Monthly Archives: December 2018

The FORKING BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Leave a reply

The FORKING BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever 

This recipe was years in the making. A little tweak here and there until I got it absolutely FORKING AMAZING many years back…… When I started my blog I thought that this was the one recipe I’d never publish because I was expecting to get locally popular by selling my Forking Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies at the Scottsdale Farmer’s Market because maybe a hundred different people told me that this was the best chocolate chip cookie they’ve ever tried. But over the past few years I decided that I would never sell at the Scottsdale Farmer’s Market because it’s a far ride for me and I don’t want to sit or stand at a market all day……. Especially if it’s hot and sunny like it usually is in Arizona…..and then my cookies might melt……Anyways- These cookies are very easy to prepare. It’s just a one bowl recipe that you mix up with a “Fork!” The secret for the cookies coming out FORKING AMAZING is to prepare the dough the day before. I don’t know why but if you don’t refrigerate over night the cookies don’t rise as well and don’t get that just right crisp. This recipe makes 18 cookies if you measure the dough into 1 1/2 oz high pieces. You won’t be able to wait a day to eat them but it takes a day for the chocolate chips to harden. The cookies will have a chewy center day one and the next day have the PERFECT Chocolate Chip Cookie Texture.

Ingredients for 18 servings

4oz unsalted butter – room temperature

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup BREAD flour (if you don’t use bread flour don’t cry to me that your cookies failed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon course sea salt (for that just right tiny bit of salt crunch against the sweet)

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

6oz milk chocolate chips

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl add the sugars and the butter and mix well with a fork. Then mix in the butter till mixed. Next mix in egg until it looks creamy.  Dump in the BREAD flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix with your fork till everything looks mixed. Dump in chocolate chips and mix till the chips look mixed threw.

Get out your parchment paper or Quilon Coated Baking Sheets that I prefer.

Roll the dough into a big log shape and place it on the parchment paper.

Roll up the dough in the parchment paper like it’s a big sandwich and place in the refrigerator and refrigerate over night.

The next day preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Not sure maybe another secret is that I use cheap disposable aluminum pans. I do have real sheet pans but I used to bake cookies for a hundred people and I used to burn myself occasionally on the real pans so since I made so many cookies I liked using these cheap disposable pans because they take up almost no room and you will never burn yourself on them. Line your pans with Quilon Baking Sheets. Measure your dough into 1.5 oz mounds that look like hills or big gum drops and space them generously. Maybe another secret is that I only put one tray in the oven at a time.

Make your cookies into a hill or gum drop shape, space generously. Only one tray at a time in the oven.


I have a double oven so I can do two trays at a time. In my oven the cookies were perfect in 15 minutes. In your oven they may differ slightly. You do need to let these cookies cool some.

Crisp on the outside with a sort of chewy middle day one tomorrow the chips get hard and cookie will be the correct crisp.

These cookies are truly Forking Amazing! You will throw out your old Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

The FORKING BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever
The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Happy Holidays Caramel M&M’s

Leave a reply

I recently purchased a bag of the NEW Happy Holidays Caramel M&M’s. About a year and half ago M&M’s did offer a caramel flavor M&M’s. These Happy Holiday M&M’s do seem to differ.

Here’s the May 2017 Caramel M&M’s Large (for M&M’s) slightly irregular shapes in colors of yellow, orange, red, green, blue and brown. I remember these M&M’s were unusually chewy.

The Happy Holiday M&M’s smell different.

I open the bag and take a whiff…..They smell like chocolate mixed with sour cream….

I pour some out.

The finish is different. Not the smooth polished shell that M&M’s normally have. Instead the shell is rough. The colors are red and green but in a rough finish.

These Happy Holidays Caramel M&M’s have a rough shell that taste similar to most other M&M’s. The Chocolate is a same familiar M&M’s Chocolate that most of us enjoy……………..these  caramel centers aren’t as chewy as the caramel ones I tried in May 2017. The caramel is a softer caramel but it has a sour finish. After a few of them the sour taste builds and my throat hurts.

Maybe I got a defective bag?

I’m not eating the rest.

NOT WORTH A FORK!

Your experience and opinion may differ.

