tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91721426282759568152024-03-13T01:09:00.879-04:00The Nerdy ChefAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773358053766297329noreply@blogger.comBlogger307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-78724102762989345312020-01-29T18:47:00.001-05:002020-01-29T18:47:38.868-05:00Baked Pimento DipIt seems like everyone is on some sort of low-carb diet, which can limit the delicious food free-for-all that's the best part of the SuperBowl. I love a good pizza (or even a bad one; let's be honest), and wings are a classic, but the easiest dish to satisfy just about everyone is a dip. I've made dips that taste like <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/01/philly-cheesesteak-dip.html">Philly cheesesteak</a> and <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/01/everything-bagel-dip.html">everything bagels</a> and all sorts of other flavors, and my main conclusion is that nobody can resist a hot, gooey, cheesy dip.<br />
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This one is inspired by pimento cheese, a southern classic often served cold on sandwiches but made infinitely better by increasing the cheese ratio and heating until hot and bubbly. You can make it healthier by serving dippable veggies like carrots or peppers, or just give in to the SuperBowl temptation and eat it with a spoon.<br />
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You only need 5 ingredients and some self-control to get this dish ready and in the oven. Just combine cream cheese and mayo, stir in shredded cheddar, and add in diced pimentos and a squeeze of Dijon. You can dress it up with some fancier cheeses but the beauty of pimento cheese lies in its simplicity. Another option is to add in some heat via cayenne pepper or diced fresh peppers of your choice, though if your SuperBowl spread already has some heat it may be worth keeping at least one dish mild for those of us who can't handle anything spicy.<br />
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As for accoutrements, crackers and toasted bread are always reliable. Carrots, celery, and bell peppers would be tasty options for the healthier crowd. You could also get creative with your other snacking options and dip whatever else is nearby on your table. Cheesy buffalo wings, anyone? The options are endless.<br />
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4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened<br />
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar<br />
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise<br />
2 T Diced Pimentos<br />
1 tsp Dijon Mustard<br />
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Heat oven to 375F. Grease a baking dish.<br />
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Mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise together. Stir in the shredded cheese, pimentos, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper.<br />
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Transfer the dip to the baking dish and bake for 12 minutes or until golden and bubbly.<br />
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Recipe Adapted from Buns in my OvenThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-74528058855335393772019-12-31T18:36:00.001-05:002019-12-31T18:36:11.186-05:00Top 20 Recipes for 2020I love doing these sorts of annual recaps, but I feel like I've been doing the same style for the past few years and the top recipes of all time don't change much. This year, I decided to switch it up for a new year and a new decade. I'm going with the 20 recipes I'm most excited to cook in 2020, from apps to entrees to plenty of desserts. I've made some of them plenty of times and others not enough, but they're all delicious and will make 2020 even better. So without further ado, here are 20 of my favorite recipes (in alphabetical order) that will hopefully start your year off right.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/07/apple-pie.html">Apple Pie</a><br />
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2. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/12/australian-meat-pie.html">Australian Meat Pie</a><br />
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3. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/03/black-and-white-cookies.html">Black & White Cookies</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkdNLfhyWmvZipE2xYLBloipjnVMKhNuU6tdWtWVRe-WULsHfl-Tg7pvAg7GXSlIbjNVkVogL822u88WjcgZedTSkZYcFm7-WS14FYVdYeEv5_MIFa_DJONhwumeb-ghXywFcauan2vo/s1600/Black+and+White+Cookies+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkdNLfhyWmvZipE2xYLBloipjnVMKhNuU6tdWtWVRe-WULsHfl-Tg7pvAg7GXSlIbjNVkVogL822u88WjcgZedTSkZYcFm7-WS14FYVdYeEv5_MIFa_DJONhwumeb-ghXywFcauan2vo/s320/Black+and+White+Cookies+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/07/blackberry-almond-coffee-cake.html">Blackberry Almond Coffee Cake</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jExNsxZ1wUxB6r47BnZMaNrexwpj9uClUV_E8g6NbW9R6asoPV5iX_HDrtJiYPY8OTu-b47kGCWwvOfKwJFsplAqY4m_s9oBZe43SoTKWn5osniIWJnpmiU8kXvv7oaoTszXMaxEyic/s1600/Blackberry+Coffeecake+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jExNsxZ1wUxB6r47BnZMaNrexwpj9uClUV_E8g6NbW9R6asoPV5iX_HDrtJiYPY8OTu-b47kGCWwvOfKwJFsplAqY4m_s9oBZe43SoTKWn5osniIWJnpmiU8kXvv7oaoTszXMaxEyic/s320/Blackberry+Coffeecake+8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/09/buttermilk-roasted-chicken-with-gravy.html">Buttermilk Roasted Chicken</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2JDgIi0HyX__y01ie8J5JbBecat_orB8vUdwleReSyg1AybEWZCtha1W1dBgmKQuvt0Q9MGuShL5GJ_wQcQqBfzRb02Bixd-y9AT0MStvMbRvSnmT_YefcpdkwYF26eelKX2gKy0ydE/s1600/Buttermilk+Roasted+Chicken+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2JDgIi0HyX__y01ie8J5JbBecat_orB8vUdwleReSyg1AybEWZCtha1W1dBgmKQuvt0Q9MGuShL5GJ_wQcQqBfzRb02Bixd-y9AT0MStvMbRvSnmT_YefcpdkwYF26eelKX2gKy0ydE/s320/Buttermilk+Roasted+Chicken+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/10/roasted-carrot-bacon-soup.html">Carrot Bacon Soup</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JBjAbb7vxkbbQdKh73GtfwgpBMNWCvX15duU1cp6eaZa1JRIrwKJKv6mjHwA3rt9DRLiFRZqB8kJQQDg0g4C95rwB6Fy-XVTiQ0t3Qkv_6TczpL39RFBpClzhq-b5CXIVgmYt2O6700/s1600/Roasted+Carrot+%2526+Bacon+Soup+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JBjAbb7vxkbbQdKh73GtfwgpBMNWCvX15duU1cp6eaZa1JRIrwKJKv6mjHwA3rt9DRLiFRZqB8kJQQDg0g4C95rwB6Fy-XVTiQ0t3Qkv_6TczpL39RFBpClzhq-b5CXIVgmYt2O6700/s320/Roasted+Carrot+%2526+Bacon+Soup+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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6. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/03/chocolate-fudge-pecan-pie.html">Chocolate Fudge Pecan Pie</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8Ie-DeaqpZQOZYxZqhYd86n4CCcM9wZ2m__wOxxT5K9ZVMgtmB5MMHwdDJgIF7ejokA7CHxaoD0eFxGJmPFKCe9BP_KBbpRVa5CJ1mSxOdQPRikWYRkETfFgBAoY6mm98iIUcA1qqyw/s1600/Chocolate+Fudge+Pecan+Pie+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8Ie-DeaqpZQOZYxZqhYd86n4CCcM9wZ2m__wOxxT5K9ZVMgtmB5MMHwdDJgIF7ejokA7CHxaoD0eFxGJmPFKCe9BP_KBbpRVa5CJ1mSxOdQPRikWYRkETfFgBAoY6mm98iIUcA1qqyw/s320/Chocolate+Fudge+Pecan+Pie+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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7. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/02/chocolate-peanut-butter-swirl-cookies.html">Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx5J__xTmc9XIhUU5M7RWAYiEjdKcFopabWEQ6nACJEDhjcRK4W40_xZEzcm2FuyBddkSb9UqL7dTsq5KQVzsjx8clZuStJEMI6Nm7oKBMzcQHvhffDoiqWwDf0Xs11BdNqNZMv1wuf0/s1600/Peanut+Butter+Swirl+Cookies+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx5J__xTmc9XIhUU5M7RWAYiEjdKcFopabWEQ6nACJEDhjcRK4W40_xZEzcm2FuyBddkSb9UqL7dTsq5KQVzsjx8clZuStJEMI6Nm7oKBMzcQHvhffDoiqWwDf0Xs11BdNqNZMv1wuf0/s320/Peanut+Butter+Swirl+Cookies+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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8. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2013/02/croque-poulet.html">Croque Poulet</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDeDe-adVln8qSxsGSZdS9eGWj46PDWtHBP321nRhftDwOACPwHHlRTnzLaREk0W_7nT4nSiwI4UKtOsn8i0Xu1y5qz2FZ0VSbsxthc7BwNoSBC1OYRY_3MKKPNXJVokY5oZFEnExJtk/s1600/Croque+Poulet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDeDe-adVln8qSxsGSZdS9eGWj46PDWtHBP321nRhftDwOACPwHHlRTnzLaREk0W_7nT4nSiwI4UKtOsn8i0Xu1y5qz2FZ0VSbsxthc7BwNoSBC1OYRY_3MKKPNXJVokY5oZFEnExJtk/s320/Croque+Poulet+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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9. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/05/deep-dish-pizza.html">Deep Dish Pizza</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxRIdG3fkXfMHz6R06bxU0Q55e_xVU3OwWP8yasGnxuCH8ZfE51qmZAK4GazCS8pJwnt_hMcoGEePb_9J9wHcMAvSCBdciNOouMWB4rWlyjMOTGzWlJejUL3sqX2NHYOv2Ud3sQcaOzU/s1600/Deep+Dish+Pizza+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxRIdG3fkXfMHz6R06bxU0Q55e_xVU3OwWP8yasGnxuCH8ZfE51qmZAK4GazCS8pJwnt_hMcoGEePb_9J9wHcMAvSCBdciNOouMWB4rWlyjMOTGzWlJejUL3sqX2NHYOv2Ud3sQcaOzU/s320/Deep+Dish+Pizza+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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10. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/01/everything-bagel-dip.html">Everything Bagel Dip</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jNM48zfn3Q45-nQYlq2mGYwSgo-qNgZlGJTohuJzSepfJgpUSse_11-9xe9euh3dOFjFxC0vO8OErI_Hhu_D8fV0mbKA4eAJLoyUh777UYqRCe9G4AeAMOKswOyNVYDFtXAYPQ8s00E/s1600/Everything+Bagel+Dip+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jNM48zfn3Q45-nQYlq2mGYwSgo-qNgZlGJTohuJzSepfJgpUSse_11-9xe9euh3dOFjFxC0vO8OErI_Hhu_D8fV0mbKA4eAJLoyUh777UYqRCe9G4AeAMOKswOyNVYDFtXAYPQ8s00E/s320/Everything+Bagel+Dip+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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11. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2016/06/flank-steak-with-tomato-caper-relish.html">Flank Steak w/ Tomato Caper Relish</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WgRgN1tDiyeKJAkDThbJgZzeeDkztotKdzD87VQ2UcgoxlHEyUFzO9PdZCxPMDEFg75rEw9frFXEsSMGCM9_R3G0bGKgfFAgg9eXDcGWPHhqhTeaqwPH6edCaJtXQQMpu5_inIHaxE/s1600/Steak+with+Tomato+Caper+Relish+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WgRgN1tDiyeKJAkDThbJgZzeeDkztotKdzD87VQ2UcgoxlHEyUFzO9PdZCxPMDEFg75rEw9frFXEsSMGCM9_R3G0bGKgfFAgg9eXDcGWPHhqhTeaqwPH6edCaJtXQQMpu5_inIHaxE/s320/Steak+with+Tomato+Caper+Relish+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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12. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/06/grilled-ribeye-with-rosemary.html">Grilled Ribeye</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWucNINvKanqiw9Sdqe3-zYwkMkRdg8rCJ9P05XhlFvXai9x9d5d6Y8JuO8uL1HF-6gSxP4p1URZZqinP8ErOrM_E9QR9RRSRZzJuIWuFqAmbRKFdA4H8xwar2ebrhUatVzVLYzBZ2sfc/s1600/Steak+with+Rosemary+Vidalia+Butter+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWucNINvKanqiw9Sdqe3-zYwkMkRdg8rCJ9P05XhlFvXai9x9d5d6Y8JuO8uL1HF-6gSxP4p1URZZqinP8ErOrM_E9QR9RRSRZzJuIWuFqAmbRKFdA4H8xwar2ebrhUatVzVLYzBZ2sfc/s320/Steak+with+Rosemary+Vidalia+Butter+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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13. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/01/louisiana-chicken-stew.html">Louisiana Chicken Stew</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiesiuYpKiG88BokgGjDNkSn8xbRgQhnu2OHGb77BhQpP_UrwSOziuH3tyBKXBcxiYPV0iM5Z5bhR7Sty09KRwxRwDOAjv_q1plYSo989-NYR1vwg-Go6XdiTLI0KjpK-dfVfjzulxmo/s1600/Louisiana+Chicken+Stew+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiesiuYpKiG88BokgGjDNkSn8xbRgQhnu2OHGb77BhQpP_UrwSOziuH3tyBKXBcxiYPV0iM5Z5bhR7Sty09KRwxRwDOAjv_q1plYSo989-NYR1vwg-Go6XdiTLI0KjpK-dfVfjzulxmo/s320/Louisiana+Chicken+Stew+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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14. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/03/matzo-ball-soup.html">Matzo Ball Soup</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1JevPRrczC7hwA-LLQtRWXA2sMKQYfecpvzKRqaOjgcW7DMcW9uhoTHxR6_n4cuPjhuZqJSvdgrsccYgbv9-RWV2Z7pVCjh7K-aZPkbZQq5o1cAv7O4N9JC73ALxbFmljO3wwRnPhL4/s1600/Matzo+Ball+Soup+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1600" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1JevPRrczC7hwA-LLQtRWXA2sMKQYfecpvzKRqaOjgcW7DMcW9uhoTHxR6_n4cuPjhuZqJSvdgrsccYgbv9-RWV2Z7pVCjh7K-aZPkbZQq5o1cAv7O4N9JC73ALxbFmljO3wwRnPhL4/s320/Matzo+Ball+Soup+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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15. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/02/pasta-allamatriciana.html">Pasta Amatriciana</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLkPz4dNEdz_exodOMhWXRbtP7CVkrLgbTnst4SfXQL4U-AHdszF0Jfq-elD-dEcQ0YXBH479LaKFLfg3GWFJB5EsC22i1Wo_WV20HM8c1u1YO5qyDEW0YN3qJL4Df6pqaXIvE5PPu0U/s1600/Pasta+Allamatriciana+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLkPz4dNEdz_exodOMhWXRbtP7CVkrLgbTnst4SfXQL4U-AHdszF0Jfq-elD-dEcQ0YXBH479LaKFLfg3GWFJB5EsC22i1Wo_WV20HM8c1u1YO5qyDEW0YN3qJL4Df6pqaXIvE5PPu0U/s320/Pasta+Allamatriciana+6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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16. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/08/sesame-chicken-thighs.html">Sesame Chicken Thighs</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_7CK3fmwhc3vCdabTPQfsM7-LEWMX39gZcEOP-7VEKQa3ten_sCHWNfm0fe15gfWqo0uPJgbSNIIhJQGp0XX0kYzyOZo2Kk9jC7T0rOlvr21_7ikrAOOVghOnMh_QjKDW2PCaBQvmkQ/s1600/Sesame+Chicken+Thighs+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_7CK3fmwhc3vCdabTPQfsM7-LEWMX39gZcEOP-7VEKQa3ten_sCHWNfm0fe15gfWqo0uPJgbSNIIhJQGp0XX0kYzyOZo2Kk9jC7T0rOlvr21_7ikrAOOVghOnMh_QjKDW2PCaBQvmkQ/s320/Sesame+Chicken+Thighs+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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17. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/08/shrimp-grits.html">Shrimp & Grits</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lEDiIncFbdc4mu8kkOTFF_xy_t__6dNf2h3h5kKqxCDlRqtDn8GG-M2hlqn9viv7wOZLApc94tmG_Y5OmqyVSMwGmcM1sFZx9qBhTYqcAqFxBQ6KFnkZsiciEi9PfBI8bU4nJmGOTGA/s1600/Shrimp+and+Grits+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lEDiIncFbdc4mu8kkOTFF_xy_t__6dNf2h3h5kKqxCDlRqtDn8GG-M2hlqn9viv7wOZLApc94tmG_Y5OmqyVSMwGmcM1sFZx9qBhTYqcAqFxBQ6KFnkZsiciEi9PfBI8bU4nJmGOTGA/s320/Shrimp+and+Grits+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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18. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2013/12/snickersnaps.html">Snickersnaps</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dAYXkZDhxim40ba7ZG4gr5Ca1lnaifLJqBdu0us4y6mHwkvMGgW-EU-hvS_S7CtVH91avM_CYtgUlrZTyx0wgS51MEYtl5_No-3mu6YwL0AuxAsDAeehosdKqxK9XQEiqWs7nIpJdoI/s1600/Snickersnaps+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dAYXkZDhxim40ba7ZG4gr5Ca1lnaifLJqBdu0us4y6mHwkvMGgW-EU-hvS_S7CtVH91avM_CYtgUlrZTyx0wgS51MEYtl5_No-3mu6YwL0AuxAsDAeehosdKqxK9XQEiqWs7nIpJdoI/s320/Snickersnaps+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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19. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/08/strawberry-cheesecake-ice-cream.html">Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIB18kMglvuked49ro9QQ9_BvPO4IVf_Vy226X4dUMzdwoDvch9MR1Eel83kI5DFd8RtAM2CAdOZyGzi-Gh6hIiEPkqLwQRtOB-E5KIencnIvB2T-oSr5htz6Ay90I8QrQ_MoF6V2Cs0/s1600/Strawberry+Cheesecake+Ice+Cream+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIB18kMglvuked49ro9QQ9_BvPO4IVf_Vy226X4dUMzdwoDvch9MR1Eel83kI5DFd8RtAM2CAdOZyGzi-Gh6hIiEPkqLwQRtOB-E5KIencnIvB2T-oSr5htz6Ay90I8QrQ_MoF6V2Cs0/s320/Strawberry+Cheesecake+Ice+Cream+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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20. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/08/thai-steak-salad.html">Thai Steak Salad</a><br />
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The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-18510242642945279212019-11-20T20:22:00.000-05:002019-11-20T20:22:23.903-05:00Pumpkin Caramel TartPumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving staple, but there are so many ways to dress it up it doesn't make sense to have a plain pumpkin pie on the table anymore. Whether it's a <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/11/pumpkin-cheesecake-pie.html">swirl of cheesecake</a> or baking it in <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2016/10/pumpkin-spice-blondies.html">blondie form</a>, pumpkin pie deserves a little love and a lot more creativity. I'm more of a crust girl than a filling fan myself, so any way to up that ratio automatically gains a few points in my book. Add a caramel base for some more complex sweet notes and you've got quite the showstopper, especially with a big scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of the leftover caramel. This tart will have you abandoning your basic-as-pumpkin-spice pumpkin pie recipe this season, <a href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/canned-pumpkin-isnt-actually-pumpkin/">if it even is pumpkin at all</a>.<br />
