Easy (after) dinner recipes: Tempting cookies and 84 other ideas

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Pasta with broccoli and Italian sausage (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Boster, Mark -- - 127372.FO.0822.molina.MJB-(LosAngeles)-The Beef Tagliatta with Arugula Salad at Osteria Mozza one of the hottest restaurants in Los Angeles right now. August 22, 2007 (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Corn and shrimp make a great pair in this soup. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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This dish comes together in less than a half hour. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Lemon juice, red onion and tomato add summery flavors to a salad with shrimp finished with arugula and pine nuts. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Savory stuffed French toast with bacon, dandelion greens and Gruyere cheese (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Five -- yes, five -- different kinds of cheese. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Buttery Cantal cheese, caramelized shallots and a little fresh thyme in between two grilled slices of bread. (Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times)

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Mushrooms, cauliflower, artichokes, carrots, onions and fennel quickly simmered in a vibrant court bouillon and served with sauteed shrimp. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Rich and nutty. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Flavor however you’d like. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Grilled Russian kale salad with yogurt dressing and toasted hazelnuts. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Gently rubbing a bright vinaigrette onto cut kale works to soften its texture, making for a wonderfully fresh salad with crisp, assertive notes. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Chopped kale and romaine are tossed with quinoa, almonds, raisins and parmesan cheese, with a bright lemon vinaigrette added just before serving. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Velvety and rich. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Just a handful of ingredients -- including corn, clams and bacon -- come together in a dish that’s pure magic. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Rich, sweet and perfectly crumbly. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Crunchy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Are these ooey-gooey double-chocolate cookies from Milk the best ever? (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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Lentils, colorful vegetables and rich feta are tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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A perfect light main course or flexible side dish. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Lentils and pancetta are a match made in heaven. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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There’s tequila in the marinade. (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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One of the easiest dinners you could make. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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A great way to use leftovers. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Grilling the lettuce lends depth of flavor. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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This simple salad comes together quickly. (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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A different take on the chopped salad. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

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Shrimp and basil make a nice combination. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Grated Parmigiano adds extra richness. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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A great way to use extra zucchini. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Heirloom tomatoes and watermelon work well together. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Watermelon with mint and lime. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Cubed watermelon combined with feta, mint, a little jalapeno and a cumin-lime dressing.

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Needs time to marinate, then grills in minutes. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Fresh flavors of lemon and cilantro. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Light and refreshing. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Fresh and bright. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Now you can have your beer and eat it too. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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It comes together in minutes and can be flavored as you like. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Now you can have your beer and eat it too. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Nice and tangy. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Fresh and creamy. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Yellow crookneck squash is perfect for stuffing. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Garlic and herbs give this stuffing extra flavor. (Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)

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Melt a little cheese over right before they’re done. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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The chicken chili from Jason’s Deli makes a hearty dish. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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When you’re looking for a dinner idea with a little more substance, but still want to put food on the table fast, you can’t go wrong with hash. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Braised chicken with capers and new potatoes. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Feel like tackling a Thomas Keller recipe? In this recipe adapted from Keller’s “Ad Hoc at Home,” crisp, braised chicken thighs are at once rich yet bright with a great harmony of flavors, including olives, lemon zest and thinly sliced fennel. The whole dish comes together in just over an hour. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Buttermilk soup with a drizzle of green oil and radish slices hits the spot when the mercury soars. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Cucumbers and yogurt are a refreshing combination in this soup. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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A beet-and-pomegranate salad is brought to life from “The Book of New Israeli Food,” an inspiring gateway into present-day Israel. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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Chef Christian Shaffer’s beet salad. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Beets with lavender and crushed blackberries are topped with frothed whole milk. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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The quinoa salad on the menu at M Cafe. (Ann Johansson / For The Times)

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Shiso is a natural with tuna, adding a fragrant green note to an easy sandwich of salty capers, meaty Italian tuna and sweet tomatoes. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A croque-monsieur prepared on a panini grill combines Gruyère cheese and Black Forest ham into a sublimely golden melt. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Put your fish and slaw combo between a couple of slices of bread. Toss shredded radicchio and red cabbage with capers, olives and a light vinaigrette for an assertively colorful slaw. Slather thick toasted pumpernickel slices with Dijon mustard and creamy horseradish, and fill with the slaw and lightly floured cod pan-fried to a crisp golden brown. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

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Pink grapefruit salad with crab (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Curried cantaloupe slaw (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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The fish cooks up in almost no time -- 4 to 5 minutes on each side, just until the prosciutto is lightly crisped. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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If you’re thinking about grilling something up for dinner, consider flank steaks with fresh chimichurri sauce. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty at dinner, you can’t go wrong with the peel ‘n’ eat shrimp recipe David Lentz of The Hungry Cat shared with us. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

