A Present and a Promise

My sweet and fabulous husband gave me these wonderful presents for Christmas this year. He humors me like crazy. He always tells me what I make is good, even when its not. He is a great cook and knows that I'm totally jealous of his talent. Still, he does everything he can to help the deepest desire of my heart to be a good cook. With these presents came another gift, a promise to make a dish from this new cook book together at least once a month :)

I can remember watching Julia Child when I was really little and it was the only cooking show on tv. From that, I started watching food network. I would go into the kitchen, get some bowls and put all sorts of wierd ingredients together. Thats when the love started. I had so much fun doing that, and watching those cooking shows. I knew someday I'd be a great cook. Well, its harder than it looks, but I'm going to try!!! I have read a bit of this new cookbook already and learned a few things I didn't know before! The recipes are laid out very easily so I should be ok, especially with the master chef (greg) helping me :)

Thanks for the pans and the cookbook honey, I love you and hope to make you some really tasty things with them :)

Banana Bread

I looooove banana bread. I found this recipe shortly after we were married.

1 3/4 cup flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup margarine or butter

2 bananas, mashed

In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in bananas. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. stir and add to banana mixture. Pour batter into greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pan Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

*I find that if I bake it for an hour, the outside is really brown and quite crusty. I check the bread at about 45-50 min and its a little softer*

Sausage Corn Chowder

My husband loves this soup. It's by far one of his favorite dishes!

1 lb ground sausage

1 can creamed corn

1 can whole kernal corn, drained

1 medium onion, sliced, diced or minced

1 small can evaporated milk

four large potatos, diced

2 cups water

Brown sausage and onions together. (drain fat if needed) Add water and potatos and simmer 15 min or until potatos are tender. Add corns and evaporated milk. heat through. Salt and pepper to taste

Fruit & Nut Chicken Salad

yummy yummy!

6 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
1 pkg bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
8oz coleslaw dressing
2 cups mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Chill overnight. Before serving, add:

1 package sliced almonds
1 lb purble grapes
2 cups chopped celery
1-2 apples, peeled and diced small
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained

I love this salad and make the variation for regular chicken salad (no pasta) just reduce the mayo and coleslaw dressing a bit so its not too much

enjoy!

Crock Pot Cheese Dip

Here is a cheese dip recipe just in time for New Years and/or the Superbowl! It's pretty tasty and very easy!!

You Will Need:
1 lb processed american cheese (velveeta) cubed
8 oz cream cheese
1 medium onion, diced (i mince it or grate it. don't like big chunks)
1 can tomatos with green chilies
1 4 oz can diced green chilies (optional)
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low until cheese is melted. Serve with Tortilla chips

Enjoy!

*the* Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I call this *the* chocolate chip cookie recipe because this IS the one. I have been baking chocolate chip cookies since I was a little girl and this is the first recipe I have made that I about died when I ate the cookie. It's THAT good. I got the recipe from a girl in my ward. We had to make them for enrichment one night. I was terrified. I knew my record with good cookies. They'd be salty. They'd be crunchy, and people wouldn't eat them. I baked the first batch and followed the recipe exactly. They were delicious!!! I know it isn't me, its the cookie, but I got a lot of compliments that night! I was so thrilled and thats when this cookie became the cookie :)

Here it is:

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups butter, softened (4 sticks)

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 sugar

2 3.4 oz boxes of vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups LARGE ghiradelli milk chocolate chips

Mix flour and soda, set aside. Cream butter and sugars then add pudding. stir in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips. Place large scoops of dough on pan. ( I use an ice cream scooper and the dough balls are between golf ball and tennis ball size or just under 1/2 cup) Only 6 cookies per sheet works well. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 min. Cookies will NOT look done, but they will set. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!

p.s. that picture is NOT the real cookie. when I make them next time I'll take a real picture.

Let's Get Cookin'!!!

Well....here goes nothing!

I love to cook, but I'm horrible at it! I wish deep down in my heart that I was a gourmet chef, but I'm SO far from it! I love recipe blogs so I thought I'd make my own...just for fun! This is me attempting to be a better cook!

Enjoy