Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies

These are some seriously delicious cookies. They require a little extra time since they are so big and take a little longer to bake. (I used a cookie scoop although the original recipe calls for a whopping 1/4 cup of dough! They spread a bit so I found that only baking six on a sheet was ideal.)    Totally worth it though!

What you’ll need:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened flake coconut

2 cups chopped pecans

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first five ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat softened butter and both sugars until well mixed.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add in vanilla.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Finally, toss in all of those tasty add ins, mixing after each one. (This is a pretty stout dough so be prepared for your mixer to get a workout!)

Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Allow to cool as long as you can before grabbing a glass of milk and enjoying the world’s tastiest cookie!

 

Homemade Pumpkin Pudding

I love homemade pudding. It’s so simple to make and so much more delicious than the box kind…even the cook and serve doesn’t taste as good. This is my go to recipe for chocolate pudding.

I also love that recipes abound that use corn starch instead of flour so it can naturally be gluten free too which is great for Sam. But I am also working really hard to get back on the sugar free band wagon and wondered how it would taste with Swerve (my preferred sugar replacement.) Aaaand, I also wanted to make a seasonal treat and use pumpkin.

Super happy to report that it was great on both counts! Had a yummy autumnal flavor and was still easy to whip up.

 

What you’ll need:

2 TBS corn starch

6 TBS sugar (I did an even swap with Swerve)

1 3/4 milk

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

dash of nutmeg (I used pumpkin pie spice)

whipped cream (I make mine from scratch and also use the Swerve Confectioner’s Sugar.)

What you’ll do:

Mix together the pumpkin and spices until well blended and set aside.

Whisk together the egg and milk and also set aside.

Whisk together the corn starch and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat.

Slowly add the egg and milk mixture to the pot, stirring continually.

Bring to a boil and cook for one minute, constantly stirring.

Gradually add the pumpkin mixture and continue to stir and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour into serving dishes. Allow to chill and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top too.

It is a soft serve pudding with a creamy smooth texture and good flavor.

I’m sure it would be amazing with sugar but for those of us trying to avoid that this recipe is a definite keeper!

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of those adaptable recipes that can be a major made from scratch (ha!) delight or a take-some-short-cuts-and-it’s-still-a-delight recipes. I’ve tried making homemade pie crust and frankly I’ve found the store bought ones to be just as good. (No offense to you homemade pie crust making people…I’ve just never made one that was so significantly better that it was worth the extra time and work.) I’ve also made this with fresh vegetables as well as frozen and both work just fine.

What you’ll need:

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups boiled and shredded chicken (I use about 6 chicken tenderloins)

3 cups vegetables of your choice (I have used the frozen mixed veggies for soup and I’ve also chopped up celery & carrots and mixed them with corn and green beans.)

4 TBS butter

4 TBS flour

1/2 cup milk or half & half

Italian seasoning

double pie crust

What you’ll do:

Place one crust in the bottom of a pie plate and set aside.

Add your chicken and veggies to your broth and boil for 15 or 20 minutes.

Turn your heat down and let simmer.

In a small sauce pan melt your butter.

Add your flour, milk and Italian seasoning. (You may need to remove from heat so you do not scald your roux. It should be pretty thick.)

Add roux to the chicken and vegetables and stir until it is mixed in very well.

Pour mix into prepared pie plate. Unroll and add top pie crust, pinching sides together and cutting out small vents.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

This is probably one of my most requested recipes. It tastes delicious and seems to go far. I have made a beef and mushroom variation that is pretty yummy as well just by swapping a few ingredients. I haven’t done it yet but I’m thinking leftover turkey at Thanksgiving would obviously make a good pie too.

But the chicken pot pie? It’s just a classic staple.

Baked Summer Vegetables

Summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and russet potatoes all baked to crispy perfection on a bed of caramelized onions. Absolutely delicious!

What you’ll need:

1 large sweet onion, sliced and sautéed to caramelized perfection with minced garlic

2 russet potatoes, sliced

1 or 2 zucchini, sliced

1 or 2 yellow squash, sliced

3 large roma tomatoes, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Fresh Parmesan cheese

What you’ll do:

Spread your caramelized onions in the bottom of a lightly greased baking dish.

