Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I have a confession to make. Even though I have been baking for years and years, and have made countless recipes, I have only made chocolate chip cookies maybe 5 times. Ever. And another thing...they are not my fave. Gasp! But they are 1 of like 2 desserts that my husband actually likes. (I know- I always have cakes/brownies/pies on my counter...I am selfish.) But I decided that he deserves to have the treats he enjoys as much as I do. So I started baking some chocolate chip cookies.

First, I used a "tried and true" recipe that is very popular.
They came out flaaaaat.

So then I used a "no fail" recipe that solved any cookie problem you could face.
They came out flat. (Notice, not as many "a's." They looked a little better, but still flat.)

Then I came across a recipe featured in the NY times that gave a lot of helpful hints. And I discovered that:
a. Apparantley, it is an exact science to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. You have to be a flippin' chemist! Greeeeeaaat! I failed chemistry.
b. It helps to weigh your ingredients, instead of measuring. Turns out, my measuring cups measure about 2 oz. small! Good to know!
c. Do not, do not, do not overmix your dough! Mixing in the chocolate chips before you add the flour mixture really helps!

Those were my main problems. Also, this recipe calls for bread and cake flour instead of all-purpose. Apparantley the proteins in these flours react differently to the sugars and liquids and help make the cookie puff up. Bleh-more chemistry!!

Well, to make a short story long, I finally made the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Again, cookies are not my fave, but I did get many compliments on them, so I hope you enjoy them too!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from : TidyMom

• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
• 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds semi-sweet chocolate
• Sea salt

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Lightly whisk, then sift. Using electric mixer with paddle attatchment, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add chocolate chips and mix to combine. Add flour mixture and mix until barely combined, 5-10 seconds. Cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Heat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. For large cookies, use 3 oz. of dough (about 4 Tbsp.) and roll into ball. Make sure you leave enough room for them to spread out. My baking sheet could only hold about 4 large cookies. Bake for 18-20 minutes. For small cookies, roll 1 Tbsp. dough into balls. Bake about 8-10 minutes. When they are done baking, take them out of the oven and leave on baking sheet for at least 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Chicken Tortellini Salad

This is one of my go-to summer meals! It is fast, easy, and really yummy! (Please, no jokes...okay- maybe a few, but only in your head.) It is especially delicious if you make it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day, marinating it its own yumminess. And the leftovers are great too (which is saying something, because I am NOT a leftovers kind of person.) So if you have a fun summer day planned with activities to fill the day, then whip this up quickly and don't worry about it until it's time to eat!

• 1 package Cheese Tortellini, cooked and drained
• 1 package Grape Tomatoes, halved
• about 5 oz. fresh Spinach, chopped
• 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3/4 cup Creamy Caesar Dressing
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

Combine all ingredients into a large serving bowl. Mix to combine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, splash a little more dressing on, and stir. Garnish with more Parmesan Cheese.

Country Rolls

My sister made these rolls for me years ago, and they were incredible!! She made them with a bread machine, so if you have one of those, great! If you're like me, you'll have to make these the "hard" way, meaning waiting for the dough to rise, punching down, etc. But really, it's easy peasy!

3 cups flour (I use bread flour)
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg yeast
2+ Tbsp. butter
2+ Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 cup water (about 100 degrees)

Put all ingredients in a bread maker and push the dough cycle OR mix them with a mixer. Let them rise 2 hours. Punch down and let rise 1 more hour (or so). Roll them out and cut in to 24 sections, putting two sections in each of 12 muffin pan holes. Then let them rise again. I think a couple of hours is best. Bake at 375 for about 12 min. Run butter over the top right as they come out of the oven! Yummy!

Frothy Orange Smoothy

This is the best Orange Julius smoothie I have tried yet! And you probably have all the ingredients already on hand. I make myself one almost every single night. In fact, my daughter loves it so much that I had to start making them after she goes to bed. But when she would hear the blender going, she would sneak downstairs with her puppy dog eyes and beg me for some. So now, I just sneak her up a cup and its become our secret little tradition. I love it. Yum!

