Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are very moist, soft, and thick. For those chocolate chip cookie fans out there, don't worry, the buttermilk doesn't interfere with the taste you love, it only enhances it.


Ingredients
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips


Directions

1. Cream butter. Add brown and white sugar and combine well.
2. Add egg, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix till combined.
3. Add flour and combine completly.
4. Add chocolate chips and stir.
5. Bake at 325 degree F for about 16 minutes.

Coconut Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Follow above recipe except add 1 cup shredded coconut with the chocolate chips. 

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

During the summer, I love cooking with fruits and vegetables that are in season because in season fruits and veggies often taste better and are better for you. My family has a small garden, and one of the things we planted was zucchini. We just had our first zucchini grow to maturity, and what better thing to make it into than zucchini bread? This bread is very moist and flavorful. Once you take your first bite, there's no way you'll be able to stop.

Ingredients

2 cups white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 cups zucchini, grated

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnut, pecan, or almond)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and nuts. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl beat eggs until light and foamy. Add oil, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. Mix well.
4. Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just moist (overmixing wil cause tunnels and coarse texture).
5. Pour into bread pan size of your choice. I used one 4.5'' x 8.5'' and two 2'' x 6'' pans.
6. Bake for about 35 minutes for smaller pans and about 45 minutes for larger pans, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing loaves from pans.

Dutch Babies with Heavenly Syrup (a.k.a. Vanilla or Buttermilk Syrup)

Heavenly Syrup

Dutch babies are one of my family's specialties though almost no one else has ever heard of them before. They are probably the most delicious breakfast food ever invented, especially when paired with Heavenly Syrup or a little fresh squeezed lemon juice. Even though this is technically a breakfast food, my family often eats it for dinner!

Ingredients

Dutch Babies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• ground nutmeg

Heavenly Syrup

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Dutch Babies

Dutch Baby (shown without any toppings)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degreed F/ Put butter in a 10x13 inch pan and set into oven.
2. While butter is melting, quickly make the batter. Put eggs in a mixer and mix on high for about 1 minute. Add milk. Gradually pour in flour and mic.
3. Remove pan from oven and pour batter into the hot melted butter. Return to oven and bake until puffy and sides extend well out of the pan, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with ground nutmeg.
4. Serve with Heavenly syrup, lemon juice, fruit or all of the above. You may also choose to dust them with powdered sugar.

Heavenly Syrup

1. In a saucepan melt butter. Add sugar and buttermilk and stir. Add remaining ingredients and stir until dissolved.

Variations on Snickerdoodles

Variations on Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are a classic, but suprisingly this is the first time I've ever made them, and they turned out fantastic! I would make them again and  agian! You can try one or all of the recipes and then decide which one is your favorite! Personally, I love the traditional and peanut butter, but I've never loved chocolate cookies to start with.

Traditional

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• cinnamon sugar
• 
  
• Directions

1. Cream butter. Add sugar, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar and combine.
2.  Add egg and vanilla and stir until just combined.
3. Add flour. Combine Completely.
4. Roll dough into quarter sized balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and bake at 375 degree F for about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles

Follow above directions except for add 1/4 peanut butter and cream it together with the regular butter.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Follow original directions except add 1/4 peanut butter and cream it together with the regular butter. Increase sugar from 1 cup to 1 1/3 cup. Add 1/2 cup cocoa with flour.

S'mores Brownies

S'mores Brownies

This version of brownies is one of my favorites. It starts with a graham cracker crust, goes to a decadent, chocolaty brownie center, and finishes off covered with a blanket of toasted marshmallows. AHH-MAZING! They're the perfect alternative to regular s'mores, especially if there's a fire ban, like there is here.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
• 3 to 4 Tbsp.  melted butter

Brownie 

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 eggs 
• 5/8 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Topping

• about half a bag of mini marshmallows

Direcitons

1. Combine graham crackers and melted butter. Press into bottom of 9x9 inch square pan and cook at 375 degree F for 7 minutes.
2. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and melt completly.
3. Remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla and stir well.
4. Add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and stir well.
5. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
6. Pour onto graham cracker crust and spread evenly around.
7. Bake at 325 degree F for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Remove brownies from oven and preheat broiler on low.
9. Cover entire top of brownies with mini marshmallows so no brownie is showing
10. Toast in oven for about two minutes, watch carefully because it can go from done to burned fast.
11. Remove from oven.

