Spicy lentil chili

In the crock pot:
~1.5 cups lentils
1 can chipotle - remove seeds - minced
1 onion diced
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 regular sized bottle beer
Lots of minced garlic ~ 6 cloves
Beef- cubed, dredged in garlic, salt, pepper, flour, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, and chili power - browned in olive oil
Seasonings (more of those used to dredge beef)
Chicken broth until sufficiently liquids
One matza, crumbled

On high for six hours

My favorite Vegetarian Chili, inspired by Cookie and Kate

Ingredients:
Oil
Medium Red Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 medium or 4 smallish carrots, chopped
2 celery hearts, chopped
generous sprinkle of salt
5 cloves garlic, minced in food processor
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1.5 teaspoons ground paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
2ish cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sherry
2 tablespoons flour
garnish with mozzarella


Saute onion, celery, carrot and salt. Once the onions start to get clear, add bell pepper and garlic as well as the rest of the spices. Once aromatic, add tomatoes. Ladle ~2 generous ladle fulls into the food processor and pulse, giving the resultant chili more texture variation. Return to pot, and add rinsed beans. broth, and sherry. Add flour for thickening. Let simmer ~20-30 minutes, until all the flavors are merry and delicious. Add more salt, garlic, and pepper to taste. Serve topped with cheese, over potatoes, or really any way because it's delicious!

(posted here so I remember changes I made to the original recipe)

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is very similar to another cookie recipe of mine, with some slight alterations!

Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients:
1 very ripe medium sized banana
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup white sugar (I first tried 1/2 cup like the other recipe, but without the cocoa powder, the results are too sweet- 1/4 should be perfection)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 dark chocolate chips

Mash banana with softened butter. Add sugar and whip together. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add salt and baking powder and mix well. Gradually add flour and oats and mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake ~10 minutes- cookies will be very soft.

The quest to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie

Tonight I made chocolate cookies and they were damn near perfect. This recipe is a modification of the nestle toll house recipe. This is what I did:

Preheated oven to 350

Mixed:
1 stick of butter (softened on counter for an hour)
1/2 tspoon baking soda
1/2 tspoon salt
1/4 granulated sugar
1/4 brown sugar
2 Tb spoon honey
1/2 tspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
2 Tb spoon whole wheat flour
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup semi sweet chips
2 Tb spoons oats

I chilled the dough for an hour before spooning on a cold cookie sheet and placing into the oven. This  gave me just the right spread of dough for my preferences.

I thought the sweetness of the batter was just right and the ratio of whole wheat to all purpose was perfect. For next time, Peter proposes we do 1/2 the quantity of chocolate chips (of the same dark to semi sweet ratio) and do 2x as many oats.

Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins

These came out a little dense- I may do something to make them lighter next time

1.5 cup white flour
3/4 cup oats
3/4 cup coconut
3/8 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Maple Blueberry Muffins

Preheat oven to 400

3/4 cup oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup soy protein isolate
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 egg
Add blueberries to desired concentration

Proteinated Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Preheat to 400 degrees

Batter:
3/4 cup oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup soy protein isolate
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup olive
1 egg
2 apples diced, drizzled with lemon juice to prevent browning
1/2 cup walnuts

Top: butter, flour, sugar, oats