Pecan Sheet Pie with Chocolate & Molasses

This is a bit involved, yet very worth it, 10/10. I did not want to make the full recipe due to it making such a huge amount, so I halved it...and even so, still had to modify a bit, as the pan I was using was amount 40% of the area of the one requested in the recipe (8.5"x11.25" vs. 18"x13"). I'm listing the amounts below for the FULL recipe and added notes for parts I had to modify for halving the recipe.

Original recipe credit (you may hit paywall if you are not subscribed, apologies in advance): https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-pecan-sheet-pie-with-molasses

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

crust--

3/4 c. pecans (about 2 oz.)

1 1/2 T. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3 sticks (1 1/2 c.) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small bits (I cut pats, then cut them in fourths)

3/4 c. ice water (amount is for water after ice is removed)

first filling--

2 sticks (1 c.) unsalted butter

2 c. sugar

1 2/3 c. light corn syrup

1/3 c. molasses (NOT blackstrap)

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. kosher salt

8 large eggs, lightly beaten

candied pecans--

1 large egg white (if halving, still use this amount)

1/4 c. brown sugar (packed)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. pecans (about 8 oz.)

1 T. sugar

second filling--

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (note: original recipe indicates you can use semi-sweet chips instead; I did this, and while it did work, I do not recommend it)

1/2 c. heavy cream

Directions:

1. for the crust: Add the pecans, sugar, and salt to the receptacle of a large food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Then add the flour and pulse again until combined. (NOTE: if you are doing the full recipe, you may want to do this part in halves, as I think there would be too much to process all at once in the full quantity).

2. Add the butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs texture is reached. Then, with motor running, slowly pour in the ice water and let run until dough comes together.

3. Knead dough a couple of times, forming a ball. Then press flat into a rectangular slab, cover in plastic wrap, and chill in fridge for an hour.

4. Line countertop with a long piece of parchment (at least 20" if doing full size, 13" for half). Lightly dust with flour and transfer dough to the center. Flatten as much as you can with palm of hand, then lightly flour and cover with a second piece of parchment on top. Roll the dough (you will either need someone to hold the parchment or you can tape it down) until it is 1/4" thick and is just slightly larger than the baking sheet size in dimensions.

5. Remove the top sheet of parchment and transfer the dough (with bottom parchment) to baking sheet. Crimp edges for "pie crust" edge look and press dough as need to fit into pan. Prick dough all over bottom with a fork. Freeze for 20 min. 

6. While dough freezes, heat oven to 375°F. When dough is finished freezing, transfer to oven and bake for 20 min. Cool completely on wire rack before continuing to next step.

7. If you turned your oven off while crust cooled, you need to reheat it to 375°F now.  For the first filling: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue heating and stirring until brown solids start to show (around 5 min). Remove from heat immediately and stir in the sugar.

8. Add the corn syrup, molasses, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine, then whisk in the eggs. Pour mixture into the baked crust shell but DO NOT OVERFILL! In my case (when I halved the recipe), I ended up tossing out about half of the halved filling mixture because it would not have fit. Basically, use your own judgment here. If you are doing the full recipe, you may want to pull out the oven rack, place your sheet, then pour in mixture (rather than try to not slosh as you put it in oven; this was not necessary with a smaller pan, but was suggested in original recipe).

9. Bake for 10 min, then REDUCE oven temperature to 325°F. Bake for additional 25 min. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

10. Meanwhile, INCREASE oven temperature to 350°F. For the candied pecans: Whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy. Whisk in the brown sugar and salt. Stir in the pecans to coat in mixture.

11. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spread coated pecans out in single layer on the foil and transfer to oven. Bake for 4 min, stir/toss the pecans around on the sheet, then bake for 4 more min.

12. Remove from oven and transfer pecans to a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over them and toss to coat. Once pecans have cooled, chop coarsely.

13. For the second filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, stirring frequently, until simmering. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth, then spread atop the first filling in the pie.

14. Sprinkle the pecans over the melted chocolate mixture (this must be done immediately while still warm!) and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Linguine with Bacon, Brie, and Basil

Super wonderfully tasty, 10/10! And easy. And quick. So make it tonight or soon!

