Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie / Chocolate Chip Pizookie

This post should be titled Cooking with Kelly. Kelly Krenger was home from New York and he and Betty joined us to cook dinner . . .  Hummus w/ Lavash, Spatchcocked Chicken, Risotto, Brussels Sprouts w/ Bacon + we tried a new dessert

. . . 

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie / Chocolate Chip Pizookie   Serves: 8+

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. In a 10” or 12” cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat stirring often, until it starts to bubble and is completely melted.
3. Turn heat to low and add sugar and brown sugar, stirring well. Keep stirring until smooth and glossy.
4. Remove from heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes (so the eggs won’t scramble).
5. Add eggs and vanilla and stir well.
6. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
7. Mix in chocolate and stir to combine.
   
8. Bake for 25 to 30 or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the inside is still slightly gooey.
   
   
   
   
9. Serve immediately. Especially good with vanilla ice cream.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Recipe without photos  . . .

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie / Chocolate Chip Pizookie   Serves: 8+

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. In a 10” or 12” cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat stirring often, until it starts to bubble and is completely melted.
3. Turn heat to low and add sugar and brown sugar, stirring well. Keep stirring until smooth and glossy.
4. Remove from heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes (so the eggs won’t scramble).
5. Add eggs and vanilla and stir well.
6. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
7. Mix in chocolate and stir to combine.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the inside is still slightly gooey.
9. Serve immediately. Especially good with vanilla ice cream.

Old-fashioned Custard Pie

My grandmother and mom made lots of custard pies. It's also a favorite of Richard Gardner (our brother-in-law) so I made an old-fashioned custard pie for Christmas dinner using a recipe in my vintage Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook (first edition, 5th printing, 1961).

Custard Pie    Makes one 9" pie
4 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + more for garnish
1 2/3 cups scalding hot milk/cream (I used 1 cup half-and-half and 2/3 cup whole milk for an extra rich pie)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (9") unbaked pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Whisk eggs slightly; mix in sugar and salt.
   
3. Slowly whisk in slightly cooled milk/cream.
   
4. Pour into unbaked crust. I like to sprinkle it with additional nutmeg at this point.
   
5. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake 10 to 12 minutes or more -- until a knife interred about 1" for side of filling comes out clean and filling begin to puff slightly; the filling will appear to still be a bit" jiggly".  Caution: Too long baking makes custard "watery". 
6. Although it can be served warm, we prefer it chilled. I, again, like a sprinkling of nutmeg as a plate garnish. 
7. Refrigerate any leftovers.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Custard Pie    Makes one 9" pie

4 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + more for garnish
1 2/3 cups scalding hot milk/cream (I used 1 cup half-and-half and 2/3 cup whole milk for an extra rich pie)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (9") unbaked pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Whisk eggs slightly; mix in sugar and salt.
3. Slowly whisk in slightly cooled milk/cream.
4. Pour into unbaked crust. I like to sprinkle it with additional nutmeg at this point.
5. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake 10 to 12 minutes or more -- until a knife interred about 1" for side of filling comes out clean and filling begin to puff slightly; the filling will appear to still be a bit" jiggly".  Caution: Too long baking makes custard "watery". 
6. Although it can be served warm, we prefer it chilled. I, again, like a sprinkling of nutmeg as a plate garnish. 
7. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Heart-friendly Minestrone

This plant-based soup is hearty and heart-friendly, too! The basil pesto, added near the end, really boosts the flavor.

Heart-friendly Minestrone

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons olive oil

½ large white onion, diced

1 cups carrots, diced

¾ cup celery diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

2 cups vegetable broth

1 ½ cups V-8 or tomato juice

1 to 2 cups water (start with less and add more if needed)

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup zucchini, diced

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (or great northern beans), drained

1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

½  cup small-sized macaroni

About 1/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or purchased) + additional pesto for garnishing if desired

Grated Parmesan for garnishing if desired

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the oil until onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Add tomatoes and bay leaves.
   
