Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are so delicious, it's as if a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie got together and had babies. :-)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup oil
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 Tbsp vanilla
Mix all wet ingredients thoroughly
Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp nutmeg
3 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp cocoa
6 oz chocolate chips..... Or more!!
Combine wet and dry mixtures.
Baked in a greased bread pan at 350 for 55 minutes.
Makes two medium sized loaves.

I'm baking this in my oven right now. I hope it tastes as good as it smells!!

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

I've been on a mushroom fad for the past week or so and this recipe is very interesting. I wouldn't say I like it better than say lasagna from the Olive Garden or Katy's Lasagna but I think it would be particularly scrumptious on a cold day. 

I used dried Parmesan cheese because that's what I had on hand, and it still tasted pretty good, but I think freshly shredded Parmesan would have given it an extra kick.   

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
• 4 cups whole milk
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Bagel Recipe

From pioneer woman!

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/cinnamon-raisin-bagels/

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

4 Cups of rice cereal (I used chocolate rice cereal, like cocoa krispies)
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 pints chocolate chip or vanilla ice cream

1. Place the cereal in a large bowl
2. In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate and peanut butter. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chocolate-peanut butter mixture to the cereal and mix to coat. Spread the cereal mixture onto the bottom and 1.5 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform or non-stick pan. Freeze until set, about 10 minutes.
4. Let the ice cream soften at room temperature just until spreadable, about 10 minutes. Spread ice cream evenly into the chilled crust and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

I sprinkled extra chocolate chips on top and drizzled chocolate syrup. I love chocolate! :-)

Chocolate Cake

This cake is so easy and so delicious!

3/4 Cup butter, softened
3 Eggs
2 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Cups sugar
2 tsps. vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes and scrap the sides if needed. Add eggs 1 at a time (or all at once, I didn't taste a difference) beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. (You might be engulfed in a tiny cocoa cloud but it's not too bad if you add milk right after the chocolate stuff.)

Spread batter into sprayed or floured pans.  Bake at 350.  13x9 and 8 inch pans need 34 to 40 minutes. Two 9 inch pans need 30 to 34 minutes.  And cupcakes need 20 to 25 minutes. Or bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
The frosting that goes really well with this cake is a chocolate-chip peanut-butter glaze.  Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of peanut butter over the stove top, stirring frequently so the chocolate doesn't burn on the bottom.  Poor over cake or cup cakes and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.   This frosting really seals in the moisture of the cake but you'll want to store it in the fridge so it doesn't melt all over your counter, but maybe you colder climates won't have trouble. :-)

Fajitas

1 Steak or 2 Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Yellow and/or Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Onion, sliced

Fajita Seasoning:
In a small bowl combine:
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of ground/crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder

Or you can buy a packet of fajita seasoning like the ones next to the gravy packets.

Flour Tortillas
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese


In a non-stick skillet cook steak/chicken until no longer red or pink.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Stir in peppers and onions and cover for a few minutes until vegetables are tender, sprinkle more salt. When vegetables and meat are cooked add seasoning and stir. Cook covered for a few more minutes.

You can warm the tortillas in the microwave or on the stove (one at a time) in another pan if desired.

Katy's Easy Cheesy Lasagna

1lb hamburger
some chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar spaghetti sauce (30 oz)
3/4 cup water 
1/2 package wide lasagna noodles (uncooked)
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 
2 cups small curd or cream style cottage cheese

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Brown hamburger with onion and garlic in pan
3. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water
4. In 9 by 13 pan, layer 1/3 sauce, 1/2 noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 mozzarella
5. Repeat layers ending with sauce
6. Cover tightly with foil
7. Bake 1 hour
8. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
9. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
 
Enjoy! So yummy! 

Chicken Alfredo and BBQ Chicken Pizza

Bread Machine Pizza Dough:

Put ingredients in bread pan in this order:
1 Cup Water
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp. Salt
3 Cups of Bread Flour/All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast

Select dough/manual setting.

On a pizza pan or cookie sheet spread corn meal or flour so that pizza will not stick. When dough is done punch dough out on the surface over the corn meal/flour and spread with rolling pin. (I've never done a square pizza because I have round pizza pans, it probably makes no difference.) Set aside.

Toppings for Chicken Alfredo Pizza:
1 Chicken Breast chopped/1 Can of Chicken
1/2 Cup of diced onions
1/2 Cup of diced tomatoes/can of diced tomatoes
1 Cup Mozzarella cheese
1/2 - 1 Cup Whipping Cream
1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
Handful of Cubed Ham/2-3 slices of microwaved bacon broken into pieces (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)

In a non-stick skillet cook chicken over medium heat until no longer pink, add onions and sprinkle salt then cover for a few minutes until onions are tender.  Add tomatoes and cover again for a few minutes. Add cream, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. If the mixture is too milky then you can add corn meal/flour. Mix well and let simmer for a few minutes until mixture begins to bubble.

Spread mixture over pizza dough and top with mozzarella cheese and ham/bacon and a little more Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-18 minutes until cheese is melted and a little golden brown and when the crust is golden around edges.

Toppings for BBQ Chicken Pizza:
1 Chicken Breast chopped/1 Can of Chicken
1/2 cup of diced onions
1/2 cup of diced tomatoes/1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 - 1 Cup of BBQ Sauce
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
2-3 slices of microwaved bacon broken into pieces (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)

Prepare the same as Alfredo Chicken pizza, adding BBQ sauce when chicken, onions, and tomatoes are cooked. Spread extra BBQ sauce on the dough before adding skillet mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and bacon. Bake at 400 for 12-18 minutes.

Amber's Zucchini Bread

I had this at book club and it was delicious! If you don't have enough zucchini you can use squash and bananas. Tonight I used one cup of zucchini, 1 cup of mashed bananas, and then 1/2 a cup of apple sauce with 1/2 cup of vegetable oil.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 c whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup greek yogurt...you could also use 1/2 applesauce, sour cream, plain yogurt, vanilla yogurt, etc)
• 3 cups grated zucchini (I squeezed most of the water out of the zucchini that I grated finely; I grated some finer and some thicker for more variation in texture)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans. (I thought it was hard to get out - I would grease them!)
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. (I thought mine was  little dry...maybe because of the fat free yogurt...if you substitute, watch the baking time and consider pulling it out a few minutes early)

Ham & Tomato Skillet

I've been experimenting with skillets for some time. They're just so easy and good for breakfast or a quick dinner and you can throw in pretty much anything you have on hand. Well, recently I came up with this combination and it is DELISH! I know when dinner is a hit when Jake asks me to make it again the next day.

3-5 Potatoes, Diced
1 Cup of Cubed Ham
1/2 - 1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
1/2 - 1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in Half (or a can of diced tomatoes)
1/2 - 1 Cup Onion, Diced

In a skillet spray non-stick spray and cook potatoes on medium-high heat, adding salt and pepper, and flipping on both sides until slightly brown. Add onions and more salt and let simmer for a few minutes, covered. Add ham and tomatoes and cook for several more minutes covered or until the ham and tomatoes are warm. Add cheese and mix and let cook until cheese is melted.

I've always added eggs to skillets but this combination didn't need it. Very yummy.