Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Still no baby)

I made these cookies the other day and I have to admit - they turned out great! They are a little crunchy on the outer edges and nice and soft in the middle. The recipe only makes about a dozen cookies but you only need one to satisfy that chocolate craving! I got the recipe from allrecipes.com - Next time I make them though I think I'll cut the vanilla in half, it was a little strong. I did use margarine instead of melted butter and I did not melt the margarine. I don't think this affected the recipe that much - they still came together nicely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325*. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Cream together sugars and butter. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Drop cookie dough, 1/4 cup at a time, onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool.

December Recipes

I'm sure by now you've used up all of your Turkey Day leftovers BUT hopefully you can use these recipes another time - Enjoy!!

Claim Jumper's Cheese Potatocakes

(courtesy of RecipeZaar.com)

These taste very similar to the ones from the restaurant! I think next time I make them though I'll just skip the Herb Ranch Salsa and use a mixture of sour cream and ranch dressing.

Herb Ranch Salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup diced seeded tomatoes

2 Tbsp. minced onions

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. minced fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried dill

Potato Cakes

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes - cold

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

1 green onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Breading

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

2-3 cups shortening (for frying)

Combine all ingredients to make the herb ranch salsa in a small bowl. Cover and chill until needed.

Mix all of the ingredients together for the potatocakes.

Combine breadcrumbs with flour in a small bowl. Combine beaten egg and milk in another large bowl.

Measure about 1/3 cup of potato mixture into your hands and shape into a patty about the size of a hamburger patty. Drop potato mixture into breading mixture, then into egg & milk, and back into breading mixture. (Make sure to cover entire surface with breading.) Arrange the potatocake on a plate, repeat process with remaining potato mixture. Cover and chill the potatocakes for one hour so they will stick together when fried.

Heat up shortening in skillet over medium-low heat. (There should be about 1" of shortening in the pan.) Fry the potatocakes in the oil 2-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, then drain on rack or paper towels.

Serve with herbed ranch salsa drizzled over top.

Chicken (or Turkey) Tortilla Soup

I make this recipe a lot during the winter. Usually I use leftover chicken but when I make it with turkey last night it turned out just as good!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed OR leftover turkey

1 can Fiesta Nacho cheese soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 soup can milk

1 can enchilada sauce, mild

Crushed tortilla chips

Shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except tortilla chips and cheddar cheese. Bring to a boil over low heat; stirring constantly. Top the soup with crushed chips and shredded cheese.

Leftover Turkey Casserole

I made this for dinner tonight. Mike's not too big on casseroles but he enjoyed this one AND it's a great way to use up most of your leftovers. Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com

3 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 cup water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder (I used garlic)

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup finely crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix (I used breadcrumbs)

1-2 cups cooked, diced turkey meat

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 *. Lightly grease a 9x13" (I used a 7x11") baking dish.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour. Slowly stir in evaporated milk and water, then season with salt, pepper, and onion (garlic) powder. Stir sauce over low heat for about 8 minutes.

In a separate saucepan over low heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Blend in the dry stuffing mix.

Place the turkey in the baking dish. Pour the sauce over turkey, then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over cheese. Top mashed potatoes with the stuffing mixture.

Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

November Recipes

This month it is ALL about pumpkin & spice - enjoy!!

This cheesecake is so, so yummy. The recipe calls for a lot of ingredients but most of them are spices - it is definitely worth trying!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Crust:

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 cup crushed gingersnaps (about 25 cookies)

Filling:

4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1. Heat oven to 350* F. In small bowl, combine butter and cookie crumbs; mix well. Press in bottom of 9" springform pan.

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. of the cornstarch until smooth. Add sour cream, salt and vanilla; mix well. Ad eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Place 3 1/2 cups batter in medium bowl; add lemon juice. Mix thouroughly; set aside.

4. To remaining batter in larg bowl, add 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and all remaining ingredients; beat well. Set aside 1 cup of the pumpkin batter.

5. Pour half of vanilla batter (1 3/4 cups) into crust. Top with 2 cups pumpkin batter, remaining half of vanilla batter and reserved 1 cup pumpkin batter. Swirl batters with knife.

6. Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours or until filling is almost set in center. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pan. Remove sides of pan. Serve warm. Refrigerate remaining cheesecake.

Autumn Spice Cookies

courtesy of Christina

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. each: ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Heat oven to 375*. Sift together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside. Beat butter & 1 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer on high for 1 minute (until light). Add egg and molasses and mix well. Add flour mixture and blend until just combined. Using about 1 1/2 tsp. dough for each, roll into balls. Roll in the remaining sugar to fully coat. Arrange on baking sheet 2" apart. Bake until set (9-10 min). Cool on wire rack.

*Make sure dough is chilled so that the cookies do not go flat.

Pumpkin Butter

I just made this tonight - it turned out so yummy and was simple to make.

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes or until thickened. Pack in sterilized, airtight jars. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 months.

**Reminder - only 39 days left to order your Santa letter

More info. available HERE

Favorite Ingredient Friday

Cavatini

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 jar Ragu pasta sauce (any flavor)

1- 3.50z. pkg. pepperoni

1 package penne pasta (or any type of "tube" pasta)

12 oz. mozzarella cheese, divided

spices (I use garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper)

optional:

1 green pepper, diced

1 small can of mushrooms

1 small jar of olives

Brown ground beef with small onion. While ground beef is browning cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Mix together ground beef mixture, pasta, pepperoni, pasta sauce, spices, 8 oz. of cheese, and optional ingredients if you wish. Pour into a 9x13" glass baking dish. Bake at 350* for 30-45 minutes. During last 15 minutes of baking top with additional cheese.

