Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello again.

Here is a quick recipe for you and then I am off to clean house.

Another Amish Friendship Bread recipe.  It is for cookies, too.  It was a great recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amish Friendship Bread - Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1 cup Amish Friendship Starter

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

5 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

16 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C).

Cream starter, butter, shortening, and sugars.

Beat in the eggs, one by one, then add remaining ingredients.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

 


Off to clean the house.  Chat  with you later.  Have a great one.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Hello.  How are you?

I know you might be tired of Amish Friendship bread but I have been making it every 10 days and I have been trying new recipes.

I found a website (Friendship Bread Kitchen)  that just has tons of recipes for the starter.  I will be trying a bunch of them.

Instead of making bread this time around, I decided to make cookies.  Oh man,  this was great.  I just loved the idea.

This recipe is for peanut butter cookies.  I will be making them again right before Thanksgiving.  It will be a great snack to take to my son's house.

 

Amish Friendship Bread - Peanut Butter Cookies

 

1 cup Friendship Bread starter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix starter, peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and beat well.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add flour mixture to starter mixture, adding additional flour if needed to form balls. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F and form into small balls or use a cookie scoop. Roll in granulated sugar.
5. For traditional peanut butter cookies, gently flatten cookies and use the tines of a fork to make hatch marks (tip chill fork in freezer first), repeat in opposite direction. Place on cookie sheet.
6. For peanut butter blossom cookies, gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a mason jar and gently press one Hersey Kiss in the center.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are light brown and set.
   
   
   I will have another cookie recipe later, so check back.  I hope you have a great day.
   
   

   

   
   
   

Amish Bread

Hello everyone.

Yesterday, I mentioned that I was headed to the kitchen to make some Amish bread.  Some may be wondering what it is.  It is a feeder that I stir every day and on the fifth day, I add more ingredients.  On the tenth day, I get to make bread. You are suppose to make one batch for yourself and then give the recipe and the starter to a friend. Most of my friends are tired of it, so I usually make three batches of bread.  And then give the baked bread to friends and family.

This is a sweet bread so I usually make it in smaller loaf pans.  Yesterday, I made banana nut bread.  It was just delicious.  I love it straight out of the oven.

The starter recipe is as follows....

Starter Amish Bread

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour, divided
3 cups sugar, divided
3 cups milk, divided

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2. On days 2 through 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 through 9; stir only.
3. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

Editor's Note:  Once you have made the starter, you will consider it Day One, and thus ignore step 1 in this recipe and proceed with step 2. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.



I have had this recipe for some time and I am not sure where it came from.  Maybe Allrecipes.com

I will try to post the banana nut recipe later in the weeks.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Mushroom Ragu

My husband and I have been on a mushroom kick.  He found this recipe on Martha Stewart.  We just love it.

Mushroom Ragu

  2 tablespoon butter                             

  1 tablespoon olive oil                         

  1 1/2 lb mushrooms                         

  1 teaspoon thyme                             

  1/4 cup red or white wine                

In a large skillet over medium -low heat, melt butter with olive oil. Raise to medium. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, until mushrooms release their liquid, 5 to 6 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to high. Cook, tossing, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add thyme and wine. Cook unti skillet is almost dry, 1 minute. Serve hot. 

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

Here is another great recipe from Allrecipes.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

1/2 cup rice; uncooked
14 oz chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz green chile peppers
1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese; shredded
8.75 oz corn; drained
2 tablespoon cilantro 

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.  In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Hillshire Farm Sausage Alfredo

I just love this recipe.

Hillshire Farm Sausage Alfredo

14 oz Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage; diagonally cut into 1/4 inch slices
8 oz pasta; cooked & drained
2 cups heavy cream

Saute sausage in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.  Add cream and cajun seasoning; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese.  Add pasta to sauce and toss.

Loaded Shoestring Potato Bake

This is a Kraft recipe. We really enjoyed it.

