Whole Grain Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 ¼ cups quick cooking oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup peanut butter (we like natural variety)
• ½ cup olive or canola oil
• 3/8 cup granulated sugar
• 3/8 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Beat oil, peanut butter sugars and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy.

2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased or parchment lined baking sheets.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, and remove to wire racks.

 

Heart Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
(Makes approx. 40 cookies)

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3 Cups old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup light butter, salted
• 1/3 cup light olive oil
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup ground flax seeds (available in some supermarkets and also natural stores)
• 1 cup regular or golden raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, flax seeds, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl.
2. Beat together butter, sugars, oil and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in oats and raisins.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets (or parchment lined sheets)
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and remove to wire racks.

(Cookie recipes adapted from Boston University Sargent Choice Nutrition Center)

 

Spicy Baked Chickpeas

• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas and dry by rolling them around in a kitchen towel. Combine the oil, paprika cumin, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Bake until golden and crispy, 25 to 35 minutes, shaking the tray to toss after 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the chickpeas to a serving bowl.
(Recipe Courtesy of Claire Robbins, Food Network TV)

Hudson Valley Duckling

Serves 4

Haymount House

25 Studio Hill Rd • Briarcliff Manor, NY

haymounthouseny.com

Proprietor:  David Breschel

 Chef: Scott Riesenberger

From the ever-changing seasonal menu of farm-to-table fare to the elegant yet relaxed ambience, each visit to Haymount House is a special celebration with good company and great food at the center.  The chefs pride themselves on utilizing local farm produce at the peak of perfection.  Located inside a fully restored century-old hilltop estate with stunning long distance views of the Hudson River, Haymount House is a perfect blend of the past and present in perfect harmony. David Breschel and his professional and friendly staff will be pleased to provide the perfect setting for all of your holiday parties, weddings and fundraisers. Come see why the New York Times gave Haymount House its highest rating in July 2012.

Ingredients:

-1 whole fresh 4-5 lb duck

-plum marmalade or your favorite fruit preserve

-6 medium size Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced)

-1/2 cup of pitted, dried prunes

-6 slices of smoked bacon (baked to render away most fat, rough chopped)

-1 qt of heavy cream

-2 oz olive oil

-2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic

-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-1 lb of mustard greens, destemmed

-salt & pepper to taste

For a crispier skin, allow duck to dry on a rack to allow even airflow for a few days in a refrigerator; Lightly score the skin only the breast area, season with salt and pepper and place breast side up in a 400 degree oven for 7 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 and cook for 1 hour. For the last 5 minutes of cooking, melt the fruit jelly and brush glaze over the entire area of duck, repeat this step 5 additional times. Bring garlic, cream, olive oil and salt to a boil. Alternate potatoes, chopped bacon pieces, flattened-pitted prunes and grated Parmesan in a 2 inch deep baking dish or casserole, cover with cream mixture, lightly press down so its flat, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees. In a very hot pan, sauté mustard leaves in olive oil quickly, season with salt. Serve family style.

Profiteroles

Le Jardin du Roi

95 King Street, Chappaqua

lejardinchappaqua.com

Owner : Joe Quartararo & Chef Rudy Beltram-Prat

Le Jardin is the best spot in town for a scrumptious, high quality breakfast, a wide variety of luncheon items and daily dinner specials. For example, this winter they will be serving soul warming Cassoulet, a French bean and meat casserole from the Gascony region of France, Traditional Coq au Vin–fall-off-the-bone tender chicken braised in wine sauce, and the very favorite of the author–Oeuf du Roi, a brunch dish of poached egg on a goat cheese potato cake over Provencale Ratatouille. Sublime!  Joe, Rudy and Manager, Wendy Egan will look forward to seeing you this holiday season and they would be happy to host your holiday gatherings!

Pate a Choux: (Pastry)

1 cup water/milk (you may use either or a combination of milk and water)

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

4 ounces unsweetened butter (1 stick)

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

4 eggs

Chocolate Sauce:

1/2 C. milk

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/4 C. of sugar

8 oz chocolate (55% chocolate, chopped)

2 Tb. butter+vanilla ice cream
(softened slightly)

+whipped cream (whip heavy cream till there are light peaks, 1 tsp. vanilla and powdered sugar to taste

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Place a baking sheet with parchment paper on it. In a saucepan mix the milk/water, butter, salt, sugar until very hot, add the flour and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from the stove and add the eggs one at a time.  Mix well between each addition. Place mixture in a piping bag, and pipe the mixture onto the parchment paper. (or if you don’t have a piping bag, place generous 2-3 Tb. scoops of mixture on the parchment paper)  Bake between 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden. For the chocolate sauce: place milk, cream, sugar, chocolate and butter in saucepan and mix. Melt over low heat until chocolate is melted. Before serving, slice the cream puffs in half horizontally with a seriated knife. Fill the middle with your choice whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Top with chocolate sauce. Garnish with powdered sugar and berries if desired.

Shrimp Oreganata

(2 entrees or 4 appetizers)

Old Stone Trattoria

425 King Street, Chappaqua

Oldstonetrattoria.com

Chef/Owner Angelo Tradito

Step into Old Stone Trattoria and enjoy the warmth of the wood-fired oven, the exposed brick walls, and especially the amazing cooking–specialties of Chef/Owner Angelo’s Sicilian heritage.  Angelo is a self-taught chef who learned his craft from the best, at the side of his Grandmother and Mother–both exceptional chefs! As part of the first-generation here from Italy, he emphasizes his family’s specialties–including his “Grandmother’s Pizza,” which is a delectable thin-crust pizza with fresh daily marinara sauce and fresh homemade soft mozzarella. Old Stone is a bit of regional Italy, right here in our own village.
Photo by Mike Feist

Ingredients:

12 jumbo shrimp, cleaned, deveined and butterflied, with tails left on, and lightly salted. (Use jumbo U 10-12 size or U 13-15 size sliced ¾ open and spread apart)

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

2 Tb. chopped Italian flat leafed parsley

½ tsp. oregano (or Italian herb blend)

1 Lemon

2 Tb. white wine (your favorite)

Pinch of all-purpose flour

2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of salt and pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 Tb. butter & 1 Tb. olive oil

Sauce: 

2 Tb. butter, 2 Tb. extra virgin 
olive oil, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, a splash of white wine, a pinch of flour, 1 – 2 Tbs. of fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. chopped 
parsley, salt and pepper.

Garnish: 

Lemon slices and parsley sprigs

Side:

Sautéed spinach with garlic and olive oil

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Mix bread crumbs, minced garlic, chopped parsley, oregano, wine, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until moist.

Place the butter and the olive oil in the pan and place in the oven to melt the butter for a couple of minutes. Remove pan from the oven and swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan with the oil/butter mixture.  Stuff the butterflied shrimp and place in the hot pan. Drizzle olive oil over each shrimp. Bake 8-10 minutes until sizzling and lightly golden. While shrimp cook, prepare the sauce by melting 2 Tb. of butter and 2 Tb. of oil. When melted, add the remaining minced garlic, and sauté for a minute. Add the fresh juice from ½ lemon and a pinch of flour, whisking the mixture well to make sure that there are no lumps.  Mix in the remaining 2 tsp. of chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Place the shrimp on your serving platter.  Drizzle with the warmed sauce. Garnish with lemon slices 
and parsley.