Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't know about you, but I am always on a look-out for an amazing chocolate chip cookie. I am super picky when it comes to a cookie...I am not a soft chewy crisco cookies (barf) type person, and I don't enjoy the super crunchy cookie, like I grew up with! Actually, my favorite cookie is from the Old Grist Mill in Logan, Utah. It is thin, has an amazing vanilla buttery cookie flavor, and chewy with a bit of a soft textured outer crunch! YUMMY!!! I came across this recipe in a magazine, made some alterations, and gave it a try. It is a winner! I meant to take a picture but they vanished, somehow? Let me know if you enjoy!

Crispy-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 sticks softened butter
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 1/2 good quality vanilla (this is where the cookie gets half of its flavor)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup finely shredded sweetened coconut (this is where you get the other delicious flavor)
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour...yes only 1/2 cup!
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugars, and salt together for 5 minutes, until fluffy. Don't skimp on this part. Add egg, vanilla, and soda, scraping down sides. Add oats, coconut, and flour; mix on low until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Let stand until oats are soften, about 30 mins. Bake on parchment paper, 3 inches apart. They spread out! Bake on 350 for 14 minutes. For crispier cookies, bake 2 minutes extra.

Gingerbread Waffles with Caramel Syrup

These are so fun and Christmasy not to mention YUMMY!!! I love finding recipes to liven things up here!

Gingerbread Waffles
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
6 TB melted butter
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix by hand brown sugar and egg yolks until well blended. Stir in buttermilk, molasses, and butter. In separate bowl combine all dry ingredients. Mix in with wet. Beat egg whites and fold into batter. Do no over mix!

Caramel Syrup
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 TB corn syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

In a large pot combine butter, buttermilk, syrup, sugar, and soda. Stir and bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Keep stirring until it turns into a dark Carmel colored syrup. **Note, Use a Large pot because the soda makes the syrup boil up high**

I whipped up some homemade whip cream with a hint of cinnamon in it...Really good. (made sure I ran today too)

Mint Brownie Recipe

Yummy Mint Brownies

For the Brownies:
1 cup melted butter ( i cut this down by a 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar ( i cut this down a little too)
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Whisk together melted butter and cocoa. Then add sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix Well. Then add sifted flour. Stir by hand and don't over mix.

Bake at 350 in a greased 9X13 for 25-28 minutes (mine always take closer to 28 minutes)

Cool completely (or stick in freezer for a little bit).

Frosting:
1/2 cups butter ( I only use a 1/4 cup)
2TB Milk
2 cups Powered sugar
1 tsp Peppermint Extract
green food coloring.
(This is just a basic butter cream frosting that all of you probably already make. I don't follow the recipe I wrote it down just in case. I like a little more than this recipe calls for so I use more milk and more P. sugar. This is the only minty part of the brownie so I use a good teaspoon plus a little extra. Don't use the mint or spearmint extract...they are nasty. Make sure is says Peppermint. Watkins is my fav!)

Ganache Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet ch.chip.
Melt it together and stir really good. Drizzle it all over the brownies and frosting.
I cut down the butter and add a little cream instead.

Don't say I didn't warn you!!! They are sooo addicting. Happy Christmas Cooking!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup of each chopped potato, onion, carrots, and celery

Saute in butter for 10 min.

Add 1/2 cup flour to pan and cook for 1 min.

In a separate bowl combine 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of half and half.

Gradually stir into vegetables.

Add salt and pepper and 4 cups of cooked chicken (or turkey...if you eat turkey)

I use a casserole dish or a 9X13. I also use store bought pie crust if I don't have time to make it. Cover with a pie crust and cook on 400 degrees for about 45 min.

This is super yummy!!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Saute 3 stalks of celery, 3 chopped carrots, and 1 small onion for 5 min.Sprinkle with 2 TB flour and stir.

Add 1 big box of chicken broth, 3 chopped potatoes, and a lot of broccoli. Add salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper. Simmer til tender. Mash soup. Add a little milk, heavy cream, 3 pieces of American cheese and Cheddar cheese (or however much you want).

This is our favorite soup. It is perfect to get rid of all the big bags of veggies that are going bad!

Melinda's Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup br sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal

Mix like a normal cookie batter. 375 for 8-10 min.

This is our favorite! I make cinnamon ice cream (taking store bought vanilla ice cream, letting it thaw and adding a lot of cinnamon to it, 1-2 TB) and we make ice cream sandwiches with these oh so delicious cookies. It is quite a taste treat!! The cookies are delicious plain too!

