Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles

There are moments in our lives when we either say things we absolutely believe or we firmly resolve to stop doing something. Things like the promises we make to ourselves or those dig our heels in decisions. But then there comes a time (or at least it hopefully arrives) when you realize just how short-sighted your thinking was. If you are lucky, you get a chance to take back a promise without technically lying. Or you realize you lost more than you gained when those words 'never again' passed your lips. This isn't just some theoretical mumbo-jumbo or something I read in one of those self-reflection books. No, it's just one of those things you sometimes have to learn the hard way. 

Five years ago I began what I will call my 'second running life'. To this day, I not only regret giving up the first one, but also have misgivings about the reasons why. But that's not the story I am going to tell you. No, this one has everything to do with my current second running life. Two years into this second chance life, I ran a half-marathon. At the end of the race I promised and resolved to never run another 13.1 mile race again. I was done with running long distances. Done with doing all the long training runs in the summer heat and humidity. I convinced myself I had neither the physical nor mental endurance nor the desire to make all the necessary sacrifices. And then last spring, maybe in a moment of deliriousness, I decided to take it all back and train for another half-marathon. Of course, I wasn't going to run in just any race. Nope. I would run that same hilly course again. In the weeks leading up to the race, I was running the fastest (relatively speaking) and strongest I had in years. So I set a time goal for myself (because that's what I do, set goals). In the days leading up to the race, I was weather obsessed. I may have checked the weather at least fifty times a day. As if just by checking it, it would change. The early in the week rain and thunderstorms were still forecasted an hour before the race start. Fortunately the wasn't a thunderstorm, but unfortunately it didn't rain enough. Because the rain would have been a welcome relief from the Southeast Asia-like oppressive heat and humidity. Sauna-style weather is my nemesis. And I let it get to me. Having to run through a gaggle of geese and navigate around parts of the path flooded by the river didn't even phase me. While I finished the race slightly faster than the one ran three years back, I didn't meet the goal I had set for myself. It took me a little more than twenty-four hours before I could put the whole race experience in perspective and stop beating myself up. When I finally gave myself some credit for having both the strength and courage to see the error in my thinking from three years back, I also allowed myself to feel a little bid of pride for having the perseverance needed to get through a 13.1 mile run. At the moment, I don't know what race distances are in my future. I only know that I will run for as many years as this aging body of mine will let me. More importantly, there was a bigger lesson learned. I am not going to give up something that adds value to my life, even if it's physically and emotionally hard sometimes. Because the good definitely outweighs any temporary not so good.

Other than a diet soda, I was craving chocolate after the race. Two things I had deprived myself of in the week leading up to it. When I finally got home I inhaled two candy bars. Not the best post-race eating choices, but I thought 'what the heck'. My insatiable craving for chocolate continued for another forty-eight hours. Although I showed considerable restraint. Until I made these irresistible Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles, that is. 

There must be hundreds of recipes for Oreo Truffles. Some are made with only Oreos, cream cheese and chocolate. Some have flavored extracts and/or salt added. Some are finished with crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or more chocolate. Some are dipped in milk chocolate, while others are dipped in either dark or white chocolate or a combination of all three. There are even ranges in the amounts of cookies and cream cheese used to make them. In other words, there are an almost endless number of variations to Oreo Truffles. I am simply going to call my version Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles. And if I might be so bold, I am going to tell you this is THE ONE you want to make. 

If you are an Oreo lover, you definitely want these Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles in your life. 

To make these truffles you will need 44-46 regular sized Oreos, eight ounces of cream cheese (slightly softened), a half teaspoon of vanilla, a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt, and a pound of milk chocolate. Using a good quality milk chocolate, one that can be used for melting will create the most beautiful as well as most melt in your mouth delicious truffles. Bags of chocolate chips, candy melting wafers, or almond bark, no matter if you add coconut oil to it or not, will not yield the same results. Trust me, they won't. 

The Oreos are pulsed in a food processor until they turn into fine crumbs.  After using a hand held mixer to beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt to creamy consistency, the cookie crumbs are mixed in using a spatula. If you think your mixture is too wet, ground up a couple more Oreos. You want the mixture to have a scoopable into balls, hold their shape consistency.

I love using an ice cream scoop when working with cookie dough and making these truffles. They help to create uniform balls and aren't as messy. Once the balls are formed with the ice cream scoop, you can roll them in your hand until they are smooth and round. But you don't have to. Personally, I wanted these Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles to have a slightly homemade look to them. If I wanted a candy store finished look, I would have rolled them. 

The truffles need to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. However, I would recommend chilling them for at least ninety minutes (or longer if you want). The firmer the balls are, the least likely they will be to fall apart when dipped in the warm melted chocolate.

After the Oreo truffles are dipped in the melted chocolate, use a pastry bag to create various finishing touch designs. Nothing fancy, just some fun lines, swirls, squiggles, and criss-crosses. Or instead of finishing them with more melted milk chocolate, you could also use melted white and/or dark chocolate for a more dramatic look. The truffles can all be the same look or they can all be different. Whatever makes your heart happy!

This recipe makes somewhere between 34 and 37 one inch truffles. I think someone may have tasted some of the Oreo mixture, so that's why there is such a range here. These are a little on the rich side, so the smaller one-inch sized truffle is just about perfect.

If it's not a hot or humid day, I prefer to let my dipped truffles set up naturally versus putting them in the refrigerator. However, once set, the truffles should be chilled until ready to serve. Note: Take out of the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes before serving for the creamiest textured eating experience.

The Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles are a cross between a cookie and a candy but have an almost dense, creamy cake-like texture to them. In other words, they are the most perfect little bites to quench almost every craving for chocolate you might have! So if you are looking to satisfy a craving for chocolate or want to experience a moment of pure bliss, indulge yourself and eat one or possibly two of these amazing truffles. 

Recipe
Milk Chocolate Oreo Truffles
Makes 34-37 one-inch truffles

Ingredients
44-46 Oreos (See Notes)
8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces good quality milk chocolate (See Notes)

Directions
1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the Oreos until they have a fine crumb consistency.
2. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt until light and creamy.
3. Add the Oreo crumbs to the cream cheese mixture. Using a spatula, mix thoroughly to blend. 
4. Using a small ice cream scoop, make the truffle balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Note: You can roll the scooped balls in your hand until smooth if you want a 'candy store' look. 
5. Place the pan of truffle balls in the refrigerator for at least 90 minutes.
6. Melt the chocolate using the microwave or double boiler method.
7. Dip the chilled truffle balls into the melted chocolate. Drizzle with additional chocolate using a pastry bag or top with crushed Oreos or sprinkles.
8. Allow the chocolate to set completely on the truffles before returning them to the refrigerator.
9. Remove the truffles from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before serving. 
10. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes: (1) The Family size package of regular sized Oreos (1 lb. 3 oz or 541 g) is what I used to make these truffles. You may end up with 4 to 6 extra Oreos. If you want a crushed Oreo finish to the top of your truffles, use the unused Oreos. (2) I buy my chocolate from a local candy store. There are many good quality chocolate options available at some specialty stores, Whole Foods, and on Amazon.

Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette

I'm ba-a-ack! I wish I could tell you I was on some exciting travel adventure over the last several weeks or that I had won the lottery and was deciding what I would do with the rest of my life. But I can't tell you either of those things. I did however, find a couple of 'lucky' pennies. And as for travel, well those plans are still up in the air at the moment. Between missing the east coast, the mountains out west, as well as longing to see new places with interesting landscapes, it feels like forever since I was spending my days outdoors taking endless photos of the all the beauty nature has to offer. I am not certain how long this temporary 'where to travel' decision making paralysis will last. At the moment all of my energies are focused on the 13.1 mile half-marathon I am running this weekend. And believe me when I say all of my energies. Will fill you all in on all of the exciting details of the race sometime next week. Just say a prayer I won't be running in the forecasted rain the entire time. Dripping wet isn't my best look.

We are less than a week away from the official meteorological start to autumn. Yippee! The season of less humid weather, cooler nights, brilliant red, orange, and yellow landscapes, my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving), the World Series, caramel making days, and an abundance of apples and pears at the Farmer's markets. As much as I love fruit crisps and tarts, I equally love galettes. From their slightly rustic in appearance look, to their almost effortlessness, to their deliciousness, crisps, tarts, and galettes definitely make the most of the fruits of the season. And for me, they are much easier to make than a pie.

