Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

Here's the basic recipe:
1 1/2 cups softened margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

And of course some variations:
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
use mint chocolate chips instead of semi sweet
use 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and 1/2 cup Skor toffee bits (and just a little extra flour)
white chocolate chips add some variety
half peanut butter chips/half chocolate chips

Then put it in the mixer with your sugar (white and brown) Brown sugar helps keep the finished cookies soft. If you don't have any brown sugar, just use 2 cups of white, but I promise they won't be as good. It's worth a trip to the store.

Cream the sugar and butter really well. Then add your eggs, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda and mix it some more.

It's going to stick right up the sides of your mixer, so add your cocoa, then scrape the sides down. Then your cocoa won't poof up and make a bitter icky chocolate mess all over the place.

Wait... don't mix it yet. Add your flour and chocolate chips.

Now go ahead and mix it but only until it's combined. It doesn't take very long.

Preheat oven at 350

Use parchment paper or a Slipmat and spoon the dough onto it.

Bake for about 6~8 minutes or till the cookies look puffy. Do not try to take remove cookies till completely cooled.

TATERTOT CASSEROLE

This one is yummy and easy too : )

INGREDIENTS:
-1/2 pound ground beef/turkey
-1 can green beans
-2 cans cream of celery soup (you can sub 1 of the cans for cream of mushroom if you roll like that..I am not a big celery fan)
-1 bag of frozen tatertots
-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
-salt, pepper, onion powder

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Cook beef/turkey meat in skillet and season

3. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl (only use 1/2 cup cheese and half package of tatertots)

4. Pour and spread evenly in greased casserole dish
5. Pour remaining 1/2 bag of tatertots on top of mixture and press down firmly
6. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top of casserole evenly

7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 min.
8. Remove aluminum foil and back another 15 min. to brown tatertots*You can also broil on low...be sure to watch it though so you don't burn it. Broiling speeds up the browning process.
9. Remove from oven and let cool.
10. Serve and ENJOY!

Cupcake Sandwich's

This Blog is SUPER cute and if you click on her link it will give pictures step by step of how to make these. http://sweetcraftcakes.blogspot.com/
These yummy Cupcake Sandwich Bites are delicious and easy to make!!!
Purchase your favorite cake mix or use your own homemade recipe. Bake your cupcakes according to the package or recipes directions. I used strawberry and chocolate cake mix.
You could also use white cake mix and add food coloring to achieve the color you want.
Allow your mini cupcakes to cool.
After your cupcakes have cooled, gently twist your cupcake tops off.
Now eat all your cupcake bottoms!!!
Add frosting to the cupcake tops, then place a second piece on top to finish your yummy cupcake bites.

FRIDAYS DISH

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI BAKE

This one is Simple and lucky me most of my kids like Broccoli. Another dish you could always make ahead of time and throw in oven when ready.

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz frozen broccoli spears
3 C cooked cubed chicken

1 can cream of broccoli soup
1/3 C milk
1/2 C Shredded cheddar cheese

2T dry panko bread crumbs
1 T butter

Spray 9x13 casserole dish with non stick spray.
Pour chicken and broccoli into dish.

Mix next 3 ingredients in small bowl and pour over chicken and broccoli.

Mix bread crumbs and butter with a fork and dot over casserole.

If you were going to save till later just cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge. If cooking now bake at 425 for 35-35 minutes.

We serve with rice and salad.
ENJOY!

Thursdays Dish

Thursday are a BAD night for me when it comes to dinner. My kids have to be 2 different places on opposite ends of town at the same time. And my husband usually is working, so it is a challenge. Therefore we have leftovers or I stop to get pizza, Wendys...etc..ya know all the junk kids just LOVE.
And no Sweet Treat because we have plenty still from what I have baked this week!! Back tomorrow!!

COOKIES

I have not made cookies in awhile, and since my boys had a half day I thought I would make some so they would come home to a nice treat! These cookies have one little twist and by NO means are they "diet cookies". So I hope the kids gobble them up quickly so I do not have the temptation!!

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup regular sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups plain flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt1 small box [3.4 oz or so] vanilla instant pudding

1 -12 oz bag chocolate chips1 cup nuts- optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Add the box of pudding, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well until blended. Drop on greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Note: I usually cook mine for about 8 or 9 minutes until they have a hint of browning and they stay very chewy and soft!

Wednesday's Dish~FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Tonight it is going to be Breakfast for Dinner...always a BIG hit for our Family. I have made this one before..this is just a slightly different recipe. I usually make this up the night before or first thing in the morning and throw in the fridge till ready to bake. I serve with Sausage and Strawberries..Yum Yum!!

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

1 Loaf French Bread
8 eggs
2 C half & half
1/2 C milk
2 T sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon
Dash salt

Topping
1 stick butter
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Spray 9X13 casserole dish with non stick spray.
Slice bread into thick slices and arrange in bottom of dish. May have to overlap or cut to fit.
Mix next 7 ingredients in medium bowl and pour over bread.
Now you can do this 2 ways. Combine topping ingredients with fork, and dot over casserole. Cover with plastic wrap till ready to cook..of course throw in fridge.
Or wait to mix the topping till right before placing in oven and heat topping ingredients over stove top till melted and drizzle over casserole then place in oven. Either way it is Delicious!!

