Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips


Cream butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Incorporate chocolate chips evenly.  Refrigerate dough for one hour. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

These Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies are light, fluffly, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Inspired by this recipe.  Thinking about trying white chocolate chips?  Macadamia nuts?

Roasted Plums

1 lb plums
1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Halve the plums, discarding the pits.  Toss plums with brown sugar.  Place in a 9x13 glass dish (lined with parchment paper makes for easy cleanup).  Roast in oven 15-20 minutes until soft and juice is bubbling.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, cream, creme fraiche, or even sour cream.  Serves 4

Jamie's Hashbrown Casserole

1 bag 32 oz frozen hash browns (thawed)
1 lb pork sausage, cooked
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 cup water Salt and pepper to taste
(Can add cooked eggs if desired)

 Dump hashbrowns and sausage in crockpot. Put cheese on top. Pour soup and water on top and then mix together. Season to taste. Cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Empire Biscuits

For the shortbread:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar

Mix in:

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a seperate bowl, whisk together:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix the flour and creamed mixture until just combined.  Knead in crumbs from the bottom of the bowl if necessary.  Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, chill 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8th inch.  Using a shot glass, cut out circles.  Bake for 8 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

After the cookies have cooled, sandwich two together with a teaspoon of raspberry jam (heating the jam in the microwave for 15-30 seconds makes for easy spreading).

For glaze, wisk together:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 - 2 tablespoons hot water

Decorate cookies by topping with about 1 teaspoon of glaze and a piece (usually 1/4) of maraschino cherry.

This Empire Biscuit recipe makes about 10 cookies, but re-rolling the leftover dough will give more.  I have tripled this recipe with success.

French Toast

3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 slices dry white bread (toast it if necessary)

In a shallow bowl, beat first 5 ingredients.  Dip bread in egg mixture, coating both sides.  In a skillet cok bread on both sides in a small amount of hot butter over medium high heat till golden brown.  Add more butter as needed.

French Toast makes 5 servings.

Hot Five-Bean Salad

1/4 cup bacon grease**
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Dash pepper
3/4 cup Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 can cut green beans*, drained
1 can lima beans*, drained
1 can cut wax beans*, drained
1 can red kidney beans*, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans*, drained
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled**

In a large skillet heat bacon grease. Combine next 4 ingredients and stir into grease.  Stir in vinegar and water; cook and stir till boiling. Stir beans into skillet.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Stir in crumbled bacon.

Hot Five-Bean Salad makes 10-12 servings.

* About 15 oz
** You can just cook the bacon in the skillet, leaving 1/4 cup of grease in the pan.  I usually cook bacon in the oven (400 degrees for 7-10 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil), and reserve the grease in a mug kept near the stovetop.

Carmelitas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine (stirring until completely smooth--then set aside):

• 30 Kraft caramel squares
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, combine:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Stir in:

• 3/4 cup butter, melted

Pat half of oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8"x8" pan (optional: line the pan with parchment paper).  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and sprinkle over the crust:

• 1 cup chocolate chips

Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.  Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.  Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes (until lightly browned at the edges).  Let the carmelitas cool completely before cutting.

Oven Fried Chicken

butter, room temperature and cold
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons milk or water
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 - 3 lbs large chicken breasts, cut in thirds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  With room temperature butter, generously grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine eggs and milk in medium bowl.  Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, coating both sides, then into corn meal mixture.  Place in prepared baking dish.  Place two very thin slices of cold butter on each piece of chicken.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, basting once (but I never remember to do that and its fine).  Serve with fry sauce or Chick-fil-a Sauce.

Note:  If using a family pack of chicken, use two 8 x 11 baking dishes, and increase the ingredients as follows:

3 large eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons milk or water
3/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup flour
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1+ teaspoon garlic powder
1+ teaspoon black pepper

For Oven Fried Fish:
Substitute 2 lbs fresh or frozen (thawed) fish fillets for chicken.  Prepare as above.  Place skin side down in baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Brownie in a Jar

Brownie in a Jar Mix:

In a pint jar layer:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips

To make the brownies:

Mix contents of jar with:
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon water

Spread in a 9x9 pan and bake on 350 degrees for 22-26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 1' from the edge comes out with only a few crumbs.

This is a magic Christmas brownie jar!  Every time you make the brownies, if you do a kind deed with the Christmas spirit in your heart, Santa's elves will refill the jar!