So first I have to give credit where credit is due. My friend, Amber, introduced these cookies to me and I honestly thought they were bakery/or store bought. I had never had such a wonderfully perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie. I asked her for the recipe and she referred me to The Sisters Cafe, one of my favorite cooking blogs. I was so excited I ran home and looked up the recipe that week only to find that this recipe is VERY PARTICULAR! ( I had never baked with bread flour and didn't even know what cake flour was) although it is easy- it is TIME CONSUMING! (meaning- plan ahead, if you want your cookies tonight do not use this recipe!) If you want perfect cookies though, this is the PERFECT recipe!
2 cups minus 2 TB of cake flour (leave the 2 TB if you live at a high altitude)
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. course salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 TB white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 lbs. chocolate chips ( I ALWAYS choose a semi-sweet over milk)
Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugars together- FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. Next add 1 egg at a time to butter/sugar mix. Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in chocolate by hand. PRESS PLASTIC WRAP AGAINST DOUGH AND CHILL 24-36 hours.Preheat oven to 350. Press dough into just about 1/4 cup ball and bake on parchment paper lined cookie sheets until golden. About 12 minutes.Enjoy the best cookie you will ever labor over!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Our favorite summer salad
Chicken Curry Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken, cooked, cooled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4 cups red grapes.
3 celery stalks, diced.
1 can water chestnuts.
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted until light brown in oven.
Dressing:
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 tsp. curry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice.
1 head of iceburg lettuce, chopped or shredded.
Combine dressing ingredients and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and then dress right before serving. * this makes more than our family can eat in one night as a main dish, so we combine all the ingredients except the lettuce and dressing and then just make individual servings at dinner. That way nothing goes soggy if there are leftovers.
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken, cooked, cooled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4 cups red grapes.
3 celery stalks, diced.
1 can water chestnuts.
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted until light brown in oven.
Dressing:
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 tsp. curry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice.
1 head of iceburg lettuce, chopped or shredded.
Combine dressing ingredients and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and then dress right before serving. * this makes more than our family can eat in one night as a main dish, so we combine all the ingredients except the lettuce and dressing and then just make individual servings at dinner. That way nothing goes soggy if there are leftovers.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Cracker Barrel Coca-cola Cake as served by Brian
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 tbs. cocoa
1 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Coca-cola
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Icing:
1/2 cup butter
3 tbs. cocoa
6 tbs. coca-cola
1 box powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X13 pan. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together. In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and cola and bring to a boil. Pour cola mixture over flour mixture and then add eggs, milk, vanilla, and marshmallows. Blend well. The mixture should be somewhat runny with the marshmallows floating on top. Pour mixture into 9x13 and bake for approximately 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
Prepare icing by combining butter, cocoa and cola in a small pan and bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until completely smooth. Spread icing on warm cake and serve.
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 tbs. cocoa
1 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Coca-cola
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Icing:
1/2 cup butter
3 tbs. cocoa
6 tbs. coca-cola
1 box powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X13 pan. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together. In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and cola and bring to a boil. Pour cola mixture over flour mixture and then add eggs, milk, vanilla, and marshmallows. Blend well. The mixture should be somewhat runny with the marshmallows floating on top. Pour mixture into 9x13 and bake for approximately 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
Prepare icing by combining butter, cocoa and cola in a small pan and bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until completely smooth. Spread icing on warm cake and serve.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Russian Chicken
This recipe is super fast and easy and most people probably have some rendition of it in their recipe collection. Here is the one we use:
Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on how "saucy" you want your chicken)
1 8oz. bottle Russian salad dressing (looks like Catalina, I use Wishbone brand)
1 can cranberry sauce (I use whole berry sauce, but you can use jellied)
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot. Combine the rest of the ingredients and dump on top of the chicken. Cook for 5 hours on low. Serve over rice.
Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on how "saucy" you want your chicken)
1 8oz. bottle Russian salad dressing (looks like Catalina, I use Wishbone brand)
1 can cranberry sauce (I use whole berry sauce, but you can use jellied)
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Put frozen chicken in the crock pot. Combine the rest of the ingredients and dump on top of the chicken. Cook for 5 hours on low. Serve over rice.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Our favorite chicken tacos
This recipe is super fast and easy, most ingredients are at hand in my kitchen and it is different enough that I don't feel boring when I serve it. No one wants to be a boring cook... right?