Emeril's Rib Sauce

1 TB oil
1 Med onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup ketchup
1 can beef broth
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 -1/2 cup br sugar
1/2 tsp of cumin, coriander, celery salt
1/4 tsp cayenne

In a med saucepan, heat oil add onion and garlic. season with s&p. Cook 3-5 min. Add remaining ingredients, bring to simmer and cook for at least 30 min. The longer the better.


I use this recipe when I make the inexpensive cut of country style pork ribs. They never get tender if you don't cook them for hours. I grill them on our BBQ for about 45 min. Then I put them in my crock pot or a roasting pan with this concoction from Emeril. I let them cook for a long time...at least 6 hours in a crock pot and 3 hours in a vented roasting pan. They are super delicious if you can do it right.

(I always lose this recipe, so now I will not)

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

This recipe is a standing Hemming tradition every Easter. In fact, I have made them into balls for Christmas and other times, and have a hard time eating them. They are so Eastery to me. I can't wait to make them next week. They are so good! For those that requested this recipe, sorry it took so long!

• 1 box powdered sugar**


• 3 Cups Rice Krispies


• 1/2 Cup melter butter


• 2 cups crunchy

PB Beat all together, form into eggs and dip in chocolate. The old recipe says to use 1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 king size Hershey bar, with a little paraffin grated in. You can dip with whatever you like to dip with.

**So this powdered sugar amount causes confusion between my sister, my mom, and I ever Easter. The original recipe calls for a box of powdered sugar, but we think it makes them too dry and hard to form into eggs. I think 2-2 1/2 cups is the best amount. You need them to be sticky enough to form, but not too sticky to dip! Good Luck!

Sweet and Sour Sauce

I never can find this recipe when I need it...

1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 T corn starch
2 TB soy sauce
mix all together until hot and thick.

This sauce is good on anything!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Over General Conference weekend we made all sorts of our fall favorites. I think these pancakes are at the top of my fall baking list. They are really yummy. I need to make them more. The kids inhaled them.

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe
1 1/4 cup flour
3 TB sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup pumpkin
4 eggs, separated and whites beaten till fluffed, but not too stiff.
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients. In different bowl combine milk, pumpkin, egg yokes, melted butter, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix together gently. Fold in egg whites. Cook as you would cook pancakes. These take a couple minutes longer to cook and are very moist. I added more spices to mine...I'm a spicy person!

Cinnamon Syrup Recipe
1 cup sugar
1/8tsp. salt
2 T flour
1/2 -1 tsp. cinnamon (I use closer to 1 tsp. of the Costco cinnamon, it's my favorite!)
2/3 cup water
2 TB butter

In small saucepan mix sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Add water and boil till thick. Take off burner and add in butter. This is a must with the pumpkin pancakes. I would add a dollop of whip cream too!

Homemade Milano Cookies

Mallory and I tested a new recipe the other day and were so surprised that it actually turned out. In this months Everyday Food (the Martha food magazine) she had this recipe. They were really fun and quick to make. They totally looked like the Milano's that we all love SO much.

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (Watkins is the best)
1 large egg
4 oz semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract(Watkins is the best again!)

Beat butter and sugar on high for 4 min. Add vanilla and beat. Add egg and beat to combine. Mix flour and salt(already combined beforehand) into low mixer, gradually just till combined.

Transfer dough to big zip lock or pastry bag. Snip zip lock with a 3/4 inch hole. Pipe 54 2-inch cookies on parchment. Chill 20 min.

Bake on 325 for 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate.

Mix together powered sugar and peppermint extract.

Spread chocolate on one side of cookie and sugar mix on the other and sandwich together.

These are so fun to make with kids.

A New Recipe

I am always trying different roll recipes. For some reason I feel a need to find a recipe that is yummy and that works great. I think I may have found it!

Recipe

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup dry milk
2 TB yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5-5 1/2 cups flour

Mix water and milk until combined. Add yeast, salt, sugar, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups flour and mix the same as before. Keep adding flour until the dough is manageable. (I used almost all of it).

Rub with oil and flip in bowl, let rise for 45 minutes. Roll out in rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Cut in half both ways. Then cut in strips and roll them up starting with short end. Let rise for 1- 1 1/2 hours, until double. (if you live here, maybe 45 minutes) Bake 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Brush with butter.

Good thing I have new running shoes!

Yummy Chili Verde

I have been wanting to make homemade Chili Verde for a long time. I looked at a lot of different recipes and combined a few together. It turned out better than I thought, and everyone loved it. Michael said it was better than any restaurant food he has had, and we have had super good Mexican. I will be making this again.

