Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Jodi wanted me to put this recipe on the blog.  Her kids love it.
2 T. butter
8 large russet potatoes
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (I just use whatever milk I have)
1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt and ground pepper
2 c. grated sharp cheddar
2 green onions, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a large baking dish with the butter
Slice the potatoes into sticks, and then cut the sticks to create a dice.
Combine the cream and milk in a bowl.  Add the flour, salt and some pepper.  Whisk it together well so the flour is incorporated into the milk/cream mixture.  Add the diced potatoes to the prepared baking dish and pour the creamy mixture all over the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 - 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 15 -20 min. more.  Just before serving, sprinkle on the grated cheese and return it to the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 3-5 min.  Sprinkle on the green onions and serve it hot.
Personally, I think this tastes better the next day.
Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

One of our friends here makes this amazing cake and just gave me her recipe. I've made one similar to it and it's delicious, but hers is even better. It's cake taken to a whole new level! Even Brons likes it and he doesn't usually like cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 3/4 C boiling water
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C white sugar
1 C uncooked oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional - I like to add it in for more flavor)
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 C chocolate chips
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oats, sugars and butter. Stir in boiling water until butter melts completely. Stir in eggs.

In separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa. Add to wet mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and 1 C of the chocolate chips.

Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining cup of chocolate chips (I add a few extra) over the top and nuts, covering well and evenly.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins. 

Enjoy! 
 

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm just copying and pasting this chocolate chip cookie recipe my friend found on pinterest. Adri, Pat and I were talking about good chocolate chip cookie recipes while we were in LA and I told them this is my favorite one. Although you have to chill the dough before baking, it's definitely worth it!  The link for the actual blog is at the bottom.

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180 grams) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Directions:

Toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft, yet thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have them evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick. See this post for more clarity and a photo. Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Press a few more chocolate chips/chunks on top of the dough balls for looks, if desired. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies stay soft and fresh for 7 whole days at room temperature. Cookies may be frozen up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough may be frozen up to three months and baked in their frozen state for 12 minutes.

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/13/chewy-chocolate-chunk-cookies/