Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is the first day of Spring...and it's snowy,rainy wet outside.But it is the perfect day to bake up some cookies.Today I picked just plain good chocolate chip.Nothing fancy but so delicious!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter,softened to room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (If you use salted butter,just leave this out)
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl beat butter,sugars,vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy.Stir in flour,baking soda and salt.Stir in chocolate chips.

On an ungreased cookie sheet,drop dough by tablespoonfuls two inches apart.Flatten slightly.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until light brown.Cool 1-2 minutes,remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Cheesy Chili Taco Bake

Before becoming a SAHM I worked in a deli.They had this pre-made frozen casserole that was awesome.I decided I had to go home and make it myself.My recipe isn't exactly the same but it comes darn close!

Cheesy Chili Taco Bake

1 cup uncooked rice
1 can Nalley Thick Chili
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can sliced olives
1 can corn (optional)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375

First in a pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil.Turn heat down to low and add rice.Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

While the rice is cooking,in a separate pan brown ground beef.Add taco seasoning and about 1/3-1/2 cup water.Mix well and add chili,olives and corn(If desired.I like it with corn but Rob is anti-veggie so I leave it out).Let simmer for a couple minutes.

Add rice to ground beef and mix till combined.Pour into 8 x 11 baking pan.Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.Serve with sour cream,hot sauce and corn bread.

St.Patrick's Day Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

This was my first time making chocolate mint cupcakes.They turned out so yummy! I used my cupcake recipe and just added cocoa powder and 1/3 cup more milk.The frosting is my Butter Cream recipe with mint extract added.

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour,sugar,baking powder,cocoa powder,and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add shortening,milk,and vanilla.Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.Scrape side of bowl with spatula.

Add eggs to mixture.Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.Scrape bowl again.Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.


Mint Butter Cream Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
2-3 tbsp milk
2 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring

In a large bowl,beat powdered sugar,butter and shortening with an electric mixer on low speed until blended.Beat in milk and mint extract on medium speed until smooth.Stir in milk until spreadable.Add food coloring until you reach your desired color.

Makes about 3 cups of frosting.

I made a light shade of green,frosted the cupcakes,then added more food coloring to the remainder of the frosting for a more darker green.Then I put the frosting in a small Ziploc bag with a small corner snipped off to pipe the shamrocks onto the cupcakes.You could also use Andes candy to top the cupcakes if you aren't doing a St.Patrick's Day theme.

Oven Fried Chicken

Growing up in a big family I used to make two big pans of oven fried chicken to feed every one.Now with just my husband,toddler and I eating I only need to make a few pieces.It's taken me a couple years to learn to switch to making smaller meals..even then I still sometimes automatically make a huge pot of whatever I'm cooking.

Oven Fried Chicken

Chicken (thighs and legs work best)
Canola oil (Vegetable will also work)
1-2 cups flour
2 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Seasoned Salt
2 tsp Chili powder
2 Eggs

I don't measure my seasonings for the flour mixture..I just pour them in till it looks right,so the measurements are just my guess.You'll have to play with the recipe to fit how much chicken you are making also.

Preheat oven to 375.Pour about an inch of canola oil in a skillet and heat on medium high.
In a glass cooking pan or bowl add flour and seasonings.Mix well.

In another dish crack eggs and beat.

When oil is hot,dip chicken in eggs..then the flour mixture and put in skillet.Brown both sides of chicken.This will only take a couple minutes for each side.Place chicken in glass baking pan.Cover with foil and place in oven.

Bake chicken for 45 minutes with foil on,take foil off and bake for another 15 minutes.