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You can usually get away with buying the pie crust at Thanksgiving since there are so many other things that must be homemade and it's so easy to flake out on it. Too bad store-bought crust isn't actually flaky (sorry for the terrible puns... I'm on a post-Halloween candy sugar high). Fortunately, it's super easy to make your own pie dough, and you can even make it a few days in advance so you can focus on all your other Thanksgiving recipes. I've written <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/03/chocolate-fudge-pecan-pie.html">plenty of recipes</a> with advice on pie crusts, so I'll keep it brief: keep everything (especially the butter) as cold as possible and work the dough as little as possible. Since this is a tart, you'll probably have to roll the dough a bit thinner than you would a pie so it covers the whole pan, but you can just cut the ends flush with the edges: no fancy crimping required. You'll also need to blind bake the crust since the thinner layer of pumpkin filling requires less time in the oven. Don't worry; this just entails covering the dough with foil, weighing it down with dry beans or pie weights, and par-baking it so it starts the cooking process without puffing up in the middle.<br />
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Normally, pumpkin pie filling is just a combination of pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spices. This recipe is kinda similar but also kinda not, since a homemade caramel sauce takes the place of the sweetened condensed milk, plus I throw in a spoonful of flour to help it set during baking. Since it's pretty much just whisking a bunch of liquidy ingredients together, you don't even need a stand mixer. While you're on a mixing kick, go ahead and make your own pumpkin spice blend. There's no need to buy an overpriced bottle of the stuff if you already have classic fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. If you don't have those ingredients already, you should go ahead and buy them instead of pumpkin spice.<br />
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The caramel sauce is probably the hardest part of this recipe, but it's as easy as caramel gets. It starts by heating sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and a splash of water together. The corn syrup and cream of tartar prevent the caramel from crystallizing and turning gritty later on, so don't be scared off by the stereotypes. Those ingredients all cook together until the caramel gets as dark as you like. I aim for a dark amber, but it can go over in a snap so make sure to keep an eye on it. The trick is to watch and don't touch, since stirring promotes crystallization and will give you a grainy caramel. Once the caramel reaches the proper color, whisk in some cream to turn it into a smooth, creamy sauce instead of a hard candy.<br />
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To make it all come together, blend the cooled caramel with the pumpkin, an extra spoonful of brown sugar, a bit of flour, eggs, vanilla, and your homemade pumpkin spice blend. The crust is already partially cooked, so you really just have to bake it until the filling is just set and barely wobbly. Once it's cool enough to dig in, serve it a la mode with a bit of extra caramel sauce for your family's new favorite part of Thanksgiving.<br />
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1 Recipe Pie Crust (See Below)<br />
1 Cup Sugar<br />
2 T Brown Sugar<br />
2 T Corn Syrup<br />
Pinch Cream of Tartar<br />
1 Cup Cream<br />
1 Cup Pumpkin<br />
1 T Flour<br />
1/2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp Nutmeg<br />
1/4 tsp Ginger<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
3 Eggs<br />
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Roll the pie dough out to fit a 10" tart pan. Cover with foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Blind bake the crust for 20 minutes at 375F. Set aside to cool and leave oven at 350F.<br />
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Combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and 2T water in a medium pot, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until deep amber, swirling occasionally but not stirring, about 8-10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, flour, spices, salt, vanilla, and the caramel sauce. Whisk in the eggs one at a time.<br />
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Pour the filling into the par-baked crust and bake until just set, about 30 minutes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">For the crust:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Pulse 1 1/4 C flour, 1/4 C sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor until combined. Add 1 stick chilled and cubed butter and pulse until small pieces remain. Combine the an yolk with a tablespoon of cold water and add in. Pulse until it begins to form a ball, adding more water as necessary. Chill.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Makes 1 Tart</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetit</span><br />
<br />The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-38864208415360917732019-10-30T19:04:00.003-04:002019-10-30T19:04:49.746-04:00Halloween Thumbprint CookiesI know Halloween is the one time a year when most people are drowning in candy. Working at a candy company is like that year-round, which is why I'm so excited to finally share a recipe to help use it all up. There's only so much you can eat straight from the wrapper (or sneak from your kids' baskets), so recipes that upcycle candy and can be shared with even more people are so useful, especially this time of year. Pretty much everyone has had a Hershey Kiss cookie, but why not extend that to all chocolatey treats? I'm not just saying that because I work for Mars... there's just something magical about buttery cookies topped with oozy melting caramel and salty peanuts from a Snickers bar or gooey nougat in a Milky Way. Whatever your favorite candy is, I'm sure it will be even better on top of a warm, delicious cookie. That is assuming your favorite candy is something puckeringly sour or gum or something, in which case I'm not sure we can be friends since chocolate is clearly superior.<div>
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I clearly love thumbprint cookies since they translate so well to any occasion, even for <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/04/passover-chocolate-pecan-thumbprint.html">passover</a>. There's a little more leeway with recipes when you can actually eat gluten, but I still go for a basic buttery sugar cookie dough here to let the candies stand out. It's a pretty stiff dough with not as much sugar as you'd expect, which allows the thumbprints to maintain their shape and not be sickeningly sweet when topped with lots of candy. I do use a mix of regular white sugar and light brown sugar for just a hint of molasses-y flavor that makes chocolate chip cookies so good. The trick is to roll the balls and make the indents before chilling the dough, so they're easy to pop in the oven and don't spread too much. You may still need to re-indent the cookies after baking, but these should keep their shape better than most other doughs.</div>
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The hardest part of this recipe is deciding when to add the candy on top. In many thumbprint cookie recipes, you can add the filling before baking, since jams tend to hold up pretty well. However, candy would melt past the point of recognition and ooze everywhere. It's a delicate balance between waiting until the cookies are cool enough to avoid melting the candy too much but are still warm enough to let the chocolate melt a bit and stick to the cookie. I find that letting the cookies cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet and another 2-3 minutes on a wire rack leaves them just warm enough for the candy toppings.</div>
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<div>
Now for the candy itself. The original purpose of this recipe is to use up whatever Halloween candy you have lying around, so really any chocolate candy will do. I'd avoid very sour things as well as very chewy things (you wouldn't swallow gum plain, so why would you swallow it with a cookie?), but if you really like fruity flavors with your sugar cookies it could be worth a shot. I'll also advise against using M&Ms since the candy coating prevents the chocolate from melting and adhering to the cookie. Some of my favorites to use were all sorts of Snickers bars, Milky Way, Twix (gotta have that double cookie action), and, of course, Dove Promises, especially the filled ones. Hershey Kisses and Reeses would also be great, but I'm not looking to be a traitor if I bring these to my office. I always have candy filling up my entire apartment since it's basically part of my job description, but use whatever you have or whatever you can snatch up in the Great Annual November 1 Candy Sale, one of my favorite days of the year.</div>
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<div>
2 Sticks Butter, Softened</div>
<div>
⅓ Cup Sugar</div>
<div>
⅓ Cup Light Brown Sugar</div>
<div>
1 Egg Yolk</div>
<div>
1 tsp Vanilla</div>
<div>
2 Cups + 2 T Flour</div>
<div>
1 T Cornstarch</div>
<div>
½ tsp Salt</div>
<div>
Candy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt, then stir into the dough.</div>
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<div>
Scoop the dough into 1T balls. Roll firmly, then press an indent into the center of each cookie. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.</div>
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<div>
Meanwhile, heat oven to 375F and line a cookie sheet with parchment.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Press the centers down as necessary. When cooled slightly but still warm, press the candy into the center of each cookie. Set aside to cool completely.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Makes 24</div>
<div>
Recipe Adapted from Sugar Spun Run</div>
The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-43213422004136363832019-10-11T18:40:00.002-04:002019-10-11T18:40:51.380-04:00Sweet Potato Lentil ChiliI'm about to turn on the heat in my apartment, and I'm thinking of doing my big seasonal clothing swap in my closet this weekend. It may not be as bad as Denver's 60 degree drop in 24 hours, but October finally hit and it's definitely chilly outside. That means I'm ready for cozy soups and hearty chilis, and I will eat them bundled up in my cute sweaters and fuzzy blankets with my cat as sunset creeps earlier and earlier.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/03/matzo-ball-soup.html">Matzo Ball Soup</a> is my go to and <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/02/southwest-chicken-chili.html">Southwest Chicken Chili</a> is a family favorite, but I'm always looking for more recipes to add to my files. This chili is plenty filling and warms you right up, plus it's accidentally vegan, not that anyone would know unless they asked. Yes, this is one of those unicorn recipes that tastes delicious, suits all sorts of dietary restrictions, and is ready in under an hour. I'll wait while you grab your grocery list.<br />
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A lot of times I have multiple steps in my soup recipes to sear of the meat and saute the veggies just so to build the proper layers of flavor. This recipe is basically an exception, since you only saute off one batch of veggies (specifically the onions) then add everything else right in. You don't even have to cook the onions first if you're pressed for time. If you do want to do the onions separately and maybe add a little more flavor with another step, you can cook off some bacon or ham at the very beginning, plus it makes a great snack if you can't wait for the chili to finish.<br />
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The onions, garlic, and jalapeno are cooked first until fragrant. Another way to jazz it up (besides the bacon or ham, of course) is to add some bell peppers here too. After that, you add in the tomato paste and all the spices. There's nothing crazy, just some chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. You should already have them all in your pantry, and if not I highly recommend buying them since you'll use them in plenty of other recipes too.<br />
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As with pretty much all my recipes, you can adjust the jalapeno and spice levels to suit your taste or even sub in a spicier pepper if you're feeling bold. I let those spices toast for just a minute until they become fragrant to boost the flavors even more. After that, you just stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, and veggie broth and let it all simmer together until tender. The keys here are to use petite diced tomatoes with green chiles for bite sized tomato pieces with some extra kick and dice the sweet potatoes fairly small so that they're also bite sized and cook quickly and evenly. If you can't find any petite diced tomatoes with green chiles, just use two cans of petite diced tomatoes and a small can of diced green chiles. You can also swap in your favorite bean (or add in a few kinds) and add in any other miscellaneous cans you have rolling around in your pantry that could go well. This recipe is extremely fast and flexible, so go forth and retreat into hibernation this fall.<br />
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1 Large Yellow Onion, Diced<br />
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
1 Jalapeno, Minced<br />
2T Tomato Paste<br />
1 T Chili Powder<br />
1 tsp Paprika<br />
1 tsp Cumin<br />
1 tsp Cayenne<br />
2 tsp Garlic Powder<br />
2 tsp Onion Powder<br />
2 10oz Cans Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles<br />
1 14.5oz Can Kidney Beans, Drained<br />
2 lbs Sweet Potatoes, Peeled & Diced<br />
1 1/2 Cups Lentils<br />
4 Cups Vegetable Stock<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, lentils, and vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the lentils are al dente.<br />
<br />
Serves 6-8<br />
Recipe Adapted from Brewing HappinessThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-4632975147950241332019-09-15T15:35:00.002-04:002019-09-15T15:35:17.672-04:00Maple Brown Sugar CookiesWe're only halfway through September, and everyone is already obsessed with pumpkin everything, Halloween costumes, and the 3 crunchy leaves on the sidewalk. I do love fall, but I don't think I'm quite ready to fully immerse myself in the pumpkin-spiced, dark-at-4pm cold. It's still 80 degrees outside! I need to ease myself into fall, which is why these maple brown sugar cookies are perfect. Maple is great all year round, but it reminds me of fall in particular. It pairs really well with all sorts of other fall flavors (apples, pumpkin, pears, and spices, just to name a few). Here, I'm keeping it simple with just maple and caramel-y brown sugar so the maple flavor really shines through. It's a great first hint of fall flavor without fully committing, and it's the perfect treat for kids, coworkers, or just yourself for surviving the awkward summer-to-fall transition.<br />
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Cookies are generally pretty easy to make, and this recipe is no exception. You don't even have to soften butter since you have to melt it all anyway, which gives you the perfect excuse to brown the butter for that extra caramelized, nutty flavor. The melted butter gets mixed with the brown sugar, then you add the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla followed by the dry ingredients.<br />
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Since one of the main flavors is brown sugar, I only use brown sugar here, no white sugar since the maple syrup also adds some sweetness. The brown sugar helps keep the cookies soft and chewy, too. What gets tricky is that the maple syrup is some extra liquid that you usually don't have to account for in cookies. I compensate by adding some extra flour, chilling the dough, and also knowing the limits of just how much maple syrup you can cram into the cookie itself. About a third of a cup is good to balance flavor and texture.<br />
