Recipe Roundup: Easy, Nummy, Healthy & {not super healthy}

 Pioneer Woman Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Recipe here. Mods below:

I didn’t have half-and-half so just whole milk all the way (as that’s all we drink these days anyway). I also shredded our favorite Vermont cheddar for the three cups–Costco special.

That’s it. Vitamix that bad boy up and ENJOY!

Smitten Kitchen Classic Cobb Salad

Recipe here. Some modifications below.

I didn’t use blue cheese because I hate it. Feta all the way, baby. Also, why peel the tomatoes (too much work) when they are fresh from the garden and so crunchy?

ENJOY and serve again and again and again.

Molly’s Chicken Parm

We’ve established my sister Molly and her husband Aron are the best in the kitchen. This is their easy chicken parm recipe served with freshly made french dressing over butter lettuce.

Prep your chicken pieces (breast, thigh, wing) and then dip in bowl 1, 2, and 3.

Bowl 1: 1/2 cup freshly grated parm or pecorino, 1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs, 2 sprigs parsley chopped;

Bowl 2: 2 eggs beaten;

Bowl 3: 1/2 cup flour, salt & pepper.

Place in a very hot skillet with butter & olive oil (Roman style) and flip after about 4 mins on each side or when the crust is nice and golden.

Arrange in a baking dish in the oven (or a cookie sheet, whatevs) at 300 for about 10 mins until cooked through. Don’t disturb that crust if you don’t have to.

Serve over red leaf lettuce, or butter lettuce, chopped with french dressing.

The Dressing!

1 shallot diced

1 teaspoon dijon

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

maldon salt

pepper

Beat with fork. Add olive oil by the tablespoon to taste.

Mama’s Fruit Tort

This recipe has been perfected by my mom. It has lots of steps and is tricky. Pursue at your own risk.

Crust:

Combine 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Then add 1/2 cup cold butter cut up, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and then beat the flour & the pecan mix in the blender. This is your pressed crust. Press it into an ungreased tort pan. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Cream Filling:

Mix & beat 1 8-ounce cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar. Spread over the cooled pie crust & bake at 350 8-10 minutes. This re-bake is why you don’t want the first go ’round to be too dark.

Fruit Filling:

Beat about 1-2 cups of frozen mixed berries with 1/2 cup sugar. Combine in a saucepan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Bring this to a boil and then cook at a boil for 2 minutes until thickened. Immediately set your saucepan into a bowl of ice to cool the pan–stir occasionally for 15 minutes.

All together now:

Spread the fruit filling over the cooled pie and then arrange desired fresh fruit on top. Cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Add freshly whipped cream or ice cream if desired!

Mama’s Brownies

Based off the King Arthur Flour Baking Companion recipe, with a few twists.

Ingredients: 6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cup flour

add ins: chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter & chocolate over low heat. Cool slightly. Beat eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar until light & fluffy. Stir flour into chocolate & butter mix. Fold chocolate batter into eggs & stir. Add in those add ins.

Spread in your pan. Preheat oven to 375 and grease up your pan. This volume goes well in a 9×13 instead of your conventional 8×8 brownie pan. My super hot oven baked these bad boys in 27 minutes, but the recipe says 35 mins. Abide by your rules.

**I used to always burn brownies because I was a-waitin’ on that clean toothpick. It shouldn’t be. Shocker. The top should be crispy, but the toothpick inserted in the center will be chocolatey. Embrace it.