Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rachel gave me this recipe years and years ago and I cannot believe we've never posted it here before! I get requests for this recipe ALL THE TIME when I make them. They are sooo yummy. They are definitely my go-to chocolate chip cookies recipe and that's saying a lot since I make cookies at least weekly.

Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Amy Shumway

3 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 eggs
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1-2 pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Place slightly softened butter in mixer and add sugars. Mix until butter and sugar is totally incorporated and the consistency is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl 1 or 2 times. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well, scraping down sides of bowl. Consistency should be light and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, and salt in the mixing bowl and mix just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Don’t overmix! Add chocolate chips and mix just until distributed. Don’t overmix! Using a cookie scoop, place cookies on sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown around the edge.

 

White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie

Ummm...YUM! Can't believe Im just now posting this recipe! Its amazing! I love white chocolate and the oatmeal gives it a good texture and flavor! This is my new favorite cookie recipe!

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  from AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until completely incorporated. Fold in the oats and white chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

My favorite Veggies

So, I know this may be lame, but I thought I'd post my favorite way of preparing veggies.  We eat a TON of veggies and I've found this to be the easiest and yummiest way to get them to the table...and have your kids enjoy them.

My Favorite Veggies
From Rachel

Vegetables (I like a carrot, cauliflower and broccoli combo)
Olive Oil
Salt (try the Pink Himalayan salt at Costco- its much more nutritious than table salt)
Cajun Seasoning

You'll need a steamer of some sort on hand (I have a metal basket that fits on top of my regular stovetop skillet- got it at Williams-Sonoma for about $8).  Put water in the bottom of the skillet, but careful not to do too little or the veggies burn, or too much, or the veggies boil- you don't want the water to overflow onto your steamer basket.  Chop veggies to similar sizes to allow for even cooking. Place them in the basket and steam with lid covering until desired tenderness (I like mine with a little crunch).  Empty the water from your skillet and return skillet to hot stovetop.  Pour olive oil to coat bottom and heat slightly. Return veggies to skillet and season with salt and cajun seasoning.  Stir to coat and remove from heat- you don't want to cook your veggies any longer.  Enjoy.  I love serving these veggies tossed with these Simple Sesame Noodles.

Fresh Homemade Salsa

My friend gave me this salsa recipe a couple months ago and I have made it numerous times since then and I realized that I hadn't posted it yet! It's so yummy and so easy! You just throw everything in the blender and voila! It keeps for up to a week in your fridge in any storage container.


Fresh Homemade Salsa
from Melanie Stephens

4 cups diced tomatoes (can be fresh or canned or both!)
1 large green pepper
1 large yellow onion
1-2 jalapenos (depending on your spice level- take the seeds out for less spice)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Throw everything in the food processor and blend! Enjoy!

Mozzarella Stuffed Bruschetta Turkey Burgers with Balsamic Glaze

Mozzarella Stuffed Bruschetta Turkey Burgers with Balsamic Glaze

I know, it's been a while since I posted.  I am on a health kick right now so am trying new recipes.  We had this one tonight and it was so, so good....and easy!  I am not usually a ground turkey kind of girl but these were very flavorful.  We used some bruschetta that I bought at Sam's Club but I am sure this homemade bruschetta is also amazing.

Mozzarella Stuffed Bruschetta Turkey Burgers with Balsamic Glaze
From Iowa Girl Eats Blog

Ingredients (makes 4 burgers)

For the burgers:

• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey breast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided

For the Bruschetta:

• 5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
• Salt & pepper, to taste

For the balsamic glaze:

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

For the burgers:

• In a large bowl combine turkey, salt, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese. Divide mixture into 8 portions.
• Line a peanut butter jar lid with foil, then plastic wrap and press 1 portion of the turkey mixture into the lid. Heap 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese into the middle, then top with another portion of turkey. Press down to seal, then invert the patty onto a plate. Continue until you have 4 burger patties.
• Grill burgers for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per side over medium heat.

For bruschetta mixture:

• combine all ingredients, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

For the balsamic glaze:

• Heat balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan over medium heat. Let simmer, and stir frequently, until the vinegar has reached the consistency of thin maple syrup.
• Top grilled burgers with Bruschetta mixture and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Our family makes chocolate chip cookies almost every Sunday.  I love to try new recipes (I think I've tried every one on this blog), while my husband sticks with good ol' Nestle Toll House.  His argument..."Why try to improve on perfection?"  Well, yesterday, improve we did.  Only, in my humble opinion, this improvement is about 100 times better than Nestle Toll House.  It really is the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  I have to give credit where credit is due, though.  My 13-year-old daughter made these cookies by herself while I was gone, and I only helped her shape them on the pan when I returned.  I assume she followed the recipe exactly as it is (with a few extra chocolate chips, a mix of milk chocolate and semi-sweet).  I did give her one tip before I left the house:  always use a wooden spoon rather than a beater to stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

picture courtesy of Annie's Eats

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
adapted from a friend's recipe

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (or you can use a plain old jelly roll pan)

Beat butter with electric mixer until creamy.  Add the brown sugar and beat for 5 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for another minute after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well.

Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in two or three additions, mixing on low speed just until the flour is incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips using a silicone spatula or the mixer on low speed.

Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches of room between them.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

*my daughter used a rather large ice cream scoop and made bigger cookies, pressing the dough down so they were evenly spread.

Perfect Potato Soup

 Pic courtesy of Pioneer Woman Cooks

This soup really is perfect. It's a lot healthier than my old potato soup recipe. It actually has lots of veggies in it! It's a little more intense than my old recipe, but it really is worth it.

Perfect Potato Soup
from Pioneer Woman Cooks 

• 6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
• 3 stalks Celery, Diced
• 6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
• 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Preparation Instructions

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth (I added all of the soup so my kids would eat it.). Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.