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However, you can still get more maple into these maple cookies. One option is to use maple sugar, but that's expensive and would take away from the chewy brown sugar. My preference is to make a maple glaze, which is only two ingredients and can be slathered on to your maple-obsessed heart's content. It makes transport a bit difficult, so I'd either frost them just before serving or far enough in advance that they have time to set and dry in the open air a bit before storing. These cookies are soft and chewy but also cakey, so you could also sandwich them with some of that frosting for the extra maple flavor but easier packing.<br />
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1 Stick Butter, Melted & Browned (Browning Optional)<br />
1 1/4 Cups Brown Sugar<br />
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup<br />
1 Egg<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
3 Cups Flour<br />
2 T Cornstarch<br />
1 tsp Baking Powder<br />
1/2 tsp Baking Soda<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
<br />
Glaze:<br />
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup<br />
1 - 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar<br />
<br />
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together. Add the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then add to the dough.<br />
<br />
Scoop the dough into balls and chill for at least 1 hour or until firm.<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 375F and line cookie trays with parchment. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until just set.<br />
<br />
For the glaze, whisk the maple syrup and powdered sugar together. Drizzle on the cooled cookies.<br />
<br />
Makes 32<br />
Recipe Adapted from Sugar Spun RunThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-77904556201266458182019-08-25T17:31:00.003-04:002019-09-08T17:24:27.907-04:00Mushroom-Stuffed Pork TenderloinJudging by the crazy spike in traffic in the past week and the Halloween decorations looming in Target, it's back to school season. I know everyone's schedules got a lot more hectic, and it's already easy enough for me to cave and just get food delivered, meaning that the need for easy but tasty dinners is much higher. Meals like this roasted pork dish only take an hour, make me feel super fancy, and make enough to feed the whole family and/or make leftovers for the next couple of days. They're perfect for weeknight cooking when you want something delicious, reasonably healthy, and in your stomach before Bachelor in Paradise is on.<br />
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Regular pork tenderloin is already a great starting point, but this filling really kicks it up a notch. It starts by sauteeing some onions, then adding mushrooms, garlic, and spices. This step is critical because mushrooms contain so much liquid. It's better to cook it all off now than have it all seep out from the pork during roasting. Fresh herbs will enhance the flavors, but dried ones will still taste great.<br />
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The one problem with the stuffing is that you need something to stuff it in, in this case the pork tenderloin. It's already so perfectly round and ready for roasting, and it can be a bit intimidating to cut it up and tie it back together. There are plenty of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2Vl78vJMJ8">videos</a> to make butterflying a bit more approachable, but essentially you're going to make one cut down the length of the loin, open it up, and make two more lengthwise cuts, one on each flap. It's helpful to take a meat mallet to the butterflied pork loin to make sure it's all even (especially at the seams), plus it makes it even more tender.<br />
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Once your pork is butterflied and your filling has cooled, you're going to spread the filling along most of the pork and roll it up, just like you would with cinnamon buns. Unfortunately, pork won't adhere back to itself like dough will, so it's best to use butcher twine or toothpicks to hold it together. Searing it prior to roasting will get some great color on it and help keep its shape. You'll still need to finish cooking the pork in the oven so it cooks through, but that frees up your searing skillet to make an irresistible pan sauce. Add a bit more garlic to the pork fat, deglaze with white wine, and stir in some chicken broth and herbs. Again, fresh herbs will brighten things up but dry herbs will work in a pinch. Once it simmers and reduces while the pork finishes cooking, stir in a splash of cream for some velvety richness and a little bit of luxury on a crazy weeknight. Serve it up with simple sides like some veggies and a mound of mashed potatoes and you've got quite the impressive dinner (the pan sauce makes a fantastic gravy).<br />
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1 Yellow Onion, Diced<br />
8 oz Mushrooms, Sliced<br />
5 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
1 1/2 tsp Oregano<br />
1 1/2 tsp Thyme<br />
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder<br />
1/2 tsp Onion Powder<br />
1 1/2 lbs Pork Tenderloin<br />
1 Cup White Wine<br />
1 Cup Chicken Broth<br />
1 Cup Cream<br />
<br />
Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the mushrooms and 3 cloves garlic. Season with 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Saute for 6-8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Seat aside to cool.<br />
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Butterfly the pork and pound until thin. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly on the pork, leaving a 1-2" barrier along one of the long ends. Roll tightly and use butcher twine or toothpicks to close.<br />
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Heat oven to 400F.<br />
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Season the pork with salt and pepper. Wipe out the skillet, then add some oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through.<br />
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Meanwhile, pour most of the fat out of the skillet. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Deglaze with the wine and simmer for 3 minutes or until reduced. Add the chicken broth and remaining 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat until warm.<br />
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Serves 4-6The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-19722102496195591782019-08-15T20:39:00.000-04:002019-08-15T20:39:09.258-04:00Thai Steak SaladMy main qualm with salads is that so many of them have no substance. They're just piles of sad wilted vegetables that don't actually fill you up, so you end up bingeing on exactly what you were trying to avoid later in the day. The key to making a salad you enjoy eating is to add stuff to it that you enjoy eating and slather it in a good salad dressing. This salad has both juicy marinated steak and a bright homemade dressing that pairs perfectly with it. You can dress it up with whatever extra veggies (or fruits) you want for a hearty salad to keep you going throughout the day.<br />
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The steak is the component that takes the longest, but that time doesn't really count since most of it is just leaving the steak to marinate. The marinade consists of coconut milk, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and sweet Thai chili sauce. It's sweet, spicy, salty, and savory, so it should hit all the notes you're looking for in a meal.<br />
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Since it needs at least two hours to soak up all the flavors, you can prep it with your dinner and grill it before bed to take to work for lunch the next day, or you can prep it in the morning and grill it when you get home for a basically ready-to-eat dinner. Flank steak cooks up very quickly, just a few minutes on each side, and it stays incredibly tender with enough time in the marinade. Other steaks could work too if you have other preferences or another cut is on sale, just make sure it's a grilling steak and not a braising one like brisket.<br />
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The salad dressing highlights the flavors of the steak marinade without tasting too similar. It includes mangos, limes, sriracha, and spices for another sweet, spicy, salty, savory (and sour) blend of flavors. What makes the dressing so special is that the mangos are roasted, enhancing the natural sweetness and adding a hint of char to match the crust on the steak. A blender or food processor is key here, since the mangos need to be pureed until smooth and the olive oil needs to be fully emulsified for a creamy, cohesive dressing. The trick to emulsifying the dressing properly is adding the oil very slowly, basically just a trickle as you keep the motor running. If you're short on time, you can go with your favorite store-bought dressing, but as with the steak most of the time involved is pretty hands-off, and a blender or food processor makes the actual mixing a cinch.<br />
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The salad itself is very simple, just some greens, leftover mango, thinly sliced onions, and whatever else you feel like adding, maybe some shaved cucumbers or carrots. Anything you don't really want to eat can be easily hidden under the steak and the dressing. I caught my dad eating the dressing with a spoon, so you can throw your oldest, saddest veggies that have been buried in the back of your fridge all week and this will breathe some new life into them.<br />
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Steak:<br />
1 1/2 lbs Flank Steak<br />
3/4 Cup Light Coconut Milk<br />
1 T Sesame Oil<br />
2 T Soy Sauce<br />
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
2 tsp Grated Ginger<br />
2 T Brown Sugar<br />
1/3 Cup Sweet Chili Sauce<br />
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Dressing:<br />
1 Mango, Diced<br />
Chili Powder, To Taste<br />
1/2 Cup + 1 tsp Olive Oil<br />
Juice of 2 Limes<br />
Sriracha, To Taste<br />
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Salad:<br />
6 Cups Mixed Greens or Arugula<br />
1 Mango, Diced<br />
1/2 Onion, Thinly Sliced<br />
Cucumbers, Carrots, etc.<br />
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For the steak marinade, combine the coconut milk, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and chili sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add the steak, toss to coat, and let sit 2+ hours or overnight.<br />
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Heat oven to 400F.<br />
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For the dressing, spread the mango onto a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the chili powder (start with 1/4 tsp) and toss with 1 tsp olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until caramelized. In a food processor, blender, or using an immersion blender, pulse the mango, lime juice, sriracha, and salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and blend until smooth and emulsified.<br />
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Cook the steak on a hot grill or grill pan until cooked to the desired temperature, about 4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. Meanwhile, toss the greens, diced mango, onion, and other veggies together. Serve with the sliced steak and the mango dressing.<br />
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Serves 4-6<br />
Recipe Adapted from How Sweet EatsThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-12119622624395641542019-07-30T21:54:00.000-04:002019-07-30T21:54:19.777-04:00Peach SalsaI spent the last week in Atlanta, and literally the only thing I wanted to do when it's that hot and humid was to cozy up as close as possible to the air conditioning. Of course, I had to occupy my time somehow, which usually means cooking. However, as I've found out with my woefully inadequate wall AC unit in Chicago, avoiding using the oven or stove is the key to success with summer cooking/overall survival. Now that I'm back in Chicago, I'm trying to make snacks for the 4 hours of Bachelorette this week and keep my apartment under 80 degrees, so heat-free recipes are definitely the way to go. And with all the ripe Georgia peaches I scavenged last week (well, purchased legally from Costco), peach salsa seemed like the best course of action.<br />
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When you incorporate a sweet fruit into a salsa, there's a lot of directions you can go in. My first instinct was to do a dessert salsa with all sorts of fruit and maybe some sweet cinnamon sugar dusted chips. Unfortunately, my family may have overdone our Costco trip and we were drowning in tomatoes and onions. Fortunately, those still pair well with peaches if you know what you're doing.<br />
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It's all about the balance between sweet, savory, and spicy, so you need ingredients from all the categories in both the chunky part and the dressing part. You can adjust the proportions depending on your personal preference, how ripe your produce is, and, of course, the natural sizes of the ingredients because it's basically impossible to get exact weights of anything. I aim for about a pound of tomatoes, a pound and a half of peaches, and bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno to taste. Remember that knife cuts do matter here because what you see when you're cutting is what you get when you're eating. Nobody wants a giant chunk of raw jalapeno (at least anyone I know of) or a piece of tomato you can barely fit in your mouth. Yes, some bits may get squished and produce can be naturally uneven, but try your best for even cuts.<br />
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The dressing is a combination of lime juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper. You can also add some chili powder or other seasonings if you're feeling a little spicy. As with the fruit and veggies, you can adjust the proportions to taste, especially given how much the sweetness of peaches can vary, even when they're in season. The flavors will keep improving if the salsa sits overnight, so don't worry about browning because the acid from the lime juice will keep everything bright and fresh.<br />
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The last piece of advice I have for making this salsa involves the peaches themselves. Peaches seem to have a very short window when they're in season, and even then it can be tough to find perfectly ripe ones. Luckily, you can harness the power of science to ripen the peaches yourselves, and it's all because of a helpful gas called ethylene. No, you don't have to go buy any big tanks or fancy equipment, just a paper bag. Fruits like peaches release ethylene naturally to self-ripen, so closing them off in a paper bag out of direct sunlight traps the gas and ripens them faster. To really speed things up, throw in a banana too. I don't think the banana would be a particularly good addition to the salsa, but if it gets you good peaches it's worth the investment.<br />
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1 1/2 lbs Peaches, Diced<br />
1 lb Tomatoes, Diced<br />
1 Small Bell Pepper, Diced<br />
1/2 Red Onion, Minced<br />
1 Jalapeno, Minced<br />
Cilantro, Optional<br />
2 T Lime Juice<br />
2 T Olive Oil<br />
1 T Honey<br />
Tortilla Chips<br />
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Combine the peaches, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno. Add cilantro, if using. Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, and honey together, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle onto the salsa and toss to combine. Chill overnight if possible, tossing occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips.The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-77481235749639381892019-07-02T18:17:00.001-04:002019-07-02T18:17:09.908-04:00Apple PieIf you already have an apple pie recipe you plan on making for July 4th (or any other event this summer/this year/the near or distant future), throw it out. Keep the apples and all the other ingredients, but throw away the recipe. If you don't have any apples or pie-making ingredients, go out and buy them right now. I 10000% guarantee this is better than any other recipe out there, and all my friends and family agree. There's two components for a perfect pie, the filling and the crust, and this recipe has perfected both. The crust has to be crisp and flaky, not susceptible to becoming soggy from the filling, which has to be moist and tender without being too liquidy. A scoop of ice cream really takes it over the top, so trust me when I say this is exactly what your summer barbecues are missing.<br />