Loaded Shoestring Potato Bake

 

  8 oz cream cheese; softened

  10 1/2 oz cream of chicken soup             

  8 oz sour cream                         

  1/2 cup ranch dressing                     

  28 oz shoestring french fries           

  8 oz three cheese; shredded

  bacon bits                         

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Mix cream cheese, soup, sour cream and dressing until blended. Layer half each of the potatoes, cream cheese mixture and shredded cheese in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat layers; cover.

Bake 1 hour. Sprinkle with bacon; bake, uncovered, 15 min.

Pineapple Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Hello.  With spring and all the fresh fruit, I always get in smoothie mood.  I just love making up a pitcher of smoothies and let that be my morning or afternoon snack.  Very filling for me.

This recipe came from Two Healthy Kitchens  It is a great smoothie.  If you check out  the website, just know that a lot of ads pop up.  Very frustrating.

Pineapple Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

  2 cups ice cubes                         

  1 cup vanilla yogurt                     

  1 cup pineapple in juice; undrained

  1/2 cup orange juice                       

  1/4 cup sugar                             

  1 teaspoon vanilla                          

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. 

 

 

 

I am sure there will be more smoothie recipes as the spring weeks go by.  Until have a great day.

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

I don't know where I got this recipe.  When I printed it, I didn't leave the website address on it.  I don't eve have a picture.

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1 frozen underripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups ice cubes

In a blender, combine the orange juice and milk.  Cut the banana into slices and add to the blender along with the vanilla.  Top with ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Fajita Seasoning

Yesterday, when I made the shrimp recipe, I didn't have any Fajita Seasoning, so I used this recipe from Allrecipes.

Fajita Seasoning

  1 tablespoon cornstarch                         

  2 teaspoon chili powder                       

  1 teaspoon salt                               

  1 teaspoon paprika                           

  1 teaspoon sugar                             

  1/2 teaspoon onion powder                       

  1/2 teaspoon garlic                             

  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper                     

  1/2 teaspoon cumin                            

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. 

 

Creamy Shrimp Fajita Pasta Skillet

Hello.  One of the cooking websites/blogs that  I just love to browse is The Recipe Critic.  She has some great recipes and pictures.  I found this recipe on her site.

I did change it up.  Instead of putting the pasta in.  I cooked up some rice and put it on top of the rice.  It was a great recipe.  It will definitely go in the ratio of regular recipes.  I didn't take any pictures tonight, but you can check them out on original post on The Recipe Critic.

I also didn't use the olive oil.  We have been cutting back on our oils so I just sauted in some water.


Creamy Shrimp Fajita Pasta Skillet

• 16 ounce pasta (I used medium shells)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used a red, yellow, and green)
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 pound small shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1 package McCormick Fajita Recipe Mix, divided
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. In a large pot cook pasta according to directions. Rinse and drain. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add peppers and onion and sauté until tender. Set aside on a plate. Add another 1 Tbsp olive oil and cook shrimp 2-3 minutes or until pink and edges are lightly brown. Add 1 Tablespoon Fajita Recipe Mix and sprinkle on top of shrimp. Set shrimp aside on plate.
3. Add fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, cream cheese, and remaining fajita seasoning packet to the skillet. Heat over medium high heat until cream cheese is melted and sauce has thickened about 3 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and continue to stir until melted.
4. Add pasta, peppers and shrimp back to the creamy sauce and toss until coated in the sauce and heated throughout. Serve immediately.

Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole

My boss gave me this recipe and I just had to try it out.  It was a great success.

 1 lb chicken breast; boneless, skinless & cube

  8 medium red potatoes; diced

  1/4 cup olive oil                         

  2 teaspoon kosher salt                       

  1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper                       

  1 tablespoon paprika                           

  2 tablespoon garlic powder                     

  3 tablespoon hot sauce                         

  2 cups cheddar cheese; shredded

  1/2 lb bacon; diced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce. Add the potatoes and chicken and stir to coat evenly. Place the potatoes and chicken in a 9X12 baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes, until cooked through and browned and crispy on the outside.