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Top a prepared pizza crust with a little sour cream and smoked salmon, along with chopped red onion, fresh dill and capers. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Sandwiches, simple to make and adaptable to almost any ingredients you have on hand, are a perfect choice whether you’re feeding the family or flying solo. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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It’s unapologetic goodness on a plate. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Yakitori is a perfect, laid-back approach to a meal, whether you’re serving a backyard full of guests, or just the family. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)

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For something on the lighter side, these bread salad skewers with sherry vinaigrette from Matt Armendariz are bright, colorful and oh-so-flavorful. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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For dinner tonight, how about getting outdoors and throwing something on the grill? (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Pasta, butter, lemon, basil, cream, Parmigiano and freshly ground black pepper. Could dinner possibly get any easier? (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Dinner doesn’t get much better -- or more simple -- than quesadillas. Melt some cheese over a warm tortilla, add an extra filling or two, and you’re good to go. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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In this Filipino take from chef Andre Guerrero, chicken pieces are simmered in a fragrant blend of soy sauce, garlic, cider vinegar, black pepper and bay leaves. When the chicken is tender, the sauce is reduced, then tossed again with the chicken before serving. It’s a wonderfully rich yet simple dish, perfect served alongside a simple salad or side -- Guerrero recommends jasmine rice -- and it comes together in only an hour. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Thinking vegetarian? Look no further than Coral Tree Cafe’s hearty vegetable soup. Fresh vegetables simmered with barley in a hearty broth, it makes for a perfect one-dish meal. What’s more, you might not even notice it’s vegetarian. (Of course, you can add some meat or doctor the ingredients to suit your taste.) (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Craving mushrooms? Have we got a creamy mushroom and roasted onion soup for you. No less than a pound of cremini mushrooms are simmered with garlic, shallots, onion and buttery Chardonnay for an aromatic base in this soup from The Cave at the Ventura Wine Co. Puree the mushrooms with heavy cream for a smooth, velvety finish, then stir in finely chopped roasted onion at the end. A thin slice of Parmigiano-Reggiano completes each serving. The soup itself comes together in about 40 minutes, though it will take a little advance planning to prepare the roasted onion (roast for about 1 hour at 400 degrees, then cool before chopping -- you could do this a day or two in advance and refrigerate until needed). (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

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This isn’t your ordinary chicken soup, each bite flavored with bits of carrot and celery, garbanzo beans and cracked wheat. It’s rich, yet delicately spiced with notes of cinnamon and curry. Best of all? The whole thing comes together in about 45 minutes. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Craving chicken? Try Nordstrom’s chopped chicken salad. Both tart fresh apple slices and dried apple chips flavor this salad, tossed with sliced onion, lightly spiced candied almonds, julienned strips of chicken and creamy goat cheese. The salad is tossed with a bright Champagne vinaigrette. The whole recipe, including the candied almonds, comes together in about an hour, perfect as a side or a light meal. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Try the tricolore salad from Nancy Silverton. A simple yet colorful blend of nicely assertive lettuces (arugula, frisee and endive), the salad is tossed with a homemade anchovy dressing and topped with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Chopped romaine lettuce tossed with fresh corn, avocado, cucumber and nicely spiced shrimp, this Chaya’s chopped salad is fresh and bright, and it packs no shortage of heat from its jalapeno-spiced dressing. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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If you’re looking for something bright and fun this evening, this vegetable salad is a perfect choice. Fresh, lightly herbal, sweetened with a touch of honey and with just the right amount of tang, BLD tosses its homemade dressing with a wonderfully bright and colorful salad of crunchy fresh corn, edamame, roasted bell peppers and green beans, along with diced rich avocado and toasted cashews. They top the salad with fresh sprouts and a drizzle of nutty hemp seeds. It makes for a perfect side or light meal. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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With the depth of flavor in this soup, you’d never guess this rich and creamy salmon bisque comes together in under an hour. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Shaved asparagus with Italian coppa (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Cook a couple swordfish steaks in garlic and fennel for a few minutes on each side, then add a little white wine and whole cherry tomatoes and let the dish simmer away until the steaks are done. Remove the steaks and cook down the liquid with a little slivered fresh basil until it’s nicely thickened (yes, the aroma is amazing!), serve over the swordfish and you’re good to go. The dish takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Fresh and bright with large shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and a sprinkling of fresh parsley, capellini al gamberetti, a pasta dish from Napoli restaurant in Loma Linda, doesn’t get any easier. Make it in less than 30 minutes. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Comfort food doesn’t get much better -- or easier -- than a platter of enchiladas. Use leftover chicken (or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store on your way home) to make these lightly spiced green enchiladas. You can prepare this meal in about an hour, and that includes making your own homemade tomatillo salsa. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

By Noelle Carter

July 26, 2013 8:05 AM PT

Cookies aren’t a substitute for a solid meal. But they sure are a great way to end one! So celebrate the end of the week -- or savor the weekend -- with one of these tempting treats.

