MONSTER Cookies!!

These are some of my family's favorite cookies. My grandmother (my Nana) makes these and they do not last long around her 5 boys and 10 grandchildren. They are fabulous! You can, of course, mold these to your liking by changing up the flavors of the chips or adding nuts. This is how my grandmother makes them though and I love them just as is.

When I emailed my grandmother for the recipe she sent me the version that makes like a quadruple batch of cookies. I halved it for the purposes of this recipe (as stated below it will make about 100 cookies using a medium cookie scoop). When I made the cookies I halved it again and I came out with 50 cookies. I went ahead and worked out the calories in each cookie (since I'm trying to keep track) and it comes to about 130 calories per cookie when using a medium cookie scoop.

Enjoy!


MONSTER Cookies
Source: My Nana
Yields: About 100 cookies
Ingredients:
6 eggs
2 1/3 c brown sugar, packed
2 c sugar
1 c butter (2 sticks), softened
1/2 tbs vanilla
4 tsp baking soda
2 2/3 c peanut butter
8 c oatmeal
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c butterscotch chips
1 c M&Ms (I used Easter ones since they were cheapest!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease baking sheets.

Combine ingredients in order given, mixing after each addition.

*I chilled the dough for about 30 minutes to fit my preference. I also chilled the dough in between batches to keep it formed nicely.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls (I used my medium cookie scoop which is one of the best inventions ever!) on cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake about 10-12 minutes (keep an eye on them) until almost set in the middle. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for a couple minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Yum yum yum! These will be making a regular appearance on our menu. I made Matt's breaded and kept mine "naked" without the breading to save on calories.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Source: I honestly don't remember so if this is your recipe please let me know!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cut into tenders

1/2 c Panko

1 c Bisquick

salt and pepper, to taste

1 egg

Franks Red Hot buffalo wing sauce

Directions:

Preheat over to 450. cover baking sheet with foil and grease foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large Ziploc bag combine Panko, Bisquick, salt, and pepper. Close bag and shake up to mix.

Beat egg in a small bowl. Dip chicken pieces in egg and then place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Close up the bag and shake up until the chicken is well coated.

Place chicken pieces on baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and bake for another 7 minutes or so depending on the thickness of the chicken.

In a bowl, pour buffalo sauce. Dip cooked chicken in sauce and coat evenly. Place back on baking sheet and cook another 3 - 5 minutes, until done.

To make the chicken "naked" skip the breading step and season the chicken with salt and pepper. It's that easy and turns out really well!

Menu

Thursday: FFY
Friday: Tuna Salad, Macaroni and Cheese
Saturday: Ham Slices, Fried Potatoes, Veggies
Sunday: Out
Monday: Pasta Bake, Veggies
Tuesday: Taco Soup
Wednesday: Baked Chicken, Stuffing, Veggies

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I made this for dinner on Sunday when Matt's family came over. It was very good and I was very proud of myself.



Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Source: The New Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book
Ingredients:
For the cake:
3/4 c butter
3 eggs
2 c flour
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c milk

For the frosting (I only used about half of this recipe so you may want to cut it in half):
3/4 c butter, softened
8 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c milk
2 tsp vanilla
Milk

Directions:
For the cake:
Allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly greased bottoms and sides of two 8 in round pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Grease paper and lightly flour.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl, continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium speed to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, peel off paper, and cool thoroughly on racks.

For the frosting:
In a very large mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add 2 c of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 c milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat in enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Frost cakes as normal.

Warm Spinach Salad

I love this stuff. It is a frequent dish on our table in the warmer months and we always eat it with BLTs. So, last week when we had BLTs I, of course, made this.


Warm Spinach Salad
Source: My Mom
Ingredients:
5-6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 c baby spinach leaves, cleaned and dried
4-5 green onions, chopped (I didn't have any this time but normally I do add them)
1/2 c white vinegar
2 tbs sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and dry spinach. Set aside in a large bowl.

In a small pot, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Pour over spinach and toss to coat. The spinach should begin to wilt as you toss. Don't worry, this is the goal!

Top with bacon pieces and green onion. Serve immediately.

Baked "Ziti"

Yum, yum, yum. I love pasta. A lot. This is a great dish. I loved it the first time around and also the next day as leftovers. The added bonus is that is was SO simple to make!

