Chocolate Chip Cookies: a Recipe

This is a post from the archives. I wrote this a few years ago and never published it so I decided now is the perfect time to post it! (sorry for the dark photos, at the time I thought it looked good hahaha)

Cookies!!!

Who doesn't love a good cookie? So I had an afternoon to whip up a few, like 6 dozen! Wow, I didn't realize the recipe I was following was a double batch of the original so I made like a ton of these bad boys!

Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup Butter (2 sticks)

2 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda & salt.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat brown sugar, sugar & butter.

Add eggs one at a time and vanilla.

Slowly add dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls or use cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 21 minutes (depending on your oven).

They are so yummy and delicious!

There were so many I didn't know where to put them all! I need to invest in a dang cookie jar, one that won't let the air in so they don't get all hard. That's one thing I hate about cookie jars.... 

yummmm

Enjoy!

What have you been baking lately?

Click here for printable recipe!

Teriyaki Chicken & Rice Bowls: a Recipe

Let me just tell you, these were amazing!! I could eat this every night and be perfectly happy about it.

Okay so here is what you will need:

2 green peppers, a yellow onion, a can of pineapple chunks with the juice, a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, oregano, salt & pepper, olive oil, teriyaki sauce, butter, and rice.

I picked up this Kikkoman teriyaki sauce and it's delicious but you can of course use your favorite.

It is pretty simple to make. I typically prepare the chicken the morning of so it has a few hours to marinate but you could also do it the night before if you've got the time and plan ahead that far. Cut chicken into bite sized cubes. Place cut chicken in a gallon Ziploc bag. Add Oregano, Salt, Pepper and a bit of teriyaki sauce, enough to evenly coat chicken. Leaving some air, close the bag and mix. Once completely combined remove as much air as possible and let marinate in the refrigerator for as long as desired.

In a large saucepan or pot on medium high heat add chopped green peppers and about a 1tbs. olive oil. Cook until almost soft then add the onions and more olive oil if necessary, you could even throw in a tablespoon of brown sugar to help caramelize the onions. Once onions are caramelized move veggies to a serving bowl. There may be bits left on the bottom of the pan, this is perfect we will use this to cook the chicken.

But let’s start the rice first. In a 1 quart pot add 1 cup of uncooked rice, 2 cups of water, a tsp. salt and a tbs. butter. Cook on high uncovered until it starts to boil. Once it is boiling cover and turn down to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from heat leaving the lid on for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff before serving.

While the rice is going let’s deglaze our veggie pan by pouring in the juice from the can of pineapple chunks. Keeping the heat at medium high add in your marinated chicken chunks and cook in the pineapple juice. You may want to add more teriyaki sauce at this point, about a tbs. at a time depending on your desired taste. I added about 2 more tbs. Once chicken is cooked through and rice is ready, let’s eat!!

To build your rice bowl start with a couple spoonfuls of rice, then add veggies, pineapple chunks and chicken. Make sure you include a few extra spoonfuls of the juice from the chicken, it is amazing! I also added more teriyaki sauce because I love the flavor but you don’t have to, it will be amazing either way. Eat up and enjoy! This is a new favorite in our house.

For printable recipe click here.

I hope you like it! What is your favorite meal? I'd love to hear!

Sunbeam Play Dough: a Recipe

For anyone that reads this blog that doesn't know what a Sunbeam is; no it is not a beam or ray of sunlight. In our church the Sunbeams are the children age 3 that will turn 4 in the coming year. This year is the first year they are out of Nursery and in Primary with all the other big kids. They are the cutest and best class on the planet! I get the opportunity every Sunday to be in the Sunbeam class with another teacher and we get to teach this great group of kids. There are 8 kids in our class and I wanted to do something special for the kids on their birthday. The only guidelines I wanted to follow were:
1. Quick
2. Easy
3. Inexpensive
The kids are 4 so this shouldn't be too hard right? But with my lack of experience and having no kids myself I didn't quite know what I should do. So I asked a girl at work who in my opinion is awesome with kids and she has four of her own that were 4 once; what would a 4 year old like to get for their birthday that fits my requirements?
PLAY DOUGH!

And from there it was just too dang easy! I pulled out the book, threw together some dough, got a ton of pretty awesome cookie cutters, made a few tags and I am ready for the year baby!!
The first child's birthday was last week so I had to get on this little project pretty quick. I decided to go ahead and make all the tags at once so I have them all and they will be ready when I need them. This will totally come in handy if I forget a birthday is coming up and don't have time to recreate this on the computer. I love it when I think ahead.

Aren't these just so stinking cute, I love it when an idea in my head comes out so well in real life! I decided to use some Mod Podge to glue the label to the jar so it would stick like a real label.
The play dough recipe I have makes a ton of play dough so I only made a quarter recipe and also made it bright blue for Andrew.

Play Dough @ Max Power                          Recipe @ 25%

1 1/2 C. Salt                                                 1/4 C. + 2 T. Salt

5 C. Flour                                                     1 1/4 C. Flour

1/4 C. Oil                                                     1 TB. Oil

2 TB. Cream of Tartar                                 1 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

2 3/4 C. Boiling Water                                 1/2 C. + 3 TB. Boiling Water

Food coloring (optional)                              Food coloring (optional)

Combine salt and flour in a large bowl and mix.

Add oil and cream of tartar.

If desired, add food coloring to boiling water; then pour water into salt mixture.

Mix completely and knead into dough.

Add more flour as needed until dough has reached desired consistency.

Store in an airtight container or bag. (In my case a darling birthday jar.)

 

The only thing left to do now is decide what cookie cutters you want to give away. This was the most difficult part for me because they were all so stinking cute! My advice for anyone wanting to do a project like this, buy a pack for you and a pack to give away. I got this awesome pack of animals at JoAnn's and was able to use my 50% off coupon. Talk about a steal, it was fantastic! Andrew ended up getting a dinosaur and a I believe this one was the cow.

I'm so happy I've got an entire year of Sunbeam birthdays planed and ready to go; the only thing left to do now is wait for May when the next birthdays roll around!

PS: If you would like this gift tag/label shoot me an email: abenchproduction {at} gmail {dot} com and I will be happy to whip it up for you! :) Below is one I made for my niece's birthday coming up.

Blueberry Pies: a Recipe

I made Blueberry Pies this weekend!

And they were delicious!

First I made the CRUST!

2 cups all-purpose flour

I teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons shortening

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Warm the butter in the microwave until it is soft, but not melted.

Mix in a large bowl:

2 cups all-purpose flour

I teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Then cut in using the dough blender:

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons shortening

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Wrap your pie crust in plastic wrap. Then place in refrigerator for 20 or more minutes, while you make the PIE FILLING.

3/4 c. sugar

3 tbsp. corn starch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. water

4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. butter

In saucepan combine sugar, salt and corn starch with water, blueberries and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

I made mini pies:

Aren't these so cute!!!

The minis baked for 15 minutes each @ 400.

Then I made a regular sized one:

This baked for about 50 minutes @ 400.

DE.LISH!

Yummy Dinner: a Recipe

This is one of our most favorite dinners to have my house.

It is quick and easy and delicious!

(click to enlarge)

Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Slush: a Recipe

If you love lemonade as much as I do you will love this simple little treat. If you have a Magic Bullet it will make this so simple but if not a blender will suffice.

You will need.....

frozen strawberries

Country Time Pink Lemonade mix

Ice and water.

for an individual serving in the 'Party Mug':

Strawberry Lemonade Slush

4 frozen strawberries cut in half

1 scoop Pink Lemonade

4 ice cubes

1 cup (or more) water

blend and enjoy

Brownies: a Recipe

Made these last night! (from here) First time I've ever used baking chocolate and it was pretty fun! All I had to do with it for this recipe was stick it in the microwave and melt it but it was still fun!

One Bowl Brownies

Ingredients
• 4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2. Microwave chocolate and butter or margarine in large bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter or margarine is melted.

3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts.

4. Spread in greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake for 35 minutes (do not overbake).

Make them, try them, they are delicious!!!

My favorite cookies: a Recipe

I try to bake something at least once a week and I like to try new things each time. But when you get that craving for your favorite cookies you just have to pull out the oats and get baking! These are my most favorite cookies in the world, nothing tops these yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a tall glass of milk!

Oatmeal Spice Cookies

In a small bowl combine:

1 C Flower

½tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

½tsp Nutmeg

In a stand mixer add:

¾C Brown Sugar

¾C Chocolate Chips

½C Sugar

3 C Oatmeal

¾ C Butter, softened

1 Egg

1tsp Vanilla extract

Gradually add in flour mixture.

Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12 mins.

Enjoy with milk!

Make them and enjoy them, they are wonderful!

I was also able to make a few cards this week.

A friend of mine got married last week and so I made a card for them. 