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There are a lot of methods out there for making apple pie filling. There are so many types of apples, a million ways to cut them, the decision to pre-cook or not, and all sorts of other ingredients you can throw in. For my perfect pie, I peel, core, and slice the apples fairly thinly. No big halves or small dices, just eighths or sixteenths depending on the size of the apples. I go with Granny Smiths for that tart-sweet balance and ideal texture after baking (no mealiness allowed!).<br />
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Even the best cut apples can yield a dry or liquidy pie if not treated properly. I messed up countless pies but my family kept requesting them each year for Thanksgiving, and it's a good thing they did because I figured out that macerating the apples is the key to success. Macerating sounds pretty intimidating, but it just means tossing the apples in sugar and letting them sit for a bit to draw out the moisture. The water wants to dilute the sugar, so it is pulled out of the apples in only 15 or 20 minutes. Enough moisture stays in the apples for a pleasantly saucy, juicy filling without making the crust soggy or spilling all over your plate. The macerated apples are drained then combined with a bit more sugar, flour, yummy spices, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. At this point, the sugar is just to taste depending on how tart your apples are. The flour soaks up the extra juice to form a velvety sauce. Of course you need spices and salt to round out the flavors, too. The lemon enhances the tartness, helps break down the other ingredients, and just balances all the flavors.<br />
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The pie crust is my basic recipe, as always. It's a flaky all-butter crust that can stand up to the apples and still form a lattice, if that's what you're going for. The main tricks are to keep the butter (and really all the ingredients plus the finished dough) as cold as possible and handle it minimally to avoid overworking it. I make a double batch so I can do a bottom crust and a top crust, though if you're going for a lattice and don't have much practice you may want to make a triple batch so you have plenty to work with. Regardless of how you choose to decorate the pie, there's no need for blind baking since it will be the oven for a while just to cook the apples.<br />
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I start the pie in an extra hot oven to almost shock the dough with heat, locking in the shape and keeping it extra flaky. Of course, if you kept it that high the dough would burn and the apples would be raw, so I lower the temperature to let the pie finish cooking evenly. You may still have to cover the edges of the pie to keep them from burning, since tender apples and a perfectly golden crust are definitely worth the trouble. As hard as it is, I do force my family to wait a few minutes for the pie to cool before digging in so it's slightly less messy. Honestly, it's easiest to cut after sitting in the fridge overnight. While nothing beats a hot slice of pie with a big scoop of ice cream, this pie is great at any temperature and you should give it a try at least once, even if you think your grandma does it better.<br />
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1 Double Recipe Sweet Pie Crust Dough (See Below)<br />
3 lbs Granny Smith Apples (8)<br />
1/2 + 1/3 Cup Sugar<br />
1/4 Cup Flour<br />
1 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp Nutmeg<br />
Pinch Cloves<br />
1/4 tsp Salt<br />
1 T Lemon Juice<br />
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Split the pie dough in half and roll each to about 10" in diameter. Press one round into a greased 9" pie plate. Cut the other into strips to form a lattice. Chill until firm.<br />
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Peel, core, and slice the apples. Toss in 1/3 cup sugar. Set aside for 20 minutes, then drain off the liquid.<br />
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Heat oven to 425F.<br />
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Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, spices, and salt together. Add to the apples with the lemon juice. Transfer to the pie crust, top with the lattice, and crimp the edges.<br />
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Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425F, then lower to 375F and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the apples are tender, covering the edges as necessary.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">For the crust:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Pulse 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor until combined. Add 2 sticks chilled and cubed butter and pulse until small pieces remain. Combine two egg yolks with two tablespoons of cold water and add in. Pulse until it begins to form a ball, adding more water as necessary. Chill.</span><br />
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Makes 1 9" Pie<br />
Recipe Adapted from PillsburyThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-64534677032769872952019-06-26T21:32:00.001-04:002019-06-26T21:32:30.602-04:00French Onion ChickenIf you haven't been keeping up with my Instagram account, you should know I crammed a dozen of New York's top spots into a 48 hour trip and basically doubled in size. Now that I'm back home, I'm trying to cook more since I ate at enough restaurants to last through the rest of the year. I'm getting creative with some basic cuts of meat, like boneless skinless chicken breasts. They can be bland and dry and tough if you don't cook them right, but I found a way to keep them tender and juicy and flavorful. I personally consider this the epitome of health food because it's covered and vegetables and low-carb, meaning I don't feel guilty eating this with a big pile of mashed potatoes on the side.<br />
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This recipe is essentially a quick French onion soup thickened to a gravy for the chicken, which is then smothered in cheese and baked until hot and bubbly. A big skillet is the key to the dish so you keep building the layers of flavor and also don't have to wash too many dishes. The onions go in the pan first with a bit of butter, and they're sauteed until tender. I add some beef broth, which I swore I would never do with a poultry dish (it's actually a long-running debate within my family, especially for Thanksgiving). However, it's basically required for any good French onion soup, so I'll let this one go.<br />
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The chicken itself is pretty simple: just get some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound until even and fairly thin. I know you can buy thin chicken breast cutlets, but those are usually far to thin for my taste and overcook pretty much instantly. I try to keep mine maybe 1/2" to 3/4" thick so they can get nice and brown on the outside but stay juicy in the middle.<br />
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You can sear the chicken in the same pan as the onions, as long as you take the onions out first so they don't burn. The gravy is also made in the same skillet so you can take advantage of the chicken drippings. A few spoonfuls of flour will thicken it into a roux in just a few moments. The onions go back in the skillet along with more beef broth. It should become a nice smooth gravy as soon as it comes to a boil, then I add some fresh herbs for some extra flavor. Once it's the right texture and flavor, the chicken can go back in. As everyone knows, the best part of any French onion soup is the cheese on top, so I pile it on each piece of chicken. My personal favorite here is Swiss, but the traditional route is Gruyere. Really any good mild melting cheese will do, so provolone and mozzarella are some more approachable options.<br />
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The chicken really only needs to bake for a few minutes depending on how thick you pounded them out ahead of time. The real goal here is to get that cheese all brown and bubbly (and of course make sure the chicken is cooked so nobody gets salmonella). The dish doesn't really take all that long to make, but if you wanted to prep it ahead of time a good pause would be after you assemble the skillet but before you bake it off. Chicken straight from the fridge will obviously take longer to heat up and cook through than if you had cooked the dish in one go, but it only took me about 10 minutes in the oven. It's still doable for a weeknight dinner, and the leftovers are even better.<br />
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2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts<br />
2 Medium Yellow Onions<br />
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
3 T Butter<br />
1 1/4 Cups Beef Broth<br />
2 T Flour<br />
2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme<br />
8-10 Slices Swiss Cheese (or Gruyere, Mozzarella, or Provolone)<br />
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Heat oven to 400F.<br />
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Slice the onions in half, then cut into thin crescents.<br />
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Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 4 minutes or until translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and 1/4 cup beef broth, and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until very tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.<br />
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Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat on the skillet to medium-high. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.<br />
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Add the flour to the pan drippings over medium heat and whisk until smooth. Add the onions, then stir in the remaining 1 cup beef broth. Bring to a boil, then season with salt, pepper, and the thyme. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over each cutlet. Top with two slices of cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is golden brown.<br />
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Serves 4-6<br />
Recipe Adapted from Creme de la CrumbThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-87328821894521722652019-06-10T21:53:00.001-04:002019-06-12T18:22:32.096-04:00Blueberry Cobbler CookiesBlueberry season is upon us! Well, almost, but given the insane number of buckets my family always lugs home after berry picking each summer I have to start planning early. Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits to bake with because they're so versatile. They work for pies, frozen treats, smoothies, all sorts of breakfasts, and pretty much anything else you can dream up. I rarely see them in cookies, though, so I made it my personal mission this summer to do some sort of blueberry cookie. Well, mission accomplished. I cook those tasty berries down to a jammy consistency, pile them on top of buttery vanilla cookie dough, top it all with crumbly streusel, and bake them into the perfect treat: the irresistible taste of a fresh cobbler with the convenience of a cookie.<br />
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The jam is extremely simple, just blueberries, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. That all cooks down for about a half hour until the berries burst and turn nice and thick. This will make more than you need for these cookies, but it won't keep as long as a jar of store-bought jam, especially if you don't can it properly, so use any extra within a few days. It would be great on top of ice cream, spread onto toast, or used to dip these cookies in for maximum blueberry flavor.<br />
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All good cobblers need good streusel, and these cookies are no exception. This one consists of sugar, brown sugar, a bit of cinnamon, flour, and lots of butter. It comes together in seconds and should be perfectly crumbly. If it's a little dry, add more butter, and if it's a little wet, add more flour. You can add more cinnamon to taste, too.<br />
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The cookies are also easy to make since a simple sugar cookie is all you need to highlight the tart berries and sweet streusel. It starts by creaming softened butter and sugar together until fluffy, adding an egg and plenty of vanilla, then stirring in the dry ingredients. I scoop them into small balls and roll them in more sugar for a little extra texture and pop of sweetness. You can use your thumb or a small measuring spoon to press an indent into the center of each cookie, then fill each pocket with that tasty blueberry jam. The streusel goes on top, then the cookies go in the oven. When they're just golden on the bottom, it's time to eat. They're fantastic hot and fresh, or you can top them with a scoop of ice cream for a delectable summer treat.<br />
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Filling:<br />
1 1/2 Cups Blueberries<br />
1/3 Cup Sugar<br />
1 tsp Lemon Juice<br />
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Streusel:<br />
3 T Sugar<br />
3 T Brown Sugar<br />
Pinch Cinnamon<br />
Pinch Salt<br />
1/2 Stick Butter, Melted<br />
2/3 Cup Flour<br />
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Cookies:<br />
1 3/4 Cups Flour<br />
1/2 tsp Baking Powder<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1 1/2 Sticks Butter, Softened<br />
2/3 Cup + 1/4 Cup Sugar<br />
1 Egg<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
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For the filling, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.<br />
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For the streusel, combine the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the butter, then add in the flour.<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment.<br />
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For the cookies, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter and 2/3 cup sugar together on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the flour mixture.<br />
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Scoop the dough into 1" balls and roll in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Transfer to the prepared trays and press an indent in the center of each. Fill with the blueberry jam and top with the streusel. Bake for 12 minutes or until just golden.<br />
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Makes 20<br />
Recipe Adapted from Joy the BakerThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-16130032823477677632019-05-08T21:40:00.002-04:002019-05-08T21:40:48.361-04:00Pecan Praline French Toast CasseroleBrunch is a brilliant meal. Since it can be sweet or savory, it's really the best excuse to eat literally whatever you want. I went out to brunch at a local spot last weekend, and I decided on a waffle with cheesy hash browns. It's ok because the waffle used to be served with ice cream so really I'm being healthy. I also loved this particular brunch because there wasn't a wait (and also the great company). The main reason I would shy away from brunch is the fact that literally everyone else in the city has the same idea, and I'd rather not wait 2 hours for some pancakes when I could make decent ones at home. Brunch spots are going to be extra crowded this weekend for Mother's Day, so in my opinion it's worth trying to cook something yourself. I'm 100% sure your mom would love a homemade breakfast ready when she wakes up, especially if it borders on dessert and you don't forget to clean up after yourself. This pecan praline French toast casserole is basically breakfast bread pudding, and you can prep it the night before so all you have to do is pop it in the oven and wait for Mom to get up.<br />
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Like all good French toast recipes, this one starts with challah. It's a sweet bread made with eggs and fat, kind of like a sturdy brioche. French toast is actually best when the bread is a bit stale, so don't worry about picking up a fresh loaf. If the bread is stale, it's a little drier, meaning that it has more potential to soak up all that custard.<br />