4. Add broth, tomato juice and water + Italian seasoning and salt/pepper.
   
5. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
6. Add potatoes and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.
   
7. Add additional water or other liquids (could use additional broth or tomato juice) as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
8. Add zucchini, beans and pasta and continue to cook (about 15 minutes) until pasta is tender.
   
9. Stir in pesto to taste.
   
10. Serve with additional pesto and Parmesan if desired. 
    

Recipe without photos . . .

Heart-friendly Minestrone 

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons olive oil

½ large white onion, diced

1 cups carrots, diced

¾ cup celery diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

2 cups vegetable broth

1 ½ cups V-8 or tomato juice

1 to 2 cups water (start with less and add more if needed)

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup zucchini, diced

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (or great northern beans), drained

1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

½  cup small-sized macaroni

About 1/4 cup  basil pesto (homemade or purchased) + additional pesto for garnishing if desired

Grated Parmesan for garnishing if desired

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the oil until onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Add tomatoes and bay leaves.
4. Add broth, tomato juice and water + Italian seasoning and salt/pepper.
5. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
6. Add potatoes and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.
7. Add additional water or other liquids (could use additional broth or tomato juice) as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
8. Add zucchini, beans and pasta and continue to cook (about 15 minutes) until pasta is tender.
9. Stir in pesto to taste.
10. Serve with additional pesto and Parmesan if desired. 

Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream Pie -- easiest Christmas dessert every

I just made the EASIEST Christmas dessert ever! Made with just four ingredients. No baking involved.
Inspired by an ice cream pie that Nancy Kassebaum Baker recently made, I melted the butter and chocolate, combined them with crispy rice cereal for the pie crust and the piled ice cream into the chilled crust. How easy is that? Very.
This dessert features the festive flavors of peppermint ice-cream in a crunchy chocolate crust. How good is that? Scrumptious.  
The Rice Krispie® website includes a recipe for Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream Pie filled with coffee ice. 

Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream Pie    Makes one 8 or 9" pie
1/3 stick butter
3 squares (1 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups crisp rice cereal
46 oz. peppermint ice cream (I used Blue Bunny® Peppermint Party w/ streaks of fudge), slightly softened

1. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat.
   
2. Stir in crisp rice cereal. 
   
3. Pack into a sprayed 8 or 9" pie plate. I then put a piece of sprayed plastic wrap over the top and used my hands to push the cereal crust into an even layer that conforms to the shape of the pie pan. (Spraying the plastic keeps it from sticking to the cereal mixture.)
   
4. Chill pie crust and then add slightly softened ice cream.
   
5. Store in freezer; remove about 5 to 10 minutes (or more) before ready to cut. 

Recipe without photos . . .

Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream Pie    Makes one 8 or 9" pie

1/3 stick butter
3 squares (1 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups crisp rice cereal
46 oz. peppermint ice cream (I used Blue Bunny® Peppermint Party w/ streaks of fudge), slightly softened

1. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat.
2. Stir in crisp rice cereal. 
3. Pack into a sprayed 8 or 9" pie plate. I then put a piece of sprayed plastic wrap over the top and used my hands to push the cereal crust into an even layer that conforms to the shape of the pie pan. (Spraying the plastic keeps it from sticking to the cereal mixture.)
4. Chill pie crust and then add slightly softened ice cream.
5. Store in freezer; remove about 5 to 10 minutes (or more) before ready to cut.

Lavash, a Middle Eastern cracker-bread

Lavash, a Middle Eastern cracker-bread, is a nice accompaniment to dips but also great with salads. A Salina chef used to offer it on his buffets and when I was the catering manager at the Kirby House Restaurant, I wanted to offer it on our menu. Finding a recipe was not difficult. However, rolling the dough (with a rolling pin) thin enough to create a thin, crispy cracker was another matter. So, I adapted the traditional recipe for use with a pasta machine, creating a long, thin, crisp cracker. The recipe below appears in The Kirby House Cookbook  (2001). 

For today's version I used cumin seeds and the cracker-bread made a great dipper for our Tomato Pesto Hummus. 

