Quick and delicious weeknight meals : Weeknight Gourmet

Enchilada Casserole

January 27 2012 | Leave a Comment

This Mexican-style lasagna will definitely be a crowd-pleaser.

You make a tomato-based sauce with taco seasoning that is similar to an enchilada sauce. Whole wheat tortillas are layered with a beef mixture tossed in the enchilada sauce and then topped with pepper jack cheese. YUM! You can tone down the heat by using Monterey Jack cheese instead of pepper jack.

To lighten the dish, try using ground turkey instead of the sirloin.

I served the dish with avocado and some simply prepared black beans. Judging by the leftovers (or lack thereof) I would say this recipe was a hit.

Enchilada Casserole
Cooking Light

1 pound ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning mix (such as Old El Paso)
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.

Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

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Categories : Beef

Pasta with Cilantro Pistachio Pesto

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Looking for a delicious and easy vegetarian dinner? Look no further than this amazing and hearty pasta. A delicious pesto — made from cilantro and pistachio — pairs well with the roasted cauliflower and carrots tossed in with the pasta. So much flavor! The interesting thing about this pesto is that it contains no cheese. It gets its richness from the nuts. Though, I must admit I enjoyed my pasta with some parmesan sprinkled on top.

Fine Cooking suggests an alternative recipe with broccoli and red peppers instead of the cauliflower and carrots. Can’t wait to try that variation!

Cavatappi with Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto
Fine Cooking

Kosher salt
1/2 large head cauliflower, cut into small (1/2- to 3/4 -inch) florets (about 6 cups)
3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and then cut on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick
7 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb. cavatappi
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large scallions, thinly sliced

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Put the cauliflower and carrots on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, and continue roasting until tender and golden in spots, about 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, pulse the cilantro, pistachios, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the remaining 5 Tbs. oil and purée until the sauce is very smooth. Add the lemon juice and 3/4 tsp. salt and pulse to mix.

Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and return the pasta to the pot. Toss the warm pasta with the roasted vegetables and pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

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Categories : Pasta, Vegetarian entree

Cold Weather Cooking: Tortilla Meatball Soup

January 3 2012 | Leave a Comment

I know I was extolling the virtues of the Barefoot Contessa’s Tortilla Soup not that long ago but I think I love this meatball tortilla soup from Cooking Light even more!

The soup has so much flavor from the roasted jalapeños, roasted red peppers, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Just a few notes: I used frozen corn I defrosted and then roasted. I had some leftover Yukon gold potatoes so I used those rather than red-skinned potatoes. Lastly, I used chicken stock which I think added some richness to the broth. If you want to lighten the recipe, try ground dark turkey meat.

The soup was great the next day — I added a little more chicken stock to get a couple more bowls out of the leftovers.

The soup definitely is spicy so it is perfect for keeping you warm on frigid day like today!

Tortilla Meatball Soup
Cooking Light

2 jalapeño peppers
1 red bell pepper
2 ears corn on the cob
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potatoes
1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat broiler.

Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until blackened, turning corn once. Place peppers in a paper bag; fold to seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside.

Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Return meatballs to pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done.

Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.

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Categories : Soups, Stews, Chilis

Plenty: Caramelized Garlic Tart

December 31 2011 | Leave a Comment

Tim gave me the most beautiful and delicious looking cookbook for Christmas. It’s called Plenty and is a vegetarian cookbook from renowned London chef Yotam Ottolenghi. As I paged through the book for the first time, I literally wanted to make and eat every dish! The book is organized by vegetable and the first recipe I tried was the Caramelized Garlic Tart from the “Funny Onions” chapter. Funny onions includes leeks, onions, and garlic.

The description leading up to the Caramelized Garlic Tart states, “I think this is the most delicious recipe in the world!”. That’s quite an expectation to set but I must say the tart was amazing! So different and absolutely delicious.

For the tart I used Dufour frozen puff pastry which is so flaky and buttery. For the cheeses, I used a chevre for the soft goat cheese and goat gouda for the hard goat cheese.

I served the tart with an interesting salad, featuring capers, sundried tomatoes, a few kinds of lettuce, radishes, and a nice lemon vinaigrette, also from Plenty. Enjoy this as a vegetarian dinner or a delicious brunch!

Caramelized Garlic Tart
Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi

13 oz puff pastry
3 medium heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
3/4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
4.5 oz soft goat cheese (such as chèvre)
4.5 oz hard goat cheese (such as goat gouda)
2 eggs
6 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
6 1/2 tbsp crème fraîche

Equipment: 11 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roll our the puff pastry and line the tart pan with it. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cover the pastry with waxed paper and pie weights or dried beans. This is important because you don’t want the puff pastry to puff up so much that there isn’t any room for the filling. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and then cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until golden. Once done, set aside to cool. Leave oven on.