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The custard consists of eggs, half and half, an extra splash of milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. If it sounds like what you would normally make for French toast, you'd be correct, though this may be a little more than you're used to making. You also have to let the bread sit overnight to soak it all up. When making normal French toast, the bread only cooks on the griddle for a couple minutes until golden and crisp, so it doesn't have much of a chance to dry out. If you poured the custard on the challah cubes and stuck it right in the oven to bake, you'd end up with dry bits of bread floating in a weirdly sweet, gelatinous pudding. Letting the bread sit overnight allows it to sop up all the liquid so that it stays moist (yes, I said moist) as it cooks through.<br />
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What makes this casserole extra special is the addition of pecans. I throw some chopped toasted pecans directly in with the bread so they're evenly distributed. I also make a 30-second homemade praline caramel concoction with even more pecans to go on top. That extra sugar seeps down into the bread pudding and also gets nice and crisp and caramelized for some nice textural variety. You can get more creative than just pecans, too. To make it more healthy/permissible for breakfast, you can add a handful of berries to the casserole before leaving it overnight. If your mom really wants a treat, though, you can take a hint from my local brunch spot and just throw some ice cream on top. My almost-stepmom would serve this with a big dish of grits casserole and a pile of bacon for a more well-rounded meal. The possibilities for this dish are pretty much endless, as long as you don't forget the card (and your mom gets to forget about the mess in the kitchen).<br />
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1 Large Loaf Challah or Brioche<br />
1 Cup Chopped Pecans, Toasted<br />
4 Eggs<br />
3/4 Cup Half and Half<br />
1/2 Cup Milk<br />
1/4 Cup Sugar<br />
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
1/2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp + Pinch Salt<br />
4 T Butter, Softened<br />
1 T Corn Syrup<br />
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Cut the loaf of bread into 1" cubes and transfer to a greased 7x11" baking dish. Toss with 1/2 cup pecans.<br />
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Whisk the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Pour over the bread, cover, and refrigerate overnight.<br />
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Heat oven to 350F.<br />
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Combine the butter, brown sugar, remaining pecans, corn syrup, and remaining pinch of salt. Sprinkle on top of the casserole and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and set.<br />
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Serves 6The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-19002786647882664052019-04-30T17:04:00.004-04:002019-04-30T17:04:48.618-04:00Banana Upside Down CakeI'm finally back home by myself after 10 days of hosting, traveling, and socializing. Also, it's basically May which means it's basically summer (despite that bout of snow we got over the weekend), so there's lots to celebrate. And the best thing to celebrate with? A cake, of course. This recipe is a great casual baking cake, since it doesn't require any fancy layering or frosting or decorating. The bananas speak for themselves, and the caramel seeps into every nook and cranny of the light and airy cake. A scoop of ice cream on top really makes it fantastic, especially when you're looking forward to summer.<br />
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Let's start from the bottom, although the cake is flipped over so I guess we're starting from the top. The caramel. Or carmel. However you want to say it, you'll be surprised just how easy it is to make from scratch. I'll admit it's not a true caramel, but heating butter and brown sugar together until thick and bubbly makes a pretty good sauce. A pinch of salt and a splash of rum round out the flavors for the perfect base for this cake (and also a sauce to drizzle on top of the cake and/or more ice cream).<br />
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The cake is a pretty standard vanilla cake, though it mixes up more like a Devil's food cake. There's no butter to soften or cream together, just oil and sugar whisked with eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. The dry ingredients are pretty basic too: flour, baking powder, and salt. It mixes up in a matter of minutes for a truly speed cake with all the flavor and fluff of a classic yellow cake.<br />
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Assembly is way easier than a fancy layer cake. I spread most of the caramel on the bottom of a deep round cake pan. It should have cooled down from when it was cooked, but if it's too thick to spread just heat it up on the stove for a minute or two until it thins out again. I slice about four very ripe bananas long-ways and fan them out in a single layer on the caramel, flat-side down. You'll probably need to break a couple into pieces for maximum coverage, or you can cut them the other way into coins. The cake batter goes on last, and I tap it on the counter a few times to get out any big air bubbles.<br />
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The cake bakes until a toothpick comes out clean, then I invert it onto a fancy plate so you can see all the caramelized bananas and the extra caramel drips down into the cake. It is especially delicious when served warm (even better with some ice cream on top), so no need to wait until it cools down completely. It will cut better if you can stand to wait a few minutes, but it's still better than waiting to cool completely and spreading on layers of frosting. I can't stress this enough: if you want a quick, summery cake to snack on instead of working on your summer bod, this is the way to go.<br />
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4 Bananas<br />
1/2 Stick Butter<br />
1 Cup Sugar<br />
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar<br />
3/4 tsp + Pinch Salt<br />
1 T Rum<br />
1 1/2 Cups Flour<br />
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder<br />
1/2 Cup Oil<br />
2 tsp Vanilla<br />
1 Egg<br />
1 Egg Yolk<br />
1 Cup Buttermilk<br />
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Heat the butter and brown sugar together in a medium skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add a pinch of salt and the rum. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Heat oven to 350F and grease a deep 9-10" round cake pan.<br />
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Whisk the flour, baking powder, and remaining salt together. Combine the oil, sugar, vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and buttermilk. Whisk the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.<br />
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Cut the bananas in half lengthwise. Pour the caramel into the cake pan, then add the bananas cut-side down. Top with the cake batter.<br />
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Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert.<br />
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Makes 1 9-10" Cake<br />
Adapted from Food52The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-37879873364983544252019-04-18T16:24:00.004-04:002019-04-18T16:24:47.861-04:00Passover Almond Crinkle CookiesI don't think these are what my grandma had in mind when she set out to perfect her black and white cookie recipe. For her (and pretty much everyone else on the planet), black and white cookies mean a yellow cakey base with a schmear each of chocolate and vanilla frosting. Unfortunately, those aren't Kosher for Passover, which is looming ahead in all of its gluten-free, leavening-free horror. It's not my favorite holiday. We've been over this. But there are still a few good desserts out there that you can eat for the next few days, like some <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/04/passover-chocolate-pecan-thumbprint.html">thumbprint cookies</a> or naturally gluten-free things like <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2016/07/blackberry-sorbet.html">sorbet</a>. Adding to that list are these almond crinkle cookies, which are kind of like if you made a really dense, chewy macaron. They're sweet and almondy, and instead of a frosting or jam filling they get rolled in cocoa powder, which crackles as it bakes for a zebra-striped look.<br />
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Because it's Passover, this isn't a normal cookie recipe. Instead of beating your butter and sugar together, adding the eggs, then stirring in the dry ingredients and any mix-ins, you prep your dry ingredients then stir in whipped egg whites and flavorings. That's it! No softening butter, chilling dough overnight, or making sure nobody sneaks a taste from the bag of chocolate chips (guilty).<br />
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The dry ingredients are just almond flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. You're not allowed to have flour or leavening, which makes sure it stays simple. If you wanted an extra chocolatey cookie, you could experiment with adding cocoa powder to the cookie dough itself, but I personally just like the cocoa dusting on the outside.<br />
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The wet ingredients consist of whipped egg whites plus a bit of almond extract and vanilla. A stand mixer will make your life much easier here, but a hand mixer or even a whisk and some elbow grease will work in a pinch. You do only need to get them to soft peaks, so it's not as bad as it could be. You'll know they're done when they're foamy, opaque, and the tip curls or flops over immediately when you lift up the whisk. I transfer them to the bowl with the dry ingredients and add the almond and vanilla extracts as I stir it all together. Normally you would be extremely delicate in folding the whites into the dough, but here it will take a bit more force to get the dough to come together. I'm not saying beat the stuff into a pulp, but don't be afraid to get in there with your spatula and squish it together.<br />
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I'm normally a big fan of big cookies for that contrast between a soft, gooey center and crispy edges. However, these cookies are best as small bites since you don't want the outsides to brown too much before the center cooks through. You can always eat more cookies to make up for their small size, but you wouldn't want to eat more cookies if they're burnt and raw at the same time. I use my smallest cookie scoop to make 1" balls, then roll them in cocoa powder and transfer them to my parchment-lined baking sheet. I did try some with powdered sugar and they tasted just fine, but for some reason they baked up all lumpy and misshapen when the cocoa-covered ones were perfectly round. For that reason (and because of my love for chocolate), I preferred the cocoa cookies but you can do either one or a few of each. They would be great along with some ice cream at your Passover seder, and you'll forget all about the matzo when you have these to snack on all week.<br />
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2 Cups Almond Flour<br />
1 Cup Sugar<br />
1/4 tsp Salt<br />
2 Egg Whites<br />
1/2 tsp Almond Extract<br />
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract<br />
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder and/or Powdered Sugar<br />
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Heat oven to 300F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.<br />
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Whisk the almond flour, sugar, and salt together. Whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach soft peaks. Stir into the almond flour along with the almond and vanilla extracts.<br />
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Roll the dough into 1" balls, then roll each in the cocoa powder or powdered sugar. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 25 minutes or until crackly and set.<br />
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Makes 18-20<br />
Recipe Adapted from Love & Olive OilThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-48199105502615641812019-04-11T20:41:00.002-04:002019-04-11T20:41:27.450-04:00Strawberry Cornmeal GaletteI'm not sure if it's just the stores by me in Chicago, but it seems like strawberries are on sale everywhere. No, it's not strawberry season yet, but if they're cheap and they smell good (a sign of a good strawberry!), why not bake something with them? Most of my strawberry recipes leave the strawberries raw, like this <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/08/strawberry-cheesecake-tart.html">strawberry cheesecake tart</a> and this <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2012/01/strawberry-white-chocolate-mousse-tart.html">strawberry white chocolate mousse tart</a>. But actually baking the strawberries into the tart cooks them down into a sweet, jammy filling that nobody can resist, plus it hides the fact that the strawberries aren't quite at their prime yet.<br />
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The strawberry filling starts by macerating the strawberries, which basically means you're tossing them in sugar to draw out some of the water. This gives you that jammy texture that's not too liquidy and doesn't soak into the crust to get it all soggy. After 15 minutes, drain off the liquid and add in the rest of the ingredients for the filling: a little more sugar to taste, some lemon juice and zest, a spoonful of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. If you have really sweet strawberries to begin with, you may not need the extra sugar. The lemon juice and zest balance out the flavors, as does the salt. The cornstarch thickens whatever liquid is left so it doesn't seep out of the tart or through the bottom of the crust.<br />
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A regular pie crust would work just fine, but why not make it a little fancier? Cornmeal adds a bit of texture and a gorgeous golden hue. You still make the dough the same way: combine the dry ingredients, pulse in cold butter, and add cold water until it comes together. As with every other crust, keep the ingredients and the dough cold and work it as little as possible. I chill mine while I make the filling to make sure it stays extra cold.<br />
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Even though galettes may sound intimidating, they're actually way easier than regular pies or tarts because it's all freeform and they're supposed to look rustic. I take the chilled dough and roll it out to a thin circle-ish shape. The strawberries get piled in the middle, leaving a border around the edge that gets folded over to hold them all in. I start baking at a high temperature then lower it to finish baking. The extra heat creates more steam for a flakier crust and helps set the shape and the lower temperature allows it to cook through without burning. Once it's out of the oven, serve it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've got yourself a deceptively simple but fancy dessert.<br />
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1 Cup Flour<br />
1/3 Cup Cornmeal<br />
1/2 Cup Sugar, Divided<br />
1/4 tsp + Pinch Salt<br />
1 Stick Butter, Chilled & Cubed<br />
1 1/2 lbs Strawberries<br />
1 tsp Lemon Zest<br />
1 tsp Lemon Juice<br />
2 T Cornstarch<br />
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Pulse the flour, cornmeal, 2T sugar, 1/4 tsp salt together in a food processor until just combined. Pulse in the butter, then gradually add 1/4 cup cold water until the dough begins to clump. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.<br />
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Hull and slice the strawberries. Toss with 1/4 cup sugar and let rest for 15 minutes.<br />
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Heat oven to 400F.<br />
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Drain the liquid from the strawberries. Toss with the remaining 2T sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.<br />
