Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is not my regular chocolate chip cookie recipe.  This is my Corona Quarantine recipe, I don't feel like its really good the next day but it is sooooo good right out of the oven.  I make a batch of them, roll them into little balls and store them in the fridge in a tupperware.  I make 3 cookies every night for me, Russ and Jackie, then an hour later I make 3 more and then 3 more.....

1 cup butter, cold
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1tea. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tea. baking soda
1 tea. baking powder
1 tea. salt
chocolate chips

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth.  Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time, add the vanilla and mix for 30 seconds.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix until combined.

Mix in chocolate chips.  I'm lazy so I just mix my chocolate chips in the mixer.

Bake 2 at a time at 350 for 12 minutes, 1 hour later make 2 more, haha JK

Eggs

Hard Boiled Eggs 

LIFE CHANGING

Use the rack that comes with the pot

Place the eggs on the rack

Add one cup cold, warm or hot water to the pot

Place the lid on the pot

Using the manual setting adjust the timer to 5 minutes.

When the timer goes off, carefully release the pressure

Remove eggs and set in a bowl or sink filled with ice water or just run cold water over the eggs

Appetizer

Copycat Dodo Baked Cream Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds

 soften cream cheese by letting it come to room temperature.

Place the block of cream cheese in a flat bottom plastic bowl.

With a knife poke holes in the soft cream cheese and pour soy sauce all over it.

Let the cream cheese soak in the soy sauce.  Flip the block over so the soy sauce soaks in on all sides

Move the block to a new dish and  coat with  toasted sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 250, place the cream cheese in an oven proof serving dish and warm for 10-15 minutes

Serve warm with crackers and thin slices of apple and pear

You can toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan, just watch them closely so they don't burn

Shrimp Boil

This is a fun summer dinner

Ingredients
Water for boiling
4 T. Old Bay Seasoning
8 oz baby potatoes, cut into halves
2 ears corn on the cob cut into 2 inch pieces
12 oz smoked sausage, cut into pieces
1 LB shrimp, shelled, deveined

Cajun Butter
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 T. Cajun seasoning (McCormick)

Instructions

Fill a tall stockpot halfway with water.  On high heat bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add the Old Bay Seasoning, followed by baby potatoes and corn.   Cover the pot and boil for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes become tender.

In the meantime make the Cajun Butter by combining the melted butter with Cajun seasoning.  Stir to mix well and set aside.

Add the smoked sausage and shrimp, boil for 1 minute or until the shrimp turn pink (do not over cook the shrimp).

Remove the pot from heat and drain all the ingredients using a colander.  You may need to do it in two batches if your colander is not big enough.  Toss with the butter and transfer to a sheet pan to serve


498 calories per serving

 Brussels Sprouts - Side Dish

Balsamic Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 1/2 lbs. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (opt.)
3 Tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 450

2. In a large bowl, toss BS with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange BS cut side down on the baking sheet.  Roast until softened and deeply browned, approx. 20-25 minutes

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring honey to as simmer over medium heat.  Reduce heat a little and cook stirring often with a wooden spoon until honey is a deep amber color but not burnt, 3-4 minutes.

5. Remove honey from the heat and add balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes (if using), and whisk until smooth.  Be careful as it will make bubbles when you add the balsamic.  Return the saucepan to medium heat, add butter and a pinch of salt.  Cook, whisking constantly, until the balsamic honey glaze is glossy, bubbling and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes

6. Transfer roasted BS to a large bowl.  Add glaze, pecan, dried cranberries and toss to combine.  Transfer to a serving bowl.

Flank Steak

This is the most requested recipe from my family

Marinade
1 cup onion minced
1/2 cup oil
1 cup honey
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all marinade ingredients together and put the steak in a ziplock bag or tupperware.  Marinate for 2 days (I've never done 2 days but I do try for at least overnight).
Grill on medium for 15 minutes, turning once or twice.  cup on the diagonal into thin strips and serve.

Turkey

Go to the store and buy  Jennie-O Turkey Beast Tenderloins (1.5 LB)

Put them on a cookie sheet and drizzle both sides with olive oil
Sprinkle both sides liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Roast at 400 for 30 minutes

Slice thin and  eat as a snack or on a sandwich

Alfredo Sauce

1 T. butter
1 heaping T minced garlic
1 T. Flour
1 cup nonfat or low fat milk (I use 1% and it works). I have also used half and half
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. melt butter and add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds
2. whisk in flour making a nice thick rue
3. slowly whisk in milk and cook until slightly thick 
4. whisk in cream cheese and parmesan until smooth
5. Add salt and pepper to taste
6. Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve

Serve with any cooked pasta.  You can add broccoli.  If serving with chicken DO
NOT use rotisserie, it seems to make it gooey.  

Shrimp
Peel and devine the shrimp
add a little butter and/or olive oil to a pan. When hot add the shrimp and sauté for 2-3 minutes each side.  Buy frozen shrimp and just thaw what you will need for dinner that night.  I add the cooked hot shrimp to the pasta and sauce.  

Korean Beef Bowls

Russ likes these best the next day as leftovers

Cooked Jasmine Rice
1 lb ground beef
3 T. brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. sesame oil
1 T chili garlic sauce
1/4 tea ginger
4 green onions, sliced
1 carrot, grated or chopped really small
1 zucchini, spiralized, if you dont have one, get one, they are cheap and fun and easy


Cook the ground beef until all the fat is cooked out and its in small pieces.  Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce and ginger.  Reduce the heat to low and toss well, cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the green onions and zoodles and cook for 2 minutes.

In a bowl put rice, then beef mixture and sprinkle the carrots on top.

Drizzle Sweet Chili Sauce over the top, Enjoy

Funeral Potatoes

I sometimes make something more fancy by making my own rue or grating the potatoes or using fancy cheese,  but this is my basic go to recipe

1 bag Ore Ida Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes (30 oz.)
1/2 onion chopped
1 can cream of something soup
2 cups sour cream
2 cups any kind of cheese, grated
2/3 tea salt
1/2 tea pepper
crushed Ritz crackers

In a large bowl mix hash browns, onion, cheese and S&P
Mix soup and sour cream.

Mix soup mixture with potato mixture.  Put in a 9x13 pan
Sprinkle Ritz cracker crumbs over the mixture.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, let cool for 15 minutes