The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies-Updated!

I just replaced a previous "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe with this one.  I didn't compare the two recipes, but I know they were similar.  This recipe turns out PERFECT.....so perfect they looked like something you would buy at Mrs. Fields Cookies, plus they are delicious.  My husband's only complaint was that there were a bit too many chocolate chips....say what?!  They are perfect!  So, this is my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Hooray!  As a side note, the previous recipe can be found here from The On Call Cook.  I lived in a very dry climate and The On Call Cook's recipe baked up great!  Now I live in a very humid climate, that particular recipe hasn't turned out as well for me.  Thanks to Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I have a new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe that turns out perfect.  

Ingredients

• 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar (7 ounces)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until well mixed. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter has lightened slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips at the same time. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
4. Form dough into tablespoonful-sized balls and place on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheets. Frozen cookie dough can be stored for up to 2 months in the freezer.
5. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and just lightly browned (keeping in mind that ovens can vary in temperature so use your best judgment). Don't overbake or else the cookies will be tough and hard. If baking frozen cookie dough, add 1 to 2 minutes onto the baking time. Store the baked cookies in an airtight container (or baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months).

Mel's baking tips:  I've had great success baking these cookies at 325 degrees for 13-ish minutes or 350 degrees for about 11 minutes (each oven will vary in time). Basically, do what you have the time and patience for. I usually stick with 350 because it is easier to remember and two minutes faster. Time is money, right??

For me, baking at 350 for 13 minutes was perfect.  

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Photo Source: here

Shells with Easy Pesto & Peas

This recipe is easy and delicious.  You can make your own pesto from scratch or I like to buy the refrigerated version from Costco.  Its a great vegetarian meal or you could throw chicken in as well.


Saute 3-5 minutes:
2 TBS butter
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/2 onion, diced
salt to taste

Add in:
1 bag shells, cooked to package directions and drained

Add and stir over low heat until  heated through :
1/2 jar Pesto
1/2 bag frozen peas

sprinkle top with parmesan cheese if desired


To make your own Pesto:
2 medium garlic cloves or more to taste
4 c fresh basil leaves
4 TBS pinenuts
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

With blades running in food processor, drop in garlic and mince.  Add basil leaves and process until finely chopped.  Add pine nuts until finely chopped.  Drizzle in olive oil in a fine stream until a thick paste forms.

Recipe Source, altered by Mel: The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit For Life Kitchen by Marilyn Diamond
Picture Source: Cook Smart

Grilled Chili-Lime Fish Tacos

A delicious chili-lime fish taco with a sour cream slaw, sweet mango, and avocado.  It really was extremely good!   I deleted the ingredients below that would add heat since I was feeding this to little ones. I also used corn tortillas from Costco, as they are so much better than anything you can find in the local grocery store.  The leftover tortillas freeze well.  I also prepped the marinade and let the fish marinade all day in the fridge before grilling.  I doubled the recipe below for my family of two adults, 3 kids and we had leftovers. 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound tilapia
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (I didn't add this)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (I didn't add this)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

 

 

• For slaw
• 2 cups shredded red or napa cabbage
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 8 small corn tortillas
• avocado and extra cilantro, to garnish

 

 

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in large ziploc bag and add olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Close bag and massage seasonings into fish. Let marinade for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare slaw: In a medium bowl combine cabbage, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place in refrigerator.
3. Remove fish from marinade and place onto hot grill. Grill fish for 3-5 minutes each side, it will vary depending on the temperature of your grill. Typically the second side will take less time. Remove fish to hot plate.
4. Grill tortillas for 10-20 seconds each side. Divide fish equally into tortillas, add slaw, and mango and avocado. Garnish with extra cilantro, if desired. Makes 8 tacos total; 2 tacos each.

Photo and Recipe Source: Ambitious Kitchen

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

 

 

 

A crockpot chicken noodle soup, with chicken, onions, carrots, celery, and noodles.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (I used shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 4 cups water*
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, depending on saltiness of broth
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 leek or small onion chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ounces noodles

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot; take meat from bones, dice, and return to broth, and add the noodles. Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high). Or, cook the noodles separately and add them just before serving.