The colors on their wedding invitation were lavender, white and black. Unfortunately I don't have anything lavender at all so I just went with a classic Black and White card. I hope they like it!

I'm so glad I have this wedding stamp set, I've been able to really wear it out this year!

My Uncle's birthday is today so I made him a card this weekend and sent if off in the mail. Boy cards are really hard for me to make. I don't have a lot of stamp sets that are boy and I love to use ribbon which isn't very manly. I think this one turned out really great though even with the ribbon.

The simpler you keep things I think the better when it comes to masculine cards. The over embellishment is what makes them look so girlie I think.

But boys still like the detail you put into a card and appreciate the time and effort to make something just for them. I hope he likes this one!

Until next time.... happy creating!

Baby Card & Cookies

Last weekend I had a baby shower card to make. I do not have any baby type stamps, so I was a little worried. The baby is a boy so I pulled out my western stamp set and used this as inspiration and this is what I came up with.

I think it turned out pretty well.

And the inside is really cute too!

I had a lot of fun baking new cookie flavors too! I grabbed a bag of Reese's chips and made the recipe on the back of the package. It was so yummy!

If you have never tried these before, go ahead and make a batch for yourself!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies Recipe

I've been waiting to try to make M&M cookies and I got my chance the other day! They were really good too!

I sure love cookies! They are so much fun to make I can't wait to try another new recipe.

Good Eats

If you have never seen Alton Brown's Good Eats on the Food Network you are missing out! I got a couple super yummy and simple recipes this past month from him. It has been so much fun creating yummy treats in the kitchen with my hubby!

This past weekend we made these fantastic pretzels!

The dark ones are Cinnamon & Sugar, the rest are all Salt. Man they made our house smell so good!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html

I also made this yummy pizza a couple weeks ago! Delish!

The great thing about making your own pizza is if there is a topping you do not like *cough, mushrooms, you don't have to put them on. It's 100% customizable!

I just love homemade pizza!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pizza-pizzas-recipe4/index.html

You have got to try these recipes, you will have a new family favorite!

mmmmmm

Sugar Cookies!

I love sugar cookies, they are so much fun to make and to decorate and to devour!

mmmmmm

On Valentine's day I made Cinnamon Roll Cookies for my hubby! He loved em! They are basically a sugar cookie dough rolled out with butter rubbed on it, brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled heavily on top. Rolled all up, cut then place on a cookie sheet and bake. Remove from the oven and drizzle with cream cheese frosting!

I'm told they are super yummy! I took a bunch to work and they all disappeared! It was wonderful!

Well, my sugar cookie recipe makes a lot of dough so what to do with all the rest???

It was Valentine's Day and I wanted to make heart shaped cookies. Too bad I don't have a heart cookie cutter, so sad. BUT I do have a maple leaf! Odd that I would have that and not a heart, I know! So I made Vancouver Olympics Cookies!

mmmmm CHOCOLATE!

I just have to share with you a chocolate cake that I made a few weeks ago.

I have never made a chocolate cake all from scratch before so I was a little nervous that this would be really dry and taste horrible. But to my satisfaction, it was the best chocolate cake any of us have ever had! mmmm mmmmm! It has chocolate frosting and in the middle was a vanilla creation that I made up and sadly, can not be duplicated. It turned out fantastic!! So yummy! If you would like the recipe for the cake and frosting it is found here: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184
Thank you Hershey!
ps: We made cupcakes with this same recipe last weekend and they were horrible! I would recommend not trying that.
The cake was fantastic though!
happy baking....

Happy Halloween!

Hello everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a fabulous Halloween! I'm back and I wanted to share some of the fun I had this weekend. I carved a few pumpkins, it was so much fun! This is one of my favorite parts of Halloween!

This is the Mummy:

And this is the Monster:

I also filled my jars!

The BOO! is a little hard to see on this one, but it's there!

They look so great full of candy!!

For the party I had to make a desert. I found this great website called Picky Palate (http://picky-palate.com/) and there was a fun recipe I wanted to try for Cookie Pies (http://picky-palate.com/2009/07/13/hot-little-chocolate-chip-cookie-pies/).

Basically you make your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe:

Then cut out small circles from a pie crust:

I used a Pillsbury crust and cut out the circles with this perfectly sized lid!

Then scoop on the cookie dough:

Bake, and enjoy right out of the oven:

They turned out great! It was fun to try a new recipe. I would recommend if you have some time to browse this great site! There are tons of recipes and I'm sure there is something there you have not tried before. So go, be creative and try new things!