Crave Chocolate Cookies...So Good You'll Make Them At Midnight

 

 

Guess what I was doing at midnight last night...yep...making these cookies. I've had this recipe my whole life. I got it from my mom. She made these cookies when I was growing up and it's one of the recipes I took from her and have in my collection. Let me just tell you, these are magical. I hardly ever make them and hadn't made them in years, in fact. But a few weeks ago I had a craving for them and had to make a batch. Maybe I shouldn't have, they're THAT addicting. I've made 4 batches in the last few weeks. and I'm not even sorry. Late last night I made these cookies at midnight. And it was totally worth it. I'm serious. These are life changing.

 

There are a few things that are great about these cookies. They make THE BEST ice cream sandwiches. Just sandwich ice cream in between two similarly sized cookies and devour. My mom use to assemble a whole batch and keep them in our freezer. Just wrap the sandwiches in a piece of parchment paper and twist the ends closed. It looks like a giant candy, but it tastes better.

This is one of the things that fill my life with joy. Come to Mama.

 

This dough is also incredibly versatile! I really like adding peanut butter chips to it. You could also add mint chips or chocolate chips...basically ANYTHING. Experiment! See what you like! I usually just make them plain and dunk them in milk. Mmmmmm.



 

 

Ingredients: Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixer.

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

That's it. 

Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 8 Minutes in a 350 degree oven.

They're so pretty.

 

Done. They'll wreck your diet, but honestly, who cares.

Tasty little devils.

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups of butter, softened

2 cups of sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar in mixer until smooth. Add eggs and beat until well incorporated. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to mixer and beat until well incorporated. (You can add all of the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and mix them until they're well blended, then add that mixture to the wet mixture, but I'm lazy so I just add them directly to the mixing bowl.) Your dough will be quite sticky, but that's ok, its suppose to be. Roll dough into balls. Place on cookie sheet, spacing properly. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Be careful not to over cook these. You won't be able to see browning because of the color of the dough and they'll look like they're still puffy and not quite cooked, but when they're removed they sink down and are perfect. Every oven is different so you may need to adjust your time. They are the slightest bit greasy to the touch as well. Amazing. That's it! Enjoy!

 

Please give these a whirl and let me know what you think! Thanks!

 

 



Mixed Berry Smoothie

I've made many versions of smoothies and it always turns out a little different. This is a good basic recipe that is easily customizable. I usually like to add a handful of spinach. You can always add sweetener too if you like (honey, agave, sugar...whatever.) Flavored yogurt is good too! The possibilities are endless! Don't be afraid to experiment, you can't go wrong.

 

 

 Ingredients:Frozen mixed berries, plain greek yogurt, banana and orange juice.

 



Put berries in blender.

 Add Greek yogurt.

Add banana (I usually freeze my bananas)

Add orange juice

Blend until smooth.

Done.

Enjoy :)

INGREDIENTS:

Frozen mixed berries (or frozen fruit of your choosing)

Greek yogurt

banana

orange juice

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glass end enjoy!

 

 



Boneless Buffalo Wings

I binge watched Undercover Boss on Netflix over the weekend. There was an episode featuring the restaurant chain "Hooters". It was terrible. Lol. But it made me want wings. I never have wings. So, I did a little searching and found a great recipe that I adapted and I had wings without having to leave the house! Yay! They were SO good. And really easy. You've got to try them.

Ingredients: chicken breasts, flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, milk and egg.

Mix flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Mix milk and egg in a seperate bowl. That completes your breading station!

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Dip pieces of chicken in flour mixture. Then dredge in egg mixture. Coat again in flour mixture. Then egg mixture again...and one more time in flour. (Flour-egg-flour-egg-flour) I know it sounds like a lot, but it makes them amazing!!!

Fry in 375 degree oil in small batches.

Drain on paper towels. 

                                           Serve with dipping sauce and celery.

Toss warm chicken pieces in sauce to coat. Serve with celery and blue cheese. Yum!!! 

You can use store bought sauce or make your own. This time I used premade. 

Ingredients:

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg 

1 cup milk

Directions:

Heat oil in pan to 375 degrees. Mix flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix egg and milk in a seperate bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture. Then coat in egg mixture. Put back into flour. Then back into egg. And a final time into flour. (flour-egg-flour-egg-flour). Fry in small batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Coat with sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!!!

There are a variety of sauces you can use with this! I've made a few that I love. I'll do a whole post on different sauces soon.  

Try these out!! They are so worth it. Let me know what you think. 

I adapted this recipe from blogchef

Bacon Wrapped Scallops With Chili Butter

 

 

Happy 4th of July!!! I hope you all have a fun and safe holiday! We are definitely enjoying the break here in our house. And to celebrate, it's scallop time. I've been trying to incorporate some new recipes of more of seafood fav's into the menu. I made this for the first time a few months back and it was immediately on the list of his all time favorites. I just had to share it with you!