The minute I saw the recipe for this Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette in the fall issue of Bake From Scratch, I couldn't wait to make it. I was especially intrigued by the use of goat cheese in both the crust and in the filling. For those of you who winced at reading the words 'goat cheese' used as in ingredient in a dessert, I would only ask you reserve judgment until you have tasted this delightful flavorful galette. If I didn't tell you there was (a mild) goat cheese in it, your palate might never be able to guess correctly. you would definitely detect something, but goat cheese wouldn't be on your list of guesses. You would, on the other hand, wonder what made every element of this dessert so insanely scrumptious.

I happen to love goat cheese. Only I had never used it in a crust before. Next to a shortbread crust, it may be my newest favorite. Using a high quality European butter along with the goat cheese created one of the best pre-baked and baked textured crusts I have ever made. Scouts honor! Once the dough came together in the food processor, I felt as if I could have immediately rolled it out. Instead I formed the dough into a disk, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and chilled it the refrigerator for thirty minutes. Whether it was the dough's ingredients or the chilling time or both this dough rolled out beautifully. Notes: The recipe called for 2 cups or 250 grams of all-purpose flour. Because I generally use a 130 grams to 1 cup of flour ratio, I followed that rule when making the dough.

There are essentially three components to this Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette. The dough, the pears, and the honeyed goat cheese filling. The filling is made with a good quality honey, goat cheese, brown sugar, kosher salt, and some freshly grated nutmeg. Mixed together using a hand mixer, the filling has the most luscious, creamy texture. I could have easily just eaten it out of the bowl. Note: It wasn't called for, but I added a generous pinch of kosher salt to the filling as I think salt helps to elevate the flavors of all of the ingredients.

So let's talk about the pears for a moment. Pears fall into two general categories: those that hold their shape and those that fall apart. For this galette you want a pear with the ability to hold its' shape. Bosc pears are known for having a wonderful sweet-delicate flavor as well as being able to hold its' shape during the baking process. Anjou pears have a milder flavor, but also hold up well in baking. Regardless of which pear you use (I used Bosc), choose ones that aren't too ripe and still have some firmness to them. However, don't choose a really hard pear as it will not break down enough during the baking process.

After the pears are cut in half lengthwise (or vertically), use a melon baller or spoon to cut out the core (and seeds). Place the scooped out pear halves face down on a cutting board, then cut into thin, as even as possible slices. This will enable you fan the slices of the pear out when you arrange them on top of the filling. Note: The recipe called for 3 medium sized Bosc Pears. My pears were slightly smaller than medium so I ended up using 3 1/2 pears. In other words, buy four pears. If you have any leftover, you have a great fruit snack.

I had enough extra dough to cut out some leaves using one of my antique cookie cutters. The Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette could be just as beautiful without adding any autumnal dough decorations to it. There is beauty in both a rustic as well as refined rustic look to this galette. An egg wash (I like using whipping cream instead of water) and sprinkling of sanding (instead of granulated) sugar are the finishing touches before the galette goes into a preheated 425 degree (F) oven. Baking time ranges from 25 to 35 minutes (my baking time was closer to 35 minutes).

After the galette rests on the baking sheet for ten minutes, it's ready to serve. You can drizzle some additional honey over the top and/or top with some springs of thyme or rosemary before serving if you wish. If you add these extra garnishes, add them to the individually cut slices.

Served warm or at room temperature, this Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette makes for a perfect ending to any fall dinner, as slowly savored afternoon dessert, or even for breakfast. This buttery, sweet, and slightly tangy galette is destined to be one of your favorite ways to celebrate the arrival of autumn.

Recipe
Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette (very slight changes to the Pear and Honeyed Goat Cheese Galette in the fall issue of Bake From Scratch)
Serves 8

Ingredients
Dough
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (170 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed (recommend a high quality European butter)
4 ounces (115 grams) cold goat cheese
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 -2 Tablespoons ice cold water

Filling
3-4 slightly firm medium sized Bosc (or Anjou) Pears
6 ounces (175 grams) goat cheese
3 Tablespoons (63 grams) wildflower honey (see notes)
1 1/2 Tablespoons (21 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground or ground nutmeg

Egg Wash and Sugar Finish
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon whipping cream (or milk or water)
1-2 Tablespoons sanding sugar (or granulated sugar)

Directions
Dough
1. In the bowl of a large food processor add in the flour and salt. Pulse until combined.
2. Add in the cubes of cold butter and cold goat cheese. Pulse until mixture is crumbly in texture.
3. Add the apple cider vinegar. Pulse until combined.
4. Add in the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time until dough comes together in a ball. Note: I used 1 1/2 Tablespoons of water.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Note: If dough is made several hours ahead of rolling out, may need to remove from the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before rolling out.