Secret Ingredient Brownies

Reasonably Healthy, Unreasonably Delicious Brownies

I used to make fun of those radical bakers who try to make unsuspecting husbands and children eat their veggies (or simply in an effort to make something that's not supposed to be healthy healthy) add vegetables to desserts. What could be more sacrilegious?! Dessert is supposed to be full of fat and sugar! But very recently (meaning this afternoon) I became one of those radicals. I thought to myself, this blog needs 74 different food items by the end of summer, so at least one of them should be an attempt at making a dessert healthy. And now I am officially a veggie junkie (at least for today).

At first I was skepitical on how my creation would turn out, especially after tasting the batter. It was just so much different tasting than regular brownie batter that I almost questioned whether I should cook those babies. The moment of weakness vanished fast, however, and I threw those brownies into the oven before I could have any second thoughts.

With every passing minute the batter cooked, the sweet aroma emanating from the oven increased until I was almost salivating right there on my hard wood floor. Finally the buzzer rang and the brownies tested true. They were done.

Now I have to let you in on a little secret with hidden veggie desserts: you can still taste the vegetables while the food is hot! Only once the dessert is completely cool will the taste of healthy be indefinitely replaced by the flavor of delicious. DO NOT LET YOUR FAMILY TASTE THEM WHILE THEY ARE STILL HOT! (or they may never trust your baking skills again).




Ingredients

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup carrot puree (After peeling and trimming the ends, steam carrots for 10-12 minutes and then puree in a food processor or blender)
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/8 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips (optional)
• powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in medium saucepan. Take off heat.
3. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and carrot puree. (You can add these and following ingredients directly into the saucepan).
4. Whisk in egg whites.
5. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. If desired stir 3/8 cup chocolate chips into batter.
7. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 
8. While brownies are still hot drop butterscotch chips all over them. (optional)
9. COOL COMPLETELY before serving. If desired you may sprinkle powdered sugar on brownies just before serving.

High Heel Cupcakes

High Heel Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes in anticipation of a chick-flick movie night I was hosting (no boys allowed!). But they are perfect for almost anything: birthdays, bridal showers, girl's night out, etc. And one thing is for sure, they will have your guests going crazy with amazement!

Ingredients

 Yield 24

• 1 box of any flavor cake mix or your favorite from scratch recipe
• Lots and lots of sprinkles of all different varieties
• 12 graham crackers, cut or broken in half
• about 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 12 rolled cookies (such as Pirouettes)
• food coloring
• frosting (I used homemade, but store-bought will work)

Directions

1. Bake cupcakes as directed on box or according to recipe and allow to cool. Feel free to use cute cupcake tins, as they will help make your high heels cuter. (If you can't find cute tins, then the silver tin foil cupcake tins work great!)
2. Turn the graham cracker square diagonal and cut about 3/4 inch off both sides. When done it should look sort of like a tie.  Do this to all of the graham cracker squares.

Improvised Double Boiler

  3. Melt a little less than 3/4 cups of the white chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler you can put water in a small pot, and then place a glass or metal bowl into opening of pot so that the bowl fits exactly (make sure bowl does not touch water). Then boil the water in the pot and  remove from heat. Immediately add white chocolate and stir till melted and smooth.

  4. Using a knife, spread white chocolate all over one side of the cut graham crackers and allow chocolate to completely harden.

  5. Color the frosting as desired and then frost the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles however you wish. It looks great if you dip the entire top of cupcake in sprinkles.

  6. Set cupcakes aside. Pipe a thin line of frosting around top edge of graham crackers. Then dip the crackers in sprinkles (you will want to correspond these sprinkle choices with the sprinkle choices you used for the cupcakes). Now the graham cracker should have an outline of sprinkles.

  7. Cut the rolled cookies (such as Pirouettes) in half. Angle one side of the rolled cookie.

  8. Melt the rest of the white chocolate chips in the double boiler.

Small indent pictured above.

  9. Cut a small indent in the cupcake toward the edge and insert the graham cracker.

 10. Put some melted white chocolate on the angled side of the rolled cookie and press that side onto the bottom of graham cracker. Do not move cupcake until the white chocolate hardens.

I call this one "hot date"

This one and the next picture remind me a lot of Cinderella shoes!

This one is sweet, but glamorous at the same time.

There was a whole army of high heeled cupcakes invading my kitchen!

