Kim's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 TBS vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
5-6-1/4 cup flour
2 pkgs. chocolate chips

1.  Cream shortening, butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add salt, baking soda, and flour.

2.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets.

3.  Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes  (You can freeze cookie balls to bake later if desired.   Bake frozen dough balls at 375℉ for about 14 minutes.)

From Betty

Chicken Bacon Ranch Macaroni and Cheese

16 ounces pasta (I used medium shells, whatever will work)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS butter
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 TBS dry ranch dressing mix
bacon, cooked and crumbled (or real bacon bits)
chicken, cooked and shredded (or use canned)
1/2 cup Panko toasted with 2 TBS butter (optional)

1.  In a large bowl combine cheeses and cornstarch; set aside.

2.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain well.  Stir in butter; until combined well.  Add cheeses, evaporated milk, and ranch dressing mix.  Stir in well to melt cheese and combine.

3.  Add chicken and bacon and stir well.  Add toasted panko if desired. Serve seasoned with salt and pepper.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1-1/2 cups butter, room temperature (no substitutions)
1-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 TBS vanilla
4-1/4 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour works also)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips (regular or mini)

1.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the room temperature butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed and smooth.

2.  Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and add it, one cup at a time to the creamed butter-egg mixture. Beat until well mixed then beat in the chocolate chips.

3.  Preheat oven to 375°F and use a UNGREASED cookie sheet. Roll the cookie dough into balls about the size of a small walnut and place on the cookie sheet about 2" apart.


4. Bake for 10 minutes. They will still be pretty soft-ish when they come out of the oven.
 
This recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies

from Coleen's Recipes

Crispy Potato Roast

3 TBS Butter, melted
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
10-12 russet potatoes, peeled (or 5-6 bigger ones)
salt
1 small onion or 4 shallots, peeled and sliced very thin
3-4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) or use black pepper
thyme (a few shakes worth)
1 cup cheese, shredded

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the oil and melted butter in a small dish.  Brush a round baking dish (about 9-10 inches) with a little of the butter-oil mixture.

2.  Slice the potatoes as thin as possible crosswise (I used a food processor).  Arrange potatoes vertically in baking dish.  Wedge onion slices throughout potato slices -in about 3 or 4 sections of each potato.

3.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme  Brush with remaining butter and oil mixture.

4.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 25 minutes.  Add crumbled bacon.  Bake for an additional 35 minutes.  A couple of minutes before done add shredded cheese to top and bake until melted.

adapted from Joyously Domestic

Honey Oat Bread

3 cups  all-purpose flour
3/4 cups oats (instant or old fashioned, both work great)
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (almond or soy milk work also)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 TBS unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey (or agave), warmed

1-1/2 to 2 TBS honey (or agave) slightly warmed
1-1/2 to 2 TBS oats

1.  In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.

2.  In a small bowl, or two cup measuring cup, warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.

3.  Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer, with the dough hook attachment, for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic (if you’re making this recipe by hand, the dough will be very sticky at first; flour your hands and work surface generously and be patient). If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to soften it up.

4.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1 hour.
Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean dry towl, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1  hour.

5.  Preheat oven to 350℉. Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

6.  When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.
Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown.

7.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving. (Yeah right, or eat the whole loaf warm)

From Bakingdom