Instant Jello Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today was one of those days. One of those demanding days. So I made these cookies last night and I lost count of how many cookies I ate today. I guess eating sweets can make a hard day seem all that better. 

Here's the recipe for the cookie I just keep eating. So if you're looking for a chewy chocolate chip cookie.. I found the recipe. My husband and I love our cookies chewy.  I'll post the sugar cookie recipe I make sometime soon as well. My husband kept saying over and over again this is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's perfectly cooked on the outside while it's chewy in the middle. My new favorite thing to do is to add in dried cherries.  Go ahead and give it a whirl. I dare you to eat just one!!!

Instant Jello Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup softened butter

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package (4 oz) instant vanilla pudding

2 eggs

1 package (12 oz.) chocolate chips

1 cup nuts/raisins/dried cherries

Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and pudding mix in large bowl. Mix well beating until creamy.  Beat eggs in.

Gradually add flour, soda, chips and nuts or dried fruit. Batter will be stiff.

Drop by teaspoonful about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes 7 dozen

Apple Cinnamon Bread

I had some applesauce in my fridge. It needed to be used. So I made this Apple Cinnamon Bread. I liked it so much that I made it again right after the first loaf came out of the oven!!

2 large eggs

1 cup cinnamon applesauce (I used non-sweetened applesauce and added extra cinnamon)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray I also flour my pans. I hate it when the bread gets stuck to the bottom of the pan.  I so hate this!!

In mixer combine eggs, brown and granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix mix mix. Then add applesauce and sour cream.

Now add all the dry ingredients to mixer. But don't over mix. Some lumps are fine. 

Turn batter out into prepared pan and sprinkle granulated sugar on top. I love to do this to all my sugary breads and to muffins!

Bake for 45 minutes. Check to make sure it's done by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean it's done.

Allow bread to cool in pan and then take it out of  the pan and cut and eat!

  

Monterey Chicken

This week I made Monterey Chicken. I saw it on Pinterest and gave it a whirl.
It sure was good! I sure love cheese and tomatos.
The chicken was nice and tender and we had leftovers to take to work. Here's my
take because of course I changed it up a bit.


Monterey Chicken Pasta

• 3 cups swirly pasta uncooked
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
  1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  Dash of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken broth
• 1 pkg. (7 oz.) any kind of cheese
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan 
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatos 
  
  
  Heat oven to 350F 
  
  
  Cook pasta as directed on package.
  
  
  While pasta cooks melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add onions and Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and cook and stir 6 min. or until crisp-tender. Blend in flour; cook and stir 1 min. Gradually stir in broth; cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup shredded cheese; cook and stir 1 min. or until melted. Add pasta to ingredients in skillet along with the cooked chicken.
  
  
  Transfer to 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
  Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover.
  
  
  Bake 40 min. Uncover and top with Parmesan for the last 10 min. Top with tomatoes.
  
  
  

  
  
  Here's the original recipe:
  
  
  http://what2cook.net/2013/12/03/monterey-chicken-pasta-bake/

Baby shower cupcakes

Oh Pinterest. You have saved my yet again. 

My friend and I were throwing my other friend a baby shower. 

And I said I would make cookies and cupcakes. Well, I turned to pinterest and here's how it went.

These cupcakes were delicious. Loved them.

I would make again for sure!

Thank you normal activities. Link: http://normalactivities.blogspot.com/2012/03/limoncello-cupcakes.html

I also tried a new sugar cookie recipe, Jello Sugar Cookies.  They were good but didn't work well to cut out. Rolled they were yum. And they were bright pink which made it fun because I used raspberry jello. So when I make again (which I probably will because they were nice and chewy, just the way the hubby likes them) i'll roll them in sugar and bake them. Here's the link for the Jello Sugar cookies:

http://www.eat2gather.net/2012/02/food/recipes/i-heart-jell-o-sugar-cookies/

In the end I went with a tried and true sugar cookie recipe. It's my mom's recipe and they were great to cut out and frost.