Make Your Own Cookies!!

Today, my youngest and I made chocolate chip cookies for his and his siblings' school lunches.  Homemade cookies are the best, and they really don't take that long.  My family's favorite cookie is chocolate chip (my fave is oatmeal raisin), so that's what I make most often.

My chocolate chip cookies usually are a variation of the tried and true Original Nestle Toll House Cookie recipe.  Sometimes (like today) I substitute Crisco for half the butter; sometimes I do half margarine; sometimes I do all butter - it all depends on what ingredients I have on hand.  The same goes for the chocolate chips.  Sometimes I substitute some milk chocolate chips, M&Ms, butterscotch chips...again, it's whatever I have in the pantry.

I also am known to make cake box cookies.  I love the ease of making these cookies - all you do is add egg and oil to cake mix and voila cookie dough!  Both recipes follow.

Original Nestle Toll House Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature for 1/2 hour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare cookie sheets (spray with pam, cover with parchment paper, or cover with Silspat).  If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, use the dough paddle.  Beat butter until fluffy.  Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Use spatula to push down batter from side of bowl and off bottom.  Add 1 tsp of salt and beat for 30 seconds.  Add 1 tsp of baking soda and beat for 30 seconds.  Gradually mix in flour on low setting.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a a Papered Chef mini scoop (or 2 teaspoons), drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.  Note:  If you have a convection oven, you can do 3 cookie sheets at once.  Decrease the temperature to 325 (my oven does that automatically), but bake for the same length of time.

When done, remove from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare cookie sheets (spray with pam, cover with parchment paper, or cover with Silspat).  In large mixing bowl combine cake mix, oil, and eggs.  Stir until well blended.

Using a a Papered Chef mini scoop (or 2 teaspoons), drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Note:  If you have a convection oven, you can do 3 cookie sheets at once.  Decrease the temperature to 325 (my oven does that automatically), but bake for the same length of time.

Easy Crock Pot Baby Back Ribs

Sticky, tangy, fall off the bone bbq ribs...yum there's nothing like it.  Yep, I love me some ribs.  But, I would never, ever order them at a restaurant.  Waaay to messy!  That's why I make them at home!

While there's no arguing that slow cooked ribs cooked on the grill are the best, it's also really time consuming.  Who wants to babysit the grill all day?  Not me!  Instead, I make my ribs in the Crock Pot.  These ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, easy and delicious!

Easy Crock Pot Baby Back Ribs

3-4 lbs baby back ribs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 onions, sliced
16 oz bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

Place ribs on a broiling pan or metal jellyroll pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place ribs under broiler until light brown.  Slice broiled ribs into serving size pieces (2-4 ribs) and place in Crock Pot.  Add onions and bbq sauce to pot.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Perfectly Sweet Corn

Nothing says summer like corn on the cob!  I make it often...especially when it's on sale!  Since I only do my shopping once a week (and I can't always make it to the Farmer's Market) my corn is not always - in fact is rarely - off-the-stalk fresh.  Never fear, my corn on the cob recipe will make everyone believe that you grew it at home.

Perfectly Sweet Corn on the Cob

4 - 6 ears of corn, husks and silk removed

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Fill large soup kettle with water and bring to boil.  Add sugar and lemon juice.  Carefully add corn.  Boil 3 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit in hot water for another 7.  Remove with tongs and enjoy!

Note:  I highly recommend the Pampered Chef corn cob holders.  You screw them in before you cook the corn.  Easy peasy.  

"Best Burger I've Ever Had!"

During the summer, we cook burgers on the grill about once a month.  We make "Dad's Secret Recipe" burgers, which are actually the Hidden Valley Ranch burger recipe.  According to Boy Scout Troop 140, which enjoyed the burgers on their trip to the Grand Canyon, these burgers are the "best burgers they've ever had."  I can't argue...they really are delicious!

When we make these burgers, we use 90/10 ground beef and (no surprise) Aldi brand ranch dressing mix. Also note: We ALWAYS serve these burgers on the fresh hamburger buns baked on site in the Publix bakery.  Do not serve these incredible burgers on cheap 99 cent buns...spend the extra $1 for the good ones!

Best Burgers Eva!

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 lb ground beef
Good quality hamburger buns
Optional condiments and toppings:  ketchup, mustard, Vidalia onion, pickle slices, cheese slice, etc.

Prepare grill.  Combine ground beef, cheese and salad dressing mix.  Gently combine and make into 4  patties.  Grill about 5 minutes per side.  Slice and gently toast bun.  Top with burger and desired condiments (I like mine with ketchup, mustard and pickles, while my kids eat their's plain).

In the summer, I serve these burgers with a salad (tomatoes vinaigrette would be a good choice) and watermelon.

Classic Rhubarb Pie

I have loved rhubarb pie as long as I can remember.   My sister recalls a time when I was maybe 5 that she took me to Poppin' Fresh (this morphed into Baker's Square) restaurant and I ordered and ate 2 pieces of rhubarb pie.  There is something about that tangy, tart, sweet flavor that makes me swoon.

Rhubarb doesn't thrive in Tennessee like it does in Minnesota.  However I get my fix courtesy of my sister, who sends me bags of it when it is in season.  I always look forward to this package.  My family and friends do too.

Although there are great recipes out there for rhubarb jam, rhubarb/strawberry pie, and my father-in-law's favorite rhubarb custard pie, I prefer traditional rhubarb-only 2 crust pie.

As far as crust goes, homemade definitely does taste better.  However, I only make it from scratch if I forget to pick up a pre-made refrigerated crust.   I'll include a recipe for crust, but don't feel guilty for using pre-made (sprinkle it with a little sugar before baking and it'll tastes almost as good!).

Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for 9-inch, two-crust pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel (I've used lime and orange too...use whatever you've got)
4 cups diced fresh rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces)
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 425.  Put 1 piecrust in pan; prick with fork.  Mix sugar, flour, and lemon peel.  Pour 1/2 of the rhubarb into the pie pan; sprinkle with half the sugar/flour mixture.  Cover with rest of rhubarb and sprinkle with remaining flour/sugar.  Dot with butter.  Cover fruit with remaining pie crust.  Slit top crust several times (to allow steam to escape).  Seal edges and flute with fingers or fork. Sprinkle 2 tsp of sugar over crust.  Cover fluted edge of crust with aluminum foil (remove during last 15 minutes of baking).

Bake on the center rack for approximately 45 minutes, or until crust is brown.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Easy Pie Crust in Food Processor

2/3 cup Crisco
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4-5 Tbsp cold water

Mix all ingredients except water in food processor.  Gradually add water until it starts to get crumbly and pull away from sides.  Remove pastry from processor.  Divide dough in half and roll between wax paper or heavily floured dish towels, until it is a large 1/4 inch disc.  Repeat same process with other half of dough.

Stuff I Crave -- BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

There are certain restaurants where I order the same thing over and over and over again.  Can't help it.  I don't eat out often.  If I'm eating at a restaurant that I KNOW has something I LOVE, I will order it. I always get the Grilled Salami on a Kaiser Roll at Cecil's Deli, Wild Rice Soup and Salad Bar at Bylery's, Oyster Wings and Fried Rice at Leann Chinn, and BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad at California Pizza Kitchen, CPK.

I was lucky enough to have had this salad just a few weeks ago on Jon's birthday.  It's certainly not the healthiest salad option out there, but it's comfort food to me and I crave it!

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

4 cups chopped Romaine
3 large fresh basil leaves chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup drained and rinsed black beans
1/4 cup drained sweet corn
1/4 cup grated mozzarella or monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup peeled and diced jicama
1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing
1 large tomato diced
1 ripe avocado sliced (optional at restaurant and here too)
1 grilled bbq chicken breast, chilled and diced
1/4 - 1/2 cup prepared bbq sauce

Toss together first 7 ingredients with ranch dressing, then divide onto plates.  Divide tomato, avocado and chicken evenly among plates and drizzle with bbq sauce.

Old Fashioned Mac 'n Cheese - Perfect for Tailgating

Love me some starchy, cheesy mac 'n cheese.  Kraft does a mighty good job, but this recipe is even better!  I like to combine three cheeses - Swiss, Cheddar and American - in my mac.  However, feel free to combine whatever cheese you have in your refrigerator.

We eat this at home often during the school year - you can make it ahead of time, freeze, thaw, and heat up in the oven!  Easy!  I also bring it to tailgates and potlucks.  Everyone (read: picky kids) loves it, and it packs well.  Hope you give it a try!

Old Fashioned Mac 'n Cheese

1 pound macaroni or tubular pasta (like penne)
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk (I use fat free)
1/4 cup grated onion

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

dash of nutmeg

black pepper to taste

1/4 lb Velveeta, cubed
1/4 lb shredded cheddar
1/4 lb shredded swiss (I use sliced Swiss - just tear into smaller pieces)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta in water as indicated on package.  Drain and set aside.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium high heat.  Saute the onion until soft.  Stir in flour until a paste (roux) is formed. Let roux bubble for a minute, then whisk in 2 cups of milk.  Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add cheeses and spices. Stir until cheese is melted.  Pour cheese over drained pasta, mix, and place in greased casserole dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Serve with a green salad as a main course or use as a yummy side.