Ingredients:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato puree (I use a can of diced tomatoes in my blender, and end up using most almost a whole can- depending on what consistency you like)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
a big handful of raisins (recipe calls for golden but I have used both and just end up using whatever I have on hand)
Your choice tortilla shell (I prefer the crunchy corn shells because it seems like we use flour for just about everything Mexican or not at our house. Nick still prefers soft flour shell.)
Toppings: cheese, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, lettuce, olives... the more the better...really!
Cut chicken into small bite sizes (I like to use partially frozen chicken because it is WAY easier to cut to the size that I want it.) Brown chicken bites with the oil, garlic and onion. When chicken is cooked, add the tomato puree, chili powder and cumin. Last add raisins and cook just long enough that the raisins absorb some of the other moisture and are tender instead of chewy. Spoon filling into shells and top with what you want.
Ingredients:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato puree (I use a can of diced tomatoes in my blender, and end up using most almost a whole can- depending on what consistency you like)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
a big handful of raisins (recipe calls for golden but I have used both and just end up using whatever I have on hand)
Your choice tortilla shell (I prefer the crunchy corn shells because it seems like we use flour for just about everything Mexican or not at our house. Nick still prefers soft flour shell.)
Toppings: cheese, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, lettuce, olives... the more the better...really!
Cut chicken into small bite sizes (I like to use partially frozen chicken because it is WAY easier to cut to the size that I want it.) Brown chicken bites with the oil, garlic and onion. When chicken is cooked, add the tomato puree, chili powder and cumin. Last add raisins and cook just long enough that the raisins absorb some of the other moisture and are tender instead of chewy. Spoon filling into shells and top with what you want.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Deann's Easy Tortellini Soup
Ingredients:
2 cans chicken broth ( I always use bouillon and water and just roundup to 4 cups)
1 can Cannellini beans ( white kidney, but in a pinch I will use red kidney)
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, pureed
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
9 oz. frozen tortellini ( I use dried tortellini or ravioli and this whole meal is a food storage meal )
combine all ingredients except pasta and bring to a boil. Once soup is boiling, add tortellini and cook until tender. Top with fresh parmesan. This meal is so extremely fast and easy and storable. I love it!
2 cans chicken broth ( I always use bouillon and water and just roundup to 4 cups)
1 can Cannellini beans ( white kidney, but in a pinch I will use red kidney)
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, pureed
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
9 oz. frozen tortellini ( I use dried tortellini or ravioli and this whole meal is a food storage meal )
combine all ingredients except pasta and bring to a boil. Once soup is boiling, add tortellini and cook until tender. Top with fresh parmesan. This meal is so extremely fast and easy and storable. I love it!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
1 day old loaf french bread
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cinnamon
whipped cream for topping
Break bread into pieces and let it dry out all day OR Bake the pieces at 250 degrees for 20 mins in order dry it out.
Place dried bread pieces in an 8X8 baking dish. In a small bowl beat eggs. Add milk, sugar, cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend wet ingredients until combined then pour over the dry bread. Allow bread to soak for 15-20 min- occasionally pushing bread down into the wet mixture. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top of mixture. Place 8X8 dish inside of a 9X13 baking dish and then add hot water to the 9X13 until it is half way up the outside of the 8X8. Then carefully place both dishes on the center rack of oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min or until pudding is golden on top and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm topped with additional whipped cream on top.
1 day old loaf french bread
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cinnamon
whipped cream for topping
Break bread into pieces and let it dry out all day OR Bake the pieces at 250 degrees for 20 mins in order dry it out.
Place dried bread pieces in an 8X8 baking dish. In a small bowl beat eggs. Add milk, sugar, cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend wet ingredients until combined then pour over the dry bread. Allow bread to soak for 15-20 min- occasionally pushing bread down into the wet mixture. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top of mixture. Place 8X8 dish inside of a 9X13 baking dish and then add hot water to the 9X13 until it is half way up the outside of the 8X8. Then carefully place both dishes on the center rack of oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min or until pudding is golden on top and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm topped with additional whipped cream on top.
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