Once potatoes are done, remove from the oven and top with cheese and bacon. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

Spaghett Pie

This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home

Spaghetti Pie

  6 oz spaghetti noodles; uncooked

  1 lb ground beef                       

  2 large egg whites; lightly beaten

  1/4 cup parmesan                           

  8 oz ricotta cheese                     

  8 oz spaghetti sauce                  

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package; drain.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in sauce.

In a large bowl. whisk egg whites and parmesan until well blended. Add spaghetti noodles and toss to coat. Press spaghetti mixture into bottom and sides of a 9 in deep dish pie plate coated with cooking spray; forming a crust. Spread ricotta cheese onto bottom; top with beef mixture.

Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Ham 'N Cheese Frittatas

I got this recipe from Taste of Home.

Ham 'N Cheese Frittatas

  6 large eggs                             
  4 large egg whites                       
  2 tablespoon milk                             
  1/4 teaspoon salt                             
  3/4 cup ham; cubed
  1 cup cheddar cheese; shredded

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, wisk the first four ingredients until blended. Divide ham and cheese among muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top with egg mixture, filling cups three-fourth full. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Dumplings

Hello.  I made Chicken 'N Dumplings yesterday.  I have always used the Betty Crocker recipe for my dumplings.  Here it is, if anyone would like it.

Dumplings

  3 tablespoon shortening                         

  1 1/2 cups self-rising flour                 

  3/4 cup milk                    

 

 Cut shortening into flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk.

 

Roll out dough on floured surface. Cut into strips.     

Sassy Tailgate Sandwiches

One of the ladies at work made these for our Christmas party.  They were great.

  12 count hawaiian rolls                    
  1 lb ham; sliced
  12 slices Swiss cheese                      
  1/2 tablespoon onion flakes                      
  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce              
  1/2 cup butter; melted
  1/4 cup parmesan                          

Cut all 12 rolls in half. Place roll bottoms in 9X13 pan. Place equal amounts of ham on each roll bottom. Top with swiss cheese.

On each of th roll tops spread a generous amount of cream cheese. Return the tops to the bottoms. Making a sandwich.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, worcestershire sauce, onion flakes and parmesan cheese. Pour over sandwiches and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. (You can make these ahead of time and allow to sit in fridge overnight.)

Place sandwiches, covered in foil, into a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Cheesy Salsa Pull-Apart Bread

There are so many recipes for the pull apart bread these days.  This is a definite keeper.

Cheesy Salsa Pull-Apart Bread

1 can refrigerated biscuits; quartered

  3 tablespoon Butter; melted

  1/2 cup parmesan                           

  1 1/2 cup mexican style cheese               

  1 1/2 cup Salsa                            

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Toss biscuit pieces with butter in large bowl. Add grated cheese, then shredded cheese, mixing lightly after each addition. Also add some chopped jalapeno peppers.

Place in greased pan. Bake 35 to 40 min. or until golden brown. Run knife or spatula around sides of pan to loosen bread; cool 5 min. Remove bread from pan to heatproof platter or cutting board. Serve warm with salsa for dipping. 

Mexican Beef & Rice Casserole

Hello.  I am going to try and post more recipes.  I found this one on the Kraft Recipes site.

Mexican Beef & Rice Casserole

  1 lb ground beef                       

  1 1/2 cup mexican style cheese; shredded

  1 package taco seasoning mix                 

  1 cup rice; uncooked

  14.5 oz  rotel tomatoes                     

  1 cup salsa                            

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Brown meat in large nonstick skillet; drain. Reserve 1 cup cheese. Add remaining cheese and all remaining ingredients to meat in skillet; mix well.

Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover. Bake 40 to 50 min. or until rice is tender. Top with reserved cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted. 