Filling:
1. In a medium sized bowl, add in goat cheese, honey, brown sugar, kosher salt, and nutmeg. Using a hand mixer, beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Cut pears in half. Scoop out the core/seeds of each half using a melon baller or spoon. Place pears cut side down on a cutting board and cut into thin, even as possible slices. 

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and whipping cream. Set aside.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 14 inch circle, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
4. Transfer the rolled out dough to baking sheet. 
5. Spread the honeyed goat cheese mixture onto the dough leaving a 2 inch border.
6. Fan pear halves on top of the honeyed goat cheese mixture, overlapping slightly.
7. Fold edges of the dough over the pears.
8. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
9. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden and bottom is browned. Let galette rest on baking pan for 10 minutes.
10. Drizzle slices of the galette with honey (optional) or top with springs of rosemary and/or thyme (optional).
11. Serve galette warm or at room temperature.

Notes: (1) I used Kerrygold unsalted butter in the dough. (2) I used a wildflower honey from Savannah Bee Company. Use a floral or clover honey. (3) If honey goat cheese mixture is made ahead, cover and keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tomato Basil Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Fingers

The mere mention of comfort food usually evokes some deeply held nostalgic memories from our childhood or maybe even from emotional periods in our lives. These soul soothing foods may be different for each of us, however, there are some classic ones many of us seem to have in common. Although the reasons explaining our strong attachments to these beloved comfort foods varies amongst us. Yet, more often than not, from the first bite to the last bite we all experience the same sense of an 'everything feels right with the world' euphoria. In other words, comfort food bring us moments of solace and indescribable joy. The stronger the emotional connection, the more satisfying and fulfilling the food. For many of us, a bowl of creamy tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich has the power to turn a not so good day into a good day or a good day into a great day. 

With no disrespect to the throngs of you who are chicken soup for the soul aficionados, it's all about tomato soup for the soul for me. Almost any tomato soup works, but this Tomato Basil Soup seems to have an illusive magical elixir. Maybe it's the fire-roasted tomatoes or the garlic and shallots or the fire-roasted tomatoes or the addition of whipping cream. Or maybe it's not one of these things, but all of them.

Comfort food can be ones having a long slow cooking time. Like a bolognese. Or they can be made in less than thirty minutes. And some days, having our favorite comfort food sooner rather than later is a good thing. 

If you are going to indulge yourself in a bowl of homemade Tomato Basil Soup, how can you not pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich. Or better yet, grilled cheese fingers that can be dipped in the soup, soaking in all of the soup's deliciousness.

So let's talk about how incredibly simple, easy, and quick making the Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Fingers really is. The road to experiencing comfort joy here has no obstacles or speed bumps.

After sautéing some minced garlic and shallots in a medium to large sized dutch oven, you add four cans of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, two cups of (store bought or homemade) chicken broth, kosher salt, and black pepper. After that comes to a low boil over medium heat, you add in some whipping cream. Process in a food processor (or use a handheld immersion blender if you have one), leaving the mixture a tiny bit of texture, and then add in eight to ten leaves of fresh basil. And that's all there is to it!

There are grilled cheese sandwiches and then there are grilled cheese sandwiches. Whatever cheese or cheeses you are attached to in your sandwiches, I would encourage you to give the Havarti and White Cheddar combination a try. And instead of using butter on the outside and inside of your white sandwich bread use mayonnaise on your bread. Yes, mayonnaise! Thin slices of cheese sandwiched between bread slathered in mayonnaise and grilled on a hot cast iron pan takes your grilled sandwiches (or in this case fingers) from ordinary to extraordinary. You can cut your grilled cheese sandwiches into halves, on the diagonal, or in squares, but cutting them into fingers makes them perfect for dipping. If you are not into dipping your grilled cheese into your soup, these fingers are irresistibly 'eating with your fingers' cute. Note: Having made these grilled cheese fingers using the havarti and white cheddar combination and havarti only, I am now officially a havarti only grilled cheese lover. In the event that neither of cheeses speak to you, use whatever your comfort cheese might be (yes, even American). However, use mayonnaise instead of butter. Seriously, only mayo.

