Snacks | Simple By Cindy

Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Crust

Aug. 31
2020

As you know, I love the tangy, sour taste of lemons. Even when I was a little girl, I would pass over brownies and go for a lemon bar every time. Although I still love lemon, I like to indulge in a sweet chocolate treat every now and then. Now that there’s been research that says chocolate has health benefits, I’m definitely more likely to have a piece of a chocolate tart. Let’s go over a few and see if I can talk you into nourishing yourself with a little (or a lot!) of good old-fashioned chocolate goodness.

A new study suggests that eating chocolate can help you stay thin. Researchers at the University of California-San Diego found that people who frequently eat small amounts of chocolate have lower body-mass indexes than people who don’t.

Chocolate decreases stroke risk. A Swedish study found that eating more than 45 grams of chocolate per week—about two bars worth—led to a 20 percent decrease in stroke risk among women. Susanna Larsson, the author of the study, claims that the flavonoids in chocolate have antioxidant properties that can help fight strokes.

Chocolate protects against inflammation. The Moli-sani project, a large health study conducted in Europe, found that eating a bit of chocolate will decrease the amount of C-reactive protein in your blood. C-reactive protein is a protein associated with tissue inflammation.

Chocolate reduces the likelihood of a heart attack. The same study also found that eating chocolate prevents blood clots, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attacks. Blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters, the study said.

Chocolate may prevent cancer. Researchers at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University found that cocoa in chocolate also contains a compound called pentameric procyanidin, or pentamer, which disrupts proteins that causes cancer.

Chocolate is good for your skin. This is a new fact for me, since I grew up with doctors telling me that it will cause breakouts and acne. Turns out that it’s actually good for your skin! Well, cocoa at least. Antioxidants found in cocoa protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays, but that doesn’t mean you can skip the sunscreen. Most antioxidants are lost during the process that turns cocoa into chocolate, but food chemists are working to try to preserve those and make chocolate even healthier.

The takeaway here is that chocolate is not a health food. It should be consumed in moderation– many of these studies used a sample piece about the size of a Hershey’s kiss– rather than with abandon. A lot of this research was paid for by chocolate manufacturers too, so it’s definitely best to make sure your portions of this sweet treat are under control.

This dessert is one extravagance that will not let you down, though you’ll probably want seconds. Really, few things go better together than chocolate and peanut butter. The milk chocolate, when combined with the cream, turns miraculously elegant and creamy. It is then housed by a peanut butter and pretzel (oh my!) crust that is perfect for this chocolatey treat. And this is a no bake dessert– no need to turn your oven on for this one! This is cool perfection in every bite.

This recipe is adapted from Food and Wine and makes a tart that will serve 12 lucky people.

Ingredients for Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Crust:

For the Filling:

12 ounces good quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups) heavy cream

For the Crust:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups crushed salted pretzels plus additional for topping tart

Make the filling:

Place chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl and set aside

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a rolling boil over medium high heat (do not stir) and then immediately pour over chocolate; let sit for five minutes and then whisk until completely smooth.

Let cool at room temperature for one hour and make crust

Prepare the Crust:

In a medium bowl, melt peanut butter in microwave by heating for 15 seconds, stirring and repeating until easy to stir.

Stir in pretzel crumbs.

Press mixture into a 11-inch tart pan so that it is evenly spread out and up the edges; place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Once ready, pour chocolate mixture into chilled crust; then chill tart in refrigerator 4 hours (or up to 24 hours).

Use additional pretzels to decorate tart before serving if desired

It’s that simple!

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

Aug. 24
2020

Do you ever get the urge to indulge in a perfect cookie and a tall, cold glass of milk? Yeah, me too. Cookies are just about everyone’s favorite treat. Their size makes it easy to bring them anywhere you go, and their versatility makes them a great option for breakfast, a snack, or desert.

Although everyone’s definition of the “perfect cookie” is different, I challenge anyone to disagree with my assessment.

Shortbread cookies are different because they have an unusually high butter content. According to the Nibble, these cookies may have been made as early as the 12th century, but its invention (or at least, the refinement to its current form) is often attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century. She had a team of French chefs who had the time, labor, and ingredients to perfect the recipes.

Shortbread origins are in Scotland during medieval times. According to EnglishTeaStore.com, Scottish shortbread evolved from medieval biscuit bread, a twice-baked, enriched bread roll dusted with sugar and spices and hardened into a rusk. Eventually, butter was substituted for yeast, and shortbread was born.

The original shortbreads were made with oatmeal; the more elegant white flour came later and lightened the cookie substantially. The addition of rice flour gives shortbread a grainy, crumbly texture, while cornstarch (also called corn flour) gives it a denser texture, although I don’t know of many recipes that call for rice flour for shortbread cookies any more.

There are two possible reasons for the name “shortbread cookie.” Some say it is because of the crumbly texture of the cookie, while others attribute it to the large quantity of shortening or butter.

