Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

In honor of Kyle's Birthday today, I am sharing one of his favorite cookie recipes. I made this for him the first time on his birthday, four years ago, before we started dating. I considered whether or not I should bake cookies for this boy that I liked for his birthday or if it would be stupid. With my friend Suzie's encouragement I went for it. I took him a plate full of them to his work on campus at USU and nervously presented it to him. I was a little embarrassed when I saw a couple other large gift bags of presents on his desk from other girls. He was a little embarrassed about that too, ensuring me that they were from co-workers. Needless to say, he loved my cookies and we started dating soon after that.

These cookies are perfect if you are in the mood for lots of chocolate, and they always turn out perfectly.

1 c butter or margarine
1-1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c cocoa
2 c flour
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add soda, salt, and cocoa, mixing well. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly. Add chocolate chips. Drop balls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool slightly, then move to a wire rack.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

These are one of Kyle's favorites, especially with the addition of white chocolate chips.

3/4 c shortening
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 t vanilla
1 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2-3/4 c oats (either quick or old-fashioned)
1 c sweetened dried cranberries
1 c chopped nuts or white chocolate chips (optional)

100% Whole Wheat Bread

I like this recipe because it is relatively quick to make, tastes great, and freezes well. It can be done in less than an hour and a half, start to finish.

5 c. warm water
1/4 c. oil
3 T dough enhancer (can be found at most grocery stores in the baking isle)
1/2 c gluten
1/4 c honey (you can substitute sugar, but honey makes it a little moister)
1 T salt
2 T yeast
aprox. 12 cups of whole wheat flour (see note)

Mix for 8-10 minutes, put into pans, let raise about 30 minutes and bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Make 4 loaves.

I like to brush the tops with butter when they come out of the oven, then immediately remove from the pans onto a cooling rack.

Note: I have found that when working with different bread doughs that whole wheat flour tends to absorb a lot of moisture during the rising process, therefore, I find that my whole wheat bread turns out better if I leave the dough as sticky as possible (but still workable). It helps the bread not be too dry and crumbly. Rather than add extra flour when shaping loaves, use a little Crisco on your hands and counter top. It makes the dough easier to handle without making the bread too dry.

Taco Seasoning

2 T flour
2 T chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
3/4 to 1 tsp. salt ( to taste)
1 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. crushed beef bouillon cube
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash of onion powder

Combine in small bowl. For tacos prepare 1 lb ground beef, add seasoning and 3/4 c. of water. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Taco Soup

I've tried many taco soup recipes, but really like the combination of ingredient in this one and is made of ingredient I always have on hand.

1 lb ground beef
1 24 oz can of tomatoes ( I like to use a quart of home canned stewed tomatoes)
1 can green beans or some frozen green beans
1 can corn or frozen corn
1 can of kidney beans
1 packet of taco seasoning or taco seasoning recipe (follow link)
olives to taste (I like about half a can, sliced)

Brown meat and drain grease (I like to add some diced onions to the hamburger when browning it). Add seasoning, tomatoes, corn and beans with half of the liquid from the cans (or add about a cup of water if using frozen, or beef broth is really good too), kidney beans, and olives. Heat through and serve with corn chips, cheese, and sour cream, if desired. This makes great left-overs too.

Easy Dinner Rolls

I love to bake bread. I also love to search for new favorites. This recipe makes rolls that aren't too heavy or too light and they have a slight sweetness to them. I can't help but eat several of them at a time and it hasn't ever been hard for us to finish the whole batch by the next day. They even still taste pretty fresh for the next day or two.

Although I usually like to make bread in my Bosch mixer, I love the shortcuts that a bread machine provides, especially now that I have young kids. This recipe is made for a bread machine on the dough setting, but you could easily make it by hand and let it rise for an hour or so before forming into rolls. This recipe can also be used to make cinnamon rolls.

1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. warm milk
1 egg
1/3 c butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. of yeast (=2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 c butter, softened

Put everything but the 1/4 c butter in the bread machine and start dough cycle. After the dough cycle is complete, turn the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 12 in circle. Spread the circle with butter and cut into 8 wedges. Roll each wedge up starting with the wide end. Place the pointed side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with a loose piece of plastic wrap, or a towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Makes 16 rolls.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. It is so easy to make and makes great left-overs.

2 C. Chicken broth
1 C. Wild Rice
1 ½ C. Carrots, sliced
1 C. Celery, sliced
½ c. Onion, chopped
1-2 C. Water
1-2 C. Chicken chunks, raw
1-8 oz package cream cheese

Bring broth and water to boil, add rice and veggies. Cook 25 min. on low, covered. Add chicken chunks, cook 5 min or until chicken is cooked. Stir in cream cheese till melted. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Helpful Cleaning Recipes

I saw this on Studio 5 this morning and thought it gave some very useful advice for getting the most out of products that every kitchen should have, baking soda, vinegar, and cream of tartar. I'm planning on trying some of these out. I'm embarrassed to say how long it has been since I've scrubbed the inside of my fridge. Also, we had a problem with ants getting into our house last summer. I was so worried about using chemicals around Ethan. I hadn't ever heard about using cream of tartar!

