Chili Cook Off!

On Friday afternoon, I went to lunch at Mellow Mushroom with my friends, Traci and Kelly. We hit on all the typical topics -- our significant others, our jobs, and our friends. None of us expected to end up in Winston-Salem, and we've all pondered moving elsewhere. However with each passing week, it becomes more difficult for me to imagine packing my life into boxes and essentially starting over. I'm not saying I want to live here for the rest of my life, but the idea of doing so no longer terrifies me. My shift in attitude can certainly be attributed to many things, from finding an amazing yoga instructor to playing soccer in a adult league, all of which help me feel more connected and a part of my community. But having good friends locally was by far the biggest game changer. It took over a year before Jason and I found a solid group of friends with whom we could share our lives. Finding friends as adults is not easy -- there aren't new classes every semester providing built-in friendship-making opportunities. And I would feel a little weird walking over to our unknown neighbors with a soccer ball, asking if anyone wanted to come outside to play with me!

Kelly remarked that having friends changed her entire perception of Winston - she could walk into a weekend with no plans at all and go to sleep Sunday night wondering where her entire weekend had gone. This weekend was just another good example of this friendship phenomenon. Saturday night twelve of us took part in a Chili Cook Off, hosted at our lovely stone house. There were eight different chilies to sample, ranging from mild to spicy and including chicken, turkey, beef, and lamb. Brian's chili came in first place, and it was my personal favorite.

I hope to post links to all the recipes within the week!

Brian's Champion Chili
Turkey Chili w/Kidney + Navy Beans
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
An Indian Twist on Lamb Chili
Spicy Beef Chili

Turkey Chili w/Kidney + Navy Beans

Turkey Chili w/Kidney + Navy Beans

Kelley Gondring

In a large saucepan, heat:
2 tablespoons oil

Once oil is hot, add:
2 medium white onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, diced (do not remove seeds)
Cook for on medium heat 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add:
1.3 pounds ground turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons chili powder
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cloves
Break up the meat into small pieces using the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Cook until no pink remains.

Add:
2 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato paste
1 15 ounce can kidney beans
1 15 ounce can navy beans
3 cups beef broth
1 12 ounce beer [substitute with gluten-free beer or chicken broth if necessary]
Stir together until combined. Let simmer uncovered for several hours on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates.

Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and crushed saltines.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

prepared by David Naff; adapted from Whole Foods Market

This chili recipe came in third place at our Chili Cook-Off!

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add:
2 tablespoons olive oil

Once oil is heated, add:
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Saute about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until veggies are tender.

Add:
1 pound spicy turkey sausage
Break up sausage into bite size pieces and cook until browned.

Add:
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup beer
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
1 15 ounce can kidney beans
Reduce heat to low and let simmer about 30 minutes.

Eat up!

Spicy Beef Chili

Spicy Beef Chili

prepared by Kelly Sampson; recipe from Dad Sampson

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper
2 15 ounce cans kidney beans
2 15 ounce cans Rotel
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 jars tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
garlic salt to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, brown the hamburger and jazz it up with a little garlic salt. Chop the meat up so that there aren't any large chunks. Dump in a crock pot.
2. Finely chop up an onion and a green pepper. Dump in the crock pot.
3. Drain a couple cans of kidney beans and toss them into the pot.
4. Add a couple cans of Rotel. We used "original."
5. Add a can of diced tomatoes. You can get the fancy ones with garlic or basil but it isn’t necessary.
6. Add a can of tomato sauce.
7. Add spices.

The Rotel and the ground red pepper give it the spiciness so adjust as you wish. If the chili is too thin, add a second can of tomato sauce. If it is too think, add a little wee bit of water.

If you don’t have a crock pot, cook it on the stove over low heat. Stir occasionally you can do it on the stove, but it is best to cook it a long while over low heat stirring occasionally.

Eat up!

An Indian Twist on Lamb Chili

Sometimes creativity works; sometimes it does not. I created this recipe because I wanted to see if I could create something palatable outside of the confines of most chili recipes...plus, I had black lentils still left over from making Dal Mahkani! Both Jason and I thought the flavors in this chili were good, though I didn't get the lentils cooked enough. I know that reviews from other diners were mixed, so if you choose to re-create this meal, do so knowing that the flavors are a cross between traditional Indian food and traditional chili.

