Thin Mint Cookies

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Ari

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and having used this technique a few times myself, I think I would have to agree with that statement. It’s important to point out, however, that this method of cardiac access can pretty much be applied to any human being. How many times have you been handed a cookie by an acquaintance and not immediately decided that person got a few extra points in the friend book? The simple fact is people love food…particularly sweet foods.
In celebration…well not really celebration, but I guess in observation of the first years’ block 3 exam, I decided to bake them a little extra brain food before the exam. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the only reason I made them cookies…There are some pretty awesome first years and I decided that it was time to bribe them to be my friends with some tasty treats. I mean, who’s gonna say no to homemade thin mints?? I found a delicious looking recipe on 101 cookbooks, and set to work. I will admit that they ended up taking a little longer than I had hoped (about 2 hours longer), but they were definitely worth it…and I think I made a few new friends in the process.

What you need:

  • 12 oz (3 sticks) of unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
  • 36 oz (3 bags) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2-3 tsp mint extract (depending on how minting you want the cookies)

What you need to do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Using a hand mixer (or standing mixer) cream the butter.
  3. Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix.
  4. Add the vanilla, salt and cocoa powder. Mix until it is the consistency of frosting.
  5. Add the flour and mix until there is no loose flour, but the dough is still crumbly. Be careful not to over mix the dough.
  6. Kneed the dough a few times and shape it into a ball.
  7. Place the ball in a plastic bag and flatten it to about 3/4 in thick.
  8. Chill the dough in the freezer for 20 min.
  9. Remove the dough from the freezer and cut it into 4 sections.
  10. Roll out each section individually by placing it between two sheets of plastic wrap and rolling it out to 1/8 inch with a rolling pin.
  11. Stamp out cookies with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter.
  12. Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before beginning the chocolate dipping process.
  13. To prepare the mint chocolate topping, melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler (I just put a pyrex bowl over a pot of boiling water), and once the chocolate is completely melted, add the peppermint 1/2 tsp at a time (be sure to taste after each addition).
  14. Drop each cookie in the bowl of melted chocolate and pass it back and forth between two forks to allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Once evenly coated, place the cookies on parchment paper to cool.
  15. Place the cookies in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to harden.
  16. Enjoy!
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Posted in Dessert | 8 Comments

Eggs in Purgatory

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Anita!
This post is dedicated to four friends:   one who wanted me to post something “accessible” for once, one who wanted a new dinner idea, one who recommended this dish a year ago, and one who gave me this 12″ cast iron skillet to use against home invaders in the Cleveland area.

“Eggs in Purgatory” is actually a non-vegetarian dish of eggs poached in a meaty ragout—-lots of pork product incarnating a thick tomato stew.  Conveniently there’s a Libyan version called Shakshuka which is made of a congregation of plant matter already populating our kitchen (see for yourself below–I got my mise en place except for the cheese and parsley).  I was worried that the end result would taste like Prego.  But the more spirited ingredients forced the tomato into a darker, lustier territory that seeped into the unassuming white of the eggs.  The actual recipe is more like Shakshuka, but “purgatory” sounds so much more…soulful.
Make this in about half an hour, and then serve it as dinner for 3-4 friends or as an appetizer for a larger party.  You can make it as spicy or mild as you like–Deb at Smitten Kitchen seems to think she underdid it on her first try, and I think I hit the upper limit of the average eater.  Whatever the eggs did to deserve this fate, sign me up.

Ingredients (thanks to Smitten Kitchen’s version)

  • 4-5 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 green chilis, chopped (you could also use jalapenos, but they’re milder so use more)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 bell peppers (they can be of any color)
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed and then sliced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp cayenne
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cheese (I used Manouri, Deb used feta, you can use whatever you like)
  • toast for the eating


Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chilis, onion, and peppers and saute until fragrant and slightly translucent (5 min).  Add the garlic and continue to saute until the garlic has taken on some color (3 min?).  Add the spices, stir to toast them for about 30 seconds, then add the tomato and stir to mix.  Set the heat to medium and allow to simmer, stirring occassionally.  Feel free to taste it during the simmering to adjust your spices/salt.  I ended up simmering the sauce for about 20 minutes; it should be of a consistency that you could see yourself scooping into with a piece of bread without watery dripping.  Add a little more water if you think it’s too dry for poaching.  Next, make six divots in the sauce, and carefully crack an egg into each of the divots.  Cover, and allow to cook (5 minutes for a runny yolk, 7-10 minutes for a set yolk).  Turn off the heat and garnish with parsley and cheese.  The best way to serve this is to set it in the middle of the table and allow people to help themselves.


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Posted in Eggs, Vegetarian | 15 Comments

Spicy Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Ari

In my opinion, there are very few dishes that are not best when eaten with a lot of spice. In fact, if I don’t have a runny nose at the end of a meal, I have to admit to myself that it wasn’t quite as tasty as it could be. Normally I just add a few tablespoons of my good friend Sriracha to whatever I’m eating, but when it comes to mac and cheese, such a delicious dish deserves something a little more special.
Before getting to the recipe, here’s a quick commentary regarding my deep-seated obsession with mac and cheese. While I always enjoyed this creamy treat, it wasn’t until high school that I came to truly understand the magnificence of this dish. It was then that my best friend, Angela, taught me to appreciate the simplicity of a cheesy pasta that oh-so-conveniently resides in an unassuming blue box…And while I continue to love the contents of that blue cardboard box, I recently decided that as I attempt to act more like an adult, a cheese covered dinosaur is no longer an appropriate mascot for one of my favorite dishes. With that in mind, I began my search for a tasty homemade mac and cheese recipe. I tried quite a few baked mac and cheese dishes, but they were just too cumbersome when I compared them with cheesasaurous’s recipe. In fact, I had all but given up hope on finding a quick and easy mac and cheese until I came across this recipe. Just a few simple ingredients, and voila – a super creamy, yet easy to prepare mac and cheese. Now if only it was a little spicier…

What you need:

  • 16 oz macaroni
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 12 oz evaporated milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 6 oz pepper jack cheese
  • 6 oz cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced fresh jalapenos (with or without seeds depending on desired spice)
  • 2-3 tbs chopped red thai chilis
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • Sriracha (optional)

What you need to do:

  1. Boil water and cook the pasta until it’s just short of al dente.
  2. Drain the pasta, return it to the same pot and turn the stove to medium-low heat.
  3. Add the butter to the pot and stir until it is melted.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, evaporated milk, spices and peppers.
  5. Pour the mixture over the pasta and stir until it starts to thicken (about 3 minutes).
  6. Turn off the heat, and then add the cheese a handful at a time. Be sure to stir the pasta until the cheese is melted before adding the next handful.
  7. Top with a little extra sriracha (I think it adds a nice sweet flavor…oh yeah, and some extra spice).
  8. Enjoy!
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Posted in Pasta, Vegetarian | 10 Comments

Help Make a BA Favorite a Superbowl Favorite

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Anita!

Ari entered her very special Black Bean and Corn Salsa for a chance to win a gift certificate at Whole Foods through the  Everyday Health Super Healthy Party Contest!  We happen to think that this dish is both addicting and healthy–if you agree, you can help her win.
All you have to do is click here, click “reply” at the bottom, do the 2 minute registration, and then comment on the recipe.  The three entries with the most comments get evaluated by a nutritionist who will then pick the winner after Feb 2.  Thanks, and happy eating!
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