Depending on what source you read, the word 'comfort food' didn't get an entry into the dictionary until 1977 when both the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary added it. Defined as "food that comforts or affords solace" and "food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal', the word may have been formally sanctioned in the twenty-first century, but more than likely the concept of indulging our need or desire for comfort food may have existed for centuries. So whether it's a period of uncertainty, a temporary personal crisis, a stressful event, or simply the need to have day filled joy, almost nothing satisfies us more than our most beloved comfort foods. 

For those of you who are Tomato Basil Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Fingers comfort food kindred spirits, today is your lucky day. After a quick trip to the grocery store, you are only thirty minutes away from getting to your happy place. As an added bonus, the recipes for this scrumptious, textured soup and right amount of ooey-gooey goodness grilled cheese may be your most flavorful, gratifying, and pleasurable ones. So if by chance life has thrown you a curve or you just want to take a trip down memory lane, go ahead, indulge yourself. You deserve it!

Recipe
Tomato Basil Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Fingers
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
Soup
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounce size) Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic
2 cans (14.5 ounce size) Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes 
2 cups Chicken Broth (store bought or homemade)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8-10 basil leaves, plus more for serving

Grilled Cheese Fingers
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise (like Hellman's or Duke's)
8 thin slices of dense white bread
8 thin slices Havarti Cheese (or use only Havarti instead of Havarti and White Cheddar - if you do, you will need 8 slices of Havarti only or two slices per sandwich)
4 thin slices White Cheddar Cheese

Directions
Soup
1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and shallot and sauté until they begin to soften and are slightly translucent (approximately 4-5 minutes).
2. Add in the tomatoes and chicken broth. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
3. Whisk in kosher salt, black pepper, and cream until the mixture looks homogenous. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer mixture to a food processor, processing until semi-smooth (you want some pieces of the tomato to remain). Alternately use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
5. Return the soup to the pan, add in the 8-10 basil leaves, and reheat over low heat to simmer. While the soup is simmering, make the grilled cheese fingers.

Grilled Cheese Fingers
1. Spread a sheet of waxed paper over a cutting board.
2. Thinly spread mayonnaise on both sides of each bread slice. Yes, both sides.
3. Layer the cheese as follows on a slice of the bread: Havarti, White Cheddar, Havarti.
4. Top the cheese with another slice of the bread to create a sandwich.
5. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Place the sandwiches on the hot pan, pressing down very lightly to ensure the bottom turns golden brown. After 3-4 minutes (when the bottom is beautifully browned), flip the sandwiches and grill until the bottom turns golden brown (approximately 3-4 minutes). Again pressing down slightly to help melt the cheese. 
6. Remove grilled cheese sandwiches and cut into thirds to create fingers.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some additional basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with the Grilled Cheese Fingers.

Notes: (1) If for some reason you can't find Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, use Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes without Garlic and increase the amount of garlic by one clove (or two if you like more than a subtle taste of garlic in your tomato basil soup.  (2) For the best grilled cheese sandwich, use a good quality thin sliced, slightly dense white bread. While there are many commercial brands of white breads having these characteristics, the bakery section of your grocery store is another place to look.

Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies (aka Mackle'smores)

And just like that summer is almost, but not yet quite over. There is still time to sit out at a pool (that is, if you are lucky enough to have access to one), still time to have outdoor barbecues (even though you will be joined by the bees), more than enough time to run in sleeveless tanks (thank you Jesus), and still time to take one of those end of summer, almost crowd-free vacations (Westward Ho we go). And between now and the end of month, I will be doing all of those things along with making another batch of these Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies (aka Mackle'smores). If there was ever a cookie to have all of the ooey-gooey, messy, marshmallowy, chocolatey, deliciousness of a s'more without having to start a fire, this would be THE one! I predict after taking a bite of these cookies you will not miss all of the work of starting a fire. Although you might miss some of an outdoor fire's ambiance. However, given the choice between ambiance and an incredibly delicious, somewhat addictive cookie, I will take the cookie every time.

Everything about these Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies (aka Mackle'smores) is a bit unexpected. And to some extent, surprising. Your eyes tell you it looks like a chocolate chip cookie, but your taste buds will tell you your eyes have deceived you. Yes there is chopped chocolate in the cookie, but there are also miniature marshmallows. And the surprises don't stop there. From the hint of cinnamon flavor in the cookie, to the graham cracker bottom, to the melted puddle of dark chocolate on top, this may the s'more you have been waiting for all summer! Maybe your whole life.