An Indian Twist on Lamb Chili

Kelley Gondring

In a large saucepan, heat:
2 tablespoons oil

Once oil is hot, add:
2 medium white onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add:
1 pound ground lamb
5 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon mango powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
Break up the meat into small pieces using the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Cook until no pink remains.

Add:
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 ounces tomato paste
1/3 cup kidney beans
2/3 cups black lentils
3 cups chicken broth
Stir together until combined. Let simmer uncovered for several hours on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates.

Just before serving, mix in:
1 tablespoon ghee

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt. Sprinkle with fresh diced cilantro.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Until tasting this cornbread, I have never been a big fan of it. Our neighbor, Whitney, made this for a party that Jason and I got to attend. Every single thing we ate there was delicious, but this cornbread was definitely the culinary highlight for me. I asked her for the recipe, and she handed me her cookbook to borrow.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

barefoot contessa at home

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine:
3 cups flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt

In a medium bowl, lightly combine with a fork:
2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
 Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Mix in:
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons jalapenos, diced

Pour the batter into a greased 9x9 pan. Let sit for 20 minutes before placing in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Eat up!

Brian's Champion Chili

Perhaps the testament to this chili is that Brian pulled it out of his freezer on Saturday morning, let it thaw, and served it up Saturday night, earning himself the title of "Chili Champion." David remarked that the way you know a chili has won your vote is when you go back for seconds. Needless to say, I went back for seconds. Thirds will be dinner tonight!

Brian's Champion Chili

Brian Bethune

6 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound turkey sausage
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large yellow pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
40 ounces diced tomatoes
16 ounces tomato sauce
16 ounce black beans
16 ounce dark red Kidney beans
1 cup of beer [substitute gluten-free beer or chicken broth if necessary]
salt + pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, add bacon and garlic. Cook until bacon is crispy.
2. Add the onion, peppers, and spices. Cook until veggies are tender.
3. Add the ground turkey and turkey sausage. Cook until no pink remains.
4. Add tomatoes, beans, and beer.
5. Let cook for several hours on low-medium heat.

Eat up!

Apple Pie

I hate it when I answer the phone and there is bad news on the other end. On Friday afternoon as I was explaining the logistics of a contempt proceeding to a new attorney, my dad called to let me know my grandma had had a mild stroke and was at the hospital. She had just gotten out of the hospital the week before, and now she was back. I clearly didn't want to share this information with someone who was essentially a stranger, so I tried to compose myself as we finished up our discussion. When I left work at 5:30, I stopped at Harris Teeter for a card and flowers, and then headed to the hospital. I spent a couple of hours with her, trying to keep her spirits up. It left me feeling tired and low, so I can only imagine the emotions running through my grandma's mind. As always, one of her biggest concerns was making sure that my grandpa would be okay without her, so I promised to stop by with an apple pie.

When I got there on Saturday afternoon, he was in fairly good spirits given the circumstances. In front of him were two piles of mail - opened and unopened - with which he had little idea of how to handle, as this is a job usually administered to by my grandma. She called a few minutes later, sounding just as down and out. When I handed Grandpa the phone, he said, "Hello, Darling" and proceeded to tell her that it would all be okay and they would "do it together." Grandpa has always made it clear how much he loves my Grandma, but I don't often get to hear their words to each other first hand. Despite my sadness when I think of their declining health, I know that they are blessed to have had each other to lean on over their 70+ years of marriage. May we all be so lucky.

Apple Pie

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 350º

In a large bowl, combine:
6-7 small apples, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare 2 pie crusts.

Place one rolled out pie crust in pie pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of the crust using a fork. Pour applies into the crust. Sprinkle over top of the applies:
1-2 tablespoons butter

Cover with the second rolled out pie crust. Press edges together and cut off excess dough. Crimp edges. With a sharp knife, cut air vents. Bake for 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare an egg wash:

In a small bowl, combine:
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water

Using basting brush, spread a thin layer of egg wash over the top of the crust. Place back in oven and cook 5 minutes more.

Eat up!