Layer the other vegetables alternately in a tight spiral on top of the onions.

Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season to taste.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Uncover and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the cheese is nicely browned.

I have never made it with any other vegetables but I have come across a few recipes that say you can use eggplant in lieu of the squash which would be interesting. And The Barefoot Contessa and Ina Garten both use Gruyère cheese instead of fresh parmesan. I bet you could even try Swiss or mozzarella cheese too!

 

 

 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This is such a delicious recipe that is naturally gluten free. Now, I know most people who do not need to be gf are usually skeptical of desserts that lack gluten but this kind of cake has been around for hundreds of years. Actual stories of the history of flourless cakes all usually involve some sort of mistake as the reason behind it’s creation and they range from Austrian princesses to good old American gangsters being involved.

All I know is that this recipe is simple but very elegant and it taste wonderful. I’ve been making it for years now with the favored form being little individual minis. It really is a crowd pleaser but recently it got even better in my opinion.

Turns out it is still ridiculously yummy even when making it sugar free by using a sugar substitute such as Swerve. Seriously, it still taste absolutely delicious and that is a major feat for something that is both gluten free and sugar free.

What you’ll need:

1 cup regular or sugar free chocolate chips

1 stick butter

3/4 cup regular sugar or Swerve*

3 eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder (again I have used regular cocoa powder and dark chocolate)

2 tsp espresso powder or instant coffee (made it with and without and it’s tasty either way)

For the ganache:

1 cup regular or sugar free chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

What you’ll do:

Preheat over to 375 degrees

Melt chocolate chips and butter until combined

Pour into a bowl and add the sugar and espresso powder if you’re using it, stirring until thoroughly mixed

Add eggs and whisk until batter is smooth

Add in cocoa powder and stir

Pour into a well greased cake pan (you may want to use parchment paper but I’ve not had any problems just using Baker’s Joy)

Bake for 20 minutes (I’ve started cooking mine for 18 minutes because I noticed my edges getting too done at the full 20 minutes.)**

While the cake is baking make your ganache by heating your heavy whipping cream and chocolate chips until smooth and well blended (be careful not to allow your cream to get too hot and keep stirring as the chocolate melts)

Let the cake cool for ten minutes and them flip it onto a plate

Pour ganache over the top and allow it to drizzle over the sides

Let the cake sit out for about 30 minutes before refrigerating for at least an hour before serving.

Try it topped with a dollop of whipped topping or garnished with fruit, you will thank me I promise.

*Swerve is the only sugar substitute I have used so it is the only one I can recommend. If you try some other kind please come back and let me know how it turned out!

**If you are making minis cut the cooking time down to ten minutes. No matter which size you are baking do not over back! The gooey goodness is part of what makes it taste so good.

 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

So easy it’s ridiculous. It’s also a Weight Watchers recipe so bonus points for being tasty and not as bad for you as regular muffins, right?

What you’ll need:

1 box spice cake mix

1 large can pumpkin*

water

What you’ll do:

Stir the spice cake mix with the pumpkin until well blended, adding water until it reaches a good consistency although the batter will be thick.

Spoon into a well greased muffin pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Check with a toothpick for doneness and continue cooking in five minute intervals until it comes out clean.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

I love making regular sized muffins but they are a particular fun treat in mini form. You can also trade out the spice cake for a chocolate mix but my people found the chocolate pumpkin combination not to their liking.

*The last time I made these I accidentally bought a can of pumpkin pie filling…meaning all of the spices and sugar had been added already. Which probably means it was not quite as healthy as the plain pumpkin version but man, did it taste delicious! So if you have no diet constraints go that route 🙂

Cherry Chocolate Sheet Pan

So this isn’t a gourmet dessert by any stretch but it is pretty scrumptious, easy, and pretty. Which means it hits my trifecta of criteria and is definitely worth sharing and worth you making.

I made the chocolate cherry version a few weeks ago for our fellowship meal at church and it was gone before I could taste it and it was well received. We had a bunch of friends over on Monday and I knew I wanted to make it again but I also knew that one of my friends doesn’t like chocolate. (I know, right? Oddly enough she isn’t my only friend who feels that way.) I noodled on it a bit and made a few adjustments so that I could keep the general idea and still have something to offer for my non-chocolate loving friends.