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Roll the pie dough out to a thin, even circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pile the strawberries onto the dough, leaving a 1-2" border. Fold the edges of the crust up to partially cover the filling. Bake for 8 minutes, then lower the oven to 350F and continue baking for 20-25 minutes or until golden.The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-75236215762499584502019-03-29T20:40:00.002-04:002019-03-29T20:40:26.044-04:00Chipotle Salmon with Mango Avocado SalsaIt's basically summer, with all the above-freezing days and sunlight past dinnertime. It's enough to get me in the mood for light, fresh dishes, but only if they're quick and easy to make since I don't want to be trapped in my hot claustrophobic kitchen longer than I have to. This salmon is ready in under 30 minutes, and all you have to do for the salsa is chop up some produce and let it sit for a while. Honestly, the hardest part is finding ripe mangos and avocados.<br />
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The tricks to a perfect salsa are good knife skills and time. You want the mangos and avocados to be the same size dice so you don't end up with any big chunks or small mushy pieces. This makes for a prettier appearance and better eating experience. There's also some red onion and jalapeno, which should be minced finely so you don't bite into any giant pieces. If you made them the same sizes as the mango and avocado, your friends and family would never want you to make this recipe again.<br />
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The chopped veggies (and fruit) get tossed in a light dressing. This infuses it with more flavor, and the acid keeps the avocado from browning immediately after you cut it. All you need are some lime juice, honey, olive oil, and some spices. They match the flavors in the salmon glaze to bring the whole dish together. I like to let it sit for about 2 hours, which is enough time for the flavors to meld together but not too long that everything turns brown and mushy.<br />
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The flavor in the salmon comes from a tasty glaze I make with the liquid from a can of chipotles in adobo, honey, lime juice, and spices. Pretty similar to the salsa dressing, right? The chipotles are responsible for most of the flavor, and they add a smoky heat that counters the sweetness and the acid from the honey and lime juice. That honey also makes the glaze caramelize beautifully, but keep an eye on it since it will go from brown and caramelized to black and burnt pretty quickly if you don't baby it. Luckily, it only takes about 10 minutes to cook so the hands-on time required for this dish is pretty short.<br />
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The salmon is best cooked in a skillet so you get all that surface area caramelized, but you can also use a grill, grill pan, or a nice hot oven (though it's not nearly as good). The cooking time depends on the size and thickness of your filets, so if you have a thicker piece you may want to sear it off and finish it in the oven so the glaze doesn't burn. A thermometer is going to be your friend here because cutting your fish open every few minutes to check on it is going to dry it out. Once it's cooked through to your liking, top it with a big scoop of that refreshing salsa and dig in! This recipe is going to be on my meal plan for the next few months, and if you don't mind your salmon cold or room temperature it makes a great lunch, too.<br />
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For the Salsa:<br />
2 Mangoes, Diced<br />
2 Avocados, Diced<br />
1/4 Cup Minced Red Onion<br />
1/2-1 Jalapeno, Minced<br />
1 T Lime Juice<br />
1 T Honey<br />
1 T Olive Oil<br />
1/4 tsp Cayenne<br />
1/4 tsp Chili Powder<br />
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For the Salmon:<br />
2-4 T Chipotles in Adobo<br />
1/4 Cup Honey<br />
2 T Lime Juice<br />
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder<br />
1/2 tsp Onion Powder<br />
1 1/2 lbs Salmon Fillets<br />
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For the salsa, combine the mangoes, avocados, onion, and jalapeño. Whisk the lime juice, honey, olive oil, cayenne, and chili powder together. Add to the mango mixture and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 2 hours.<br />
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For the salmon, combine the chipotles, honey, lime juice, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Brush the sauce onto the salmon.<br />
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Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Sear the salmon flesh-side down until caramelized, about 4-6 minutes. Flip and finish cooking skin-side down, about 4-6 minutes more. Serve with the salsa.<br />
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Serves 4-6The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-45645371026873098352019-03-18T21:22:00.004-04:002019-03-18T21:22:41.320-04:00Asparagus & Fontina QuicheBirds are chirping, it's light out when I get home from work, and my face doesn't hurt when I walk outside. It must be spring! I'm ready for all the farmers markets and fresh eating and doing it all without bundling up in 12 layers. Asparagus is one of the greatest finds at the early spring markets and the best way to upgrade it is with plenty of cheese. It's like when your parents would smother your veggies with cheese to trick you into eating them except it's fancy melty fontina cheese and you're eating the asparagus on purpose. It's even better in a buttery, flaky pie crust as a quiche you can eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Oh, and some crispy pancetta doesn't hurt either.<br />
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As always, the pork comes first. Here, it's pancetta instead of bacon just to elevate the dish a bit, but bacon would work just as well. You just have to cook it off until it's crispy. I use the pork fat to cook off a bit of garlic, too. The asparagus is a little more tricky; you need to blanch it and shave it so you get those gorgeous ribbons running through the quiche. Blanching sounds more challenging than it really is but it's definitely worth the effort. You just boil the asparagus for a minute or two in salted water then transfer it to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. After that, snap off the tough ends and shave with a vegetable peeler or mandolin. I've tried slicing it with a knife but it's way easier to get thin, even strips with a peeler.<br />
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The quiche base consists of a few eggs and some half and half. Compared to most quiche recipes loaded with cream, this one really isn't that bad for you. Well, until you stir in all the pancetta and cheese. You can stir in the asparagus here and it will mostly float to the top or you can toss in as much as you want once it's transferred to the pie crust. The crust can be a classic homemade butter crust, you can throw some cheese into the crust for some extra flavor, or you can make things faster by just using a store-bought one, even though it won't be nearly as good.<br />
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The great thing about quiche is that you can eat it whenever you want. It's eggs, so it works for breakfast, or you can serve it with a salad to bulk it up for lunch or dinner. You can also grab a slice cold from the fridge if you need a midnight snack. If asparagus isn't your thing (or this just gets you in a quiche-y mood), you can also try out some with <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/04/mushroom-caramelized-onion-quiche.html">mushrooms and caramelized onions</a> or a classic <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/12/quiche-lorraine.html">quiche Lorraine</a>.<br />
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1 Recipe Savory Pie Crust (See Below)<br />
4 oz Pancetta, Diced<br />
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
4 oz Asparagus<br />
5 Eggs<br />
1 Cup Half & Half<br />
3/4 Cup Shredded Fontina<br />
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Press the pie dough into a greased 9" pie plate and chill until firm.<br />
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until crispy. Add 2 cloves garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 90 seconds then transfer to an ice bath. When cool, trim the ends and shave with a vegetable peeler or mandolin.<br />
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Heat oven to 400F.<br />
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Whisk the eggs and half and half together. Add the fontina, pancetta, and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and set, covering the crust as necessary to prevent over-browning.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Pie Crust:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Pulse 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add 1 stick of chilled and cubed butter (and 1/2 cup shredded hard cheese, if desired) and pulse until small lumps remain, then drizzle in cold water until it clumps together.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sorts Mill Goudy"; font-size: 15.84px;">Pie Crust Adapted from Smitten Kitchen</span>The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-16293046575968011562019-03-04T22:30:00.000-05:002019-03-04T22:30:15.404-05:00Bananas Foster Banana BreadChicago in March is all about St. Patrick's Day, but Mardi Gras is worthy of some attention too. It's another excuse for lots of parties and good food, so I don't understand why it's not more of a big deal. I'm determined to make it into a big deal by luring people in with delicious recipes like this one, which does double duty as an indulgent breakfast or a healthy-ish dessert (it has fruit in it, ok?). Banana bread is already a fan favorite, but I upgraded it by combining it with another popular banana treat: bananas foster. I added a splash of rum and a pinch of cinnamon to the batter, whipped up a luscious rum caramel sauce, and swapped in pecans for walnuts for some added southern flair.<br />
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This banana bread starts by mashing bananas up until mostly smooth. You want to use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots so they're sweet and soft. If they're ripe enough, you should be able to mash them with just a fork, or you can use a mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed to get things started. I then add brown sugar (for some extra caramel flavor), eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and rum. Bananas already keep things pretty moist, but this loaf bakes for about an hour so a little extra help from the sour cream doesn't hurt. I don't usually add rum to my banana bread but it is bananas <i>foster</i> banana bread so it's totally acceptable here.<br />
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The dry ingredients include flour, baking soda, salt, and some cinnamon. I'm normally not a big fan of cinnamon in banana bread, but again it's bananas foster banana bread and I'm trying to stay authentic here. That all gets folded into the wet ingredients along with some pecans and mixed just until combined. I always toast my nuts before adding them since it really enhances the flavor and adds a bit more crunch. You can toast up an extra handful for snacking and/or sprinkling on top of the finished loaf.<br />
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While the banana bread bakes, I start on the caramel sauce. It's pretty standard, starting with sugar, corn syrup, water, and lemon juice boiling until, well, caramel-colored. The sugar acts as the base, the corn syrup keeps it from crystallizing and getting grainy, the water helps dissolve the sugar, and the lemon juice also helps prevent crystallization. Just keep cooking it on medium-high until it's a nice dark amber color, and avoid stirring it at all costs. If you stir the caramel while it cooks, it will start to crystallize, and you want a nice smooth sauce. You can start to stir it when you add in the cream, then also add in some butter, rum, vanilla, and salt. Most people flambe their bananas foster, but I skip that for this sauce since most of the alcohol cooks off just by stirring it into the hot caramel.<br />
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Once the banana bread is baked and cool, you can spoon on that caramel sauce and let it soak in and drip everywhere. If it's time for dessert (or just an indulgent snack), you can heat it up and top it with vanilla ice cream and more of that boozy sauce, or if it's breakfast (or you're in my office tomorrow morning and want a sample) you can just eat it as-is.<br />
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For the Banana Bread:<br />
3 Ripe Bananas<br />
1 Stick Butter, Melted<br />
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar<br />
2 Eggs<br />
1/3 Cup Sour Cream<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
2 T Rum<br />
2 Cups Flour<br />
1 tsp Baking Soda<br />
1/4 tsp Salt<br />
1/2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
3/4 Cup Chopped Pecans, Toasted<br />
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For the Caramel Sauce:<br />
1 Cup Sugar<br />
1 T Corn Syrup<br />
1/4 tsp Lemon Juice<br />
1/2 Cup Cream<br />
3 T Butter<br />
1 1/2 T Rum<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
Pinch Salt<br />
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Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9x5" loaf pan with foil and grease.<br />
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For the banana bread, mash the bananas until mostly smooth with a fork. Add the melted butter, then stir in the brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and rum, whisking between each addition. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, then fold into the batter. Stir in the pecans.<br />
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Spoon the batter in to the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until cooked through.<br />
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For the caramel, combine the sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and 3T water in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling over medium-high heat until it turns a deep amber color without stirring. Remove from heat, then whisk in the cream. Add the butter, rum, vanilla, and salt. Pour on the banana bread when cool.<br />
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Makes 1 LoafThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-10896919137982069462019-02-23T21:56:00.000-05:002019-02-23T21:56:12.524-05:00Crumb CakeI've been spending a lot of time with my family in New York recently, and one of the perks has been all the great food. There's been bagels, deli meats, steak dinners, and plenty of dessert, but everybody always goes for the crumb cake. Unfortunately, before I could snag a piece, Jackson the family dog ate literally the entire pan. Yes, I was beat to a delicious breakfast by a golden retriever. Fortunately, I have my own crumb cake recipe, and I can make it at home in Chicago where there's no large sneaky dogs (or hungry relatives) to compete with. I can attest that this is the best crumb cake recipe you'll ever make because--in addition to satisfying plenty of my family on Long Island--I had an entire exam in Food Functionality on the chemical processes that happen when you bake a crumb cake. I got an A, by the way.<br />
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The trick to a great crumb cake is balancing the moist, delicate cake with a big pile of cinnamon-spiced crumbly topping. Real New Yorkers exclusively eat crumb cakes with a 50/50 ratio of crumb to cake, and this definitely comes close. I always start with the crumb so it's ready to go when I finish the batter; its an easy blend of sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, flour, and lots of melted butter. It should be just wet enough to break into crumbly bits. I usually add the flour last and stir it in gradually so I don't over-do it since it's easier to not add flour than it is to add more liquids. It can sit out while you make the cake batter, but I find that keeping it cold in the fridge makes it easier to crumble.<br />
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Even though this can be considered a breakfast cake, you mix it up like any other cake recipe. The butter and sugar are creamed together, then you add an egg and an egg yolk plus a splash of vanilla. To avoid a lumpy batter, alternate the dry and wet ingredients. Here, those are cake flour (for an extra tender cake), baking soda, and salt plus buttermilk since buttermilk makes everything better. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can acidify milk with a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice, though I highly recommend just buying some buttermilk and using it in other cakes, muffins, pancakes, or even mashed potatoes.<br />