Uncover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.
This recipe is also freezable if you wanted to make ahead.

Tuesdays Dish & Treat

Tonight we had pork chops, I seem to not be able to go wrong with meat..the kids love pork!! I did however try something new with these pork chops. It was not bad, gave it a little zing and the kids did not complain (much).

CRISPY PORK CHOPS

5 boneless pork loin chops

(1/2 inch thick)

3T Dijon mustard

1 1/2 Panko Bread Crumbs (you can find these at Meijer..I was shocked)

Pour Panko crumbs onto a plate..paper will do why dirty another dish!

Brush Pork Chops with must mustard and then coat with Panko Crumbs.

Place pork chops on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening ( 1 stick butter)

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/2 cup chocolate bits (optional)

1 cup mashed bananas (2-3) The older the bananas, the better

Directions:Cream shortening and sugar in mixer. Add eggs. Add lemon juice to mashed bananas and stir into creamed mixture. Sift together dry ingredients. (I stir with a whisk) Add with nuts and chocolate bits to first mixture. Pour into well greased loaf pan or muffin tins which have been dusted with flour and bake at 325' for 1 hour or until done. About 30 mins. for muffins.

Doubled makes 12 extra large muffins or 24 small muffins.

Pumpkin Cappuccino Chip Muffins

I stumbled across these earlier and believe it or not I had everything on hand to make them. And if you read this blog you know I LOVE Pumpkin and Coffee well that is just a given. These turned out GREAT and even Mason gave them a thumbs up...he is my toughest critic!!

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 packet Starbucks VIA (I used 2 tsp. Duncan Donuts Coffee~that is all I had)
1 c. mini chocolate chips (optional, but who are we kidding...everything is better with chocolate!)BruCrew Additions
1 c. canned pumpkin
2-3 tbsp. sour cream
4 tbsp. extra flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350*. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined. Do not over stir, batter should be lumpy. Add the chocolate chips...it isn't optional:-).
Fill muffin liners 2/3 full.
Bake for 22-24 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy! Makes about 24 muffins.

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

Tonight we are trying something new...We love Mexican and usually can not go wrong with Tacos...I think Mason could live off Taco Bell. But this just sounds so much better then good ol Taco Bell. Nothing against TB..I mean cheap and easy always scores!!

SLOW COOKED SHREDDED BEEF TACOS

2lbs Beef Roast
1 C Frozen Chopped Onion (I HATE Onions so I leave this out)
1 T Chili Powder
1 T Dried Oregano
1 t Crushed garlic (I just threw in a tad of garlic salt)
The recipe calls for 4oz can diced greed chilies and 10oz can diced tomatoes. I used a small can of diced tomatoes and a normal size can of Rotel (because I LOVE Rotel)..and I love spicy!!

Throw in slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours. Shred meat with 2 forks.

Serve on flour tortillas with cheese, sour cream, & avocado (optional) with chips and salsa. I hope it turns out as good as it sounds!!

If you wanted to prepare ahead..you could just place all the ingredients in large zipper big and when ready to cook that day throw everything into the slow cooker.

I plan on my meals for the week on Friday or Saturday and base my grocery shopping on that list. It makes life so much easier. I shoot for things I can make up ahead of time to throw in a crock pot or oven.

Taco Soup & Garlic Cheese Biscuits

This is GREAT for these COLD winter days. My kids are not Huge fans of this soup..because lets face it they are so dang picky and anything new, they are usually not willing to even try. Maybe your kids will love it, if not I am sure you will!
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz can whole kernel corn
2 16 oz cans of ranch style beans (I only used one can because I'm not a bean lover & it was fine)* Maybe not everywhere but I know here - you find cans at the grocery store of ranch style beans. If you don't have those - substitute pinto or black or whatever you like.
3 cans of diced tomato's (maybe substitute 1 can rotel if you like spicy and I LOVE Rotel!!)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley dressing mix
Brown and drain meat. Saute onions for a few minutes. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Add chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 1-2 hours. I topped it with shredded cheese!

Garlic Cheese Biscuits
2 1/4 cups bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic salt

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

5 boneless skinless chicken
breasts
½ C. teriyaki sauce
2 T lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t sesame oil


Grill chicken on indoor grill or brown
in skillet until no longer pink

You can pre-assemble this to be ready to cook ahead of time. I am really into this since I am working and it makes dinner way less stressful.

Place all ingredients in a large zipper bag. Zip to
seal and squish around to mix.

Homemade Bath Paints

My Kids are always asking for the finger paints to use in the Bath. So when I came across this, I thought it was worth posting. I am curious to see if it actually does NOT stain the tub.