First, because it is my favorite, the chocolate cherry version.

What You’ll Need:

2 packages of your favorite brownie mix, prepared according to directions*

2 packages cream cheese, softened

Confectioners Sugar, to taste

heavy whipping cream

2 cans cherry pie filling

What You’ll Do:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread prepared brownie batter into a lightly greased jellyroll pan.

Bake for 15 minutes and begin to check for doneness, being careful to not over bake.

Allow to cool completely.

Cream the cream cheese until smooth and add confectioners sugar and heavy whipping cream until you reach the desired taste and consistency.

Spread on top of cooled brownie.

Add cherry pie filling, smoothing out to the edges.

That’s it! Like I said, not rocket science but seriously tasty. To make the non chocolate version I simply swapped out the brownie mix for snickerdoodle cookie mix and caramel apple pie filling for the cherry.  It was a pretty even split on Monday as to which one tasted better.

You could use a sugar cookie bottom and goodness, how delicious would it be with a cream cheese nutella topping? Oh man, I need to make this and see if it tastes as good as it sounds!

What other ideas and combos can you think of?

*I do make some changes to the brownie recipe. I swap the water for an equal amount of milk and I also use butter instead of oil keeping the amount the same.

Also, I have made it in a 9×13 pan like regular brownies but found that the taste ratio of chocolate to cream cheese and cherry was much better with a thinner brownie base.

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Ritz Cracker Rolo Bites

Normally, I would consider these a holiday treat. Something quick and yummy that fits into the busy holiday schedule when kids need a little something to take for a class party.

But a couple of weeks ago we were having friends over for dinner and I had found out that Rolos were a particular favorite. So I decided to make a batch of these and man, I don’t know why I regulate them to once a year. Actually, wait, I do know.

These are delicious. And dangerous. Because you just whip them up in a few minutes and you can gobble them up in about the same amount of time. So, fair warning. Make them at your own risk. (But do make them because, like I said, delicious!)

What You’ll Need:

One bag Rolo candies, unwrapped

Ritz crackers, two for each sandwich

What You’ll Do:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place Ritz crackers face down in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Put a Rolo candy in the center of each cracker.

Heat in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the candy is softened but not melted.

Top them with another Ritz cracker as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

These little guys taste amazing eaten right away still warm from the oven or after the caramel goodness has cooled off a bit.

You can go here to read about the do I or don’t I dilemma I faced buying the ingredients to make this last batch.

 

Tortellini Skewers

I love bright cheerful food. I especially love it when it is easy bright cheerful food and this little appetizer is all that plus full of flavor! It’s a kind of see it and do it recipe…very uncomplicated if just a tad time consuming to assemble.

Totally worth it though, I promise.

 

What you’ll need:

one package tortellini, prepared according to package directions and cooled

fresh spinach

grape tomatoes

bell peppers, chopped

skewers (we used the minis)

How fun would they be if you could use a purple pepper?!

What you’ll do:

Assemble by placing one of each ingredient on the skewer.

Chill until ready to serve.

With their bright fresh colors these are delightful little appetizers able to grace any

table.

Sharing with Melt In Your Mouth Monday.

Cilantro Lime Rice

What can I say about this recipe other than it is super flavorful? The lime and cilantro take an ordinary dish of rice and make it altogether something else. Something really wonderful. It has quickly become a family favorite around our house. And since I am new to the whole rice making game I definitely wanted to share it here. If you haven’t seen it already you can go here and read about a few tips and tricks for cooking rice that I have learned.

 

What You’ll Need:

2 TBS butter

1 1/4 cup Basmati rice

2 1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped*

zest and juice of one lime*

1/2 tsp cumin

salt to taste

What You’ll Do:

Toast the butter and rice for 2 to 3 minutes in a pan on medium to high heat.

Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

*I typically use two limes and really loosely eyeball the amount of cilantro.

Our favorite way to enjoy this dish is to place either a pork chop or slice of pork tenderloin on a bed of the rice and then top with some fresh pico de gallo. It is probably the most foolproof meal I can whip up. Not only is it tasty but the presentation is particularly lovely and colorful.

Total win win.

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