My new favorite choc chip recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that I Love
(from lilluna.com)

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp.vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup cookies and cream bars, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes.

What's great about these is the almond extract adds a nice little flavor, and the vegetable oil makes for the nice crackly top.  The cookie is still soft, but not cakey or too chewy.  I do like to chill the dough before baking to keep from spreading.

Knockoff Panda Express Chow Mein-- easy and kid-friendly!

• not an awesome pic, sorry
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• Panda Express Chow Mein Knock-off
• (from favfamilyrecipes.com)
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• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used about a teaspoon of garlic powder)
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated (I used a sprinkling of ground ginger)
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 (5.6 oz) packages refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of the grocery store.. usually the 3 packages are sold together in one 17oz. pack)
• 2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
• 2 c. chopped cabbage

Instructions

• In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.
• Remove Yaki Soba from packages and discard included flavoring packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.
• Toss Yaki Soba noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.

Wow--- the kids loved this!  It tasted a lot like Panda Express but less greasy...I forget I was going to use sesame oil instead of the vegetable oil to give it a little more nutty flavor.  It was great though.  It was about 4 dollars for the big pack of noodles, which is kind of pricey, will look out for cheaper price somewhere.  You can serve this with many different kinds of chicken.  I served it with the crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken.

A flavorful salad- Craisin Feta Pecan Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

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• Candied Pecan, Craisin, and Feta Salad
• 2-3 cups spring mix salad
• 1 cup sugar coated pecans (I used a quick recipe on allrecipes to candy my pecans http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sugar-coated-pecans/)
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 
  
• . CREAMY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 3 Tbsp. mayo
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 t. Morton's Nature Seasoning (I used a combo of a little garlic salt, pepper, onion powder)
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1. In a large bowl or on a large plate, lay out spring mix salad. Top with sugar coated pecans, craisins, and crumbled feta.
2. You could use a store bought Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette or you can make the recipe above by whisking together garlic, mayo, lemon juice, dijon mustard, sugar, Nature's Seasoning, and salt until well combined. Add the balsamic vinegar and whisk well. Slowly add in the olive oil (while whisking).
3. Pour dressing over prepared salad and enjoy! Refrigerate any leftover dressing.(from chefintraining.com)

This was full of flavor, I really liked it.  I didn't have fresh garlic or Morton's seasoning but I used garlic powder and other spices.  The dressing is really forgiving, but it makes the salad.  

Brown Butter Brownies

Browned Butter Brownies
(from somethingswanky.com)

• 2 1/2 sticks salted butter
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining with parchment paper (optional, but I like to do it so I can lift the brownies right out of the dish).
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Stir constantly until butter has reached a light brown color and little "bits" have formed.
4. Pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth, almost creamy.
5. Add the salt, water, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition.
6. Add the flour and chocolate chips and mix well. Batter will be VERY thick.
7. Use a sturdy rubber spatula to spread batter in the 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Let cool, then cut into 2" squares to serve.

Holy Cow!  If you like a good, rich, chocolatey brownie with that extra pizazz from the browned butter, you'll love these babies.  We did!

White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles- amazing!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

(from recipecritic.com)

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3.4 oz package white chocolate instant pudding mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and white chocolate pudding mix. Set aside.

3.  In your mixer cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and mix together.  Add your bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix together and lastly add the white chocolate chips.

4.  Mix in a small bowl the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Scoop out cookie dough and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and place two inches apart on baking sheet.

5.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden.  Let cool and enjoy!

These are so good!  I will make these again.

Tomato Basil Soup- beats Campbell's every time!

Tomato Basil Soup

(eatyourselfskinny.com)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (I used about 1 T or less, dried)
• 1 (28 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) 1/3-less fat cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and saute the chopped onion for 3 minutes, until translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Add tomatoes and basil, bringing to a boil.  Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Place mixture in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Return to saucepan and stir in milk, salt and pepper.  Return to medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes.  Enjoy!

Tomatillo Ranch Burritos from the Food Nanny!

Chicken Burritos With Salsa Verde and Lime
(from thefoodnannyblog.com)

BURRITOS:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and ground black pepper
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
Santa Fe Lime Rice (recipe to follow)
6 burrito sizes flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack

SAUCE:
1 cup bottled salsa verde
1 (0.4 oz) packet buttermilk dressing mix (ranch)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp coarse salt
1 TBLS fresh limejuice
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ cup sugar
Dash Tabasco (optional)

1. Prepare the rice and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, grill (or broil) the chicken breasts over medium heat, until tender and no longer pink. Shred the chicken with two forks and season with salt and pepper.
3. To make the sauce, put all the sauce ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Heat the sauce in a saucepan or the microwave.
4. Heat the black beans in a saucepan or the microwave
5. To assemble burritos: Divide the chicken among the tortillas. Add a scoop of rice and a scoop of beans to each one. Fold up the bottom third of one tortilla over the filling, fold in the sides, and then fold down the top. Repeat for the remaining tortilla’s
6. Preheat the broiler to low and adjust the oven rack to about 6 inches from the heat. Place the filled burritos seam side down in a broiler pan, or oblong metal pan, and pour the sauce over all. Sprinkle with cheese.
7. Place the pan under the broiler, watch closely and broil until the sauce is bubbly, just a few minutes.

Variations: As an alternative to broiling, bake the burritos, topped with sauce and cheese, in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly. Or simply serve the filled burritos on a platter and pass the heated sauce and the cheese in separate bowls.

Santa Fe Lime Rice

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
¼ tsp salt
Juice of ½ lime
2 TBLS butter
2 TBLS chopped fresh cilantro
¼ tsp ground cumin

Combine the rice, broth, and slat in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer and add the lime juice, butter, cilantro, and cumin. Stir, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender.

These are delectable!  I love how easy the dressing is to make, how it tastes just like the famous Cafe Rio Cilantro Creamy Dressing,  but uses bottled green sauce.  I like how it's on top of the burritos too, instead of just plain enchilada sauce.