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/-U_fIdVVioY

Original recipe credit: https://www.heinens.com/recipes/bacon-brie-basil-linguine/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

(am working on it, hang tight!)

Ingredients:

6 strips thick bacon, chopped

8 oz. dry linguine (can go up to 16 oz. if desired)

8 oz. mushrooms (button or cremini), sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. heavy cream

8 oz. Brie, rind removed, cut in small chunks

1 c. reserved pasta cooking water

3 c. baby spinach

1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

~2 T. fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until starting to crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. RESERVE 1 cup of the pasta cooking water when draining.

3. Add the mushrooms to the rendered bacon drippings in the pan, stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have started to brown at edges.

4. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the cream. Cook for additional 3-4 min, until it starts to thicken a little.

5. Add the Brie cheese and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brie has melted completely and combined with the sauce.

6. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium and cook for 2-3 min, until it starts to thicken a little.

7. Stir in the spinach, followed by the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Cook for additional 2-3 min, until spinach wilts and sauce is uniform/well-combined. Stir in the reserved cooked bacon.

8. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the cooked linguine and enjoy!! 

Cookie Butter Snickerdoodles

Ohhh yummm. These are very tasty cookies...yep, another 10/10! What more can I say? Grab a glass of milk (or your preferred beverage to go with cookies) and make these today :)

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/Oxh1JtJeLIc

Original recipe credit: https://www.thefreshcooky.com/chewy-cookie-butter-snickerdoodles/

Recipe below contains my my modifications.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter, softened

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. cookie butter

1 large egg (whole)

1 large egg white

2 tsp. vanilla extract

170 g white whole wheat flour

150g all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

coating mixture--

2 T. sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Line baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butters and sugar (for at least 3 minutes).

3. Add the cookie butter and mix until well combined.

4. Add the egg, egg white, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in about a third of this dry mixture at a time, mixing only until just combined (don't overmix).

6. Make the coating mixture: stir together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

7. Use a medium (#40, 1.5 T) cookie scoop to portion balls of dough. Shape each into a smooth ball and roll in the coating mixture. 

8. Place the dough balls 2" apart on prepared baking sheets. Place in fridge for 10 min. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F.

9. Bake the chilled dough balls for 9-10 min. The cookies will look puffy. After removing from oven, let them rest on baking sheet for 5-7 min, until they have deflated a bit and look more "set".

10. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!

Almond Crusted Tilapia with Smoked Paprika

So very tasty! And easy, too! 10/10 (yes, again, I know!) The only modification I made was to use 3 tilapia filets instead of 4. Even so, I still used pretty much all the mixtures.

Link to original recipe: https://www.cuisineathome.com/recipes/lunch-dinner/almond-crusted-fish-with-smoked-paprika/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 c. panko

2 T. chopped fresh curly parsley

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

1 T. olive oil

kosher salt, to taste

coarse ground black pepper, to taste

for the seasoning--

1 T. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

3 tilapia filets

olive oil, for brushing

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a food processor, pulse the toasted almonds, panko, parsley, thyme, 1 T. olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper, until coarsely chopped.

3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, kosher salt, and pepper. Place the tilapia filets on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle all over and spread the paprika mixture to coat the filets on both sides.

4. Brush each filet on both sides with olive oil. Top and spread the almond mixture to coat both sides of filets, pressing lightly to adhere.

5. Bake for 12-15 min, until filets are firm/done. (I went 14 min.) Serve with desired side (I recommend long grain & wild rice) and enjoy!

Boneless Pork Chops with White Wine Sauce

YUM! So very delicious and easy, another 10/10!

Link to my YouTube of preparation: https://youtu.be/7MlT1RHX21U

Original recipe credit: https://whatsinthepan.com/pork-chops-in-creamy-white-wine-sauce/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

3 boneless pork chops (mine weighed 1.5 lbs total)

2 T. unsalted butter

for the sauce--

2 T. unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. leftover dredging mixture (or just use fresh flour)

1/2 c. dry white wine

juice from 1/4 of a lemon

1/2 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl (wide enough to dredge the pork chops in it). Dredge pork chops in the mixture to coat well all over.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter. Once it has melted, add the pork chops. Cook for 4 minutes, then lower heat to medium and cook for 4 additional minutes on other side.