These cookies are easy to prepare and if you or a loved one have a sweet tooth, you need to add them to your repertoire. The flawless contrast of their chewy inside and crunchy outer layer make them worth every minute of preparation! There is no better way to describe these cookies than Allison Roman does: “less chocolate chip cookie, more brown sugar shortbread with chocolate chunks–they might be just the cookie you are looking for. Made with lots of salted butter (it has a slightly different flavor and a deeper saltiness than just using salt), the dough has just enough flour to hold together and the right amount of light brown sugar to suggest a chocolate chip cookie. If you find it tragically annoying finding salted butter just for this recipe, you can use unsalted butter and add 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the flour.”

This recipe is courtesy of Allison Roman and will make about 20 cookies for cookie lovers of all ages.

Ingredients for Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (but not too fine, you want chunks, not thin shards of chocolate)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Demerara sugar (for rolling)
Flaky sea salt

Using an electric mixer and a medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes.

Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl.

With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour, followed by chocolate chunks, and beat just to blend.

Divide dough in half, then place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap.

Fold plastic over to cover dough and protect your hands from getting all sticky.

Using your hands (just like you’re playing with clay), form dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect.

Each half should form logs that are 2–2¼” in diameter.

Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet (two, if you’ve got ’em) with parchment paper.

Brush outside of logs with egg wash.

Roll logs in demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious crispy edges).

Slice each log into ½”-thick rounds.

Arrange on prepared baking sheet about 1″ apart (they won’t spread much).

Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake cookies until edges are just beginning to brown, 12–15 minutes.

Let cool slightly before eating them all.

Do Ahead: Cookie dough can be made 1 week ahead. Tightly wrap in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 1 month. Cookies can be baked 5 days ahead. Store in plastic wrap or an airtight container.

It’s that simple!

Lemon Cake with Fruit

Aug. 6
2020

Our first family rule was that we always had dinner together. In this crazy world, it was important to me that we had this time to check in with each other, especially as new homeowners and parents. Growing up, my family and I always ate with one another, and we would eat the same time every day. The neighborhood children would play together after school, and when our mothers would call us for dinner, we came home no questions asked.

I have so many fond memories sitting around the small table in our kitchen and telling stories about our day. I remember I had one teacher in high school who used to teach us geometry principles to a tune so we would remember it for a test. I would sing the principles at dinner and my family would laugh so hard.

Nowadays, many families do not make the time to sit down and have dinner together. Children’s schedules get in the way, parents are working much later hours and dinner is not a priority anymore. Studies show that children have a greater sense of security and belonging when family meals are routine– even teenagers tend to enjoy the family time! In a recent Columbia University study, 71% of teenagers said they consider talking, catching-up, and spending time with family members as the best part of family dinners.

When families eat together, young children are less likely to be obese or overweight because these children eat regular, nutritious, home cooked meals, and also help in making or serving those meals. In 2008, researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study of IBM employees and found that “sitting down to a family meal helped working moms reduce the tension and strain from long hours at the office.” With all the crazy busy times we now have, family dinners allow for a time to stop other activities and obligations and deepen the family connection.

In my family, dinner is sometimes the only time we have together. It’s a great opportunity for us to put down the phones, turn off the TV, and reduce other distractions. It might feel stilted at first if you’re not used to it, but I promise it gets easier.

In every family meal, a good dessert is a must–it’s just as important as the main course. Dessert puts you in a good mood for the rest of the evening, and really completes dinner. This is one dessert that doesn’t disappoint. It has fairly simple ingredients and the one ingredient I can never pass up: lemon. This cake is such a nice moist cake that oozes with lemony flavor. Then comes the burst of sweet fruit in every bite. The brandy adds an adult touch, but feel free to replace it with apple juice or omit completely if you’d like to avoid alcohol.

This recipe is courtesy of Epicurious and will serve 12 people who will want to bring this to the family dinner table.

Ingredients for Lemon Cake with Fruit:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 lemon
1 2/3 cups plus 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3 Tbsp. pear, orange, or apple brandy (optional)
2 lb. pears or apples, sliced, stone fruit, cut into thick wedges, blueberries, and/or blackberries (I used sliced peaches)
Powdered sugar (for serving)

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F.

Butter and flour a 13×9″ baking pan. ( I used parchment paper with overhangs on the side).

Whisk baking powder, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl.

Finely grate lemon zest into another medium bowl.

Slice lemon in half; set aside.

Add 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar to zest and work with your fingers until mixture is fragrant and looks like wet sand, about 1 minute.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup butter in a large bowl until smooth, about 20 seconds.

Add sugar mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions; mix in egg yolk.

Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients.

Beat just until incorporated, then add brandy and beat just until smooth.

Fold batter a few times with a rubber spatula; scrape into prepared pan and smooth top.

Scatter fruit over (do not press down).

Squeeze a reserved lemon half over fruit (save other half for another use) and sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar.

Bake cake until sides are golden brown and top is golden, 55–65 minutes.

Let cool; cut into squares.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Cake can be baked 2 days ahead.

Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

It’s that simple!

Best Muffin Tin Frittata Recipe

Aug. 3
2020

We all have our everyday routines. I know I have mine, but I do like to shake it up once in a while. Luckily, there’s a new trend– brinner. Breakfast for dinner. The French know that it’s okay to have omelets at all hours, but now it’s hit the US too.