The Forking Truth

Low Fat Kabocha Squash Muffin Top Cookies Recipe

Leave a reply
Low Fat Kabocha Squash Muffin Top Cookies 
These Kabocha Squash Muffin Top Cookies are tasty, high in potassium, and are low in fat. Only TWO Tablespoons of butter in about 28 cookies. The batter is made with bread flour and old fashioned oats. Once your squash is cooked this recipe is easy and fast to whip up. PLEASE roast your Kabocha Squash. Someone emailed me that they boiled their squash and a different recipe didn’t come out. NEVER BOIL YOUR SQUASH FOR ANY RECIPE PLEASE! I made these Kabocha Squash Muffin Top Cookies with leftover Kabocha Squash that I thawed from my freezer. This is a very easy one bowl recipe that you mix up with a “Fork!” I note that I don’t know if this recipe will work with other squash because I know that might be your next question. I’d say that two cookies might be a serving. It’s hard to tell because these cookies are seasoned just so and seem so light. You almost want to eat them like potato chips. They have a somewhat crusty exterior and a really light cake like interior. Lighter than the average cake and certainly lighter than a muffin. My husband usually hates sweets but he said these were very good and kept eating them. I have to also note that they are best the day you bake them because after you put them away in a ziplock bag or a tin the next day they lose that pleasing crust texture and turn all cake-ee. 

Ingredients for about 14 two cookie servings

1 cup kabocha squash – roasted and mashed
2 oz unsalted butter – melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup bread flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup old fashioned whole grain oatmeal – not the instant – also uncooked
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon course sea salt

Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
Line sheet pans with preferably quilon coated liners (or parchment paper).
Get a large bowl and add the kabocha squash, butter and sugars and mix up with a fork. Next add egg and mix well. Dump in remaining ingredients flour, baking powder, baking soda, oatmeal, cinnamon and salt. Mix till combined.  
Use a small scooper and scoop out about 28 muffin top cookies and leave some spacing around the cookies. 
The cookies need to stay in the oven till done.
Ovens do differ and the size of your Muffin Top Cookies also may differ.
Timing is impossible to call
In my oven these 28 cookies took 11 minutes.


Kabocha Squash Muffin Top Cookies

Not too sweet and they have a pleasant flavor and seem heathy. I think some people might even enjoy them for breakfast.

The Forking Truth

Best FRESH FISH Dinner in the Upper West Side of Phoenix is at Haru Sushi & Grill in Arrowhead Arizona

Leave a reply
Chilean Sea Bass $25.00 (price subject to change…and it should)
I’ve written a few times about how impressed I’ve been at Haru Sushi and Grill in the Arrowhead Section of Glendale Arizona. This restaurant recently opened September 2018. I don’t recall the Arizona Republic or The Phoenix New Times announcing the opening of this restaurant (as of December 11th 2018. 

The Upper West Side is a newer territory and most of this area wasn’t even on maps 15 years back. This area is changing with many new restaurants that are set to open in the area….Particularly with new 83rd Upscale Market Place that will open in a year or so. The Upper West Side are zip codes 85383, 85382, 85310, 85308, 853083. The Upper West Side is basically Arrowhead, Way North Phoenix and Part of Peoria. Only a handful of restaurants are in this area and most are extra casual restaurants. Even in North Phoenix there are very few restaurants that serve fresh fish. By fresh fish I don’t mean not spoiled…….I mean fresh just flown in fish. There is something very different about just flown in fish that is cooked perfect. I’ve only experienced this a handful of times. The fish is so clean tasting and actually melts in your mouth. 

If you read my reviews you know that I usually (but not always) look forward to ordering fish when I go out to dinner because fresh fish can’t be purchased where I live or it’s like $40.00 a pound from AJ’s Fine Foods Store.  I’ve enjoyed the Sushi a number of times from Haru Sushi & Grill. I haven’t tasted sushi that was so fresh or melted in my mouth the way this sushi does at any of the nearby sushi restaurants. Tonight I decided to try a dinner and I’m Glad I did!
Look Here! 
Chilean Sea Bass with a medley of fresh vegetables and Black Rice
This was fresh Chilean Sea Bass that was cooked to perfection as well as any fine restaurant. Nicely grilled and caramelized with that melt in your mouth texture. I received a great deal of vegetables also nicely caramelized, tender crisp and seasoned with a little Asian flavors and a large mound of chewy black rice. This was an amazing dinner….and it was only $25.00. The portion was also larger than I can eat and I brought a good amount (half) home for my next dinner. I have paid much more for fish dinners that weren’t as good……..Perhaps the one restaurant in North Phoenix that serves the freshest fish might be the Pappadeaux Chain.  From Pappadeaux…. (not recently) I had a salmon dinner for $40 and it only came with just a little plain broccoli……It was a very good fish that was prepared well but not so special with plain broccoli. I was very surprised to get such a great dinner at such a low price at Haru Sushi and Grill. 

My husband enjoyed a Nagasaki Seafood Noodle Bowl of Shrimp, Mussels, Fish Cakes, Vegetables and Calamari. (I didn’t write the price down but I think it was around $14.00.

The Chilean Sea Bass is the BEST Fresh Fish Dish I’ve tasted in or around The Upper West Side so far (as of 12-9-2018)

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

I haven’t found a website for Haru Sushi and Grill but they are on Facebook.

