Cookie Stix!

Super easy to make and awesome delicious!!

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
`1 cup chocolate chips

Combine butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl (I use a piece of wax paper so I don't dirty a bowl)  Combine flour, baking power, baking soda, salt.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture.

Divide the dough in half.

On a greased baking sheet shape each portion of dough into a 15 x 3 in rectangle.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over top and press into dough

Bake at 375 for 6-9 minutes. Less time if you want softer cookies, longer if you want crispy.

Cool 5 minutes before cutting into 1 inch strips with a knife. Let cool on a rack.

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

Uncooked chicken cut into chunks..approximately 3 boneless chicken breasts.
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Chinese seasoning
1 ½ Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sesame oil


Place chicken chunks in lightly greased crockpot
Mix together the rest of ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
It may take less time than that to cook. You can serve it as chunks or can shred it with a fork.

banana bulgur muffins

3 ripe medium bananas

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

½ cup softened wheat bulgur

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Mash bananas and mix in butter, applesauce, vanilla and brown sugar.

Add flour, bulgur, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix until moistened.

Fill greased muffin pan 3/4 of the way full and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Banana Pumpkin Muffins

 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon baking powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 2 bananas, mashed

 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

 1/2 cup white sugar

 1 egg, lightly beaten

 1/3 cup butter, melted

 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. 

In another bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Stir the the flour mixture into the banana mixture, just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

**Notes...I folded in 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the batter and it is delicious.  I haven't had a chance to add banana chip pieces.

homemade doughnuts..yum!

One of our family traditions is doughnuts for breakfast on Saturday morning.  It is SO expensive to buy them at the store, that I decided to try and make my own.  My kids GOBBLED these up faster than I could fry them.  I didn't even get a chance to get icing on them.  The only issue, they didn't care for them the next day though. So for us, I will make the dough and either leave in the fridge over night; or will form the doughnuts and freeze them, take them out to rise Saturday morning and then fry them.

1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon yeast 
1/4 cup water 
1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar 
3/4 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
1/4 cup butter 
3 3/4 cups flour 

• Proof yeast by adding it to the warm water.  
• Heat the milk in your microwave and let cool.
• Combine yeast, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Carefully, stir in remaining flour until smooth.
• Cover and let rise until double, 30-60 minutes.
• After the dough has risen, turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.
• Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.
• Cut with floured doughnut cutter.  Separate donuts and holes, as they take different frying times 
• Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes. 

Heat oil to 350 and fry a few doughnuts at a time.  When they turn light brown flip carefully.

Chinese BBQ Pork - Crockpot

Chinese BBQ Pork

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1 tsp Chinese 5 spice

2 Tbsp red wine

4 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp hoisin sauce

4 Tbsp ketchup

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

Mix all together in a plastic bag and add pork roast.  Marinade overnight.  I used a pork roast from Costco which was about 3 pounds.  I stuck in crockpot for about 4 hours and it turned out perfect. You know your crockpot best.  

Pumpkin Brownies..Super Awesome!

It might sound a little weird but the canned pumpkin actually adds an awesome depth to the chocolate and cuts down on the sweetness.  I was a little skeptical but even tasting it before baking I knew they were going to be tasty.  The brownies were a little flat and fudgy.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

How to:

In the microwave, melt the butter. Let it cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 baking pan.

• In a bowl mix the melted butter, sugar. pumpkin puree, vanilla.  Mix well but don't over mix.
• Add cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.  Mix until moistened.  Be careful to not over mix.
• Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

The best part since these are eggless...you can lick the spoon with NO guilt!! YAY!

I would LOVE to post a picture but these beauties were eaten up before I could get the camera out.

Orange Pumpkin Bread

Fall is here!! 

One of my favorite tastes of fall is pumpkin.  I found a great recipe for Pumpkin Bread!!