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Once the batter and the crumble are ready, they go into a 9" cake pan and into the oven. They're baked until a toothpick comes out clean, and you can even eat the slice warm since the beauty of crumb cake is you don't need to frost it so you don't have to wait until it's cool. To spice it up, you can add some fruit between the cake batter and the crumb, like some berries, peaches, or cherries. Those would help justify eating this for breakfast, or you can just pull a Jackson and have absolutely no shame.<br />
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1/3 Cup + 1/2 Cup Sugar<br />
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar<br />
3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon<br />
3/8 tsp Salt<br />
1 Stick Butter, Melted but Warm<br />
6 T Butter, Cubed, Softened but Cool<br />
2 1/2 Cups Cake Flour<br />
1/4 tsp Baking Soda<br />
1 Egg<br />
1 Egg Yolk<br />
1 tsp Vanilla<br />
1/2 Cup Buttermilk<br />
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Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/8 tsp salt, and melted butter. Stir in 1 1/4 cups cake flour. Chill until cold.<br />
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Heat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-9" square pan with parchment and grease.<br />
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cubed butter and remaining sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Combine the cake flour, baking soda, and remaining salt together. Add the flour addition in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions.<br />
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Spread the batter into the prepared pan and top with the streusel. Bake until golden and cooked through, 30-40 minutes.<br />
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Recipe Adapted from Cook's Illustrated<br />
Serves 8The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-78861654259429160582019-02-10T22:36:00.002-05:002019-02-10T22:36:53.361-05:00Red Velvet Cheesecake BrowniesIt's that time of year again: either you want to bake things to celebrate your significant other or you want to bake things to gorge on while you yell at the Bachelor to take out your anger for being single yet again. I'll be having a nice Galentine's Day dinner with friends and hanging with my cat, but that's no reason not to treat myself with some of my favorite recipes (and go crazy in the candy aisle on February 15). Although most people go with something elegant and/or chocolate-y (and I tend to follow suit), sometimes you just need an occasion to indulge in something red velvet. Red velvet cake is delicious but a bit too labor-intensive when you take into account all the frosting and decorating, and my <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/02/red-velvet-crinkle-cookies.html">red velvet crinkle cookies</a> are a crowd favorite but a little messy. Enter these bars, which have all the flavor of red velvet and cream cheese frosting but in a portable bite and no decorating involved.<br />
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Red velvet is kind of a weird flavor. It's technically chocolate but doesn't really taste like it, and it almost always involves buttermilk. You know how I add buttermilk to pretty much everything even if it doesn't really need it? Today I did the opposite: these are bars not cake, so they don't need the extra liquid. There is some cocoa powder because it's a brownie and it's red velvet, and the splash of white vinegar really does enhance the cocoa's natural redness even if it does smell bad. However, just cocoa and vinegar would make a really sad-looking brownie, let alone a red velvet brownie, so I add a ton of red gel food coloring.<br />
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The bulk of the brownie is still a normal brownie. I mix a ton of melted butter and sugar together, then add vanilla, some cocoa, some vinegar to enhance the color, and all that food coloring. Eggs go in next, then just a bit of flour and salt to hold it all together. It doesn't need any leavening since you want that dense, fudgy texture. If you're unhappy with the color after you stir in the flour, you can stir in more dye; just be careful that you don't overmix the batter.<br />
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The cheesecake swirl is what really steps up these brownies. It's super easy: just beat some cream cheese and sugar together, add two egg yolks to help it set up during baking, and stir in some vanilla and salt for flavor. The key to that perfect marbled look is reserving some red velvet batter to dollop on top, since it's pretty hard to pull the batter up and over the cream cheese layer and still have it look pretty (and not just pink everywhere). A knife or offset spatula will give you more pronounced swirls, as opposed to just a toothpick. Once it's baked you're done, since any frosting or glaze would just cover up that gorgeous marbling. If you're feeling particularly romantic, you can skip the swirls and make some hearts instead. The great thing about red velvet is that it's perfect for any occasion, whether for Valentine's Day or just for your coworkers (as mine will experience when I bring these in for taste testing).<br />
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1 1/2 Cups Flour<br />
1/2 tsp + Pinch Salt<br />
2 Sticks Butter, Melted<br />
2 1/2 Cups Sugar<br />
1 T + 1 tsp Vanilla<br />
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder<br />
Red Food Coloring<br />
1 1/2 tsp White Vinegar<br />
4 Eggs + 2 Egg Yolks<br />
16 oz Cream Cheese, Softened<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 350F and line a 9x13" pan with parchment.<br />
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Combine the flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk the melted butter and 2 cups of sugar together. Add 1 T vanilla, then the cocoa powder, then the food coloring, then the vinegar. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.<br />
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Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Add the egg yolks, remaining 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt.<br />
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Spread most of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Dollop the cheesecake filling on top, then top with the remaining brownie batter. Swirl with a knife or toothpick and bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.<br />
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Makes 24 Bars<br />
Recipe Adapted from Sunny AndersonThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-34361410208830426482019-01-31T17:14:00.001-05:002019-01-31T17:14:27.652-05:00Philly Cheesesteak DipIt's time for another quick and easy dip recipe, just in case the <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2019/01/everything-bagel-dip.html">everything bagel dip</a> wasn't quite enough for you and your Superbowl party. This one may not be as simple as mixing three ingredients together, but it's hot and gooey and perfect for the 70% of you that had below-freezing temps this week. It's still way easier than making actual Philly cheesesteaks for a crowd since it's all the components mixed up into one skillet and baked until brown and bubbly. It also emphasizes the cheese part of cheesesteak, which is everyone's favorite part anyway.<br />
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Of course, you can't have a cheesesteak without the steak either. When I first started working on this recipe, I cut up some steak and seared it off like I would a real Philly cheesesteak (with the added bonus of tasty fat to cook the veggies in). However, even my attempt at thinly-sliced steak turned out chewy and rubbery after being cooked twice. Luckily there's a solution, and it makes your life even easier: the magic of your grocery store's deli counter. You can buy thinly-sliced roast beef like you would for sandwiches and throw it right into the dip.<br />
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I try to dice the roast beef and the veggies about the same size so it's easy to eat. For those classic Philly flavors, I cook off some onions and bell peppers, but sauteed mushrooms would also be delicious (and stretch the dip a bit more). You could also throw in some jalapenos for kick, or stir in some hot sauce. Garlic powder, onion powder, and a splash of Worcestershire round out the flavor profile.<br />
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The base is plenty of cheese: cream cheese, mozzarella, and provolone with a bit of mayo to thin it out and make it nice and gooey. The cream cheese adds bulk and a dippable texture, the mozzarella adds stretch for that classic cheese pull, and the provolone gives you the quintessential Philly flavor. Sorry Philadelphians, but I'm not about to add cheese whiz to this. Once it's all mixed up and baked, there's the matter of what vehicle you want to use to get it into your mouth. I tend to go for baguette slices or little crostinis, but pretzel chips or pita chips would work too. A regular old spoon would also work for leftovers after your Superbowl crew heads out.<br />
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2T Butter<br />
1/2 lb Deli Roast Beef, Diced<br />
1 Small Yellow Onion, Diced (3/4 Cup)<br />
1 Small Bell Pepper, Diced (3/4 Cup)<br />
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened<br />
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise<br />
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder<br />
1/2 tsp Onion Powder<br />
1 tsp Worcestershire<br />
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella (6oz)<br />
1 Cup Shredded Provolone (4oz)<br />
Crostini, Pretzel Chips, Pita Chips, etc.<br />
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Heat oven to 350F and grease a 9" skillet or small baking dish.<br />
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Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise and mix until smooth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of mozzarella and the provolone. Add the steak and cooled veggies.<br />
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Spread the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake for 20 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella, and broil until browned and bubbly. Serve with the bread or chips.The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-51805262543700888422019-01-23T19:35:00.003-05:002019-01-23T19:35:58.477-05:00Everything Bagel DipApparently I'm a bit late to the party. Which party? The everything bagel seasoning one. Everyone has been raving about this stuff for months, and I finally caved and bought a jar of it. My main question was what was I going to use it on, since I'm not into the whole avocado toast fad and I didn't have a desperate need to spice up my other breakfast foods. Enter my sister and her need for dorm-friendly recipes for friends in college. This dip is only three ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, and everything bagel seasoning and can be whipped up by hand (but a mixer does make it easier). You know what party you won't be late to with this dip? Your Superbowl party, since this takes all of 5 minutes to make but will be the star of the snack table.<div>
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The main ingredient here is the cream cheese. You can't have a good bagel without cream cheese, and you can't have a good dip without it either. Since this is a bagel-inspired dip, the cream cheese is pretty much non-negotiable. I use a brick of plain cream cheese (go for the full fat stuff here... I promise it's worth it) and make sure to bring it to room temperature. If it's still cold, you'll end up with lots of little lumps, which you want to avoid if at all possible. I mix the cream cheese with some sour cream to help loosen it up and get a dippable, spreadable texture. </div>
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Once the cream cheese and sour cream are nice and smooth, it's time to add the everything bagel seasoning. You could make your own, but that would involve buying dried garlic, dried onions, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flaky sea salt. I'd much rather buy the pre-mixed blend, plus it's not like making your own would cut out any preservatives. Side note: preservatives aren't typically a bad thing since they have to be approved by the FDA and it's not like we food scientists throw them in everything for funsies... they serve a real and important purpose and you shouldn't drive yourself crazy trying to avoid them. Soapbox aside, if you can find this seasoning at Trader Joe's or wherever else I say go for it since it makes your life so much easier.</div>
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Unfortunately, I think your Superbowl friends may judge you just a little if you go at this with a spoon, so you'll probably want to invest in something to dip with. The clear winner is bagel chips. This is everything bagel dip, after all. You can make them yourself by slicing up some bagels and toasting them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, or you can ask your local bagel place if they sell them pre-made. If bagels aren't your thing or you can't seem to find any, pretzel chips or pita chips would be pretty tasty too. If you're trying to be healthy, go with some baby carrots or celery sticks (or maybe find a salsa or something, since this is literally just cream cheese and sour cream). Of course, you also don't have to limit yourself with the occasion. The Superbowl may only happen once a year, but I'm hosting Bachelor watch parties every week, and you know this will be the main event.</div>
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<div>
8oz Cream Cheese, Softened</div>
<div>
1 Cup Sour Cream</div>
<div>
2 T Everything Bagel Seasoning</div>
<div>
Bagel Chips, Pretzel Chips, etc. </div>
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Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer or whisk for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat for another 2 minutes until combined. Stir in the seasoning and serve with bagel chips and other dippables.</div>
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Makes 2 Cups</div>
The Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-72460016680532651282019-01-10T22:31:00.004-05:002019-01-10T22:31:44.849-05:00Chicken Enchilada CasseroleHow many of you still have your New Years resolutions in tact? I'm sure lots of you are working hard to exercise, eat well, cook more, and otherwise improve your life. If you've lost some motivation (or didn't make any resolutions in the first place and just want an easy dinner recipe), don't worry! There is plenty of time to jump back on it, and recipes like this make it easy. It's all the goodness of enchiladas with none of the finicky rolling and assembly, just a big pile of spicy chicken and veggies in a creamy sauce with spiced tortilla chips. All that lean meat, beans, and vegetables with just a sprinkle of cheese makes for a pretty healthy dinner, too.<br />
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I normally start this dish by seasoning and searing the chicken. Browning it adds so much flavor, plus it gives you even more flavorful fat to cook the rest of the dish in. If you don't want to get a pan dirty, you do have a few options. You could dice up the raw chicken, toss it with the seasoning blend, and cook the dish for a bit longer in the oven. However, I still like the shredded chicken better, so buying a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and pulling the meat off of there is one of my favorite shortcuts. You can even use the bones to make a tasty soup to warm you up more with all this cold weather.<br />
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One of the perks of searing off the chicken is it gives you an excuse to cook off the onions, garlic, and jalapenos. They'll continue cooking in the oven, but this way they'll soak up those delicious chicken juices, incorporate the yummy browned bits, and mellow out some of the sharpness. The other veggies are canned, so there's no need to cook off the tomatoes, beans, or green chiles. They all get combined with the chicken, some pre-made enchilada sauce, and some sour cream. I'm sure there are ways to make your own enchilada sauce, but the whole point of this dish is to make a quick and easy meal. Using a can of sauce cuts down on time and saves you the hassle of buying tons of other ingredients.<br />
