Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the cookies that were up against my White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies in the cookie contest my sweet little 10 year old insisted on. She even made these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies ALL by herself. She wouldn't even let me help stir in the chocolate chips (picture her grunting and sweating from stirring). Yep. A pretty determined little princess I have. The only thing she allowed me to help out with was the clean up. I don't think I got the best deal on that one....

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening (I prefer butter flavored)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Beat shortening and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla, eggs and milk; mix well. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Using rounded tablespoons, spoon drops of dough onto greased cookie sheets, placing 2 inches apart. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are light brown.

Recipe from Western Family

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I was instructed by my sweet hubby to make a treat to take to a fireside. I asked what kind of a treat he wanted me to make. He said cookies. Specifically, chocolate chip cookies. Even more specifically, "The ones you made the other day. They were really good." (Aka Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies)I was going to take Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are, after all, very yummy, but, I decided I needed something a little differnt (aka something not already posted on my bloggy friend. Aka again, this blog). Then he hit me with the big one. When they were getting ready to announce the fireside in church, he told the announcer that there would also be refreshments. Their conversation went something like this....

Hubby "And there will be refreshments."
Announcer "Who's making the refreshments?"
Hubby "My wife."
Announcer "Really!?! To heck with anything about the fireside. I'll just tell them your wife's making the treats. She makes the best treats EVER!"

Can you see the really cool pedestal I've been placed on? Can you see my head blowing up like a balloon sitting up there on that pedestal all pretty? Well, it didn't last long. I started looking through my recipes and fretting about the kitchen. I mean, I had to live up to the expectations put on me. I had to make something amazing. I thought about making Amazing Brownies. They are, after all, amazing! But Hubby said they would be too messy. He also told me he didn't know why I was making such a fuss about some little cookies. *sigh* Sometimes men just don't get it.

I decided on these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies because, well, they are amazing (and new to my blogy friend).

When my sweet little 10 year old saw me putting white chocolate chips in the cookie dough, she about had heart failure. I mean, how could anyone in their right mind ruin perfectly good cookies with putting those nasty things in there (according to her). So....she insisted on a contest. She would make a batch of cookies all by herself, and the cookies that disappeared the fastest were the winner. At the end of the night, it was about a tie. Even though she rigged the contest (she and her best little buddy and best little buddies little sister ate at least half of hers all by themselves). On second thought, maybe she didn't rig it after all. Her vote, along with her best little buddy and sister's votes just weighed a little more heavily than most. Pretty clever little girl!

½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 ¾ cups flour
1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
½ cup macadamia nuts

Cream butter, shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Add white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and stir until well combined. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe from The Royal Cook (an original)

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

I received an email years ago with this recipe and a story about the recipe. A lady was dining at a Neiman Marcus restaurant and love the cookie so she asked the server if she could buy it and for how much. She was told it was two fifty and had it charged to her credit card. When she got her statement she saw that she was charged $250, not $2.50 like she thought she should have been. She called the store and asked to have the charged reversed, but they refused because she had already seen the recipe. She was furious and decided to email the recipe to everyone she knew with the request to forward in on.

I have no clue if the story is true, but the cookies are delicious!

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (8 ounce) Hershey bar, grated
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, optional

Measure oatmeal into blender and blend to a fine powder. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Pork Egg Rolls

I made these egg rolls for my little (big) guys birthday to go along with Noodle Stir Fry and dipped them in The BEST Teriyaki Sauce Ever. They were a hit! My little (big) guy said they were Awesome! His buddy that was over said they were 10 times better than the ones they serve at the school. My little (big) guy said they were a million times better than the ones they serve at their school. His buddy agreed. I wouldn't know about the ones at their school, but these egg rolls are pretty darn good, if you ask me.

1 pound ground pork
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger(ground ginger would work as well)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 quart peanut oil for frying
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 package egg roll wrappers
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Season pork with ginger and garlic powder and mix thoroughly. Heat mixture in a medium skillet, stirring, until pork is cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside. In another large skillet heat oil to about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) or medium high heat. While oil is heating, combine flour and water in a bowl until they form a paste. In a separate bowl combine the cabbage, carrots, soy sauce and reserved pork mixture. Mix all together. Lay out one egg roll skin with a corner pointed toward you. Place about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cabbage, carrot and pork mixture on egg roll paper and fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a bit of the flour paste on the final corner to help seal the egg roll (I brushed it along the entire edge except the bottom corner that folded up over the filling first. It sealed it a little better). Place egg rolls into heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or rack. Put on serving plate and top with sesame seeds if desired.

Recipe from Allrecipes.

Noodle Stir Fry

This noodle stir fry is one of the things I made for my little (big) guys 12th birthday. It was pretty easy and tasted fantastic. According to him, it was the "Best. Stir fry. Ever!" Yep, it really is that good. I guess it doesn't hurt that it was made with The BEST Teriyaki Sauce Ever.

I used ground pork in the stir fry this time, but I think it would be amazing with chicken or beef as well (not ground, cut into thin strips). YUM!!

1 (6 oz) package chow mein stir fry noodles (I used Wel Pac brand - found in the oriental section)
1 pound lean ground pork
3 green onions and tops, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 cups packed shredded green cabbage (I used a cole slaw mix)
1 carrot, coarsely shredded
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat wok or large frying pan over medium high heat. Add pork and stir fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add onions and cook 1 minute. Mix in cabbage, carrot, noodles, teriyaki sauce and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until all is combined and heated through.

Recipe slightly adapted from Wel Pac

The BEST Teriyaki Sauce Ever

Yep. I really mean it. This really is the BEST teriyaki sauce ever! I really haven't tried all the recipes out there, but I have tried quite a few, and this is the best. The one. The only. I will never have need to try out another recipe for teriyaki sauce again.

My little (big) guy just turned 12 and requested Asian food for dinner. This teriyaki is the beginning of the feast I made for him. He was so pleased about his dinner and even thanked me again the next morning for "the best food you have ever made". He even told me that my food was better than his schools food. Don't know how much of a compliment that was, but I will take it.

This teriyaki sauce is great added to stir fry, as a dip or as a marinade. The sauce is a bit on the thin side, so if you like a thicker sauce for dipping, mix a little corn starch and water together and add at the end.

2/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1 cup soy sauce
4 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup white sugar
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 dash red pepper flakes
black pepper to taste

Bring mirin to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Season with garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and black pepper; simmer an additional 5 minutes. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Allrecipes.

Tomato Basil Pizza Sauce

This pizza sauce is absolutely amazing! It is so flavorful and delicious! It is not a salty sauce (I usually think of salt as flavor), but very flavorful. The garlic smells amazing while it is sauteing in the oil. Mmmmmm I don't care for the taste of wine in my food, but used wine in this pizza sauce and actually enjoyed it. You could use chicken broth, apple or grape juice in place of the wine if you prefer.

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Coarsely chop or crush the tomatoes or push them through a food mill (you want a slightly chunky texture). In a large skillet or saute pan, saute the garlic briefly in the oil. Add the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the herbs and pepper and cook 5 minutes longer.

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe adapted from The Bread Bible.