Me vs. Tate's - A Cookie Comparison

There has been much hype about Tate's Cookies as of late on the blogosphere and our store finally received some in stock so I caved and bought a bag of the chocolate chip version.  I was so excited to have found them, I think I actually did a mini-jig in the aisle.  We raced home and while putting items away, I opened the bag for a pre-dinner snack.  I have to say, I am not impressed in the least and I have to wonder if their popularity has more to do with Ina Garten's praise than it does their flavor.  Whether it be Paula Deen or Rachel Ray, whenever a food celebrity touts praise of an item and/or brand, it grows to ridiculous popularity due to zealous fans wanting to be just their televised idols.  I have to think that after tasting a Tate's cookie, this is the issue as well.

National Chocolate Day

Today is in fact, National Chocolate Day...which is, PRETTY big news in my household.  I was so excited I Googled it, curious as to its origins and then I saw that there is about 3 other National Chocolate days according to this list of "odd holidays".   Which is fairly cool with me since my contribution to celebrate National Chocolate Day flopped and turned into hockey pucks I think I need to send to my friend in Canada to toss around on the ice with his hockey team mates.

I had intended to make Chewy Chocolate Chunk cookies that my husband's ex-coworker had shared with me about two years ago.  I was so excited she shared her recipe with me since her cookies could be the absolute cure for PMS symptoms because they're so loaded with chocolatey goodness.  That being said, I should add that I am so completely fond of Crisco Butter Flavored shortening for my cookies.  Her recipe said butter and apparently I should have followed her recipe exact because mine turned out into hard, crispy buttons of chocolate as where hers spread into palm sized, perfectly thin and chewy cookies riddled with molten chunks of gooey chocolate.  Hers were delightful...mine were better donated to the NHL for practice pucks.

Moving on then...Good thing I had a spare recipe to share on deck, eh?!  Sitting on my buffet was the most perfect pan of chewy chocolate chip cookie bars.  Thick, chewy in the middle, crispy & flakey on top...perfectly dimpled with chocolate chips and toffee chips....H E A V EN in a pan.  They come together lickey split quick and one bowl for cleanup.  Too easy!  Did I mention I like Crisco butter flavored sticks?  Yeah, because this recipe came from the Crisco site and I just added in some toffee chips because...well...who doesn't need some toffee chips?  LMAO  So whether your National Chocolate Day is today or another celebrated day...I hope you enjoy these cookie bars.  I know we're plowing through them like there is no tomorrow.  Enjoy ya'll!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares
from Crisco.com

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 2 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening, melted
• OR 1/2 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks, melted
• 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® Self Rising Flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (6 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

HEAT oven to 325ºF. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

COMBINE brown sugar and shortening in large bowl; beat at low speed until well blended.  ADD flour; add eggs and vanilla. Beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans by hand. Press into prepared pan.  (wetting your fingers helps with this)

BAKE 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 1 1/2 x 1 1/2-inch squares.

Rice Krispie Treats All Grown Up & New Pans!

The other day I was casually browsing through my Kohl's flyer when something caught my eye.  Kohl's has always featured Food Network cookware and bakeware but these were new products exclusive to Kohl's and man, did I ever want some.  These pans were gorgeous looking with their galvanized looking exterior, all rippled and such.  They reminded me of something you'd find in an old farmhouse somewhere.  I just loved them so off to Kohl's we went.  I was so shocked when I got there.  Not only were these commercial grade but my Lord, were they HEAVY!  I had to have some.  I was somewhat reluctant to purchase them because I'm somewhat of a mizer when it comes to buying new things.  I had plenty of cookie sheets at home!  But then my husband reminded me of my list of "Things I Want to Buy and/or Replace".  New bakeware was right on the top of that list.  I had that whole saying of "if you buy something cheaply, it will perform cheaply" running through my head as I stood there.  All my cookie sheets were super banged up, dark, stained and awfully sad looking.  But $29.99 for a cookie sheet, I bawked?!  He stared at me and went "Buy it."  So I did...and a loaf pan and a 9x13 pan which has a batch of the most wonderful Brown Butter & Sea Salt Rice Krispie Treats in them at the moment.  (recipe follows)  These are performing so wonderfully.  I'm glad now I listened to my husband and purchased them.  So if you're in the market for wonderful, sturdy, durable and nostalgic looking bakeware - get thee to a Kohl's.  These aren't even featured on their website yet! YAY!  Means nobody will be buying them out quick...so get on over there!