Calzones

Calzones

Quick and easy, portable and cheesy, calzones are a great alternative to traditional pizza. Very similar to a Hot Pocket (but 100 times tastier), they travel well for lunches or picnics, but also taste just as great eaten in your own kitchen. Some may even argue that calzones are better than your original pizza! It's up to you to find out.

 Ingredients

Yield 3 Large Calzones

Dough

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Filling (you may change this suiting to your personal tastes)

• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 to 2 cups mozerella cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 3/4 cup diced bell peppers
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 to 1 cup pepperoni
• garlic powder
• salt
• basil
• other spices (oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, sage)

Directions

Dough

1. In a mixer, dissolve yeast in water
2. Add the oil, sugar and salt and mix together
3. Mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth
4. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable 
5. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes
6. Make dough into a ball and put into a lightly greased bowl (lightly grease top of dough as well) and allow to rise for about 40 minutes, or until double in size.
7. Punch down down and separate into three parts. Roll out each part to make thin circles
8. Spread the marinara sauce around the whole circle and then add other filling ingredients and spices to taste
9. Carefully flip one half of the calzone over the other half to make a sort of pocket. Pinch the edges closed
10. Place calzone on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Gently brush the top of the calzone all over with the beaten egg. Poke a hole in the top of the calzone with a fork. If desired you may sprinkle additional spices on top of the calzone.
11. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until crust is golden.

Mac and Chesse

From Scratch Mac and Cheese

There are times in everyone's life when you just need some horribly fattening, incredibly cheesy comfort food. So here it is.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 3/4 Tbs All-Purpose flour
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
•  sprinkle of kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon green chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic
• sprinkle powdered red pepper or Cayenne pepper 

Pasta

• about 3 1/4 cup Rotini pasta
• 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Jack cheese, grated 

Directions

Sauce

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add cheeses, salt, chili powder and garlic, and red pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Set aside. 
Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
2. Cook Rotini pasta for 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.)
3. Drain pasta
4. Combine pasta and sauce in a medium bowl; mix carefully but thoroughly.
5. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with cheeses.
6. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Scrumptious Carrot Cake

Today's Father's Day, and my dad requested his favorite cake, carrot cake. Though carrots may possibly be one of the weirdest things to put in a cake, they make this dessert incredibly delicious. Who knew that a vegetable could taste so good?

This particular recipe creates a dense, moist cake with cream cheese frosting enhances the natural flavors of the cake. It can be served room temperature, but personally I like it chilled.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup ground coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• about 6 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Cake

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Lightly grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add eggs, mix well.
4. Add grated carrots.
5. Slowly stir in sifted dry ingredients.
6. Add coconut and pecans.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans. Cook for 14 minutes.
8. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degree F. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in large mixing bowl on high for about 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Mix in vanilla.
3. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix well.
4. Continue to beat frosting for 3 to 4 minutes, even after everything is combined.

Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bars

Lately I've been trying to be a little healthier, but I've have trouble thinking up new recipes. It's a lot easier to come up with an original dessert than a healthy snack! Eventually I thought of making homemade granola bars. I expected them to be extremely difficult to make, but they were surprisingly very simple. The recipe is also very flexible, so you can add more or less of pretty much anything in it, (for example, if you don't like coconut, you could substitute in something else or just leave it out entirely and reduce the amount of liquid you use).  However, there are a few things you probably don't want to leave out or change, such as the oats and flour. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients

• 2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup peanuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optinoal)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F
2. Mix together oats, almonds and coconut and spread out on  a cookie sheet. Place in oven and toast for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
3. Reduce oven heat to 300 degree F (Remove oat, almond, and coconut mixture from oven and place in a large bowl).
4. Add Wheat Germ, flour, peanuts, raisins, and cinnamon to oat, almond, and coconut mixture. Mix together. 
5. In a small saucepan, melt butter.
6. Add honey, maple syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir for about one minute.
7. Pour wet mixture into the dry and stir to combine.
8. Allow mixture to cool slightly before adding the chocolate chips (or they will melt).
9. Grease a 9x13 pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Add mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan. 
10. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.
11. Allow to cool completely ( about 2 hours). Cut into any shape you desire (Who says granola bars have to be boring old rectangles? Get creative!) You can store these at room temperature in plastic baggies if desired.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

At restaurants, stores, and bakeries there is always the ever present Red Velvet Cake to buy, with the description as being out of this world. I used to have to just trust the labels, because I'd never had Red Velvet myself, and didn't really even know what is was. So when my dad said he needed cupcakes to give to someone for their birthday, Red Velvet came to my mind immediately. It was time to test that legendary flavor. And I have to say, after I ate one of those babies, I was not disappointed.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 ( .3 ounce) bottle Red Food Color
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 1/2 Cup Softened Butter
• 5 1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1-3 Tablespoons Milk

Directions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in plain yogurt/sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost.