For the caramelized garlic – put the garlic cloves in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover it entirely. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, then drain completely. Heat the pan again, add the olive oil and fry the garlic cloves in it on a high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and the water and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, rosemary, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Continue simmering on a medium flame for 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated and the garlic cloves are coated in a dark caramel syrup. Set aside.

For the custard – Whisk together the eggs, cream, crème fraîche, salt and pepper in a bowl.

To assemble the caramelized garlic tart – scatter whatever cheese you’re using and the garlic on the bottom of the tart. Pour the custard over. Reduce oven temperature to 325. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the tart filling is set and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool a little. Take tart out of the pan and garnish with a few sprigs of thyme.

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Categories : Vegetarian entree

Molto Mario Deliciousness: Farfalle Abruzzese with Veal, Porcini, and Spinach

December 29 2011 | Leave a Comment

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday! We had a great one at Tim’s brother’s house. Charlotte loved being with her cousins Kaylin and Sidney. And, we all ate very well! They share my love of the Barefoot Contessa and she featured heavily in our holiday meals.

For Christmas, Doug and Julina gave me Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals by Mario Batali. I have loved Mario Batali since my first visit to Po about ten years ago. My love of his cooking has only grown as I have visited Babbo, Lupa, Del Posto, B&B Ristorante (in Las Vegas), and Casa Mono.

Despite dining at many of his restaurants, I did not own a Mario Batali cookbook until now. The book is organized by month which I love since I try to cook seasonally. Each month features three primi (pastas), one secondi (a meat main course), and four contorni (veggie sides).

I turned to the December chapter for my first recipe from the book. The photograph of the Farfalle Abruzzese with Veal, Porcini, and Spinach called to me! The recipe was out of this world and tasted as if the sauce had been simmering for hours! I think the porcinis and the liquid from re-hydrating them added some very rich, earthy flavor to the dish. I actually was a little light on the porcinis and spinach. I only bought 2 ounces of the mushrooms and 5 ounces of baby spinach. I am sure the dish would be even more flavorful with the full quantity of each.

Be sure to top the pasta with freshly grated pecorino. It’s a great complement to the dish!

It can serve 6 as a main and is perfect for entertaining. I will certainly be making this dish again.

Farfalle Abruzzese with Veal, Porcini, and Spinach
from Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals by Mario Batali

3 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1½ pounds ground veal shoulder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup basic tomato sauce
1½ pounds farfalle pasta
8 ounces baby spinach, trimmed
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Drain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, and coarsely chop the porcini. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve, and set it aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is lightly toasted. Add the veal and the chopped porcini, and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the meat is well browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the tomato paste. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the paste turns a rust color, 5 minutes. Then add the wine and 1 cup of the strained porcini soaking liquid, and cook for 5 minutes, until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Add the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to a very low simmer.

Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large spaghetti pot, and add 2 tablespoons salt.

Drop the farfalle into the water and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions indicate. Just before the pasta is done, carefully ladle ¼ cup of the cooking water into the veal mixture. Stir the baby spinach into the veal mixture.

Drain the pasta in a colander, and add it to the veal mixture. Toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds, until the pasta is nicely coated. Pour into a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately, with the grated pecorino on the side.

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Categories : Pasta, Veal, Veal

Christmas Cookies: Cocoa Thumbprints

December 23 2011 | Leave a Comment

In case you are still in the baking mood, here are some chocolate cookies that are a nice take on traditional thumbprints! This is not my favorite chocolate Christmas cookie recipe but they are tasty. I think I like a richer chocolate flavor. For those of you who are not chocoholics, this might be the Christmas cookie for you! Tim thinks they are delicious!

Cocoa Thumbprints
Food Network Magazine

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Sprinkles, mini marshmallows, mini candies or dried fruit, for filling

Whisk the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and eggs and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in 2 separate small bowls. Roll scant tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners’ sugar. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each ball with your fingers and make a deep 1/2-inch-wide indentation in the centers with your thumb. Place your choice of filling in the indentation.

Bake the cookies until puffed and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

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Categories : Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert

A Barefoot Contessa Holiday Meal: Herb-Roasted Lamb, Zucchini Gratin & Haricot Vert with Shallots

December 22 2011 | Leave a Comment

In case you are still on the hunt for a holiday menu, here is one that is sure to please any lamb lover!

I was happy to have 7 lamb lovers in the Berkshires this past weekend for an anniversary / holiday celebration with our dearest friends the Freilichs. I turned to the Barefoot Contessa for recipe guidance as she always pleases a crowd and (at least on her show) looks to do it in a effortless, low stress way.

The lamb turned out perfectly! It was a beautiful piece of meat from Guido’s in Pittsfield. And the garlic – rosemary rub flavored the lamb amazingly well. Definitely have a meat thermometer on hand when cooking a piece of meat of that size and varied thickness.

