Chocolate Swirl Cookies

Recipe From: Kristin Knies

Last year for Christmas, the Knies gave us a cookie jar of ingredients. I completely forgot about it until this year! We made them yesterday and loved them. They taste like brownie bites! Yummy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporate cane juice (sugar)
3/4 cup swirled chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter (melted and cooled)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl combine melted and cooled butter with 3 eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in contents of jar (dry ingredients). Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 13-14 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before transfer to wire rack.

Szechwan Chicken & Shrimp

Recipe From: Argo Cornstarch Cookbook

We used a bunch of different colored peppers...really good!

Ingredients:
8 oz chicken (cut into strips)
8 oz large, raw shrimp (peeled & deveined)
2 tbsp cornstarch (divided)
1 tbsp ginger (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp corn oil
1-3 green, red, orange or yellow bell peppers (cut into thin strips)
1/2 cup peanuts

Toss chicken and shrimp in medium bowl with 1 tbsp cornstarch, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. Coat lightly and set aside. Mix chicken broth, vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar and remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch in a small bowl, set aside. Heat oil in skillet. Add chicken and shrimp mixture and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add pepper strips and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add peanuts and stir-fry 1 minute. Stir chicken broth mixture until blended, then pour into skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve with rice.

Beef Enchiladas

Recipe From: Pioneer Woman

For The Sauce:
1 tbsp Canola Oil
1 tbsp Flour
1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
2 cups Chicken Broth
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

For The Meat:
1-½ lb Ground Beef
1 Medium Onion (Finely Diced)
2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
½ tsp Salt

For The Tortillas:
10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
½ cups Canola Oil

To Assemble:
3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ cup Black Olives (chopped)
1 cup Green Onions (chopped)
½ cup Cilantro (chopped)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes. Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside. Heat 1/2 cup canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving

Caramel Popcorn Balls

Recipe From: can't remember!

So yummy. Can also be used to make carmael applesIngredients:

3 Bags Popped Popcorn (I used Kettle Corn 98% fat free)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
few drops vanilla

Pop popcorn. Pour into a bowl and make sure no kernels get in. In a saucepan, bring brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. Add butter, cooking until completely melted. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, bring to a boil. Boil for at least 3 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. When it is ready, immediately take the caramel off direct heat and pour over popcorn. Toss until coated. Butter your hands and make balls. Place on parchment paper.

Crepes

Recipe From: Can't remember!

These were so yummy. We served with strawberries, melted chocolate and powdered sugar.

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (3/4 cup skim milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

In a blender, add the eggs, milk (or milk and cream), sugar, sea salt and vanilla. Blend on low speed for 10 seconds or until thoroughly combined but not too frothy. Add the butter while the motor is running on low speed to combine. Turn off the blender and remove the lid. Add the flour all at once, replace the lid and process on low for 10 seconds. Turn off the blender, remove the lid and using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender pitcher to get any stray bits of flour that need to be mixed in. Replace the lid and process the mixture on low speed for a few seconds more until a little frothy, but mostly smooth batter comes together. Set the mixture in the fridge, still covered, while your griddle heats. The batter should be allowed to refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes if you can wait that long.

Using a large nonstick griddle, heat the griddle over medium high heat to about 350 degrees F. Once the griddle is hot (after the batter has had a chance to rest) lightly butter the surface and using a clean paper towel, wipe away if there is too much excess. Remove the rested batter from the refrigerator and stir it a few times with the rubber spatula. Using a small measuring cup or ladle, pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter out onto the surface of the griddle and use the back of a metal spoon to gently swirl the batter out into a thin circle very lightly. This takes a little practice, but once you've practiced on a couple, you'll be more comfortable with it. The batter should be thin enough that the edges start to bubble almost immediately. Depending on the size of your griddle, you should be able to do two or even three at a time on the griddle. Allow the crepe to cook on the first side for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until golden. Using a thin metal spatula, flip the crepe gently and allow to cook about 1 minute more. Remove the cooked crepe from the griddle and stack on a plate or serve as you go.

Makes 12-15 crepes (approx 7 inches across).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe From: Joy the Baker

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven . Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

Using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart. You could also simply use a 1/4-cup measuring cup if you don’t have a scoop. Use a thin metal spatula to smooth and flatten the rounds.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar, if desired. Will keep up to 4 days in air tight container.

Sugar Cookies & Frosting

Recipe From: Kristi Johnson
Yummy!

Frosting Recipe:
4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter
5 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Food coloring

In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Slowly add in milk and vanilla extract using an electric mixer. Mix until stiff and smooth, takes 4-5 minutes. Stir in food coloring until you get the desired color.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

Cream together:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 eggs
1 stick butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract

Add to creamed mixture:
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 cups flour
1/2 cup milk

Chill dough until firm. Roll dough out into a large circle.Cut into shapes using festive cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes
(until set around the edges, but not browned). Frost and decorate and enjoy!