Gluten Free Chocolate Pecan Cookies

These gluten free, chocolate pecan cookies are sinfully delicious! This recipe doesn't require any special flour or special ingredients, so you should be able to pull this all together pretty quickly. They DO require a little rest time in the fridge overnight to firm up a bit, though.

You can wait a bit longer to eat them, right?? :)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of dark chocolate chips, divided

2 Tablespoons of REAL butter (84% butter content), melted in the microwave for 20-30 seconds

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of white sugar

3/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 cup of corn starch

1/2 tsp of kosher salt

2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/4 cup of pecans, coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Melt 1 1/2 cups of your dark chocolate chips over a double broiler (reserve the other 1/2 cup for later.) Add your chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl, and set it over a pot of simmering water. Once your chocolate chips are fully melted, turn off the heat and stir in your melted butter until fully combined. Keep bowl warm over hot water.

2. Into a large mixing bowl, add in your white sugar, baking powder, corn starch, and salt. Pour in your lightly beaten eggs, and using a wire whisk, whisk until mixture resembles pancake batter. This should take about 2 minutes to whisk by hand.

3. Drizzle in your melted chocolate and butter mixture into your egg mixture, and whisk until combined. (If your melted chocolate/butter mixture has begun to solidify, feel free to reheat it over the double broiler)

4. Using a spatula, gently fold in your chopped dark chocolate chips and your chopped pecans.

5. Pour your batter into a shallow 13X9 baking dish and spread out the top to make it even. Place a large piece of saran wrap directly on top of the batter to prevent a skin from forming. Place baking dish into the fridge, and allow for it to rest and firm up over night.

6. The following day, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. It's very important that your oven is already preheated BEFORE you scoop our your batter. Fit a piece of parchment paper over a large baking sheet. Using a melon baller, scoop out your batter making sure to leave at least 3 inches in between each cookie. I never bake any more than 9 cookies at a time. Bake for 8 minutes and allow cookies to cool completely before removing from baking sheet. Repeat process. (Place any unused batter at the time, back into the fridge until you are ready to use)

NOTES:
-To get the proper texture it's important to use dark chocolate chips, and REAL butter. Look for "European style or European churned" on the label when looking for butter. I like Plugra or for a cheaper alternative Darigold's Chef Choice (which can be found at Cash n' Carry)

- You must bake these immediately after you scoop them onto your baking sheet. The batter will begin to spread as it warms.

- These also taste best when eaten right away or same day! :)

Ginger and Chicken Stir Fry (Cha Kngey)

This ginger and chicken stir fry is one of my go-to recipes for summer. It's quick, easy, flavorful, and we all already know just how good ginger is for the body.



INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken thighs

3 ounces (1 full cup) of ginger sliced julienne

3 cloves of chopped garlic

half of a small onion, roughly chopped

4 bunches of green onion, cut about 1- 1 1/2 inches wide

dash of sesame oil



FOR THE SAUCE/MARINADE:

2 teaspoons of sugar

1/2 Tablespoon of fish sauce

1 Tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 Tablespoon of dark soy sauce

1/4 cup of water (may use more later)

black pepper to taste

1/2 Tablespoon of cornstarch



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.

2. Into a small mixing bowl, add in your sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water. Mix well.

3. Pour your sauce mixture over your chicken. Mix well. Add in some black pepper, and 1/2 Tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix again, and set aside.

4. Into a hot skillet, add in some olive oil. Stir fry your ginger for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

5. Add in your chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.

6. Add in your marinaded chicken (including the sauce), into your skillet, turn up the heat a bit, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

7. When chicken is almost cooked through, add in your chopped white onion. Stir, and add a bit more water if necessary. Taste check for seasoning and cook for additional 3-5 more minutes.

8. Add in your green onions and cook for 1-2 more minutes, turn off heat, and drizzle in a bit of sesame oil.