Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies

Man, these past few of weeks have been insanely busy (which would explain the lack of posts). I just had my 22nd birthday about a week ago, and my two very best friends flew all the way up to Seattle from Florida to celebrate it with me!
On top of having my birthday, I've been trying to get all of my things in order for school to start TOMORROW (I'm seriously freaking out. It's my senior year!), and I managed to get myself sick for a whole freakin' week!


So, the point is, I do apologize for not updating in quite some time, but hopefully this peace offering of these buttery, sweet, hearty cookies will satisfy :).


These cookies are really something else. While they may not be the prettiest girl at the ball, they certainly are tasty! They're rich and crumbly like shortbread, but the buckwheat brings in a nuttiness that pairs so nicely with the crunchy tidbits of cocoa nibs. They are also incredibly easy to make, and only use six ingredients!


I decided to make my cookies bite-sized because I decided that you don't feel as bad eating seven tiny cookies as you do when you eat seven full-sized cookies :D. Plus, I mean come on, they are incredibly cute- like baby cookies!


I urge you to make these as I think you will find that they are a fun spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie that happens to be unbelievably addictive.


(Note: these cookies crumbled over ice cream = heaven!!)

Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies

recipe from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich (found here)

ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup (5.6 oz) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (3 oz) buckwheat flour
• 2 sticks (1 cup/ 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa nibs
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flours sand salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar for only about a minute. Add in the cocoa nibs and vanilla and mix. Add in the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
3. Pour the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until it comes together. Roll the dough out into 2-4 flat patties (about the thickness you want your cookies- maybe 1/4 inch). Refrigerate for at least two hours.
4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
5. Stamp out the cookies using a cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheets about an inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven. They will be incredibly soft and will have sort of melted down a bit in the oven. At this point i went ahead and stamped each cookie again with the cookie cutter so that they would look cleaner (plus it left me with a bunch of cookie crumbles that I promptly crumbles over ice cream). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a rack to cool further.

Easy Peasy White Chicken Chili

[Goose Valley Giveaway winner revealed at end of post! Sorry it took so long guys. I was super busy this weekend!]

Some evenings the day has just been so long that making dinner is the absolute last thing on Earth that I want to do. This chili is absolutely perfect for those nights :D.

I love this recipe because, honestly, it is barely a recipe. It is just about the easiest thing I could imagine- open a few can, buy a pre-cooked chicken, plop it all in a pot, and cook. That's why it's so great for nights when you just don't want to spend the time flipping, stirring, and sweating over the stove. 

On top of this recipe being incredibly simple, it's remarkably delicious. It's rich, yet still light because it is brothy as opposed to a thicker red chili, and the corn adds a nice sweetness that is complimented by the slight kick of spiciness you get from the green chilies. I topped mine with some pepperjack cheese, but the toppings are really endless- avocado, tortilla strips, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro- anything you can think up that would be delicious!

There is nothing more satisfying than curling up with a big bowl of some of this chili, piping hot, on a cold rainy day :).

I should probably also mention that this chili makes awesome leftovers!

Easy Peasy White Chicken Chili

recipe slightly adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 can Great Northern Beans (or other white beans such as Cannelini), drained and rinsed
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 4-ounce can roasted green chilies
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 32-ounce box chicken broth
• salt & pepper
• juice of one lime

1. In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and saute until it becomes translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Add in the chicken, corn, chilies, beans, cumin, and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Add in the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve with the toppings of your choice!

And the Goose Valley Giveaway winner is:

Garden of Eaten! I'll contact you to get your address for shipping the rice!

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Ultra Chocolatey Buttermilk Cookies

[First and foremost: If you haven't entered my Goose Valley Giveaway yet, be sure to do so before midnight on the 2nd!]

It had been quite some time since I last baked up a batch of cookies, and I find myself itching for that scoop and bake gratification. Is it so weird that the process of scooping dough onto a baking sheet gives me a rather strong sense of satisfaction? Probably. Anyways, I saw these cookies on Baking Bites and found the use of buttermilk extremely intriguing. Time to fire up the Kitchen Aid!


These cookies are super chocolatey, and awesomely chewy. They are more or less brownies in cookie form and if I could do so without any waist-widening repercussions, I would eat every. last. one. They are to-die-for with a nice, tall glass of cold milk. I think these cookies would also be amazing with some walnuts and/or dried cherries. But, if you're craving ooey gooey chocolate goodness, the basic recipe is juuuust right :).


I sent them to work with Mikey and he came back with an empty container that had all but been licked clean. Apparently they were quite a hit and his office became a popular hang-out spot for the day.

