Chocolate Choodle Cookies

BEST COOKIES EVER!! That's why I typing it in all caps!! These are the cookies the school makes and our family just loves them!!! This makes about 4 dozen cookies, or more depending on your scoop size!

1 lb. + 1 1/4 oz. butter ~ softened

3 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 qt. + 1 c. flour

1 5/8 t. cream of tartar

1 5/8 t. baking soda

2/3 c. + 2 t. unsweetened cocoa powder
To roll cookies in...

3 2/3 oz. powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs. Combine all the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture. Scoop {we used a #30 scoop, it's about 1 3/4 t.} and roll the dough in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet 4x5 and slightly flatten. Bake @ 325°  for 4 minutes, turn, turn then bake another 4 minutes!!

Enjoy!

Spinach Salad

Best one I've ever had from a feisty Mississippi lady I am blessed to call friend!! 

Dressing: 

3/4 c. oil

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. white vinegar

1 T. onion

1 squeeze mustard

Blend in blender. Add 1 T. poppy seeds.

Salad:

1 bunch spinach

1 bunch red leaf

3/4 lb. grated swiss cheese

16 oz. rinsed and grained cottage cheese {or feta}

3/4 lb. fresh sliced mushrooms

1 red onion ~ sliced eyeball thin ~ this description is per Jennifer!! ;)

1 lb. bacon ~ cooked crisp and crumbled

Mix together and add dressing just before serving. 

So yummy to the tummy!!

Moca Cakes

I remember making these with my mom and Kaye Carlson for some big occasion and I fell in love with them!!! Cute little square bite size cakes!!! The recipe makes quite a few but they freeze great!!! Kaye got the recipe from Helen Dean Huntsman! I have had it on a piece of paper for about 5 years and I need to get it on here so I don't lose it!!! And I'm typing it as is from the paper. If you don't have the same size cookie sheet, some adjustments may be needed.

Cream together: 

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

Add:

6 beaten egg

1 c. milk

2 t. vanilla

4 c. flour

4 t. baking soda

Mix together until all ingredients and incorporated.

Place in a school size cookie sheet {12x17} 

Bake @ 350° fro 25 minutes until lightly browned

Cool completely

Cut into 1½ x 1½ pieces ~ makes about 80-100 pieces

Separate and out into freezer to freeze.

Frosting:

1 c. butter, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

2 T. milk

Dash of vanilla

{1 batch of frosting frosts about 41 little cakes}

Nuts: 

3 c. finely crushed walnuts

3 c. finely crushed unsalted peanuts ! these can be out in a blender to chop them up

{! batch of nuts does about 71 little cakes}

Frost each frozen cake, roll in nuts, square up with your hands and out back into freezer. 

These are easiest to frost and roll in nuts cake is frozen

After frosting, let freeze again until firm. Place in large baggies and keep frozen until needed. 

Take out of freezer about a half hour before needed to thaw!!!

Soo yummy!!!

Homemade Salsa...

This is the best salsa ever!!! And I have a very picky salsa family!! Can't be too chunky,  too store-bought tasting, to hot, too mild, to small chunky...ya get the point!! But this one seems to be a keeper and it's from my dear friend Tammie who shared her recipe {and two big containers she made} with us!!!
 So I am thankful she shared so my family can enjoy it!!
And so John won't be begging her to make it for him every 3 days!!! And so him and Hannah won't fight over it!! And he can have his own container so he doesn't have to have all the broken chips and double dips from the kids!!! 

3 lbs. tomatoes ~ seeded and diced {Romas are best but can use what ever, dice into size that your family likes}

1 lg. white onion ~ diced 

1 jalapeno ~ use as much as your hotness level allows and can handle

1 "clump" cilantro ~ cut off above the stems and mince

Stir together in a container of your choosing then mix together:

1/3 c. lime juice

1 1/2 T. kosher salt

1 t. minced garlic 

Stir all together and enjoy! Can been refrigerated for up to 2 weeks!!

It's so yummy!!!!

Chicken Ranch Pasta

This was so good and so easy and again....Justin liked it so that's a huge plus!!! And I got it off Pinterest {I LOVE Pinterest}!!The recipe comes from Plain Chicken as does the yummy picture...

It really turns out as yummy, bacony, and creamy as it looks!!

8 ounces penne pasta

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
1/3 cup cooked, chopped bacon
2 cups cooked chopped chicken 

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In same pot melt butter. Add flour and stir. Cook flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Stir in ranch dressing mix and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add chicken, bacon and pasta.  Stir to coat.

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

This was soooo good!! John  and the kids loved it!! It will be a regular on the menu rotation for sure!!! And it's fairly inexpensive and super easy!!! It comes from The Country Cook, she has alot of great food!  The picture comes from her as well!! If you want a more detailed version of how to layer everything, visit her site to see all her pictures, she goes step-by-step!! 

Ingredients:
It was cheesy, bacony heaven!! We had corn and I made rolls using this recipe!!!
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 (3 oz.) bag bacon pieces
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray

Layer half of the frozen tater-tots on the bottom
Sprinkle with a 1/3 of the bacon
Then a 1/3 of the cheese
Add the diced chicken on top and season with salt & pepper {I used some season salt too}
Then 1/3 of the bacon and cheese
Then the rest of the frozen hash browns on top
Finish with the remaining bacon and cheese
Pour the milk over the top
Cook until chicken is 165 degrees

Let's call this "Yummy Veggie Salad"

Cause I don't know the name of it!! I got the recipe from a lady I didn't know at a surprise party for a sweet little friend! But I didn't get the name! It was so good {I had 3 bowls}!! And it's super easy!

2 lb. bag of veggie medley ~ carrots, cauliflower, broccoli
Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
Snyders Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces {she found them at WinCo}
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Chop up veggies into bite size pieces, add pretzels, grated Parmesan cheese, and add dressing. Mix until everything is coated.

Enjoy!!

Easy Crockpot Soup

Justin ate two bowls and has requested it twice now so it must be good!! It comes from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour as do the pictures....it links to all her soups!! 

1 30 oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns 

3 14 oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!}

In a crock pot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, or green onions.

Chicken Ranch Tacos

These were good and fast!! Had  'em for Sunday dinner!! The recipe and picture come from "Do you smell that"? She made hers on the stove top but I threw it in the crock pot and let it go for 4 hours while we were at church!! I followed the version off pinterest and it was very yummy!! Go visit her blog for stove top version.

Chicken tenders ~ I used a full bag of Tyson's and I threw them in frozen
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. ranch mix
1 can chicken broth

taco shells
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
ranch
salsa
tomatoes
and anything else you like on your taco's

I just dumped in the frozen chicken, sprinkled over the taco seasoning and ranch, then added the chicken broth and let it go for 4 hours. Remove chicken, shred with fork, add back to crock pot until ready to assemble. I just put a scoop of chicken some cheese, lettuce, ranch, and salsa!

Two Timin' Pasta Bake

This was super yummy and super fast!! Another Pinterest find!! Even Justin likes it so ya know it has to be good!! The recipe comes from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour!! The pictures are her too!! She has TONS of yummy recipes to try!!! Go check her out!!

So here it is.....

Two Timin' Pasta Bake







1 box penne pasta

1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce

1 (24oz.) jar Marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Mix the sauces together in a large bowl.

Add the mozzarella and stir to combine.

Then toss in the penne and toss to coat.

Pour pasta into 9x13 baking dish and cook on 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.

I made some Amish White Bread {easiest bread EVER} to go with it and it was so yummy!!!