If you have never had a version of s'mores like these before, you are in for the absolutely BEST treat! They are definitely something I put in the 'worth the wait' category.

A recipe for a cookie called a Mackle'smore and sold in a bakery in Seattle was recently shared on the Cooking Channel. While this recipe might look similar to that one, but there are several differences between the two. Instead of using only light brown sugar, this one uses a combination of light and dark brown sugars; uses both baking powder and baking soda; the amount of vanilla is increased to 1 1/2 teaspoons; flaky sea salt is sprinkled on top; the amount of chopped chocolate is almost doubled; both a piece of dark chocolate and a marshmallow slice is added to the top; the cookie dough shaped into balls chills in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight before baking; the baking temperature is 375 degrees (F) instead of 400 degrees (F); and lastly, the cookies were topped with a Ghiradelli instead of a Hershey Bar. Using a Ghiradelli chocolate bar on top of these s'mores was a game changer. 

Having been a loyal fan of Tara's Chocolate Chip Cookies for a while now, it has been a long time since I have made a chocolate chip cookie dough using room temperature versus melted butter. But taking out the standing mixer to create the dough was worth the effort. After the dough comes together, the chopped dark chocolate and mini marshmallows are folded in to the batter using a spatula. If you beat them in using your mixer you will break up some of the mini-marshmallows (one of the lesson learned in the making of these cookies) and you will affect the texture and s'mores eating experience.

The second lesson learned came when I baked the cookies. Thinking I could fit a dozen cookies on the baking sheet turned out not to the best idea as they spread a bit in the oven. So if perfect looking cookies are your thing, make only nine cookies at a time. Although having less cookies on the baking pan also makes putting the piece of chocolate and (if using) marshmallow slice on top before returning the pan to oven to finish baking so much easier.

The third lesson came when I added a thin slice of a large marshmallow on top of each cookie. I may or may not continue to do this going forward. I loved the look of the melted marshmallow and chocolate on top of the cookie, but it made packaging and storing the cookies messy. Maybe I would just top with one miniature marshmallow rather than a marshmallow slice. Or maybe if I was serving them to a crowd on the day I made them I would still go with my Plan A. In other words, you have options.

The total baking time for the Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies ranges from 13-14 minutes. However, the cookies temporarily come out of the oven at the 10 minute mark. Working quickly, they are topped with the piece of chocolate (pressed in the center) and marshmallow (lightly pressed in), before going back into the oven for another three or four minutes of baking.

Serve these cookies warm or at room temperature. But when eaten warm they are better than eating a s'more made over a roaring fire. Seriously. 

Each time I make a new cookie recipe, the cookie bar gets higher and higher. Which makes me wonder if there are new drop the mic, insanely delicious cookies left in my future. While I am not ruling out the possibility of discovering and sharing more new cookie recipes with you, these Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies (aka Mackle'smores) have definitely given me a moment of pause.

If you want to savor and/or prolong all the feels of summer, make these cookies. They would make for a great dessert at weekend gathering or as a perfect end to an afternoon of watching fall sports on television. Although honestly, you really shouldn't need a reason to make them.

Recipe
Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies (aka Mackle'smores) Inspired by a recipe shared on the Cooking Channel
Makes 24-26 cookies

Ingredient
2 3/4 cups (358 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
7 ounces (200 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 generous cup (80 g) miniature marshmallows (plus more for the top)
26 store-bought graham cracker halves (see note below)
7 ounces dark chocolate squares, cut in half (see note below) or a dark chocolate candy bar cut into pieces
Flaky Sea Salt

Directions
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and both brown sugars until light and creamy (approximately 3 minutes).
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated.
4. Mix in the vanilla.
5. Add in the dry ingredients, beating until well blended.
6. Using a spatula, fold in the chopped chocolate and miniature marshmallows.
7. Use an ice cream scoop yielding golf ball sized balls to form dough balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined in parchment paper. Chill dough balls covered for at least 4 hours or overnight. Note: Keep the balls of dough chilled while you bake each batch.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Place 9 graham cracker halves on the baking sheet. Top each graham cracker with a ball of the chilled dough. Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
10. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Working quickly, press a piece of the chocolate square into the center of the cookie. Return to oven and continue baking for 3-4 minutes or until cookies are golden brown on the edges. Note: For more marshamallowy ooey-gooey goodness, also top the almost done cookies with another miniature marshmallow or a thin slice of a regular sized marshmallow. Omit the extra marshmallow slice on top for less messiness.
11. Remove from oven. Let cookies cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
12. Serve the cookies warm or let come to room temperature. They are the BEST on the day they are made, but still really good the next day (if stored in a sealed container).

