Sheet Pan Korean Chicken Bowl with Sweet Potatoes & Yum Yum Sauce

 

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 tablespoon toasted sesame or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3-4 tablespoons  chili paste
2 tablespoons honey
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
2-3 cups kale, roughly torn
juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 cups steamed white or brown rice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

To make the Gochujang sauce. In a glass jar, combine the soy sauce, Gochujang, honey, ginger, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, and the sesame seeds.

Add the chicken to a bowl and toss with half of the Gochujang sauce. Remove the potatoes from the oven and slide them to 1 side of the pan. Add the chicken and any sauce left in the bowl to the other side. 

Return to the oven and continue roasting another 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, switch the oven to broil and broil until the chicken chars on the edges and the sauce sticks to the chicken. Watch closely, the broiler can burn food fast.

Meanwhile, combine 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining Gochujang sauce with the yogurt. Season with salt. This is the "yum yum" sauce. Reserve any remaining Gochujang sauce for serving.

In a bowl, toss the kale with 1 tablespoon oil, the lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Toss in the cilantro.

To serve, divide the rice between bowls. Top with chicken, potatoes, kale, and avocado. Add additional toppings as desired. Serve drizzled with the "Yum Yum" sauce.

(Source: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/korean-chicken-bowl/#bo-recipe)

Sugar Cookie Bars

 

FOR THE BARS:

1 cup butter, softened

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla 

For the Frosting:

6 Tbls butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbls milk or heavy cream

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla 

1/4 salt

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.
2. Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.
3. Scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
4. Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.
5. Spread the frosting on top.
6. (Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020697-sugar-cookie-bars?ds_c=71700000052595478&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyJOBBhDCARIsAJG2h5fIBCJ5-AjLiEBdqH8yswFB-OGsP5BFgbj7UR3lSVtEdE7ff4XvZb4aAqDhEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)

Cinnamon Swig Sugar Cookies

 

Cookie Ingredients

• 1 c. unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 c. white sugar
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 eggs, extra large
• 5 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• extra cinnamon and white sugar for rolling cookies in
• 
  

Cinnamon Frosting

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• heavy cream, to desired consistency

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, oil,sugars, water, extracts, and eggs in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

2. Separately, combine dry ingredients, then slowly add to wet. Mix until everything is combined. Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.

3. Using a cookie scoop (2 tbsp works well but you can make them whatever size you'd like), scoop balls of cookie dough onto a pan. 

4. Now its time to give these cookies their signature rough edge. Put 1/4 c of sugar and 1 tsp. of cinnamon in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and cinnamon listed in the recipe.) Roll each ball of cookie dough in your hands to make a smooth ball, then roll into the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place back onto cookie sheet.

5. Stick the bottom of a glass in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. This is going to be your cookie press. Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball. You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass. 

6. Once all cookies are pressed out, bake at 350 for 6-7 minutes. It should seem like they're undercooked. You barely want them cooked so they stay soft. They will finish cooking on the pan when you pull them out. Place pan on stovetop or cooling rack as soon as they come out. 

7. To make frosting, vigorously whip butter with powdered sugar, and enough heavy cream to bring the frosting to the right consistency. Start with a couple tablespoons and add more as needed. Then add the cinnamon, vanilla, and almond extract.

8. Once cookies are cooled, frost and enjoy! These cookies store well in the fridge or freezer.

(Source: https://plumstreetcollective.com/cinnamon-swig-sugar-cookies/)