Monster Cookies

I'm sure everyone has seen or tried a Monster cookie before.  These are pretty versatile and you can add just about anything you want ... raisins, (chocolate-covered raisins would be good), nuts, anything that suits you.  And they contain no flour! 

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms

Cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup until well mixed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Beat in the peanut butter.  Beat in the oatmeal, baking soda, chocolate chips and M&Ms until thoroughly combined.  Scoop onto cookie sheets and bake 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes, or until browned.  Length of baking time will depend upon the size of the cookie.  Larger cookies may take up to 15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate and Mint Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on Two Peas and Their Pod.  They are very good, and very fudgy.  There is no egg, but the dough is not crumbly.  Don't use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough, or else the will turn craggy and look not so appealing.  Roll them into balls.  No need to flatten them.



1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa-make sure to use dutch process for a rich/dark flavor
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 (12-oz) bag of Nestle Dark Chocolate & Mint Chips (Original recipe calls for Guittard Mint Chips, but I can't find them anywhere, so I used the Nestle chips)

Stir together the flour, baking pwd, salt and cocoa and set aside.  Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla, mixing in well.  Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, until combined.  Add the dark chocolate and mint chips.  Chill for at least 15 minutes.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 325 degrees for 14 - 15 minutes.  Cool completely on the cookie sheet so that they can firm up.  Store in an airtight container.

Go check out this giveaway over at TidyMom's

Cheryl at TidyMom, is hosting a great giveaway of a beautiful 3 1/2 - quart Le Creuset Braiser pan.  Go and check it out, and enter for a chance to win this great pan!


http://tidymom.net/2011/le-creuset-giveaway/comment-page-34/#comment-254439

Good luck to all who enter!

Candied Sweet Potatoes

8 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 cans)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Prepare, cook sweet potatoes until tender. Drain, peel and cut into 1/2" slices and place into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Layer 1/2 of each of the first 4 ingredients. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered, 375 degrees 30 - 40 minutes or until glazed.  Sprinkle with the marshmallows.  Bake 5 minutes or until browned.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

First, a little rant .... My camera sucks!  It devours batteries like you would not believe!  I put brand new batteries in it, and can take maybe one picture, and then the batteries die!  I am not kidding.  Other times, they will last accordingly.  So for now, I will have to post recipes without any pictures.  Can anyone recommend a good camera for not a lot of money?

Now onto the recipe:  I combined two recipes for this one.  It's very versatile and you can make it as spicy as you'd like.  This can be made in the crock pot, on top of the stove, or in the oven.


Printable Recipe

a 3-4 pound chuck roast, trimmed of fat
a bit of olive oil
dried thyme leaves
dried oregano leaves
dried basil leaves
salt
pepper
1 can Swanson Beef broth
1/2 to 1 whole (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes, or more if desired
beef boullion granules, optional

Brown the roast in a heavy skillet in a bit of olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle on the thyme,oregano, basil, salt and pepper (enough to cover the surface of the meat) on both sides and brown again on both sides, for just about a minute, or so.  Place roast in a crock pot. Pour the beef broth, tomatoes and water into the skillet and bring to a boil.  Use a rubber spatula and scrape the bottom of the pan, scraping up the browned bits of meat.  Pour over the meat in the crock pot.  Add the bay leaf and red pepper flakes.  Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 5 hours; or until meat is tender.  Turn roast over halfway through cooking.  When meat has finished cooking, shred it using two forks and then return it to the broth in the crock pot.  If you want a beefier flavor, add the beef boullion - maybe a tsp.  Serve on buns or kaiser rolls with the broth on the side for dipping your sandwiches into.


To cook on the stovetop, simmer in a covered pan for about 2 hours.

To cook in the oven, cook in a covered roasting pan at 300 degrees for 5 hours.

Crock Pot Chili

Have you tried any of the new McCormick Slow Cookers Seasoning mixes?  I've only tried two so far, but they are pretty tasty!  If you don't like your chili spicy, add 1-2 cans of tomato paste.

Printable Recipe


1 pkg McCormick Slow Cookers Chili Seasoning mix
2 lbs hamburger
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (16 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 1/2 oz) can tomato sauce
1-2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste, optional

Brown the hamburger and drain. Place in crock pot, and add the remaining ingredients.  Stir well and cover.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours.  Stir well before serving.

Apple Crisp

Printable Recipe


2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1-2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cut into small chunks

6 cups peeled and cored apple slices
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cinnamon

Mix the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, salt and butter until resembles coarse crumbs. Press 1/3 of this mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan.

Peel, core and thinly slice apple. Place in a large bowl, and add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until well coated. Layer the apples over the crust in the pan. Top with the remaining 2/3 of the crumb mixture. Bake 375 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust, golden brown.

Good & Easy Beef Stew

Printable Recipe 

This is a very good recipe.  The extra ingredients of lemon juice, allspice and Worcestershire give it a different flavor from your traditional beef stew recipes.  Try it - you won't be disappointed!

2 lb stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1" cubes
paprika, optional
4 cups hot water
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 - 1 tsp salt, or more, to taste
1/4 pepper
pinch allspice
1 tsp sugar
1 medium onion, cut up
6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3-5 potatoes, peeled and cut up

Brown the meat in a bit of oil in a heavy skillet.  Do this in batches, if necessary. Drain.  Add the water, bouillon, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, pepper, allspice, sugar and half of the onion.  Bring to a boil and cover.  Reduce flame and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the met is almost tender.  Add the vegetables and bring to another boil.  Cover and simmer for another 20 - 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Thicken for gravy with a mixture of flour and cold water.

Additional bouillon may be added, if you want a beefier flavor.