Peanut Butter + Jelly Cookies

Invariably, when my best friend, Erica, comes to town, my hands are covered with flour, butter, and sugar. This last visit was no different. She has a newish job working in Advance on Fridays, so I am happy to get to see her more frequently than usual. As I was deciding on which cookies to make, I thought back to all the times that our lives have come together over food. We've eaten Pad Thai in Charlotte during her vegan days and blueberry pancakes at my kitchen table during my gluten-free days. In high school, we helped my parents prepare and serve food at several dinner parties, hurriedly plating salads as we giggled about guests.

And then there was the time E and I were back from college, making cookies with my mom in her kitchen. It was time to plop the dough on the cookie sheet and my job was to grease the cookie sheet. It was then that both she and my mom learned that, as a result of several cookie-sticking experiences, I tended to expel nearly half a can of Pam onto the cookie sheets. As I sprayed away, they both stopped their chatting to stare at me. I slowly looked in their direction, and Mom dryly asked me if she should get our the other can of Pam from the pantry. E just snickered, and pointed out that there were rivers of Pam flowing down the sheet. Now, whenever I grease a cookie sheet, I always think of E.

Pam last a lot longer these days.

Peanut Butter + Jelly Cookies

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 350º

In a large mixing bowl, cream together:
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup nutella
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar

Beat in:
1 large egg

In a small bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Once combined, add a half a cup at a time into the butter/sugar mixture. Scrape down the sides after each addition.

Grease cookie sheet. Roll dough into small balls and press flat with the back of a spatula. Use the back of a teaspoon to make a well in the middle of each cookie. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill each well with your favorite flavor of jelly (I used strawberry and blackberry). Replace cookies in oven and let back 7-10 minutes longer or until edges are golden brown.

Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Eat up!

Impromptu Sunday Dinner for Four

Today at 1:41 p.m., Jason received a text from our friend and neighbor, Kenneth, which said "So if there is no soccer, how do you feel about making some Sunday dinner?" I took careful note of the word "you" as I read this to text Jason, who immediately laughed. Of course he laughed - one because everything Kenneth states is both purposeful and funny, and two, because "you" clearly meant yours truly :)

Jason was napping with the dog when his phone rang and Kenneth's name popped up on the screen. So of course I answer it and immediately ask him what he will be making me for dinner. And then after three or four sentences he hands the phone over to his wife, Jessica, so that we can figure out the menu! Which is fine 'cause we do a damn good job and send Kenneth to the grocery store for supplies. (All the while, Jason yells suggestions for how to prepare the pork from the bedroom. Mind you, he is still curled in the fetal position with the doggie as the little spoon. Thanks, honey!)

Only because it is Kenneth do I put up with this gendered nonsense; both he and Jessica are an amazing cooks and have prepared several meals for us in the past that were delicious. In fact, I really enjoy the fact that Kenneth comes over and can be trusted to dice and slice and mix without explicit instruction. Plus, among my male friends, he is pretty much the only one with whom I can talk foodie. Jessica is always very humble about her cooking talents, often playing up Kenneth's abilities as opposed to her own. Tonight's meal was really an awesome team effort, with everyone pitching in to make a wonderful meal that we could enjoy together (and yes, Jason did uncurl himself from spooning with the dog and joined us, loudly noting that he prefers the title "The Ladle" to "big spoon").

Stuffed Loin of Pork
Griddled Asparagus
Smashed Potatoes
Pear + Strawberry Crisp

Eat up!

Pear + Strawberry Crisp

When my friend, Kenneth, and I discussed which dessert I would make one Sunday evening for dinner, the idea of a pear crisp came to my mind, as its one of the only fruits that is almost in season. Apparently, Kenneth is a pear kinda guy, so he made the executive decision that this was the dessert of choice. Unfortunately, pears are very infrequently ripe the date of purchase, a fact which Kenneth didn't really seem to understand as he headed to the store to pick up all of our ingredients for dinner. So when he arrived at our house with apple-like pears, we had to make due. Luckily, his wife, Jessica advised that we saute the pears and add a little sugar prior to baking them, which worked out wonderfully since strawberries cook so much faster than pears.

Pear + Strawberry Crisp

Kelley Gondring + Jessica Wehrmann

Preheat oven 350º

In a medium saucepan, combine:
2 Anjou pears + 2 Bosc pears, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
Cover and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.


In a food processor, combine:
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
dash of salt
8 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
Pulse 30-40 seconds or until a coarse meal is formed.