Orange Pumpkin Bread

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/3 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend sugar, oil and eggs. Stir in pumpkin. 
4. Slowly blend the flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. While blending the mixture add juice a little at a time. 
5. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 90 minutes. 
6. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

2-Cheese Crackers

We went into the city this weekend.  On the way home, I realized hey, we didn't have any "adult" snacks. Not that adults can't eat and enjoy goldfish or stale graham crackers.  I wanted something that I could love and the kids wouldn't keep asking, "Mom, can I have one of those?"  So I found this great recipe for Parmesan Cream Crackers.   Being a crazy cook, I adjusted it to 2-cheese crackers and here's the recipe!

2-Cheese Crackers

1 cup all-purpose flour, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half, more as needed

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly dust with flour. 

1.  Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until flour and butter are combined. Add about 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half and let machine run for a bit; continue to add liquid a teaspoon at a time, until mixture holds together but is not sticky. 

**Be careful.  I added too much cream and had to add more flour.**

2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/2-inch thick or even thinner, adding flour as needed. Transfer sheet of dough to prepared baking sheet (drape it over rolling pin to make it easier). Score lightly with a sharp knife, pizza cutter or a pastry wheel. 

3.Sprinkle with salt or other topping if you like.  Sea Salt, Sesame Seeds, Caraway Seeds, whatever you'd like (I would brush with a little butter or milk first so it will stick)
**I missed this step and they really didn't need it. :-) **

4. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. 
Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temperature or store in an airtight container for a few days.

Easy Pizza

I am all for easy peasy as long as it's great tasting food.

I'm  a let's try a pinch of this or a pinch of that kind of cook. I'll try add-ins to just about anything.   Not real crazy things but like peanut butter in pancake mix or adding a little maple syrup to the batter.

So today is an Indian Summer day.  It's not super hot but hot enough that this momma doesn't really want to cook, or in this case, put too much work into cooking.  My hubby works  in DC  or as the boys say "in the city" a few times a week; which in VA means leaving before the sun gets up and getting home 2 hours after you leave the office (20 miles away) and getting home about 6:30 or 7:00. Crazy for this girl who's been a country girl all her life!!

So I thought I'll whip up a Pizza for dinner.

It is EASY!!

1 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar

Put into a large bowl and let yeast dissolve and get foamy.

Add to the bowl
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tablespoon oil (it can be olive, vegetable or cooled melted butter)

Knead for 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

with your hands stretch the dough into whatever shape you want.  You can leave it thick for a deep dish style or use a rolling pin to make it thin for a thin crust.

Add whatever toppings you'd like!   Bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes (in my gas oven it took about 19 minutes) until crust is golden brown.

Cookie Dough Bites (nuggets from heaven)

Check out the recipe on Disney's Family.com

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup packed light brown sugar1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
6 ounces miniature chocolate chips or chopped regular chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well -- use your hands to get it together the best.
Roll into 1-inch balls.
Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Dip in chocolate, drizzle with chocolate or eat as is. I am going to use my to add to homemade ice cream
Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

The Lightest Hamburger Buns You Will Ever Make!!!

I LOVE King Arthur Flour.  When I went on vacation to New England last year, we stopped by the store to check it out.  

Today I was planning on making burgers for my crew.  I found a recipe for hamburger buns on the website and just had to try them out.  They are SO light that I just about dropped them when I picked them up.  It would have been like a slapstick comedy episode, the girl picks up something light and flings it across the room because she expected a rock! Not only were they light...they were TASTY.

I did mine just a teeny bit different.  I didn't have instant yeast so I proofed the yeast with the water and sugar first and then added the other ingredients.

1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast (1 packet)

I proofed in my stand mixer until bubbly and spongy looking. (about 5 minutes)

I then added:
2 tablespoons melted butter (cooled)
1 large egg (if you plan on using an egg wash for the tops to add seeds, save the egg white and add the extra yolk here)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

I used the paddle of my mixer until it was smooth and elastic.  It was a little bit sticky.  Sprinkling a little bit of flour on my board. I kneaded the bread for about 5 minutes.  The dough needs to be smooth.  I put it into an oiled bowl with a cover for about 90 minutes.  It was doubled in size.

Gently deflate the dough and divide into 8 pieces. (it depends on how big you want your rolls to be.  If you want BIG rolls divide it into 8).

