Four Nights A Week

Adventures in Eating

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Amy’s Writing, Photography and Art can be found at amybisson.com

  • 04 Aug 2021: Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes

    Sometimes, we just need some old fashioned comfort foods. In this case, a Sloppy Joe was a reminder of school lunches and dinners at home. In my memory, the topping was always made with ground beef, which we don’t really eat any longer, so when I found this bean-based recipe on Simple Fit Vegan, I couldn’t resist.

    This meal comes together in 15 minutes and makes good use of leftover sandwich buns which we had in our freezer ready to be used. For our tastes, we added some of Craic Sauce’s Mill City Red hot sauce to make it more fiery.

    For more great vegan meal ideas, be sure to check out the rest of Simple Fit Vegan‘s offerings, and of course, if you’re looking to kick things up a notch or two, take a look at Craic Sauce‘s great hot sauces.

    Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes

    Ingredients

    • 1 tsp oil of choice (olive, canola, coconut, grape seed)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 medium white or yellow onion,chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 15- ounce can tomato sauce
    • 1 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp coconut sugar/brown sugar/or 1 tsp agave syrup
    • 1 28- ounce can pinto beans

    Method

    1. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Let the oil heat up then add garlic, onions, and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
    2. Stir in tomato sauce, soy sauce, and coconut sugar. Cook for about 2 minutes until tomato sauce gets hot and bubbly.
    3. Gently add in pinto beans. Stir in with the rest of the ingredients.
    4. Serve with a bun.

    For Noomers, this recipe’s nutrition info *without a bun) Calories: 113 Fat: 1.5 g Saturated fat: 0.2 g Carbohydrates: 20.9 g Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g Sugar: 5.3 g Sodium: 657 mg Protein: 5.6 g

  • 28 July 2021: Cold Tofu Salad with Tomatoes and Peaches

    We’re at the start of peach and tomato season here in New England which is, in my opinion, my the most wonderful time of the year!

    This salad is a wonderfully refreshing salad for the dog days of summer – cool and easy to prepare. Essential to that freshness is the use of fresh mint and fresh basil. Fortunately both of those are in abundance at this time of year as well.

    Enjoy!

    Cold Tofu Salad with Tomatoes and Peaches

    Original recipe posted in the New York Times and was developed by Hana Asbrink.

    Ingredients

    FOR THE SALAD:

    • 12 to 14 ounces silken tofu, chilled
    • 2 to 3 ripe medium peaches
    • 3 to 4 ripe medium tomatoes
    •  Flaky sea salt
    • ¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
    • 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
    •  Black pepper

    FOR THE DRESSING:

    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

    Method

    1. Prepare the tofu: Carefully drain the tofu in its packaging, then remove the tofu. Gently wrap it with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture and set it on a plate.
    2. Meanwhile, prepare the peaches and tomatoes: Pit and cut each peach into 1-inch-thick wedges, then core and cut each tomato into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place tomatoes and peaches on a serving platter, pouring any tomato or peach juices from the cutting board over the dish. Season generously with flaky sea salt to draw out juices.
    3. Remove the tofu from the paper towels and place it back on the plate. Using a large spoon, scoop out tofu mounds onto the tomatoes and peaches. Season tofu with flaky sea salt.
    4. Prepare the dressing: In a small glass jar, combine dressing ingredients, cover and shake to combine. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the tomatoes, peaches and tofu. Extra dressing can be served alongside.
    5. Just before serving, stack together the basil and mint leaves and roughly chop. Top the salad with chopped herbs and black pepper. Serve immediately, taking care to spoon extra dressing and juices from the bottom of the platter.

  • 23 July 2021: Easy Zucchini Bread

    Sonja and Alex Overhiser are the couple behind the award winning website (and books! don’t forget books!) A Couple Cooks. I’ve often found their creations to be not only delicious, but healthy. And the website’s photos are stunning!