Frosting: 

1. Cream Butter in mixer
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbs. Milk. Stir and gradually add rest of powdered sugar. Add milk if needed. Add Vanilla. Beat on high for several minutes until thick and creamy. If frosting tastes like powdered sugar continue to beat for several more minutes until the taste is right.

The Best Dang Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Best Dang Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are tons of Double Chocolate Chip Cookie fans out there, but until today, I just didn't understand the obsession. I LOVE chocolate, but it just seemed like too much chocolate...until today. I wanted to make the perfect companion cookie for ice cream, and with the whole 'ice cream sandwich' idea goin' on, I decided to make double chocolate chip cookies, which I've never ever done before. When they came out of the oven, I expected them to be just like any other double chocolate chip cookie that I've ever had, so I took just a small nibble (just to be sure there was no commitment or anything). But once I had one nibble I just couldn't stop! They were different than other forms of this cookie that I'd had before, suddenly this whole 'double the chocolate' idea was seeming appealing, and even, delicious. So I fell in love today, with something that I'd already rejected time and time again. I guess a new recipe and slighty different ingredients can make a whole lot of a difference.

P.S These cookies are to die for when served with a refreshing glass of milk or a dish of your favorite vanilla ice cream

Ingredients

 Yield 2 Dozen

• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Soften Butter and beat 
2. Add brown and white sugar and beat to combine
3. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth, do not over beat!
4. Add cocoa powder and combine
5. Add flour and stir well (it will be thick)
6. Stir in Chocolate Chips
7. Make balls of dough (about an inch, inch and a half wide; also,the balls don't have to be perfectly round) and place evenly spaced on a cookie sheet; about 12 balls per sheet
8. Cook for about 16 or 17 minutes at 325 degrees

Nutty Granola

Nutty Granola

Granola and yogurt is one of my favorite afternoon snacks, but what do I do when my stock of granola runs out? Make some of course!

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1 Cup Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 Cup Pecans
• 1 1/2 Cup  Shredded Coconut
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/4 Cup plus 3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Molasses
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil 
• 1/2 Cup Flax Seed
• 1/2 Cup Wheat Germ

Directions

1. Combine oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, flour, salt, and brown sugar in large bowl
2. Combine maple syrup, molasses, and vegetable oil
3. Combine dry mixture with wet mixture
4. Divide in half. Spread each half evenly on a separate cookie sheet
5. Cook at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes

Spicy Guacamole

Spicy Guacamole 

Mexican food is one of the specialties of my family, because it's my Dad's favorite type of food. So when it comes to guacamole, it has to be perfect. So the other night when my mom asked me to make the guacamole, I knew I had a lot of responsibility on my head. Despite this, I wanted to put my on swing on the guacamole. As I went, I tasted and changed, adjusted and added things, and finally declared it finished! And I guess I did something right because both my parents declared, "This is the best guacamole we've ever had,  we're going to have to put you on gauc duty from now on!"

Ingredients

• 2 Whole Avacados
• 1 Clove Garlic
• Salt
• 3-4 Teaspoons Jalapenos
• 1-2 Teaspoons Chopped Onion
• Dash of Crushed Red Pepper 

 Directions

1. Cut Avocados in half lengthwise. Remove pits. Using a spoon remove meat of the avocados and put in small/medium bowl.
2. Squish Avocados (I like to use a pastry cutter to do this)
3. Add all other ingredients and combine

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo is my favorite sauce for pasta. It's so very, cheesy, and just plain delicious! My mom has always made the best Alfredo Sauce ever. I've tried to use other recipes when she's not around to tell me how, but it never turns out just right. So, with permission from my mom, here's the family's secret Alfredo Sauce Recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Half and Half
• Generous 1 1/2 Cups Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Salt
• Nutmeg

Directions

1. Melt butter in Medium/Large Sucepan
2. Add Half and Half and heat
3. Add Parmesan and stir until completely combined and thick
4. Add Garlic, dash of Salt, and a dash of Nutmeg. Stir
5. Pour over pasta of your choice, I used Whole Wheat Penne Pasta and Broccoli

Simple Salad and Dressing

Simple Salad and Dressing

I come from a family full of boys, and there's no way they'd even be in the same room with a salad. So with so few salad eaters in our home, a simple salad is the way to go, because it is so easy to make. Homemade salad dressing adds a little pizazz to spice it up a bit.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

 Makes enough for a small salad

•  3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 1 or 2 fresh cloves garlic
• Basil
• Oregano
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar

Salad:

• Romaine Lettuce Leafs, torn into pieces
• Shredded Carrot
• Green Onion
• Sliced Tomatos

 Directions:

Make Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine

Make Salad: Combine ingredients in medium/large bowl and combine

Homemade Pizza

Homemade Pizza

Pizza...hmmmmm. Possibly the most incredible culinary creation of all time. Usually my family buys our pizza, but occasionally when we want something truly special we make our own.

 And since I'm making it myself, I can make it as healthy or unhealthy as I choose. Some things you just have to take it straight , like pepperoni, turkey pepperoni just doesn't do the trick. But on other things, like the crust, there's no harm in makin' it just a little healthier. Heck, I think whole wheat tastes better than plain old white any day.

Pizza So Good It'll Knock Your Socks Off

Yield: 2 large pizzas

Ingredients

Dough:

•  4 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
•  2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
•  4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
•  4 tablespoons olive oil
•  2 teaspoon salt
•  4 teaspoons white sugar

Toppings (You can use anything you want, but this is what I used):

• 1/2 Cup Olive
• Chopped Onions
• Pepperoni
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Tomato Sauce (You can just use spaghetti sauce)
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Basil
• Italian Seasonings Mix (Oregano, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, and Sage)

Directions: 

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Cover with sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Dulce De Leche Bars

Chocolate Chip Dulce De Leche Bars 

When you're in school, you can't wait for summer to roll around! You make all sorts of extragant plans and goals for the summer and get all excited for days off. Once summer starts, though, those goals like to take a backseat to laziness and TV watching. Some days you are just completly bored out of your mind, but don't want to go excericise or do any sort of thing catorgorized as 'work' or 'productive'. Today was one of those days for me. I knew that I should go out and exercise or even just do some yardwork, but I really just didn't feel like it. At the same time though, I was insanely bored. So I decided the only possible thing I could do that wouldn't be considered acutally exherting myself (no way would I put effort into anything!) but still stave off the mind melting boredom would be to bake something. Not just anything though, something new, exciting, something I certainly didn't have a recipe for. And so the baking began. I plopped ingredients in a bowl and as I worked (adding things and improvising along the way) a wonderful idea struck me to add Dulce De Leche that we already had in the fridge to my creation. And.....Viola! Baking Magic was made and out came the most incredible cookies bars I'd ever tasted. The bars were like the most wonderful soft chocolate chip cookie you've ever had, the texture similar to a fresh-baked out of the oven texture even hours after they cooled off. Everybite or two, one would get a mouthful of smooth creamy Dulce De Leche that wonderfully complimented the chocolate chip cookie part. Maybe it was just dumb luck that they turned out so wonderfully, but who am I to question the whismsies of fate. Those bars were good, and that's all I really know.

Chocolate Chip Dulce De Leche Bars

 Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter

 1 Cup Brown Sugar

 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar (White)

 2 Eggs

2 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

 1 1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:

 Prepare Dulce De Leche: You can do this in many ways. The quickest way is to micro wave it. Empty the contents of the sweetened condensed Milk Can into a microwave safe dish and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Cook it on medium in two minute increments stirring between each increment for about 14 minutes, adding time if it is not thick enough for your liking.

Prepare Cookie Dough: 1. Soften Butter and place in a large Bowl. Beat butter (I like to beat it by hand, but you can do this in a mixer).

2. Add brown and granulated sugar. Beat it in with the butter.

3. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir until it forms a smooth consistency, but be careful not to over beat.

4. Add Flour, Baking Soda and Salt. Stir well.

5. Add 1 Cup of the Chocolate Chips.

6. Lightly Grease a 9x13 pan. Put about 2/3 of the Cookie Dough in the bottom of the pan.

7. Cook for 13 minutes in oven (325 degrees)

8. Place a layer of Dulce De Leche on top of the cookies in the pan and cover with remaining cookie dough

9. Cook for another 16 minutes, or until top is lightly golden brown.