Roll the dough into balls and flatten with your hand into circles.  Let the dough rise another hour or until they are puffy.

Preheat oven to 375.

Brush with egg wash (the reserved egg white and 1/4 cup water) beaten.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds or any other seeds you'd like.  If you don't want to add seeds you can brush melted butter on the tops.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool before slicing and ENJOY!

Lazy Momma Cookies (or just too busy to bake)

Lazy Momma Cookies:

1 box yellow or white cake mix
2 eggs beaten
5 T melted butter
2 C M&M's or mini chocolate chips

Mix together, put in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20 min!


adapted recipe from the awesome website I Am A Lazy Mom

Yummy Dark Bread

• 1 - 10 ounce brewed strong coffee (1 1/2 cups), cooled to room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoons caraway seeds
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)

1. Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order suggested by manufacture. Select dough cycle. 
2. When the machine indicates the end of the final rise, remove the dough.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Shape the dough into 2 round ovals on piece of parchment. Let rise until doubled in size.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the loave sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Chocolate Buttermilk Scones

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg


1 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder


1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold) cut into small pieces


3/4 cup chocolate chips
cooking spray


Directions:
     Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the first four ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
     Combine flour, baking powder, salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
     Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender, or you could use 2 knives, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 
      Add milk mixture, stirring just until moist.
     Gently fold in chocolate chips.
     Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly four times with floured hands.    
     Form dough into an 9-inch circle onto baking sheet, about 3/4" thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 12 wedges all the way through.


Adapted from recipe at Skinnytaste.com

Apple Crumb Pie

There is nothing more patriotic than Apple Pie.  

My mom used to make the BEST apple pie.  Her crusts were amazing.

I never got the hang of crust making.  It is my kryptonite.  Some times it turns out PERFECT...other times not so much.  I've used *gasp* store bought pie crust and made some pretty stellar pies...but I miss homemade crust. 

So today I searched and found a basic pie crust. Ready?

• 1 cup all purpose flour
  1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  3 Tablespoons White Sugar
  1 teaspoon Salt
  2 Tablespoon milk
  1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

     Mix together the dry ingredients.  Slowly mix in the milk and then butter with a fork until dough forms a ball (I had to use the whole amount of butter because of the whole wheat flour.)

     I rolled out the dough gently with my rolling pin until it fit my pie pan. Since I made a "topping" for the pie, instead of a crust; I didn't make the crust go all the way up the sides of my pie pan.

I then chopped 5 medium apples. I was living the "high life" and actually bought 4 different kinds of apples to try!! I know...all fancy schmancy! But my genius is clouded by the fact that I didn't write down what kind they were.
     While fighting off hungry apple robbing children..I quicky cored, peeled and sliced the apples...all the while thinking to myself  "Man, I have to feed these kids more often!!"

Once you've made you apples pie worthy, mix the apples with:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Go ahead and put those beauties on top of your pie crust. (They are tasty little morsels)

For the Topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled

     Mix together the dry ingredients and slowly add the butter.

     Most of the time I cut in the butter to my toppings.  This recipe didn't do that. I was game so I went for it.  It made the topping more like a cobbler than a crisp.  Still very tasty!

I didn't "sprinkle" the topping...I had to spoon blobs of it all over.   It actually made the pie look pretty.  Again more like a cobbler than a crisp.

• Bake at 425 for 20 minutes with foil loosely over it.
• Remove foil and bake at 375 for another 20-25 minutes.

For the next time I make this!  Once I put the apples in the pan, I will put/dab small pats of butter over them before adding the crumble.  The pie itself was dry (meaning I didn't pick out the right kinds of apples).  When I served a piece warm to my hubby...I drizzled a little flavored coffee creamer over the top to give it a little more moisture.  He gobbled it up so it must have tasted pretty good.  I have not had a piece yet...but as soon as I post this...I will!!

Happy Baking!!

Mandy


I'm linking to these awesome linky parties: 

What I Made! at Creations by Kara
Linking Party at Passionately Artistic
What's Cooking Wednesday at The King's Court IV
Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party #27 at Mrs. Fox's Sweets

Please stop by and find a plethora of great ideas!!  DIY! Cooking! Tips of all kinds!