Lavash      Yield:  About 40 crackers (recipe can be cut in half)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup water, lukewarm (110°) water

1 package (1/4 -ounce) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Up to 2 cups all-purpose flour

Assorted seeds and seasoning — celery seed, caraway seed, fennel seed, Italian seasoning, dill weed, parsley flakes, onion powder, etc. (I used cumin seeds for today's batch.)

1. In a mixing bowl, blend whole wheat flour, water, yeast and salt until moistened and well blended.

   

   Ready to mix.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat 3 minutes on medium speed. 
3. Work in enough all-purpose flour and develop dough by hand kneading, or with dough hook until dough is smooth and elastic (about 8 to 10 minutes).
4. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. 
5. Let rise 1 hour at 80° or until double in bulk (to test--press fingers gently into dough; if indentations remain, dough has risen enough.)
6. Divide dough into 40 pieces, shape into smooth balls; cover with damp towel and let rise again for another 30 minutes.
   
    
7. Meanwhile prepare work surface by sprinkling a little flour in one area and selections of various seeds and seasoning in other areas. 
8. When dough rising time is up, remove about 10 balls of dough at a time;
   
   press dough balls into various seasoning for flavor and into flour if sticky areas are evident on the dough. 
9. Set up pasta machine and turn the dial to level 1— run each dough ball through the machine, returning flattened ball to floured surface if sticky.
   
10. Next turn dial to 2 and repeat; continue until Lavash is paper thin — this usually occurs at level 6 or 7. Note: If Lavash begins to tear, you have flattened the dough too much.
    
    
    
    
11. Place an ungreased baking sheet in the oven and preheat oven and baking sheet to 500°. 
12. Remove baking sheet and arrange Lavash on the hot surface. 
13. Bake, watching carefully, for about 5 to 6 minutes (or less — start checking after 3 minutes). Crackers should be lightly browned on top of the small bubbles that will appear on the surface.  (If bread puffs excessively, it needs to be rolled thinner.) 
14. Remove bread with spatula to a cooling rack.
    

Recipe without photos . . .

Lavash      Yield:  About 40 crackers (recipe can be cut in half)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup water, lukewarm (110°) water

1 package (1/4 -ounce) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Up to 2 cups all-purpose flour

Assorted seeds and seasoning — celery seed, caraway seed, fennel seed, Italian seasoning, dill weed, parsley flakes, onion powder, etc. (I used cumin seeds for today's batch.)

1. In a mixing bowl, blend whole wheat flour, water, yeast and salt until moistened and well blended.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat 3 minutes on medium speed. 
3. Work in enough all-purpose flour and develop dough by hand kneading, or with dough hook until dough is smooth and elastic (about 8 to 10 minutes).
4. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. 
5. Let rise 1 hour at 80° or until double in bulk (to test--press fingers gently into dough; if indentations remain, dough has risen enough.)
6. Divide dough into 40 pieces, shape into smooth balls; cover with damp towel and let rise again for another 30 minutes. 
7. Meanwhile prepare work surface by sprinkling a little flour in one area and selections of various seeds and seasoning in other areas. 
8. When dough rising time is up, remove about 10 balls of dough at a time; press dough balls into various seasoning for flavor and into flour if sticky areas are evident on the dough. 
9. Set up pasta machine and turn the dial to level 1— run each dough ball through the machine, returning flattened ball to floured surface if sticky.
10. Next turn dial to 2 and repeat; continue until Lavash is paper thin — this usually occurs at level 6 or 7. Note: If Lavash begins to tear, you have flattened the dough too much.
11. Place an ungreased baking sheet in the oven and preheat oven and baking sheet to 500°. 
12. Remove baking sheet and arrange Lavash on the hot surface. 
13. Bake, watching carefully, for about 5 to 6 minutes (or less — start checking after 3 minutes). Crackers should be lightly browned on top of the small bubbles that will appear on the surface.  (If bread puffs excessively, it needs to be rolled thinner.) 
14. Remove bread with spatula to a cooling rack.