Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

These might possibly be the yummiest/un-healthiest cookies in the world:

2 c. flour

3/4 c cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 c. butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1 2/3 c. reese's peanut butter chips

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separate. Then mix them together and add the chips last. The dough is very thick.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 8-9 minutes (do not over bake) They will be very soft at first. Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

Mexican Haystacks

Into the crockpot goes:

4 chicken breasts (I always use frozen)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 c corn (I used frozen sweet corn)
1 small can diced green chilis (optional)
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 warm water

Cook on low all day.  Shred chicken.  Serve over long-grain white rice and top with shredded cheddar.
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This is a great recipe because I almost always have the ingredients on hand.  Freezes well too.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

1 packet yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
2 3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in a small dish with water and sugar.  Let sit for 7 minutes.

Mix together flour, oil, salt and yeast mixture.  Mix with dough hook for 5 minutes.  Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or so.  Roll out and cover with toppings.  Bake at 475 for 17 minutes.

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I got this recipe from Nie's blog.  It turned out perfectly!  Tonight we made a Hawaiian pizza.

Pork Chops & Corn Stuffing Bake

In a large bowl, combine:
1 1/2 c cornbread stuffing mix
2 celery, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 c corn (I used frozen sweet corn)
1 can cream of celery soup

When combined, pour into greased 9-inch pie pan.  Top with 4 boneless pork chops. 

Combine 2 TB brown sugar and 2 tsp brown spicy mustard.  Spread over porkchops.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1 T olive oil
1 slice bacon, crumbled (I usually add a little extra)
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 carrots, grated or chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 t oregano
1/2 t rosemary
1 28 0z can tomatoes
2 16 oz cans chicken stock
2 c water
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 c pasta (I usually add more)
1 can white beans
1 can kidney beans
1/4 c parsley
Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pot over moderate heat. Add bacon, onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook 4 minutes. Add oregano and rosemary and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and stir 1 minute. Add stock, water, salt, pepper, and pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in beans and parsley. Heat through; then serve topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Taco Casserole

Saute together:
1 lb ground beef
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1/4 c chopped onion
When browned, add 1 packet taco seasoning and 1/2 c water.  Simmer.

In a greased 8x8 dish, place:
1 c broken tortilla chips
1/2 can refried beans

Top with beef mixture and cheese.  Bake at 350 until heated through.  Serve with lettuce, olives, tomatoes.

Easy Oven Fried Chicken

Still no salmon and no leftovers so tonight I made chicken.

I marinated chicken breasts in Fresca (any lemon-lime soda), oil and a little ginger. I've made it before with equal parts soy sauce/soda as well, but I haven't replaced my soy sauce since I moved.

After marinating for a few hours (up to 24 hours), coat the chicken with flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 425 and melt 1/2 stick of butter in a baking dish. Add the chicken and bake for 30 minutes. Turn over and bake another 15 minutes.

1/3 c flour
1 t paprika
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Taco Soup

I'm a little off on my meals this week too. I haven't made it to Sam's Club to buy salmon so I keep pushing it back. We LOVED the hearty bean and barley soup. I couldn't believe Natalie and Megan liked it. Karen and Isaac didn't try it but I was happy with 2/4. So thanks for that recipe.

The taco soup you can throw in your crock pot to warm all day or you can heat it over the stove at dinner time. It's very easy....

1 lb ground beef (I usually do less to save $$)

1 small onion

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix

1 envelope taco seasoning

Brown meat and saute onion together. Add to other ingredients. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Garnish with chips, cheese, sour cream, fresh tomatoes, olives--whatever you like.

Pork Chop Dinner

In a large crockpot, place:

6 carrots, chopped
4-5 potatoes, chopped (I used red potatoes)
4 boneless pork chops
1 onion, sliced
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Yum!  Yet another first-time recipe for me, and we liked it a lot.  Both of my kids ate a ton (granted, we played outside for 4 straight hours, so they were starving!). 

