Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's no denying I love my sweets, especially anything containing chocolate!  These chocolate chip cookies are sooooo good!  I took these to a Christmas party where a friend took some home to her hubby.  She immediately wanted the recipe, as her husband said they tasted like a Christie Cookie.  If you are familiar with this iconic Nashville cookie store, then you know anything resembling a Christie Cookie is delish!  The original recipe came from Lulu the Baker, but I changed her recipe just a bit.  I love that they are soft, gooey and oh so yummy!

To keep myself from devouring all the cookies while my kids aren't looking,  I'll mix up a batch of dough and keep it in the refrigerator and only bake a few at a time.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2  3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet, and stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Use a medium scoop to shape dough into balls, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just beginning to turn golden on the edges. Remove from oven, cool on sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

*I like to scoop the cookie dough and place the dough balls in a ziplock bag to keep in the fridge so I can bake a few at a time.  I've kept the dough up to a week in the refrigerator with no problem.

*These cookies turn out best if the dough is at room temperature.  If you refrigerate the dough, let it sit out for a bit before baking.

Enjoy!

Angela

Broccoli Cheese Soup

With December having been such a mild month, January is kicking our bottoms with cold temps!  When it's freezing outside, I crave soup - the ultimate comfort food.  I try to have soup on the menu once a week during the winter months.  This week's choice is Broccoli Cheese Soup.  The original recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, one of my favorite cooking blogs.  She has great dishes that are all made with real ingredients.  You NEED to check out her site...so many great dishes!  I've slightly altered her recipe to suit our tastes.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, sharp or extra sharp
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped broccoli

Directions:

1. Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. 
2. Chop broccoli and place in large glass bowl.  Cover with Saran Wrap.  Microwave for 3-4 minutes.
3. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. 
4. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour, salt and pepper. Cook together, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium heat until soup starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add warmed chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and stir until completely melted. Stir in steamed broccoli. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Angela

Seasoned Cracker Mix

Snack foods are always popular with us!  This Seasoned Cracker Mix is a summer staple around here, but it is likely to be found in our kitchen anytime of the year!  In the summer, it's always taken to the pool or on a beach trip.  It also makes an appearance in carpool during the school year and at tailgating before football games.  Be warned - it's very addictive!

Seasoned Cracker Mix

Ingredients:
Crackers
1 10 oz. package oyster crackers
2 bags Goldfish crackers (I usually use one bag of original flavor and 1 bag of parmesan flavor)
1 box Cheezits
1 box Ritz Bits

Seasonings
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 t. dill weed (dried)*
1/2 t. garlic salt*
1/4 t. garlic powder*
1 pakage dry original ranch dressing mix

*I often will add a bit more these seasonings.

Directions:
You will need a large Tupperware-type bowl with a tight fitting lid.  In this large bowl, mix together all the crackers.  In a small bowl, combine the seasoning mixture.  Pour seasoning mixture over the crackers and stir.  Cover with lid (or Saran Wrap).  Turn over or stir every 30 minutes for about 3 hours.

Notes:
This is really better after a few days.  It keeps for a long time if you have a tight fitting lid (if you can keep from eating it!).

Enjoy!
Angela

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

When Ty and I were engaged and preparing for our wedding, at one of my bridal showers my future mother-in-law gave me a very special gift.  It was a recipe book she had put together that contained family favorite dishes from both Ty's family and mine.  I can't begin to imagine the amount of time and love she poured into this sweet, sweet gift.  Each recipe had a note about where it came from and who especially enjoyed each dish.  I definitely want to do the same for my kiddos when they get married!

This spaghetti I am sharing is one of the recipes included in this book.  It was one of Ty's favorites growing up, and it is now our kids' favorite!  There are never any groans when I announce we are having spaghetti for dinner!  Gotta love nights like that!

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

3 t. salad oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 lbs. ground round

1 can Italian tomatoes

2 small cans tomato sauce

1 small can mushroom pieces

1 large can tomato paste

1 1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 T. sugar

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 t. dried oregano

2 T. dried parsley

2 t. worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Saute onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic in oil until golden in color.  Add ground round and brown.   Drain fat.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, mushrooms and all seasonings.  Simmer covered 1 1/2 hours (or in crockpot on low 3-4 hours).  Serve over noodles.

Notes:

The sauce freezes well!  

Baby girl enjoying her spaghetti a few years ago!  She loves it just as much today!

We hope you enjoy this, too!

Angela

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole is probably one of our all-time family favorites.  It makes an appearance at least once a month on our dinner menu.  It is often requested by the kids for birthday dinners, celebratory meals and just about anytime I ask for their advice for weekly menu planning.  It is also my go-to dish when I need to take a meal to new moms or families who just need a little a little extra love for whatever reason.  It freezes great, and I usually take a frozen batch to enjoy on our beach vacation each year.  Basically, it's a great comfort food dish that pleases just about everyone!

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 - 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup

1 - 8 oz carton of sour cream

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (about 40 crackers), crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Combine chicken, soup, sour cream and poppy seeds in a bowl.  Spoon into a lightly greased 11x7 baking dish.  Combine crushed crackers and butter, and sprinkle over chicken mixture.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serves 4.

I usually double this recipe and cook in a 9x13 dish so that we have plenty of leftovers.  Also, the kids love to have the job of crushing the crackers in a ziplock bag and mixing in the melted butter!

We sure do love this dish; and we hope you do, too!

I am linking up with 

  

Enjoy!

Angela

Salsa

Chips and salsa are very popular at this house!  I had been on the hunt for a great recipe, and my sister J delivered!  She found the original recipe here, and we have tweaked it to our taste.

Salsa

Ingredients:
14.5 oz can rotel
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes (with the juice)
4 tsp canned diced jalepenos (add less for a milder flavor or more for a spicier version)
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 tsp garlic salt*
1/2 tsp cumin*
1/4 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:
Process jalepenos and onion in food processor for a few seconds.  Add rotel and diced tomatoes.  Add garlic salt, sugar, cumin, minced fresh garlic, lime juice and cilantro.  Process all of the ingredients until well blended (don't puree).  Place into a covered container and refrigerate.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

*I usually end up adding a bit more to taste.

This salsa gets better with time!  If possible, make 1-2 days ahead of time.

Dirty Rice

We love foods with a bit of spice around here.  This dirty rice recipe certainly delivers and is one of a few meals I can count on everyone in the family enjoying.  These types of dishes are rare and hard to find!  It's definitely on regular rotation at our house!

This is from one of my favorite cooking websites, Southern Plate, and from Christy Jordan's book Come Home to Supper.  I love that her food is simple and oh so yummy!

Dirty Rice

Ingredients:
4-5 cups cooked rice (we use brown, but white is great, too)
1 pound uncooked sausage (or ground beef)
1-3 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning (we use Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama)
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped or minced garlic
4 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (or 2 Tablespoons dried)

Directions:
In large skillet over medium heat, place celery, bell pepper, garlic, onion, parsley, and sausage.  Break up sausage and cook all, stirring regularly, until sausage is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.  Add Creole seasoning and stir.  Stir in rice and continue cooking over medium heat until rice is heated through, stirring well the entire time.

Notes:
I usually only put 1 Tablespoon of the Creole seasoning in the dish while cooking, and those who want a spicier version sprinkle a bit more seasoning on their plate.

Enjoy!
Angela