Honey Garlic Chicken

 

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds) (*I roughly cut each thigh into halves/thirds.)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 cloves minced garlic (or frozen Dorot cubes)
• 1/3 cup (110g) honey
• 1/3 cup (80ml) chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• flat-leaf parsley, optional (for garnish)
• red pepper flakes, optional (for garnish)
• If your local Costco carries this sticky rice, grab it!  It's super easy to nuke, yummy, and identical to Chinese takeout!

Directions:

I was able to prep this ahead of time, so when dinner rolled around, it only took minutes to make!  I encourage you to do the same if you have a few extra minutes during the day!  Beforehand, I cut chicken (stored in separate bowl in fridge), placed cornstarch + salt and pepper into a small bowl, prepped sauce (honey, stock, vinegar, and soy), and prepped garlic + butter in a small bowl.

• Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken until fully coated.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a high heat.
• Add the chicken thighs, and cook on one side until golden brown (about 4 minutes), then turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the butter to the pan, let it melt, then add the garlic and stir together. Turn the heat down to medium so the garlic doesn't burn, then make the sauce. (To make the sauce, combine the honey, stock, rice vinegar, and low-sodium soy sauce in a bowl and stir together.)
• Add the sauce to the pan. Turn the heat up and bring the sauce to the boil, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens, and the chicken is cooked through (and no longer pink in the middle).
• If desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley and red chili flakes and serve over cooked rice.
  *www.kitchensanctuary.com

Lemon Butter Chicken

 

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise = 8 thinly-sliced breasts (To save yourself the extra step, you can also find pre-sliced, thin chicken breasts at your grocery store.) *I used 3 chicken breasts (6 breasts when sliced in half), and it was plenty for my family!
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used salted...I think it needs it.)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 frozen Dorot cubes)
• 2-3 lemons, (one thinly sliced) + the remaining lemons used for juice
• 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer until they are the same thickness. Season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
• Take each chicken breast and dredge it through the flour, making sure it’s completely covered--but making sure to shake off any excess flour. 
  

  

  
  
• This step will have to be done in batches: When the pan is HOT, place chicken in the pan and repeat with the other chicken breasts, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook them for 3 minutes more. Use the remaining olive oil as necessary for each batch.  Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and repeat with any remaining chicken.
  

  

  
  
• Once the chicken is out of the pan, keep the skillet over medium-low heat and add the butter and allow to melt. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the lemon slices and lemon juice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the lemons in the pan. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper, then transfer the lemon-butter mixture over the chicken in the baking dish.
  

  
  
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.  Check at 15!  Remove the chicken from the oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
  
  
  *www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Using an average-sized hoagie, I'd say this recipe feeds six.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chuck roast, excess fat trimmed
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• (*Instead of using basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme, I used 1.5 tablespoons of Italian Seasoning.)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 14.5 ounces can beef broth
• 8 ounces of sliced pepperoncini (For fear of spiciness, use banana peppers instead!)
• 1/3 cup of liquid from pepperoncini/banana peppers
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (I used one cup of frozen, chopped onions.)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves minced garlic (I used 3 frozen Dorot cubes.)
• Hoagie buns or rolls
• Softened butter
• Provolone cheese slices
• 8 ounces giardiniera, optional

Directions:

• Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place the meat in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown, a few minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker.  (I used my Instant Pot {Slow Cook: Normal, Vent OPEN}.)
• In a small bowl, combine the basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, (or sub Italian Seasoning), onion powder, and red pepper flakes (optional). Sprinkle the mixture over the beef.
• Add the beef broth, sliced pepperoncini (or banana peppers), pepperoncini (banana pepper) liquid, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Give the mixture a little stir.
• Put the lid on the slow cooker (or Instant Pot) and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until meat is cooked and tender. (Mine took a little over 6 hours.)
• Remove the beef and shred with a fork. (At this time, I made sure to remove any additional "fatty" pieces.)  Place the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the juices, onion, peppers, and pepperoncini (banana peppers).
• Preheat the broiler. Split the buns or rolls in half and butter the insides. Place the buns or rolls butter side up on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until lightly toasted. Don’t walk away; they will toast quickly.
• Use a slotted spoon to drain off some of the liquid so the sandwich doesn't get soggy. Place the shredded meat mixture on top of the toasted buns or rolls.  (For picky kiddos, I made sure their sandwiches didn't have any pepperoncini/banana peppers for fear of "heat" complaint.)  Add provolone cheese slices. The cheese should melt because the beef will be hot. If you want, you also can place the sandwiches under the broiler for a few seconds to quickly melt the cheese. If desired, top the sandwiches with Giardiniera.  Serve immediately.
  *www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Blueberry-Chocolate Chip Muffins

