Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

 Recipe from K. Hubbard, Picture from The Diary of a Real Housewife blog

 In a large mixing bowl, cream together:

• 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 c. butter, softened

Beat in:

• 2 eggs
  

Add & mix well:

• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 
  

In another bowl, stir together the following dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients, but don't over-mix.  If needed, add a bit more flour, one TBS at a time, until you have a soft dough.

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 c. quick oats
• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Mix in:

• 1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Roll/drop cookie dough into 1 inch balls, then bake at 350'F for 10-12 minutes.  Don't over bake!  The centers will be soft, but will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.

 

Mayo-Pea Layered Salad

Mayo-Pea Layered Salad

In a glass bowl, layer in this order:

• 1/2 head diced lettuce
• 1 10oz package of FROZEN peas (put in frozen, do not thaw!)
• 1 cup diced celery
• 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups of mayo
• 1 1/2 TBS sugar sprinkled over the mayo
• Grated cheddar cheese on top.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.  Serve cold.

Chicken Pillows

Chicken Pillows

Maren's Recipe - We had these at our "White Glove Society" fancy night in High School instead of going to Prom or Homecoming.  Oh, memories!

Add cream cheese to chicken until sufficiently moistened:

• 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (about 2-4 breasts)
• 1-2 blocks of cream cheese (or until chicken is sufficiently moistened)
• salt & pepper to taste

Put a little stuffing in each crescent

• 3 packages crescent dough

Roll the crescent in butter, then italian bread crumbs.  Place on baking sheet.

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup melted butter (enough to roll the crescents in)
• Italian Bread Crumbs

Bake at 375'F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Chewy Caramel Popcorn

Chewy Caramel Popcorn

Pop the popcorn and remove ALL loose kernels.  Then, pour the popcorn into a LARGE bowl so it will be easy to mix in the caramel.

• 4 bags popcorn

Boil until softball stage.  Then, immediately pour onto the popcorn and stir really well.  

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

You may want to lay the popcorn out on parchment paper to dry.  Store in a ziplock bag or tupperware.  Enjoy!

Brine Your Meat

I recently found a good chicken recipe, but I wanted to make sure it was flavorful.  I found these instructions on thekitchn.com on how to brine chicken and pork.  I'll do this every time now!  It ensures juiciness in just 15-30 minutes.  (Don't brine for more than 1 hour.)

In a large bowl (preferably one with a lid), dissolve together:

• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 quarts (8 cups) really warm water.

Add aromatics as desired.  These can include:

• smashed cloves of garlic                    
• black peppercorns                     
• star anise
• ginger      
• lemon peel    
• cumin seeds

This is enough brine for 6-8 chicken breasts ~ 3 pounds of meat.  Add meat to the brine & soak for 15-30 minutes.  Then gently rinse off the meat and prepare to cook it.  Grilling, Broiling, Pan-searing are all good options for brined cuts.

   

MAKELL'S MIRACLE TOFFEE M&M COOKIES!

MAKELL'S MIRACLE 

TOFFEE M&M COOKIES!

My Official Go-To Cookie from now on!  Seriously, this is the PERFECT....no, really....the PERFECT cookie recipe... you know, if you are into soft, chewy cookies!

I've decided that 2 things make this special - the pudding and the Toffee Bits.  Why, you ask?  The pudding makes them ridiculously soft and chewy and the toffee bits give it that extra salt that livens up your senses!  SO. GOOD.

Preheat oven to 375'F.  

In a mixer, beat together with paddle attachment:

• 1 c. butter, softened/room temp
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Once beaten, add eggs 1 at a time:

• 2 eggs

In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and add slowly to the wet ingredients in the mixer:

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 large package dry instant vanilla pudding mix - yes, it must be instant, not cook & serve.  We learned the hard way...

Add deliciousness...

• 1 c. Health Toffee Bits (buy next to the chocolate chip bags on the baking isle.)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chips >>> (OR 1 cup semi-sweet and...
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips >>> (2 cups milk chocolate M&Ms)

Place in large rounded drops on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375'F until just golden brown - DO NOT OVERBAKE!  Let them cool on the pan before eating :-)

Iggy's Sauce

Love this sauce.  You can dip hot bread into it - sweet with a kick!  Mmmm.

Seriously, the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever...

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies

I was skeptical at first - it might be the fingernail polish in the video (watch it and you'll know what I mean), but... Oh. My. Heavens.  These are so yummy - the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and chewy.  The pictures on his website do NOT resemble the real cookie - they look flat and burnt.  I think my pictures do the cookie a little more justice.  Definitely worth the effort to make!!!  Enjoy!

Youtube Video showing how to make these cookies.  Original Recipe Instructions here:


In saucepan over medium heat, brown butter (5-8min), and put in the stand up mixer to cool slightly:

• 1 cup unsalted butter

After letting the butter cool for ~5min, add & combine until incorporated ~1 min:

• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

THIS IS KEY!!! Add & mix on high until the batter LIGHTENS IN COLOR & IS FLUFFY!  Unlike the instructions in the video, this step took me about 10 minutes of mixing.  Just keep going until it looks like picture 2 below.

• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, whisk together first, then add mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low until just combined.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Add and mix on low just enough to incorporate the candy pieces:

• 2 1.4-oz. chocolate toffee bars (preferably Skor), chopped into ¼-inch pieces
• 1½ cups chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao)

Let the dough sit at room temperature for AT LEAST 30 MINUTES to allow the flour to hydrate.  The dough will look very loose at first but will thicken as it sits.  

• Preheat the oven to 375'F

Form into ping-pong sized balls, (do not flatten because the cookies will spread as they bake.  Sprinkle with salt:

• Flaky sea salt

Bake 9-11 minutes
Let cool on baking sheet ~10min to set up...if you can wait that long!

