Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

2 c. butter (no substitutes)
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 c. flour
chocolate chips (I have added anywhere from no chocolate chips to a whole bag and ALWAYS yummy. I have also added other chip varieties, m&m's, pecans, macadamia nuts, etc. for variety.)

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla until smooth (may need to scrape sides of bowl here). Add dry ingredients, then chocolate chips. Drop & bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Thai Chicken & Rice Soup

1 T. stir fry oil (I used canola)
1 whole chicken breast, skinned, boned, and cut into small bite-size pieces
1 small onion
2 cups chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup cooked rice
2 T. oyster sauce
2 T. rice vinegar
1 T. minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1 to 2 T. hot chili oil

Heat medium saucepan over hight heat. Add oil; coat pan. Add chicken and onion; saute 4 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is lightly browned and onion is translucent. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, corn, rice, oyster sauce, and rice vinegar. Cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and chili oil. Serve while hot.

LOVE this soup. Such unique flavors. Family loves this, too. I double the recipe and only have a little left over.

Indian Curry

3 T. olive oil (used canola)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. paprika
1 bay leaf (didn't have this to add, but still tasted awesome!)
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root (1/8 tsp. ground ginger would substitute here)
1/2 tsp. white sugar
salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-sized pieces (used leftover turkey and turned out great)
1 T. tomato paste
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp still makes this plenty spicy, but my kids would still eat it)

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pices, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes. Serve over rice.

Got this recipe from allrecipes.com. DEFINITELY a favorite in my family. Pretty easy, just have to plan ahead to have the ingredients on hand.

WHOLE WHEAT BUNS

2 tbsp. dry yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
1/2 c. honey
1 c. hot water
3/4 c. oil
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
6-6 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside. Combine hot water, honey, oil and salt. Add beaten eggs; stir well. Then add yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until well blended. Put in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Turn out on floured board and knead a few times, then roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with wide glass dipped in flour. Put on cookie sheet and let rise until double in bulk.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

This is a great, easy recipe. It makes a lot of buns though depending on the size you cut them. I got about 35 to 40. You may want to 1/2 the recipe.

Hawaiian Ribs Slow Cooker Style:)

I found this on http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/ (I LOVE this site)! AND we LOVE these ribs:)


2 pounds boneless beef short ribs, or about 4 pounds babyback ribs

1/3 cup soy sauce (we use low sodium)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used less)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice powder (I'll put a recipe to make your own down below)
6 cloves minced garlic

Chinese 5 Spice Powder recipe:
(mix spices well, and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed anise seed
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

If you're using boneless ribs, they will probably fit nicely in a 4 quart slow cooker. If you've got bones, you'll most likely need a 6-quart.

Put the ribs into the cooker, and top with the sauce mixture. If you really want to, you can combine all the sauce stuff in a little bowl and then paint it onto the ribs, but that seems like a lot of work. They'll be fine if you just dump everything on top. They'll be fine if the meat is frozen solid, too. Mine was!

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 to 5. Flip the ribs over a few times before serving to cover evenly in the sauce. The longer and slower you cook the ribs, the more tender the meat.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, pulp removed (can usually get one cup per pumpkin)
salt water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. butter or margarine

Boil seeds in salt water for 10 minutes. Dry & mix with other ingredients.Spread on a cookie sheet and bake @ 250 degrees for 2 hrs.

Pumpkin Apple Dip

pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened


1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canned (or baked) pumpkin 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
 
Beat first 3 then add cinnamon and beat until smooth. Dip with apples or whatever else your little heart desires!