 Sometimes the most delicious things end up being the most simple. I had never really cooked scallops. I had heard all of the warnings and musings about working with them (they have the tendency to be chewy if over cooked and are tricky to work with etc.) It is easy to be intimidated by new things...especially ones that come with reputation of being tricky. But these are SO easy and SO incredible. Don't be intimidated! You can't go wrong with this VERY easy with recipe with only 4 ingredients!



Here are your star players...bacon and scallops. Mmmmm

Wrap the bacon around the scallops and throw into a preheated oven.

While scallops are cooking away make the chili butter. Place butter in bowl and melt. Add chili powder.

Mix together.

Remove scallops from oven and place on plate.

 

Drizzle with chili butter.

Sit back and watch as people are amazed by your intense awesomeness.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs large scallops

Bacon cut to size to fit around scallops

1/4 c. (half stick) of butter

1 teaspoon chili powder

 

 DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.* Wrap bacon around scallops and secure with toothpick. Place on foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until bacon is done.  While scallops are cooking Melt butter and stir chili powder into butter. Take scallops out of oven and drizzle with chili butter. (They're good with out the butter too!) And that's it! Done-zo! Yeah!

 

*Alternatively you can cook them under your broiler for 15 minutes...or...grill until bacon is sizzling and brown. Any method is good, choose whichever one is your favorite! (I've done them all and they're all amazing.)

 

I adapted this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com, so thanks to her for that! :)

 

 

Now, all I need is my little buddies (the Tao and the Potus) to share it with. Hoping they have a fun 4th! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you try this! Let me know how it goes for you if you do!

 

Coconut Chicken With Sweet Chili Sauce

I've had this recipe for about a year and I LOVE it. Coconut chicken has the most amazing flavor. I have used this coating recipe for shrimp as well and it's great! I served this tonight with some store bought sweet chili sauce, but normally I like to make a tasty apricot sauce to dip it in. Both are incredible though.

 

Ingredients: chicken breasts, eggs, flour, panko, shredded coconut, sea salt and vegetable oil.

 

Slice chicken breasts into strips.

Prepare breading station. (flour and salt...eggs...and panko with coconut)

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet.

Dredge chicken in flour, then egg and panko/coconut mixture.

Put breaded chicken in hot oil in skillet.

Cook a few minutes until golden brown and flip over. Continue cooking until second side is golden brown and chicken is cooked through.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve with sweet chili sauce, apricot sauce or sauce of your choosing and enjoy!

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs chicken breasts

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Dipping sauce of your choosing 

DIRECTIONS:

Cut chicken breasts into about 1 inch strips. Prepare breading station. Put flour and salt in one bowl. Crack and lightly scramble eggs in separate container. (You can add 1/4 cup coconut milk to the eggs if you have it on hand. It's good either way). Mix panko and coconut in 3rd bowl. Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over med/high heat. Dredge chicken in flour, then egg and finally in panko/coconut mixture. Place breaded strips in hot pan being careful not to over crowd. Cook a few minutes until chicken is golden brown. Flip and cook a few more minutes until second side is golden brown and chicken is cooked through. Place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding oil to the pan if needed. Serve with dipping sauce of your choosing and enjoy! 

 

 

Here are two apricot dipping sauces you can use with this chicken. I like and use the apricot mustard recipe. It's delicious.

 

Apricot Honey Sauce:

1/4 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup honey

 

Mix well.

 

Apricot Mustard Sauce:

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

 

Mix well.

 

 

 

Baked Peaches With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I had a couple of peaches hanging out in my fruit basket and I came across a recipe on Pinterest that looked SO good. I took my inspiration from there and put my own spin on it. It was the one of the easiest things I've ever made and oh my G-O-S-H...SO GOOOOOOD! Amazing. The recipe I saw used marscapone and toasted slivered almonds, for mine I just topped it with vanilla bean ice cream. Best thing ever. 

Cut peach in half and put in foil lined baking dish. It makes for super easy clean up!

Top with a little bit of butter.

Drizzle with honey.

Bake for around 20-25 minutes.

Mmmmmmm

Top with ice cream. Yum!!

Ingredients:

Peaches

Butter

Honey

Ice Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut peach or peaches in half and discard the pits. Line baking dish with aluminum foil. Place peaches in dish. Top with a little bit of butter. Drizzle with honey. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoy!

These turned out so good that I made them like four nights in a row. Mr. T LOVED them. After I ran out of peaches I used nectarines. I have to say that while they were still very tasty, they were not as good as the peaches :)

I got the inspiration for this from paleoeatsandtreats.com