Favorite Avocado Toast

Bread, toasted (sourdough or Dave's Killer 21 Whole Grains)
Cottage Cheese (optional) 
Avocado, smashed 

Everythig bagel seasoning 

Tomatoes, sliced

Balsamic glaze 

Toast bread, cool slightly. Spread cottage cheese on first, then add the smashed avocado. Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning generously on top. Add 2-4 slices of tomato. Drizzle with balsamtic glaze. Enjoy immediately. 

Whipped Fudge Frosting

Recipe found HERE 

1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar
1 cup/240 milliliters heavy cream 

Pinch kosher salt 

6 ounces/170 grams unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped 

8 Tablespoons/112 grams unsalted butter, diced 

2 teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract 

Ice filled bowl

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, heavy cream and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla until smooth. Set bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice. Use a hand mixer or an immersion blender with the whisk attachment to whip until mixture is thick and cool, about 5 minutes. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Gluten-Free Fudgy Brownies

Substitute toffee bits for other combos like walnuts/pecans, white choclate chips & freeze dried raspberries

Loni P. 

Recipe found HERE

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli/Guittard recommended)  
6 Tablespoons salted butter 

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/3 cup cornstarch 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 large eggs, room temperature 

1 cup Heath toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set aside. 

Cut butter into small cubes. 

In a large bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Melt in 30-second increments, on high heat in the microwave, stirring in between. (It took 1 minute total for my chocolate to melt.) 

Stir in sugar and vanilla until completely combined. 

Add eggs one a time, stirring in between until combined. 

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. 

Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This will take one or two minutes. 

Stir in the toffee chips. 

Pour brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. 

Bake for 33-37 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Let brownies cool completely on a cooling rack. 

Use the parchment paper overhang to pull the brownies out and cut into squares. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or fridge/freezer for longer. 

Black Bean Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette

This is a fabulous side dish, salad topping, or my favorite dip with chips!

Recipe Found HERE

SALAD

• 2 ears fresh corn (or frozen corn)
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro (plus a bit more for garnish, if desired)
• 1 avocado (optional) 

DressiNG

• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1-2 limes
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (2 peppers, not 2 cans; use smaller peppers and if they are all large, use only 1-1/2)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the chopped red onions in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit about ten minutes, then drain completely in a sieve and set aside.
3. Place the beans in a sieve; run under cold water to rinse well. Let drain completely and set aside.
4. Holding the cooled corn upright in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cob in strips. Add the beans, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro.
5. Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor; process until smooth.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.

1. Right before serving, add freshly diced avocado. Toss the salad gently, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (a squeeze of fresh lime to freshen it up). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Serve cold.

Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

This was a serious winner, the whole family, kids included, loved it! If you're short on time, substituting rotisserie chicken (skip broiling in the oven) would work well. 

I always double the sauce for our family of six. You could even quadruple the sauce to freeze for later!

Recipe found here

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled, divided
1 onion, chopped fine
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chili pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced (for more spice reserve, mince, and add ribs/seeds)
1 Tablespoon garam masala 
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt 
1 cup heavy cream
2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (Can substitute chicken breasts, sliced in strips)
1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided (optional) 

Serve with Basmati Rice and/or Naan bread 

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is softened, and onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Add garam masala, coriander, cumin, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add water and tomato paste and whisk until no lumps of tomato paste remain. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Off heat, stir in cream. Using immersion blender or blender, process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Return sauce to simmer over medium heat and whisk in remaining 2 Tablespoons butter. Remove saucepan from heat and cover to keep warm. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; gently reheat sauce before adding chicken.) 

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine chicken, yogurt, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in bowl and toss well to coat. Using tongs, transfer chicken to wire rack set in aluminum foil - lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until chicken is evenly charred on both sides and registers 175 degrees, 16 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling. 

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. While chicken rests, warm sauce over medium-low heat. Cut chicken into 3/4 inch chunks (or strips if you prefer) and stir into sauce. Stir in 2 Tablespoons cilantro and season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon cilantro, and serve. 

Smitten Kitchen Sprinkle Cookies

 Recipe found HERE

3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt 
1 cup (8 ounces, 225 grams or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature  
1/4 cup (2 ounces, 55 grams or 1/4 of an 8-ounce brick) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar 
1 large egg 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/4 teaspoon almond extract 
1 cup rainbow sprinkles 

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking large sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and extracts and blend again. Add flour mixture and beat just until flour disappears. In some cases, this dough will feel too soft to roll into balls in your hands; if so, let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before using. 

Scoop balls of dough — I like these cookies best with a #40, or 1 1/2 tablespoon, scoop; the texture is less dynamic when made smaller — and roll them briefly in the palms of your hands before dropping them in a bowl of rainbow sprinkles and gently rolling to coat them evenly. I find that the sprinkles adhere much better to tacky exterior of balls of dough that have been briefly warmed by your hands — trust me here. 

Transfer balls of sprinkle-coated dough to baking sheets at least two inches apart. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down on the cookies until they are about 1/4 to 1/2-inch tall. If you see any bare spots in the sprinkles that bother you, you can sprinkle a few more on top. 

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until they look underbaked but lightly golden underneath. [If they’re not quite soft in the center, they will be fully crisped through the next day.] Let set on the baking sheet on a rack for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool the rest of the way. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

DoubleTree Signature Cookie Recipe

Recipe Found HERE 

½ pound butter, softened (2 sticks)
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ¼ cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch cinnamon
2 2/3 cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts 

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. 

Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl. 

With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix. 

Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. 

Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft. 

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.

Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.