A Little Morsel of Heaven

isn't she a beaut?

Everyone needs a go-to, satisfyingly delicious, make 'em weep, chocolate chip cookie recipe, right?  Right.  I have about a million saved to food apps on my phone, in my recipe books, on online food sites I belong to, etc.  Basically, I've been searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie for a long time.  I take it very seriously. (I'm also searching for the perfect go-to healthy muffin but as all of my friends in Columbus can tell you, it's still a work in progress) The first time I made these, I sent them into the squadron with Scott and I had MEN asking me for the recipe saying they were better than their mama's. So, ladies and you few gentlemen, I give to you the. BEST. chocolate chip cookies. EVER.


Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) SALTED butter (I know ya'll think I'm crazy), softened (muy importante)
• side note- you could also sub this with crisco or go halfsies with crisco and butter which makes a RIDICULOUSLY good cookie)

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar (light/dark whatever ya got)
• 2 eggs
• 1 TABLESPOON vanilla (thanks to my mom giving me a mason jar full of  homemade vanilla I won't be running out for a loonnggg time.  Thanks, mom!)
• 1 12 oz package (or 2 cups) of chocolate chips.  
• Can I say something here?  Buy the good stuff.  I promise it makes a difference to buy real Hershey's chocolate chips or ghirardelli (whatever is cheaper, let's be honest) as opposed to the Kroger brand because that chocolate just isn't good- sure it melts fine, BUT YOU CAN TASTE A DIFFERENCE, and if you're gonna make these chocolate chip cookies, they need to be done right.

• You can also add some heath bits at this point and sprinkle the cookies with sea salt just before popping them in the oven.  I learned this from my dear friend Sara who made some DELECTABLE salted toffee cookies the other weekend (i had like 4)

Directions

• Heat oven to 375.  Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
• Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and use your hand mixer.  Just get 'em creamin'.  Beat at a medium speed, SCRAPING THE BOWL OFTEN, until creamy.  
• Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix, scraping down the bowl to make sure everything is incorporating
• Reduce speed to low add the flour mixture slowly, until well mixed.
• With the speed on low, add your bag of chocolate chips (and toffee bits if using)
• I use an ice cream scooper for my cookies to be the same size, but however you do it, get those puppies into balls and pop them onto some baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-14 minutes (I bake them for about 12- they will still look undone but you must remember, they will continue to bake a bit on the hot cookie sheet once they're out of the oven.  If you don't like them gooey, don't take my advice, and suffer the consequences of a hard cookie.  just sayin)

makes...a lot.

ps: this recipe is from Land O' Lakes salted butter package

Utilize Your Leftovers: A $0 Dinner Made of Pantry Randomness

Because the Food Network was on in the background all day while I was doing research for my paper on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I had the itch to cook even though my fridge was full of leftovers. Succumbing to the itch, I decided to make something using what I already had: an exercise in creativity and parsimony. Oh what to make, what to make? Well, there’s some leftover saffron rice, half a package of frozen peas, and a small package of salted cashews that Anthony probably bought for a late-night snack (sorry, babe!). Fried Rice! Oh yum delicious. Here’s how I did it:

Ingredients
-about 3 cups of leftover rice
-cashews
- ½ package of frozen peas
-3 cloves of minced garlic
-a couple of teaspoons of minced fresh ginger (I had some in the freezer! Here’s the deal with ginger: if you need some you have to buy a big piece of the root for only a few little teaspoons. It’s not cheap and the rest will go to waste… unless you freeze it! It keeps quite well that way.)
- some light soy sauce
- 2 eggs
-a splash of champagne vinegar (I’m not sure this is a critical ingredient if you don’t have any…. I just threw it in there just because I wanted to)
-olive oil

Directions
1. Scramble the eggs in a little olive oil (nothing else). Set aside.

2. Add some more olive oil to the pan and start frying your rice (I mean, you don’t have to drench it in oil, just enough to coat)

3.Once it gets going, add some soy sauce, champagne vinegar, ginger and garlic.Cook your garlic, but careful not to burn it.

4.Add the peas and heat through. Take a little taste to see how the flavors are melding. Add more of anything you feel like you need to.

5.Add the eggs, cut them up with your spatula, and stir it though so that there’s an even distribution of everything.

And that’s all. In the words of Ina Garten, “Now how easy is that???” Let me tell you something, people, it was so flipping good. Pretty healthy, too, I think… And it didn’t cost anything! Yay!

Baked Chickpeas and Beef Stir Fry

ladies and you few gentlemen, I present to you a couple of recipes: baked chickpeas and beef stir fry.  completely unrelated but I don't want to make two posts so work with me.  Before we continue I must ask: have any of you made the Olive Oil-Orange poundcake yet?  Or have you at least bought the ingredients with the intention of making it?  If not you should have, like, yesterday.  Get on it!