    When our daughter-in-law, Beth – who most decidedly does have a green thumb – shared a zucchini with us, I knew I would be able to find a great Zucchini Bread recipe on the Couple Cooks website. Sure enough there’s a great one, and bonus points for incorporating Greek Yogurt!

    Easy Zucchini Bread

    From A Couple Cooks website

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup neutral oil (grapeseed, sunflower, vegetable) (I used coconut oil – which is tasty and works as long as the other ingredients are so cold as to make the oil solid)
    • ½ cup turbinado sugar or light brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1 cup packed shredded zucchini

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch bread pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.
    3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
    4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine into a sticky dough. Gently stir in zucchini (it’s not necessary to squeeze out liquid). Be careful not to overmix: just stir until the dough comes together.
    5. Pour the dough into the prepared bread pan.
    6. Bake 55 to 60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing. Store at room temperature covered with a towel for 2 to 3 days, in the refrigerator for about 1 week, or frozen for at least 3 months.

    For Noomers (based on 14 slices): Calories 129, Fat 54g, Carbs 17.2g, Sugar 7.8g, Fat 3.7g, Protein 3.5g

  • 18 July 2021: Warm French Lentil Salad with Bacon and Herbs

    We are not big meat-eaters in our household, but every so often I discover a recipe that while not meat-centric includes it. Such is the case here – 4 slices of thick cut bacon added to this warmed French lentil salad. For those who avoid meat at all times, there are no doubt substitutions that could be considered, but as we were celebrating Bastille Day this week (and focusing on Cuisiner à la française) we stuck with the bacon. I did deviate from cooking the lentils in chicken broth and substituted a mix of French rose wine and water.

    The recipe calls for fresh herbs. Those fresh herbs release a remarkable flavor and make a huge difference in flavor. Otherwise it is a simple, quick and delicious meal.

    Warm French Lentil Salad With Bacon & Fresh Herbs

    Adapted from Faith Durand of TheKitchn

    Ingredients

    For the salad

    • 1 cup green or French lentils
    • 2 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken broth (See my headnote for change)
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 4 ounces bacon (about 4 thick-cut slices), cut into small pieces
    • 2 large shallots, cut in half and thinly sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 large sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and minced
    • 3 large leaves sage, minced
    • 2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
    • 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped

    For the dressing

    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

    Method

    1. Wash and rinse the lentils. Put in a small saucepan and cover with the chicken broth (or in my case, leftover white/rose wine + water). Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add extra water while cooking if the liquid gets low. Drain the lentils and return them to the pot. Stir in the salt.
    2. While the lentils are cooking, cook the bacon in a heavy pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain most of the fat out of the pan, then add the shallots, garlic, rosemary, and sage, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and the shallots are tender but not soft. Remove from the heat.
    3. Whisk the olive oil, mustard, and balsamic vinegar together until thick. Toss with the warm, drained lentils, then stir in the bacon and shallot mixture. Stir in the chopped capers and parsley. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed, and a generous quantity of black pepper.
    4. Serve warm. This keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator and is also good eaten cold.

    For Noomers (using the original recipe): 236 Calories, Fat 12 g, Carbs 23g, Fiber 4.1g, Sugar 3.4g, Protein 102 g, Sodium 318 mg

  • 14 July 2021: Easy Slow-Cooker Ratatouille

    It’s July and we’re in the middle of zucchini season! This recipe from The Kitchn possibly will give purists a moment of pause, but for me, I was a great way to take advantage of summer vegetable overloads while the kitchen was not overheating from roastings or stove-top cooking.

    Easy Slow-Cooker Ratatouille

    By Christine Gallary, The Kitchn

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
    • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
    • 1 pound eggplant
    • 1 pound zucchini or summer squash
    • 2 large red, green, or yellow bell peppers (about 1 pound)
    • 1 pound tomatoes
    • 4 cloves  garlic 
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more for seasoning
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

    Method

    1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed, until completely softened and light golden-brown, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the vegetables.
    2. Trim the eggplant and zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes, and place in the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Trim, core, and cut the bell peppers into 1-inch dice and add to the slow cooker. Core the tomatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch dice, and add to the slow cooker. Finely chop the garlic and add to the slow cooker.
    3. When the onions are ready, add the tomato paste to the pan and stir to coat the onions. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat all the vegetables.
    4. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the vegetables are extremely tender, 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low. If you’d like to cook off some of the excess liquid in the slow cooker, cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes.
    5. Stir in the basil and taste for seasoning, adding more salt as needed. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving if desired.