Ultra Chocolatey Buttermilk Cookies

recipe from here

makes 3 dozen

ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1/2 semi-sweet chips and 1/2 dark chocolate chunks)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cocoa powder and melted butter until very smooth. Add in the sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate.
4. Scoop the dough onto the lined baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart (I used a medium-sized cookie scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool further.

Wild Rice Crackers & a Giveaway!

First of all, I apologize for the lack of posts the past couple of weeks. It's not that I haven't been baking cooking (in fact I have been doing so more than usual), it's just that I can never seem to get around to taking photos. It seems a silly excuse, but Mikey recently got a paid internship and now works all day so I try to have dinner ready when he walks in the door. Of course after 10 hours of work he is not quite up to an intensive photo session with his dinner.


That said, I have a few really great posts coming up that I'm excited about, and perhaps another giveaway!


A few weeks ago, Nicole from Goose Valley contacted me about possibly sampling some of their wild rice after noticing my Wild Rice and Lentil Salad. Considering how much I love whole grains, I simply couldn't refuse (not to mention they process their rice in organically-certified facilities and practice sustainable agriculture which is always a plus to me).


I'm all about using ingredients in new and interesting ways, so I decided to incorporate Goose Valley's Natural Wild Rice into my baking in the form of crackers!


These crackers are really something. They are crunchy, chewy, slightly sweet, and best of all- really good for you! One thing I noticed off the bat was the unique nuttiness that the rice had in comparison to other wild rices that I have tried. I thought it paired wonderfully with the sweet dried currants/raisins and crunchy almonds. They are AWESOME with some goat cheese, or as I have here, some fresh honey-flavored Farmer's cheese, but I can imagine that cream cheese or even mascarpone would be equally as satisfying.

Goose Valley has kindly provided me with extra samples of their rice that I want to pass on to you! I'm giving away a pack of Goose Valley Organic Wild Rice, and a pack of Goose Valley Brown and Wild Rice Fusion. To enter the giveaway, simply comment on this post telling me about your favorite unconventional way to use rice in your cooking (or baking!). No more entries after 12 a.m. on Thursday, September 2. A winner will  be chosen at random later on that day!

Wild Rice Crackers

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (or just 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups lowfat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried currants/golden raisins
• 1 cup cooked wild rice, chilled and dry
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped raw almonds
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (you don't have to get this fancy- just use what you have)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 standard size loaf pans; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the wild rice, dried currants/raisins, sesame seeds, and almonds.
4. Pour the mixture into the loaf pans (which will only be 1/4 or less full) and bake for roughly 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the loaves thoroughly.
5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
6. Slice the loaves into extremely thin slices (about the thickness of the cracker you want). Try not to eat too much of the warm bread with butter... Lay slices onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle the salt over each cracker.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the crackers over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden.

Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Currant Syrup Topped with Honeyed Mascarpone and Pistachios

A few days ago I entered an Iron Chef-style contest on an internet forum. The theme was "breakfast," and considering that is incredibly broad, I initially had absolutely no idea what I would choose to make. I thought about roasted asparagus with a poached egg and truffled breadcrumbs; I considered bacon pancakes or a breakfast pizza, but then I recalled the gorgeous fresh red and white currants that were sitting on my fridge and I knew exactly what I would make.


The cornmeal in these waffles gives them a really nice bite, and the fresh currant syrup is both refreshingly tart and sweet. The creamy honeyed mascarpone is a delicious alternative to whipped cream, and the pistachios add a satisfying crunch and saltiness that pairs with the currants remarkably well.


I have no idea if I placed (I think I'll know in a few days), but I'm proud of my entry, and I think it was pretty creative!


This post definitely has more pictures that my others simply because for the contest I had to take pictures of the process.

Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Currant Syrup Topped with Honeyed Mascarpone and Pistachios

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup coarse-grind cornmeal
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Fresh Currant Syrup (recipe below)
• mascarpone
• honey
• pistachios, toasted and chopped

1. Preheat your waffle iron, and also preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Add in the flour mixture all at once and whisk to combine.
4. Spray your waffle iron with nonstick spray and ladle the batter in. Cook according to your manufacturer's instructions. 
5. Remove the cooked waffles and place on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm until you're ready to serve.
6. In a small bowl, combine a dollop of mascarpone with some honey and whip together with a spoon.
7. Serve your waffles drizzled in the currant syrup with a dollop of the honeyed mascarpone and a sprinkled of pistachios.

Fresh Currant Syrup

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh currants (I used a mixture of red and white)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp red wine (I used a Merlot)
• 1 whole star anise

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring fairly regularly, until the mixture has reduced by about half.
2. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve, being sure to press all of the liquid out of the solids. Serve with Cornmeal Waffles!

P.s.- This is the new GORGEOUS Shun knife that my wonderful boyfriend surprised me with for no reason at all that I use at any moment I possibly can because I still can't believe how awesome it is: