Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope these are as good as they look!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: I've had great success baking these cookies at 325 degrees for 13-ish minutes or 350 degrees for about 11 minutes (each oven will vary in time). Basically, do what you have the time and patience for. I usually stick with 350 because it is easier to remember and two minutes faster. Time is money, right??

*Makes 2-3 dozen cookies

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 cup packed light brown sugar (7 ounces)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet or milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until well mixed. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter has lightened slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips at the same time. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Form dough into tablespoonful-sized balls and place on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheets. Frozen cookie dough can be stored for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and just lightly browned. Don't overbake or else the cookies will be tough and hard. If baking frozen cookie dough, add 1 to 2 minutes onto the baking time. Store the baked cookies in an airtight container (or baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months).

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

I want to try these soon!  From Mels Kitchen Cafe.

Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

from melskitchencafe.com

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 3/4 cups oatmeal

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add Baking soda, powder, and salt and mix. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Hawaiian Haystacks from scratch

This is a healthier version of Hawaiian Haystacks (which I've already posted).  Sometime when i have lots of milk, I'll try this one out!

Chicken Sauce for Hawaiian Haystacks

from melskitchencafe.com

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed)

3 tablespoons butter

½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped

3 cloves garlic; finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

1 cup chicken broth

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, don’t add it to the skillet now, you’ll add it later). Saute the onion and chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute - this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This looks great, and cheap!  Hope to try it soon.  From Mels Kitchen Cafe.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients - pour half over the chicken and follow the baking directions in the recipe and pour the other half in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce on the stovetop at medium heat for 8-10 minutes until it simmers and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

*Serves 4-6

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve the chicken over rice.

Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

This looks amazing, and I'm looking for some delicious crockpot recipes...we'll see how it goes!  From Mels KitchenCafe.




Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken


*Note: leaving the tomatoes undrained makes for a fairly juicy chicken mixture. If you don't want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as liquidy, slightly drain the tomatoes before using them. Also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.


*Serves 4

1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat - with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)


Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortillas with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.

*Freezable Meal: I freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. I reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.