Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars [RECIPE]

December 17, 2016 by 1 Comment

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

If you like Reese’s, you’re going to love our chewy, gooey chocolate peanut butter cookie bars. (Photo by Jathan Fink, Jadeworks Entertainment)

In our house, we love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Obviously we’re huge fans of Reese’s peanut butter cups, so this recipe takes that idea and runs with it. And why not? There’s just something so satisfying about the two ingredients blended together into one giant chewy, gooey cookie that we can’t resist serving these up all on their own, with a tall glass of milk, or even with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Read more of this post

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New York Nuts

November 10, 2011 by Leave a comment

New York Nuts

No matter where you are in New York City, you're destined to encounter the street vendors selling fresh roasted nuts. Now enjoy these addictive snacks no matter where you live and recreate your New York City memories.

One of our fondest memories about New York City is the plethora of fabulous food options available at any given moment. The first time we visited NYC as a couple, we discovered restaurants like Eli Zabar’s E.A.T. on Madison Avenue with its overstuffed sandwiches and fresh salads, Pizza Italia in the financial district with their enormous thin-crust pies that we had to fold in half to eat, and the Oxford Café in midtown on Lexington Avenue with its cheerful staff, fresh-squeezed orange juice and melt-in-your-mouth breakfast sandwiches. As you can imagine, for the foodies that we are, New York is heaven on earth. But no matter where we were in my favorite metropolis, it was the street vendors with their huge pretzels, juicy hot dogs and fresh roasted nuts that beckoned to us most. Whether we were standing in line at the TKTS booth in Duffy Square waiting to buy discounted Broadway tickets for shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie and Cabaret, surfacing outside Grand Central Station, walking through Central Park, or exiting the Met, the scent of street food wafting up to us drew us like bears to honey. No matter how much we ate, we could never get enough of those amazing nuts. Now we recreate the experience at home with this quick and amazing recipe that lends a sweet heat to our favorite nuts.

COOK: 10 minutes + 5 minutes cooling time

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups roasted peanuts, cashews or almonds
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large stainless-steel skillet, combine nuts, sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until water evaporates and sugar crystallizes around nuts, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, combine coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and salt. Stir into nuts and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sugar begins to melt and caramelize, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Remove to a parchment-lined baking sheet and pour remaining caramel over nuts. Cool to room temperature before serving, about 5 minutes.

TIPS: The caramel coating will congeal on the parchment and may resemble peanut brittle. Simply lift cooled nuts off paper and crumble apart. Store remaining nuts in a resealable plastic bag for up to a week.

YIELDS: 1 pint

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts

August 29, 2011 by 3 Comments

Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts

Make a favorite Chinese takeout dish at home! Our Kung Pao Chicken is tasty, spicy and filled with protein.

Ever since I was a kid in California, Asian cuisine was something to be shared, and whether I was eating at the Golden Dragon in Los Angeles, Lee’s in Texarkana, or Clifton’s King Wok, I have fond memories filled with laughter, friends and good food like egg rolls, fried rice and egg drop soup with fried noodles. But one of my favorite dishes has always been kung pao chicken with peanuts, a dish that is spicy and surprisingly simple to prepare. So make it at home for the people you love and serve it with steamed rice, celery salad and tea for a family-style meal that will become one of your family’s favorites. Oh, and don’t forget the fortune cookies!

PREP: 10 minutes + marinating time
COOK: 6 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts or cashews
  • 2 whole scallions, thinly sliced
  • 4 whole dried Chinese red peppers
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Dice the chicken and toss it in the marinade. Cover and marinate for at least an hour to overnight in the refrigerator. Return chicken to room temperature prior to cooking.
  2. Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil. Lightly fry the peanuts for about 1 minute and remove. Add the scallions, red peppers, and garlic. Stir-fry for about 20 seconds.
  3. Just before adding to the pan, coat the chicken in the cornstarch. Fry until the chicken is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes (depending on the pan and the heat). Return the peanuts to the pan and mix thoroughly to combine with the chicken. Serve immediately with white rice.

YIELDS: 2 to 4 servings

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Breakfast Week: No-Bake Granola Bars

April 21, 2011 by Leave a comment

No-Bake Granola Bars

Our no-bake granola bars are great for breakfast on the go or as an after-school snack.

Sometimes, when we’re in the mood for cereal, we don’t have the time to eat it in the traditional manner. That’s when this super-quick recipe comes in handy. Not only does it satisfy cereal cravings with a blend of oatmeal and Rice Krispies®, but it is also hearty and the combination of peanuts and peanut butter delivers tons of protein to start the day off right. This recipe is so easy, it is perfect to prepare with the kiddies too!

PREP: 5 minutes + cooling time
COOK: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies® toasted rice cereal
  • 2 1/2 cups uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.
  2. Bring brown sugar and syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until blended.
  3. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in chocolate morsels. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, then press mixture into it; cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

YIELDS: 4 1/2 dozen

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment.

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