Cookie Dough Cream Pie

Recipe courtesy of Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients


For the pie crust:

• 1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs, processed in food processor
  
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  

For the cookie dough:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  
• ½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
  
• 3/8 cup granulated sugar
  
• 3/8 cup packed brown sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
  
• 2 ½ tablespoons milk
  
• ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  

For the filling:

• ¾ cup light brown sugar
  
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

For the topping:

• 1 cup whipping cream
  
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
  

Directions

1. To prepare the pie crust: preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch pie plate. Stir together chocolate graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely. Leave oven on 350 degrees.
   
2. To prepare the cookie dough: cream together butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and milk. In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Form 8 (½-inch) dough balls. Drop on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Reserve the remaining cookie dough and set aside.
   
3. To prepare the filling: Whisk together brown sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat and whisk constantly until dry ingredients have dissolved into wet and mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks with remaining cup of milk. Temper the eggs with some of the slightly cooled milk mixture. Then add the tempered eggs to the slightly cooled mixture. Return to the stovetop and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until filling resembles the consistency of thick pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
   
4. To assemble the pie: Press the reserved cookie into the cooled pie crust. Use a spatula to spread into an even layer. Pour filling on top of cookie dough. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
   
5. To make the topping: Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream on top of completely cooled pie. Arrange cooled cookies on top of pie and garnish with mini-chocolate chips if desired. Yields 1 – 9 inch pie.
   

Happy Birthday J.T.!

Shrimp & “Grits”

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

  

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, reserving the shells
  
• 2 ½ cups water
  
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
  
• 1 carrot, chopped
  
• ½ medium onion, chopped
  
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, minced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
  
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juices
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• ½ cup chicken broth
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
  
• ¼ cup almond milk
  

"Grits"

• 2 cups water
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 cup quinoa
  
• ¾ cup chicken broth
  
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
  

Directions

1. Make the shrimp stock: Place the reserved shrimp shells, chopped celery, carrots, chopped onion, crushed garlic, and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for at least one hour. Strain through cheesecloth and reserve broth. The broth should yield about 1 ¼ cups of liquid.
   
2. Make the grits: Bring water, oil, and salt to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed by the quinoa. Add the chicken broth and simmer about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the almond milk, pouring in ½ cup at a time. Simmer the grits with the almond milk about an hour or until grits are thick and creamy, but not runny.
   
3. Make the shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes, sprinkling with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the reserved shrimp stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil to thicken and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, or until grits are done cooking. Just before serving add the shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes. Whisk in ¼ cup of almond milk and simmer until heated through. Serve the shrimp over a bed of grits. Serves 5.

Company Pot Roast

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

  

Ingredients

• 1 (2 ½ pound) boneless beef chuck roast
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  
• 2 teaspoons brown rice flour
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 carrots, chopped
  
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
  
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 cup good red wine
  
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
  
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in juices
  
• 1 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
  
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with 1 ½ teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Sprinkle each side with 1 teaspoon of brown rice flour and rub into meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add roast and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
   
2. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté carrots, celery, onions, garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine, white wine and bring to a boil, scrapping up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Place the roast back into the pot. Once the mixture comes to a boil, off the heat and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees, then an additional hour at 250 degrees.
   
3. Once roast cooks through, 160 degrees internal temperature, ladle the cooled sauce into a blender and puree (you will need to puree in 2 separate batches). Pour the pureed sauce over the roast and serve. Serves 4.
   

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries & Walnuts

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

  Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In a medium bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, canola oil, eggs, honey, maple syrup, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Stir until just combined. Mix in walnuts and cranberries. Fill muffin tins completely with batter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in muffin tins for 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yields 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted from Pinch My Salt

Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 medium bell peppers, cored, seeded and tops removed, any color
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• ¾ pound ground beef (80/20)
  
• ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 3 tablespoons marinara sauce plus more for topping and serving
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place medium sized bell peppers in a casserole dish or a muffin tin. (I used a muffin tin to keep the peppers standing up). Bake for ten minutes, remove from oven and set aside.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped peppers, onions, and tomatoes until translucent, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix in 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and off the heat. Set aside and cool slightly.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, 3 tablespoons marinara sauce, remaining salt and pepper, and cooled sautéed vegetables. Spoon meatloaf mix into prepared peppers. Top each pepper with marinara sauce and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serve stuffed peppers on a bed of marinara sauce.
   

Note: This recipe can easily be made ahead. To reheat, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add water to the bottom of the dish you are using to reheat. Place the peppers on top of the water and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and reheat for an additional 20 minutes or until juices bubble through and edges of peppers are crisp.