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth


Spicy Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Spicy Chicken Meatballs

Very easy to prepare meatballs that come out spicy and tasty with a slightly caramelized exterior. Just serve them with a few shakes of Franks Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce or for an extra special treat make the Matbucha (a slightly spicy Tomato and Roasted Peppers…very delicious with these meatballs). This recipe makes about 30 meatballs and serves about 6 and freezes well.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb lean ground chicken 8% fat

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1/4 cup sweet onion – mined or grated

2 garlic cloves – large and either ground to paste or microplane

1 Tablespoon chicken base – preferably low sodium Better than Bouillon Brand (this is instead of salt)

1 Tablespoon cayenne ground pepper

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 pinch celery seeds

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped

1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin

2 Tablespoons water

non stick spray

Instructions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray baking sheets with non stick spray

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients expect non stick spray and mix well. The mixture will be very soft.

It’s a good idea to do a tester ball……do a maybe 1/2 size ball and bake it till done about 7 minutes. Let it cool slightly so you don’t burn your mouth. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Once you got the meatballs the way you like them use a small scooper and scoop out meatballs till done.

They go in the oven and cook till done. About 15 minutes.

They go well with a little Franks Red Sauce but even better with Matbucha.

Spicy Chicken Meatballs

Spicy but not too spicy and tasty.

The Forking Truth

Not Every Restaurant Trip is Worth Writing About

Leave a reply

 

 

Not every restaurant trip is worth writing about. On the other hand if I don’t write about my Forking Trip then I don’t have a story for my blog. It’s not my intention to put a little mom and pop shop out of business because I told you how much they’ve sucked so I won’t mention the name of any new restaurants that I can’t praise. Sometimes some restaurants do need a few months to work out the bugs to get better……..but some never get the chance because a few months can be too long and go under. Other restaurants just never get better. It always pains me not to write a positive review. I FORKING WANT to enjoy myself just like you when I go out to eat. I can’t sugar coat things.  I just have to tell it like it was and that’s The Forking Truth.

I recently went to a new Mediterranean Restaurant that opened somewhere in Glendale AZ.

The Chicken Shawarma might have been good at one time but on my visit it was dry and chewy. It’s pretty difficult to make dark meat chicken dry and chewy so I’m thinking I wonder how many times was this chicken re-heated?  The owner must know that they are serving me dry chewy chicken. I’m thinking that this chicken might have been re-heated a number of times (but I don’t know for sure).  The rice also seemed a few days or maybe a week old. Even the tomato slices have seen better days. I thought this really sucked. I felt like they  screwed me out of a nice meal out. I would have rather eaten almost anywhere else.

My husband made me taste his beef shawarma…………(but I didn’t want to)……….I could clearly see I wouldn’t like it.

It also was dry and chewy with the same old rice.

Maybe we can chalk this up to the restaurant owners did not know how much food to prepare and accidentally prepared too much food that got old and dry. I don’t know if they will get their act together????

A couple months back I went to different newer Mediterranean Restaurant also in Glendale. Most of the food photoed nice so you can’t tell how it taste but you can see the pickle they served me was a geriatric pickle with its’ own Senior Citizen’s discount card.

Their rice and raw vegetables were good but the Beef Shawarma was even dryer that from the above place. It was like chewing someone’s pony tail as it was next to impossible to break down in the mouth.

Their Chicken Shawarma was similar to fried processed Chicken Baloney and grossed me out.

But those were the highlights….

Their eggplant dip contained so much smoke that it was like trying to eat a really large ash tray. Sadly even their falafels were inedible because they were very similar in texture to gritty mortar mixed with small rocks. The chickpeas never got soft and stayed like rocks…that taste sort of burnt. .(don’t know but maybe from not being soaked)

The best Mediterranean Restaurant that I know of in Glendale was the Shawarma King. BUT HOLY FORK!!!! *********DANG!**********THEY JUST CLOSED FOR BUSINESS JUST THIS NOVEMBER 2018. I haven’t been able to try their Chicken Shawarma yet because on my (at least three or four visits) they were out of it when I wanted to try it but I tried a number of things there that were all delicious.

So sad………. 🙁  It’s a shame …………

Not Every Restaurant Trip is Worth Writing About. I also don’t recall the Arizona Republic or The Phoenix New Times including The Shawarma King in their listings of closed restaurants for November 2018.

