Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wrote a story on the blog about The Restaurants and Chefs of some of America's Legendary Department Stores. In the article I included the Legendary Dallas retailer, Neiman Marcus. I told the story of how their Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe made it in the hands of the American public. In the story I included the recipe for the famous cookie. I decided to post the cookie recipe separately from the story.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1/2 C (1stick) butter, softened

1 C light brown sugar

3 TBS granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 salt

1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Place the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until mixture is fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds longer, until well combined.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add to the mixer, while beating on slow speed.

Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and espresso powder and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Using a 1 oz. cookie scoop or a 2 TBS measure, place the dough 3" apart.

Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into 2" circles; there should be room on the sheet for six to eight cookies at a time. Transfer to the oven in batches and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned around the edges. Bake for a little longer for crispier cookies.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Okra Fritters and a Remoulade Sauce for Dipping

I happen to like Okra. I have several recipes for preparing it.  These would make a great snack for a party or an appetizer. I adapted this recipe and added a home made Remoulade Dipping Sauce.

Okra Fritters:

2 pounds of sliced frozen okra, thawed and roughly chopped (I buy a bag at our local farmers market).
1 large tomato, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
6 packets of instant grits
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C vegetable oil for frying

In a large bowl:
Okra
Tomato
Onion
Mix well

Add:
Grits
Eggs
Salt
Pepper
Blend together well by hand

Heat oil in a 10" cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Use a medium sized cookie scoop and drop the balls into the oil.
Fry the fritters until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning until golden brown.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with a remoulade sauce. (recipe to follow)


Remoulade Sauce:

This recipe makes 3 cups.
4 egg yolks
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C finely chopped celery
1 C finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 C prepared horseradish
1/2 lemon, seeded and roughly chopped
4 TBS creole mustard
4 TBS ketchup
4 TBS worcestershire sauce
2 TBS yellow mustard
2 TBS white vinegar
2 TBS Tabasco Sauce
2 TBS minced garlic
4 TBS paprika
2 tsp salt

In a food processor or blender
Process egg yolks for 2 minutes
Slowly drizzle in the oil with the machine running
One at a time, add remaining ingredients and blend well until lemon rind is finely chopped.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Use as a dipping sauce for the fritters.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Corn and Cheese Chowder from The Pioneer Woman / Ree Drummond

I loved this soup when I saw Ree Drummond prepare it on The Pioneer Woman.
I've adapted it to make it vegetarian.


4 TBS (1/2 stick) butter
1 whole onion, chopped
3 whole bell peppers, finely diced (Red, Yellow, Orange)
5 ears of corn, kernels cut off.  (each ear is about 3/4 C so 3 3/4 C of corn on 5 ears). I used more, 32 oz. or 2 pounds.
1/4 C flour ( I used 3/4 C or more)
3 C vegetarian chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken)
2 C half and half
1 heaping cup of grated Monterey Jack or Swiss Cheese ( I used 2 C)
1 heaping cup of grated Pepper Jack Cheese  (I used 3/4 C)
1/3 C sliced green onions (I used about 6 green onions)
1 - 14 oz. can of diced green chiles (I added these because we live in Texas and everything tastes better with chiles)
Bacon Bits

 In  a large soup pot over medium high heat, saute the onion, in butter for a couple of minutes until translucent.
Add bell peppers and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
Add corn and cook for another minute.

Sprinkle flour evenly over the vegetables and stir well.
Add broth and stir until it begins to thicken , about 3 - 4 minutes.
Stir in half and half , cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add both cheeses, green onions and diced green chiles, continue stirring until cheese melts.
When the cheese is melted, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in individual soup bowls and top with vegetarian bacon bits.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Stuffed, Baked Tomatoes with an Egg

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Lidia Bastianich.
I've posted a recipe for Eggs baked in Avocados, Mushroom Caps with Baked Eggs and when I started researching other options for Baked Eggs, I discovered Eggs Baked in Tomatoes. This recipe seemed to be the best.

4 tomatoes
2 C croutons
2/3 C grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 TBS fresh parsley
4 TBS olive oil, divided
2 tsp dry oregano, divided
1 tsp salt + additional
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and reserve them.
Gently scoop out some of the insides of the tomatoes , leaving the side and bottom intact enough to stuff.
Keep the insides and place them in a colander over a bowl and strain the juice, retain the juice and set it aside.

Begin making the stuffing:
In a large bowl:
Croutons
Parsley
1/3 C parmesan cheese
1 tsp oregano
Mix well
Drizzle with 1 TBS of olive oil and mix to moisten the stuffing.

