Mini Peanut Butter Cups

This past Sunday I hosted a wonderful bridal shower for my future sister-in-law, Alexis. I have never been asked by so many people for one particular recipe! But, it seems that everyone there fell for my homemade miniature peanut butter cups. These bite-sized-melt-in-your-mouth sensations require no baking, can be prepared weeks in advanced and stored in the fridge), and apparently people go crazy over them... I found the original recipe in one of Nigella's cookbooks, she calls them 'Peanut Butter Squares', but over time, I changed a few things and made them my own. They work so well as bite-sized treats because they are so rich and creamy, but that's not to say that just one will ever be enough.

Miniature Peanut Butter Cups
makes about 40 pieces

For the base:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (any kind you like)

For the topping:
3 ounces of good chocolate, dark or milk, your choice
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Grease a nine inch square pan. Using an electric mixer, mix together all the base ingredients until combined and sandy. Press this mixture into the base of the square dish in an even layer. You might find that wetting your hands will make it easier to spread the mixture evenly. Combine the 2 chocolates and the butter, and melt together. You can melt them by placing them in the microwave for a minute or two and stirring, or by placing them in a glass bowl all together over a pot of simmering water, and stirring until all ingredients are melted together. Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture evenly. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. At this point you will be faced with a few choices: You may cut them into small squares or use any kind of cookie cutter to cut them into fun shapes. I like to use a small round cookie cutter (about the size of a quarter). It helps to let the square pan sit out for about half an hour before using the cutters, so it soften just a bit. Once I am done cutting them all out, I take whatever edges are left in the pan and smush it all together, and form another layer. I allow the layer to sit in the fridge until it hardens, and then I use the cutters once again to cut out more...I repeat this process until there's nothing left, I just hate to see any of this gorgeous peanut butter perfection go to waste.

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Beef Ribs with Cider-Rosemary Marinade

For those that think cooking ribs requires a culinary degree- you are totally mistaken. Tender, succulent ribs are one of the easiest meats to cook- you really can't mess it up. This is a simple, perfectly delicious recipe for slow cooked ribs that come out soft, flavourful and finger-licking, falling-off-the-bone-good. The sharpness of the cider vinegar in the sauce is contrasted with the nuttiness of the rosemary, and the sauce is sweetened just a touch of honey. Kosher short ribs are in fact beef short ribs that have been cut across the bone, also called 'flanken'. Flanken makes a wonderful meaty dish all year round. It's a great example of how when it comes to cooking, often times, less is more. You don't need a hundred ingredients to make an amazing dish...you just need to mix up a few ingredients to create a succulent dish. And, there's a good chance you'll already have all the ingredients you need at home. All you need to do is go out and get yourself some ribs! 

Braised Beef Ribs with Cider-Rosemary Reduction

serves 4-6

6 beef short ribs or flanken

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons dried rosemary 

1 heaping tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven 400. Combine the cider vinegar, soy, rosemary, honey and olive oil, and whisk well. Place the ribs in a large baking dish. Pour the marinade over. You may marinate overnight in the fridge or cook straight away. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours, turn the oven off but keep the ribs in the oven for another hour or so (they will really soften up during this time!) That's it. How easy??

 Place ribs in a dish

 Whisk together marinade ingredients

 Pour marinade over the ribs, cover and cook

 Enjoy

MMMMacaroons!

I know that these days, French macaroons are getting all the attention- and they totally deserve it. Gorgeous colors, inventive flavors, an adorable little shape- and serious technique. Look, your average person is not going to attempt to whip up those French delicacies- they take a lot of time and a lot of skill. But what ever happened to the old fashioned, crunchy on the outside, soft and cloudy on the inside original version? I'm not talking about the Passover, hard-as-rock- potent with artificial flavors ones. I am referring to the old-school coconut, flaky dreamy ones. The ones you can make at home. The ones that make your place smell like heaven. The ones that make you feel like crying of joy as you first bite in. (OK- maybe that's only me.)