Ingredients:

2 c dry ziti (I had to use penne because I couldn't find ziti at the store)

1 c ricotta cheese

1 jar marinara sauce (I used a homemade meat sauce)

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a separate pot, heat sauce, ricotta, and half or mozzarella.

Combine sauce and pasta in a baking dish. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and baked 10 additional minutes or until cheese is melted.

Fettucini Alfredo

I realize this picture isn't too appetizing. But, trust me, this was very very very good! A bit runny. Actually, a lot runny but it tasted delicious. Next time, I think I may cook the pasta in the sauce to soak up some of the liquid. I added a few baked chicken tenders seasoned with salt and pepper to the dish for some protein. We both loved it so we will be making it again in the near future.



Fettucini Alfredo with Baked Chicken Tenders
Source: Tyler Florence
Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream (I used half and half)
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (I omitted)
Fettucini

Directions:
Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper.

In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. (I think this is where I made a mistake because I cooked the pasta according to the package. Next time I will cook it like these directions.)

Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese, chopped parsley, and cooked chicken if desired. Serve immediately.

The Menu

I think I skipped this last week. I am terribly sorry. Please see the previous post for a wonderful explanation.

Thursday: FFY
Friday: Quesadillas, Refried Beans, Chips and Salsa (gotta love Lent!)
Saturday: BLTs, Warm Spinach Salad, Pasta Salad
Sunday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Baked Potatoes, Corn on the Cob
Monday: Pancakes and Bacon
Tuesday: Pasta e Fagioli, Cheddar Biscuits
Wednesday: Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Veggies

I'm also planning on making baked oatmeal squares in the crock pot to eat as snacks next week. Also, we are having family over for supper on Sunday so I'm going to make a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. I love when people come over because I can make wonderful desserts and not feel bad about eating it all!

Poor Food Blog

I've neglected you. I am terribly sorry. You see, I had two midterms and a presentation this week that I had to work on. So, you got put on the back burner.

I promise I will be back this weekend with some yummy posts. What do you think about a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting? Or, maybe you would like some baked ziti? Oh, wait, I know what else there is to come: fettucini alfredo! Yum!

I love my husband.

After church today we stopped by Target to pick a few items up. We decided to pick up some frozen corn dogs and fries for an easy lunch. I saw these fries and had to have them.



Matt made lunch and this is what he put on my plate.



Best.Husband.Ever.

Pork Chops and Applesauce Remix

I went to the local "farmer's market" this week. It's a store that sells local produce, meat, and dairy products as well as some other natural and home made grocery items. Amazingly enough, everything is priced comparably to our local store. The meat is even cheaper AND it's cut fresh daily. I am in love with this place. It is only 1/4 mile from our regular two grocery stores so I will definitely be shopping there for produce and meat from now on. Anyway, the point is that I bought these pork chops there for this recipe that popper up in my google reader. It was very good. I loved the apples. The only problem for me was baking the chops. I'm not really a fan of them cooked that way. I MUCH prefer them on the grill. So, these will most likely remain a warmer weather meal so we can cook them over charcoal.


Pork Chops and Applesauce Remix
Source: Big City Cooking, Adapted from Rachel Ray
Ingredients:
4 pork chops
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp Herbs de Provence (I just used basil and oregano)
Salt & Pepper
3 tbs butter
4 apples, cored and sliced
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs sugar


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425*.


Drizzle the chops with olive oil. Sprinkle zest, herbs, and salt and pepper onto the pork and roast 25 minutes. Remove and let juices settle.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and saute apples for 12 to 15 minutes until very tender. Season with a pinch of salt and sprinkle the flour over the skillet, toss to combine. Squeeze the lemon juice over the skillet and sweeten with sugar.Arrange the apples over the pork to serve.

Fruit Smoothie

Need a good after workout snack? This is it. I love smoothies. I especially love them right after a good workout. They are healthy, taste fabulous, and are SO easy to make. Here is how I make them

Ingredients:
1 c Yogurt (I use vanilla but you can use any complementary fruit if you like)
2 c fresh or frozen fruit
milk

Directions:
Place yogurt and fruit in blender. If using frozen fruit, add about 1/2 c milk. Blend. Add more milk as needed to reach desired consistency.