Chile Verde Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
5 garlic cloves, not peeled
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (optional)
1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped
3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder or I used a loin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 yellow onions
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (depending on how many drippings you get)

Brown pork in hot oil and lots and lots of seasoning, with a little cumin too. Put all drippings with meat in a crock pot.

Peel the husk off the tomatillos, cut in half, rub with oil. Place cut side down on foil lined cookie sheet. Also put on 5 big UNpeeled cloves of garlic, and 2 Anaheim peppers. Broil for 7 minutes on high, or until the vegetables are browned. Cool the peppers in a bag, making it easy to peel the skins right off. Put tomatillos,peeled and seeded peppers, and peeled garlic in a blender. Add 2 seeded jalapenos, and 1 bunch of cilantro to blender and blend. Add to crock pot.

Saute 2 onions and more garlic in a pan until tender. Add to crock pot.

Cook in crock pot all afternoon, or all day if cooking on a low setting. I added a cup or 2 of chicken broth. I had lots of drippings so I didn't add the full amount. Just make sure that the liquid is almost covering the meat. It will reduce while cooking.

I made Bajio sweet rice to go with it. We put it all in tortillas and had burritos. YUMMY!

Pumpkin-Spice Bars

Bars
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 ginger
1/4 cloves


Frosting
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2-3 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin till smooth. Stir all dry ingrd. together, add to wet ingrd. Can stir in 1 cup raisins, I do NOT. Spread in greased cookie sheet pan, 15x10x1. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool completely, 2 hours.

Mix up frosting. Spread over bars. Sprinkle with nuts.

This is my favorite pumpkin dessert. I hate pumpkin pie so this is a yummy alternative. It is really rich but oh so good. It makes a ton too.

Coconut Cupcakes

They are the BEST EVER!!! 1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup packed sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup butter, room temp.

1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, room temp.
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Whisk together flour, powder, salt. Pulse shredded coconut in food processor until finely ground, and whisk into flour mixture.

Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in whole eggs, whites, and vanilla. Reduce speed and add flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with 2 additions of coconut milk and beating until combine after each.

Divide batter among lined cups. Rotate while baking half way through. 20 minutes on 350

Frost with favorite frosting.

(Martha makes hers with her 7 minute frosting adding coconut extract. I don't like that kind of frosting. You can probably find it on her site. I would do a yummy butter cream or a cream cheese. I would put coconut extract in. I made it with a ganache glaze. It was good too.

These cupcakes were so coconutty and delicious. I actually liked them plain too. Just make sure you beat the butter and sugar really good to make a light and fluffy batter. Yummy!

More cupcakes to be posted!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup br. sugar
mix all dry stuff together (including the sugars)
in separate bowl combine:
1 egg
1/2 cup oil (maybe a little less)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 cup ch. chips (I used mini)

Add wet ingredients to dry until just combine...don't over beat muffins!
If you have sugar in the raw, you can sprinkle it on top.
Bake 350 for 20 min

These are yummy muffins. You have to make them NOW!!! If you like things with wheat flour I would combine some in...just to be healthy!

Logan's Roll recipe

I have been wanting to find a new yummy roll recipe, so I think this is it. Make it and tell me what you think. They are super easy!!!

We had a little pre birthday dinner on Sunday for Kyle, he is the original dough boy. Unfortunately the dinner went out the window when Jillian came home from church with a big nail that her teacher had given her. I took it away as she was charging Mallory with it, and she simply FREAKED OUT!!! Had I known she was going to scream and cry and have a tantrum for over an hour, I may have considered letting her have the nail as a toy! Anyway, the rolls were pretty good especially with our homemade jam (we made another batch on Saturday). They are called Logan's rolls because they are from Logan's Roadhouse, I haven't eaten there but heard it was good.

Recipe

3 cups flour

4-5 tsp. yeast

1tsp. salt

2TB sugar

1/4 cup dry milk

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 egg

4 TB butter, melted

Add 2 cups flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and dry milk in large mixing bowl. In separate bowl whip egg and water. Make a well with dry ingr. and mix in wet mixture. Stir by hand, 150 strokes, scrapping sides of bowl. Add melted butter and beat. Add rest of the flour a little at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 min - 1 hour, until doubled. Punch down, batter is super sticky. Drop spoonfuls into prepared muffin tin. Brush with butter. Let rise for 30 min. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until they are done. I brushed them with butter as they came out too. Then smother with homemade jam!