The WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

The WORLD'S BEST COOKIES!

Yummy lookin', huh? :-D

I don't know where I came across this recipe, but I was fortunate to have this recipe on hand!  It's my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  It's crispy and chewy at the same time. :-D 

This makes about 7 dozen cookies!  Plenty to go around!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup butter 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips

Directions

• Cream shortening, butter, and sugars in large mixing bowl; blend in eggs and vanilla.
• Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
• Mix until well blended.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. (SEE NOTE BELOW)
• Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes until golden brown.

NOTE: I don't bake my cookies without parchment paper.  I never get good results if I don't use parchment paper.  It helps prevent burnt bottoms.  My cookies always turn out perfectly this way. :)  It's definitely a good investment!  *hint hint* I'd love a silpat for Christmas!

Ulu Knife

The Ulu knife one of my favorite kitchen essentials I use quite often.  It works much better than a rolling pizza cutter!  It is much easier than using a regular knife when chopping.

I would suggest y'all check into getting an Ulu knife to try out! :)
I obtained mine from my in-laws when they went on a cruise to Alaska and they got me an Alaskan Ulu knife set. :)  I've been using it ever since.  Even more when my pizza cutters broke, and I realized the Ulu knife did a better job!
The one I have is very similar to this one on the left <---

QUICK & EASY Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

I just threw it all together as I went along.  I knew I wanted to bake a pasta casserole of some kind.  I noticed I had shell pasta & mozzarella cheese on hand...as well as spaghetti sauce and pepperoni.  So this recipe was just born tonight!  I'm sure other people have come up with recipes very similar to this but this is so easy and few ingredients!


Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

2-3 cups dry shell pasta (or any pasta)
1/2 can (large can like Hunt's) spaghetti sauce, any flavor  (you could add more sauce if you want)
1 cup mozzarella cheese (or more cheese if you want)
1/2 block of cream cheese, softened (from an 8oz block, so that'd make it 4 oz cheese)
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped pepperoni  (or you could substitute cooked italian sausage or whatever you like)


Boil pasta until al dente.  While the pasta is boiling, mix the other three ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish, and preheat oven to 350F.  Drain pasta and mix with the other ingredients in the casserole dish.  Bake for about 30 minutes.

That's it!  So easy and so yummy.  Serve with a nice salad and garlic bread.  :)

"Healthy" Banana Brownies

I had a bunch of bananas that were getting really ripe.  My daughter kept wanting apples instead of bananas, so the apples got used up before the bananas.  I wasn't in the mood for ANOTHER banana bread.  I googled for recipes and this one looked good to me.  


It is good for a "healthy" dessert.  Well, to me, it is.  It's lowfat and has fiber in it, and low calorie.  I had everything on hand for it, as well.  The original recipe asked for 1 cup of flour, which made the batter really watery, so I added another 1/2 cup and it turned out ok.  


If you're looking for a brownie that's not too sweet and not too rich,  moist, springy, and cakey brownie...then this is the recipe for ya!

Banana Brownies

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup boiling water
• 4 egg whites
• 3 medium mashed bananas
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. in a bowl combine oats & water, let stand 5 minutes.
2. beat egg whites, bananas, sugar, oil & vanilla until blended, then add the moistened oats.
3. combine dry ingredients, slowly add to wet mixture.
4. spread into 13x9 inch pan (sprayed with cooking spray).
5. bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
6. cool, cut into bars.

My 21 month old daughter LOVES 'em!  She had one little piece and kept wanting more and more. :)  Much better than giving her Oreos and other junk food! :)

Amazingly LAZY Cinnamon Rolls

Amazingly LAZY Cinnamon Rolls

Sorry, I didn't snap a picture before it was all eaten up. :-p  It was that GOOD!  And soooo easy to make!

Yesterday afternoon, I put a few frozen rolls to rise in a round cake pan, expecting to use 'em for dinner.  We ended up having chicken tacos for dinner, so I put 'em in the fridge to finish rising overnight.  This morning, I dressed 'em up with melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon and simply baked 'em.  Made a little glaze with the leftover melted butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon.

This is pretty much a "non-recipe" where I didn't really measure anything.

I used:

6 frozen rolls (I used Rhodes brand but I'm sure any brand will be fine)

1/2 stick butter, melted

sugar

cinnamon

powdered sugar (about 1/3 cup)

Let the frozen rolls rise according to directions on the bag.  

When ready to bake, preheat oven according to the directions (I preheated mine to 350F).  While oven is preheating, melt the butter.  Brush butter liberally over the rolls.  Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the rolls to taste.  I sprinkled a lot of sugar and cinnamon and it turned out so yummy.  Bake according to directions (I baked mine for 20 minutes).

While the rolls are baking, mix powdered sugar with a few teaspoons of the leftover melted butter (keep adding a teaspoon until you get the desired consistency).  Add cinnamon (about a teaspoon or so) to the powdered sugar mixture.  Spread on hot rolls when they come out of the oven.

YUMMY.  

I'm sure you could feed a crowd if you used a 9x13 pan and several rolls to fit in that pan.  Less work too!