It’s always breakfast time somewhere. For the firefighter or nurse working the graveyard shift, breakfast is at 2 am. For teenagers, breakfast could be at 2 pm. Totally normal, right? To put it simply, people want to eat breakfast when they wake up–whatever time it is. But the new studies show that more people with 9 to 5 jobs are starting to eat breakfast for dinner. Krusteaz, a food company did a survey that found that 91 per cent of people are choosing this new reality. Here are some of the reasons why:

Natalie A. Nevins, DO, a board-certified family physician in Hollywood, California found that “the ingredients in breakfast foods are often less expensive, quicker to prepare, and, most importantly, lower in calories.” Breakfast at dinner options such as omelets and oatmeal are nutritious, cost-effective, and easy to make.

Eggs are cheap. If you eat two eggs at night for a light dinner, you’ll have spent just a dollar or two over the course of six days.

Breakfast food is faster than ordering delivery. You’ll be munching down in 10 minutes or less, while your favorite dinner delivery guy won’t ring your doorbell before thirty minutes.

You will feel more full for longer. By having oatmeal or a protein shake, you will have a nutritious meal and avoid waking up hungry.

But there’s still something else surprising about eating meals out of order, kind of like pajama day at school. Any subtle deviation from the norm that makes you feel like you’re getting away with something, and that’s especially true these days.

Now this is one way of making a frittata that you could eat any time of the day. It is a frittata disguised as a muffin. They could be served hot or cold or even at room temperature. This yummy dish has sausage and cheeses that pair perfectly together. The roasted red peppers are a healthy vegetable, but feel free to add something else if red pepper isn’t for you. The addition of milk gives the frittata a super silky texture. You can eat it any time of the day. It’s perfect!

This dish is courtesy of Delish and will serve 12 people who will totally be on board for breakfast anytime.

Ingredients for Best Muffin Tin Frittatas:

1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
10 large eggs
1/4 c. milk
2/3 c. shredded fontina
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 c. finely sliced basil

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.

Drain meat on paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cheeses, salt and pepper.

Divide egg mixture between the muffin tins.

Top each serving with roasted red peppers, sausage, and basil.

Bake until the eggs are set, 12 to 15 minutes.

Let cool slightly before serving.

It’s that simple!

Chocolate Pecan Scones

May. 14
2020

I’m pretty sure it’s spring these days, but with the weather so crazy these days, I don’t even know anymore. Today we had a polar vortex that brought heavy winds, snow and hail. Everyone was shocked. Myself as well. Didn’t anyone tell the folks upstairs that it’s May? I hope they get the news soon, because this is ridiculous. And as I write this I think it is Mother’s Day too, but who knows anymore?

As most of us stay at home, we all look forward to the sunny warm days when we can take a walk, ride a bike, or go for a run. If we must stay away from others, can’t we at least go outside (safely, of course)? I hope someone up there gets the message and soon. We are so much happier with warm sun, than this terrible weather. There is something about those days that truly lifts our spirits.

In the past, I didn’t mind the rainy cold days that kept us indoors. I would use them to cook to my heart’s content. But now, all I do is cook. I never thought I would get tired of it, but that feeling begins to come on every now and again. It is hard to find a variety of things to cook. Fortunately for me, my family enjoys a limited diet. They love everything I cook, and I am grateful for that. So, most of what I prepare goes to other family and friends, and I know it is deeply appreciated.

I have been baking a lot– nothing complicated, but it is enough for me. These are strange times for sure. I hope you all are staying safe, healthy, and cooking to your heart’s content. We are going to get through this and come out stronger.

My family loves scones of any kind, and these scones bake up perfectly. The outside is crisp and the inside fluffy as a cloud. The heavy cream ensures that they are moist and mouthwatering. The chocolate adds additional sweetness and depth of flavor. The pecans give it crunchy goodness. Make these scones now, because Ina never disappoints. Ever.

This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten and will serve 6 to 8 people who will enjoy this sweet treat as breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Ingredients for Chocolate Pecan Scones:

3 tablespoons plus 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1½ cups medium-diced bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt (8 ounces)
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
4 teaspoons kosher salt
¾ pound cold unsalted butter, ½-inch diced
1 cup cold heavy cream
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or cream, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons flour with the chocolate and pecans and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the butter and, with the mixer on low speed, blend until the butter is the size of peas.

Measure the cream in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add the eggs, and beat until combined.

With the mixer still on low, pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, and combine just until blended.

(This gets a little messy)

Add the chocolate and pecan mixture and mix just until combined.

(Even more messy, just go with it)

The dough will be very sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a very well-floured surface and knead it a few times to be sure the chocolate and pecans are well distributed, adding a little flour so the dough doesn’t stick to the board.

Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough ¾ to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough.

Cut the dough with a 3-inch plain round cutter and place the scones on the prepared sheet pans.

Re-roll the scraps and cut out more scones.

Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 minutes, switching the pans halfway through, until the tops are lightly browned and the insides are fully baked.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s that simple!