Peanut butter cookies: The Buttery’s take on peanut butter cookies, massive enough that you almost need two hands to hold them, is at once rich, sweet and perfectly crumbly. Each cookie is garnished with a coating of dry-roasted peanuts around the edge. It’s like a little bit of peanut butter heaven with every bite.

Brown butter cookies: Browning butter will give any dish — from savory sauces to creamy icings and glazes — added depth with rich, nutty notes. These cookies are no exception. Crunchy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, these cookies are wonderful. But taking the extra step to brown the butter makes them that much better. Make an extra batch, because they’ll go quickly.

RECIPES: 84 dinner ideas in about an hour or less

Ooey-gooey double chocolate cookies: Have your napkins and a big glass of milk at the ready for this recipe. Three types of chocolate are folded into this rich cookie dough, which is baked just long enough for each cookie to set up on the outside while remaining oh so “ooey-gooey” inside. Messy? Yes, but perfectly so.

You can find all three recipes below.

And for more ideas, click through our easy dinner recipes gallery and check out our Dinner Tonight page, devoted to recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Looking for a particular type of recipe? Comment below or email me at noelle.carter@latimes.com.

THE BUTTERY’S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling time for the dough

Servings: 8 to 10 large cookies

Note: Adapted from the Buttery in Santa Cruz. Baker’s sugar, a super-fine granulated sugar, can be found at most grocery stores, as well as at cooking and baking supply stores.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon baker’s sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (6.4 ounces) pastry flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the butter over medium speed just until creamy. Add the sugars to the butter and cream together, careful not to over-mix. Scrape down the bowl to make sure the sugars and butter are evenly combined.

2. Beat in the egg just until incorporated, then beat in the peanut butter, scraping down the bowl again after mixing.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

4. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, beating until smooth and the flour is evenly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, making sure the ingredients are combined and smooth.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a rough log, approximately 2½ inches thick. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the dough in the paper so it is smooth and a consistent 2½-inches thick throughout the log. The log will be about 9 inches long.

6. Place the peanuts in a rimmed cookie sheet and gently roll the dough in the peanuts to coat on all sides. The peanuts should stick to the log; if they don’t, brush the roll with a beaten egg, then roll it in the peanuts so they stick. Wrap the finished log in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

7. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies into 1-inch thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart, as the cookies will spread while they bake. Bake the cookies until set and browned around the edges, about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking for even coloring. Cool the cookies, still on the baking sheet, on a rack until set and cool enough to handle.

Each of 10 cookies: 406 calories; 9 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 24 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 43 mg cholesterol; 380 mg sodium; 26 grams sugar.
BITTERSWEET TREAT’S BROWN BUTTER COOKIES

45 minutes. Serves 18 to 24

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) butter

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and continue to cook until the solids have lightly browned and the butter has a nutty aroma, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool to room temperature.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the butter and sugar with a spatula. Mix in the salt, egg, yolk and vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined.

5. Scoop the cookies using a 1-ounce scoop or rounded spoon onto a baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until golden-brown and firm on top, about 15 minutes.

Each serving: 148 calories, 2 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 5 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams sugar, 63 milligrams sodium.

NOTE: Adapted from Bittersweet Treats. Vanilla bean paste can be found at select cooking and baking supply stores, as well as online.
MILK’S OOEY-GOOEY DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Total time: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time for the batter

Servings: 1 1/2 dozen

Note: Adapted from Bret Thompson of Milk in Los Angeles.

1/4 pound (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate

4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound bittersweet chocolate (chunks or chips)

1. In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

2. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a fork, combine the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix just until incorporated and set aside.

3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate.

5. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Divide the dough into 18 portions. Grease your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking) and shape the portions into balls. Place the balls on a greased, parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each.

7. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and the center is still soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Place the cookies, still on the parchment, on a rack and cool completely before serving. They will be very soft.

Each cookie: 251 calories; 4 grams protein; 29 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 42 mg. cholesterol; 92 mg. sodium.
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