Cowboy Cookies

I absolutely love Cowboy cookies.  This is coming from a girl that isn't a big cookie eater.  Like I have said before, I can bake one killer cookie, but I've never been big on eating them.  Not with these sweet treats!  I'll suck Cowboy cookies down.  They are a mix of just about everything in your pantry, they have a bite to them, they are chewy, and in my mind they are just the perfect cookie.  If you're looking for that one true perfect cookie to dip into you tall glass of ice cold milk, this is it my friends.  Welcome to the Country....

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, chocolate, walnuts, and coconut until just combined.

Coat baking sheets with cooking spray; line with parchment, and spray parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared sheets, about 3 inches apart.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers

Carrot Cake Trifle

For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
½ cup raisins
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
For the Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3¾ cups) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Directions
Position the racks in the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9×2-inch round cake pans. Put two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.
 
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix in the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the three baking pans.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean; the cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract until well-combined.

To assemble, stack the layers, spreading a generous amount of frosting between layers and then cover the top and sides. Garnish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Big and Soft Brown Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing

 I have been on a cookie kick this evening.  My hubby and I had a date night baking cookie which was a blast.  This particular cookie reminded that fall is right around the corner and I suddenly got excited.  This is going to make the perfect fall cookie, that will go like hot cakes as soon as they get out of the oven.  Just make sure to get that nummy drizzle on if you can! Enjoy!!

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour
FOR THE ICING:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon maple extract
2 tablespoons dark karo syrup
1 tablespoon milk

Directions

FOR THE COOKIES:
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, Karo, sugar and egg until very light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat together until well mixed. Roll into golf-ball sized balls. Place 3 cookies on each cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.

FOR THE ICING:
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into a ziploc baggies. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe onto slightly warm cookies. Allow to set for 20-30 minutes before packaging up cookies.

A little on the SpIcY side PLeaSE!

So dinner tonight turned out to be a HUGE success!  Not to mention, I had a blast making it!  I always love cooking though, but cooking pasta is so much fun.  Pasta and crock-pot dishes are the best because you can add anything and they come out delicious!  This little creation of mine was fun because I used different tomatoes then I normally do.  I used Fire Roasted, which turned the dish a little on the spicy side, thus the name.  :)  I had so much fun running around in the kitchen throwing everything in, and then dumping the finished product into my homemade pasta bowl that I created at Color Me Mine.  What could be more of a dinner made from love?  

After I dumped it in my pasta bowl, I sprinkled on a little freshly grated Parmesan and I dug in.  :)  I literally ate right out of the bowl because I was so hungry.  My hubby wasn't expected home from school for another 2 hours, and so I couldn't help myself.  (When I was finished gorging, I fluffed it up, sprinkled it again, put a few parsley leaves, and voila...good as new, and pretty dang cute if I do say.  He'll never know!)  So, while I'm waiting for him to get home from school I thought I would hurry and post the recipe.  I hope you like it!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1 14oz can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

3/4 cup diced Button mushrooms

1 lb. Chicken Thighs cooked and diced

1 lb. Italian ground Sausage cooked

1 lb. Penne Pasta

A handful of Fresh Parsley chopped

A handful of Fresh Basil Chopped

1/2 tsp. Oregano

Dash of Salt and Pepper

1 sweet Onion, diced

3 cloves Garlic minced

1 8oz can Tomato Paste

Directions
In a sauce pan heat up the chicken stock, tomatoes, and cream, and let them reduce while you cook everything else.

In a skillet brown your chicken, set aside.  Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and cook your sausage, don't drain when it's brown.  Just spoon the sausage out and keep the drippings.  In the drippings place your mushrooms, onions, garlic, parsley, basil, and oregano, and saute until the onions are translucent.  Then since your chicken has probably cooled a little, cut it into small chunks.  Dump your chicken, sausage, and onion mixture, into the tomato/stock mixture and let simmer while you cook the pasta.

Cook the Penna according to the package instructions making sure to dump a good amount of salt into the water.  It's the only chance you are going to get to season your pasta.

Once you drop your pasta, spoon your tomato paste into your sauce mixture.  Stir and let simmer. 