I served the lamb with the Barefoot Contessa’s Zucchini Gratin and Green Beans with Shallots (recipe below). I have made the Zucchini Gratin a number of times and it is always a hit. Given the richness of that side dish, I made a simple dish with haricot vert blanched and tossed with sauteed shallots and pancetta. The pancetta was my add and was a nice touch!

Good friends, good wine, and a delicious meal made for a wonderful evening and weekend!

Herb-Roasted Lamb
Barefoot Contessa

12 large unpeeled garlic cloves, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (6-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied
4 to 5 pounds small unpeeled potatoes (16 to 20 potatoes)
2 tablespoons good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.

Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until the garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat the top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the lamb is 135 degrees (rare) or 145 degrees (medium). Remove from the oven and put the lamb on a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.
String Beans with Shallots
Barefoot Contessa

1 pound French string beans (haricots verts), ends removed
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 large shallots, large-diced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes only. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.

Heat the butter and oil in a very large saute pan (12-inch diameter) or large pot and saute the shallots on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned. Drain the string beans and add to the shallots with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, tossing well. Heat only until the beans are hot.

If you’re using regular string beans, blanch them for about 3 minutes, until they’re crisp-tender.

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Categories : Lamb, Side dishes - vegetables

Christmas Candy: Dark Chocolate Almond Bark

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I’ve never really made candy before. I associated making candy with other recipes that require you to be more precise than I really enjoy being. I assumed you always needed a candy thermometer and I already have way more kitchen equipment than either of my kitchens can handle.

But this Dark Chocolate Almond Bark changes everything!!! It was amazing and so easy to make! The caramel – which is the only thing you actually have to prepare — comes together quickly. I could not find Marcona almonds so I used blanched and slivered almonds.

I think the key to the bark though is high quality chocolate and not to forget the coarse sea salt! I used Guittard 63% Extra Dark Chocolate Chips. Yum!

I plan to make another batch tonight using pistachios in my attempt to recreate Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Roasted Pistachio Toffee. Unfortunately I’m out of Guittard chocolate so we’ll see how Trader Joe’s dark chocolate does.

Note: Thank you to Bon Appetit’s website for the photo. I didn’t have my camera when I made the bark.

Chocolate-Almond Bark with Sea Salt
Bon Appetit

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups roasted Marcona almonds (not in oil)
1 pound good-quality dark chocolate (62%–70% cacao), finely chopped
Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or foil. Combine sugar with 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is dark amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately add butter; whisk until melted. Add almonds; stir until well coated. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading out to separate nuts. Let cool. Break up any large clumps of nuts. Set aside 1/4 of nuts.

Stir chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted. Remove from heat, add nuts from baking sheet, and stir quickly to combine. Spread chocolate-nut mixture on same baking sheet, keeping nuts in a single layer. Top with the reserved nuts; sprinkle with salt. Chill until chocolate is set, about 3 hours.

Break bark into pieces and store between layers of parchment or waxed paper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Makes about 1 3/4 lb.

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Categories : Chocolate, Dessert

Christmas Cookies: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

December 21 2011 | Leave a Comment

I made these cookies for Tim’s “snack day” at work along with the Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints. Mine did not turn out as pretty as Giada’s but they were delicious! So moist from the *whole* container of ricotta cheese. And, such great lemon flavor from the zest in the cookie and the very lemony glaze.

Just a couple of notes:

The glaze recipe made just enough to cover all the cookies. So be generous but not overly so when coating the cookies.

I have started to always line my cookie sheets with parchment paper or my Silpat mat. The cookies bake more evenly and are easy to remove from the cookie sheet. And, clean up is a breeze — just throw out the paper or wipe down the mat!

Lastly, if you don’t own a Microplane zester, it really is an amazing tool to zest citrus. You can use it to grate parmesan cheese, and I’ve even seen people use it on garlic cloves and ginger.

Enjoy!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Giada de Laurentiis

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

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Categories : Cookies, Dessert

Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints

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My friend Emily made these cookies for Thanksgiving and they were delicious! I needed to make a holiday treat for Tim’s office so I decided to make them. What says Christmas more than chocolate + peppermint?!

Do not overbake the cookies. I followed the instructions exactly and the cookies were so moist and delicious.

To make the chocolate – peppermint filling, all you need is butter, chocolate chips, and some peppermint extract. You can pipe the filling through a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off.

The cookies were a hit in Tim’s office. I think they were all gone within two days! I was a little sad I didn’t save any for myself but my waistline probably thanks me.

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints
Everyday Food

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (3/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine. Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon, make an indentation in center of each cookie.

Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and ¼ cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large zip-top bag; snip 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. (Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.)

Active time: 35 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes + cooling

Makes 4 dozen

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Categories : Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert