Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. These are the best Chocolate Chip Cookies ever! Pretty much fail proof too as far as I'm concerned since i've always had a struggle with chocolate chip cookies in the past being flat. I originally found the recipe here http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/2015/02/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies.html but like usual I adjust things or do it a little different so I rewrite the recipe some or make some comments that will hopefully help you in baking them! I also think this would be a good base recipe for other kinds of cookies or to add different things to as well. 
2. 
   
   
3. Chocolate Chip Cookies
4. Yields: 24 cookies
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6. Ingredients:
7. 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
8. 1/2 tsp baking soda
9. 1/2 tsp salt
10. 1 1/2 sticks real unsalted butter, softened
11. 1 cup brown sugar
12. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13. 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
14. 2 tsp vanilla extract
15. 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda..
3. Mix the butter and sugars together in the kitchen aid  until well blended. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be soft.
4. Gently scoop dough into balls using a large cookie scoop and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are slightly soft still. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Store in an airtight container.

Cauliflower Chowder

This soup is super yummy! It's basically just like a potato chowder but healthier so it's a great substitute! Even my husband and kids loved it. I always love me some good soup and this was definitely a good one. :)

Cauliflower Chowder

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloved of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 cup all- purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup 2% milk

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

4 Slices bacon, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and cook bacon for about 15 minutes or until baked. Or cook on the skillet over medium high heat for about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, set aside to cool. 

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk until desired consistency is reached. I didn't have a problem with this though so it should be fine.

Serve immediately and garnish with fresh parsley and bacon! Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm

Red and white lasagna

This is by far my new favorite way to make lasagna! This is just your normal lasagna but you add Alfredo sauce to the top and it is to die for! How did I just find out about this?!

Red and White lasagna

Ingredients:

1 box lasagna noodles

1 lb sausage

24oz can of Hunts garlic and herb spaghetti sauce (or marinara sauce)

1/2-1 jar of Ragu Garlic Parmesan alfredo sauce (depending on how much you want. The recipe called for a whole jar but I had a half of a jar in the fridge and I thought it turned out perfect!)

15oz ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided 

Dash of parsley 

Directions:

Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on package. Usually it's boil the noodles for 10 minutes and then lay out on wax paper. 

Layer 1: Spread 1 cup of sauce in a 10x13 baking dish/cake pan. 

Layer 2: 4 noodles

In a large bowl mix the ricotta, mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and eggs together. 

Then add half the cheese mixture and spread over the noodles and spread another cup of the spaghetti sauce on. Then spread all of your cooked sausage on. 

Layer 3: 4 more noodles and the rest of your cheese mixture and then the rest of the sauce. 

Layer 4: 4 more noodles and then spread on Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle a little parsley on top and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. 

Bake covered at 350° for 40 mins. Then uncover and cook anothe 10-15 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Let sit 10 mins before serving.

Enjoy!!!

 

Blueberry Buckle

This was our delicious breakfast today. I'm always brought back to my childhood with this recipe. My siblings and I used to love this as kids! 

Blueberry Buckle

Ingredients:

First layer:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1egg

2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Second layer:

2 cups blueberries

Third layer:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter/ half stick cut into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. For the first layer, cream together the sugar and shortening. Add egg and mix until fluffy. Add the rest of the first layer. Mix. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with second layer. In a small bowl mix the ingredients for the third layer and pour on top. Add a little sprinkle of blueberries on top and put in the oven for 40 mins. Take it out of the oven and sprinkle butter on top, return to oven for 5 mins or until melted. Enjoy!!

Crockpot Mango Salsa Chicken

Crockpot Mango Salsa Chicken

This was our yummy dinner tonight! This chicken is good right out of the crock pot like we had it or you can also have it on a salad, with rice, or in a burrito. There are so many options with this chicken. 

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts

16oz mango salsa

Directions:

Put ingredients in a crock pot on low for 5hrs or until  chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

Ingredients:

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons of chile powder

1lb bacon

4-5 chicken breasts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Cut chicken breasts into strips. Wrap bacon around the chicken strips and secure with a toothpick on each end. 

Mix the brown sugar and chile powder together in a bowl. Dredge the chicken wrapped in bacon with the brown sugar mixture and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Roll-Ups

I found this recipe on pinterest and fell in love with it. Joe always wants a hot lunch so this was a good way to make that happen in a short amount of time. Also these would be really easy to make ahead of time and freeze or even just have the chicken pre-cooked and then they could be made really quickly. Plus who doesn't love chicken, bacon, ranch and cheese in a delicious croissant!? Yum! Here is the site to the original recipe: http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/ranch-chicken-club-roll-ups/2


Chicken Bacon Ranch Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken tenders, either precooked or cut from chicken breast and sauteed till cooked through.
• 16 slices bacon (microwave bacon is fine)
• 8 slices colby jack cheese
• 2 cans crescent roll dough, pressed into rectangles.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place about 2 tsp or so of ranch on each crescent roll rectangle.
3. Add a slice of colby jack cheese (torn to fit)
4. Add 2 slices bacon.
5. Add one chicken strip.
6. Roll up and place seam side down on greased cookie sheet.
7. Back for 15-20 minutes until golden.
8. Serve with extra ranch for dipping.