Salt the inside of each tomato.
Divide the stuffing evenly among the tomatoes, pressing down lightly, but don't overfill them.
They will each need room for an egg at the end.

Drizzle 2 TBS of olive oil in a  shallow gratin dish.
Place the tomatoes in the dish.
Oil the 4 tomato tops with 1 TBS of oil and sprinkle with salt.
Gently lean the tops against the side of each tomato.
Pour some of the reserved juice into the dish and drizzle some over each tomato.
Cover the dish with foil.
Bake covered for 10 minutes.
With the back of a spoon, gently press an indentation in the center of the stuffing in preparation for an egg to be cracked into each one.
Gently crack 1 egg in the center of each tomato.
Top tomatoes with remaining parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle with remaining oregano.
Return the dish, uncovered and bake 15 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and place the tops onto each tomato without covering the eggs completely.

Serve them in individual serving dishes. and drizzle each one with some of the heated juice from the pan.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Torte di Riso / 1984 / Best of the Best Recipe

This is one of my favorite desserts. It's is from my collection of the Best of the Best Recipes. I've been making this Torte since 1984. I thought I had previously posted it on the blog only to discover today that I hadn't.

Torte di Riso
1984

1 quart (4 C) Whole Milk
1/2 C Italian Arborio Rice
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 C Raw Whole Almonds
1 TBS Sugar Water
6 Eggs
3 TBS Almond Liqueur
1 tsp Almond Extract
Additional Almond Liqueur


In a heavy saucepan, bring milk to a boil.
Stir in rice and mix well.
Blend in Sugar and Vanilla.
Reduce heat and simmer slowly, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely.

Preheat the broiler.
Arrange Almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the Almonds with sugar and a few drops of water
Broil until caramelized.
Transfer to a food processor and chop coarsely.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Generously butter a 10" Quiche Pan (it fits perfectly).

Beat Eggs in a large bowl with Almond Liqueur and Almond Extract.
Add almonds and rice mixture and blend well.
Turn into the prepared pan.
Bake until the top is chestnut brown, about 1 hour.
Remove immediately and poke holes in the entire Torte with a toothpick and sprinkle generously with
additional Almond Liqueur.
Cut into wedges and cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetable Cheese Pie / a vintage recipe from our file box!

My wife has a recipe file box that she started in the 60's. We refer to it often. We were taking about having Quiche for dinner and she found this recipe. We did not have the Knorr's Spring Vegetable Soup Mix so she substituted Knorr's Vegetable. I don't think it makes much difference in the end.
We have not been able to find the Spring Vegetable Mix. One of the nice things about this recipe is the frozen pie shell. We always have them available in our freezer. It saves a lot of time by not having to make a home made pie crust.

Knorr was founded in 1838 by Carl Heinrich Theodor Knorr. Knorr headquarters is in Heilbronn, Germany. The Bouillon Cube was introduced in 1912.

The quiche is incredible. Some recipes never get old and out of style! Rather than re write the recipe, I'm simply posting a picture of the original one.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cajun Okra and Tomatoes / Orignal Recipe

This is a perfect side dish for Mardi Gras.
I make it often during the Winter months.

4 TBS Olive Oil
1 large white Onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds of frozen, sliced Okra
1 - 14.5 oz. can of diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 - 10 oz. can of diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, undrained
1 TBS Cajun Spice (recipe to follow, if you can't buy it)

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high.
Saute onion until translucent.
Add okra and continue to cook, 8-10 minutes.
Stirring occasionally.

Add both cans of Tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 minutes uncovered.
Add Spice, stir well.
Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice.


1 C uncooked white rice = 3 C cooked rice
1 C uncooked brown rice = 4 C cooked rice

White Rice:
1 C long grain white rice
2 C water
1 tsp butter

In a saucepan with a lid, bring water, salt, and butter to a boil.
Stir in rice.
Cover tightly, reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 20 minutes
Do not lift the lid.
Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Brown Rice:
1 C rice, rinse under cold water for 30 seconds.
6 C water
1/2 tsp salt

Boil water in a large pot with a lid.
Stir in rice.
Boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain the rice in a sieve or colander 10-15 seconds.
Retain the water in the pot.
Return rice to the pot, remove from heat and cover tightly.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.


Cajun Spice:

2 1/2 TBS paprika
2 TBS salt
2 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS cayenne pepper
1 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS dried thyme
1 TBS black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a jar, shake well and store in the pantry.
I always have a jar available.

Okra and Onion

Tomatoes added

Cajun Seasoning added

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!