Vanilla Sugar Cookies (with video link)

Video recipe #3 is here! These cookies turned out pretty good, would go with 9/10, would make again. Next time, I will use parchment on the cookie sheets, as the bottoms were fairly stuck, despite using nonstick style cookie sheets. The cooking time was not correct as written; I had to go 10 minutes and even at that, I think I could have gone 11 or even 12.

Link to my YouTube video for the recipe: https://youtu.be/FwgcJdM0xv4

Link to original recipe: https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/dessert/vanilla-sugar-cookies

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour (11.68 oz.)

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

colored sugar (not sanding sugar)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

3. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until well blended.

4. Gradually mix in the reserved flour mixture until well blended.

5. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

6. Heat oven to 400°F. (next time: line baking sheets with parchment)  Roll dough into 1" balls, then toss the balls in the colored sugar until completely coated. Place on baking sheet at least 2" apart.

7. Bake for 10-12 min. After removing from oven, let rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs

Happy Easter! Well, it was Easter when I made these, but you could make them anytime, in any shape. They are really, really tasty...and rich. I altered the original recipe in that I opted to coat the "eggs" in regular chocolate rather than white chocolate. Instead, I colored the white chocolate to drizzle over the eggs, and glad I did it this way for two reasons: 1. we like regular chocolate better than white and 2. the coloring didn't take well, was not uniform (used Wilton gel-style coloring), would have made for rather unattractive "eggs". Will absolutely make these again, they are 10/10 level tasty. For the regular chocolate coating, I tried three different ones: Lindt 55% milk with intense cocoa notes, Ghirardelli 72% dark, and some milk chocolate chips (for the last 5 eggs I had left). As much as I love dark chocolate (and it turned out just as well), I will go with Lindt 55% for the whole batch next time. Will NOT use milk chips, as they did not melt as well as the other two by far. And I would have the whole amount of chocolate ready to go to dip all right away, as their being frozen helps them set fast.

Link to original recipe: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a52101/cookie-dough-easter-eggs-recipe/

Ingredients:

3/4 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. brown sugar (packed)

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers

1/4 tsp. kosher salt (*I accidentally used regular salt, worked just fine)

3 T. whole milk

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

10-12 oz. good quality chocolate bars for melting/coating (see my notes about this in intro)

3 oz. white chocolate, melted, divided into bowls, dyed with pastel colors

rainbow sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla for 2-3 minutes. 

2. By hand, mix in the graham crackers, salt, and milk. Fold in the mini chips.

3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough onto the parchment and press into the shape of an egg; repeat with remaining cookie dough.

4. Transfer baking sheet to freezer for 1 hour.

5. Just before the hour is up, melt the chocolate(s) in a double boiler (or very carefully in short intervals in the microwave). 

6. Use a spoon to dip the frozen "eggs" in the melted chocolate, returning to the parchment to set. Once they are set, drizzle with the dyed white chocolate and top with sprinkles if desired. 

7. Place in fridge to set for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy (with a napkin, as the chocolate will melt easily on your fingers)! 

Cajun Chicken Stroganoff

So happy for the very positive and supportive reactions to my first cooking video, thank you to everyone! And here is another one, my second video recipe, another 10/10 tasty and wonderful recipe. It's super easy and comes together quickly, thus why it is from the magazine/booklet "Weeknight Menus" by Cuisine at Home. I had made this a long time back and forgotten about it until now; glad I remembered and made it for my second video entry. Even better, I used it to try out the new induction burner I just got over the weekend...and I love it, cooks great!

Link to recipe video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g6ivB6m7Sy4

Recipe listed below contains my modifications from the original.

Ingredients:

cooked egg noodles, for serving (I used Racconto medium egg noodles)

4 T. olive oil, divided

1/2 lb. kielbasa

1/2 lb. button mushrooms, quartered

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in 2-3" sections

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 T. tomato paste

2 tsp. bottled minced garlic

1/2 c. dry sherry

3/4 c. chicken broth

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c. crème fraîche

Directions:

1. Add 2 T. of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, stir in the kielbasa and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until starting to brown (around 5 minutes). Transfer kielbasa and mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the oregano, basil, thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Add the chicken tenderloins and mix until the chicken is evenly coated. 

3. Sprinkle the flour atop the chicken pieces, then stir to coat evenly.

4. Heat the remaining 2 T. of the olive oil in the same large skillet as before, again on medium-high. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes.

5. Push the chicken to one side of the pan, then add the tomato paste and garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

6. Deglaze the pan with the sherry, stirring until liquid has nearly dissolved, then stir in the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. 