Notes: (1) I used HoneyMaid Graham Crackers for these cookies. I had considered recommending the use of another graham cracker brand, however, all of the graham cracker reviews I read gave the HoneyMaid Graham Crackers the highest marks for use in baking. (2) I used two bars of Ghiradelli Intense Dark Salted Caramel Cascade. Each bar yields 8 squares, which when cut in half will give you 16 pieces. You will have a few squares left over. Instead of the Salted Caramel Bars, use their Dark Chocolate bars. (3) I had baked 12 cookies at a time, however, recommend baking only 9 at a time for two reasons. It is easier to top each of the semi-baked cookies with the chocolate and/or extra-marshmallow (if using) and the cookies do spread a bit during the baking process.

Beef and Bean Chili

With the humidity levels finally dropping this past weekend, at long last we were able to turn off the air-conditioning and open up all the windows. Oh, how the return of fresh air and a cool breeze makes my heart happy. The moment an inkling of midwestern autumnal weather arrives, I can't help but be filled with the anticipation of seasonal foods, fall holidays, the return of caramel making, sitting by the fire, the scent of spiced candles, tapestry rich landscapes, and, of course, more comfortable running and hiking temperatures. Maybe even more importantly, especially to those around me, it brings the end of whining about the heat and humidity as well as those tomato-faced, dripping wet sweaty runs (definitely not my best look). Each and every one of these simple pleasures brought on by the shift in temperatures has me feeling not just giddy, but mood boosting energized.  As if that wasn't enough, cooler temperatures also means the return to making more comfort food meals. Ones perfect for the casual gatherings of family and/or friends. As well as ones creating incredibly intoxicating aromas in the kitchen. Like fruit crisps baking in the oven and a big pot of homemade chili simmering on the stove. Both of those are enough to make any good day, a great day. And if not great, then memorable.

If you have been searching the blog for a chili recipe, you would have found three of them: Beef Chili, Texas Style Chili, and Chipotle Turkey Chili, Each of them being different in their ingredients, taste, flavor, level of ease or difficulty, and stories. This time around I am not going to rank them or call out a personal favorite. Nor am I am going to steer you away from any of them or ever so subtly back peddle or insinuate they don't meet the standard of being better than 'good enough'. For a myriad of reasons I am fond of each and every one of them. However, in the spirit of 'the more the merrier' I need to share yet another one. I really, really do. Because this Beef and Bean Chili defies almost everything I believe about simple, super easy recipes (i.e., that they usually don't stack up). Although after one bite I rethought that long held belief. How good is this chili? Well it's so good I am convinced you will believe it was both an ingredient laden time consuming recipe as it is so intensely satisfyingly flavorful. In all honesty I wasn't prepared to be taken aback by how delicious it was. My fussyterian chili taste buds were blown away. Figuratively speaking that is.

Until recently, not even I knew how delicious finely sliced radishes are on a bowl of chili. If you haven't yet tried or added them to your chili fixins', you really should. But I am getting ahead of myself. I need to tell you more about this drop the mic, need to have a second helping kind of chili. 

With having technically less than six ingredients, it is almost unfathomable to think this chili or any chili for that matter could have such a mouthwatering delicious depth of flavor. This one defies the odds of a 6 ingredient or less dish potentially having a four star rating. If I told you the only seasonings needed are salt and pepper, you might be more than skeptical of this recipe. So where does the spicy, slightly smokey flavor come from? Would you believe me if I told you it comes a sautéed  finely chopped white onion, browned ground chuck and ground beef, a combination of some chunky tomatoes with mild chiles and some highly flavored beans (and all of their juices)? Well it's the scouts honor truth!

What if I told you this chili can be made and ready to eat in less than hour? Most who taste it will find it hard to believe it hadn't been simmering on the stove for hours. Can you tell I am smitten with this Beef and Bean Chili? 