Ok so I was watching Food Network (naturally) and Claire Robinson (who I don't normally watch) was making tapas- well, if you know me and my love of latin culture, I was instantly hooked.  She made these baked chickpeas and it seemed to me quite interesting and I thought "well gosh that's like under $1 to make so why not make it and try it?" and can I tell you...they were scrumptious.  I would bake them for a few minutes longer than she suggests in the recipe because I like them to be crunchy (they almost remind me of corn nuts).  Anyway, it's a SUPER healthy snack, packed with protein (and fiber..hellooo they're BEANS) and super duper cheap.  Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/spicy-baked-chickpeas-recipe/index.html

here's what they look like to give you a visual:

yum.

Now, onto the main event: this beef stir fry I speak of.  Relatively healthy and delectably delicious.  My husband said to me not once, not twice, but THREE times how good it was- DO YOU KNOW HOW UNUSUAL THAT IS?? not that I make bad food but my hubs is a man of few words so if he repeatedly tells me something is good, that means IT'S GOOD.  

this recipe is courtesy of my fav, the pioneer woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com)  

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
• 1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)
• Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling
• Cilantro Leaves

Preparation Instructions

• Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

• Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

• Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat. 

• *Update/Note: you can also whip up an extra batch of liquid if you do not want to use the same liquid you use for the meat.

• Turn off boiling water, then throw in noodles. Stir, then allow noodles to sit in hot water for 8 minutes or so (check package directions to be sure.) Drain, then add 1/2 the noodles to stir fry. Toss together, then add more noodles to taste. Add very hot water if needed to thin.

• Top with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately. 

***changes I made: I added scallions to add with the cilantro, instead of rice noodles I served it over brown rice, and I added some edamame (air force people, you can find it in the frozen vegetable section of the commisary), I did NOT use jalapeno although I would have loved some heat.

Enjoy.  Everyone's husbands will love this dish, promise.

it came to me in my sleep

....that kate and i are not just yet recipe engineers, although we have been in some areas, and will be one day, we are not just yet the genius's behind most of the recipes you see on here.  so, i thought i should clarify that we are just a couple of food-lovin' ladies who are seeking out recipes that look SCRUMPTIOUS and sharing them with you so that you, too, can share in the scrumptiousness.  Yes, you could go to the websites that we go to and find great recipes- and we encourage you to do so, but think of our blog as sort of "the reader's digest" to great recipes out there- we're taking the guess work out for you! if we've tried it, and we've liked it, we're posting it on here to share with you!  and mallory, don't hate on me for comparing it to "the reader's digest" when i know good and well my posts are miles long, but you get what i'm sayin', here!

ok that's all just wanted to clarify and say much love to you all and THANK YOU for following the Food Adventures of Bitsa Bitsa and Rag Rag!  (please if you don't know who they are go to our very first post, otherwise you will forever think we are total freaks)

m

Olive Oil-Orange Pound Cake

Hello Friends.

You'll be seeing a lot of me on here as Kate is busy finishing up her last semester of school for her MSW.  keep it up, kk.  you're a rock star. 

So I would like to preface this entire blog (a little late I know, but work with me) by saying that Kate and I are recent foodies, just diving in to this fascinating culinary world.  There are many things we make up (such as kate's mexican creation post) but there are many things we have to get inspiration for.  That inspiration comes from cook books, recipes in magazines (that I unashamedly steal out of magazines from doctor's offices, magazines at the gym, etc), and websites.  I'd venture to say that outside of foodnetwork.com, bhg.com, and cookinglight.com, our fav go-to lady is none other than thepioneerwoman.com.  Ok, just had to explain all that before I get on with the post.  I found this on her site from ANOTHER blog she follows and it looked too good NOT to try.  It's a Portuguese guy (from what I gather- I was on the site very quickly- just to get this recipe) and I had never heard of anything like this, so, without further ado, the Olive Oil Orange Pound Cake from http://leitesculinaria.com:

Ingredients

• Nonstick baking spray with flour
• 4 to 5 large navel oranges
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups mild extra-virgin olive oil
• Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

•  Position a rack in the middle of the oven, remove any racks above, and crank up the heat to 350°F (175°C). Coat a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan with baking spray and set aside.

• Finely grate the zest of 3 of the oranges, then squeeze 4 of them. You should have 1 1/2 cups of juice; if not, squeeze the 5th orange. Set aside.

•  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

•  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand held mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs on medium-high speed until well-combined, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the granulated sugar and continue beating until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and oil, starting and ending with the flour, and beat until just a few wisps of flour remain. Pour in the orange juice and zest and whirl for a few seconds to bring the batter together.

