Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1) Beat Together:

2 1/2 cups Sugar
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 Lb Butter
5 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

2) In a separate bowl:

5 cups White Flour
2 cups Wheat Flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

Combine together.
Then add 2 packages chocolate chips.
I always use Ghiradelli (sp) choc chips, they are bigger and I think they make the cookies.
Bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes.
Again these make so much.. I ball them up put them on paper plates and in freezer bags, then I can have warm cookies whenever I want (but no more than 3 servings!)
I hope you like them. -Steph

Albie Rolls

Dough:
1 3/4 cups warm water
3 Tbs yeast
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup Sugar
(Let these first 4 ingredients stand for 15 min.)
Then add the following 3:
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Salt
5 cups Flour

Insides:
1 pkg Cream cheese (softened) (I like extra cream cheese and add 1/2 pkg more)
Sliced ham (I use lunch meat)
Grated Cheddar cheese

Roll out bread dough 1/4" thick (more rectangle than square)
Spread cream cheese, put down ham slices then spread cheese.
Roll up like cinnamon rolls, cut with string.
Put on cookie sheet Bake @ 350 for 10-15 mins or until dough is done.

This makes a lot. I always freeze what we don't eat, then Nate takes them for lunch when we don't have left overs. Enjoy. Steph

Chicken Rolls

This is one of our regulars, it is super easy and super good.

1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese (softened)
2 cans canned chicken (you can shred your own chicken - this is just easier)

2 packages Crescent Roll Dough

Mix cream cheese and chicken together.
Separate & Flatten crescent rolls, add a spoon full or two of chicken mix to the center of dough and wrap dough around, press dough together to seal.

Melt Butter in a bowl
Crush Ritz crackers in a bowl

Dip uncooked roll into butter and then into crackers.

Bake @ 350 for 25-30 Minutes

Use Cream of Chicken soup as gravy. (Fill can 3/4 full of water to delude and bring to a boil)

I hope you enjoy. -Steph-

Chicken Sandwiches

Sorry ladies, no picture here due to camera problems, but here is a great recipe instead!
-Jess

This serves 8 people, so plus or minus however you need to.

4 cans canned chicken breast
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onions
enough mayo to make it creamy
ranch dressing to taste (I put in about 1 T per can of chicken)

Mix together in a bowl and serve on fresh croissant rolls. If you want, you can add sliced grapes to the mixture.

Contessa Cheesecake

By request, here is the Barefoot Contessa Cheesecake recipe that is soooo fabulous.
It's really easy to make, just make sure you plan in advance because it takes some time.
Enjoy! Jess



For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1 T sugar
6 T butter, melted

For the filling:

2 1/2 lbs cream cheese, at room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole eggs, room temp.
2 egg yolks, room temp.
1/4 cup sour cream
1 T lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. To make crust, combine the 3 ingredients until moistened. Press into a 9-inch springform pan. Leave an inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temp.

Raise oven to 450. To make filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar on med-hi until light and fluffy. (5 min) Reduce speed and add eggs and yolks two at a time. Scrape down the bowl as needed. On low speed, add sour cream, zest, and vanilla.
Pour into cooled crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 225 and bake for 1 hour and 15 min. The cake will not be completely set, so allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 min. Take the cake out and sit on top of stove for 2-3 hours more. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To remove from pan, run a hot knife around the edges. Serve on the bottom of the pan. Top with whatever you want.

Taco Bake

Ingredients

1 box mac and cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 cup salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare mac and cheese as directed on box. While mac is cooking brown the meat and drain. Add taco seasoning mix and water to meat, simmer 5 min. Stir sour cream into mac and cheese. Spoon half of this mixture into a baking dish put a layer of meat mixture on top of that and 1 cup of cheese, then the rest of the mac and cheese. Cover. Bake 15 min. Top with salsa and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Awesome Beef Stew

Ingredients

3/4 cup Italian Dressing
2 lb beef in 1 in chunks
6 slices of bacon
1 large onion
3 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups sliced carrots
3 medium potatoes cubed
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can beef broth

Directions

1. Trim excess fat from meat and cut into even 1-inch chunks
2. Place dressing and beef in large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.
3. Cook bacon in large pot on medium heat 5 min. or until crisp. Remove bacon from pot using slotted spoon.
4. Drain excess bacon fat
5. Add onion and mushroom to pot; cook on medium-high heat 10 min or until softened. Add beef with marinade, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes with their liquid, broth and bacon to pot.
6. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour and 15 min. Uncover and simmer 15 min.

I did not put the mushrooms in and only used half the onion, I also used twice as much broth.

Chicken Enchiladas

Sorry I don't have pictures for any of the recipes I am going to put on today.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 T margarine or butter
2 4oz cans of diced green chili peppers, drained
1 3oz package cream cheese, softened
1 T milk
1 handful of fresh thyme
1 handful of fresh rosemary
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
12 7in flour tortillas
1 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 8oz carton sour cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup cheese of choice
2 T chopped pecans

Directions

1. In a skillet cook the 1/4 cup pecans and the onion in margarine or butter over medium heat till onion is tender and pecans are lightly toasted. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1 can of the green chilis.
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese, the 1 T milk, and herbs; add nut mixture and chicken. Stir till combined. Spoon about 3 T of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla near an edge; roll up. Place filled tortillas, seam sides down, in a greased 13x9 in baking dish.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine soup, sour cream, 1 cup milk, and the other can of chili peppers. Por the soup mixture evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 min, remove, sprinkle with cheese and pecans and bake until cheese melts.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

I made this for dinner tonight and it was so easy and SUPER yummy!!! --Patrice

Ingredients:

1 lb skillet steak, julliened (or pre-cut stir-fry meat)

2 cups cut up broccoli (not too small)

Cashews (optional, but so good)

Soy Sauce

Sugar

Cornstarch

1/2 cup Water

Marinate the steak in 1/4 cup Soy Sauce and 1/4 cup sugar all mixed together. (I stole this from Megan...) I marinted mine for almost 12 hours and it was SOOOO good, but a few hours would be fine....

