Valentines Day Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are really yummy Chocolate Chip cookies and super cute for Valentines Day! Here is where I got the recipe from http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/01/soft-mm-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Valentines Day Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Makes about 15 Large cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free and not 'cook & serve'), OR use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Both these and the M&M's turned out to be a little bit more chocolate than I would prefer so just do this part to your liking)
3/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's mixed into the dough + about 1/2 cup for placing on top of dough mounds

DIRECTIONS:

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, pudding mix (or cornstarch), baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, 3/4 cup M&Ms, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 15 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
5. Add about 1 tablespoon M&Ms to the top of each dough mound.
6. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
7. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for 11 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don't use a rack.
8. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Copycat Costco Poppyseed Muffins

So far this is the best recipe for copycat Costco Poppyseed Muffins that I can find. They don't quite have the huge muffin top but they taste very similar. These are great for freezing as and make a quick breakfast!

Almond Poppyseed Muffins
Yields: 5 Jumbo muffins

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• ½ cup butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (I like a strong almond flavor, and use 1 teaspoon)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Sliced almonds to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds and set aside. Cream butter, sugar and extract. Add eggs, beating well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk into butter mixture. Pour into greased muffin tins (or ungreased paper muffin cups) and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake 24 minutes or till top springs back. Makes 10 large muffins, or 12 smaller muffins.
2. You can also make a glaze with mixture of ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon of almond extract if desired.

My substitute for Cafe Rio's Pork Salad with copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Okay so I'm really behind on my blog so I thought I would add a few of my favorites that I've made lately. This recipe is a really yummy sweet pulled pork recipe. It can honestly be used for a ton of things like nachos, burritos, salads etc. We had it with a salad to make our copycat version of Cafe Rio's salad that we love so much and it was delicious! Here is the recipe for you! Here is also the original website I found it on: http://www.rockrecipes.com/apple-barbeque-pulled-pork-nachos/ Please note this recipe does take a long time so it's nice to do a big batch and then freeze some of it for later use.

Apple Barbeque Pulled Pork Salad

Begin by dry rubbing a 5 to 6 pound pork shoulder roast with a mixture of

• ½ tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dry thyme
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dry oregano
• 1 ½ tbsp kosher salt

Rub all over the surface of the roast, cover and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

(I didn't do this step but you can if you want it more browned) Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and brown the roast on all sides. 

Transfer the roast to a covered roasting pan. To the roasting pan, along with the roast, add:

• 1 medium sized onion chopped
• 4 medium sized firm apples peeled and cut in chunks

Meanwhile mix together in a medium size bowl:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup molasses
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard (In case you need to, I just used normal mustard and it turned out fine)
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce (adjust to taste, I believe I did just one tablespoon)
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Pour all over the roast, apples and onions in the roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil then the lid of the roasting pan. Roast in a 300 degree oven for several hours ( approximately 4-5) until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone. Every so often I would baste the pork with the juices.

Remove the braising liquid to a saucepan, skim all the excess fat and reduce the liquid until it slightly thickens. At this point you can puree the sauce with an immersion blender or in a food processor to smooth it out and incorporate the cooked onions and apples. Pull the pork apart in finger sized pieces and pour the barbeque sauce over it.

For our salad I Combined the following:

Salad

Tomatoes

Cilantro (optional)

Black Beans

Rice (Optional)

Corn

Cheese

Pulled Pork

Copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing (See recipe Below)

Copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno ( if you like it mild, just remove the seeds, I also started with half the Jalapeno and wished I would've stopped there but my husband liked it will all of it so it just depends on how hot you want it so slowly add this in)

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That’s it!

Copycat Zupas Garden Chowder and Homemade Cornbread

Were any of you able to have the wonderful opportunity of trying Zupas Garden Chowder while they were still serving it? This soup is sooo yummy and healthy, it's a great dinner option! We luckily have a zupas opening up here in our town but it doesn't open for another 9 days and after watching it being built I just couldn't wait any longer so I had to try to recreate it myself. :) According to this website (http://whatsfordinnerguide.blogspot.com/2011/05/chars-garden-chowder.html) that I found it on I'm pretty sure this is the exact recipe Zupas uses.

If you're as big of a Zupas fan or just a soup fan as I am than I guarantee you will love this recipe! I'll include the entire recipe for you but I will include some comments below as well for making it even healthier.

Zupas Garden Chowder Soup
Yields: 10 servings (ish) Basically a normal size pot of soup.
Ingredients:

1/3 c Butter

2 Medium Zucchinis
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
2 T Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 tsp Dried Basil
1/3 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 c Vegetable Broth
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 Tomatoes, Diced
1 12oz can Evaporated Milk
1 can Corn, undrained
1/3 c Parmesan Cheese, grated (totally optional, I loved it without the cheese. Omitting it helps to make the recipe a little healthier as well)
2 c Cheddar Cheese (optional, same as above, totally doesn't need it to be amazing)
1/2 lb cooked diced Chicken (optional, I didn't add this and either does Zupas but if you want a heartier meal than it's a good way to do that)

Directions:

Over medium heat saute the onion, zucchini, parsley, and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in vegetable broth. Add lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for two minutes. Add tomatoes, milk, and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheese just until melted. Serve.

I also decided to make some homemade cornbread as well to go along with it and it was a perfect combination! I got the recipe off this website http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/2010/09/the-best-chili-and-cornbread.html however I changed a couple of things in the directions in hopes of making it a little easier and more understandable. See recipe below...

Homemade Cornbread
Yields: 9 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 Eggs

1 cup buttermilk (If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, mix 1 Tbs lemon juice or 1 Tbs vinegar with 1 cup of milk- a great substitution.)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup white flour
1/2 tsp salt  

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.
In a medium size microwavable bowl, melt butter in the microwave until boiling, quickly stir in sugar and then the eggs and beat until well blended. 
Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture.
Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. 

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.