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I also take the time to make my own tortilla strips. I bake them to save on time and calories and season them lightly with salt, pepper, and chili powder. The best shortcut here is to go ahead and buy some tortilla chips instead (and use up the rest with some <a href="http://homemade%20guac/">homemade guac</a>). They just get sprinkled in between layers of the chicken mixture, then it all gets covered in cheese and baked until golden, hot, and bubbly. I throw more tortilla strips on top for crunch since the ones inside tend to soak up all the juices from the casserole (it's a good thing, trust me). It's great to feed your whole family for dinner, eat as leftovers for lunch, and/or freeze for another night when you're tempted to break your resolutions.<br />
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8 Corn Tortillas<br />
3 T Oil<br />
1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder<br />
1 1/2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts<br />
1/2 tsp Cumin<br />
1/2 tsp Cayenne<br />
1 Large Yellow Onion, Diced<br />
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />
1 Jalapeno, Minced (Optional)<br />
1 10oz Can Red Enchilada Sauce<br />
1 14.5oz Can Petite Diced Tomatoes, Drained<br />
1 4.5oz Can Diced Green Chiles<br />
1 14oz Can Black Beans, Rinsed<br />
1/2 Cup Sour Cream<br />
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (Mexican Blend, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, etc.)<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 450F and line a large baking tray with parchment.<br />
<br />
Cut the tortillas in half and then in strips. Combine the oil, 1 tsp chili powder, and salt and pepper. Toss the tortilla strips in the oil and spread onto the prepared pan. Bake for 4-6 minutes or until golden and crispy, tossing occasionally.<br />
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Lower oven temperature to 375F and grease a 9x13" baking dish.<br />
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Combine the cumin, cayenne, remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder, and salt and pepper. Pound the chicken to 1/2" thick if not thin enough already, then season generously with the spice mixture.<br />
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Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool, then dice or shred.<br />
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Cook the onion in the remaining fat over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, if using, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside.<br />
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Combine the chicken, onions, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, and sour cream. Spread half the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the tortilla strips, then cover with the remaining chicken mixture. Top with the shredded cheese. Bake for 12 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with the remaining tortilla strips.<br />
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Serves 6-8<br />
Recipe Adapted from Anna StockwellThe Nerdy Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022917592079319291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172142628275956815.post-72683648993385901742018-12-30T21:07:00.001-05:002018-12-30T21:07:35.910-05:00Top Posts of 20182018 was full of great people, great adventures, and great food. Here are 30 great recipes to kick off 2019!<br />
<br />
Top 10 Recipes of 2018:<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/04/frozen-margarita-pie.html">Frozen Margarita Pie</a> - A refreshing frozen lime filling in a salty pretzel crust with toasty meringue on top<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/06/cheesy-garlic-pull-apart-bread.html">Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread</a> - Fresh bread packed with roasted garlic and plenty of cheese<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/08/sesame-chicken-thighs.html">Sesame Chicken Thighs</a> - Sweet, sticky, and sesame-y chicken thighs with veggies underneath<br />
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7. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/02/mustard-crusted-salmon.html">Mustard-Crusted Salmon</a> - Tender salmon topped with a mustard glaze and crispy breadcrumbs<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/06/creole-grilled-pork-with-corn-okra.html">Creole Grilled Pork with Corn & Okra</a> - Spiced pork cutlets with savory corn and okra<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS4wOwv8kxAvEB31xk_8P-CkTwTG6JsGHFw3yVRLwGp_16O9csO6v54bAbKnnx-V7c_d5WV8D5GIGNnP6zH6FGOIQlS2KJiDgeRUIsHPt1vYz5josrTzk1F31_svOYilzycJJuUg0108/s1600/fullsizeoutput_875.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS4wOwv8kxAvEB31xk_8P-CkTwTG6JsGHFw3yVRLwGp_16O9csO6v54bAbKnnx-V7c_d5WV8D5GIGNnP6zH6FGOIQlS2KJiDgeRUIsHPt1vYz5josrTzk1F31_svOYilzycJJuUg0108/s320/fullsizeoutput_875.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/02/mini-chocolate-bundt-cakes.html">Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes</a> - Fudgy individual chocolate cakes<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/04/chicken-marsala-pasta-bake.html">Chicken Marsala Pasta Bake</a> - Chicken Marsala transformed into a cozy baked pasta dish<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/05/mushroom-ravioli-with-parmesan-white.html">Mushroom Ravioli w/ Parmesan White Wine Sauce</a> - Delicate, cheesy mushroom ravioli smothered in a buttery white wine pan sauce<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/05/frozen-lemonade-tart.html">Frozen Lemonade Tart</a> - Lemonade in creamy pie form with a sweet, buttery crust<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2018/01/chicken-tortilla-soup.html">Chicken Tortilla Soup</a> - A cozy, spicy broth packed with chicken and veggies plus crispy tortilla strips on top<br />
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10 Recipes That Need More Love:<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/05/mixed-berry-lemon-scones.html">Mixed Berry Lemon Scones</a> - All the berries you can find loaded in a lemony scone with a gorgeous glaze<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/10/thai-squash-soup.html">Thai Squash Soup</a> - The weirdest combination of ingredients in a soup you'll ever try but it works<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/10/cheesy-baked-pasta.html">Cheesy Baked Pasta</a> - Pasta tossed in a decadent cheese sauce with bacon and crispy breadcrumbs<br />
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7. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/08/buttermilk-pie.html">Buttermilk Pie</a> - A creamy pie that tastes like a sugar cookie (roasted fruit optional)<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/12/cranberry-balsamic-chicken.html">Cranberry Balsamic Chicken</a> - Roasted chicken with a tart sauce perfect for winter<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/07/seared-salmon-with-corn-relish.html">Seared Salmon w/ Corn Relish</a> - Succulent salmon with fresh corn, tomatoes, and caramelized onions on top<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/07/pink-lemonade-bars.html">Pink Lemonade Bars</a> - Classic lemon bars updated with raspberries for a pop of pink<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRoSP_CuUPBpnJW5r-qTfQXC4_bzmc6i_ACKcCCo8ovIsekqpwjq7yu7_bzCxLtI6sfyq-3pIAhihoacif9lIB_jJwnTYw5UK6EKw-Yw22Oc4liSmsKb3lC0TiToMs57OcOnFgxXlNio/s1600/DSCN9253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRoSP_CuUPBpnJW5r-qTfQXC4_bzmc6i_ACKcCCo8ovIsekqpwjq7yu7_bzCxLtI6sfyq-3pIAhihoacif9lIB_jJwnTYw5UK6EKw-Yw22Oc4liSmsKb3lC0TiToMs57OcOnFgxXlNio/s320/DSCN9253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/07/blackberry-almond-coffee-cake.html">Blackberry Almond Coffee Cake</a> - Tender crumb cake with fresh blackberries and a hint of almond<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6-8gS1o1khytKgonLMz1A5dQV8qOAhuZVhwBICiznqr-owBoPDPMOf-Hxo0ykD-W8D1YCqyEL0zOWbrs0xzAWvChsORZ2pMG9DWA4ehaKh3zSYt6GpA2yDbBBANQc6QYjw5Q1EQA9nY/s1600/Blackberry+Coffeecake+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6-8gS1o1khytKgonLMz1A5dQV8qOAhuZVhwBICiznqr-owBoPDPMOf-Hxo0ykD-W8D1YCqyEL0zOWbrs0xzAWvChsORZ2pMG9DWA4ehaKh3zSYt6GpA2yDbBBANQc6QYjw5Q1EQA9nY/s320/Blackberry+Coffeecake+8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2016/06/peanut-butter-chocolate-shortbread.html">Peanut Butter Chocolate Shortbread</a> - Peanut buttery goodness with plenty of chocolate added in<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3eDQNXcwBq_j8IJx4etsRyJGNfopZY8eosJm4CVLv-5tRV-NzC6ceYZ5posIqU0uH96LEd3HjuGARRNOUI_sy1UUAeXr8KAinmaYe3D9otCGadBaZfEc4jVIWC5HzzLqsBg24riK3gw/s1600/Peanut+Butter+Shortbread+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3eDQNXcwBq_j8IJx4etsRyJGNfopZY8eosJm4CVLv-5tRV-NzC6ceYZ5posIqU0uH96LEd3HjuGARRNOUI_sy1UUAeXr8KAinmaYe3D9otCGadBaZfEc4jVIWC5HzzLqsBg24riK3gw/s320/Peanut+Butter+Shortbread+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2017/06/bourbon-peach-pecan-galette.html">Bourbon Peach Pecan Galette</a> - Bourbon-spiked peaches and pecans in a buttery pecan crust<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeYP5S5LjncknQ2Nv7quI_EjY2D45F-51p4s-OiCMJAB7HMC8ngXjtgMs9gd7GzLnPSsYiKCHsOBCyQVm1hG1C_EZYSAyifbOkTf03BxnjNTEeCmnxx_bGG_acLIeb21d-9BnZE3D1_8/s1600/Bourbon+Peach+Pecan+Galette+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeYP5S5LjncknQ2Nv7quI_EjY2D45F-51p4s-OiCMJAB7HMC8ngXjtgMs9gd7GzLnPSsYiKCHsOBCyQVm1hG1C_EZYSAyifbOkTf03BxnjNTEeCmnxx_bGG_acLIeb21d-9BnZE3D1_8/s320/Bourbon+Peach+Pecan+Galette+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Top 10 Recipes of All Time:<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/11/cranberry-apple-muffins.html">Cranberry Apple Muffins</a> - Quick and easy muffins studded with seasonal apples and fresh cranberries<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDwJH4YKY3PyJid49Hb_3lF7qLUfM6-ltfAJd03EjsVU_XX0c7jTHoDRxfeeOT-eOVDgFr_ymsgRoB6hkqFMfozezl03TxDTzOcGc8Se_0N4l9toJYaAhkXspzwUwOw08FtESadXRzhk/s1600/Cranberry+Apple+Muffins+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDwJH4YKY3PyJid49Hb_3lF7qLUfM6-ltfAJd03EjsVU_XX0c7jTHoDRxfeeOT-eOVDgFr_ymsgRoB6hkqFMfozezl03TxDTzOcGc8Se_0N4l9toJYaAhkXspzwUwOw08FtESadXRzhk/s320/Cranberry+Apple+Muffins+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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9. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/04/brownies.html">Brownies</a> - Rich, fudgy brownies with added chocolate chips for good measure<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tDS3sbn9TBhqMdDWGlD2CHIwwRvbBep8mDwCCkmokrJfm2vP7-QKkpJK5VBbM4ruvuql4jfswoOH6KqEQLT-kon3UHeRkrjy5npezrL2l2ak3AGKU27LYqJupTFOoCLLhG5syj8PlNY/s1600/Brownies+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="1600" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tDS3sbn9TBhqMdDWGlD2CHIwwRvbBep8mDwCCkmokrJfm2vP7-QKkpJK5VBbM4ruvuql4jfswoOH6KqEQLT-kon3UHeRkrjy5npezrL2l2ak3AGKU27LYqJupTFOoCLLhG5syj8PlNY/s320/Brownies+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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8. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2013/02/croque-poulet.html">Croque Poulet</a> - My favorite sandwich: chicken, bacon, and cheesy goodness<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX7RiTROR6k3N6I7oMnZvjw2vYSgZsXo9dxxWW3W21k8C5Aka9ynLoRA17Zi6S9HK4lIM77dfWZlQQGAxHzovGpBgnkBjHL4SZJFWAHAtTYat40GFDpX2CVom7AYU2jZEog_RrMbv_90/s1600/Croque+Poulet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZX7RiTROR6k3N6I7oMnZvjw2vYSgZsXo9dxxWW3W21k8C5Aka9ynLoRA17Zi6S9HK4lIM77dfWZlQQGAxHzovGpBgnkBjHL4SZJFWAHAtTYat40GFDpX2CVom7AYU2jZEog_RrMbv_90/s320/Croque+Poulet+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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7. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2013/01/cucumber-salad.html">Cucumber Salad</a> - Crisp cucumbers marinated in a salty, tangy sauce with crunchy sesame seeds<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zD-WxOVLraYbmMFeXhLyTyTGgq1-A_kbMnbp-BKNkb-BFXCmwSnr8a9y5_MH8GcugLfpgmYh81ITBQ39RANE_f9yv38d_uRekVEz7F0eYXZsXMMNXQf-K2QrtsS287B_IVolD7jgczA/s1600/Cucumber+Salad+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zD-WxOVLraYbmMFeXhLyTyTGgq1-A_kbMnbp-BKNkb-BFXCmwSnr8a9y5_MH8GcugLfpgmYh81ITBQ39RANE_f9yv38d_uRekVEz7F0eYXZsXMMNXQf-K2QrtsS287B_IVolD7jgczA/s320/Cucumber+Salad+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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6. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2014/05/meatballs.html">Meatballs</a> - Juicy, savory meatballs with a secret ingredient to make them absolutely perfect<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSSRkgwkrteVNqwr9us8j2YZglKjuoz9CMy5gpZgvLQDfJn7mAlsZxISM9-CSyE1QD69Ri0l83qjPjK43QuJ2cyjCt5zLrrujqsdcMklbhI27Hly7cM9s7SwBz1FHnsJmzLFRMpZovOU/s1600/Meatballs+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSSRkgwkrteVNqwr9us8j2YZglKjuoz9CMy5gpZgvLQDfJn7mAlsZxISM9-CSyE1QD69Ri0l83qjPjK43QuJ2cyjCt5zLrrujqsdcMklbhI27Hly7cM9s7SwBz1FHnsJmzLFRMpZovOU/s320/Meatballs+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2016/12/christmas-light-cookies.html">Christmas Light Cookies</a> - Perfect rolled sugar cookies frosted with the most festive of decorations<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHsOwUNCKvPFz8OSiowyRnNr9w2xo0ofd7p45reWrV4KgAZjsQXRFGfoOTxTAQLKqRXChju9CLi00C7xnSlA4-w-ZkhioQ7FSat0-2uh5-Zuz1SSjnGPH2lijf6itFF4FN7oqArkpN38/s1600/Christmas+Light+Cookies+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHsOwUNCKvPFz8OSiowyRnNr9w2xo0ofd7p45reWrV4KgAZjsQXRFGfoOTxTAQLKqRXChju9CLi00C7xnSlA4-w-ZkhioQ7FSat0-2uh5-Zuz1SSjnGPH2lijf6itFF4FN7oqArkpN38/s320/Christmas+Light+Cookies+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2015/03/spicy-beer-chili.html">Spicy Beer Chili</a> - A classic made better with beer<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3-ya6zNvwQRxnidb5gXI8icdsaUhb1ZJyrgvDHgo8AIZoHwBtKy19FPDa_s79VltjZShzgppS94MHwbMTMQYPPxgaNjPR-5GU_0JCrdVx6-ZEFsebQZaNV8bTtSCtQF8a1K0qrwIpQo/s1600/Beer+Chili+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3-ya6zNvwQRxnidb5gXI8icdsaUhb1ZJyrgvDHgo8AIZoHwBtKy19FPDa_s79VltjZShzgppS94MHwbMTMQYPPxgaNjPR-5GU_0JCrdVx6-ZEFsebQZaNV8bTtSCtQF8a1K0qrwIpQo/s320/Beer+Chili+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2012/02/chili.html">Chili</a> - Everything spicy and savory all in one bowl<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t8euzo0OeUBidthempU9EYMR1I58sV5D-32k43c3h0v5w5lE7jr0BrnQ3Zwk9DBW_fziFC5sVI3JsQxOWx1tJW9IjCXyKYqj_njYE9ZLeQGKyD9MA4eEngM-edMYa1P_MXYRZT9FGW8/s1600/Chili+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t8euzo0OeUBidthempU9EYMR1I58sV5D-32k43c3h0v5w5lE7jr0BrnQ3Zwk9DBW_fziFC5sVI3JsQxOWx1tJW9IjCXyKYqj_njYE9ZLeQGKyD9MA4eEngM-edMYa1P_MXYRZT9FGW8/s320/Chili+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2012/07/guacamole.html">Guacamole</a> - The perfect balance of chunky and smooth with a hint of heat and acidity<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8-3R4Ev8N1RDk8zFoAHI0iFRwgrn69Wlalr6V-KiTf21LUsiUGeq58tAl-4NxNd7qwGkBWeYasZ7tp4BIc08QvPwlhgMvdbAW6UBgeT5rcklGJFfuTnxULjpLFoNKxvJXpzS3hbHkDk/s1600/Guacamole+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8-3R4Ev8N1RDk8zFoAHI0iFRwgrn69Wlalr6V-KiTf21LUsiUGeq58tAl-4NxNd7qwGkBWeYasZ7tp4BIc08QvPwlhgMvdbAW6UBgeT5rcklGJFfuTnxULjpLFoNKxvJXpzS3hbHkDk/s320/Guacamole+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.thenerdychef.com/2012/09/white-chocolate-cranberry-cookies.html">White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies</a> - Still the most popular recipe on my blog! Buttery shortbread studded with cranberries and white chocolate<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETOifyPxXEPqI8EqMOyqxXXu4Rg-DGKGmfoOR04zGQJcnqM0yxYugbkrpcxt8v0vkzjllAP-43eVVZVSTAuYdQMDaPIiI0P8jcq3fP_i5MrWnOrHva3qq6qQOUc1fbLO2LWAaXXF_D_8/s1600/White+Chocolate+Cranberry+Shortbread+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETOifyPxXEPqI8EqMOyqxXXu4Rg-DGKGmfoOR04zGQJcnqM0yxYugbkrpcxt8v0vkzjllAP-43eVVZVSTAuYdQMDaPIiI0P8jcq3fP_i5MrWnOrHva3qq6qQOUc1fbLO2LWAaXXF_D_8/s320/White+Chocolate+Cranberry+Shortbread+10.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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