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 1 1/4 hours. If the top is browning too much as the cake bakes, cover lightly with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.

•  Turn the cake out onto the rack and cool completely, then place it in a covered cake stand and let it sit overnight. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

look at that delectable orange zest in there.  this cake is truly, truly delicious in every way.  so moist, so light (did you notice there's no butter??) and so refreshing.  a perfect go-to if you need to bring something somewhere and you're not feeling chocolate.  i bet you could even substitute the orange with some lemon or grapefruit or lime for other variations.  however you make it, you need to try this cake.  it's DELISH and a half.

 

Mac and Cheese

So my mom recently got married (congrats, Mom and Bern!!).  They went to Sedona, AZ to elope and had their reception back at her beautiful home in GA.  She had apparently been craving mac and cheese since Thanksgiving, when I made some and then failed to leave any leftovers at her house (the next morning she woke up sorely disappointed because there was nothing that could satisfy her craving for the creamy goodness of mac and cheese).  So, she requested that I make macaroni and cheese for her wedding reception (the theme was southern- we had to show their Boston friends a bit about southern cuisine.  Disclaimer: in actuality, just because we live in GA does NOT mean we eat like most southerners and cook and eat Paula Dean style- although we love you, Paula).  So, I searched around my fav website (minus this one), www.thepioneerwoman.com and found a recipe for mac and cheese.  I'll add in the changes I made (just one, really) and also tell you that I multiplied this recipe by 3 to feed 20 people and we STILL had leftovers- never underestimate the power of mac and cheese.  I'll stop typing now and get to it.  So, onto the BEST MAC AND CHEESE EVER (without costing you a fortune because let's face it, the 'best mac and cheese' ever has cheeses in it that are 1) expensive 2) hard to pronounce 3)can never be found in your regular cheese section, you have to go to the specialty area of the grocery store, and im sorry, but i can't afford that just yet!  so my recipe is just good ole' sharp cheddar and parmesan)

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired (we ran out of ground so I used some dijon and it was delish)
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated (I mixed sharp cheddar and parmesan...GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE!)
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste (didn't use)
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme (I didn't use any of these)

Preparation Instructions

• Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

• In a small bowl, beat egg.

• In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

(not a great pic of me sprinkling in the flour but you get the idea) 

• Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes, or until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

• Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together til smooth.

• Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

• Add in cheese and stir to melt.

 (there's really no point to this picture other than to show off Mal and I's grating skills)

• Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDER-SALT.

• Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

• Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into sprayed baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. (kate would encourage you to make your own breadcrumbs with herbs and sprinkle that on top but I was pressed for time.  although that would be a DELICIOUS option)

Dear Natalie Maines:

As a follow up to Meredith's last post I have to let the world know that this sweet potato and black bean chili (courtesy of eatingwell.com) is truely inspirational. I have made it dozens of times since I discovered it because it is Anthony's favorite. He asks for it all the time. It accomplishes all of our goals: delicious, healthy, and cheap. I can make a double batch for about $12 and it feeds us all week long, no joke. Because my carniverous husband is convinced that he cannot be full without meat, I usually add a pound of lean ground turkey. A word to the wise: if you do this you have to season the patootie out it; I throw in some garlic, onion, and the same spices I put in the chili. (For the full recipe, see the post below).

So one night I was making the chili with the Dixie Chicks serenading me from my computer. I was dancing around and having a grand 'ole time when all of a sudden I got really really sad. In response, I wrote this letter to Natalie Maines:


Natalie,

My name is Kate and I am a 23 year old, Obama-loving, tattooed, sorority Texas girl living in Houston. I started listening to the Dixie Chicks from their beginning. In fact, going to your Fly concert in the 7th grade wearing my pink tank top and zebra-striped pants is one of my favorite adolescent memories. I’m currently standing in the kitchen making my famous sweet potato and black bean chili with my iTunes blaring and I have to say:

I miss your music.

The Dixie Chicks gave a voice to women like me, even after the whole Bush debacle. I loved your music before and I loved it even more afterwards. I’m in my last semester of graduate school and wanted to share an article with you that one of my professors wrote.

http://www.brenebrown.com/voice-lessons-from-the-dixie-c/

I hope that your hiatus from music has been restorative and that you have been able to find peace. If a permanent break from the music industry is what is in your best interest, then I am fully supportive and wish you the best. If there is any doubt in your mind, however, please hear that you still have an audience that dearly misses you and your unique contribution to music. While we anxiously await your return we’ll keep dancing in the kitchen and singing “Not Ready to Make Nice” at the top of our lungs.

Blessings,

Kate Orona



Watch out: this chili is magical and makes you do crazy things... like make you write overly-emotional letters to famous musicians that you've never met...