To cook: put meat in pan; brown. Add broccoli. Meanwhile, mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp soy sauce. When broccoli looks adequately cooked, add 1/2 cup water and cornstarch mix. Cook to thicken. Sprinkle in your liking of cashews, stir and eat on top of some hot and steamy rice.

Stacked Enchiladas

These are my FAVORITE!!!!!!! --Patrice

INGREDIENTS:

*Corn Tortillas (about 4 per person)

*1 can Rosarita Enchilada Sauce (Rosarita brand is my favorite sauce and I figure 1/4 - 1/3 cup sauce per person)

*Lettuce, shredded; you decide how much you want

*Sliced olives (I buy the regular olives then put them through my egg slicer to chop em quick)

*Shredded Cheese (cheddar, mexican blend, whatever kind you want)

Warm sauce in saucepan. Heat oven to 200 degrees. In hot skillet heat one corn tortilla, put it on oven-safe plate (I like to put another tortilla on the skillet to warm while I do the next part), then pour on a little sauce and spread around. Sprinkle on some cheese, olives, and lettuce, then top with another tortilla until it's 3 or 4 layers thick. Put in warmed oven to keep warm while you make another delicious stacked enchilada!

Fettuccine Carbonara

I didn't take a picture because I didn't think it was going to be very good, but it turned out okay, so here's the recipe. --Patrice

1/2 lb (8 oz) fettuccine, uncooked
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup light Caesar dressing
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
6 oz chopped ham
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, dressing, and flour in small saucepan with wire wisk until well blended. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until mixture is well blended. Add ham; cook on med-low heat 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Drain fettuccine mixture; return to saucepan. Add sauce and peas; mix lightly. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Top with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

A shout out to Tiff!

Hey! I want you to notice that Patrice has now set up a blog! So that means you are the lone ranger! Please set one up, you have such a cute son, and we'd love to see all of the pictures you take of him. :)
I'll see you bright and early in the morning girls!!
Steph

Lasagna Soup

Sorry, I don't have a picture.... I wasn't at home when I ate it.

1 Lb Ground Beef (Already Cooked)
1 Onion (I just use Onion Powder)
1 Garlic Clove (Again Garlic Powder)
1 15 oz. Can of Tomoato Sauce
1 28 oz. Italian Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp Chicken Bullion (2 Cubes)
1 tsp Beef Bullion (1 Cubes)
4 Cups Water
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregeno
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
3-4 Lasagna Noodles Broken Up
* Combind all ingrediants except noodles
- Heat to a boil
- Reduce and cook for 25 minutes.
* Add Noodles - cook until noodles are done
(usually another 30 minutes - depending on how many you put in.
* Top with Mozerella Cheese and/ or cottage cheese.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is our FAVORITE soup! It is so easy to make and so yummy and healthy!!! I got it on allrecipes.com. I make just a few changes, sometimes... instead of peeling and cubing the squash, sometimes i roast it in the oven and mix some of the water with all the other ingredients (it's really hard to peel and cube a hard squash unless you have a good knife!), sometimes i completely omit the onion and margarine and it's still super good. It's also kind of spicy, so go easy on the cayenne if you have a tender tongue. I finally figured out that 6 cups of the cubed squash is about a 2 1/2 pounder, but it's really easy to adapt the recipe to the size of the squash. I was really skeptical the first time I tried this soup... I mean, come on, it's squash! but now WE LOVE IT!!!! I topped the soup with Parmesan Crisps... just take shredded (not grated) parmesan and put in on a greased microwave safe plate in little round piles (about 1 tbsp a piece) then microwave 1-2 minutes until they are lightly brown. YumYum! --Patrice

6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons margarine
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
4 ounces cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

Blue Cheese Burgers

I was a little bit worried about these burgers because I was venturing out to blue cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised! I used ground turkey instead of beef and cooked it on the stove on medium for about 6 minutes on each side. Instead of putting mayo on my bun, I did a generous layer of guacamole and it was wonderful!!! I got this recipe on allrecipes.com. I made 6 large burgers from this recipe. --Patrice

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds lean ground beef
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
12 French rolls or hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat grill for high heat. Gently form the burger mixture into about 12 patties.
Oil the grill grate. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve on rolls.

Crock Pot Chicken

I'm all about Easy Recipes and this is another one. This is also one that you can easily increase or decrease according to how many you're cooking for. I got this recipe from my friend Natalie. I hope you enjoy.
1 Chicken breast for each family member (or however many you'll eat)
1 Large can of Cream of chicken soup
1/2 bag mini carrots
5 potatoes, sliced

Place soup in the bottom of crock pot with about 1/2 cup water. Place chicken breasts on top. Then cover with carrots and potatoes. Cook in crock pot on high for 3 hours. The chicken is SO tender and juicy with a great gravy from the soup. (I like to add a 1/4 package of Lipton onion soup mix. Just for a little extra flavor)
- Do you like my fine china?? - Steph