left in the bottom of the pan from the chicken.  Let reduce, about 5 minutes.  Add in capers, broth, and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Add the chicken back into the pan covering both sides with the sauce.  Cover pan about half way and let cook about 5 minutes.  

Serve over pasta, rice, or on it's own with a generous spoonful of sauce, sprinkle with remaining parmesan and parsley.

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COOK: Four Bowl Cream Cheese Brownies

Since the kiddos were old enough to really think about their birthday ahead of time they have always asked for a dessert other than cake, and I love it, I've never been a big cake fan.  More often than not they ask for one of my famous brownie recipes, and I think this one is the favorite.

This is the only brownie recipe that I suggest using a mixer, and then only for the cream cheese mixture, brownies need to be mixed only until combined, you don't want to over-mix your batter.

Four Bowl Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Mixture:

4 Ounces Cream Cheese (Softened)

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Flour

1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract (Can substitute Vanilla Extract)

Brownie Mixture:

4 Ounces Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (Chopped)

8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2/3 Cup Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Sugar

2 Large Eggs (Let them warm up a bit on the counter before using)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 inch square pan.

In a medium bowl put your Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Sugar, Flour, and Almond Extract.  Using a mixer beat until fully mixed and a bit fluffy.

Put your chopped Chocolate and Butter into a smaller microwavable bowl and microwave, checking it every 20-30 seconds until fully melted.  Leave bowl in microwave to keep warm.

In a medium mixing bowl combine Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt.  Give it a quick whisk and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the Sugar, Eggs, and Vanilla Extract, stir until well mixed.  Add in your chocolate butter mixture until all is incorporated.  Add in your dry ingredient mix, and mix only until just combined and you can't see any dry flour.

Pour brownie mixture into prepared 8 x 8 inch pan, then add cream cheese mixture in large dollops on top.  Next, take a butter knife and drag it through your mixture so that the top looks marbled.

Bake from 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (try to find a part that is more brownie than cream cheese).

Let cool before cutting.  Store any leftovers in the fridge.

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COOK: Pasta Carbonara

My amazing friend Sarah, who blogs at Cloves & Buttons, has posted about Carbonara so many times I decided I needed to make it!

I looked at several different recipes, then asked Sarah for her "go-to" recipe, then made a "Frankenstein" recipe using what I had on hand, and bits and pieces of each recipe.  I was nervous, I thought I might end up with some sort of scrambled egg pasta, but it was amazing!

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients:

8 Ounces Bacon (chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)

4 Egg Yolks

1 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan

3/4 Cups Heavy Cream (Or Half & Half)

Fresh Cracked Pepper

1 Package (1 Pound) Linguine or Fettuccine Noodles

*Reserve 1 Cup Pasta Water 

Preparation:

Boil water for pasta, salt well, add pasta and let boil.  Drain pasta when it's almost al dente.

Chop bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces, put into a large heavy bottomed pot (I love using my 5.5 quart oval enameled cast iron, but any large pot will work.)  Cook bacon until the edges are just starting to crisp, do not drain.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, parmesan, and fresh cracked pepper.

Before draining pasta save 1 cup of the water.  Drain and set noodles aside.

Slowly add pasta water to egg, parmesan mixture while whisking (if you don't keep the whisk moving the water could cook the eggs.)  

Add the egg and cheese mixture to the pot with the bacon, mix until well combined, then add pasta and toss to fully coat.

Serve with more grated parmesan on top, goes great with a simple green salad.

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COOK: French Onion Chicken

This is a new favorite in our house, after I made it the first time I had dreams about it!

I made this again last week when Dustin was here, he said he figured it would be good since I was cooking, but he wasn't sure about something called "French Onion Chicken".  After he tried it he added it to his list of "favorite meals ever"!

A few notes:

The chicken breasts we've been getting are about 1-2 pounds each, so I use one and then cut it into portion sizes after it's baked.  You can easily use several smaller chicken breasts instead.  It's also very easy to double the recipe if you have a bigger family.

I've used mozzarella and Swiss cheese, both tasted wonderful!

It can be tricky to caramelize the onions, it takes a bit of finesse, but once you've done it once or twice it's easy to do.  If you have any questions let me know in the comments.

If you have a pan that can go from stove top to oven it makes this recipe even easier, and you have less cleanup!