I copied the following from the Studio 5 website.

The following products not only work, they save money. As an added bonus these products are also more environmentally friendly than their commercial alternatives!

Cream of Tartar - derived from plants (grapes, bananas, tamarinds) as tartaric acid. It is mildly acidic powder that has a number of great uses in cleaning.

Burned on Food:
Fill the burned pot or pan with enough water to cover the burned area with at least a half an inch of water. Pour about 1 to 2 TBS cream of tarter over the water. Place pan on stove and heat to a low simmer. Let simmer for 5 or 6 minutes. Cool. Scrub with tuffy scrubber. Voila! (Also works well on burner dripper pans on the stove—make a paste of equal parts cream of tarter and vinegar, rub on, let sit 10-15 minutes, scrub off burned on build up.

Rust in Laundry:
Make a paste of cream of tartar to clean rust from washable fabrics. To make the paste, mix a small amount of water with some cream of tartar until the consistency is appropriate. Apply this to rust stains and gently rub it into the stain. Let the mixture set for about 10 minutes and wash as usual.

Stains in Your Tub:
Let this simple solution of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide do the hard work of removing a bathtub stain for you. Fill a small, shallow cup or dish with cream of tartar and add hydrogen peroxide drop by drop until you have a thick paste. Apply to the stain and let it dry. When you remove the dried paste, you'll find that the stain is gone too.

Problem with Ants:
Repel ants by sprinkling cream of tartar around the hole the ants come from, and they won't come out. Sprinkle it on cracks and crevices and near your doorway to repel ants from the outside and keep them from coming in.

Ring Around the Collar:
Wet the collar area and rub in some cream of tartar. Launder as usual and the collar will be clean.

Vinegar - Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring. White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry. With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Its acidity cuts detergent residue, and makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with sensitive skin.

Pet Accidents on Carpet:
4 TBS Vinegar
2 Cups Hydrogen Peroxide
2 TBS Liquid Dishsoap
1 TBS Lemon Juice
2 TBS Baking Soda
Mix in 1 QT bottle. Add water to complete the quart—about 2 cups. Spray on spot to neutralize (for odor control) and clean. Follow up with plain water. Towel dry.

Film on Glasses from Dishwasher:
Hard water + very alkaline dishwasher detergent + hot water (too hot most of the time) = milky film on glassware. Mix two parts water with one part white vinegar in a large sauce pan. Add 3 or 4 glasses to be cleaned. Bring to a low simmer for 15-20 minutes. With rubber tongs remove glasses to sink with hot sudsy water and mild scrubber. Finish cleaning off any film by scrubbing lightly and then polishing dry. Your glasses will sparkle. Add a cup or two in the bottom of the dishwasher to help maintain.

Clean and deodorize a drain:
Pour 1 cup baking soda into drain, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.

Floor Cleaner:
Mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part rubbing alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.

Baking Soda - Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is a naturally occurring material, present in most organic life forms. It can be "made" from sodium carbonate, or soda ash. The soda ash is dissolved in a carbon dioxide rich solution, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) precipitates out. Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders.

Candle Wax out of Fabric:
Remove as much of the wax as possible by scrapping. (Some people like to place the article in the freezer to make the wax brittle in order to chip it off). After carefully scrapping as much of the wax out as possible, take at least a double layer of very absorbent paper towels and a warm iron and melt the remaining wax out of the fibers. You may need to repeat this process onto clean areas of the paper towel. (Some like to use a blow dryer rather than an iron.) Once the wax is removed it is time to treat the residue and stain. Place a few drops of liquid hand dishwashing detergent, some water, and some baking soda on the stain. Rub gently. Then place the article in a regular load of wash and add 1 cup of baking soda to the wash.

Carpet Spot Remover:
4 cups warm water
1/2 cup vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons baking soda
Add the vinegar and baking soda to the warm water in a large bowl. Stir slightly and allow it to fizz and foam. Dip a scrub brush into the mixture and scrub those spots in your carpet away. Let dry and then vacuum.

Crayon Off Walls:
A damp rag dipped in baking soda will remove crayon marks with little effort. Some folks like to soften/melt the crayon by using a hair blow dryer. Others like to add a bit of baby oil to the soda for the really tough crayon stains.

Refrigerator Interior Cleaner or Microwave:
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 quart warm water
Scrub stubborn spots with baking soda on a sponge. Use this mixture to wash exterior of refrigerator and other appliances, also.