**This makes a big dish of cavatini - usually when I make this I divide it into 2 - 8x8" baking pans and freeze one for later.

Holiday Cooking - Blogger Style

This week I'm participating with Overwhelmed With Joy! - she is hosting a recipe exchange. I hope you'll all go over and check out the other yummy recipes. Maybe you'll even participate yourself??

My first recipe is one of my favorite ways to make pumpkin pie - it's a little different from the ordinary since it calls for vanilla ice cream.

Tanya's Pumpkin Pie

3 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree'

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 (9") pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425*. Place ice cream near oven to melt. In a large bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin puree'; stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix in melted ice cream. Pour into pie crusts. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temp. to 350* and bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until filling is set.

*Category: Dessert

I've made this recipe a couple of times since I found it and it is so yummy!

It combines stuffing and corn into one delicious mixture - enjoy.

Corny Stuffing Balls

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup onion

1 3/4 cups stuffing - any kind will work

1 1/2 cups corn

1 1/2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. Saute' onion in butter until tender; cool.
3. In a bowl combine stuffing croutons, corn, eggs, water, salt, pepper, and onion/butter mixture; mix well. Shape into 4-6 balls (more depending on how big you would like them).
4. Place in an ungreased shallow baking dish.
5. Bake at 375* for 25-30 minutes.

Category: Side Dishes

Apples, apples, apples - hope you enjoy the new recipes!!

Bread Pudding Apple Pie
3 eggs 3 cups bread cubes
1 cup applesauce 2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup rolled oats 1 (9") unbaked pie crust
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350*. In a medium mixing bowl stir together eggs, applesauce, yogurt, white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Stir in bread and apples. Pour into pie crust. In another bowl stir 1/4 cup brown sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of pie filling. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until top is golden and fruit is tender.
*I baked the pie closer to 1 1/2 hours and once the edges of the crust turned to a golden brown I put aluminum foil around the edges so it would not burn.

Apple Crisp
10-12 cups thinly sliced apples 1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup white sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup water 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350*. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13" pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 Tbsp. flour, and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes.
*I think next time I might make some more of the topping mixture. I think this is the best apple crisp recipe I have found.

All Day Apple Butter
5 1/2 pound apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2-4 cups white sugar
Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well. Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 9-11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, or mix in a blender if desired, to increase smoothness. This recipe can be canned, refrigerated, or frozen.
*Start out with 2 cups sugar and taste to see if sweet enough. If not, add more sugar.

Recipes

My Chocolate Caramel Bars

1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs 32 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9" pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; blend well. Stir in chocolate chops and vanilla chips. Press half of mixture in bottom of greased pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine butter, caramels, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Slowly pour caramel mixture evenly over partially baked crust. Top with remaining cake mixture. Bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until top is set and edges are deep golden brown. Cool 20 minutes. Run knife around outer edges to loosen. Cool 40 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

*You can add other things besides chocolate chips. This recipe is also good with toffee bits or peanut butter chips. Might also try walnuts.

Cornbread

1 cup corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1-2 eggs (depending on size)

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine milk, oil, and egg. Mix well. Pour into a greased 8" square baking pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 pound hamburger

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup butter

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp (or more) garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2-3 cups hot egg noodles

Cook hamburger and onion in butter. Stir in flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Stir in soup; heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer unconvered, for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream; heat through. Serve over hot noodles.

*May need to thin with milk.

White Enchiladas

2 lbs. ground beef or turkey 1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 medium diced onion 1 - 6 oz. jar taco sauce

1 small can (4 oz.) green chilies

Sauce:

2 cans cream of mushroom soup 1 can water

1 small can (4 oz.) green chilies 1 - 12 oz. container sour cream

2-4 Tbsp. diced onions

Brown meat, add onions and chilies. Salt and pepper if desired. Add taco sauce and seasoning. Roll up in 16 tortillas and put in two 8x10" baking dishes. Boil sauce ingredients together and simmer. Pour sauce over tortillas with 1-2 cups shredded cheese sprinkled over top and bake 15-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Aunt Gail's Peek-A-Beans

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into pieces 1 Tbsp. vinegar

1 lb. ground beef 1 - 16 oz. can pork and beans

1 medium onion, chopped 1 - 16 oz. can kidney beans

1 cup ketchup 1 - 16 oz. can black beans

1/2 cup brown sugar

Brown bacon. Add ground beef and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients, minus juice from kidney and black beans. DO NOT throw juice away. Add enough of the reserved juice to keep mixture from sticking to the pan. Heat to boiling. Cover, let simmer 20-30 minutes. Add liquid as needed.

Giant Ginger Cookies

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 11 minutes Oven: 350 Makes: about 24 cookies

3 ½ cups all purpose flour 4 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. baking soda 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves ¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ cups shortening 2 cups sugar

2 eggs ½ cup molasses

¾ cup sugar

In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the cups sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.

Shape dough into 2" balls using a ¼ cup measure or scoop. Roll balls in the ¾ cup sugar. Place 2 ½" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed (do not over bake). Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.