Quinoa Salad with Potato Wedges

Tonight's meal was a humble one. Kept it simple, but surprisingly the flavour really came through in both dishes which made it taste so much more than what it was.

On the menu:
1. Quinoa Salad - this seemed a simple variation from a black bean salad I love to make - pretty much just swapped out the black beans for quinoa (a hearty little grain that is packed full of protein!). This grain is easier to make than rice (or at the very least, just as easy). All it needs is a rinse or two (takes any bitterness out of the grain) then it's on the burner (one part grain, two parts water) ... turn it up to high heat until a boil begins. Turn the heat right down and let it sit there for 15mins with the lid securely on the pot. The salad ingredients are easily prepared within this timeframe.

2. Potato Wedges - I love potato wedges. I used two russet potatoes, cut them into 1inch wedges and lay them flat on a baking sheet (lined with tinfoil - easier cleanup!). Three garlic cloves were minced and scattered over the wedges along with a douse of olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. 30mins on the lowest rack at 400F. Flip the wedges halfway through and there will be golden nuggets of goodness awaiting you at the end.

3. What I like to call "Labour of Love" aka Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie
This recipe make FOUR DOZEN COOKIES. No joke. That's what was promised and it actually delivered. I didn't have the stamina to scoop that many cookies out, so I froze 1/3 of the batch in the freezer. What I WISH I KNEW before doing this:
It's possible to scoop the batter on parchment paper, put this in the freezer. When the batter is hard enough not to stick together, throw them into a ziplock bag and freeze for future use.
This recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis from her cookbook, "Giada's Family Dinners"

1/2 cup old-fashioned (not instant) oats
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (Anyone know where to find PURE vanilla extract?? Last time I saw it, I was in Mexico ... )
4 oz. english toffee candy, finely chopped (I used 3x SKOR BARS)
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped
1 (12oz.) bag of semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 2 large, heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee pieces, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.
4. Drop the dough onto the prepared sheets by rounded tablespoonful, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden (they will flatten slightly), about 15mins. (I COOKED MINE FOR 11MINS ... came out nice and chewy!). Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely.