Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I usually half the recipe b/c it makes nearly 5 dozen.

Also, it is important to make large mounds ( a little bigger than golf ball size) and if you can chill/freeze the dough balls before cooking.

2 cups butter (room temp)

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

4 cups flour

5 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

3 cups chopped nuts

24 oz choc chip

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Stir in flour and oatmeal. Add salt, soda, cinnamon. Add nuts and chips last. Mix well. Place ball mounds of dough on greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes.

Cheesecake

4 packages of cream cheese

8 eggs, separated

2 cups of sugar

2 tsp vanilla

tsp of lemon zest (optional)

Separate egg whites from yolks. Beat the whites until they are very stiff. Then beat the softened cream cheese, yolks, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Add whites and blend, but don't overbeat. Fold into a graham cracker crust Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 1 hour. It will get somewhat brown and begin to rise in the middle when it is done. Be sure that the oven is not too hot. Top with 1 cup of sour cream, 3 Tbsp. of sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Turn off the oven, crack the door and let sit for an hour. Then take out of the oven and let cool in the fridge uncovered for 4 hours.

Meemaw's Chocolate Pecan Pie

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 t. vanilla

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup chopped pecans

1 pkg. chocolate chips

Beat eggs and mix other ingredients in the order given. Pour into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Best when served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Blackberry Cobbler

Crust:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

pinch of cinnamon

Filling:

5 cups of blackberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

Mix crust ingredients with a pastry blender until crumbly. Place blackberries in baking dish, dot with butter and cover with sugar. Pour crumbly crust over fruit and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Top with ice cream.

Biscuits

2 cups self rising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients. Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry cutter. Carefully stir in buttermilk until blended, do not over mix. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead 3 to 4 times. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter. Bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes

Jambalaya

1/4 olive oil
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound smoked sausage
2 cups uncooked rice, can use brown
2 cups chicken broth
1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes with liquid
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Heat oil in large cast iron pot. Add next 4 ingredients and cook until tender, 4 or 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and sausage. cook for 10 minutes. Add rice, broth , tomatoes and all seasonings except parsley. cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook slowly 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Add parsley just before serving.

Arugula Salad with Pear and Blue Cheese

8 oz. arugula, I prefer baby arugula
3 green onions, chopped (or sub with baby red onions, thinly sliced)
1 red pear, cored and sliced
6 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (or feta)
3/4 cup toasted walnuts

dress with vinaigrette of 1/2 cup walnut oil, or olive oil if you prefer, 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Canneli bean salad

2 cans canneli beans, drained and rinsed ( white Kidney beans)
2 green onions or red onion shallots, sliced
1/4 cup sliced calamata olives
1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper
2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 cloves roasted garlic, sliced
salt/pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
other Italian herbs: oregano, thyme, basil to taste

Mix all together. Adjust oil to 1/3 cup if necessary. Refrigerate 4 hours. Better if it sits overnight.

Ice Cream

9 eggs separated (6)
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/2)
3 cups of sugar (2)
24 oz. heavy whipping cream (16)
3 cans of evaporated milk (2)
3 teaspoons vanilla (2)

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until very stiff. Beat in 1 1/2 cup sugar and beat until marshmallowy. Beat yolks until thick. Add in 1 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until sugar is dissolved. Whip cream. In large bowl mix together eggs and cream. Add evaporated milk and vanilla. Pour into freezer can and freeze. Original recipe call for amounts in parentheses.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

12 oz bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao-no exceptions)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I added in an extra 1-2 TB) Note**
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers (finely, but not a powder, but not chunks either)
(I added in 1 tsp salt to peanut butter mixture)

In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and graham crackers. I put mine in the fridge to harden up a bit as it’s easier to form into balls.
In a double boiler, carefully melt the chocolate (set a metal bowl on top of a saucepan with boiling water).
Use regular or mini cupcake tins and line them with cupcake liners. It is best to use 3 to 4 liners per each compartment as this will help hold the structure of the pb cup.
Using a pastry brush, brush the melted chocolate on the bottom and sides of mini cupcake liners; when in doubt, add more chocolate, since this will be the base for your candy. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
While those are in the freezer get out the peanut butter mixture and form into teaspoons or tablespoon balls depending on what size peanut butter cup you are making.
remove the cupcake tins from the freezer, and place about one teaspoon (1 tablespoon for larger size) of the peanut butter mixture in each cup, make sure to put it in the middle, not touching the sides of the cup. Spoon more melted chocolate on top of each cup, make sure to get filly in around the sides too.
Place the peanut butter cups back in the freezer for another 15 minutes to set. Let them sit at room temp before devouring. Should make 12-16 mini's or 8 big ones.

Garlic Horseradish Cream Sauce

Garlic Horseradish Cream Sauce

• 1 head garlic (1/4 pound; about 2 1/2 inches in diameter), left intact
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup drained bottled horseradish
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

To make the sauce:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head. Drizzle exposed garlic with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then wrap head tightly in foil. Roast garlic until tender, about 1 1/4 hours, then open foil and cool.

While garlic roasts, simmer cream in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.

Squeeze garlic into a small bowl, discarding skins, and mash together with horseradish, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt using a fork.

Stir garlic mixture into cream, then chill until ready to use.

This sauce is great on beef or pork tenderloin.

Granola

Mix in large bowl:
6 cups Old Fashioned Oats (sometimes I do a mixture of steel cut and old fashioned, not quick cook)
2 cups oat bran
1/2 cup wheat germ

Mix in pyrex measuring cup:
1/2 oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 hot water
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
Whisk together well. Heat on low in microwave if mixture does not blend well.
Pour over oat mixture stirring well with large spoon.

Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven. Stir after about 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes until evenly brown. Around 25 to 30 minutes total.

tomato pie

This requires a little time to prepare but it is worth it! Somewhat like a pizza.

1 pie crust, I use Pillsbury crust found in refrig section
1 small can chopped ripe olives, drained
2 green onions, thinly sliced
4 slices Provolone cheese
3-4 tomatoes
seasoned flour
cooking oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Prick bottom and sides of pie crust and bake until light brown. Cover bottom of crust with ripe olives. Add green onions. Arrange provolone cheese on top of onions.
Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Dip in seasoned flour and lightly brown in oil. Arrange cooked tomatoes on top of cheese.
Mix eggs, milk and cheddar cheese. Pour over tomatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

Lemon- Herb Roated Chicken

1 whole chicken, remove giblets, rinse and pat dry
1 thinly sliced lemon
4 sprigs rosemary
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon good olive oil
salt/pepper

Loosen skin covering chicken breast by slipping fingers between skin and breast meat, making a pocket. Place 4 thin lemon slices 1 tablespoon butter and 1 sprig rosemary in pocket. Place 2 cloves of garlic in cavity along with the rest of the sliced lemon and rosemary and butter.
Place chicken in pan with al least 1 inch sides. It makes the best pan drippings!!
Salt and pepper generously.
Sprinkle with olive oil.
Bake at 400 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or 180 degrees internal temp.

sour cream cornbread

always a hit. somewhat like corm casserole.

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup jiffy cornbread mix, I use 1 box and 1/2 of a second
1 8 oz. can cream style corn
1 cup sour cream, I use light

Mix all ingredient and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly brown.

Omia's Hot Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked chicken, I use rotisserie chicken from Sam's
2 cups cooked rice, I use brown
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup mayonnaise, I use light
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chopped pimento
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt/pepper

Mix together and put into greased casserole dish. Then top with mixture of:
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup melted butter

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serves 8-10.
I do half this recipe.

jalapeno chicken bundle

4 whole jalapenos, if large I will cut them in half or thirds, lengthwise
4 chicken thigh fillets, boneless
2 slices pepperjack cheese
4 slices bacon
salsa verde
salt/pepper

Flatten thigh fillets with rolling pin or mallet between wax paper. Salt and pepper both sides. Place jalapeno at one end and roll up with the thigh meat. Secure with bacon strip. Place in baking pan sprayed with Pam. Top with 1/2 slice of pepperjack and teaspoon of salsa verde. Bake in 350 degree oven 20 minutes or160 degrees with meat thermometer.
I usually serve them with black beans and Spanish rice.

ugly cake

UGLY CAKE
1 butter cake mix 1 stick butter 3 eggs 1 box confectioners' sugar 8 oz. cream cheese 1 stick butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix and spread first 3 ingredients in bottom of greased sheet pan. Mix and spread remaining ingredients on top of first layer. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will look ugly and lumpy.

sopilla cheesecake

	2 cans crescent rolls 2-8oz. cream cheese 1 c. sugar ½ stick of real butter ¾ tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. cinnamon
Directions:	Spread one can of crescent rolls in bottom of 9x13 inch pan. This will be the bottom crust. Mix together cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, and vanilla. Spread this mixture on the crescent roll layer – (add more sugar as necessary to taste) Now spread 2nd can of crescent rolls on top – as top crust. Pour ½ stick of melted butter evenly over the top. Mix the remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 tsp. of cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over the top. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Cut into 2 inch squares.
Number Of Servings:	12-15 squares
Preparation Time:	30 minutes