As you can see, in my cake pan there is a batch of rice krispie treats.  But don't be fooled.  These are not your everyday, after school snack rice krispie treat.  Oooh no.  No, no.  What lies inside is a delicious concoction of nutty browned butter and zippy sea salt.  My friend Siggy Spice passed on this recipe to me and I thanked her endlessly as I licked my spoons clean.  My, oh my!  Sweet meets salty meets velvety undertones of brown butter all lusciously packed in to a crispy, crunchy bar.  They are without a doubt the "adult" version of Rice Krispie Treats.  You won't WANT to share them with your kids.  Or your husband...or anyone else.  I might stash these in my closet all for myself.  (its a tempting, tempting thought)

In any event, make Siggy's sinful treat and be nice to yourself and buy some new pans!

Brown Butter & Sea Salt Rice Krispie Treats

• 1 stick butter
• 1 bag marshmallows (10.5 oz)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 6 slightly over flowing cups rice krispy cereal

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, gently toss together sea salt and rice krispy cereal. Set aside.

To brown butter, heat in a pot over medium-low heat. Continue stirring after butter is melted. It will eventually begin to foam, then turn a brown color and smell nutty. Stay with the butter and stir occasionally so it does not burn. The time it takes from browned butter to turn burned butter is under a minute, so watch it carefully. When butter has browned, remove from heat and add marshmallows. Stir quickly so that marshmallows melt into the butter. If need be, you can replace over low heat to assist the melting. Once smooth and thoroughly combined, add vanilla, and stir to incorporate.

Pour butter/marshmallow mixture over top of sea salt/rice krispy mixture. Working quickly, stir to coat and combine evenly. Press mixture into baking dish and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Nom Nom - It's Labor Day!

This Labor Day, being in a new house, in a new state, I decided to try something, well, new to our plates as well.  At most holidays, we make a Coca-Cola Ham, deviled eggs, cheesy hash brown casserole and a cake.  This year I wanted to mix it up a bit.  And it's so dang hot still in the south, I wanted a break from being over an oven all day long.  (people keep trying to re-assure us that its actually 'cool' down here right now but I'm not biting)

Pineapple Whip drink

Today's menu started with a refreshing pineapple whip drink.  Its so easy to make, you'll wonder why you never thought of one on your own beforehand.  I'm so addicted to the Blue Bell ice cream that's found down south here anyways so it was just perfect for this drink.  Pineapple juice, ice cream and frozen pineapple.  Zip in your blender and boom!  Its just that easy.  Of course, it was supposed to have a garnish but um...I eated it.  Creamy, frothy and cooling - it was the perfect drink for my meal.  I think next time though instead of pineapple juice, I will add a different layer of flavor and use orange juice or maybe go half and half pineapple and orange.  In any case, its delicious and so easy to do.  I think these would make great frozen popcicles too!  Or maybe add a splash of rum for an adult treat.  Lots of possibilities! 

New-Dorf salad and Marilyn Monroe sammies

Next on my plate was a New-Dorf Salad from my wonderful friend Siggy Spice.  Crunchy, cool, crisp and sweet - this was definately a hit with my husband who went back for seconds then thirds.  Celery, grapes, Craisins, apple and vanilla yogurt.  (its supposed to have a crunchy almond topping but I'm allergic so I left them out)   You could use regular raisins but I went the route Siggy did and used pomegranate flavored Craisins.  It just added another layer of goodness in the flavor rainbow there.  I loved it.  I think next time I might grate a little lemon zest over top or some mint just to add another bit of zing to it.  Not that it isn't outstandingly fabulous on its own..I'm just a food tweaker. <3 me some Siggy Spice.