    For Noomers: This recipe serves 8-10. Calories 98, Fat 5.9 g, Carbs 11.4 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Sugar 5.1 g, Protein 2.2 g, Sodium 31.3 mg

  • 11 July 2021: Lemon-Almond Biscotti

    For a family cookout, I was asked to bring dessert, which if I’m being honest, is my favorite food course. Not wanting to have to bring plates, bowls or utensils, I decided a plateful of cookies sounded just about right. And along with a chocolate-based cookie and a nut-based one, I felt like a more citrusy-based cookie might make a good contrast.

    Biscotti are one of the most enjoyable bakes I do. They honor my Italian heritage and once a base cookie has been mastered, the flavor combinations are endless. This is a terrific recipe from King Arthur Baking, even though purists would scoff that does not involve flipping the cookies from one side to the other mid-way through a second bake. I have always used the technique of putting the cookies upright on a second bake; for me the biscotti turn out with a consistently and evenly baked crispiness.

    For this bake, I left out the almonds to accommodate some with allergies or sensitivities.

    Lemon-Almond Biscotti from King Arthur Baking

    Ingredients

    For the Biscotti

    • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • grated rind of 1 medium lemon (about 1 tablespoon)-I used about twice that
    • 3/4 to 1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, to taste (From KA: *3/4 teaspoon will give you the merest hint of almond; if you’re fond of that flavor, use the greater amount of extract)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 cups (241g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

    For the Glaze

    • 1/2 cup (57g) confectioners’ or glazing sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice powder (The powder is a KA product, but I prefer using lemon juice)
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons milk (If using lemon juice, additional milk may not be needed)

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one large (about 18″ x 13″) baking sheet.
    2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, lemon rind, almond extract, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the lemon juice and eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled.
    3. At low speed of your mixer, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky.
    4. Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Shape it into a log that’s about 13″ long x 3″ wide x 3/4″ thick. Straighten the log, and smooth its top and sides; a wet spatula or wet bowl scraper works well here.
    5. Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool on the pan anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 325°F.
    6. (This is a step I don’t use) Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, lightly but thoroughly spritz the log, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Softening the crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti much easier. (If you do spritz, you may want to follow the KA suggestion of waiting another 5 minutes before slicing)
    7. Use a serrated knife to cut the log crosswise into 1/2″ slices.
    8. Set the biscotti on edge on the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 30 to 35 minutes, until they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden around the edges. Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
    9. To make glazed biscotti: Combine the confectioners’ or glazing sugar with the lemon juice powder and milk; drizzle over cooled biscotti.
    10. Store completely cool biscotti at room temperature, well wrapped, for a couple of weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

  • 06 July 2021: Joanne Chang’s Homemade Oreos (egg-free style)

    Flour Bakery + Cafe Homemade Oreos – egg-free version

    My favorite stop for a quick(er) bite in Boston is Joanne Chang’s Flour Bakery + Cafe. I think I’ve been to all of them at one time or another! And a natural follow-on for those times when I can’t get into the City (looking at YOU COVID), has been to bake from one of Joanne Chang’s fabulous cookbooks.

    This weekend I decided to make some cookies for a family get-together, and, as our granddaughter has an egg allergy, I wanted to make something she could eat as well. With just one egg in the recipe, the Flour Bakery Oreos seemed like it could withstand an egg substitution without totally compromising quality.

    For the most part I think it did. This egg-free version is made with Bob’s Egg Replacer in place of the single egg called for in the original recipe. Just a warning that this may have made the cookie even more fragile, so lots of care needed in assembly. And maybe a little more practice on my part in getting that perfectly round shape of the Flour Bakery + Cafe version.