To Clean Silver:
Put foil in the bottom of a bowl or dish. Add 2 Tbs. baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Put your jewelry/silver on top of the mixture. Add boiling water to cover, wait about 2 minutes. You will be amazed at the results! The foil and baking soda create a chemical reaction that removes tarnish! Or, 3 heaping Tbs. baking soda, piece of aluminum foil, crumpled up, added to a pan with boiling water and leave a few minutes. For objects that cannot submerged in the solution, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

Favorite Breadsticks

This recipe has a funny story behind it. It was served on my second date with a boy which was kind of like a first date with my husband. This group date night was set up by Kyle's friends as a way for him to get to ask me out. However, no one told this other boy the plan and he asked me out first. I had Kyle ask out a friend of mine, hoping that he wouldn't end up liking her instead of me. All turned out well though. We probably talked to each other more on the date than we did our real dates. Needless to say, this was our very last date with anyone else. . . so I got my man and this yummy recipe out of the night.

I love the heartier texture and slight sweetness of these breadsticks and they couldn't be easier.

1 1/2 cups warm water
3 1/2-4 cups flour
3 TBS sugar
1 TBS yeast
1 tsp salt

Mix to form a soft dough. Let rest for 10 min., then roll out on a buttered cookie sheet and spread with butter, garlic powder, and lots of parmesan, and herbs if desired. Cut into strips with a pizza roller but don't separate (they will tear apart after baking). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. (I like to let them rise for 20-30 minutes before baking). Doubling the recipe will fill the entire cookie sheet, so don't roll them too thin, but they will rise quite thick.

Soft Pretzels

This recipe is similar to the pretzel you can find at the mall. You can substitute garlic salt or cinnamon and sugar for the coarse salt if you'd like.

1-pkg active dry yeast
2 TBS brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 c bread flour
2 cups warm water
2 TBS baking soda
2 TBS melted butter
2 TBS coarse kosher salt

Directions:
Dissolve the yeast, brown sugar, and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.

Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 in square pan. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. (You may have to pause and let the rope rest for a few minutes and come back to it to make it roll thinner.) Twist into a pretzel shape and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise for 20 minutes.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the coarse salt or topping of choice.

Fruit Stuffed Pork Roast

I think I got this recipe from "Good Things Utah." If you've ever wondered how to serve a pork roast, this is it. I love the dried apricots in it. It looks fancy, but is so easy.

Ingredients:

¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried onion flakes
¼ cup seasoned croutons
½ dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. prunes, chopped
¼ c. dried apricots, chopped
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
¼ cup chopped pecans
2 pound Pork Roast

Set aside Pork Roast.
Combine all other ingredients in a bowl.
Insert a knife into one end of roast all the way through to create a lengthwise slit.
Rotate knife 90 degrees, insert again to make an “X”.
Force stuffing mixture into slit.
Note: All stuffing will fit.
Season roast with salt and pepper.

Bake in sprayed baking dish, fat side up at 350 degrees, 60-90 minutes. Or until Internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Let rest 10 min. before slicing.

Thanksgiving Casserole

I saw this on "Good Things Utah" and it is fantastic!! It isn't the healthiest, but you really can't help but go back for seconds. We made it once substituting pecans for the pine nuts, but the pine nuts were better. So Good!!

I halved the recipe for our family and went a bit lighter on the salt (garlic and celery salts too).

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
8 Large Potato’s – Peeled
1T Garlic Salt
16oz Sour Cream
¾T Salt
8oz Cream Cheese

Preparation:
Boil and drain potatoes. Add remaining ingredients to potatoes and mash together. Place mashed
potato mixture in 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Ground Turkey Stuffing Ingredients:
2 C Ground Turkey
1 t Onion Salt
¾ t Poultry Seasoning
½ t Dried, Crushed Sage
1 Lg Box Mrs. Cubbison’s Herb Seasoned Bread Cubes
¼ t Pepper
1 C Pine Nuts
½ t Salt
1 ½ C Craisins
2 C Chicken Stock
¾ C Butter
10.5 oz Can Cream of Chicken Soup
½ t Celery Salt

Preparation:
Season ground turkey with ¾ t poultry seasoning and brown. In large mixing bowl place bread
cubes, pine nuts, craisins and browned turkey. Melt butter. To melted butter add celery salt, onion salt, sage, pepper, salt, chicken stock and cream of chicken soup, stir together. Pour liquid mixture over bread cube mixture and gently fold together. Pour stuffing over the top of the garlic mashed potatoes, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. After 30 minutes, remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes to allow stuffing to brown.
Remove from oven and enjoy!
(Serves 10-12 people)

My Favorite Brownies

This is my very favorite brownie recipe and the same one my mom uses. It has a similar texture as one from a box, but tastes better. My mom swears you have to use melted margarine to make them turn out right, but melted butter seems to work fine for me. The key is to make sure it is melted though. I especially like this recipe with the mint and chocolate frostings layered on top.