Everything is subject to change!!!!!! Your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

 

Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nest Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nest

I watched a few different cooking shows with Chef Lidia Bastianich where she stuffed a rice mixture into an onion ring and another show where she used peppers and stuffed them with a vegetable bread stuffing. They both sound delicious but I didn’t want to use rice or bread so I came up with something completely different.  I came up with spaghetti squash nests filled with rosemary parmesan cauliflower puree. This recipe is very easy to prepare. This recipe as written makes more puree than will fit into spaghetti squash nests. I note the amount of nests and puree will differ some because produce will differ in size…..might throw off seasons slightly. I also note that I added the least amount of fat possible because I just don’t think cauliflower puree should be too heavy…..after-all that is what potatoes are for……..Feel free to adjust the amount of butter and cream cheese to your liking.

Ingredients for about 5 servings

1 spaghetti squash (I used a small one)

non stick spray

5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

fresh crushed sea salt – to taste

fresh crushed black pepper to taste

1 head cauliflower (mine was about medium size) – chopped into about one inch pieces

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon cream cheese (or mascarpone)

2 cloves garlic (mine were large)

1 cup parmesan cheese – shredded

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary – fine chopped

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

good pinch dried oregano

good pinch dried basil

few grates fresh nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg

fresh crushed sea salt – to taste

Instructions

Turn oven on to 350 degrees F.

Slice off ends of spaghetti squash and peel squash.

Slice into about one inch slices and make sure you use the ends. With a spoon scoop out seeds and seed membranes.

Spray baking sheet lightly with non stick spray.

Place rings on baking sheet.

Drizzle each spaghetti squash ring with a Tablespoon of olive oil.

Place in 350 degree F oven till browned and done. (about 45 minutes)

Take out of oven when done and hit them with fresh crushed sea salt and fresh crushed black pepper to taste.

While the spaghetti squash is cooking make the Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree……….

You need to steam the cauliflower with the garlic cloves and then they get pureed.

Put a pot of water on to a medium high boil. Either use a steam basket or a metal strainer and have it sit above the boiling water and cover with a loose piece of aluminum foil. Steam until cauliflower is very soft. Depending on size of cauliflower this should take 10-15 minutes. Cauliflower, garlic, butter, cream cheese, parmesan, rosemary, white pepper, nutmeg, basil, oregano all go in a blender or use a stick blender and blend till smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary and also add fresh crushed sea salt to taste. Serve in Spaghetti squash nests.

Serve!

Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nest

It looks fancy but it’s easy to prepare. These Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nests are something that’s yummy and different!

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

My Trip to Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale AZ- Worth a Fork!

Leave a reply

 

Rancho Pinot is a dinner only restaurant that’s located in a shopping center right on Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale Arizona. This restaurant has been in business for twenty five years now. You might be wondering what kind of restaurant is this…..The answer might be a mix of global American that slants Italian. On the menu the night I was there they offered Kabocha Squash with Tahini Sauce and Dukka, to Gnocchi with Lamb Bolognese. The menu changes often from what I was told but some menu items stay the same like the long time specialty of the house The Nonni’s Chicken that has been on the menu for twenty five years.

The atmosphere is mostly Western and sort of Kitsch.

From my seat I wasn’t able to photo all I wanted but I did get in the saguaro skeleton that’s in the middle of the dining room. The chairs are very rustic and somewhat uncomfortable. On the walls are cow head skeletons and a few stuffed animals such as jack-o-lopes. Lots of cowboy related pictures grace the walls and there is a curio cabinet with all kinds of strange things.

We were greeted by several workers that were very friendly. One worker told us that they work as a team so anyone could help or serve us. Our main server took our order and seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and the food served. We order and soon very fresh soft bread arrives.

We started out by sharing the Asian Pear, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad.

Everything was very fresh and everything did taste great together. The salad contains crunchy Asian Pears, shaved fennel, sharp greens, hazelnuts, pomegranate and creamy feta cheese.

For my main I went with the specialty…The Nonni’s Chicken.

Two generously sized braised chicken thighs with mushrooms, herbs and stock-ee white wine sauce served with crispy polenta and topped with a sprinkling of Italian Cheese.

WOW! I have to say that this is the moistest chicken I’ve ever had! You Forking don’t need teeth to eat this chicken! This is even more moist than from a Sous Vide! The polenta is prepared perfect. It’s nice and creamy inside. If I had a bigger appetite I would have dunked my bread in the sauce….On this dish the meat portion is about double of what I usually eat. It worked out well because the dish my husband ordered was smaller so he finished my dish.

He ordered a brand new dish to the menu and had the Fettuccine with Duck Confit, Winter Squash, and Braised Greens.

This was a more flavorful dish that was also prepared to perfection.

We were told that it was a big deal that they were offering Pecan Bars tonight because they haven’t had them on the menu for a year and a half so we ordered one.

The Pecan bar was very chewy….sensibly sized and wasn’t too sweet. We both liked the house made vanilla ice cream on top.

That was my trip to Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale AZ.

Worth a Fork!

www.RanchoPinot.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth