Cookies I Can't Live Without

Modified from the Neiman Marcus cookie recipe. I use salted butter...I think it has more flavor. I also use half whole wheat flour.

Cream Together:
4 sticks salted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar

Add and mix:
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Combine...then add to butter/sugar
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
5 cups oatmeal (blended into powder)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Stir in Mixins:
24 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. Hershey bar (grated) - optional
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) - optional

Roll into small balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Fresh: Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Frozen: Bake fro 12-14 minutes at 325 degrees.

Pasta with Creamy Tomato-Clam Sauce

Recipe From: Pampered Chef
The bread crumb topping was kinda a waste of time, but the pasta was a great flavor.

Ingredients:
8 oz cooked pasta
2 slices french bread (crumbs)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (snipped)
1 tsp butter
2 cans (6 oz) chopped clams (juice used separately)
1 cup vodka marinara sauce
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp lemon juice

To prepare topping: Melt butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs. Stir 2-3 minutes or until bread crumbs are crisp and golden. Remove pan from heat, cool slightly. Stir in snipped parsley.

For the sauce: Strain clam juice into skillet. Add vodka sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in pasta and clams. Let stand 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Serve with sprinkled bread crumb mixture.

Sausage Jambalaya

Recipe From: HEB
Blake discovered a Cajun Meat Market - Herbert's on Dairy Ashford. He brought home jalapeno sausage, a stuffed whole chicken (de-boned) and stuffed jalapenos. We ate well for a few days. The sausage was great in the jambalaya.

Ingredients:
1 link smoked sausage (thinly sliced)
1 cup onion (chopped)
1 cup celery (chopped)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 pkg Zatarain's Jambalaya Dinner Mix (original flavor)
1 cup frozen corn

Heat oil in a skillet and saute onion, celery and sausage for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in jambalaya mix. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and add frozen corn. Let stand until corn is cooked in. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Recipe From: Argo Cookbook
I used my gingersnap cookie recipe and when they came out of the oven, I smooshed them down to be a bit flatter. Now that I am typing out the recipe, I realized I used the whole can of pumpkin, not a cup...wonder what the difference is. They tasted great, maybe next time I'll make them look as good as the picture. I'm not much of the garnishing type.

Ingredients:
Gingersnap Cookies
12 ounces cream cheese (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmet, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 cloves)
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup karo syrup

Line muffin pans with baking cups and place 1 cookie in each. Beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice in the mixer. Add eggs and mix well. Add pumpkin and syrup and beat for 1 minute. Pour filling into baking cups over the cookie, dividing evenly. Bake in a preheated 325 oven for 30-35 minutes, until just set. Chill for 1 hour. Garnish as desired.

Citrus Pork Chops

Recipe From: Argo Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 pork chops (1/2" thick, boneless)
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp oil
2 cups orange juice
1 cup carrots
2 tbsp onion (minced)
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp corn syrup (2 tbsp water + 2 tbsp splenda)
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Cook over grill. Heat oil in a skillet and add onion. Then add 3/4 cup chicken broth, orange juice and carrots. Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes until carrots are tender. Stir 1/4 cup chicken broth, 2 tbsp cornstarch, honey, corn syrup, vinegar, dijon mustard and crushed red pepper. Add to skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute. Stir in parsley. Place pork chops in mixture until heated through. Serve over rice.

Homemade Granola Bars

Recipe From: Joyful Abode Website

Blake and I are obsessed with granola bars lately. Here is my attempt at copying Nature Valley's Dark Chocolate & Nut Chewy Granola Bars. I modified this from a billion websites, but mostly A Joyful Abode.

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup rice krispies
1/2 cup almonds (or walnuts)
1/2 cup golden raisins (or craisins)
2 TBSP chocolate chunks (or white chocolate)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup splenda
1/2 cup honey
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix together 1st four ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Combine sugar, salt & wet ingredients and simmer in a saucepan. Mix everything together and spread evenly into a 9x13 pan (wax paper spray with pam). Press down hard to set in. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. When cooled add chocolate chunks to the top and press in. Cool completely before cutting.

Chocolate Cholate Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1-2 cups of mix-ins (white or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often. Add the vanilla and pudding mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in your choice of mix-ins. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Don’t over bake.

Pork Chops & Apples

Recipe From: Martha Stewart

4-6 boneless pork chops
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion (sliced)
2 to 3 green apples (cored and sliced)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp brown sugar

Trim the chops of excess fat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a skillet over high heat, and then swirl in the olive oil. Lay in the pork chops and don't move them for a few minutes, to assure a good golden sear forms. Turn and brown well on the second side for a total of about 10 minutes. Transfer the chops to a warm plate.

Swirl the butter into the pan. Add the onion and apples. Saute until the onion slices are lightly caramelized and the apples have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the broth and sprinkle with sugar. Return chops to the pan.

Cook until the pork is tender, about 15 more minutes (depending on the size of the chops), turning halfway through and covering the chops with the apple mixture. If the apple mixture needs a little thickening, transfer the chops to the warm plate again and simmer the mixture on high for a few minutes to reduce. Serve the chops over mashed potatoes with a large spoonful of the apple-onion mixture over the top.

Pumpkin CreamTrifle

Recipe From: The Sisters Cafe
My contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner.

First Layer:
1 pkg spice cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup vegetable oil (can do ¼ cup applesauce, and ¼ cup oil instead)
½ cup water
3 large eggs
1tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger

Preaheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Place all cake ingredients in large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed from 1 minute. Scrape down sides and then increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more. Batter should look think and well blended. Pour into prepared pan and bake 32-39 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool completely. (cake can be frozen at this point. Thaw at room temperature before assembling trifle.) When ready to prepare trifle, cut or tear into approx. 1 inch cubes.

Second Layer (cream):
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz) cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
2 cups freshly whipped cream (half pint, unsweetened)

Combine pudding mixes with milk and blend with whisk until it starts to thicken. Fold in whipped cream, then quickly assemble trifle.

Third Layer (toppings):
½ cup chopped, toasted pecans or almonds
½ cup Skor toffee bits

To assemble trifle:
Place 1/3 of cake cubes into trifle bowl. Top with 1/3 of cream mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of nuts and toffee bits. Repeat layers two more times, ending with nuts and toffee on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered no longer that 24 hours.

Mozzarella Sticks

Recipe From: Parents Magazine

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tsp water
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Shake of pepper
4 pieces mozzarella string cheese
1 tbsp flour

In a small bowl, beat egg and water. Place panko, Italian seasoning, and pepper in a separate dish. Coat cheese sticks in flour, then dip in egg mixture and the breading. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake, uncovered, at 450°F for 5 minutes, until warm, then run under the broiler quickly to brown. Cool before serving.

Basil Pesto

Recipe From: ??
I don't really know how to use this, but I have an enormous basil plant growing in the garden. I have it all in the freezer until I can find a recipe.

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
3 tbsp pine nuts
salt & pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

In a food processor mince garlic. Next, add the basil leaves, pine nuts, and salt & pepper. Run processor and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until all ingredients are pureed. Scrape down the side and add the cheese and mix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps for 2-3 days...but also freezes well.

Thai Veggie-Noodle Coconut Curry

Recipe From: Our Best Bites

A Noodles & Co knockoff of Bangkok Curry. I added chicken.1 lb. linguine

12oz pkg frozen stir fry vegetables

1/2 cup green onions

1 medium red, orange, or yellow pepper (thinly sliced)

1 cup mushrooms (sliced)

1 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)

1 tbsp fresh garlic (minced)

1 tbsp curry paste

Juice of 1 lime (plus more limes for garnish)

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 can of lite coconut milk

2 tbsp soy sauce

2-3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
black or white sesame seeds (for garnish)

Cook pasta according to the package directions. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, curry paste, and lime juice. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the frozen vegetables according to the package directions, but only cook them for 1/2 the time--you still want them to be quite crunchy. If you're using fresh veggies, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes or until they're tender-crisp.

In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant. Be sure to continue stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add the sliced red peppers and the half-cooked (formerly frozen) vegetables. Stir fry for about 1 minute and then add the coconut milk mixture and cook until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss to combine and then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Toss again and serve with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and 2 lime wedges per person (squeeze the lime juice over the noodles before eating).

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Recipe From: Cooks.com

Melissa is on a huge detox diet and today was a free day. She requested this and chocolate cupcakes. This is a great recipe!Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream

Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.

Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano). Simmer on low stirring until thickened; Pour over chicken.

Wingshak Brownies

Recipe From: Rocky Mountain Wingshak Restaurant

When we lived in Utah, Blake and his brothers ate ALL the time at a wing place. The owners became good friends and gave us their brownie recipe.

Sift Together:
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cocoa

Mix Together until light & fluffy:
8 eggs
1 lb unsalted butter (softened)
4 cups sugar

Add:
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp vanilla

Slowly add flour on low until combined. Scrape sides and mix on med/low until smooth.

Add:
2 cups chocolate chips

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with flour spray. Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes.

Fruit Salsa

Recipe From: All Recipes

This recipe only called for fruit. I added a little purple onion and jalepeno. Serve with cinnamon-sugar pita chips and/or tortilla chips.Ingredients:

2 kiwis (peeled and diced)

2 apples (peeled, cored and diced)
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe From: My Kitchen Cafe Blog
Enchiladas are a staple for me...not so much for Blake. I've got a lot of favorite recipes now, this one was also great. I didn't put very many white beans in, we like to eat black beans and rice on the side.

Filling:
1-2 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)
2 (4 oz.) cans of green chilies (lightly drained)
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened and cubed)
1 can white or black beans (rinsed and drained)

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup chicken broth
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 can (10 ounce) green chile enchilada sauce
½ cup sour cream

8 ounces Monterrey jack cheese (shredded)
8-10 medium flour tortillas
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken and black beans. Mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I can easily fit 8 enchiladas in one pan).

Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

Cashew Chicken

Recipe From: The Sister's Cafe Blog
Easy and great...just the flavors we likeIngredients:

2-4 chicken breasts cut into pieces)
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch (divided)
½ tsp salt
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp oil
2 cups hot chicken broth
2 tsp lemon juice
½ cup cashews

Combine sugar, 2 Tb cornstarch, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Dredge chicken pieces in this mixture. Drain and save dredge; then stir fry chicken in hot oil in frying pan or wok until chicken is lightly brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain excess oil from the pan. Add remaining cornstarch and the dredge drained from the chicken. Blend well, then add chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened. Add lemon juice; add chicken pieces and reheat. Do not boil. Taste to correct seasonings. Add cashews. Serve over hot rice. Makes 4-5 servings. You can stir fry some vegetables and add them to the mixture at the end.

Marsala Chicken & Mushroom Casserole

Recipe From: On My Menu Blog via Rachel Ray
This was really good! Can't remember the last time I made a casserole. I used grape juice as the wine substitute.Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
10 oz mushrooms (sliced)
1 tsp garlic (minced)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine or white wine (I used grape juice)
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
Salt and pepper
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups rotisserie chicken*
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in for 1 minute. Stir in the grape juice and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water*, the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole, spread the rice in an even layer; top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom gravy on top. Cover snugly with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Discard the foil, sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more.

*Instead of buying a rotisserie chicken, I boiled and shredded 1-2 chicken breasts. After shredding, I added the following spices: Lawry's seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Bacon-Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken

Recipe From: On My Menu Blog
Easy and tasty. Blake loved it!Ingredients:

1/2 c barbecue sauce
2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and grated)
juice 1 lemon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
8 slices bacon
salt and pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine bbq sauce, grated apple and lemon juice. Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each chicken breast half. Place wrapped chicken in slow cooker and top with bbq-sauce mixture. Set slow cooker to low and cook for 4-8 hours.

Hostess Cupcakes

Recipe From: Taste Buds
These were tasty and easy...just like Hostess!

1 devil's food cake mix

filling:
8 Tbsp butter (room temp)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
granulated sugar (to taste)

icing:
2 big Hershey bars (or 8 reg size)
1 12oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 bar of wax (melt in a rinsed out soup can inside a pan with 1-2 in water)

Make cupcakes according to pkg directions (adding 1/4 tsp vanilla; if desired) and bake in well greased, unlined pans. Let cool completely. For filling mix butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Add vanilla and a little sugar to desired taste. With a piping bag squirt a small amount of filling up into the bottom of each cupcake.
Melt chocolate together. Melt wax separately. Gradually add wax to melted chocolate, stirring constantly. Dip tops of cupcakes into the chocolate and set aside until firm. With a small piping tip decorate tops of cupcakes with remaining filling.