Family favorites
A few weeks ago we had a really nasty snow storm and one of the things I love to do with a big storm is to get in the kitchen and cook lots of delicious food. I don’t make a lot of cookies, but I have to say these were hands down the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had. I sent some over to my parents and their fantastic neighbors and they all loved the cookies as much as I did. These cookies are soft, buttery rich and full of that great peanut butter flavor. These are my new favorite cookies that I will be making every chance I get.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling
DIRECTIONS
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scape down the sides of the bowl and bottom as needed, add the vanilla and peanut butter mix on high until combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be wet and sticky. Cover dough tightly and chill for at least three hours (up to 2 days) in the refrigerator. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll balls of dough, about a Tablespoon and a half per cookie into the granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press fork tongs onto the dough forming a cross cross pattern. Bake for 11 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look soft and slightly under done. Remove from the oven let cool for 5 minutes on the pan and transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
This recipe comes from sallysbakingaddiction.com
Jim was looking for something for lunch one day. I did not have anything planned but as I looked to see what I could throw together I came up with this simple sandwich that you could have for breakfast, lunch or dinner! This is a messy, but hearty sandwich so have your napkins ready. Jim did not only have one sandwich he had two, and it’s easy enough…he could make it for me next time!
INGREDIENTS
Amounts make one sandwich
1 English muffin
4-5 slices of roast beef
1 slice of provolone cheese
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of pre-made hollandaise sauce
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet sprayed with non stick spray. Crack the egg into the pan and fry until the egg white is white but you still want the yolk to be runny when placed on the sandwich. While the egg is frying, add the roast beef to the pan beside the egg and top with the cheese. You want to warm the roast beef and slightly melt the cheese. Toast your muffin and warm the hollandaise sauce. To assemble the sandwich, place the bottom of the muffin on the plate top with the roast beef and cheese, add the egg and finally drizzle with the hollandaise sauce and top with the other half of the English muffin.
Enjoy!
This is another great dish from Taste of Home. Spring is finally here and Easter is around the corner. This is a great side dish for your Easter table and I know it will be on mine I really love the addition of the lemon pepper seasoning. It’s a nice twist and lets face it Parmesan makes everything good! This recipe says it serves four but I always make more!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place asparagus on an ungreased baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, toss to coat the asparagus. Sprinkle with cheese, lemon pepper and salt. Bake 20-25 minutes or until tender stirring occasionally.
Enjoy!
This recipe is so easy and delicious! Dinner came together so fast. I added a salad and dinner was done. You get nice flavor from the barbecue sauce and a great crunch from the fried onions. We really enjoyed this dish and I will be making it again! This is simple enough for your teen to make!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 1/3 cup canned French fried onions, crushed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the barbecue sauce in a shallow bowl. In another bowl combine the crushed fried onions, cheese and ground pepper. Dip both sides of the chicken in the barbecue sauce, then dip one side of the chicken in the onion mixture. Place chicken crumb side up on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray and bake for 22-27 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Enjoy!
Last week I was talking to my friend Penny as we were making dinner plans then going to a comedy show after. Penny asked me where we should go to eat and since the show was in Rochester, NH I told her about one of our new favorite restaurants, the 110 Grill.
As I was telling her about it, I was going to send her my link to my restaurant review as well as a link to the restaurant itself. But to my surprise I had not done the review! WHAT! How did that happen? I keep a list of everything I do and this one clearly was not on it! So I won’t keep you in suspense any longer, and I have added to the post from our group night out as well! Let’s start by telling you how to find them! They have 7 locations but the one in Rochester is at 136 Market Place Blvd. in the Ridge Shopping Plaza. You can also find them on Facebook and on the web at https://www.110grill.com/rochester/ Here you can find all their menus, times they are open, as well as making reservations!
The first time we went was for a late lunch and it was just Jim and I and we started off with the Bistro Wings ($12.00). These wings are fried with your choice of House Made Maple BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce. We chose the Maple BBQ sauce and let me tell you, the maple really comes through making this a very sweet BBQ sauce. We really enjoyed these wings and would certainly order them again!
For our main course Jim ordered the Chicken Pesto Penne. Are you all shocked it’s not a burger?? Although the 110 Grill does have a few different kinds of burgers ,Jim opted for the pasta dish! Doesn’t this Pesto Penne dish look delicious? Jim loved it. He really enjoyed the fresh flavors from the tomatoes and the artichokes. This dish has pan seared chicken medallions and roasted tomatoes. Along with these are artichokes and Penne tossed in pesto sauce. Also, those beautiful reggiano shavings on top! What’s not to,love with all of that!
