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Scrumptious Sugar Cookies

February 12, 2008 By Steph Leave a Comment


Yummy, yummy, yummy!!! I’m not quite sure why every holiday that comes around, I feel like I have to have sugar cookies to celebrate! But, that’s just how it is. My daughter loves to decorate them and eat them, of course. She would eat the whole plate if I let her. I have a delicious recipe that I found in the cookbook, Celebrations. I make a yummy homemade buttercream frosting to top it, and with the combination of the buttery cookies and the sweet creamy frosting, you really can’t go wrong!

Soft Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, cream butter. Add egg and mix. Add powdered sugar and beat well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. On a floured surface, roll out dough about 1/2 inch thick. Add additional flour if dough is too sticky. Cut dough into desired shapes. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack and frost with Buttercream Frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
milk

In a bowl beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food coloring, if desired.

Filed Under: cookies

Happy Chinese New Year!

February 7, 2008 By Steph 4 Comments

Did you know that today is Chinese New Year? Well, I didn’t! But I do now, and it just so happens, by coincidence only, that I had planned an oriental themed dinner tonight! Brilliant, I know, and man was it delicious! Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken, Chicken Lo Mein, and steamed rice. I actually attempted to make homemade Fortune Cookies, but the recipe failed. Man, I was so disapointed. I made my own fortunes to put inside and everything. But, it happens, right? I put together the sweet and sour chicken recipe years ago, and it is always a crowd pleaser. One of the more time consuming recipes that I make, and definitely makes a mess of your kitchen, but once you take a bite, it is all worth it.

Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Oil for frying

For the batter:
1 cup pancake mix
1 cup water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix together! It should be about the same consistency as a regular pancake batter.

Heat oil hot enough that when you place a wooden spoon into the oil, it begins to bubble. Dip chicken pieces into the batter and than place gently into hot oil. Cook until lightly browned. Place onto paper towel to absorb excess oil.
*I take a little help from the store and by a jar of sweet and sour sauce for dipping. I buy La Choy brand. It’s excellent!

Now onto the Chicken Lo Mein…
I kind of just made this up tonight. I tried to look up recipes for Lo Mein, and I couldn’t really find any that looked really really good, so I just through this together and it actually turned out quite tasty.

Chicken Lo Mein

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 tbl. olive oil
1/2 lb. spagetti noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 bag of frozen stir fry vegetables
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbl. cornstarch
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, bouillon, and garlic. In large skillet, heat olive oil and add chicken. Cook until almost done, and add vegetables. Cook until heated through. Add noodles and sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Cook for 2-3 more minutes stirring frequently.

Filed Under: chicken, side dishes

Peanut Butter Brownies

February 7, 2008 By Steph 9 Comments

Mmmm…..just the sound of it makes my mouth water! This is definitely one of my comfort foods. I have been trying to master them since I’ve been married, and at last I have found the perfect recipe. The trick is to not overcook them. You have to take them out of the oven before they actually look done. Trust me, you won’t be sorry! I used to get the store-bought frosting, but since I’ve learned to make it from scatch, I could honestly never go back. So you have to make the homemade chocolate butter frosting to smother all over the top. One word….YUMMY!

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c.peanut butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. oats
2 c. flour

Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, soda, salt and vanilla well. Stir in oats and flour. Spread dough onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 325 degrees. Do not overbake!!! Cool. When cool, spread with chocolate butter frosting! Enjoy!

Chocolate Butter Frosting

1/2 c. softened butter
1/2 c. cocoa
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
milk

In a mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add cocoa and beat until well combined and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 c. milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency.

Filed Under: brownies

Soup Kitchen

February 5, 2008 By Steph 1 Comment

It has been an especially harsh, cold winter this year in Utah, and all I want to do is curl up on the couch with my warm fuzzy blanket and watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls all day long. But since I am a responsible mother of two, that’s not possible. Anyways, the only other thing that I enjoy more than that on a cold wintery day is a warm cup of soup. So last week was officially soup week. I am going to share my moms super yummy chicken noodle soup recipe that is a staple in my house. It’s easy and fast and it couldn’t taste any better, especially when it’s snowy outside.

Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 small onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 tbl olive oil
3 32 oz. boxes Chicken broth
2 cups shredded chicken
1 lb. egg noodles (I like the frozen kind)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tbl fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and add onions, carrots and celery, and cook until soft. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook as directed on package. Add chicken, cream of chicken soup and parlsey. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Sounds easy enough right? It makes a ton, and it’s even better as leftovers!

More Soup!!!!

Chicken Minnestone Soup

2 C. Shredded chicken
4 cups water
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 (10 oz.) can beef broth
1 (10 oz.) can bean w/bacon soup
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz.) can navy beans
1/2 lb. dried noodles of your choice
1 tbl. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Add ingredients and stir together. simmer, uncovered, over low heat for at least 1 hour. Makes excellent leftovers!

Filed Under: soup

Chocolate Chip Cookies

February 5, 2008 By Steph Leave a Comment

I LOVE COOKIES!!!!! I just can’t seem to get enough of them. Chocolate, sugar, snickerdoodles, you name it and I will bake them and eat every last crumb! Here is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together sugar, brown sugar and butter. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix with a wire whisk until well blended. Add slowly to creamed mixture until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes.

Filed Under: cookies
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