Tomato Soup

So I was supposed to make Crescent Roll Beef Casserole tonight, but we haven't been feeling so great, so that just sounded gross to us!  So instead tonight we had Creamy Tomato Soup with Sourdough toast for dipping.  I love this meal.  Takes 2 minutes to heat up the soup and toast the bread.  I usually serve it with some sort of green veggie, like broccoli or asparagus.  Tonight we had it with cottage cheese & peaches.  Random, I know, but we were outside allll day, so this is what I threw together!!  Cam loves this soup, and of course, it's always fun for kids to dip stuff!

Andrea's Favorite Pasta

1 T olive oil

8 oz sausage links

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 t sage

1/3 t thyme

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 lb pasta, cooked

2/3 c heavy cream

Parmesan cheese

Heat oil and cook sausage. Add spices, cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cream to sauce. Simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Add 2/3 c pasta water and cooked pasta. Heat through. Top with grated Parmesan.

Notes:

I usually use the whole 8 oz carton of cream.

I always forget to save pasta water so I just add 2/3 c water.

I've started substituting a can of tomato sauce for one of the cans of diced tomatoes.

Angel Hair & Three Onion Soup

I made this tonight.  From the Olive Garden website.  Delicious.  I was just missing the breadsticks to dip with!!  Definitely keeping this recipe around!!  Nate & Cam both loved it too!


4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb baby (pearl) onions, fresh (or ½ frozen bag, thawed)
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
6 cups (48 fl oz) chicken stock
Salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lb angel hair pasta, broken in 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
4 tsp grated Romano cheese

•PLACE oil and all onions in a large sauce pan over low heat and saute, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, until onions are golden. Add stock and salt to taste. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and simmer for about 1 hour.
•ADD pasta and parsley and cook until pasta is just al dente.
•LADLE into soup bowls. Sprinkle with grated Romano cheese.

Dorothy Crockpot Chicken

Sorry I never posted about the chili/cornbread.  We ended up eating leftovers.

We eat this chicken several times a month because it's inexpensive & takes no time!  I got this idea from my mother-in-law. 
First you need some chicken. I use frozen chicken tenders, but breasts would work too. Stick them in a crockpot, no need to thaw first. I use a whole bag of frozen tenders cuz we like the leftovers.
Then you pour Dorothy Lynch dressing over top. I use a generous amount cuz we like the extra sauce.....usually the whole bottle.
Cook on low all day.
Shred chicken about 30 minutes before eating to let flavor in. Serve over white rice.
That's it!
SOOO easy and yummy! You don't need any other seasonings or spices. We add a little s&p at the table and serve it with a veggie.

This is what the dressing looks like. It's on the dressing aisle with the ranch and such. It comes in regular or fat-free. We have been using the fat-free and think it tastes just as good.

Hearty Bean & Barley Soup

1 C chopped carrot
1 C chopped celery
1 C chopped onion
Sautee in olive oil over med heat until tender. 

Add:
1/4 c uncooked pearl barley
1 can rinsed red beans
3 1/2 c vegetable broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
Bring to a boil, cover, simmer over low heat for 35-45 minutes.

Add 2 cups fresh spinach, heat through.  Add black pepper to taste.

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Once again, this was my first time trying this recipe.  I just went through all of my cookbooks and marked a ton of new recipes, so bear with me on trying these out!! 

This was really good.  My kids both gobbled it right up!  How I love stuffing my children with veggies!!!  Makes up for all of the candy and crackers they inhale.  I thought it was a tad bland, so I added some dried basil as well.  If you have any good seasoning suggestions, let me know!!  I also served this with buttered whole wheat bread for dipping.

Baked Salmon

My kids devour fish. I should make it more often than I do because it's healthy and they love it. But it's expensive...

I make it differently every time. This time I made a marinade, put it in a Ziploc bag with the fish, and let it defrost in the refrigerator all day.

2 cloves garlic

6 T olive oil

1 t basil

1 t salt

1 t pepper (just realized I forgot the pepper!)

1 T lemon juice

1 T parsley

Combine ingredients and cover salmon with marinade. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.