One bright spot to shine through the misery of the COVID-19 pandemic is that brands have released some of their exclusive recipes to help make quarantine just a little more bearable.
Here are some of the most coveted of them:
DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 26 cookies
- ½ pound butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch cinnamon
- 2 2/3 cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts
Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.
With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.
Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
IKEA’s Famous Meatballs
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly whisked
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork, mixing with your fingers to break up any lumps. Add the onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg, and gently mix to combine. Add the milk, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Shape the mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on a clean platter, cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 45 minutes.
Just before you begin frying the meatballs, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir it into the butter until a roux forms, continue to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Slowly add the broth, stirring until just combined.
Add the cream, soy sauce and mustard and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and let the sauce thicken, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.
When ready to cook the meatballs, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
In an ovenproof large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the meatballs and cook until browned on the outside, about 8 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour the sauce over. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve the meatballs as they are or with boiled or mashed potatoes.
Disney Parks Dole Whip
- 1 big scoop of ice cream (original version is dairy-free)
- 4 ounces of pineapple juice
- 2 cups of frozen pineapple
- Add pineapple, ice cream and juice to a blender.
- Start blending at low speed and increase to high speed. Blend until smooth. Make sure that lid is on tight!
- Use a piping bag with a star tip to create a classic swirl, or just scoop right into bowls.
McDonald’s Sausage & Egg McMuffin
- An English muffin
- 75g Sausage meat
- Eggs
- American Cheese Slice
Toast English muffin until golden brown.
Season sausage meat with a pinch of salt and pepper and then shape into balls. Flatten into patty shaps and cook under pre-heated grill for 6-7 minutes on each side.
Brush inside of a metal ring with a little oil and place in small frying pan. Pour in just enough water to cover the base and bring to a boil. Crack eggs into the rings, cover the pan and cook 2-3 minutes.
Assemble McMuffin by layering the patty and and on top of a slice of cheese between English muffin slices.