Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from my visiting teacher. They brought the dough to me and it was amazing. It is really healthy too!

Big Bowl

2/3 c. softened butter

2/3 c. crisco

1 c. sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

Cream this all together.

Smaller Bowl

3 c. flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

Mix together and then mix with the first set of ingredients. Add a cup of chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 for 9-12 minutes.

Spicy Chicken

1/3 cup Tabasco Sauce

2/3 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

4 chicken breast fillets

4 plain hamburger buns

8 teaspoons mayonnaise

4 lettuce leaves

4 tomato slices

4 slices Swiss Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the pepper sauce and water in a small bowl.

3. Combine the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika and garlic powder in another shallow bowl.

4. Pound each of the chicken pieces with a mallet until about 3/8-inch thick. Trim each breast fillet if necessary to help it fit on the bun.

5. Working with one fillet at a time, coat each piece with the flour, then dredge it in the diluted pepper sauce. Coat the chicken once again in the flour mixture and set it aside until the rest of the chicken is coated.

6. Cook chicken 20 to 30 minutes or until they are light brown and crispy. (About 180˚F). After they are done put the cheese on the chicken and back in the oven till the cheese is melted.

7. As chicken is cooking, prepare each sandwich by grilling the face of the hamburger buns on a hot skillet over medium heat. Spread about 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise on the face of each of the inverted top buns.

8. Place a tomato slice onto the mayonnaise, then stack a leaf of lettuce on top of the tomato.

9. On each of the bottom buns, stack one piece of chicken.

10. Flip the top half of each sandwich onto the bottom half and serve hot.

This is our replacement for Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich. It is less greasy, cheaper, and it tastes better.

Sticky Lemon Chicken

1 lb. chicken

salt and pepper

4 T. olive oil

2 T. soy sauce

3-4 T. honey

1 head garlic, each clove sliced in half (I just used the minced stuff I bought in the jar)

1 whole lemon, sliced

1/4 - 1/3 c. water

1 T. thyme

1/4 c. fresh parsley or 2 T. dried parsley

In a large skillet pan, add the oil to med. high heat. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5-6 minutes, turning each piece. Add the garlic cloves, soy sauve, and honey to the pan making sure to get all the chicken in the sauce. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and lay the slices of lemon on top of the chicken in the pan. Put a lid on the pan and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes. Season the chicken with thyme and parsley. Continue to cook until the chicken cooked through and no longer pink.

We ate this with rice and if you want it more saucey then double the sauce. I did and it was nice to put a little sauce on the rice. This is definetely a recipe that will become a regular on. It was so good. I loved that I could go out and use fresh lemons off the tree as well. It was great!

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 big can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 onion (white or red)
1 green pepper
2 jalepenos
1 spoonful of garlic
4 tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a pot and saute diced onion, green pepper, and jalapenos. Add in garlic.
2. Brown ground turkey. Season w/ cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Add both cans of tomatoes to pot w/ the vegetables. Season w/ spices.
4. Add turkey to pot of tomatoes and vegetables.
5. Simmer on low for a few hours. Depending on how much heat you want add in a round of the spices every hour.
6. 15 minutes before serving add in the frozen corn.
7. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Oyako

This is a japenese dish that Ryan and I like to get at this little restaurant down here. A couple of weeks ago it sounded good, but we didn't want to go out to eat so I decided to try to make it. We were actually really surprised at how well it turned out. I have to admit...I was very nervous to make it! I found a recipe and since then have made it a couple of times and have had a chance to play around with it. It is a new favorite.

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into very thin strips (almost julienned)

1 c. chicken broth

2 T. sugar

4 T. soy sauce

green onions

garlic, optional (as much as you want)

4-5 eggs, beaten

Put the chicken broth in a skillet with the sugar, soy sauce and the garlic. Put the cut up chicken in the sauce with half of the onions. Cook the chicken through. Put the remainder of the onions in and the beaten eggs. Turn the burner down and let the eggs simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

You can add whatever veges you want to this. Carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, squash, zucchini...it is good with anything. Today I put a yellow squash and the cabbage in it and it was great. Serve over rice. ENJOY!

Homemade Spanish Rice

2 T. Olive oil

2 cups long grain rice

1 finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, pressed (or garlic powder)

On medium high brown the rice, onion, and garlic in the olive oil for about 4 minutes or until onions are soft.

4 cups chicken broth/stock (homemade is the best! Make sure to check if the rice is a 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice or if it's a 1:1 and adjust accordingly.)

Simmer, then add:

1 T. tomato paste or 1 c. chopped tomato. (I used 1 drained can of tomato with chili pepper.)

dash of Oregano

1 t. salt (If using store bought chicken broth, you can get by with a dash of salt.)

Simmer again then add to the rice and let simmer for about 15 to 25 minutes until all the broth is taken up.

Almond Poppysead Bread

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

Bread
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. bkg powder
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar

Mix bread ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Poke holes in bread and pour glaze on immediately after removing bread from oven. Let cool.. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 loaves

Got this from the same friend. Hope you enjoy!