 

*Note: I had to add another 2-3 Cups of water to broth after adding the noodles. 

 

Picture and Recipe Source: Southern Food

No Bake Energy Bites

This is a great healthier "cookie" recipe.  My kids loved it, even when I omitted the chocolate chips.  I included all of the notes from the original website, as I thought they might be helpful for me another time.  She also had Pumpkin No Bake Energy Bites, as well as a Cherry Pistachio flavor.  Sounds yummy!

No-Bake Energy Bites

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: About 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional)
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25 balls.

Ali’s Tip:

Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.

Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.)
• other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)

Update: Many of you have asked about substitutions for other ingredients. The joy of these bites being “no bakes” is that this recipe is super flexible. If you end up needing to omit one of the dry ingredients (such as coconut or flax), just add in some extra of whatever other dry ingredient is remaining (for example, the oats). If you feel like your energy bites are too dry, add in extra honey or peanut butter. It’s also not required that you refrigerate these, but I find it helps them stick together much better. And for some reason, I love things like this a little bit chilled. Enjoy!!

Source: Slightly adapted from Smashed Peas & Carrots.

Complete Recipe and Photo Source: Gimme Some Oven

Ham Bone Soup

We baked our Christmas ham a little late this year.  My husband and I made this delicious soup with the left over ham bone, which was a first for me.  It was pretty good and very simple to make.  I loved that we made it in the morning in the crock pot and dinner was done by the time we got home.  It did take a full 6 hours to cook in our crock pot.  Enjoy!

Recipe Source: All Recipes
Photo Source: Damn Delicious

Ingredients

1 leftover ham bone with some meat
1 onion, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15.25 oz) kidney beans
3 potatoes, cubed
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cubed
( we added 2 celery stalks, chopped)
*4 c water
*6 bullion cubes


*Note.  The last time I made this, it was too salty.  We ended up having to add more water.  Either add more water in the beginning, or less bullion cubes.  I would suggest 4 c water to 4 bullion cubes, as the original recipe suggests.

Directions

1. Place the ham bone, onion, tomatoes, kidney beans, potatoes, and green pepper into a 3 quart or larger slow cooker. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in water, and pour into the slow cooker.
2. Cover, and cook on High until warm. Reduce heat to Low, and continue to cook for 5 to 6 hours.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

In my quest to make all of my own bread, I attempted to make hamburger buns.  They turned out delicious!  In fact, my 4 year old just wanted to eat the bun with ketchup and not the meat (what?!)  These buns turn out fabulous (not crumbly or soggy) and the egg wash makes the top harder and shiny, like a bun from your favorite restaurant.  I love going healthier so I subbed out 1 C whole wheat flour in the dough and it was good.  Not sure how much more wheat I would put in it than that though.....after all, its a burger!  Gotta live a little every once in awhile ;)  This recipe made 12 buns and we froze half for another time.  I got the recipe from my friend Rachelle over at To Die For Recipes  Thanks Rachelle for a keeper recipe!


1 c. milk
1 c. water
2 tbs. butter
1 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp salt.  
5 1/2 c. flour (more or less) (I used 5 C)
1 pkg instant yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tbs. water

In a glass measuring cup, combine water, milk, butter and sugar. Microwave until liquid is warm/hot and let the butter melt in the milk mixture (let mixture cool till very warm). In a mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour, salt, and yeast. When milk mixture has come to a very warm temperature, add to dry ingredients. Mix until combined, add more flour to desired consistency. Knead for 8 minutes, adding flour if dough become too sticky. Placed dough in a greased bowl in a warm draft free place (in the oven works best). Cover and let dough rise for 1 hour. Punch down dough, and divide into 12 pieces. Grease a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Roll each piece on dough into a ball, stretching it to make a smooth top, place in cookie sheet. Cover, and let rise for 25-45 more minutes or until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine egg yolk with water, and mix. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Recipe and Picture Source To Die For Recipes