7. Return the reserved kielbasa and mushrooms to the pan, stirring to coat in the mixture. Bring sauce to simmer and maintain simmer for 5 minutes (I had to reduce the heat to medium-low at this point).

8. After the 5 minutes of simmering, remove from heat and stir in the crème fraîche. Serve over the cooked egg noodles and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pork and Sausage Meatballs

Hello all! This is my first recipe with videos rather than pictures, and I'm launching a YouTube site to go along with it! Please keep in mind that this is not some professional, studio quality production; my son did the camera work and it's our first attempt at any such thing :) Planning to do more of these going forward and hopefully our production techniques will improve along the way. Link to my YouTube video about this recipe:

https://youtu.be/imgqs46aXjw

This recipe is very tasty, highly recommend, 10/10. I only modified the recipe a tiny bit, which was adding more crushed tomatoes than called for as written, and the amounts of pork and sausage were slightly different. Next time I make it, I will add the entire 28 oz. of the can (I only went about 2/3 of the can during this attempt). It is equally delicious leftover, though you may want to supplement with some jarred sauce when reheating.

Link to original recipe: https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/slow-cooked-pork-and-sausage-meatballs-with-porcini-sauce

Written version below includes my modifications.

Ingredients:

for the meatballs--

1 1/2 c. coarse fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 c. sweet red vermouth (I used Gallo brand, which I purchased at Jewel-Osco)

1 lb. ground pork

18 oz. sweet Italian sausage, casing removed (I used Kroger store brand)

1 large egg

6 T. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tsp. dried rubbed sage

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

for the sauce--

~20 oz. crushed tomatoes (I will use full 28 oz can next time)

1/4 c. tomato paste

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

1. Begin making the meatballs: in a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and vermouth. Set aside and let stand for 20 minutes.

2. After the 20 minutes, add the ground pork and the Italian sausage to the mixture. Use your hands to break up the sausage and thoroughly combine the mixture.

3. Mix in the egg, Parmesan-Reggiano, sage, oregano, salt, and nutmeg. 

4. Form into 12 meatballs.

5. Make the sauce: in a 5-6 qt slow cooker, combine all the sauce ingredients (from crushed tomatoes through kosher salt), stirring until the tomato paste is dissolved.

6. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and set to cook on "hi" for 1.5 hours, then reduce to "lo" setting for around 5 additional hours.

7. Serve with cooked spaghetti and enjoy!

 

Creamy Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms

I kid you not--this is unbelievably tasty. My husband and I both agree this knocked our socks off, gotta go 11/10 here. And I even got my kid, who has always turned his nose up at chicken, to try it and like it! So yeah, we're going to have this again super soon. And next time, we will have baguette on hand to mop up the sauce at the end :)

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/lHUxunaDJ-o

Link to original recipe: https://www.howsweeteats.com/2020/10/balsamic-chicken-and-mushrooms/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients: 

1-2 T. olive oil (I used enough to swirl and coat the pan, didn't measure)

1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" thick slices (can also use boneless chicken thighs)

kosher salt and coarse ground pepper, to taste

1 1/2 T. butter

1 lb. cremini/baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, halved if large

1 1/2 T. bottled minced garlic

1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme (no idea how much I used, just went enough to give a good sprinkling over all the mushrooms)

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

3/4 c. heavy cream

2-3 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley (or regular parsley, if preferred)

Directions: 

1. Salt and pepper chicken breast pieces on both sides (I went quite generous on the salt). Heat olive oil over medium heat, then add chicken to pan. Cook for around 2 min. on each side, then transfer to a plate (a little oil will remain in pan; leave it).

2. Add butter to pan and melt. Add the mushrooms. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and pepper, then stir to coat in the melted butter. Cook mushrooms for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, then the thyme. Cook for around 1-2 additional minutes.

4. Deglaze pan with the balsamic vinegar. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the cream. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, until cream combines well into sauce.

5. Lower heat to medium-low, return chicken to pan, and cover. Let cook for 5 minutes (or longer, if needed to get chicken completely done). 

6. Stir in the parsley and remove from heat. Let set 2 minutes, then serve and enjoy (a lot)!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Bacon, and Mushrooms

 ...and topped with a mushroom sauce! Can you tell that I had mushrooms to use up lol? This is a recipe I made up after looking at a few others and not finding what I wanted, along with the need to use up some ingredients. The result is very delicious--10/10, will definitely make again. Next time, will cut back a little on the goat cheese in hubby's chicken breast, as he found it a bit overpowering. I love strong cheeses, so it wasn't an issue for me. I served it with my skillet roasted potatoes -- only this time, I used small yukon gold potatoes instead, which worked out great. If you serve the chicken only, you should add some herbs/spices to the mushroom sauce to heighten the flavor profile.