For my main course I had the Goat Cheese and Steak Tip Salad. ($18.00). There is a lot going on with this salad! The perfectly grilled marinated bourbon steak tips are so tender and full of flavor. But the salad part of the dish was just filled with so many tastes and textures. The salad alone would make a perfect light lunch on a summer day. This salad has a candied walnut crusted goat cheese patty topped with arugula, caramelized onions, mixed berries with a drizzle of amber honey and balsamic reduction! If that does not get your mouth watering I don’t know what will! Delicious!
Because we could not get enough of this place we ordered a Peanut Butter Casacde to share for dessert ($7.00).
If you love peanut butter and chocolate, this is for you! This dessert was delicious from the top to the bottom! The peanut butter cascade has layers of fudge brownie, peanut butter ice cream, House Made hot fudge and because that’s not enough it’s finished off with Reese’s chunks! Oh my goodness…so good! So that sums up the first visit but let’s talk about the second visit!
This time we went with a group (6 adults total). We had 5:45 dinner reservations. Let me just say if you are going for dinner, I highly recommend reservations. You can call or do it right from their website. Super simple! On the two occasions we have been they were very busy. You can even do call ahead seating if you forget to make a reservation.
We all started out with a beverage and a couple of appetizer’s. They do have a full bar service and I will say for as busy as they were we had our drinks and appetizer’s pretty quick. The last time we were in, we kept hearing about the amazing Asian calamari so I’m going to start there. Everyone at the table likes calamari so we ordered two servings for the table. ($13.00 per order). I can see why this dish is so popular. The calamari was fried perfectly and served with cherry peppers and finished with a sweet chili sauce. The chili sauce did not overpower the dish thus making the golden fried calamari the star of the plate with a sweet and a little spicy note from the sauce. This was a winner. Everyone at the table agreed these were very good!
We also ordered the BBQ Chicken Nachos. I did not get a picture as we all dove in as soon as it hit the table. I don’t typically like southwest type nachos with beans and corn, but I really enjoyed these. ($13.00). These nachos had layers of red and yellow corn tortilla chips, diced chicken with their maple BBQ sauce really bringing in that sweet flavor to the dish. Lots of cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, black beans, corn and last but not least banana peppers! I personally love the addition of banana peppers. Great dish overall, but would say if you don’t want that sweet BBQ sauce you may not enjoy it. We all enjoyed it, but everyone made note of the sweetness.
Next up! Jim’s main course was the fish and chips….I know…not a burger!! Can you believe it?! This dish is very straight forward and exactly what you would expect. ($14.00). It’s a northern Atlantic cod in seasoned flour, served with french fries, tarter sauce and coleslaw. Jim enjoyed the dish, but it was not his favorite. Although it may not have been his favorite the dish, it was gone in no time!
My main course was the Turkey Burger!($13.00) You did not think one of us could eat here twice and not get a burger did you? Although I don’t typically order burgers this one sounded really good and is similar to one that I make in the summer. Overall this was very good with a lot going on! I also added a side Caesar for an additional $4.00. This is a pan seared turkey burger served on a focaccia bun, I loved the bun! That will make it to my table this summer for sure! The burger is topped with goat cheese, cranberry aioli, caramelized onions and sliced apples. Is your mouth watering yet? Overall this was really tasty. I did find the burger itself slightly dry. But with everything else going on with the burger it makes up for being a tad dry as you get so much flavor from all of the other components in the dish! Very good overall. I would order it again! Now the side Caesar salad. This was elevated with the house made croutons and the shaved reggiano, really good and not over dressed with dressing. 110 Grill really takes salad up a notch!
And the one last dish I am going to tell you about are the Sesame Sriracha Steak Tips,($15.00). A number of adults in the group ordered this and really liked them. I did sneak a taste from my friend penny and I really enjoyed them. Lots of flavor and super tender! I did not get a picture as at this point of the night, we were all diving into the food and getting ready to head to a comedy show. Let’s face it, it’s slightly awkward asking your friends for a picture of their dinner! Most of my friends expect it but it does not change that funny feeling! Oh well, back to the steak tips! The marinated steak tips are served over jasmine rice, pickled cucumber, carrots, red onions and peppers finished with a Sriracha aioli. Lots of yummy flavors in this dish! You won’t be sad eating this any day of the week!
I hope you take some time to visit 110 Grill at any of their locations! Check them out!
Enjoy!
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