I froze the rest of the dough and baking it frozen turned out pretty good.

Brenda's Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

Brenda's Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

Beat and fluff for 30 seconds alone

• 1 1/2 cups butter

Mix in:

• 2 cups sugar

Beat in until just combined:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses

In a separate bowl, stir together:

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground gloves
• 1/4 tsp salt

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Shape into balls and roll balls into:

• Large sugar crystals

Bake at 350'F for 8-11min.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork & Salad Dressing

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

3lbs pork butt shoulder

1 jar Herdez Salsa Verde Green

2 cups brown sugar

12 oz. Coca-Cola soda

Cook on high (if frozen) 8 hours.  Cook until it falls apart!

Café Rio Tomatillo Salad Dressing

1 package Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix (dry)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo (I used reduced fat)
⅓ cup water
2 medium-sized tomatillos, husked and chopped
½ cup packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1½ teaspoons lime juice


Add all ingredients to your blender and pulse 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to reach desired consistency. Chill at least one hour before use and store in fridge in airtight container. **Makes about 2 cups**

Recipe by Creme De La Crumb at https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/creamy-tomatillo-ranch-cafe-rio-copycat/

PERFECT Cream Cheese Frosting

PERFECT 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Literally, the best cream cheese frosting ever!  It is so smooth and if you beat it longer, it becomes fluffy/whipped!  Soooo good and you won't believe how easy it is!!!  Mix together in the order listed below.  Beat in mixer until it reaches your desired fluffiness!

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter (salted sweet cream)
• 1 TBS vanilla extract (yes Tablespoon!)
• 1 lb powdered sugar (4 cups)

Recipe from TwoSistersCrafting

Snickerdoodle Cheesecakes

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake

I modified this recipe into little cupcake cheesecakes :-)  Original Recipe from Delish

PREPARE

Combine & press about half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 8" springform pan

• 1 log refrigerated Pilsbury sugar cookie dough
• 3 TBS cinnamon sugar (I buy this from the spice isle)

In another large bowl, beat until smooth.

• 3 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, softened

Add to cream cheese

• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1 c. granulated sugar

Beat eggs in 1 at a time

• 3 large eggs

Stir in

• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch of kosher salt

BAKE & COOL
Pour batter over the cookie dough crust. 
Bake at 350'F for 1 hour, until slightly jiggly in the center.
Turn off the oven and open the door slightly to let the cheesecake cool for about 1 hour.
Then refrigerate until completely cool, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

GARNISH

• vanilla frosting
• mini snickerdoodle cookies (from leftovers that you didn't use for crust)

Chex Scotcheroos

Chex Scotcheroos

I love my Mom's rice crispy treats, but I might like these better!  Sorry Mom!

Original Recipe and picture from Mandy's Recipe Box Blog (click here).

Butter the sides of a large mixing bowl, then put cereal inside:

• 6 cups Chex cereal

In a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat:

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar

Once boiling, remove from heat and mix in:

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

Pour hot mixture over cereal in a large bowl and mix until cereal is completely coated.

Butter a 9x13 pan and pour chex mixture into pan and spread evenly.

In a microwave safe bowl, or double boiler on the stove, melt together:

• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Once melted, spread over the cereal in the 13x9 pan.  Allow to cool completely at room temp or place in fridge.  

Enjoy!

Audrey's Fuzzy's Taco Recipe

I've never had Fuzzy's Tacos from the actual restaurant, but I'll tell you right now that my sister's are WAYYYY better!  YUM!!!

No Bake Cheesecake

No Bake Cheesecake

We had this Austin & Alice's wedding.  SOOOO delicious!


Mix thoroughly until there are NO lumps:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Add & beat well:

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Spoon mixture into the pie crust:

• 1 graham cracker pie crust, pre-made.

Refrigerate OVERNIGHT for best taste.

Hart-y Chili

Hart-y Chili

Sonia's Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin Caramel Cake

Mix together and put in 13x9:
• 1 box lemon cake mix powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 15oz can pumpkin

Bake for ~30min or until done at 350’F

While the cake is baking, make the caramel sauce:

Mix everything in a saucepan and boil for 2 min, always stirring!
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 tsp vanilla
• dash of salt

Drizzle warm caramel over individual pieces of cake.  Top with whipped cream (I use the canned stuff :-)

Cheesecake Factory's Kale Salad

So, clearly...its been a long time since my last post.  But, I've got some good recipes to catch up on!  Today, Cheesecake Factory's Kale Salad.  I love the flavors in this salad.  It is so fresh and bright!

Cheesecake Factory's Kale Salad

Easy Peezy!  Just toss together your desired amounts of:
- fresh kale, chopped
- fresh green beans, diced
- almonds, sliced
- golden raisins
- Peppercorn Ranch dressing (I used Wishbone and it tasted fine.)

Alton Brown's Perfect Pork Potstickers

I made these awhile ago and they really were the perfect potsticker recipe!  Delicious!  They weren't too hard to make, but preparation takes a while (especially stuffing the wontons).  These work GREAT FROZEN! So, if you want to make a huge batch all at once, freezing the leftovers is the way to go.  Just pull them out and give them a little extra time to cook.

Alton Brown's Perfect Pork Potstickers

Picture and Recipe from Food Network website.

Total Time:  1 hr 10 min (Prep: 50 min, Cook: 20 min)    Yield: 35 to 40 potstickers

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
35 to 40 small wonton wrappers
Water, for sealing wontons
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
1 1/3 cups chicken stock, divided 


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2) Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl (pork through cayenne). Set aside.
 
3) To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush 2 of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

4) Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in the warm oven. Clean the pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked. Serve immediately.  


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