Thursday, July 18, 2013

Bread Bowl Breakfast

Makes 8 
  • 8 crusty bread rolls
  • 2 Tb butter, melted
  • Salt and pepper
  • Assorted fillings*
  • 8 eggs

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Slice off the top of each roll and scoop out the soft bread inside, leaving the sides of the roll intact. Brush the inside of each roll with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Let your guests fill the roll with their favorite toppings*. Crack an egg or egg white on top, season with salt and pepper, and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then cover the pan loosely with foil. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is just set.
*Grape tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, thyme, shredded cheese, herbed goat cheese, caramelized onions, pre-cooked breakfast potatoes, spinach artichoke dip, deli ham, cooked sausage, crumbled bacon, onions, mushrooms, spinach, feta cheese

Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Herbs


Serves 8
  • 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
  • 6 tablespoons butter + more for serving
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large bunch basil, chopped
  • 1 large bunch baby spinach, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for topping
  1. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the butter together in a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn or over-brown the garlic because it will taste bitter. Low and slow is the winner here.
  3. Chop the spinach and basil (I had about 5 cups total – it reduces quite a bit as it wilts) into small bite-sized pieces and add to the skillet, stirring for just a minute or two to get the greens softened slightly. Season with salt.
  4. Add the spaghetti to the skillet (or vice versa depending on pan size) and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and let it all rest for a few minutes to stick together a bit. Serve with an additional pat of butter and/or fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.



Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies


Makes 9 -12 Servings
Cookie Dough
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Brownie
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 oz bittersweet chocolate
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the cookie dough: 
  1. Cream together butter and sugars, in a large bowl. Mix in egg and vanilla. 
  2. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour; mix well. 
  3. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Set aside.

For the brownie: 
  1. Place butter and chocolate in small saucepan set over medium-low heat, stir constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, egg and vanilla. Whisk in cocoa and salt. Stir in flour until evenly combined.
  2. To assemble: Scrape brownie batter into an 8×8 inch baking pan that has been lightly greased and lined with parchment paper; smooth top. Top with chunks of cookie dough, as evenly as possible. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until cookie layer is set and lightly browned.
  3. Let cool completely before removing from pan to slice.