Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

My New Favorite Cookies!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips (Or I use M&M's, or mint chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meatballs

I have finally found a meatball sauce recipe that our family LOVES!  And it's so easy!!

1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce

1  bottle (12oz) chili sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup water

Mix and pour over prepared meatballs 2-3 lbs. I recommend frozen Italian meatballs. 

I mix sauce together and put into 4 separate tupperware bowls.  I use 1 for each meal, along with enough meatballs for our family for one meal.  I freeze the ones I'm not using.  It makes for a quick meal with Mashed potatoes or rice.

3 Ingredient PB Cookies!

These cookies are so moist and good!  The best Peanut Butter Cookies ever!  Thanks Maggie!
*Tip: Do not double recipe or dough will dry out.  Make additional batches if needed.
**Tip 2:  Also works great for the PB cookies with a Hershey Kiss or Chocolate Star.  Just pull cookies out 2 min before done baking and add the star.  Finish baking.  Or you can add them after they are done baking, whatever you prefer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup peanut butter 1 cup white sugar

1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.	Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth.
3.	Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.

Old-Fashioned Pancakes

I finally found a delicious pancake recipe.  Enjoy!

Old-Fashioned Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon salt 3 tablespoons white sugar 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon butter, melted 3 egg 3-3/4 cups milk (I used buttermilk, or half buttermilk, half milk) cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (12). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (4).

1.	Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
2.	Whisk in melted butter, egg, and milk until combined. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
3.	Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour batter into the hot skillet, about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the sides and center of each pancake. Flip and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Rhubarb Cake

This is another one of my favorites growing up.

1/2 c marg

1-1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1 c soured milk

2-1/2 c flour

1 t soda

1 t salt

1 t vanilla

3 c rhubarb

3/4 c Br sugar to sprinkle on top before baking

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased 9x13 pan.   Before baking, sprinkle 3/4 c br sugar on top.
Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. Cake is done when knife comes out clean. 

While baking, boil together:

1/2 c marg

1 c sugar

1 t vanilla

1/2 c Evaporated milk (or 1/2 c milk +1/4 c powdered milk or creamer)

Cool and pour over cake after it's done baking.

It's best fresh!

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Recipe found HERE
Ingredients

• For the Bread
• 8 TBS (1 Stick) Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Beaten Large Eggs
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• Abut 2 (1-1/2 Cup) Over ripe Mashed Bananas
• For the Swirl Mix
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 3 TBS Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a Loaf Pan with non-stick spray
3. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix just until combined.
6. Fold in the mashed bananas and mix until incorporated.
7. Pour 1/3 banana bread batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of cinnamon/sugar swirl mixture over top. Repeat two more times, ending with the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick tester comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
10. Remove from pan, slice, and serve warm with butter AND ENJOY!

Pancake and Sausage on a Stick

Recipe and Picture from Food Network Go to their website for a video on creating these.

Ingredients

16 breakfast sausage links
3 cups pancake mix
1 cup yellow cornmeal
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1 whole egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups water
Canola oil, for frying
Warm pancake syrup, for serving
Special equipment: chopsticks
Directions

Cook the breakfast sausage links in a cast-iron skillet, turning occasionally until done.

In a large bowl, combine the pancake mix, cornmeal and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

Add the eggs, vanilla and water, adding more water as needed for the batter to become slightly thick (but not overly gloopy.) Start out by adding 1 cup, then work your way up to 3 cups or more.

Heat some canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat to about 350 degrees F. Drop in a bit of batter to see if it's ready; the batter should immediately start to sizzle but should not immediately brown/burn.

Insert chopsticks into the cooked breakfast sausages so that they're two-thirds of the way through. Dip the sausages into the batter and allow any excess to drip off for a couple of seconds. Carefully drop into the oil (stick and all) and use tongs or a spoon to make sure it doesn't hit the bottom of the pan and stick. Flip it here and there to ensure even browning, and remove it from the oil when the outside is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve with warm pancake syrup.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sausage-pancakes-on-sticks-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Chicken Parmesan (Pioneer Woman)

Recipe and Photo from Pioneer Woman's Website

Ingredients

• 4 whole (up To 6) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3/4 cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
• 3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 cube Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound Thin Linguine

Preparation Instructions

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate.
Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.

At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

BBQ Meatballs (Pioneer Woman)

Recipe and Photo from Pioneer Woman's Website

Ingredients

•  FOR MEATBALLS
• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
• 3/4 cups Oats
• 1 cup Milk
• 3 Tablespoons Very Finely Minced Onion
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Salt
•  Plenty Of Ground Black Pepper, to taste

•  FOR COOKING MEATBALLS
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (coating For Frozen Meatballs)
•  Canola Oil

•  FOR SAUCE
• 1 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
• 4 Tablespoons (to 6 Tablespoons) Onion
• 1 dash Tabasco

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove meatballs from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty French bread.

Herbed Sausage Pan Pizza

• 1/4cup
  nonfat dry milk powder
• 1tablespoon
  sugar
• 1package
  (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1/2teaspoon
  salt
• 3 1/4 - 3 3/4cups
  all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3cups
  water
• 2tablespoons
  olive oil
• TOPPINGS:
• 1package
  Johnsonville® Ground Mild Italian Sausage
• 1/3cup
  olive oil
• 3cloves
  garlic, minced
• 2teaspoons
  dried basil
• 1teaspoon
  dried oregano
• 1teaspoon
  dried parsley flakes
• 3/4teaspoon
  dried rosemary, crushed
• 3/4teaspoon
  dried thyme
• 1/2teaspoon
  dried sage leaves
• 1/4teaspoon
  salt
• 1/8teaspoon
  pepper
• 1can
  (8 ounces) pizza sauce
• 1small
  red onion, thinly sliced
• 2cups
  fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1cup
  (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

PREPARATION

·         1   In a large bowl, mix milk powder, sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups flour. In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°F. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

·         2   Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Grease three 9-in. round baking pans.

·         3   Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Press dough to fit bottom and 1-in. up sides of pans. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

·         4   Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.

·         5   Preheat oven to 450°F. Using fingertips, press several dimples into dough. Brush tops with oil mixture. Spread with pizza sauce; top with sausage, onion, mushrooms and cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crusts are golden brown.

Taco Ring

2 crescent roll tubes 
1 LB ground beef (or ground turkey) 
1 packet of taco seasoning 
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese 
Shredded lettuce 
1 or 2 diced tomatoes depending on size
1/2 small can Olives (sliced) 
(Avocado, Sour cream etc) 

Directions 
1. Separate the crescent pastry and lay out in a circle, pointed ends out on a foil lined pizza pan, sprayed very lightly with cooking spray. Use some of the leftover crescent rolls to to make the center a bit thicker as this will hold the meat. 
2. Brown meat in a frying pan until no longer pink. Drain fat and add taco seasoning as directed on package, reducing the water to a scant 1/3 cup from the 1/2 cup called for. Drain excess liquid from meat. 
3. Sprinkle meat mixture in a circle inside the crescent rolls, then sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the meat. Pull crescent roll points over meat and cheese and tuck in. Bake at 350 degrees until pastry is golden brown (30 min). 
4. Add remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, chopped lettuce, tomato, black olives, and jalapenos (if using), into the middle of the ring, then add a few dollops of sour cream if desired, before serving.