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Coconut Almond Energy Balls

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Coconut Almond Protein Energy Balls – the perfect snack for breakfast or any time you need a quick boost!  These mimic the popular “Almond Joy Balls” you can find everywhere.  I adore the chunks of chopped up roasted salted almonds here.   You can be a real hero to the lacrosse team this spring by bringing a double batch of these to a game!

I’ve tweaked so many versions of this recipe over the past few years, and found my favorite.  It’s heavy on the coconut, full of flavor, and enough of a treat that it can serve as a dessert, but also be a healthy snack for anytime of day.  These take only minutes to prep, but need about 1/2 hour to chill before rolling into bite sized balls.  They’ll keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.  

I recommend using the old school Jiff or Skippy peanut butter, instead of the natural kind, as it’s easier to mix in and seems to make things smoother – in a pinch, any kind will do.  You can also substitute sunflower butter for nut allergies – and clearly add something else in place of the almonds!

Coconut Almond Energy Balls

Print Recipe
Coconut Almond Protein Energy Balls
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword energy ball, protein ball
Prep Time 5 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 18

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
  • 1/2 cup mini or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir to combine. If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more oats and/or coconut. If it’s too dry, add a bit more peanut butter. It should resemble a slightly sticky dough that holds together when lightly squeezed. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set (this will make the balls easier to roll later on).
  • Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and portion the dough into balls of desired size - I use a rounded tablespoon to scoop and portion, then roll. Enjoy!

Notes

Energy Balls are something we make often in our house - I know there are many variations, and this one is my favorite.  I recommend using the old school creamy peanut butter here - think Jiff or Skippy.  The natural kind will work, but it won't mix in as smoothly.  If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute sunflower butter here too.
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Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Cognac and Thyme

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Classic Pot Roast with Cognac and Thyme.  A slight variation of the Barefoot Contessa’s “Company Pot Roast” https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/company-pot-roast-recipe-1946134  This is a dish that reminds me of home, making it a perfect meal to serve at any of the upcoming holidays – even just a Tuesday night!

 

Pot Roast is a New England classic and it deserves a spotlight – much like beef stew, but almost a touch fancier.  It takes a little time, and the browning of the beef is key to the flavors, but the end result is completely worth the wait!

Pot roast has similarities to the upscaled French classic Boeff Bourguinon; with less stuffiness, and all the flavor of the slow roasted beef.  It’s classic Yankee cooking with root cellar vegetables and the ability to keep for days as leftovers – you can’t get more “yankee” than the ultimate thriftiness of delicious LEFTOVERS!

Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Cognac and Thyme

Print Recipe
Classic Pot Roast with Cognac and Thyme
Course dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword pot roast
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
3 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

  • dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 1 4 to 5-pound prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp All-purpose flour
  • olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped carrots 4 carrots
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions 2 onions
  • 2 cups chopped celery 4 stalks
  • 2 cups chopped leeks white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
  • 5 large garlic cloves peeled and smashed
  • 2 cups good red wine I use Cabernet
  • 2 Tbsp Cognac or brandy you can substitute Marsala too
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes I use San Marzano
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 4 branches fresh thyme
  • 2 branches fresh rosemary
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 Tbsp kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.
  • Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, a little salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for a total of 3 hours, lowering the oven temperature to 250 degrees after the first hour. You want the sauce to maintain a simmer, but cook low and slow. I also flip the beef to ensure even soaking in the sauce, about half way through.
  • Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and tear the meat into large pieces - I try to shred it like you would with chicken, but in large bites. Return the beef to the sauce, and serve over polenta, mashed potatoes, or just on its own. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

This recipe is a slightly tweaked version of the Barefoot Contessa's Company Pot Roast, linked here - it's delicious and tastes like home!  https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/company-pot-roast-recipe-1946134
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Dark Chocolate Andes Mint Brownies

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Decadent dark chocolate brownies topped with melted Andes mints

Dark Chocolate brownies make the ultimate base layer under a layer of melted andes candies mints – the best brownies you will ever eat!  Half Baked Harvest offers up the ideal recipe for the batter – crinkle top brownies https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crinkle-top-brownies/. 

Here’s a Video!

https://www.tiktok.com/@walestable/video/7097999499318070570?_t=8SKv66PJDiM&_r=1

 

Dark Chocolate Andes Mint Brownies

Print Recipe
Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownies topped with melted Andes Mint Candies
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword andes mints, mint brownies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter (I use salted)
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1.5 cups granulated white sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp instant coffee granules
  • 4 xl eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 box of andes mint candies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9x12 baking dish with parchment paper to make it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan.
  • Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips together over medium low heat. Remove from the heat just before all the chips have fully melted, stirring to complete the process. Move the melted mixture into a glass bowl to cool a bit. Stir in the sugar, vanilla and coffee granules.
  • In another bowl, whisk the four eggs until bubbly on top - about one minute. Combine with the chocolate mixture, and then add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder and baking powder). Stir until just combined, then pour into the baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, until just barely cooked through.
  • As soon as the brownies come out, top with the mint candies, allowing the heat of the brownies to melt them. Using a small spatula, spread the melted mints into a thin smooth layer on top of the brownies, then chill for about one hour to set. The topping will be like an invisible layer of chocolate mint crust that is amazing!

Notes

The brownie recipe for the base is from Half Baked Harvest - her crinkle top brownies are unbeatable!  https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crinkle-top-brownies/
 
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Ultimate Skillet Blondie Birthday Cake

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The perfectly gorgeous melty oozy chocolate chip skillet cookie that rivals any cake.  The best skillet blondie, EVER.  

July is a month of many birthdays in our family, and this year it felt right to switch things up for something a little different for my Lucy.  Happy 16th to YOU, Lucy, and this skillet blondie is the gift that keeps on giving!!

This one took a couple of tries – but it’s amazing now, and I think will be something we go back to again and again.  It’s pretty much the most delicious thing EVER.  I morphed my favorite cookie dough recipe and added a beaten egg to gift it some loft, and adjusted some things all in the sake of a gooey delicious mess in a skillet.  It worked.  Some might call this a mess – I couldn’t love it more. 

This is legit super easy, foolproof, and requires very little effort to make something special for someone you love.  It’s also pretty fun to just dig into a big skillet of melty cookie dough with spoons.  A heads up that I tweaked the recipe after taking this ingredient shot, which is missing the corn syrup and heavy cream.  It’s THE BOMB now. 

Skillet Blondie Birthday Cake

Print Recipe
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet Birthday Cake, topped with ice cream and candles.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Equipment

  • 10-12" cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 sticks salted butter, at room temp
  • 1.5 cups packed dark or light brown sugar
  • large egg, beaten before adding
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 oz chocolate chunks or chips
  • vanilla ice cream for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a stand mixer, combine the room temperature butter and the brown sugar until whipped and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, and then add to the creamed butter and sugar. In a separate small pitcher or bowl, whisk the vanilla, heavy cream and corn syrup, and then add that to the creamed butter mixture.
  • In a separate bowl again, mix the flour, baking soda and salt, and then slowly add to the wet ingredients, mixing minimally. Fold the chocolate chunks into the batter at the end, and dump the dough into a cast iron skillet. I reserve a few chunks of chocolate to scatter on the top.
  • Bake in the center rack for about 22-25 minutes, making sure not to overbake. You want a gooey underdone center, that almost needs to be spooned out of the pan. Trust me that will be the best part!
  • Let the cookie cake rest, until cooled, and serve topped with scoops of vanilla or cookie dough ice cream. Top with candles or sparklers, and sing Happy Birthday!

Notes

This cookie dough is meant to be seriously underbaked, and served spooned out of the skillet in a heaping mess.  Keep an eye on this as every oven temp varies with cook time.  
Whisking the egg before adding to the butter and sugar helps create a crinkle top to this skillet blondie - one of the best parts!  Don't over mix after adding the rest of the ingredients.
 
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Summer Nicoise Salad

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Grilled Tuna and Shrimp with loads of roasted summer produce and herbs, tossed with a tangy vinaigrette and soft boiled eggs; a non-traditional spin on a French classic.

Nicoise Salad is a classic meal that is incredibly flexible to work with your own taste – it typically includes tuna, olives, green beans, potatoes, boiled eggs, etc… and an anchovy based vinaigrette.  My crew isn’t in love with that version, so I put my own spin on this.  You could make a vegetarian version as well – the vinaigrette is legit delicious and EVERYTHING can be made ahead.  Magical for entertaining – make it at 8 am and serve at 7 pm – it doesn’t matter!  It honestly tastes better after sitting.  