French Onion Chicken

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 

1 Yellow Onion (sliced)

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

4-6 Cloves Garlic (minced)

1 Cup Beef Broth

2 Tablespoons Red Wine (Can substitute Balsamic Vinegar)

1 Cup Shredded Swiss or Mozzarella

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Slice onion, in a large pan (I use my 12 inch cast iron)  melt butter and add olive oil over medium/high heat, then add onions.  Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring only as needed.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Turn heat down to medium/low, and let cook for another 15-ish minutes, stirring every few minutes.  

Add in minced garlic, stir well, and then add it your beef broth and red wine (or balsamic vinegar.)  Stir gently until everything is mixed, and let cook on low about 5 minutes.

Pound chicken breast(s) so they are the same thickness throughout, then salt and pepper both sides.  

Put half of your caramelized onions on the bottom of a oven safe 8 x 8 pan, and place chicken on top, cover with remaining onions and shredded cheese.  

(Since I use my cast iron I just put the chicken right in the pan, and then put the onions and cheese on top.)

Bake, uncovered 35-45 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken has reached 165 degrees.

We love having this with a simple green salad and some homemade bread to soak up all of the extra juice and onions.

Believe it or not, this chicken is even better the second day, if you have any leftovers.  I think it would also make an amazing sandwich, maybe with some crust bread, or a hoagie roll.

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CLEAN: My Favorite Cleaning Supplies

This is not a sponsored post, I have not received any products for free, all opinions in this post are my own.  I have linked to specific products to save you time, I do not make anything if you click on the links.  

Recently I've been asked about what I use to clean the house.  I worked as a professional house cleaner and had to use a lot of bleach and commercial chemical cleaners.  Personally, I don't like them.  Also, I have extremely sensitive skin so I'm extra picky about what I'll use.

My Favorite Cleaning Supplies

Anyone that has ever visited will know that I love Method Cleaning Supplies, I have their Gel Hand Soap in every bathroom, in the kitchen I have their Kitchen Gel Hand Wash in Lemongrass and their Dish Pump in Clementine by my sink.  

Their Bathroom Cleaner is the only thing I've found actually gets my bathtub clean without 20 minutes of scrubbing, I simply spray it, walk away for 5-10 minutes, then come back and scrub lightly with a Scrubbing Pad (generic Magic Eraser) and my tub is spotless and white again!  It even cuts through the nasty soap scum that builds up from KC's bar soap!

We have a lot of wood in our house, some is sealed, some isn't, some pieces are antiques and others are things we've made with leftover scrap wood, the only thing I will use to dust and polish them is Method Wood for Good Polish, not only does it smell like almonds, but it leaves our furniture looking clean without any buildup!

I also use their All Purpose Cleaner, I love the Pink Grapefruit, to clean our kitchen counters, walls, outside furniture, and just about everything else!  

Not only do the Method products work well, and smell delicious, I also love the company, here's a little bit about their products and company:

• Plant Friendly
• Non-Toxic Ingredients
• Bottles are 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic
• Pet Safe
• Biodegradeable
• Multiple Plant Derived Ingredients

I can use all of their products without wearing gloves, which is very rare for me!  I feel safe using all of their products around my kids and kitty, and I don't have to worry what I'm breathing in!

That said, I'm not a fan of their glass cleaner, it just didn't seem to work as well as the Sprayway Glass Cleaner I used when I was cleaning professionally.  It's ammonia free, and doesn't leave any streaks, plus it's usually between $2-$3 a can and lasts for quite a while.   I also use this on our stainless steel appliances, it gets rid of any fingerprints or food smears, and makes them look like they did when we first got them!

For the inside of my toilets I use vinegar and baking soda, I just pour in a bit of each, let it sit 10 minutes, and then use my toilet brush to scrub.  

In our kitchen and upstairs bathroom we have luxury vinyl plank floors (peel and stick vinyl flooring that looks like wood.)   I always mop on my hands and knees and just use a simple mixture of hot water, a bit of dish soap, and some hydrogen peroxide (to keep them looking shiny.)  It gets the floors nice and clean, doesn't leave a film, or feel sticky, and I always have everything I need on hand!

These products are what work for me and my household, they might not work for everyone.  If you have products you love let me know in the comments, I'm always looking to try new things!

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