Epic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe courtesy of  Tender Crumb. I altered it slightly, by using only regular flour, and using less chocolate chips (didn't have a big enough bowl for 2lbs!). Amazingly good!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Makes: Approx. 3 dozen large, or 7-8 dozen small

Ingredients:
-1 tbsp vanilla
-1 tbsp salt
-1 lb butter
-6 cups and 1 tbsp flour
-4 eggs
-2 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp baking soda
-1 lb semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
-2 1/4 cups of light brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, and butter well.

3. Mix in the eggs next until well blended. I didn't have a blender, so this took a looooong time. Hey, it's on the wishlist.

4. Mix in the vanilla, salt, baking powder and soda, flour, and chocolate chips until well blended.

5. Form dough into round balls (As a note: If you make them smaller, you will come out with about 8 dozen...just sayin.' I made larger ones and got 3 dozen out of the batch). Line a pan with parchment paper. Spread out rounded dough evenly on cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

Fruit Dip

This recipe is so easy, you'll be kicking yourself for not having thought of it sooner! Seriously, I would, but I am a hemo, and that is somewhat frowned upon.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
-1 8 oz package cream cheese
-1 tsp vanilla
-3/4 cup brown sugar
-fruit of your choice, sliced (I went with gala apples)

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Serve with apple slices (or a fruit of your choice).

Ta-da! :)

Smashed Potatoes

I was looking for a new way to make potatoes, and I found it on The Pioneer Woman blog. Amazing recipes on there! Mine didn't turn out as good looking as hers, but they sure were yummy!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-8 red potatoes
-3 tbsp olive oil
-Kosher salt (to taste)
-Black pepper (to taste)
-Rosemary (or other herbs of choice)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Bring water to a boil. Add in potatoes and cook them until they are fork tender (about 35-40 minutes, depending on the size. Bigger potatoes = longer to cook)

3. Drizzle olive oil on the pan. Don't be shy...the more there is, the less the potatoes will stick!

4. Place potatoes on the cookie sheet, spaced apart well.

5. Take a potato masher and press gently down on each potato. Rotate the masher and press again. (you may need to break up bigger pieces gently with a fork. I definitely had to!)

6. Brush the tops of each potato with olive oil.

7. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary (or other herbs) over the top of each potato.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chicken Roll-ups

I am such a sucker for chicken...it is just so amazingly tasty! I found this great recipe on Pinterest (which, by the way, if you haven't checked it out, please do! It's amazing...they have something for everyone!)

Prep time: 30 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-1 package of cream cheese
-1 package of crescent rolls
-2 shredded cooked chicken breasts
-1 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
-1 cup of grated cheese of your choice (I recommend mozzarella or monterey jack cheese)
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1 cup of breadcrumbs
-1/4 stick of melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook 2 chicken breasts in hot water for 40 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from water and shred into tiny pieces.

4. Mix the chicken, cheeses, salt, and pepper together.

5. Spoon the mixture into the crescent rolls.

6. Roll the cresent rolls and seal tightly around the chicken mixture.

7. Melt the butter in the microwave. Brush the top of each crescent roll with butter.

8. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

9. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

*To reheat, place in oven at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

Tarragon Chicken

This is a quick easy meal that is super tasty!

Ingredients:
-1 c flour
-1/2 tsp pepper
-4 chicken breasts
-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 1/2 c chicken broth
-1 tbsp chopped tarragon or 1 tsp dried tarragon
-1 c sliced mushrooms
-2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine flour and pepper in a ziplock bag.

2. Coat chicken in flour. Reserve flour mixture for later.

3. Heat oil in skillet- high heat.

4. Add chicken. Cook until browned on all sides.

5. Stir 2 tbsp of flour mixture into pan drippings.

6. Add broth gradually to pan stirring continually.

7. Stir in tarragon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered for 10 min.

8. Add mushrooms, simmer until chicken is cooked through- about 10 min.

9. Stir in lemon juice.

10. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

This is a new pumpkin muffin recipe that I found online. I opted to use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin.

Ingredients:
Filling:
-1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-3 tbsp brown sugar

Steusel topping:
-4 1/2 tbsp flour
-5 tbsp sugar
-3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-3 tbsp butter
-3 tbsp chopped pecans

Muffins:
-2 1/2 cups of flour
-2 cups of sugar
-2 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-2 eggs
-1 1/3 cups of olive oil
-2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Filling:

• Beat cream cheese until soft
• Add egg, vanilla, and brown sugar
• Beat until smooth
• Set aside

3. Streusel topping:

• Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and pecans
• Add butter
• Cut with a for until crumbly
• Set aside

4. Muffins:

• Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder
• Make a well in the center of the mixture
• Add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil, and vanilla
• Beat well until smooth

5. Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups

6. Add 1 tbsp of the cream cheese filling

7. Sprinkle on streusel topping

8. Bake at 375 for 20-25 min

I'll add pics when blogger decides to cooperate with uploading pics...

Mama Krohn's World Famous Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

I'm sorry I haven't been here in forever. Starting a new job and getting sick will kill any attempt to do anything. So, to make up for my absence, I am going to share one of my faves, my mom's cheesy ranch potatoes.

And a word of caution, if you double this recipe, you will have tons and tons of potatoes left over. And they are that good that you might be tempted to double it the next time you make it.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-8 large red potatoes
-1 cup of ranch salad dressing
-1 cup of sour cream
-1 cup of cheddar cheese, divided
-1/4 cup of crumbled, cooked bacon (bacon bits work well here)
-1 tsp of salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut potatoes into quarters. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cook until tender (about 8-10 min). Drain.

3. Meanwhile, combine salad dressing, sour cream, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bacon in a large bowl; mix well.

4. Add cooked potatoes to salad dressing mixture; mix well.

5. Spoon mixture into a greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake until bubbly- about 20 min.