3. Transfer chops to a plate and cover to keep warm. Begin the sauce: add the next 2 T. of butter to pan. Once it has melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the butter and stir to combine. Carefully stir in the white wine, followed by the chicken stock and heavy cream.

5. Squeeze the lemon juice over the sauce, then stir in the Italian seasoning and thyme. You may also want to salt and pepper the sauce, to taste. Let simmer for 2-3 min.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low and return pork chops to pan, along with any accumulated juices. Turn them to coat in the sauce and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

7. Serve chops with sauce and enjoy!

Thai Red Curry Shrimp & Veggies

Sooooo goooood! I could eat this for days. 10/10 all the way. It's even better leftover, too.

Link to my YouTube of recipe preparation: https://youtu.be/ep_B6QCw5rA

Original recipe credit: https://www.littlebroken.com/red-curry-shrimp/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small orange bell pepper, thinly sliced (could also use red or yellow)

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 T. jarred minced ginger (or 1 T. freshly grated)

1 T. jarred mined garlic

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

2 T. Thai red curry paste

2 tsp. honey

4 tsp. fish sauce

1 T. creamy peanut butter

Kosher salt

coarse ground black pepper

12 oz. frozen jumbo shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined

1 T. fresh lime juice

zest of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, stir to coat in the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (4-5 min). 

2. Stir in the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

3. Stir in the ginger and garlic. Cook for 1 min.

4. Stir in the coconut milk, curry paste, honey, fish sauce, and peanut butter. Season with Kosher salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for around 5 min.

5. Add the shrimp to the pan, stir to coat. Cook for 3-4 min.

6. Stir in the lime juice and zest. Cook for 1 more min.

7. Remove from heat, serve (I recommend with rice), and enjoy!

Pressure Cooker Garlic Chicken Thighs

Very delicious, 10/10 for taste and ease of preparation. I wasn't sure if the original recipe wanted the thighs to be with skin or without (skinned can mean both, ugh!), so I kept the skin. I'm sure they would also be equally tasty without, should you choose to go that route. Also, I should have gone 14 min of pressure, as the two biggest thighs didn't quite get all the way done (I cooked them the rest of the way after the video, of course).

Note: "Pressure cooker" in this recipe refers to a programmable electric pressure cooker, such as an Instant Pot.

YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/yudrbBvK5Y0

Original recipe credit: https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/instant-pot-garlic-chicken-thighs

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

40 oz. bone-in chicken thighs (or 50 oz, like I used in the video--be sure to add 2 min to pressure time)

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 c. chicken stock (link is to homemade recipe here on blog)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. water

1 T. chopped fresh curly parsley

Directions:

1. Set the pressure cooker to Sauté and let heat for 3 min. Meanwhile, pat dry the chicken.

2. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, dried oregano, Kosher salt, and pepper. Season chicken all over with the spice mixture.

3. Add the olive oil to the heated pressure cooker's pot/insert. Place half (or less, depending on size of chicken pieces--don't crowd!) of chicken pieces in the oil. Cook for 5 minutes on first side, then flip and cook for 3 minutes on other side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces (also transfer the second batch pieces to the plate).

4. Stop the sauté function. Drain/wipe out any excess grease from pot.

5. Add the chicken stock and garlic to the pot. Stir to combine.

6. Place the rack/trivet (that came with the pressure cooker) in the pot. Place a thigh in center of rack, then layer rest around it. Pour any accumulated juices from the plate into the pot.

7. Check lid carefully (seal in place, etc) and cover pot, lock into closed position for sealing. Make sure the venting valve is set to SEALING. Set Poultry setting to 12 min (13 or 14 if pieces are larger) and start.

8. When the pressure cycle has finished, unplug and carefully do a quick release of the steam (valve to VENTING). Once pressure has fully released, open lid carefully, steam side away from you.

9. Transfer chicken pieces to a clean plate and remove the rack/trivet. Plug the device in again and set to Sauté. Meanwhile, stir together the cornstarch and water until fully combined. Stir this into to the mixture in the pot. Let simmer/boil until desired thickness has been reached, stirring occasionally.

10. Turn off cooker. Stir in the parsley and serve sauce atop chicken (and mashed potatoes, if having as side). Enjoy!