• 1/3 cup Orange Juice Concentrate
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• 8-10 Ice Cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Enjoy!

Happy Easter

Cadbury Caramello Ice Cream Bars? Um...yes, please!

In Easter's past, my family has always celebrated with a wonderful Easter dinner...but I have never made one myself. We always go to various family members houses, and I would bring a side or a dessert. Well, this year I pulled of a feast for my own little family.

Ham, Sour Cream Potatoes, Home-made rolls, and Sarah Salad.

I will be posting some of these recipes soon! The rolls were my favorite part. They had a pinch of cinnamon in them and kind of reminded me of Texas Roadhouse rolls. Yum!

So, now I am going to put the kids to bed, and go get me another Caramello Ice Cream Bar!

Fried Manicotti

The other day, I was craving Manicotti, but I wanted it different somehow. I was starring at my recipe just waiting for some inspiration to come. Nothing came, until later when I was craving mozzarella sticks. Yeah, I have a lot of cravings. No, I'm not pregnant. I just always have cravings...like every day. Anyway, I thought about making my manicotti somehow like mozzarella sticks. Crisp and crunchy on the outside, but cheesy and gooey on the inside. And so I came up with this recipe. As I was making this dish, I told my husband that if it wasn't super yummy, I probably wouldn't make it again, as it took more time than I anticipated. But we all ended up loving it, and so yes- I will make it again! Enjoy!

• 1 package Manicotti shells, cooked al dente, and drained
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, grated
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp. Milk
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1-2 cups Bread Crumbs
• 1 jar Spaghetti Sauce

Beat one egg in large mixing bowl. Add cheeses, milk and salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat about 1/2 cup oil in large skillet on medium heat. Beat remaining 2 eggs in separate bowl. Dip cooked manicotti shells in egg, then dip in bread crumbs. Place in skillet and fry about 1 minute on each side. Let drain on some paper towels. Carefully pipe cheese mixture into each shell and place in large baking pan. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Heat spaghetti sauce and spoon onto plate. Place Manicotti on top of sauce and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Theee Cheesecake

When it comes to Cheesecake, I am a purist. I do like other flavors of Cheesecake- I mean come on, it's Cheesecake! In fact, I am in the middle of a self-proclaimed mission: trying one of every kind of Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory. :) But you can't beat the simple pleasure of of this melt-in-your-mouth Cheesecake.

I call it "Theee Cheesecake" because I am hoping to eventually post many different Cheesecake recipes, but they will probably all start with this basic plain recipe, and maybe build from there. Enjoy!

Graham Cracker Crumb Crust

• 1 package (about 8-10) graham crackers, crushed
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup melted Butter

Combine all ingredients in a springform pan. Press onto bottom and sides into a crust.

Cheesecake Filling

• 4 bricks Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. Sugar
• 2 tbsp. Flour
• 4 large Eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp. Whipping Cream

Mix the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix until creamy. Next add the flour. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until smooth after each one. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Last, add the whipping cream and mix all together until smooth.

Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust. Place two small baking cups (like a ramekin or souffle pan) filled with water on each side of your cheesecake in the oven. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

When the cheesecake is done, place a damp towel over it and let cool on the counter for 45 minutes. When it is cooled, take towel off and cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator and let chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Happy Birthday Hubby!

*Sorry for the over usage of the word "amazing." Clearly, I don't know any other adjectives.

**Sorry for the poor pictures, they were taken with my non-smart-phone camera. :)

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, so of course we celebrated with amazing food!! There is this amazing Mexican market close to where my husband works. He goes there for lunch every Friday, and I am always jealous! So of course, I seek every opportunity to join him when I can. They make these tacos that are aMAZing!! He claims they are authentic (he lived with Hispanic people for 2 years), and they are surely the best tacos I have ever eaten.