Once your pasta is al dente, drain and place back into your HUGE pot that you cooked it on.  Take your sauce/meat mixture that has been simmering and reducing and dump over your pasta.  Mix a little, but don't break your pasta.  The reason you want your pasta al dente when you cook it is because once you dump this hot sauce over the pasta, it's going to continue to soften the pasta. 

Once all your pasta is covered with sauce, dump your pasta into a Big Pasta Bowl.  Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and place a couple parsley leaves on top.  Voila!!  You're done, and ready to eat. 

Now you can either dig in just for you, or put in bowls and serve everyone in your house.  :)  This should serve about 4-6 people.  Enjoy!  (If you want some bread with it, look up my great garlic bread recipe and just make it while your pasta is cooking.  It's delicious!)

Mom's Chocolate Cobbler

Wow oh wow is all I can say about this recipe.  I wish I could say that I made it, but I didn't.  My mother gave it to me, and it is amazing!  It is simple, easy, delectable, and delicious!  You are going to find yourself making this really late on a Saturday night when all the ice cream stores have closed and you have a chocolate craving, or just any regular day of the week is good too.  ;)  The best part about this is that you don't need hot fudge sauce to go over, because the sauce is already baked in!

Ingredients

1 cup flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

7 Tbs. Cocoa Powder, Divided

1 1/4 cup Sugar, divided

1/3 cup melted Butter

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1 1/2 cup HOT tap water or milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa, and 3/4 cup of the white sugar. Reserve the remaining cocoa and sugar.

Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish. I prefer my small oval Corning Ware glass dish.

In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining white sugar (it should be 1/2 cup), the brown sugar, and remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.
Pour the hot tap water over all. DO NOT STIR!

 Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.
Let stand for a few minutes if you can hold yourself back. Serve with my homemade vanilla ice cream using the gooey sauce to spoon over all.

So Simple Tomato Sandwich

I know this recipe isn't rocket science, but I thought I should post it since summer is coming to an end.  This is one of my most favorite summertime meals.  I love going out to my garden each day and picking my fresh, juicy, and ripe tomatoes, and then using them in my recipes that day.  This one is just using them in their most raw form.  Here's what I do....

Ingredients
2 slices thick white bread
Miracle Whip
Fresh basil, and parsley
Salt and Pepper
1 ripe Avocado cut into slices
1 juicy FAT tomato cut into slices


Directions
I first mix the amount of miracle whip (yes, I hate mayo and miracle whip is sent from the Gods in my opinion). with my freshly chopped basil and parsley.  I slather that on my 2 pieces of freshly toasted white bread.  Then I take my thick slices of tomatoes and layer them on my sandwich.  On top of about 2 layers of tomatoes, I layer 1 whole avocado until the entire sandwich is tipping over. Sprinkle with a hefty helping of salt and pepper, and then I take the top piece of toast and mash it on top of the tomatoes and avocado.  Take 1 bite and you're going to be in HEAVEN!  I promise, this is the greatest sandwich you can make with all your fall time veggies!  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Sunday Roast

This is my go to dinner for Sunday.  It's the day I want to relax, so I wake up at about 9, stick it in the crock pot and it's ready for dinner time.  It's moist, juicy, and delicious.  Plus, it's easy as pie!  If it ever is still too tough, just cook it a little longer.  I always cook mine on low because low and slow is my theory in the crock pot.  I promise you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients
1 Beef Chuck Roast
1 Tbs. dried Basil
1 Tbs. dried Oregano
1 tsp. dried Parsley
2 Tbs. Worcestershire
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Garlic clove minced
1 cup Water
1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup mix
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 Beef bouillon cubes

Directions
Spray your crock pot with grease.  Place your roast in the center of your Crock-Pot.  Dump the Onion soup mix over the roast.  In a mixing bowl combine all the other ingredients, and pour over the roast.

Put the lid on your roast and let it cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.  The juices that the roast is sitting in will make an amazing gravy.  Take the roast out sprinkle in a little cornstarch and flour, a little milk, and a can of mushrooms, and whisk.  Serve over roast and potatoes.  It's a perfect Sunday dinner!  Enjoy!!