Tear-free Baby Wash & Shampoo (buy the cheap stuff)
Cornstarch
Spoons and/or spatula
Small funnel
Containers (I used the same ones that my originals came in)
Mixing bowl
Smaller bowls for mixing in color
Measuring cups and spoons
Food Coloring (I did not like the Walmart brand, I still have it all over my hands)

In mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup baby wash and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix well. Add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker consistency

Separate portions of the mixture into smaller containers. Add food coloring to each small bowl until you reach your desired color.

I used a funnel to put the paints into each container.

The kids loved them and don't worry it didn't stain their bodies or the bathtub! Let your kids paint away and then with a little spray of water, it is gone!

COOKIE CAKE CUPCAKES

(Picture taken from Confessions of a Cookbookk Queen)

I usually am not one for "complicated baking" but this just looked WAY to good to pass up. I mean cookies and cupcakes together?? WHO could ask for more!!!
If you ever need something COOL and UNIQUE make sure to book-mark http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com/ her work is AMAZING!!



Chocolate chip cookie dough--2 tubes if using premade

Cake batter (once again, you can use a mix or your favorite recipe--I love Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge, so that's what I used)

Super Sweet White frosting (ingredients below)

Canned chocolate frosting (I used Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate)For Frosting: (if you want to pipe your frosting on super high, you will want to double this)

1 cup shortening

5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon meringue powder

Using your favorite recipe, prepare 24 small chocolate chip cookies (I used a small cookie scoop and they were perfect size). If using premade dough, follow the package directions, reserving the second tube for inside the cupcakes. Be sure to flatten cookies slightly with a spatula right after you take them out of the oven. Allow cookies to cool completely

Line 24 cupcake tins with liners and heat oven to 350.

Prepare cake batter according to recipe/package directions and set aside.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the other half of the cookie dough and flatten each scoop a bit with your hands to fit in the bottom of each cupcake tin. Cover with cake batter, filling tins to about 2/3 full.Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 minutes or so.

Allow cupcakes to cool on a baking rack and prepare your frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream shortening, water, and vanilla on medium low speed until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and meringue powder, increasing speed to medium high once combined. Beat for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add a bit more water, a little at a time.Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes and top with a cookie. Using an 18 star tip for the white and a 16 star tip for the chocolate, pipe stars around the edges of the chocolate chip cookies.

Corn Flake Cookie

1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
Bring sugar/Karo syrup to a slow boil than take off stove
Than Add:1 cup peanut butter
Stir in 8 cups of corn flakes.Mix well.
Use an ice cream scoop and place on wax paper or cookie rack

RASPBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

LOVE This!! My aunt usually makes this for gatherings but with Strawberries..so you can always substitute.

Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients:
Layer 1-
2 cups of pretzels (crushed)
1 1/2 cubes of butter or margarine melted
3 T sugar
Combine crushed pretzels, butter and sugar. Bake and 400 for 10 min. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Layer 2-
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
8 oz. cool whip (softened)
3/4 cups of sugar
Cream together cream cheese, cool whip and sugar. Pour on top of Pretzels and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.
Layer 3-
1 pkg Raspberry Jell-O (Lg box)
2 cups of boiling water
1/4 cup of cold water
2 packages of frozen raspberries (or mixed berries)
Mix together Jell-O and water. Pour into large bowl and mix in the raspberries. Pour on top of cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until Jell-O is hard.

Taco Dip

With Superbowl not to far off, it is time to start thinking of Dips, and all that fun snack food that goes along with FOOTBALL.

8oz cream cheese softened
green onions
4 oz chopped green chiles
16 oz can of chili, no beans
1 1/2 C shredded cheese
just use something that can go in the microwave. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the bottom of the container.
Add the chopped green onions...if you don't like onions, leave them out :-) I am NOT a onion fan.
Add the whole can of chiles
Add your can of chili
Add your cheese...any kind, whatever you like
Put the lid on and microwave on 70% for 3-5 minutes, until hot and bubbly!!!

RAINBOW CUPCAKES

Prepare one box of white cake mix
and divide into 6 bowls.

Food coloring as follows
(layers from the bottom, up!)
PURPLE: 9 red and 6 blue drops
BLUE: 12 drops
GREEN: 12 drops
YELLOW: 12 drops
ORANGE: 12 yellow and 4 red drops
RED: 18 drops

Line 12-16 muffin pan wells with your baking cups (my batch only yielded 12 cupcakes).
Then begin even distributing the batter, color by color, starting with purple.
Make sure you spread out each layer with the back of a spoon to cover the color below it before starting the next.
Top with homemade or canned icing.

LAYERED PUMPKIN DESSERT

http://www.hostesscakes.com/recipes/show/14/

Layered Pumpkin Dessert
1 package (15 ounces) Hostess Twinkies (10 Twinkies)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 container (8 ounces) frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed, divided2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin1
½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup milk
Additional pumpkin pie spice

Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise and place cream-side up, in single layer in 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Using a mixer, blend together cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and ½ of whipped topping until smooth. Spread evenly over Twinkies.
Combine pudding mix, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and milk. Whisk until well blended and layer over cream cheese mixture. Carefully spread remaining whipped topping over pumpkin. Lightly sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Refrigerate several hours or until set.
Makes 9 to 12 servings.