favorite chocolate chip cookies

I can't narrow it down, so here are my top 2.

Coming it @ #1 is:
Ghiradelli's "The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie"

• 2 1/4 c. unsifted flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. teaspoon salt
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t. vanilla
• 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional), I can take them or leave them, but my family wants me to LEAVE them, so I generally do.
•  1 - 11.5 oz. bag Milk Chocolate Chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In large mixer bowl, cream butter with sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375ºF for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

And closely behind at #2 is:
Mrs. Field's Rich & Chewy Cookies
(The original recipe is HUGE, so I always halve it, and this is the recipe halved.)

Cream together-
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

Add-
3 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda

Stir in-
1-3 c. milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. nuts, chopped - optional

Bake @ 350* for 12 minutes.
Yield: approx. 3 dozen

**Tip: For any of these cookie recipes, mix the dough, form into balls. Place on a cookie sheet then FREEZE. Once frozen, remove the cookie dough balls to a freezer bag and then they're ready when you want them. Bake some now, and freeze some for later!

**Note: I am a HUGE MILK chocolate fan, so I will most always use MILK chocolate instead of SEMI-SWEET. Use what you like.

black bean quesadillas

We LOVE this easy, delicious recipe from Sandra Lee! Check it out!

• 6 burrito-size flour tortillas
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can refried low-fat black beans
• 1 c. chunky salsa
• 1 1/2 c. Mexican-style shredded cheese
• 1/2 c. prepared guacamole (from the refrigerated section), if u LIKE guac ;P
• 2 T. sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay 1 tortilla on a clean work surface. Spread the beans evenly over the tortilla. Spoon 3/4 c. of salsa over the beans, then sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the second tortilla.

2. Place the quesadilla on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is crisp and brown. Meanwhile, swirl the guacamole and sour cream together in a small bowl.

3. Cut the quesadilla into 4 equal portions and transfer to a plate. Serve with the guacamole mixture and remaining 1/4 cup of salsa.

Yield: 12 portions, or use only 2 tortillas and yield 4 portions.

fancied up pound cake

I took the liberty of renaming Everyday Food's "almond-and-orange yogurt cake"
I hope they don't mind. :/ The name is a bit intimidating or even "stand offish", but it really was good, or I wouldn't be posting it.


12 T. unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks) @ room temp.
1 2/3 c. sugar
6 wide strips **orange zest, plus 1 T. finely grated zest
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. blanched almonds (meaning RAW, not smoked, roasted, etc.), finely ground in a food processor
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. Greek yogurt, plus more for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 2/3 c. sugar, 1/2 c. water, and orange-zest strips. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set syrup aside to steep.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almonds, grated orange zest, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 c. sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on LOW, alternately beat in flour mixture and yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. Transfer batter to prepared pan;  bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a rimmed serving plate. Using a fork, poke shallow holes (about 15) into top of cake. Pour 1/2 the syrup over cake; garnish with orange-zest strips from syrup. Let cool completely. Serve with yogurt and remaining syrup.

**You can substitute orange zest for LEMON zest: 2 teaspoons grated and 4 strips.

asparagus & shrimp pasta

We really like this recipe. It sounds a little strange, but all the flavors mix together nicely. Alivia LOVES the shrimp in it.

2 c. penne/rotini pasta
1 bunch asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces

Peel, devein & clean:
1 lb. medium shrimp, raw

Make dressing, by mixing:
1 envelope GOOD SEASONS Garlic & Herb Salad Dressing Mix
1/4 c. vinegar
3 T. water
**Shake vigorously in sealed container.
Then add:
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package direction, drain; pour into large bowl; drizzle with a little of the dressing & cover.

2. Cook asparagus in 1 T. of dressing in large non-stick skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add shrimp to skillet & cook 5 minutes longer, or until shrimp are pink and asparagus is tender-crisp.

4. Pour shrimp & asparagus mixture over pasta; add 1/2 the remaining dressing & feta cheese. Toss lightly.

5. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled. (We prefer it warm.)

frosted banana bars

What better way to use over ripe bananas than to turn them into these YUMMY bars! You will thank me. They are SCRUMPTIOUS!

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. ripe bananas, mashed (about 3-5)
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

1. Cream butter & sugar; beat in eggs, bananas, and vanilla.

2. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture.

3. Pour into greased jelly roll pan (or greased rimmed baking sheet, or 2- 9x13 pans). Bake @ 350) for 25 minutes. Cool, then frost with... and keep refrigerated.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 c. pwd sugar
2 t. vanilla

1. Cream butter & cream cheese. Add sugar & vanilla; beat well.

2. Spread over cooled bars. Optional- sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

cheesy spinach & bacon dip

This is one of my FAVORITE dip recipes! I love it with tortilla chips!


Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 15 minutes

1 pkg (10-16 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained (bag size depends on how much spinach you want in your dip; I prefer the 16 oz.; if you like it cheesier, use 10 oz.)
1 lb. Velveeta cheese product, cut into 1/2" cubes
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1- 10 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked & crumbled

1. Combine all ingredients in microwavable bowl.

2. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes, or until cheeses are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and cut-up veggies.


Yield: 4 cups

Cupcake Cones

The kids picked these out of the "Cake Mix Dr" cookbook so we made these "little man's" birthday party.

Makes: 24 cones, + 10 cupcakes
Prep: 15 minutes
Baking: 20-25 minutes
Assembly time: 15 minutes

24 good-quality flat-bottom ice cream cones
**1 pkg white or yellow cake mix
1 1/3 c. water
1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla

**Can use devil's food cake mix instead, and substitute 1/2 t. cinnamon for the vanilla.

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Wrap a small square of aluminum foil around the base of each of the empty ice cream cones, and stand the cones in ungreased muffin baking pans. Set pans aside. (Make sure the cones with foil are FLAT on the bottom, or they'll tip over.)

2. Place the cake mix, water, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend wiht a mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Spoon approx. 1/4 c. of the batter into each ice cream cone, filling it a little more than 1/2 full.

3. Carefully, place the pans in the oven and bake until cake springs back when lightly touched with your finger, 20-25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile prepare frosting.

Buttercream Frosting:
8 T. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 3/4 c. pwd sugar
3-4 T. milk
2 t. vanilla

a. Place butter in large mixing bowl, and blend for 30 seconds. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. Blend in 1 T. milk more if the frosting seems too stiff.

5. Remove the foil from the base of each cone and frost the tops with frosting. (I put the frosting in a sandwich bag, cut off the corner and swirled the frosting on so it looks like a soft-serve ice cream cone.) Decorate with sprinkles soon after frosting (so the sprinkles stick to the frosting). Serve on a platter, or as I did- arrange 2 cones each in each muffin tin. (BAKE ONLY ONE in each tin, not 2 as I have it displayed.)