Homemade Chocolate Wafer Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen 1 1/2-inch cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, well packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until light, about 2 minutes. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt. If there are any lumps of cocoa powder, sift the dry ingredients before adding to the butter.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just to combine. Add the milk and mix just to combine. 
4. Form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch-thick logs. Wrap well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. 
5. To bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. 
6. Slice the log of cookie dough into 1/8-inch-thick coins. 
7. Arrange on the baking sheets with about 1 1/2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 8 minutes and then rotate the trays back to front and switch from top and bottom racks. Bake for another 2 minutes or until they are dry looking and firm. Because the cookies are so dark, you can't go by color on these.

From: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/homemade-chocolate-wafer-cookies-2107685

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 4 cups chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cans (15 oz each) Cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) (fire roasted) crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage, browned and drained (see Italian Sausage recipe)

Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired

Steps

1. In 5-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until tender and translucent. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently.
2. Add thyme, rosemary and 3 1/2 cups of the chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Add macaroni; boil 5 to 7 minutes or until macaroni is almost tender but retains a bit of bite.
3. In blender, blend remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 can of the beans and the tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Add mixture to stockpot and the sausage.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors and heat through.
5. Salt to taste
6. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

Freezer Directions: Make as directed through step 3, but do not simmer 10 minutes to heat through. Ladle soup mixture into quart-size resealable plastic freezer bags; let out any excess air, and seal. Place bags flat in freezer. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Place in 5-quart stockpot, and reheat over medium heat until heated through.

Based on; https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pasta-e-fagioli/7387ab53-646a-4808-8d00-f4098aee82c1#reviewDiv

Chocolate Cup Cake with Ganache icing

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKES:

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
• ⅔ cup/5 1/3 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/3 sticks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk

FOR THE GANACHE (CUPCAKE ICING):

• 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

PREPARATION

1. Heat the over to 350 degrees and line 4 6-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. Use a standing mixer or hand-mixer to cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until smooth.
2. On the lowest speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the milk in two. Beat only until smooth and fully combined, you don’t want to overwork the batter.
3. Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling each about two-thirds full (don’t bother to smooth the tops--the batter will level itself as it cooks). Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake the cakes, but know that if you take them out too early they may sink a bit. Cool the cakes in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then remove them to a rack and let cool completely.
4. To make the ganache, put all the ingredients in a small, deep saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally to combine, until the chocolate and butter are nearly melted. Take the pan off the heat and whisk continuously until all the chocolate is melted; the ganache should be shiny and without any lumps.
5. When the ganache is about room temperature, use a butter knife to spread it evenly on top of the cakes; sprinkle with nonpareil if you like. The cakes can be made a day in advance and refrigerated (they actually get better) or frozen in an airtight container.

From: New York Times

Parmesan Garlic Orzo

Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic in melted butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir orzo into garlic mixture and mix in Parmesan cheese, milk, parsley, salt, and black pepper.

From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/228131/parmesan-garlic-orzo/