Why don't I make Chocolate Chip Cookies more often?

They are so easy to make and taste so much better than packaged dough. . .

Andrea’s Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s the one my mom used, tweaked by me!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup butter flavor vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups AP flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet, white, or milk chocolate chips (1 cup) or any combination thereof
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
4. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

TIP: If nuts are omitted, add an additional handful of chocolate chips.

If they make it past the cooling rack, store them tightly sealed for a couple of days (they won't last that long. . .)

Hungry Girl's 2010 Halloween Candy Guide

From our friends over at Hungry Girl

It's our 2010 Halloween Candy Guide... Read on to check out the calorie and fat counts on your favorite bite-sized treats BEFORE you chew. Happy Halloween!!!




Guilt-Free Classics!

Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Laffy Taffy Miniature - 30 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Peeps Ghosts & Pumpkins (2 Pumpkins or 1 Ghost) - 28 - 37 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Twizzlers Strawberry Individually Wrapped Twist - 40 - 47 calories, 0 - 0.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Read on here!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Kim gave me a bag of these back in November and they were delish. I think the secret to the delightful flavor is the coffee. . .Thanks Kim!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons self rising flour

¾ cup margarine

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 (11.5 oz.) package semisweet chocolate mega-morsels

1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.

Combine butter and coffee granules in a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until butter melts and coffee granules dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature (don’t let butter resolidify).

Combine butter mixture, sugars egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mega-morsels and walnuts.

Drop dough be heaping tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325º for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Variation: For holidays, substitute mega-morsels with red & green colored baking chips or plain M&M’s.

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

My dear friend Kim Carper sent this to me, along with several more recipes that I will post in the next few days. Thanks Kim!

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

Ingredients

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• Dash salt, if desired
• 2/3 cup caramel topping
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in oats and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for topping. In ungreased 9-inch square pan, press remaining dough mixture evenly in bottom to form crust.a
2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until dough puffs and appears dry.
3. In small bowl, mix caramel topping, flour and vanilla until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips evenly over crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough mixture over caramel.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 12 to 14 minutes. After topping crust, bake 22 to 27 minutes

Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Asparagus with Peanut Dipping Sauce

I am not a fan of asparagus,

but this recipe sounds good to me. . .

Butter Pecan Chocolate Fudge

1 cup butterscotch morsels
1 container (16 oz.) prepared vanilla frosting, divided
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 pkg (8 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate squares (8 squares), coarsely chopped, divided
1/2 tsp vegetable oil


Line bottom of a small Bar Pan with 8 1/2 X 10-in. piece of Parchment Paper. Combine butterscotch morsels and half of the frosting in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Add pecans, stirring to coat evenly. Spread butterscotch mixture evenly over Parchment Paper.

Reserve 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the chopped chocolate for garnish.

In same saucepan, combine remaining chocolate and remaining frosting. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Carefully pour chocolate mixture over butterscotch layer in bar pan; spread evenly. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes or until set.

Invert bar pan onto cutting board. Carefully peel Parchment Paper off fudge. Place reserved chocolate and oil in microwaveable bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM 1 1/2-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Spread chocolate evenly over top of fudge. Refrigerate 15-30 minutes or until firm. Cut into 60 small squares.