    Ingredients

    For the cookie

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled slightly
    • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted & cooled slightly
    • 1 egg (substituted 1 TBSP Bob’s Egg Replacer + 2 TBSP water per package; “flax eggs” also a possibility)
    • 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) unbleached AP flour
    • 3/4 cup (90 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda

    For the Vanilla Cream Filling

    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 2/3 cups (230 grams) confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 TBSP milk
    • Pinch of kosher salt

    Method

    1. In medium bowl, whisk together the butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the vanilla and chocolate. Add the egg or egg substitute and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
    2. In another medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt & baking soda until well mixed. Stir the flour into the chocolate mixture. (JBC’s note is that this mix will seem like it is too flour-y & one may need to mix with hands. It’s OK-getting messy is fun!) Let the dough sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
    3. Transfer the dough to a 15-inch square of parchment. Use your hands, shape the dough into a rough log about 10 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the log at the edge of the parchment and roll the parchment around the log. Now roll the log to be smoother, keeping the 2 1/2 inch diameter.
    4. Refrigerate for AT LEAST 2 hours or until firm – check every 15 minutes or so in case the log may need to be re-shaped/re-rolled. (See JBC notes on freezing/thawing dough at this point)
    5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and butter a baking sheet or line with parchment – I needed 3 cookie pans.
    6. Slice the dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds and place on the cookie sheet about an inch apart.
    7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch (JBC notes that you should start checking on the cookies at 16 minutes – I found I only needed 18 minutes per bake to get the cookies to this point). Cool in the pan – be aware that the cookies are quite fragile at this point.
    8. Make the filling: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on low speed for 30 seconds or until completely soft and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla – beat until perfectly smooth. Add the milk and salt and again beat until smooth (JBC notes this may look like putty.)
    9. Scoop about 1 rounded tablespoon of the filling onto the bottom of one cookie (At this point, I switched to a pastry bag because it felt like there was a little more control over filling distribution). Top with a second cookie, bottom-side down. The press the cookies (GENTLY!!!) together to spread the filling toward the edges. Continue until all of the cookies have been filled.

  • 23 June 2021: Sugar Cookie Bars

    Always on the lookout for an easy cookie recipe, I recently came across this one in the New York Times Food section. Adapted by Margaux Laskey, it originated with American Girl, presumably that’s a reference to American Girl dolls, which as a boy-mom but an elementary teacher, I have only a passing acquaintance with.

    We now have a granddaughter who is not quite into dolls, but, should that change, we’ll have a cookie at the ready.

    Sugar Cookie Bars

    adapted from American Girl Cookies by Margaux Laskey

    Ingredients

    FOR THE BARS:

    • 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
    • 2 ¾ cups/350 grams all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 (8-ounce/225-gram) package cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    FOR THE FROSTING:

    • 6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter (3/4 stick), at room temperature
    • 2 cups/245 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, plus more as needed
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus more as needed
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    •  A drop or two of gel food coloring (optional)
    •  Assorted sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

    Method

    1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.
    2. Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.
    3. Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake!) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
    4. Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.
    5. Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

  • 15 June 2021: Tassajara Bread

    Photo by Amy Bisson

    When we were a young family, my mother-in-law gifted me with an galvanized hand-crank bread bucket. She had one that she used each week to turn out loaves of bread and, once I became more interested in bread-baking, she found one and gifted it to me.

    Back in those days (the late 1970s, early 1980s), we also belonged to a local food coop where I could purchase both whole grain and white flours in bulk. In fact I had a couple of small garbage can style containers in our pantry filled with one flour or the other on a regular basis. Given the bulk buys, we needed to use up our pantry stores, so bread baking became a regular weekend event.

