Cookie request

Made these cookies last week and was asked to share the recipe.  I had a bunch of M&M's from a party so I subbed them for half the chocolate chips.  Yummy and colorful!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C crisco, butter flavored
3/4 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 t vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
2  3/4 C flour
3/4 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 1/2 C chocolate chips

Beat butter, crisco, and both sugars until light and fluffy.  Add in vanilla and eggs and mix well.  Add in flour, salt and baking soda and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips (and in my case M&M's).  At this point, the recipe says to bake.  However, I chilled my dough and I think it helped them keep their shape a little better.  It would also be easy to scoop the dough and freeze, then bake when you need them.  When you're ready to, bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes or until barely cracked on top and lightly browned on the bottom.

Summer Pasta

Here's my latest favorite quick meal.  Besides being quick, it's light and tastes like it's fresh from the garden.  In contrast to high calorie alfredo pastas, this one has just a hint of sauce and allows the basic ingredients to shine.  The first time I made it, I did it with just zucchini and tomatoes.  This version has some chicken and mushrooms in it.  Honestly, I liked the first version better!

OK - this is one of those recipes that you use how much you like and need to feed your family.  To make your own fresh summer pasta:

Boil water for pasta and cook according to package instructions.  

In the meantime, cut zucchini in 1/2" chunks.  You can also slice some of the biggest baby tomatoes in half but leave a good amount whole.  Clean and slice the mushrooms.  Chop some onion and garlic.  I used frozen onions and garlic from a jar - I'm all about convenience in these quick meals.  Slice up some fresh sage and hold on the side for the end.

Cut the chicken in chunks and fry in a hot pan with a little bit of olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from pan.

Add some chicken broth to the same pan.  I used 1/4-1/2 C.  Dump in all your veggies and cover with a lid to steam a little bit.  This part goes really quick, maybe 5 minutes, stirring once or twice in between.  You just want them tender but not mushy.

Before draining your pasta, add about 1/2 C of the pasta water to the veggies.  Return the chicken to the pan.  Stir in the sage.  Add 1 T butter and stir until melted.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve veggies over pasta and sprinkle with some parmesan cheese.  OK, a lot of parmesan cheese!  Enjoy.

Garlic Green Beans

So I've made a goal to add some more interest here by adding photos (when possible).  Good excuse to combine two of my loves: food + photography = food photography!  Why it's taken me this long, well, all you moms out there know why...

Back to the food part.  This is one of my family's favorite side dishes.  Even my youngest who is a veggie purist (doesn't like any sauce or seasoning on her veggies) likes it.  Super easy and fast, and so fancy feeling.

Ingredients:

french green beans (frozen or fresh)

garlic, chopped or pressed

olive oil/butter or combo of both

sea/kosher salt

pepper

It's one of those recipes that you tweak to the way you like it.

1.  Heat a little olive oil and/or butter on high in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and green beans.  Cook to desired tenderness.  We like the little bits of burnt beans and crisp garlic.

2. Season with salt and pepper. 

Granola Bars

2 cups oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbl ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or raisins, or craisins.
1 tsp salt (i use just a pinch of salt)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg – beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.  In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flaxseed, cinnamon, flour, choc chips and salt.  Make a well in the center and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla.  Mix well.  Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges turn golden.  Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars.

As soon as I have time I am going to try substituting in whole wheat flour and maybe some applesauce to cut down on the oil. My family LOVES these. They fill you up and our a perfect snack for school, breakfast, and church!
**I did try the whole wheat flour and they turned out even better in my opinion.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Sift together dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and vanilla. Add flour mixture until barely blended. Add chocolate Chips. I sometimes add a tsp or two of flaxseed also.

Bake 350 for 12-14 minutes

Honey Cookies

2/3 Oil ( I use vegetable)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

Mix oil and sugar, add honey, egg, and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Roll into walnut sized balls and roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Store in container while still warm with a tight lid. 

Italian Wedding Soup

• 1/2 pound ground turkey or chicken
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or some chopped fresh onion
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups thinly sliced escarole/endive/spinach
• 1/2 cup cooked orzo pasta
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

1. Combine meat, egg, herbs, bread crumbs, and parmesan.  Shape into mini meat balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, saute carrots (and onions if using) in a little olive oil in pot.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add escarole.  Reduce heat and simmer.

3. Cook pasta according to package.  

4. Add meatballs and orzo to broth and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Serve.

To freeze: Do steps 1 and 2.  Can combine and freeze.  Leave pasta uncooked in separate bag.

To cook from frozen:

Heat broth and meatballs to boiling.  In the meantime, cook pasta. For the orzo I used, cook in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes.  Be careful draining - those are tiny little things!  Continue with step 4.