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Vanilla Hazelnut Butter

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A super simple post for today, but it’s something the whole family has enjoyed so much that I wanted to share it.  Chocolate hazelnut butter is of course a well-loved favorite, but recently we’ve discovered how pleasant this vanilla hazelnut butter can be.  It’s pure hazelnut flavor, enhanced by vanilla and lightly sweetened by medjool dates.  While the consistency is not as creamy as some nut butters, it’s still very spreadable and is lovely on toast or crackers.  Up later this week- a special Valentine’s Day treat using this vanilla hazelnut butter!

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Vanilla Hazelnut Butter
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups raw hazelnuts
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3-4 medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
Instructions
  1. To remove the bitter skins off the hazelnuts, roast the hazelnuts in a single layer for 10-12 minutes in a 350 oven. Transfer the hazelnuts to a kitchen towel, and use the towel to rub the skins loose. (Removing the hazelnut skins always seems a bit tedious to me so this time I did not stress about getting every skin peeled and the results were just fine.)
  2. Drain dates, but do not squeeze water from dates. In the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender, place the toasted hazelnuts, vanilla, and dates. Process or blend until hazelnuts become smooth and have a spreadable consistency, scraping down sides when necessary. Length of time needed to process depends on the strength of the appliance, ranging between 5-10 minutes.
Notes
*If medjool dates are extra soft, soaking may be unnecessary.
*Updated 10/21/2015: After some more experimenting, I've found the best results are achieved when hazelnuts are ground FIRST into a creamy nut butter to which the dates and the seeds from one vanilla bean are then added and blended into the nut butter. I've found this method to yield the creamiest consistency.
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Pesto Chicken Lasagna

Pesto Chicken Lasagna | Gather & Dine

We reorganized our basement chest freezer a few weeks ago (always feels so good to get that done) and I discovered six containers of pesto from late summer.  Simple surprises like that totally make my day.  While the rest of the family would be completely content using the rest of the pesto for everyday pasta and pizza, I wanted something more than that for myself.  Cooking feels like so much less of a chore when it’s an exercise in creativity and I’m not repeating the same meals over and over again.  Not that there’s anything wrong with repeating meals (sometimes my kids complain that I don’t repeat their favorites enough), but I selfishly think it’s important to keep things interesting for the cook.

This pesto chicken lasagna is a refreshing twist on the more traditional lasagna.  It still has the rich layers of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella, but a creamy pesto chicken sauce replaces the tomato meat sauce here.  If you already have pesto and cooked chicken, this assembles fairly quickly and is one of those great make-ahead of time meals.  I hope you give this lasagna a try- it will definitely hit the spot with any pesto-loving crowd.

Pesto Chicken Lasagna | Gather & Dine

Pesto Chicken Lasagna | Gather & Dine

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Pesto Chicken Lasagna
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
Creamy pesto sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 teaspoons flour
  • 1¼ cup whole milk
  • 1¼ cup pesto
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Lasagna
  • 2 split bone-in chicken breasts, about 1.5 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • 15 ounces ricotta
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1 pound mozzarella, grated
Instructions
Creamy pesto sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the pesto and season to taste with salt and pepper.1. Preheat oven to 350. Rub olive oil over chicken breasts and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Lasagna
  1. Bake chicken skin side up for 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Cool. Discard skins and use hands or 2 forks to shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Increase oven temperature to 375.
  2. In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together the ricotta, egg, ½ cup grated parmesan, parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  3. Spread a thin layer of creamy pesto sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 lasagna dish, about ⅓ cup. Add the shredded chicken to the rest of the sauce and stir until combined.
  4. Layer 3 lasagna noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, one third of the chicken pesto mixture, and one third of the mozzarella. Repeat. Finish with remaining 3 lasagna noodles, chicken pesto mixture, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
  5. Bake 25 minutes covered with foil, then an additional 5-10 minutes uncovered, until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly. Allow lasagna to set for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
2½ -3 cups cooked shredded chicken can be used instead of roasting the bone-in chicken breasts.
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Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate

Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate | Gather & Dine

On the days that I can manage to get myself up early enough to have some time before the kids wake up, I often choose to spend the quiet of the morning baking some sort of treat for breakfast.  I enjoy the peacefulness of being alone in the kitchen and the opportunity to temporarily set aside some of the more pressing tasks of the day.  It calms my spirit and is one of my best ways to begin the morning.

These orange cinnamon scones with dark chocolate are exactly what the title suggests- infused with hints of orange, warmly spiced with cinnamon, and studded throughout with chunks of dark chocolate.  They are completely whole-grain, but the texture is still remarkably light and tender thanks to the combination of the white whole wheat flour and the whole wheat pastry flour.  It’s a lovely way to take advantage of the bountiful citrus season upon us.

Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate | Gather & Dine Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate | Gather & Dine

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Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  • 2 ounces chopped dark chocolate, about ⅓ cup
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, from 1 large orange
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
  • 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and scatter over the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and cream. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  4. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and form two circles ¾" thick. Use a floured knife to cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1" between each.
  5. Whisk together the egg yolk and water. Use a pastry brush to brush scones with the egg wash. Bake 13-16 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
Notes
adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals
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