    One of my favorite recipes for bread comes from Edward Espe Brown’s Tassajara Bread Book. While the directions in the book are exquisitely detailed (helpful for novice bread bakers), the best thing I discovered about the tasty loaves produced by this recipe was that it allowed for variations. Using different flours, adding seeds, changing up sweeteners, forming different shapes – if you could imagine it, you could do it with this basic dough.

    In the process of one of our moves, I unfortunately lost my original 1970 edition of the Tassajara Bread Book, and so my less-regular bread baking turned to other recipes, techniques and guides. But recently I was delighted to find the original recipe on the NY Times Cooking website and that inspired me to replace my long-lost copy of Tassajara Bread with a newer (2009) edition.

    One of the tastiest and most reliable breads I’ve ever baked, this recipe brings back a ton of fond memories of mixing up a week’s worth of bread by hand in my “machine” back when things seemed simpler. I’ve discovered that a little nostalgia doesn’t hurt the bread dough either.

    Tassajara Yeasted Bread Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ tablespoons dry yeast (2 packages)
    • 3 cups lukewarm water (85 to 105 degrees)
    • ¼ cup honey, molasses or brown sugar
    • 1 cup dry milk
    • 7 to 8 cups whole-wheat flour
    • 4 teaspoons salt
    • ⅓ cup oil or butter
    • 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water, for egg wash

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water and stir in the honey and dry milk. Stir in 4 cups of the flour to form a thick batter and beat 100 strokes with a spoon. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes,.
    2. Now add the salt and oil and an additional 3 cups of the flour and knead until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
    3. Knead on a floured board, using about 1 cup more flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking, for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Let it rise for 50 to 60 minutes, until it is doubled in size. Punch down and let it rise again for 40 to 50 minutes, until doubled in size.
    4. Shape into two round loaves and place them on a baking sheet. (I’ve also used loaf pans, shaped rolls, see the Edward Espe Brown book for more)
    5. Let rise for 20 to 25 minutes. Coat the top of each loaf with egg wash. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until golden brown

  • 13 June 2021: Chocolate Drop Cookies

    I’ve enjoyed baking for as long as I can remember, and throughout our COVID isolation, I made bread several times a week. With just two of us here, it’s hard to justify regularly baking desserts. However, watching the British Bake-off for the umpteenth time got me thinking: all those practice bakes at home had to go somewhere. And that’s when the idea for baking and sharing what I create started to come into focus. Now I just need to find homes for baked goods. Hopefully that won’t be a problem without a solution!

    I’ve restarted regularly baking some new and some old favorites this week, and in addition to being more purposeful about shooting and blogging about “regular” dishes, I’ll be posting some baking that I’ve discovered. This cookie recipe was this week’s offering for dessert and it comes from King Arthur Baking. Easy to put together and delicious – and it can be modified according to the baker’s whim by adding or omitting chocolate bits, nuts, or what-have-you.

    Chocolate Drop Cookies from King Arthur Baking

    Ingredients

    • 8 tablespoons (113g) butter, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup (71g) brown sugar, packed
    • 1/3 cup (28g) Dutch-process cocoa
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 tablespoons (28g) milk (optional, if you add chips/nuts/fruit be sure to use this!)
    • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (135g) All Purpose Flour
    • 1 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional; for depth of flavor this makes a good add-in)
    • 2 cups (227g to 340g) chips, nuts, and/or dried fruit, optional but good

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.
    2. Beat together the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla until well blended.
    3. Add the egg, beating until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and beat again until smooth. If you’re going to add chips, nuts, or dried fruit, beat in the 2 tablespoons milk; if you’re going to bake plain cookies without add-ins, omit the milk.
    4. Add the flour and espresso powder, mixing to combine.
    5. Stir in the chips, nuts, etc., if you’re using them.
    6. Drop the cookies by the traditional “tablespoonful” (actually about 4 measuring teaspoons) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2″ apart. A tablespoon cookie scoop works well here.
    7. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until they’ve lost their shiny appearance and look like they’re set. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pans; or transfer to a rack to cool.

    (Noomers, this is about 120 calories per cookie; other nutrition info on the recipe website)