Roast Cauliflower Soup

From: NYT cooking

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025127-roasted-cauliflower-and-garlic-soup

INGREDIENTS 

Yield:4 to 6 servings

• 2½ pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt and pepper
• 1 head garlic

PREPARATION

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top ¼ inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.

Step 4

Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.

Hot Mama Grade: A 

Hot Mama Notes: This soup is magical and delicious. And easy! Yum! So much flavor! 

Skillet Cookie

From: NYT cooking

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024224-skillet-chocolate-chip-cookie

Ingredients 

• 8tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½cup/110 grams packed dark brown sugar
• ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
• 1large egg
• 1tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1½cups/192 grams all-purpose flour
• ¾teaspoon baking soda
• ¾teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1cup/140 grams chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• 1cup/96 grams whole walnut halves or walnut pieces

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer on medium, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

Step 2

Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the chocolate and the walnut halves.

Step 3

Spread the batter evenly in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. It will be thin. Bake until golden brown and set but still slightly gooey in the center, 20 to 22 minutes. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature. The cookie is best the day it’s made, but leftovers will last, well-wrapped, up to 3 days at room temperature.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

From: NYT cooking

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018459-double-chocolate-chip-cookies

Ingredients:

• 1cup/145 grams all-purpose flour
• ¾cup/75 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ¾teaspoon kosher salt
• ½teaspoon baking powder
• ½teaspoon baking soda
• 10tablespoons/141 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾cup/150 grams dark brown sugar
• ⅔cup/133 grams granulated sugar
• 1large egg
• 2teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2cups/305 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate discs (or use 2 cups/340 grams chocolate chips)

Directions:

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Step 2

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until very light, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Step 3

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add the chocolate discs and mix briefly to combine. Press plastic wrap against the dough and chill it for at least 24 hours and up to 36.

Step 4

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion the dough out into balls slightly larger than golf balls, about 3½ ounces each, and transfer five balls to the baking sheet. (They will spread significantly ) Bake the cookies until set, being careful to remove cookies from the oven when still soft in the center, about 18 minutes. Transfer the parchment with the cookies to a rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough, baking a second batch of four or five cookies. Serve warm.

Chocolate Tart

Hot Mama Grade: A