Peppermint Bark

Alright, I know I'm a little late with this one, but these tasty little things are good any time of the year-- but especially Christmas. I absolutely live for Guittard, but they don't carry that regularly here in Texas. My next option is the blessedly delicious Ghiradelli.

1 Bag of Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips
1 Bag of Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Reserve 1/8 c.)
2 Bags of Ghiradelli White Chocolate Chips
1-2 tsp Peppermint Extract
1- 1 1/2 cup Chopped/Crushed Peppermint Candy Canes
Crisco as needed

Spread parchment paper over a large cookie sheet and set aside. Melt milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or in microwave. After melted, spread evenly over parchment paper and let cool in fridge for 5-10 minutes, but pull back out before white chocolate is done melting.

Meanwhile, melt white chocolate with a small spoonful of crisco (or as needed to keep consistency with the white chocolate). After melted, pour in desired amount of peppermint extract and candy canes. Mix thoroughly.

Pour over milk/semi-sweet chocolate to spread out evenly and make sure both layers are binding together (this is why you do not want your darker chocolate to be too cool). Melt remaining chocolate chips and drizzle over layers. Allow bark to cool completely in refrigerator. After hardened, break apart in whatever size you desire.

Notes: The 60% cocoa is absolutely wonderful with this. Mix up your variations of the darker chocolate. I'm just a milk chocolate fan, but the semi-sweet seems to set up after being cooled.

My Favorite Chicken Vegetable Stir-fry

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 lbs boneless skinless Chicken Breasts, cut on the bias (sliced thin at an angle)
1 Tbsp. Minced ginger or 2 tsp. ground ginger (fresh ginger is always better)
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch, divided
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 tsp. Dark Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Corn or Canola Oil
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1 Cup Snow Peas, halved
1 Small Red or Green Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Green onions, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

* my variations- I add small pieces of Broccoli or any other vegetables that you like. I use a white onion diced or thinly sliced to saute with my chicken. Also, when you marinate the chicken in the ginger and corn starch mixture, I add finely chopped garlic as well. I serve with Sticky Rice or Rice Noodles.

Directions:

Toss: in a medium bowl, chicken with ginger and 1 tablespoon cornstarch to coat lightly, set aside.
Combine: in a small bowl remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil; set aside.
Heat: oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat
Add chicken and cook, stirring quickly and frequently (stir-fry) 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Add: bell peppers, broccoli or any other vegetable that may take longer to cook. Stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes. Cook until slightly tender, then add mushrooms, snow peas and green onions.
Stir: soy sauce mixture until blended, then pour into your wok or large skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil 1 minute. If mixture is too thick, with a slightly gummy texture, add a little more chicken broth or water to thin it out. Serve over rice, or rice noodles.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I have not posted for a while, I guess because I have not had the motivation to try some new recipes, but I tried these cookies the other night and they were wonderful!! I also experimented with some Chicken Pot Pie Empanada's and they turned out great, so I will post those too!

Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Yield: 28 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.) I did not have enough milk chocolate chips, so I did half Milk Chocolate and Half White Chocolate.
  
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) I did not add the pecans because I don't like nuts in my cookies.
  

Preparation

1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans, if using.

3. Drop dough in 2-tablespoon (1/8-cup) portions, 2 inches apart, onto buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

4. Bake in a 400° oven until cookies are lightly browned and no longer wet in the center (break one open to check), 6 to 8 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.

5. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chicken Pot Pie Empanada's

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (Make sure you use the unsalted, or else cut back on the amount of Chicken Broth used)
  
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 10-ounce box frozen peas and carrots ( sliced fresh baby carrots and broccoli to put in mine instead of the frozen veggies)
  
• 1 3- to 4-pound store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (I boiled a chicken breast in a little chicken broth and shredded it myself.)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts (from a 15-ounce package, such as Pillsbury)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400° F.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Still stirring, slowly add the broth. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and carrots or other vegetables, chicken, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

Cut each piecrust in half to form 4 half-circles. Spoon the chicken mixture over the bottom half of each half-circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using your fingers, wet the border with water. Fold the top of each crust over the chicken to form a quarter-circle. Press to seal. Make three 1-inch slits in each top crust. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

This recipe is something that worked very well for us. It is always a good sign when your husband asks you to make it again!! Give it a try!