Sugar Cookies

It's about time I get this recipe on here! This is my favorite recipe for roll out sugar cookies. I just used it this week to make stained glass cookies and it worked great! It's very easy dough to work with. Top with your favorite frosting or not at all. 

Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and vanilla and beat until well combined.
3. Add the flour mixture and mix until dough comes together.
4. Divide the dough in 1/2 and wrap each ball in a piece of plastic wrap. Press down to form a disk. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
6. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured flat work surface to about ¼-inch thickness, using extra flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes, and transfer to parchment covered baking sheet
8. Bake at 375°F until puffy but not visibly browned, about 7-8 minutes (depending on thickness). Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Repeat with remaining dough.

Frost when cooled. Makes about 24-36 cookies.

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie at Kneaders last week. When I got home I decided to look up a copycat recipe, and what did I find??? THE ACTUAL RECIPE from the KNEADERS WEBSITE! So here it is straight from the source. They are soft and cake-like. You're welcome.

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

kneaders.com 
1¾ cups butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs, slightly whisked
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until butter starts to lighten and mixture becomes fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin puree. Mix for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients to evenly distribute the leavener. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed for one minute. Fold the chocolate chips in by hand.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll into 2-inch balls, or use a cookie scoop. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze up to 3 months. Makes about 40 cookies

English Fruit Scones

I love scones! Especially scones slathered with clotted cream and jam. These are the perfect traditional fruit scone. This recipe is like the scones served in the Highclere castle tearoom (according to Lady Carnarvon). I had one of those scones 2 years ago when I visited Highclere Castle. I followed the recipe as written and ended needing to make a few changes. I changed the medium egg to a large, used regular sugar instead of caster sugar, and added a little milk (original recipe in link above). You want a slightly sticky dough, so add the milk/egg a little at a time until the dough comes together and doesn't fall apart, but don't make it too sticky (you need to be able to work with it). You might use all the milk and you might need a little more. The leftover milk/egg mixture is brushed on the tops of the scones before baking. Milk helps the scones to brown. If you use all the milk mixture just brush some milk on the tops. Now lets talk a little out how to eat it. There are 2 traditional ways, the Cornish way and the Devon way. The Cornish way (originated in Cornwall) is jam on the bottom, clotted cream on the top. The Devonshire way (eaten in the county of Devon) is to spread cream first and then the  jam. I have had it both ways, and I'm not sure which I prefer. I like to be able to spread the cream kind of like butter and then add jam on the top, but there's something about a big dollop of clotted cream that I love! Apparently the Queen prefers the Cornish way. Which way do you prefer your scone?

English Fruit Scones
adapted from Highclere Chef Paul Brooke-Taylor's recipe
7 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup sugar
5 1/4 TBSPs baking powder
1 large egg
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup golden raisins, currants, or sultanas (aka raisins)

1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F
2. Dust two baking trays with flour and place in the fridge.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour and baking powder with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
4. Add the egg to the milk and pour just enough of it into the flour mixture to form a sticky, soft dough (see my notes at the top). Stir until dough comes together. Add the golden raisins to the dough and mix in to evenly distribute.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured board or worktop and quickly and gently shape it into a round about 3/4 inches thick. Handle the dough as little as possible. Using a 2 1/2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Place rounds on the chilled, floured baking tray and brush each scone lightly with some of the remaining milk/egg mixture (if none remains brush with milk). Reshape dough and cut again, repeating until all dough has been used.
6. Bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes until golden brown and well risen. Put a clean tea towel on a wire rack. Lift the scones off the baking tray with a palette knife, transfer to the tea towel and wrap the towel around the scones. These scones are best eaten warm, soon after baking, and are fabulous with clotted cream, jam. They also freeze well. Makes about 25 scones.

Cheesy Mexican Chili

I tweaked my taco soup recipe and came up with a cheesy version! This is very versatile. You can really add whatever you like...switch the beans, take them out, add more corn, add more meat, more chiles. My local grocery store has it's own brand of cream soups and one of them is cream of poblano. If you can't find that just substitute it for a different cream soup. Warning: There is nacho cheese sauce in this chili. A whole can of it. Instead of real cheese, which would just make it stringy, or a block of Velveeta, I decided to try good ole' canned nacho cheese, and I really like how it turned out! You could substitute a different cheese if the can scares you.

Cheesy Mexican Chili

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 cup onion, diced

2 cups beef broth

1 (10 ounce) can cream of poblano soup (if you can't find this substitute cream of chicken, potato, or onion)

1 (15.5) oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15.25oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 (14.5) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (1.25oz) pkt taco seasoning 

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 (15oz) can nacho cheese sauce

1 cup sour cream

Optional garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, green onion

1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a slow cooker.

2. Add the broth, cream soup, beans, corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. 1 hour before serving, stir in the cheese sauce and sour cream and continue to cook on low until ready to serve.

Top with desired garnish and serve with cornbread or corn chips.

Pizza Rolls

I've tried a few different ways to make pizza rolls. I even have another recipe on my blog, but this is my new favorite. You make them just like cinnamon rolls. The dough is rolled out into a big rectangle, then you layer with sauce, pepperoni, and cheese. I use a homemade pizza dough recipe you can find here. I like to add a little ranch and crushed red pepper flakes to the top of mine when eating, kinda like frosting. :) My kids like to take them to school in their lunches too.

Pizza Rolls
2 lbs pizza dough (I use this recipe here)
1 cup pizza or marinara sauce
1 6oz pkg of pepperoni slices
2 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella or preferred cheese, divided
2 TBSPs melted butter
Garlic salt and Italian seasoning (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Lightly flour work surface and roll pizza dough into rectangle about 20in x 14in. Spread pizza sauce on the dough all the way to the edges. Place pepperoni slices on the sauce in a single layer. Fit as many on there as you want. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese over the pepperoni.
3. Starting from the long end, roll up dough like cinnamon roll dough. I start I one side and roll it just a little then switch to the other side and roll it up to match the other side. Then once I have a good log I can roll it all together at once. If pepperoni or cheese slips out just tuck it back in. It might look messy, but will still taste good! Using a sharp serrated knife, slice into 1 1/2 in discs. You should have about 14 rolls. Place on prepared baking sheet, slice side up. Again you can tuck in some cheese or pepperonis here if they have fallen out.
4. Brush tops with melted butter, then season lightly with garlic salt and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, if desired. Sprinkle the last 1/2 cup of cheese of the rolls.
5. Place in oven and bake 22-27 minutes. Rolls are done when crust is lightly browned and cheese and sauce are bubbly.

 Topped with a drizzle of ranch and sprinkled with crushed red pepper flakes.

Muddy Buddies

We love to make Muddy Buddies! You can do everything with just a bowl, microwave, and large ziplock bag, which makes this a very kid friendly recipe. Ready to eat in just a few minutes!

Muddy Buddies
chex.com
9 cups Rice Chex™, Corn Chex™ or Chocolate Chex™ cereal (or combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.  Measure cereal and pour into large bowl; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on high 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Gravy

This is my new Sunday roast recipe. It's just like having roast beef except it's pork and it's makes it's own gravy in the slow cooker! I like to use thick cut boneless pork chops because they shred so nicely. The recipe says to season the chops before putting them in the slow cooker, but I have tried just mixing all seasonings together with the soup and broth and then adding the pork, and it works just fine.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Gravy
adapted from thesaltymarshmallow.com
2-3 lbs pork chops, bone-in or out
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1 packet brown gravy mix
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 10.5oz can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 TBSPs cornstarch
2 TBSPs water

1. Season both sides of the pork chops with the ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, and pepper
2. In a large slow cooker whisk together the brown gravy mix, cream of chicken soup, and beef broth. Add the seasoned pork chops to the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove the pork chops carefully from the slow cooker onto a plate.
4. Strain liquid to remove any remaining chunks and pour into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. While liquid is heating, in small bowl stir together the cornstarch and water. Once the liquid has reached a low boil, add the cornstarch mixture and whisk until gravy thickens. Remove from heat when thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice and garnish with parsley if desired.