These taste just like a pancake, and now you don't have

to choose between chocolate chip or blueberry!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup melted butter 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• ½ cup buttermilk, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup greek yogurt, room temp (I used 2%.)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned, not packed)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup fresh blueberries tossed in 1 teaspoon flour 
• ½ cup chocolate chips, mini or regular-sized

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper.  (These are my fave liners.)
• Place melted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and yogurt in a medium size bowl and whisk. Add flour, salt, and baking powder, and stir until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX!!!
• Toss blueberries in 1 teaspoon of flour. Gently fold blueberries and chocolate chips into muffin batter.
• Put ¼ cup muffin batter into each muffin cup. (This scoop is the best!) Top with turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 24-28 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.
• Let them cool about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.  These muffins will stay fresh for a few days in a sealed container or are perfect for freezing in individual bags to pull out whenever.
  *www.thesaltedsweets.com

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (280g; spooned, not packed)
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Ghirardelli.)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup butter (see notes)
• ¾ cup brown sugar 
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs (see notes)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
• 30 Rolos

Notes: The butter and eggs should not be completely chilled from the fridge, but should also not be room temperature.  Let them sit out for about 15-30 minutes before beginning.

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets (I use these extra large baking sheets) with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. (Use a whisk or a sifter here to make sure all of the cocoa is broken up and "clumpless.") (I sifted all dry ingredients together.)
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low until incorporated. Add vanilla and mix in.
• Beat in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix.  Dough will be thick and a tad sticky.
• Take about 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough (use this scoop!) and form a ball around each Rolo.  Roll balls in granulated sugar.  Refrigerate all stuffed cookie dough balls for at least an hour to allow to get cold. This will help cookies from spreading more. 
  

  

  
  
• Bake for 8-10 minutes. To check that they're done, make sure the cookies have begun to spread and are lightly cracking on the outside (see my image below). This will ensure the Rolo will be nice and melty inside. If desired, top with salt flakes.  Makes EXACTLY 30 cookies.
  

  

  
  *The Queen, www.thesaltedsweets.com

Ronald's PB Flourless Chocolate Birthday Cake

This cake is amazing...but also very rich.  

In my opinion, that's a win/win because one--you'll be satisfied with just a small sliver,

and two--if this cake is stationed at your house, you're guaranteed to have leftovers for days.

It's the prettiest + every PB chocolate lover's dream.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, at room temp, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Ghirardelli and I sifted mine to ensure no clumps!)

For the PB frosting:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy!)
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream (to start)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For the chocolate ganache:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For the garnish:

• 10 peanut butter cups, chopped (I used Reese's unwrapped minis and cut them in half.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a 9-inch round cake pan.  This makes for a slightly thinner cake, but I liked it that way!  See notes below for cooking time difference.)  Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  
  
  
  
  
• To make the cake, put the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft, about one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If you need to reheat, do for 10 seconds at a time and stir. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
• Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Don't over mix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 minutes (I baked mine for 20 because of the pan size difference!) or until the cake has a thin crust on the top and the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Let the cake cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a cake plate or serving plate. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake. Let the cake cool completely.
• While the cake is cooling, make the peanut butter frosting. With a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined and then increase to high speed and beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. If the frosting is too thin, add a little more confectioner’s sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream. (I needed to add one more tablespoon of cream.)
• Next, make the chocolate ganache. Combine the chocolate and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds on half power. Remove and stir. If the chocolate isn’t melted, place back in the microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir again, until smooth. If there are a few unmelted chocolate chips, that is fine; keep stirring until they melt into the mixture. If you need to put the ganache back in the microwave, try 10 seconds. (I suggest always microwaving everything at half power...especially chocolate!)
• To assemble the cake, frost the top of the cake with the peanut butter frosting. Don’t frost the sides. Spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the peanut butter frosting. I leave a little edge so you can see the peanut butter frosting. Garnish with chopped up peanut butter cups. Let the glaze set up for a few hours before cutting and serving the cake. You can put the cake in the refrigerator to speed up the process.  
• Cut the cake into slices and serve.  Store leftovers in the fridge.  Repeat eat the next day and the next day and the next day.
  
  
  *The Queen: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com