They cook the steak for like 2 days or something and it has a little pineapple in there for a subtle sweet taste. Then we throw some chopped onion, cilantro, and perfectly ripe avocado's on there. Their homemade cilantro dressing and homemade tortillas are delicious. It is a perfect combination. And it pairs nicely with a crisp Orange Fanta. Heehee. :)

For dinner, we dined at Tucano's, a local Brazilian cuisine. This is one of our favorite places to eat. For me, I love the Brazilian Limeade and the amazing salad bar. My husband drools over the endless skewers of meat they bring to your table, and cut fresh for you. It is delicious!

For the full experience, it takes a good hour or more to eat your meal. It is a really fun place!

What would a birthday be without a birthday cake? Well, a happy one-for my husband :) That's right, he doesn't like cake...or pie...or pretty much 90% of desserts. In the past, I have made my husband a simple Mud Pie or milkshakes for his birthday. But this year, after tasting a new Cheesecake recipe I tried, he requested that. And then he said he wanted to take it to work...so I didn't even get it!! (Actually, he did bring me home a sliver.) But to say that he loved the Cheesecake, is saying something. I recently made it for some friends, and they said "This is the best cheesecake we have ever had." Shucks. I concur. It is amazing. And I will be posting the recipe very soon! Yes, it deserves some anticipated build-up! I'm excited about it! So stay tuned for "Theee Cheesecake."

Mama's Meatloaf

I ate this meatloaf on the first Sunday of every month from the time I could eat solid foods, until the day I got married. (Hubby wasn't a huge fan of meatloaf, until he tried this one. He likes it now.) Even my kids love it. It is super easy to make and tastes amazing!

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 pkg. dry onion soup
• 1 cup oats
• worchestershire sauce, to taste

Mix all ingredients, adding beef last. Shape into loaf and place in baking pan. Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Pour another can of tomato sauce on top.

Old School Peanut Butter Bars

Everyone remembers these yummy peanut butter bars from school days! Every time I make these, nostalgia kicks in and I feel like a little school girl back in the good old days. Okay, not really, but they are SOOO good, and I do eat the whole pan. Enjoy!

• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Oats
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Mix well and spread onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, then let cool completely. Spread with peanut butter, and then top with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

• Melt 1 stick butter, add:
• 4 tbsp. Cocoa
• 6 tbsp. Milk
• 1 pound Powdered Sugar (half of a bag)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat well, then pour and spread on top. Frosting will set as it sits.

Easy Pizza Crust / Breadsticks

I make this easy peasy recipe whenever I am short on time and I need a quick pizza crust or some yummy breadsticks. It takes about 15 minutes to whip up and is really good!

• 1 1/2 cup Water
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbsp. Oil
• 3 1/2 cups Flour
  
  Mix together for 5 minutes.
  For Pizza Crust, roll dough onto pizza stone and poke holes in it with a fork. Bake at 450 for 7-9 minutes, then top with pizza toppings. Bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
  
  For Breadsticks, roll dough onto cookie sheet. top with softened butter, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese. Score with pizza cutter into breadstick shapes. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes.

Mini Boston Cream Pies

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I made these little babies for Pi Day (3/14) and they were a huge hit. And really easy to make!

First, bake a yellow cake into 24 cupcakes. Unwrap them and let them cool for about 15 minutes.

Using a sharp bread knife, cut the tops off all of them, and spoon the Vanilla Custard filling on each one, then place the top on and gently press.

Then, make the Ganache, and carefully pour over each "pie." Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix, made per box instructions, plus 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• Bake at 350 for 18 minutes
• Let cool, then unwrap each cupcake, and let cook another 15 minutes
• Cut tops off of cupcakes

Vanilla Custard Filling

• 2 boxes instant French Vanilla pudding
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 carton Cool Whip, thawed

Mix pudding and milk with beater. Fold in cool whip. Let chill for 30 minutes, then spoon filling on the bottom half of each cupcake. Place topper on top.

Ganache Topping

• 1/2 bag Milk Chocolate chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup Whipping Cream

Heat whipping cream, but do not boil. Add chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Let cool until it gets a little more set, but still pourable. Carefully pour on top of each cupcake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.