I chose a mix of shrimp and tuna, which originally I planned on grilling, but it was pouring rain.  I ended up buying the shrimp pre-cooked, and seared the tuna in a cast iron skillet.  I roasted the veggies in the oven, but normally would have grilled them all as well – both cooking methods are in the recipe so do whatever works best.  

Summer Nicoise Salad with Grilled Tuna and Shrimp

Print Recipe
Classic Nicoise updated with roasted summer vegetables, grilled tuna steak and shrimp.
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine French
Keyword nicoise, salad, grilled tuna, tuna, shrimp, vegetables, summer
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus woody ends trimmed
  • 1 cluster small vine tomatoes (5 or 6)
  • 3 ears corn
  • 1 lb fingerling potatoes, or other small roasting potatoes
  • 4 oz fresh arugula or watercress
  • 6 eggs
  • 1.25 lb tuna steak
  • 1 lb shrimp, raw or cooked I like 16-20 count or larger
  • 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
  • 1 jar mixed olives
  • 1 bunch mixed herbs - chives, basil, thyme
  • 1 lemon

Vinaigrette

  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopppd shallot
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • This is a dish of many components that are all prepped in advance. It's worth the effort!

For the Vinaigrette

  • Combine the vinegars, shallots, dijon, along with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Shake in a mason jar with a lid, then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Leave at room temp if using within a few hours, otherwise, keep in the fridge but give time to loosen up on the counter before serving - about 30 mins.

For the Tuna

  • Coat the tuna steak in a thin layer of olive oil, then season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If cooking on a grill, bring to a medium high heat, and sear on each side about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. You will know to flip when the sides start to turn in color from red to a light grey. If using a skillet (I prefer cast iron for this due to its high heating consistency) preheat the pan to medium high and sear on both sides - same time as if grilling, about 3-4 minutes.
    You may need to tent the tuna with tinfoil while cooking to prevent smoke and help heat through evenly. I like tuna seared fairly rare - add time to the cooking as needed to reach your desired temperature.
  • When done cooking, set to the side and let cool to room temp, or if using later, keep in fridge until ready to serve. Don't slice until ready to serve. I like thick slices against the grain.

For the shrimp - if not cooked...

  • My favorite way to cook shrimp is to grill it quickly over relatively high heat, after coating with olive oil, salt and pepper. You need larger sized shrimp (16-20 count or bigger) to make sure they don't fall between the grates. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on them after cooking - they take literally 2-3 minutes total!

For the Hard Boiled Eggs

  • Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a full boil, then add the eggs carefully, cooking for 8 minutes. Immediately add to an ice bath and fully cool before peeling. Leave them in the shell until ready to serve to keep fresh.

The Vegetables (Grill or Roast)

  • Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Slice any large fingerling potatoes in half, leaving them about 1 inch in size each. Strip the corn cobs of their husks and trim the ends. Throw the potatoes and corn on a 1/2 sheet pan - coat everything with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on another sheet pan, or reserve for use after cooking the potatoes and corn, also coating with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  • If Roasting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Keep the potatoes and corn on the sheet pan, roast, turning half way through, for about 22-25 mintues until cooked through and slightly carmelized. Remove from the pan, and roast the asparagus for about 5-7 minutes until tender but still somewhat crisp.
    If grilling, preheat the grill to a medium high heat. Prepare the vegetables as mentioned above and cook everything until tender crisp, as you would with roasting.
  • Set aside until ready to serve

Salad assembly and serving

  • Slice the tuna steak into strips. Cut the corn off the cob, and slice the tomatoes into bite size chunks, seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss the salad greens with some of the dressing in a medium sized bowl. Peel the eggs, and slice into halves.
  • On a large platter or cutting board, start to arrange all the ingredients in clusters, allowing people to choose what they want in sections. Group the potatoes, tomatoes, corn, tuna slices, shrimp, greens, drained artichoke and olives, as well as the hard boiled eggs. Chop the basil, chives and thyme, and coat the salad liberally with the dressing, topping with the herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy at your leisure - this one sits well!

Notes

One issue with adding cool eggs to boiling water is the tendancy for cracks with the temp shift - I usually add some extra eggs to cover the mistakes.  
Honestly, grilling and roasting both lead to great results as long as you start with quality ingredients.  Both options make things easy to prepare in advance with incredible flavor - just make sure to not overcook the vegetables, especially the asparagus.  
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