Maple Mustard Pork Chops

You will need:

• 8 thin sliced pork chops
• 1/3 cup dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• olive oil
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs

Directions:

• Mix mustard, syrup and sugar together until smooth.
• Put parchment paper in pan. Drizzle with olive oil.  Lay pork chops in pan, close but not touching.  Drizzle more olive oil over top. 
• Sprinkle salt and pepper over chops.  
• Pour on mustard sauce.  
• Sprinkle panko crumbs over the top.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Check out the Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy, Mandy's Recipe Box "Totally Tasty Tuesday" Linky Parties!!  LOTS of delicious recipes!!

Beer Battered Fish

2 lbs of white fish-see note 

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 teaspoon favorite seasonings (I used a fish seasoning that had garlic, red pepper and lemon flakes) 

1 12 oz bottle beer

salt and pepper

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, corn starch, seasoning, salt and pepper. Slowly add the beer and whisk until smooth. The mix should look like thick pancake batter.

In a deep fryer heat the oil to 350 degrees**. Season the fish with salt and pepper, dip the fish strips into the batter and carefully place in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes on each side. If your basket has holes in it like mine does...you might have to loosen the batter from underneath to get fish loose. Those are yummy tidbits to tide you over. ***if you don't have a deep fat fryer, you can heat about 2 inches of oil in a skillet to 350 degrees and fry them that way...about 3 minutes on each side.

NOTE:

I used Swai.  It is like catfish..a bottom feeder from Vietnam.  People have expressed concern about whether or not it is healthy but I have found many more people that have not had any problems with it.  I got a 2 pound bag for around $5 at Walmart. I am NOT a big fish fan.  If there is even a little bit of fishiness to it...I can't eat it.  This wasn't fishy at all but it was a different texture than I like. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.  The beer batter was a recipe I found for fish tacos and I LOVED the taste of the batter. Next time I might have to splurge and buy Halibut. :-)

Chicken Crockpot Casserole

After a couple of days of living on the broil setting and having to check my kids hourly for those beautiful grill marks on their backsides, yes, that's how hot it was! I am ready to cook in my kitchen!

I actually don't mind the sunshine. It is a change of pace for me.  I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where we had 2 seasons.  Rainy, dreary gray from November 1st  to July 4th (the Rainy Season). Then we'd have outbreaks of sunshine for July, August, Sept and usually October..usually only a few at a time peppered with rainy days.

Now that I live in the DC area.  I've had to get used to not only warm days, but HOT days...HOT days that stick to you like stink on a stink bug. (Something else that we didn't have in the Northwest)

So today I decided that it is a crockpot day.  Casserole without having to heat up the oven.  Genius, I say!  I found a GREAT recipe by Christy Jordan at Southern Plate.  She's my sister..she just doesn't know it. I LOVE her recipes! Please go to her web site to check out her delicious recipes!


 Here is the link to her fantastic recipe for Cheesy Chicken Crockpot Chicken that I will be making tonight.

First chicken in the bottom of the crockpot and cover with onion and some minced garlic (I didn't have a fresh one..haven't replenished my pantry this week).  I also sprinkled some Caribbean Jerk seasoning over the chicken too for a little kick.

Spoon over the cream of chicken soup.  I added some carrots.

Now I am "potting" it on low for 6 hours and am filling my house with delicious smells that will make my neighbors jealous! Before serving, I added 1 box of rice-a-roni, cooked according to the box.  

Dinner in a flash! Okay maybe not a flash but no muss, no fuss!! :)

The Most Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's a holiday weekend and the thing I love most to do...BAKE.  My kiddos love Chocolate Chip Cookies so when I find one that turns out so great.  I grab it and make it over and over again.

These turned out even better than I thought they would.  I actually made them yesterday evening and left the dough covered and in the fridge overnight.  The cookies after baked had a really nice coloring and almost sheen to them.  They are crunchy but soft and yummy.  You'll LOVE them!

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant french vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

• Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. 

• Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. 

• Stir in the eggs and vanilla.

• Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. 

• Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.