Kitchen Tips

Hello.  I know it has been a while since I posted any thing.  I am going to try and get better.  So to that end, I thought I would post these kitchen tips.  I have seen them before but hopefully you will find something new.

#1 Grate Butter - I need to try this.  It would make making garlic bread so much easier.  I am going to stick a stick of butter in my freezer. 

#2 Scooping up egg shell - I knew this.  My Mother showed me this when I was learning to cook.

#3 Testing Eggs -  I am afaid to check mine.  Depending on how busy things are, eggs can stay in my refrig for a while.

#4 Freezer Pops - I don't have these in the freezer any more.  I did however see at the grocery store the other day, that you can buy ziplock bags to make your own freezer pops.

#5 Peel an Orange - I am going to try this.

#6 Freezing Leftover Sauces - I am going to buy some ice trays so I can do this next time.

#7 Peeling Garlic - My son will love this.  He had started using fresh garlic a lot.

#8 Reheating Pasta - I don't know if I will use this.  I don't normal have pasta leftover.

#9 Storing Ice Cream in a Bag - I am doing this today.  I hate trying to scoop out ice cream when it is so hard.

#10 Sliding cutting boards - Once again, another great idea.  I will be using this.

#11 Travel Cup - Since my son is grown, I can't see myself using this, but it is a great idea.

#12 Cutting up Watermelon - I do something similar to this already.

#13 Repurpose Pizza Cutter - I can't see myself using this one either.

#14 Yogurt Pops - No, wouldn't use this one either.

#15 Fresher Lettuce - I am going to use this at work.  Our lettuce goes bad so quick. 

#16 Pitting Cherries - I have done this, but it is easier to just use a knife I think.

#17 Cutting soft foods - I have seen this but never use it.

#18 Rolling Citrus Fruits - I do this.  Especially when making lemonade.

#19 Chilling wine - I need to buy some grapes. 

#20 Parchment Paper - I think I will try this next week with my husband's birthday cake.  I hate it when the cake sticks to the pan.

#21 Muffin Liners - I can't see me doing this.  Depending on what kind of muffins, I am making I don't use muffin liners.  I hate peeling them off.

#22 Shredding Chicken - I have never thought of this.  I may have to try it.

#23 Peeling Ginger - I must admit that I have never used fresh ginger.

#24  Cutting a Bell Pepper - I am going to try this one.

#25 Coating Measuring Cups - Another one to try

#26 Boiling Water - I have seen this, but I always forget to do it.

#27 Saving your cake - This is just odd.  But then again, I leave a slice of bread in my brown sugar container.

#28 Saving Honey - Since my Dad is a beekeeper, I knew this.

#29 Freezing Herbs - I thought about doing this, this year, but I have been drying my herbs.

#30 Opening Jars - I have a jar opener that looks similar to a rubber band, but it has a handle.

#31 Slicing Cherry Tomatoes - I am the only one here that easts tomatoes so I can't see me using this.

#32 Clear Ice - The next time, I make a punch, I want to do this.

#33 Ripening Bananas - I will have to remember this some times when I want to make banana pudding

#34 Cooking Fish - I don't think I would use this one.

#35 Freezing Lemon Slices - I may have to try this, when my in laws come.  My Mother-in-laws looks lemon slices.  I may even boil the water so the ice is clear.

#36 Fresh Fruit - I knew this.  Don't do it often, but I have done it.

That is it.  Thank you for looking and reading my comments.  I hope you find something you can use.

Have a great afternoon.

Cajun Spiced Popcorn Seasoning

I don't have a picture for you, but I make this alot.  I usually make a huge batch of it every few months for my son to take to college with him.  He eats alot of popcorn and this is is favorite seasoning to put on it.

I don't know where the recipe came from.  I have had it for a couple of years.  You can make it more or less hotter with the cayenne.
 

    Cajun Spiced Popcorn Seasoning

2 teaspoon Paprika
2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.