While some recipes calling for onions don't always specify whether to use yellow, white, or sweet ones, this recipe does. White onions bring a sharper more pungent flavor to a dish and are a slightly more tender onion. And the first layer of flavor for this chili comes from a large onion, finely minced, and sautéed in vegetable oil. 

The second layer comes from two kinds of beef: ground beef (80% lean) and ground chuck. Compared to ground round and ground sirloin, these two types of beef are the juiciest, most flavorful. Between ground beef and ground chuck, the later is the fattiest. Which is what's responsible for adding flavor. Many prefer the flavor ground sirloin brings although it cooks up somewhat dry. However, when paired with ground chuck you can end up having the best of both beef worlds. So if you are a big fan of ground sirloin, use it instead of the more generic ground beef (80% lean). I will tell you the batch of chili made with ground beef (80% lean) and ground chuck was mouthwatering.

In addition to two cans of chunky tomatoes with green chiles, there are two kinds of beans used. Southwestern Beans come in a red chile sauce with mild jalapeño peppers. A mixture called Black Bean Fiesta have comes with a chipotle sauce along with some corn and peppers. Unlike many other recipes calling for beans in chili, you do not, let me repeat, do not drain any of these cans. It's where some of the magic is as the juices are what brings the moisture, heat, smokiness, and deep flavor to the chili. Other than some kosher salt and black pepper, that's everything that goes into Beef and Bean Chili. 

Growing up the only additions we had to chili were cooked macaroni noodles. To this day, I still do like Chili Mac. But having discovered how things like grated sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños, sliced green onions, and crema enhance the chili eating experience opened up a whole new world for me. 

I understand we all have our favorite, tried and true chili recipes. And heck, there are three other chili recipes on this blog. So why make this one you might be asking? Because it's 'get in my belly' irresistibly delicious, super easy to make, has no hard to find or expensive ingredients, and/or is intensely flavorful? Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes! End of story. In all seriousness, this one, the simplest of all of the chili recipes, could actually become your new favorite. With the return of those anxiously awaiting cooler temperatures, doesn't big pot of chili, all the fixins', iced cold beer or margaritas, some cornbread, and a memorable gathering of family and/or great friends sound really, really good? What are you waiting for?

Recipe
Beef and Bean Chili (several adaptations to Joanna Gaines Family Chili recipe as shared in her cookbook 'Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering')
Serves 7-10
Updated 10-31-20

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
1 1/4 pounds grass fed ground beef (80% lean) or ground beef (80% lean) OR 1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 10 ounce cans Chunky Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (recommend Rotel brand), undrained
1 15. 5 ounce can Black Bean Fiesta (recommend Bush brand), undrained OR 1 15.5 ounce can Chili Beans Black Beans in Mild Chili Sauce (Bush's Best), undrained
2 15.4 ounce cans Southwestern Style Pinto Beans (recommend Bush brand), undrained OR 2 15.5 ounce cans Mixed Chili Beans (Kidney and Pinto Beans) in Mild Chili Sauce, undrained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes
Kosher salt
Black Pepper

2 cups freshly grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 ounces Crema (or sour cream)
3-4 green onions, sliced thinly
4-5 radishes, sliced paper thin
3-4 jalapeños, sliced thinly
1 9.25 ounce or larger bag of Fritos Corn Chips

Optional: Serve with some homemade cornbread

Directions
1. In large Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until they are tender and translucent (approximately 8-10 minutes).
2. Add the beef to the onions. Season generously with salt and pepper.  Cook the beef over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it has browned and is no longer pink in color(approximately 7-8 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans along with all of their juices, Aleppo pepper, and chili powder. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
4. Serve chili with bowls of grated cheddar cheese, crema, sliced green onions, thinly sliced radishes, sliced jalapeños, and Fritos Corn Chips.
5. If kept in a sealed container, the chili will be good for up to 4 days if kept in the refrigerator. But you may need to add a very mall amount water when reheating.

Notes: (1) Instead of using both ground chuck and ground beef, you can use all ground chuck. Although if you are looking to ramp up the flavor even more, use a combination of ground chuck and ground sirloin. But for the increase in cost ground sirloin brings, my money is on the ground beef and ground chuck combination. (2) I have listed my favorite chili toppings here, but there are others. Like chopped cilantro, avocado, corn, and Cojita cheese. (3) I much prefer the creaminess and tanginess of crema over sour cream. Nowadays it's readily available in most grocery stores.