Chocolate Truffles

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Truffle

I love chocolate, and I love snacks, so these truffles are the perfect thing for me to have on hand. Several years ago, David and I made truffles at a chocolate cooking class, and I haven’t made them since because it seemed so difficult and messy! Making truffles my way is not hard at all. Anyone can do it, and I think it would be a fun activity for kids to try (at least the truffle rolling part).

macaron

Start by making your chocolate ganache. Break 5 ounces of dark chocolate into pieces, and add it to a bowl. Put a dash of salt in the bowl as well. To a small pot, add 2/3 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Heat the cream, stirring frequently, until it begins to steam. Because these truffles have little added sugar, they are rich and decadent. If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate on its own, then  without more sugar, these truffles probably aren’t for you (so sad!).

macaron

Pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit for a few seconds, and then stir it together so the chocolate melts. 

Truffle

Put the ganache into the fridge to firm up. If the ganache gets too hard, you can microwave it on low for a few seconds until it softens. If you don’t want to make truffles out of all of this ganache, put it in the freezer for another use. It stores really well, just let it defrost in the refrigerator and then at room temperature to soften up again.

Truffle

When the ganache has reached a good consistency- moldable, but not too sticky- scoop out tablespoon-sized balls. 

Truffle

Roll the balls in your hands to smooth them out. Most chocolate truffles would now get coated in a thin layer of melted chocolate, but that is the really messy part, so I skipped it. Drop the truffle balls into cocoa powder, and fish them out with a fork. Tap off any excess cocoa powder. Eat the truffles! They are softer at room temperature, firmer right out of the fridge, but I prefer them somewhere in between. If you have a wine cooler, I’d keep them in there! Enjoy this fun and sweet treat 🙂

Shopping list:

  • Dark chocolate- 5 ounces
  • Heavy cream- 2/3 cup
  • Brown sugar- 1 tablespoon
  • Salt
  • Cocoa powder
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Flavor-Bomb Thai Beef Stir Fry

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beef

I learned to make this Thai beef in my cooking class, and I’ve made it a bunch of times since then. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it with you yet, and I hope it becomes a reliable go-to meal that you can rely on like I do. Thai cooking balances savory, sweet, spicy, and sour for a really delicious and complex flavor. You can increase or decrease any of the components to suit your own tastes, and you can replace the beef in this recipe with any other protein or use only vegetables. This recipe is a springboard, so dive into deliciousness.

beef

To make this stir fry, use either pre-sliced beef from the store (Trader Joe’s sells sliced ribeye that works perfectly in this recipe) or slice your own meat. To slice your own, get a flank steak and, preferably, a flexible boning knife. Use the knife to trim any excess fat or silver skin from the steak.

beef

Use the flexible knife to slice the beef as thinly as possible against the grain. To get the thinnest slices, make your cuts at a horizontal diagonal rather than vertically. Press the knife’s blade against the beef so that the slices shave off. Slicing the flank steak thinly against the grain helps keep it from being too chewy.

beef

Heat a large pan with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Drop a few pieces of beef around the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them. It is important not to overcook flank steak or it will become too chewy, so let the pieces of beef sit in one place until the bottoms are brown but the tops still have some pink. Give the beef a quick stir, and then transfer it to a bowl. Continue browning the rest of the beef in batches.

beef

While the beef is cooking, chop up 1 jalapeño, 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, and a green vegetable like broccoli, asparagus, or snow peas. When the beef is done and removed from the pan, add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (or a vegetable oil) to the pan, and then add the jalapeño, shallots, and garlic to soften. Once they have softened, pour over approximately 1/2 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits up from the bottom of the pan. It’s important to use low-sodium soy sauce so that you can get enough sauce without making everything too salty.

Add the green vegetable to the pan to cook as well. While the vegetables are cooking, finish adding components to the sauce: add a few dashes of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, some lime juice (or rice vinegar if you don’t have lime on hand), and some chopped basil. Stir the sauce, taste it, and adjust any of the ingredients to taste.

beef

Once the sauce is to your liking, add the beef back into the pan to warm through. Stir everything together, and then serve the beef and vegetables over rice. Top the stir fry with sesame seeds for an added flair. The beef is tender and tasty, and the vegetables do a great job of soaking up the delicious sauce and acting as little flavor bombs. I really, really love this meal. It’s even delicious cold as leftovers. This is one dish I can’t get tired of.

Shopping list:

  • Flank steak- 1
  • Sesame oil and vegetable oil
  • Jalapeño- 1
  • Shallot- 2
  • Garlic- 2 cloves
  • Soy sauce, low sodium- 1/2 cup+
  • Green vegetable
  • Fish sauce
  • Brown sugar- 2 tablespoons+
  • Lime or rice vinegar
  • Basil
  • Sesame seeds
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Flaky Cheddar and Jalapeño Biscuits

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biscuit

I had to find a way to use up the jalapeños we are growing, and these biscuits are the perfect solution. They are so light and flaky, with cheese and a bit of spice. I think the biscuits pair perfectly with a bowl of chili or tomato soup, and they also make an amazing breakfast sandwich! Although the biscuits have jalapeños in them, they aren’t so hot that you need to reach for a glass of water. We couldn’t get enough of them!

biscuit

To make these biscuits, preheat your oven to 400º F and mince 2 jalapeño peppers. In a small pan, melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter, and sauté the jalapeños until they have softened. Let the jalapeños cool slightly, and then transfer them and the butter they cooked in to a small bowl.

biscuit

Finely dice 1/4 pound of cheddar cheese, and add it to a bowl of jalapeños. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour into the bowl, and stir it around so that it absorbs the melted butter.

Quiche

To the bowl of a mixer (or food processor, or you can use a bowl and a pastry cutter), add 2 cups minus 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Combine the dry ingredients. Then, cube 7.5 tablespoons of cold butter, and add it to the flour. Combine the butter and the flour just until you can squeeze the flour in your fist and it will mostly hold its shape.

biscuit

In a side bowl, whisk 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Then, stir the eggs and cream into the flour and butter mixture just until the dough starts to come together. Add in the jalapeño and cheddar cheese, and stir until they are fully combined into the dough.

biscuit

Flour your countertop, dump out the dough, and pat it down until it is 1 inch thick. You can either use a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife to cut the dough into individual biscuits.

biscuit

Transfer the biscuits to a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Whisk 1 egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash, and brush the egg over the biscuits so that they bake up brown and shiny.

biscuit

Bake the biscuits for 20 minutes, rotating the pan around halfway through for even cooking. Let the biscuits cool slightly, and then peel apart their flaky layers to fully enjoy!

biscuit

Better yet, fry up some bacon and an egg, slice a biscuit in half, and build the ultimate breakfast sandwich! Because the cheese is in the biscuit, you don’t have to add any to have an incredibly flavorful and savory morning meal. Try these biscuits and let me know how you like to eat them!

This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Shopping list:

  • Jalapeños- 2
  • Cheddar cheese- 1/4 pound
  • Flour- 2 cups
  • Baking powder- 1 tablespoon
  • Salt- 1 teaspoon
  • Butter- 1 stick
  • Heavy Cream- 1/2 cup
  • Eggs- 3
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