Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 c. butter, softened
whip until light and fluffy. Add:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
whip until light and sugar is thoroughly mixed in. add:
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (i like bourbon vanilla gives a good flavor)
again, whip whip whip. Add:
2 1/4 c flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
mix JUST until incorporate. Add:
2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
mix JUST until incorporate. Do NOT over mix this.

Place tablespoonful full of dough on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Allow to sit for one minute on the cookie sheet before removing.

Brownie Puddin’ Cake

Brownie Puddin' Cake

Brownie Puddin’ Cake

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Grease a 8×8 square baking dish. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne pepper and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add milk, butter and vanilla, until mixed. Spoon the batter into pan.

Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa and sprinkle evenly over batter. Gently pour boiling water over entire mixture; do not stir.

Bake 35 to 38 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven; a toothpick inserted into the top layer should come out clean.

Spooky-Doo Butter Fingers

Spooky-doo butter fingers

Spooky-Doo Butter Fingers

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
15 drops green food coloring
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 c slivered almonds.
yellow food coloring
raspberry jam

Add butter and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in egg, lemon juice and green food coloring. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt and stir into mixture. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Form fingers from 1 tablespoon of dough, by rolling dough with clean hands. Use a knife to score lines for the fingers knuckle. Press an almond firmly into the dough for a fingernail. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Cookies should be very very light brown. Cool for five minutes and place cookies on a rack to cool completely. Using a paint brush, carefully paint the “nails” yellow. Dip ends of the “cut finger” into raspberry jam.

***if almonds fall off, take a bit of the raspberry jam and use to ‘glue’ back on.

6 Cheese Turkey Lasagna

6 Cheese Turkey Lasagna

Turkey mixture:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh minced garlic ( about 5-6 cloves )
1/2 chopped red pepper
1 chopped onion
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. salt
1 teas. Red pepper flakes pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh basil
Add ground turkey to cast iron skillet- Cook on medium heat to lightly brown, add all other ingredients and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are soft, stirring often. Remove from heat and cover. There should be very little liquid.

Ricotta Cheese mixture:
1lbs. ricotta cheese ( 32oz. )
4oz. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
4oz. gruyere cheese (shredded)
4oz. mozzarella cheese (shredded)
12oz. baby spinach ( cooked and chopped )
1 tbsp. dry oregano ( crushed )
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients, set aside.

Alfredo Cheese sauce-
This sauce is really easy and adds a great touch.
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
½ cup chopped blue cheese
Melt butter is saucepan. With a whisk, mix in flour. Cook for 1 minute whisking constantly. Add milk slowly and continue whisking until thick. Remove from heat. Add blue cheese let stand until cheese is melted. Stir.

Assembling lasagna you will need:
¼ cup Spinach
½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
½-1 package Lasagna Noodles (I use the no boil ones, they are more stable and in my opinion makes a lighter lasagna)

On the bottom of a lasagna pan (13×9) ladle a bit of the turkey mixture. Follwed by:
- Lasagna Noodles
- 1/3 of the remaining turkey mixture
- 1/3 Ricotta Cheese mixture
- 1/3 Alfredo sauce
- Parmesan cheese
Repeat this layering three times. Lightly sprinkle the ¼ cup spinach on top.
Tent aluminum foil and cover. Bake for 35 minutes. Take foil off and bake a remaining 10 minutes. Make sure that you have a pan underneath to catch any boiling over. Let stand for 5-10 minutes as everything needs to settle.

White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. butter
1 ¼ c brown sugar
½ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
1 ¾ c flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ c. old fashioned oats
2 c. white chocolate chips
½ c. coconut

Cream butter, sugars together until light. Add eggs and whip until light. Stir in vanilla and milk, whipping until smooth. Mixture should be light and creamy. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt just until combined. Fold in oats, chips and coconut. Drop dough by tablespoon or cookie scoop on baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes in 375 degree oven, until light brown.

Chocolate NoBake Cookies

These area staple in the Courtney Household. The first time I made these I was probably 13. Ha! They are still one of my favorites.

1 c. sugar
¼ c. milk
¼ c. butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ c. coconut
1 ½ c. oatmeal

Mix sugar, butter, milk and cocoa in saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to sit for one minute. Add remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Spread aluminum foil or wax paper on countertop. Using a tablespoon, drop batter onto foil/paper. Allow to sit and cool. Will take 10-15 minutes to set.

Rockin’ Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

½ green pepper, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken, cubed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 can (24 oz.) diced tomatoes in juice

1 can black beans (16 oz)

¼ c. molasses

1 c. broth (chicken, beef or tomato)

1 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed, or fresh

1/2 cup sour cream, garnish

Using dutch oven or large skillet, brown onions, garlic, carrots, green pepper in olive oil for 5 minutes.  Add chicken and brown, stirring frequently.  Add coriander, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.  Sauté additional 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, black beans, molasses, broth and corn.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Serve with sour cream.