Amazing Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

Oh my god. Seriously…oh my god. These are some deadly serious amazing cookies. Period. Crisp on the exterior and almost like cakey fudgey in the interior. Incredibly moist and intensely aromatic. A whiff and a smile began to form on T’s face. A bite and he was nearly giggling…that reaction was priceless, especially with something I baked. NEVER EVER HAPPENS.

I am forever thankful for picking up some andes mint chocolates at cvs the other day only because after eating more than I should in one sitting…eating them out of the wrapper became demandingly boring. So after a long hiatus of no blogging….(only due to working on that damn blown head gasket…which we are done with this weekend!!) I walked into the kitchen, arms covered in grime and hair dusted with grit…I needed some cooking therapy.  And needless to say these andes mint cookies were born. I want to be honest…when I was making these tonight…I didn’t think they’d turn out that well looking at the dough texture…but BOY  WAS I FOOLED!

AMAZING Andes Mint Cookies

2 C flour

¾ C butter (softened)

¾ C cocoa

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 t salt

3 eggs

1 T vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

12 oz good quality chocolate (I use TJ’s dark chocolate)

4 oz andes mint chocolates

1 C light brown sugar

¼ c granulated sugar

½ C andes mint chocolate chips (if you have extra!)

Preheat the oven to 350F prepare a sheet pan with parchment.

In a medium bowl, melt chocolate and mint chocolate together. This can be done by placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water (for a make-shift double-boiler) or in the microwave in a microsafe bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium at speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add one egg a time to the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the cooled melted chocolates and beat until well combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in mint-chocolate chips. Roll the dough into a ball slightly smaller than a baseball and place them 2 inches apart. Flatten them lightly before baking. Cook for 10-12 minutes. They should still look soft in the middle and slightly crackled, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the dough, using cooled cookie sheets. Serve the cookies warm or at room temperature.

Skillet Cornbread

 

T and I try to dedicate a day a week for date night…well it has not been very successful as of late. We finally had a free night the other day after a tough day in the garage. You see…we are currently fixing his mom’s Cadillac sts blown head gasket. If any of you car nerds know what I am preaching about, it is not funny matter. Although we managed to take the engine out of the car in about a day, and step by step we have gotten through the intake manifold and into the cam shafts. Nearly there!! Anyway, we don’t have a usual spot for dinner but we both love the steaks at gibbet hill grill in Groton. The atmosphere is casual, drinks are solid and they let their meat do the talking. Another reason why we go is for their cornbread. It comes in a bucket, still warm and steamy with a sweet butter. It’s tender, moist, crumbly and a touch sweet…we love it so much that we consume one serving…then ask for another to be packed home…trust me…it is not shunned upon! 

 

But to save the embarrassment I decided to make my own at home. I looked at a few recipes online and on the back of my cornmeal can and kind of made a rendition of my own. I like that a skillet is used for my cornbread because of the unbelievable crust it makes as it bakes. And I like a sweeter cornbread but I do add quite a bit of salt to balance it off. And the best thing about this is the fact that it takes only seconds to prepare and under twenty minutes to bake. Perfect for our quick lunch of tonkatsu sandwiches and steamy cornbread. An odd but comforting mix.

Skillet Cornbread

*you will need a 10” cast-iron skillet

1 ½ C cornmeal

½ C flour

1/2 C + 2 T sugar

1 T salt

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 egg

1 ½ C buttermilk (or like me 1 ½ C of 2% milk with 1 T vinegar)

½ C butter (melted)

2 T butter (for skillet)

Preheat oven to 450F and place your skillet in.

Combine dry ingredients with a whisk and set aside.

Whisk together egg, buttermilk, and ½ C melted butter.

Take the skillet out of the oven

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and combine thoroughly

Drop 2 T of butter into the skillet and hear it sizzle and watch it melt. Pour the batter in immediately and bake for 18 minutes.

It should be golden brown and come out clean with a few moist crumbs when a toothpick is inserted.

Let it sit for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Serve with honey..butter..jam..whatever you like!

Holy Tonkatsu

Ever dreamed of making your own tonkatsu at home? You know…that succulent pork cutlet seasoned and meltingly tender wedged in between a thick and crisp, crunchy batter? I have…more than a few times and I’ve finally done it now. Oddly enough I was inspired when a bag of shredded cabbage caught my eye. It then went on to a Japanese carrot ginger dressing…then suddenly an image of tonkatsu and a side salad came together.  Oh my…this is beyond heaven on a plate!

 

Tonkatsu is not tonkatsu without tonkatsu sauce! Besides buying the store bought kind which you can probably get at your local grocery store (bulldog brand is the best I hear) you can easily make it at home! You most probably have all the ingredients at hand as well and realize wow… that is easy…and damn that’s goooood! And for an equally great salad…you need an awesome dressing to complement all the flavors and I suggest to make your own carrot ginger dressing. It’s as easy to make as it is to wallow it down.

It is essential to flour your chops twice to ensure that your meat juices keep within itself and does not seep out into the panko crumb. This makes an unbelievably crisp and crunchy out layer that isn't soggy or dripping with oil.

Tonkatsu

2 center cut pork chops (1” thick)

kosher salt

pepper

1 C flour

2 eggs (whisked)

1 ½ C panko

lemon wedges

vegetable oil for frying

Tonkatsu Sauce

½ C ketchup

4 T worchestire sauce

1 t allspice

1 T mustard ( I used trader joes hot and sweet mustard)

Carrot Ginger Dressing

2 carrots (peeled, rough chopped)

1 thumb ginger (peeled chopped)

¼ red onion (roughly chopped)

1 T soy sauce

1 ½ T miso paste

1 ½ T sesame oil

pinch of sugar

¼ vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

water ( if you want it thinner)

Side Salad

2 handfuls shredded cabbage

1-2 tomatoes (quartered)

10-15 slices of cucumber

Half  avocado (sliced thin)

Make the sauces first.

For the tonkatsu sauce combine all ingredients and allow it to meld together for an hour or so before serving.

For the salad dressing, puree carrots, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and miso paste. Once finely pureed mix in oil and taste. Add more soy sauce if needed and if you like a stronger sesame oil taste don’t hesitate to add more. Add water to adjust consistency and add more seasoning if necessary.  Set aside in the fridge till ready to serve.

Tonkatsu

Place the pork chops in between two sheets of plastic wrap and with a mallet or rolling pin as I used pound it just lightly on both side. Score the meat in a crosshatch action on both sides and season generously with salt and pepper and set aside. In 3 separate shallow but high edged bowls, fill one with whisked eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, one with flour seasoned with salt and pepper then the last with panko seasoned with salt and pepper. Park them next to your frying pan. Once ready to cook heat a large skillet or frying pan with an inch of oil and heat it up till about 350 F or when you dust a little flour in it sizzles immediately. When you are ready to fry your chops, dip the pork into flour, then egg, then flour, then panko and straight into the hot oil. Fry them for 2 ½ minutes on each side and when done set them on paper towels to rest and sprinkle immediately with some salt.

Serve with lemon wedges, tonkatsu sauce and side salad…or with whatever you desire.