Next was the most glorious sammie named Marilyn Monroes.  I have no idea why they're called that but man, they sure were the star of our plates.  I used thick sliced EverRoast chicken from the deli, pepperoni's and mozzerella cheese.  The thing that puts this over the top though is a secret ingredient you'd never imagine.  GARLIC POWDER!  You butter your bread slices then sprinkle them with garlic powder and let me tell you what, you'll wonder why you're not doing this to every grilled sammie you make.  This sammie was like pizza meets garlic bread, meets chicken.  Then to top it all off, you dip it in pizza sauce.  *shebang!*  It was gooey, cheesy, garlicky goodness all between two pieces of sourdough bread.  Its so good, we're having it for dinner too.  LOL

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

And finally, dessert was about as pain-free as you can get. Brownie cookies using a box mix.  Once all put together, this mix needed to set for two hours to chill so I made this first while I made lunch and watched a movie.  Then we baked these little bites of chocolatey goodness.  So yum!  Well, you can see for yourself!  Slightly crisp on the outside, soft, chewy like a brownie on the inside and the chocolate chunks just put it WAAAAY over the top.  Too, too good and don't forget the BIG glass of milk with this.  So rich and decadent, you can't have just one.  Well, maybe one PLATE!  lol

Well that was my holiday menu - easy to do, let me enjoy my day and veg on my couch watching television with Jon.  I wasn't slaving in my kitchen over a hot stove...well, save for the cookies!  But they were worth it to sink my teeth into some warm brownie cookies!  All of these recipes can be found at Tasty Kitchen by clicking on the the links above.  

Brandie's pic from Tasty Kitchen

Ooh and let me clue you into the WORLD'S BEST PORK CHOPS evvvvvvvvvver!  I found them over at Tasty Kitchen too from a lovely woman named Brandie.  I am oh so serious when I say this.  The best ever.  Period.  You may *think* your grandma made the best.  No.  Wrong.  These are.  As in, I will never attempt to make another pork chop fried, baked or otherwise.  Life changing.  (and make her chicken philly too - its equally as amazing and I was awe-struck to realize two of my favorite recipes came from the same person)  Make these.  Do not pass go.  Do not question.  Just make and enjoy.  I served mine over egg noodles and they were *DIVINE*. 


Pork Chops and Gravy - by Brandie (thecountrycook)

• 4 whole Bone-in Pork Chops
• 1 envelope Onion Soup Mix (1 Oz. Packet)
• 1-½ cup Chicken Broth
• 1 can (10.5 Oz) Cream Of Chicken Soup (low Sodium)
• 1 envelope Dry Pork Gravy Mix (1 Oz. Packet)

Place pork chops in slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over chops. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes to take advantage of all the yummy gravy.

Cook’s Note: You may want to also use a low sodium chicken broth if you are sensitive to salt. You can always add salt in later if you feel it necessary. Also, try other cream soups, like cream of mushroom with this dish.

Anyways...I hope you had a great Labor Day.  Mine was uber nice sitting with my slew of moving boxes still trying to unpack.  I have no room.  I need a bigger kitchen.  Until next time!

Too Hot to Cook! No Bake Time!

It has been a long time, right?!  Wow.  Didn't realize how long its been since I posted.  I have eaten, mind you.  Just didn't blog about it!  :P   Anywhooo, here in NY we've experienced a wicked week of heat.  So so hot the air conditioner doesn't even seem to be taking the edge off.  Add that to my horrible PMS and my craving for chocolate and it's just a killer combo.  I had asked my friend SiggySpice from Tasty Kitchen if she had a recipe for the most chocolatey-gooiest chocolate cake she'd ever seen.  She delighted me with a recipe I'm going to make once the heat backs off a bit but until then - what's a violent PMS'ing girl to do?  NO BAKES!

So I searched Tasty Kitchen and found this recipe from Karly Campbell.  No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars.  I'll let you wipe your chin off now.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.  Yeah.  They were the AWESOME.  I have a natural fondness for no bake chocolate cookies anyways.  My dad used to make them for us from his mom's recipe like every other week when we were kids.  Yeah, dad, not mom.  "Fryer of bologna sammies at 2 am and peanut butter bread slices with spaghetti Dad" made the best no bake cookies anywhere.  He even made the non-chocolate peanut butter butterscotch version and they were killer.  I remember sheets upon sheets of wax paper around the counters with blobs of oatmealy goodness on them.  LOL  Anyways, Karly's recipe took me *right* back to being next to dad helping him drop spoonfulls of molten oatmeal to cool.  These are so, so easy to make.  And the peanut butter chocolate center?  Don't get me started on that.  I could go on for hours!  Try them yourself on a hot day!

<--- Photo by Karly, taken from Tasty Kitchen.  Go check it!  Do eet! 




COMING SOON - my wicked easy, 3 item only alfredo recipe.  Tired of seeing all these "healthy" versions.  That's not original.  That's not how it's supposed to be.  Don't fear the butter!  Use it!