Nutella, Pecan and Candied Bacon Cookies

Well, this is it. All the things you love wrapped up in one cookie. Nutella is one of those things that I can't get enough of. I have been eating it since I was little and still can't stop. I found it challenging to actually get the Nutella into the cookie dough... but then I found a special trick! All you need to do is freeze little bits of Nutella on a cookie sheet before you make the cookies. Voila! Nutella chocolate chips.

I was going to just use normal bacon pieces in the cookies, but then my friend Ethan (tastesbetterwithfriends.com) suggested I make candied bacon. Wow, it tasted amazing... thanks for the tip!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups four
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups Nutella chips
1 package of bacon
1 cup pecans

1. Drop small amounts of Nutella onto baking sheet and freeze for a few hours
2. Preheat oven to 325F. Cover each piece of bacon with brown sugar. Lay bacon on baking sheet in oven and bake for approx 20 minutes or until it is cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat over to 350F
4. Cream together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar until smooth.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then stir in the vanilla
6. Dissolve baking soda into hot water
7. Add to batter along with a dash of salt
8. Stir in flour, bacon and pecans (keep some out to add on top of each cookie if desired)
9. Stir in Nutella at end as it will melt quickly
10. Drop in large spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chicken Pad Thai made with Spaghetti Squash

This is our first post in what is hopefully going to be one post a week for a year. We wanted to capture some of the dishes we are creating so our family and friends could have the recipes. Our hope is to make dishes that are unique, delicious and somewhat healthy.

The first dish is something that I found when I Googled "chicken" and "spaghetti squash". I absolutely love Pad Thai and this really seemed like something that could be amazing. The result was delicious.

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash

1 cup bok choy (diced)

1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)

2 cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 red chili pepper

Garnishes:

2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, chopped

green onions (chopped)

cilantro

lime wedges

Directions:

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. If you are having difficulty cutting it, try microwaving for a minute or two, whole. Scrape away the seeds. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast on 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes. Remove, let sit 5 minutes and then "shred" the squash with a fork.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add the bok choy and carrots and sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and red chili pepper to skillet. Heat until smooth. Return veggies to the pan, as well as the spaghetti squash. Add in chicken, and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sauce has coated all.

Divide among 2 plates/bowls and top with peanuts, cilantro, green onion, and lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Check out my latest recipe:  Sweet Potato Tacos with Orange/Ginger Slaw

LIST OF OTHER RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM ME! :)

Wants to see another awesome Spaghetti Squash recipe? http://stuffweate.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spaghetti-squash-with-chicken-meatballs.html