Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 3 dozen

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1.25 cups all purpose flour
1 standard bag of chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375.

Cram butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Add salt and soda. Mix in flour. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon-fuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, or until just turning golden brown around the edges.

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

3 T olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 C (32 oz) marinara sauce
28oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can cannellini or other white beans
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 C small pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 2-5 min. Add marinara sauce, broth, beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 min, or until pasta is tender.

West African Chicken & Peanut Soup

This recipe is a combination of contributions from several people and cultures. With so many of the ingredients strong in nature, it is a perfect soup to customize to your taste! Add or subtract at will.

1.5 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or 1 or 2 large cans—it’s super easy that way!)
1 cup sweet onion diced in ½ inch pieces
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
4.5 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups diced canned tomato (feel free to use varieties w/ roasted garlic, caramelized onion, Cajun spice, etc.—they all work very well for this dish)
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or not, it’s up to you)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more or less to taste)
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, place the sesame oil, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the curry powder and red pepper flakes, stir for about 1 minute. Then add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and cilantro and whisk until smooth and heated thoroughly.

Add chicken, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn off heat and let rest for about five minutes, then adjust the seasonings and serve. Tastes even better the next day!

Serves 4-6

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Fruit:
2 C fresh raspberries
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Mash fruit in a bowl. Add lemon juice and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly and chill for 2-3 hours.

Cream:
2 C heavy cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla mixed with
1 C milk
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Place eggs in a bowl and mix in cream, followed by milk/vanilla mixture, followed by 3/4 cup sugar. Add chilled fruit mixture and place in ice cream maker. Crank until the cream starts to thicken. Add chocolate chips and continue cranking until the ice cream is done. Makes 2-3 quarts.

Notes: I use Egg Beaters rather than raw eggs (for food safety). This recipe may need to be reduced to fit in a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker.

Whipped Cream Ice Cream

from 1950 Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book


French Style
Scald: 1 cup whole milk.
Gradually mix in: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 3 beaten egg yolks.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it boils. Boil just one minute. Cool.

American Style
Scald: 1 cup whole milk
Gradually mix in: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt and 1 Tbs AP flour.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it boils. Boil just one minute. Cool.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and start. When it starts to freeze (a little softer than soft-set) add 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, and 1 Tbs vanilla. Freeze until a firm soft-serve and transfer to a freezer-proof container. Freeze 2 hours before serving.

Lavender French Cream

from 42nd Street Cafe, Longview, WA

1.5 tsp lavender buds, crumbled
1 cup sour cream (you can use light, if you want)
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar (recipe originally calls for Splenda, which also works well)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz cream cheese (low-fat works well)
1/2 tsp vanilla
zest of 1/2 lemon

3/4 pound fresh berries (if using strawberries, quarter them)
1/8 tsp each, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 tsp rosewater
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda (less if the berries are sweet)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm and well combined. Don't boil.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let it soften for 1 minute. Gently heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir into cream mixture.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add cream mixture, vanilla and zest. Divide into wine glasses and chill for 6+ hours.

Gently toss berries, remaining sugar rosewater and spices. Let sit at room temperature while the french cream is chilling.

Serve the French Cream with berries on top. If desired, top with sweetened whipped cream.

Butter Bars

1 yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (melted)
1 egg

Mix together and pat down into a 9x13 pan to make the crust

Next mix together
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
1 c brown sugar

Pour over crust and bake for 40 minutes at 350.

It will look jiggly and not done when it first comes out of the oven. It is. It will set up as it cools.