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

Homemade Cream of Chicken soup. Low in fat!

I wanted to make homemade Cream of Chicken soup for awhile now. And since it was a snowy Sunday afternoon and I was making Broccoli and Rice casserole I thought why not make the whole thing from scratch. Especially since my husband was home to help with the twins! It's always nice to know that your casserole is completely made from scratch. The recipe I used is low in fat because it doesn't call for butter and I used skim milk.

Here's the recipe I used which I thought was mighty good! 

Cream of Chicken Soup

2 1/2 Cups water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon 

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 parsley

Combine the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the remaining 1 cup milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms.

Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan with the broth mixture over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer, stir and whisk. Then let sit for 5 plus minutes. 

Add it to whatever you are making! Freeze or store leftovers. 

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/

Molasses Honey Granola

It’s a rainy day and my husband has been begging for granola.  So why not! And I had the ingredients.  I have tried a bunch of granola recipes and combined a few.  Here’s the one I use. I’m convinced molasses is they key to the best granola!!

 Molasses Honey Granola

8 cups rolled outs

1 ½ cups wheat germ

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cups slivered almonds

1 cup craisins

1 cup cup raisins

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped up dried apricots/prunes/dried apples

1 ½ tsp salt

½ brown sugar (dark brown sugar is great too!)

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup honey

¾ cup canola oil

½ cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

In a large bowl stir together oats, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, craisins, chopped up dried fruit.

In separate microwavable bowl mix together oil, salt, brown sugar, molasses, honey, water, vanilla and cinnamon.  Microwave for one minute stir and cook longer if needed.

Pour liquid over dry ingredients while mixing with spatula. Stir until liquid is evenly distributed. 

Spread thin layer of granola on greased cookie sheet.  Use two cookie sheets if needed, it will cook more evenly.

Bake for 60 to 90 minutes. Stir granola every 30 minutes. Its done once it’s toasted and crisp. Enjoy that sweet cinnamon smell!

Pie Time

Every Sunday I take a dessert to the in-law's house. This past Sunday I thought. Hmmm.... I've got apples that need to be eaten and some blackberries. How about an Apple Blackberry pie. So I went to my Pinterest folder because I remembered pinning the Pioneer Woman's Dreamy Apple Pie recipe awhile back and wanted to give it a try. I don't usually like apple pie but this one looked real tasty and yep it sure was.

Also, the pie crust was so good. Nice and flaky. Just the way I pie should be.  

So, i'm passing on the recipes to you.

Dreamy Apple Pie (don't you just love the Pioneer Woman... I know I do... she makes some yummy yummy dishes indeed)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/dreamy-apple-pie/

And remember I threw in a carton of blackberries to the apple pie filling and we all enjoyed it!

The flaky pie crust:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/p-p-p-pie_crust_and_its_p-p-p-perfect/

Zucchini Beef Casserole

What to do with all that zucchini?  

I had a bunch of zucchini's from my co-worker. So I did some online hunting and found this recipe on the Taste of Home website. It is delicious. My husband loved it too! I've made it twice now in the past month. Go ahead... Give it a try. Start shredding that zucchini and polling out the beef from the freezer. I think it's more of a casserole than a pizza which Taste of Home called it.  I did put my two sense into the recipe below as well.

Zucchini Beef Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can (15 ounces) Italian tomato sauce

1 medium green pepper, chopped

Directions:

Place zucchini in strainer; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10

minutes. Squeeze out moisture.

Combine zucchini with the eggs, Parmesan and half of the mozzarella

and cheddar cheeses. Press into greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes. And additional 5 minutes on broil.

Meanwhile, cook beef and

onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add

tomato sauce; spoon over zucchini mixture.(remember to turn oven back to 400)

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; add green pepper. Bake 20 minutes

longer or until heated through. Yield: 6-8 servings.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Zucchini-Pizza-Casserole