I found an easy, straightforward recipe for these beauties. As long as you own an electric mixer (handheld or on a stand), you are good to go. So, give them a try. You will be so glad that you did. I know I was.

Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons
recipe adapted from Nancy Baggett's 'All-American Cookie Book'

2 1/2 bags (35 ounces total) sweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
5 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 ounces of your favorite chocolate, melted, for drizzling

Preheat the oven 325. Place the coconut on a baking tray in an even layer. Place in the oven and toast up slightly until really fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Stir the condensed milk into the toated coconut, and use your hands to combine. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggwhites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy, about 4 minutes. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high until opaque and soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, and beat on high until stiff, glossy peaks form, another 2 minutes or so. Use a spatula to fold the coconut mixture into the eggwhites.
Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the mixture onto the baking sheets using a 1/4 cup measure, about 2 inches apart. The should be tall mounds rather than wide. Bake, one sheet at a time for 15- 20 minutes. The tops and bottoms of the macaroons should be browned while the inside will be a little soft- they will harden as they set. Cool completely on baking sheets. Turn your oven off. Once your oven has cooled down a bit, return the baking sheets into the oven and let them stay there overnight. The next day, peel the macaroons off the parchment paper and drizzle with your favorite melted chocolate.
Enjoy!
These macaroons can be stored in an air-tight container for a few days or frozen for up to a month!

Grilled Steak with Caramelised Tandoori Peppers...Grilled Fish with Dill-Yogurt Sauce with Crunchy Pecans

"How do you find the time to prepare gourmet meals every night of the week?" This is a question that I get pretty often. My answer is usually the same: Less is more. Simple is always best. And, also, make what you can in advance. The best meals, and the most delicious flavors always come from the freshest ingredients. It doesn't have to be fancy, expensive or time consuming. Freshly grilled fish or meats are always great and quick to prepare. But instead of doing it the way you always do, switch it up a bit by serving these freshly grilled proteins with amazing toppings like spicy Caramelised Tandoori Peppers or Dill Yogurt Sauce with Crunchy Pecans. The toppings can be made ahead of time and will truly take your grilled meat and fish to the gourmet level. If you don't have an outdoor grill, use a grill pan over your stove top to achieve the grilling effect. For the best results, grill the fish or meat just before serving. I suggest trying salmon steaks or halibut steaks instead of fillets for a change. Just brush a tiny drop of olive oil over both sides of the fish steak and season with salt and pepper. Fish steaks usually take about 4 minutes per side over high heat. For steak, use your favorite cut of meat. Grill for just a few minutes per side, until cooked the way you like it. For a fresh, tangy dish, serve the grilled fish with Dill Yogurt Sauce. If you're more in the mood for bold, hot flavors, try the grilled steak with Caramelised Tandoori Peppers.

Caramelised Tandoori Peppers

serves 4

2 tablespoon olive oil

4 peppers, any color variation you like

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon tandoori masala powder (you can get this online but I ENCOURAGE you to go out and explore the local spice stores)

salt and pepper

Cut the peppers in half, and discard the seeds. Slice the peppers into thin, long slices. Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Saute the peppers over low heat for about 30 minutes. The peppers should shrink down and get very caramelised, almost sticking together. Stir in the curry, tandoori masala, and season salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve over grilled meat,fish, or even on its own!

 Saute the sliced peppers over low heat

 Stir in the curry powder and tandoori masala powder

 Peppers will shrink to almost half the original amount

Enjoy

Dill-Yogurt Sauce with Crunchy Pecans

serves 4

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons honey or agave

Place the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the dill. Add the lemon juice and pecans. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the honey or agave over. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve dolloped over grilled fish. 

 Roughly chopped fresh dill

 Greek yogurt

 Stir dill into yogurt

 Add the chopped pecans

 Drizzle honey or agave over

Enjoy over grilled fish or on its own