Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled

1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups min chocolate chips

Instructions:

In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. In large bowl, beat together melted butter (make sure it is cooled) and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating trays halfway through cooking. Remove cookies from oven when the edges are golden brown. Let cookies sit on tray for one minute before removing to cooling rack.

Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup

With Fall here and Winter around the corner, all I can think about is soup! This is a fabulous and easy recipe for a delicious Fall and Winter soup.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained

1 cup cooked rice

2 cups chopped bell peppers

1 16oz jar salsa (and spice level)

1 28oz can Crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef broth

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

After cooking ground beef and rice, add to crockpot. Add chopped peppers and all other ingredients to the pot. Stir well. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.

Serving suggestion: serve with freshly grated cheese on top

*NOTE: this is almost more of a stew than a soup. If you would like a thinner soup, add 1 more cup of beef broth.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli – Slow Cooker Style

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless chicken breasts

1 Family-sized can cream of mushroom soup (23 oz)

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 cup white wine

pepper for tasting

pasta (whichever shape you prefer)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on low for 6 hours. Before serving, heat pasta. Top with chicken and broccoli.

Slow Cooker Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth (homemade or canned)

2 cups tomato sauce 

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup uncooked rice

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

7 cups spinach, chopped 

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

Combine vegetable broth, tomato sauce, chickpeas, and rice in slow cooker. Stir in seasonings (you can add more or less of each depending on your specific tastes). Cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or low for 5 to 7 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, stir in chopped spinach. Split into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Requests?

Hello everyone!
As my last post stated, I have been working on developing a new blog. I am extremely sorry for posting so infrequently on here…BUT I have something to ask of you. Lately I haven’t been very motivated to try and create new recipes (my last few were a total flop). Please comment here with any requests for recipes you may have. It can be anything! I just need a little motivation to make some deliciousness!

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

I made this for my graduation party last month and it was a big hit! Simply cream together all ingredients and let chill in fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. We ate ours with freshly picked strawberries! 

1 8oz package cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

Stuffed Burgers

Summer grilling getting a little boring? Trade out those hot dogs and bland burgers for a stuffed burger! They take longer to make, but are completely customizable! The possibilities are endless. Just buy a burger press (I used these http://www.buystufz.com/ ) and start creating those delicious burgers. 

For ours, we used ground turkey meat but you can use ground beef as well. Use smalls cubes of cheese, bacon crumbles, peppers, onions, barbecue sauce, or anything else you like…ground chicken stuffed with blue cheese and buffalo sauce is also AMAZING.

So try making stuffed burgers of your own and let me know what deliciousness you create! 

 

Make Boxed Cupcakes Taste Like Homemade

Don’t have enough time to bake cupcakes from scratch, but want that nice homemade flavor? Well I discovered a trick to help make those box mixes taste a little better…milk! Replace the water with milk or a richer flavor. Want to make those cupcakes extra delicious? Substitute melted butter for the oil as well!

 

Bacon and Cheese Pannekoek

One of the most delicious foods I had the pleasure of trying in Holland was a pannekoek, a Dutch pancake. These pancakes are far different from American ones. They are not fluffy, but instead are thin like crepes. Locals fill them with fruits, meats, cheeses, or just top them with powdered sugar.

I tried the bacon and cheese pannekoek and it was AMAZING! If it were any bigger, I don’t think they’d have a plate big enough for it! The batter has a unique and deliciously fresh flavor, while the fillings were cooked perfectly. There was a perfect ratio of pannekoek to bacon and to cheese.

I finished off dinner with a traditional favorite…sprinkled with powdered sugar! There is something so wonderful about a food like this. It’s so versatile and, unlike most foods you eat out, doesn’t make you feel sick afterwards. I ate a LOT of food here, and I felt full and happy. No regrets!

So if you are ever in Holland…I would strongly suggest ordering up some pannekoeken! You won’t regret your decision.

Dutch Apple Pie and Hot Chocolate

I don’t have a recipe for this, but I wanted to share some of the delicious foods I consumed on my trip to Europe. First up, Dutch apple pie! And let me tell you, it was delicious!!!!