Ingredients:

4 slices thick cut bacon, fatty ends cut off, rest cut in 1/2" wide strips, crosswise

16 oz. button mushroom caps; chop half of them, slice the other half of them

5 T. unsalted butter, divided

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. + 1/3 c. Chardonnay (or other fruity white wine), divided (amounts are used separately)

~2-3 oz. crumbled tomato and herb goat cheese (I didn't measure)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

~1 tsp. bottled minced garlic

~7 oz. low-sodium chicken broth (or stock; I will use stock next time)

~1 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in ~ 1 tsp. water

splash of heavy cream

Directions: 

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until starting to crisp. Remove bacon before it fully crisps, transferring to a paper towel lined plate. Pour rendered bacon fat into a heatproof cup/bowl and reserve.

2. In same skillet used for bacon, melt 1 T. of butter over medium heat. Add chopped mushrooms only (not the sliced!) to melted butter. Salt and pepper to taste, then cook for about 2-3 min, until mushrooms start to release their liquid. Add the 2 T. of Chardonnay to the pan and cook for additional 2-3 min, until liquid has nearly disappeared. Remove from heat, place mushrooms in a heatproof bowl.

3. Heat oven to 375°F (note to self: I used lower/non-convection oven for this).

4. Butterfly each chicken breast, then pound out to around 1/2" thickness. Lightly salt and pepper each all over.

5. With each chicken breast laying cut side up, top each with crumbled goat cheese, cooked chopped mushrooms, and bacon. Gently fold/close the chicken breasts with filling inside, then secure with butcher's string/twine.

6. Heat 1 T. of the butter over medium heat, along with around 1-2 T. of the reserved rendered bacon fat. Once heated, add the chicken breasts. Cook for around 2-3 min per side (should be starting to turn golden brown in a few spots). Remove from heat and transfer to a baking dish.

7. Cut the remaining 1 T. of butter in half. Place one half atop each chicken breast, then transfer dish to oven. Bake for 35 min, turning breasts over every 10-12 min.

8. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt 2 T. of butter in same skillet, over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms give their liquid and it has nearly disappeared. Stir in the 1 tsp. of minced garlic, followed by the 1/3 c. of Chardonnay. 

9. Keep mixture at boil for 3 minutes, then stir in the chicken broth. Keep mixture boiling for 3 additional minutes. 

10. Stir in dissolved cornstarch mixture and keep boiling for around 3-4 more minutes. Stir in splash of cream and cook until desired thickness is achieved.

11. Serve chicken breasts topped with sauce and enjoy!

Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookies (with video link)

Updated entry for Christmas Countdown 2024!

MMM! These are excellent! My son declared these are his new favorites, although I doubt we'd be able to choose between these and the soft malted milk ones we also love so much. And no mixer required for these, just some good arm exercise ;)

For the regular version, you can just use 2 c. of chocolate chips. The holiday version that I show in the video is what is listed below.

Link to my YouTube "making of the recipe" video: https://youtu.be/4FSlcC_jpXU

 

Link to original recipe: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

350g (12.35 oz, or just slightly less than 3 c.) all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled for at least 10 min.

1 1/4 c. brown sugar (packed)

1/2 c. sugar

1 large egg + 1 yolk, room temperature (you can put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 min)

1/2 T. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. M&M's

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and sugar.

3. Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, until well combined.

4. Gradually stir in reserved flour mixture, making sure to stir until no flour streaks remain (get those arms going!)

5. Stir in chocolate chips, then cover and refrigerate for 30 min. (**if you go longer, you will have to leave the dough out for a bit before baking, as it will get very hard**)

6. Once the dough is done chilling, line baking sheets with parchment and heat oven to 350°F.

7. Drop dough in rounded 1 1/2 T. balls onto prepared sheets, spaced at least 2" apart. Add additional chips (or M&M's) to outside of each ball if desired.

8. Bake for 11 min. Cookies will look puffy and underdone--don't overbake, they will get hard and cripsy! When you take them out of oven, leave on cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes so they can finish baking (I leave them there for the 11 minutes the next batch bakes, makes it easy!)

9. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely and enjoy! Store in airtight container.