I’ve tried two new recipes since Sunday, but I’m horribly slow at posting them!
The first recipe I tried was Swistle’s Postpartum Chocolate-Chip Cookies, despite the fact that I’m not postpartum, antepartum, or in the process of partuming. It’s been a while since I made any cookies, and I’m sick of making cookies full of substitutes for the good stuff. Chocolate-chip cookies are Scott’s favorites, so this seemed like a good choice.
The recipe
- 1 cup (1 stick) Crisco
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips
Cream Crisco and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda, salt, and flour. Add chocolate chips. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, 375 degrees F, 9-10 minutes.
My variations
None! I didn’t change a dang thing this time. I did use a technique learned from Alton Brown before I scooped — I chilled the dough for a little while first. No idea if it made any sort of difference.
My experience
Super easy. As Swistle points out in her entry, you can do all of the measuring with 2 things: a 3/4 cup and a teaspoon. I got about 40 cookies out of the recipe. I probably could have made 42 if I had kept my fingers out of the dough.
The verdict
Winner! How could they not be? I made them on Sunday and we scoffed down the last one today.
The second recipe I made (on Monday) was one I got from another Whip It Up participant — Penne with Spinach Sauce made by Megan at Tea and Cake Time.
The recipe
- 1 pound whole wheat or multi grain penne
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.
My variations
I didn’t take anything out of this, but I did add some cooked chicken, courtesy of the chicken I poached on Sunday. I knew Scott wouldn’t eat it without meat!
My experience
My first problem with this recipe was that I didn’t have a food processor. I have a "food processor". It’s tiny, and only really useful for chopping nuts. I attempted to make my spinach mixture in it, but it just wasn’t going to work. I had to resort to my blender, and that only worked after I added a little of the cooking liquid in. After that, it finally chopped up and looked like a sauce.
And holy green, Batman! The color here is almost fluorescent.
The verdict
This was a "meh". Scott wouldn’t eat it again if I paid him. I might make it again for myself (in a much smaller helping), and add more cheese. I really wanted the sauce to be cheesier. It’s edible, just kinda tasteless. I rejoice when I get a piece of chicken in my bite. And a pound of pasta makes A LOT. I’ve already eaten this twice, and I probably have two servings left. I think I’m going to eat some for dinner tonight and then toss the rest.