In a medium casserole dish, spread over bottom:
1 1/2 cups halved strawberries
Evenly spread over the top of the strawberries the cooked pears. Sprinkle the oatmeal/butter mixture over the pears. Cover with lid.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. If the crisp isn't golden brown, turn heat to broil and let cook 60 seconds, keeping a close eye on it. Remove from oven. Crisps are best served warm, either on their own or with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Eat up!

Smashed Potatoes

My friend, Jessica, was adamant that these are smashed potatoes, not mashed potatoes. At first I didn't understand the distinction, but now I do and it's a good one!

Smashed Potatoes

adapted from Cooking Magazine

Preheat oven 500º

Place on a large cookie sheet (use one with a lip):
8-12 small red potatoes
3/4 cups water
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork can be smoothly inserted. Remove from oven.

After letting potatoes cool for 10 minutes, coat with:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Using a potato smasher, smash each individual potato.

Once all are smashed, sprinkle atop each potato:
salt
pepper
fresh thyme
Place back in oven and let bake for an 30 additional minutes. Reduce heat to 350º and let bake 20 minutes more.

Eat up!

Stuffed Loin of Pork

Before learning about brines, I did not enjoy eating most cuts of pork (bacon is clearly excluded here!). The beauty of a brine is that it keeps the moisture from being cooked out of the meat. The downside is that it can make your meat quite salty, so it is important to counter the salty with other flavors, such as sugar. In addition to sweetening the brine, I also decided to make a savory stuffing. All was going well until I realized that I didn't have bread crumbs. Oops.

So beers in hand, Jason and Kenneth marched over to Kenneth's house to retrieve 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Too bad I needed 2 cups of them. Double oops. We did have four slices of sandwich bread in the pantry, so I drizzled those with olive oil and put them in the oven. And of course, I forgot to set any sort of timer. And of course, the oven was heating up to 500º in preparation for smashed taters. And of course, I ended up with really toasty (okay, it was burnt) bread. Jessica scraped off the really charred pieces, and I put them in the food processor...which got us to 3/4 of a cup.

I eyed the pita chips, crossed my fingers, tossed 2-3 handfuls into the food processor, and pulsed away. And what do you know, the improvisation worked! So next time you've run out of an ingredient, breathe, take another sip of your wine, and think outside the box!

Stuffed Loin of Pork

Kelley Gondring

Brine:
Combine in a large Ziplock bag:
4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
Seal the bag and mix until the salt and sugar are dissolved.

Add:
1 pork loin, trimmed and butterflied
Reseal the bag and let sit in the refrigerator 90 minutes.

Stuffing
In a medium bowl, combine:
1 cup fennel, coarsely diced
1 cup sweet onion, coarsely diced
1 cup dried plumes, raisins, and cranberries, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
zest of 1/4 orange

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, place:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Once completely melted, add fennel mixture. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and saute for 10 minutes stirring every so often. Remove from heat and place back in the medium bowl.

Add to medium bowl and thoroughly combine:
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons water
Let cool before stuffing in pork.

Preheat oven 425º.

Assembly
Turns out that we didn't have any non-flammable twine to tie together the pork (nylon is flammable and cotton is not), so what I ended up doing was butterflying the pork into two sections as opposed to three and piling the stuffing on top. I then wrapped up the pork in aluminum foil so that the moisture wouldn't escape. I baked it at 425º for 30 minutes and then reduced the heat to 350º and baked it another 20 minutes. It was delicious.

Eat up!

Griddled/Grilled Asparagus

Some of the best dishes I've eaten are those where the cook lets the food speak for itself;
this is just such a dish.

Griddled Asparagus

Kenneth Wehrmann

Wash, dry, and trim:
1 pound asparagus

Place in a medium casserole dish and drizzle with:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Heat griddle or grill. Cook asparagus over medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender, flipping asparagus about halfway through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Eat up!

Beef + Mushroom Soup

I find cooking therapeutic. If I may borrow from Garson Kanin, "There are thousands of causes for stress, and one antidote to stress is self-expression. ... My thoughts get off my chest, down my sleeves, and into [my cooking]." The more stressful my day, the more complicated my meal is likely to be. Its not that this happens on purpose, but after years of cooking, I've come to realize that its not the solace of food I am seeking, but the process of its preparation.

Sometimes I decide what I am going to make while I am still in the car on the way home from work, while other times I have no idea and must first do a cursory inspection of available ingredients (nothing takes me out of the zone like a mandatory trip to the grocery store for one missing ingredient). It is totally normal for me to spend a solid five minutes walking between the fridge and the pantry, opening and closing drawers and cabinets, and shuffling through recipes, both online and on paper, before making a decision. Either way, even in this preliminary stage my psyche beings to let go of my stress, and I begin to process and work through all of life's frustrations.

The funny thing about stress is that I often don't realize how much of it I am carrying until its weight begins to lift, leading me to believe that stress-relieving activities should be embraced daily, even if only for thirty minutes. So whether you find relief from stress in cooking or writing, exercise or Sunday night football, I hope that your antidote of choice leaves you feeling refreshed, ready to embrace all of the experiences life has to offer.

Beef + Mushroom Soup

Kelley Gondring

In a large skillet, add:
2 tablespoons olive oil

Once oil is hot, add:
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 onions, peeled and diced
Saute on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Remove veggies from skillet and place in a medium bowl. Set aside.

To the same skillet, add:
1 tablespoon olive oil

Once oil is hot, add:
1.25 pounds stew meat, trimmed and cut in bite sized pieces
Let all sides brown.

Reduce heat to medium and add:
3/4 cup of red wine
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Let simmer 5 minutes.

Add the cooked carrots and onion, plus:
4 cloves garlic, minced
Let simmer 10 minutes.

While the beef and veggies are simmering, in a large pot, bring to a boil:
6 cups beef broth

Add to the broth beef and veggies, plus:
2 1/2 cups potatoes or butternut squash, cubed [I used equal parts white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash]

In the skillet, add:
1 tablespoon olive oil

Once oil is hot, add:
6 large cremini mushrooms, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
Saute for 5 minutes.


Add:
3/4 cups red wine
Cover and let simmer for 5-7 minutes more. Remove from the heat, place in food processor, and puree. Add to the soup.

Let the soup for an hour so that the potatoes are fully cooked and the beef is tender.

Eat up!

Oatmeal Creme Pies

God I loved Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies as a kid. Before I realized the effect it would have on my waistline and thighs, I could eat one after another. Now I can hardly consume any goodie without feeling guilty about calories, preservatives, and fat + sugar content. How terrible is it that when the doorman at my office says, Hey now, wait a minute...I've got something for you, and hands over candy from Halloween that I only think two things? Awww...Sonny, this is sweet but it's January and Should I really eat these two Hersey's kisses and one miniature Reese's cup? Its probably only 100 calories. But is it worth it? I continue to ponder this as I hitch a ride on our creaky elevator to the fourth floor. Sometimes I feel good about myself when I manage to resist temptation and leave the sweet treats on the counter of our office kitchen, while other times (most of the time, if I am honest) I just feel guilty as I unwrap the treat, pop it in my mouth, and half-enjoy the bite-sized chocolate morsel.

Now, I wouldn't advocate that I revert to my childhood endeavors of unwrapping and eating three oatmeal creme pies in a row, but I do think that it is perfectly fine to enjoy the occasional treat without feeling guilty about it. While three oatmeal creme pies certainly won't earn you any rave reviews with your cardiologist, I seriously doubt that ingesting one on a Saturday night with friends will require the purchase of bigger pants. So next time you're faced with that sweet dilemma, partake! And, most importantly, don't feel guilty.

Oatmeal Creme Pies

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 350

Cookie Dough
In an electric mixing bowl, beat together:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla

Scrape down the bowl and add:
2 eggs





Once incorporated, add:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Scrape down the side of the bowl.

Mix in:
1 1/2 heaping cups oats

Because you are going to make sandwiches, make sure to use consistent amounts of cookie dough for each dollop. I used a tablespoon of dough and thought it made the perfect sized cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes. Because these cookies are meant to be chewy, don't overcook them. When I took mine out, they were still a little gooey. That being said, use your common sense :)

Let cool on rack before assembling.

While the cookies are baking, prepare the filling.

Filling
In an electric mixing bowl, beat together at a high speed:
7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Scrape down the sides.

Add:
1/3 cup powdered sugar

To assemble, spread about a tablespoon of filling on the backside of one cookie. Place second cookie of equal size on other side.

Eat up!