Super Easy Brownies

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup cocoa

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup melted margarine

Mix dry ingredients; add eggs, vanilla and butter. Mix well. Pour in a 9x9 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Mint topping

(9x9 inch pan)

1 Cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp milk

½ Tsp mint extract or mint oil to taste

Spread on completely cooled brownies and then place in freezer until stiff so you can spread on the chocolate layer of frosting.

Cocoa Butter Frosting

(9x13 inch pan)

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp milk (approx)

Hawaiian Chicken Wraps

I came across this recipe and absolutely love it. This is the recipe I made for Ethan's birthday party. I highly recommend using uncooked tortillas and grilling them before serving. They taste just like the ones at Cafe Rio's or similar chain restaurants. They can be tricky to find in the grocery store, but I usually find them near the place they have cream cheese. Once you try them, it is hard to go back to regular tortillas.

It says to grill the chicken, but it is fabulous cooked on low in a crockpot for 4-6 hours and shredded. If you choose to use the crockpot method don't drain off the marinade, but cook it with the chicken. Also, if you are short on time you don't have to let it marinade, though it seemed to have a bit more flavor if you can let it soak before cooking. Although I haven't tried it, I heard it is also good baked in the oven.

Marinade:

• 1-3/4 c. water
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. canned pineapple tidbits
• 1/4 c. juice from can of pineapple tidbits
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 2 t. minced fresh ginger

Wraps:

• 4 - 5 chicken breasts
• 12 flour tortillas
• 2 c. shredded cheese
• 4 c. shredded lettuce
• 1 c. canned pineapple tidbits
• 1-1/2 c. diced tomatoes
• 1/2 c. chopped green onion

Method:

Teriyaki Sauce:
Whisk cornstarch into the water in saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cool before you use it for marinating.

When sauce is cool, set aside 1 cup of sauce for later. Pour remaining sauce over chicken breasts. Cover chicken and marinate for at least 6 hours. Marinate over night if possible.

When chicken has marinated, preheat the grill. Wipe grill with a little oil so chicken doesn't stick. Remove chicken from the marinade (and discard the marinade) and grill on medium-high heat until it's no longer pink. Remove. Slice chicken and set in a serving dish. Microwave the leftover 1 cup of teriyaki sauce in the oven for 30 to 60 seconds or until it's hot. Pour the sauce over the sliced chicken in the dish.

When you're ready to build the tacos, preheat a skillet over medium heat. Warm tortillas. Build tacos buy adding chicken, cheese, lettuce, pineapple (don't skip over this!), tomatoes, and green onion. Spoon a few tablespoons of teriyaki sauce over the top of each wrap.

Royal Icing

• 3 TBS meringue powder
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 6 TBS water

Beat all ingredients at low speed for 7-10 minutes or (10-12 min. with a hand mixer) until peaks form.

Be sure to pipe from a bag strictly for royal icing (disposable bags work fine too). The grease from buttercream icing will cause this to break down.

Wilton's Buttercream Icing

By request I am posting some recipes from the cake decorating classes I took a while back.

Here is the basic recipe for Wilton's Buttercream Decorator's Icing:

• 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 2 TBS milk or water
• 1 c vegetable shortening
• 1 TBS Meringue Powder
• 1lb. sifted powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)

(optional--1/2 tsp butter extract may be substituted for 1/2 of the vanilla. A pinch of salt may also be added, which I recommend. If you don't need the frosting to be as white as it can be I also recommend replacing half of the shortening with a stick of softened butter. It just takes a lot better.)

Sift powdered sugar and meringue powder together in a large bowl and set aside. Cream shortening, and liquids, then gradually add the sifted dry ingredients. Mix until creamy, for a minute or so.

This recipe makes about 3 cups of stiff consistency frosting. You can thin it out with additional water or milk. You will need an additional tablespoon of liquid to make the whole batch medium consitency or 2 tablespoons to achieve thinner consistency. Stiff icing is typically used for roses or flowers that have upright petals, medium is for borders and flat laying flowers, and thin is used for writing words, stems, leaves, and frosting your cake.

Also, if you cannot find meringue powder you can omit it. It helps the frosting develop a slight crust so that it isn't quite so messy overtime.

I recently tried a version of this recipe making it chocolate and absolutely love it!! All you do is add 3 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate or 3/4 of cocoa powder. I used it on Ethan's cake and couldn't stop licking the bowl (and this comes from someone who doesn't like to eat "Crisco frosting").

Enjoy!!