Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

per my husband's request- i made coffee cake:

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake (or you can make w/o choc chips)

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

16 ounces sour cream

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips (i used 6 & made half of the coffee cake w/o choc chips)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together into a separate bowl. Alternately add sour cream and then dry ingredients into butter mixture. Beat eggs whites until stiff, then fold into batter. Mix last 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together in a separate, small dish.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkling the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

God Bless!

Frosted Lemon Cookies

we love lemon in this house- and we love cookies- so lemon cookies sounded like a great idea!

Cookie Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup lemon juiceHeat oven to 400°F. Combine all cookie ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in small bowl; stir until smooth. Frost or drizzle warm cookies with glaze. Sprinkle with additional lemon peel, if desired.

Yield: approx 5 dozen cookies.

yummy!!! God Bless

Ham & potatoes

i haven't update in awhile- my apologies:
a couple weeks ago we had an awesome ham with some roasted potatoes & green beans:

For the Potatoes:

1 1/2 lb potatoes
italian dressing
butter
cheese (feta, mozzerella)
seasonings
sour cream
i started off by cutting the potatoes up into slices & boiling them in beef broth until just softened. while those were cooking i prepped the pan by adding a "layer" of italian dressing w/some seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder- etc)

after draining the potatoes i layered them in the pan and spinkled on the cheese, more spices & more italian dressing- then i baked them in the oven with the ham for about 15-20 min.

For the Ham:

i purched a pre cooked, pre-sliced ham from the grocery store that simple needed to be heated up for about 45 minp it was aaaawesome! throw some canned beans in a pot & you have a meal.

all in all it was a good dinner- the ham was nice & salty & the potatoes were soft & cheesy- and who doesn't love french cut green beans? We topped the potatoes w/sour cream & ate the ham w/apple sauce! yum! God Bless

String Pie

String Pie:

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion (i use onion powder)

1/4 cup chopped green pepper (i omit or use roasted red pepper)

1 jar (10 oz.) spagetti sauce

8 oz. spagetti, hot cooked and drained

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tsp. butter

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Pre-heat over to 350°

Cook onion, beef and green pepper in a large skillet over meium-high heat until meat is brown, stirring to separate meat. Drain fat. Stir in the spaghetti sauce; mix well.

Combine spaghetti, parmesan cheese, eggs and butter in a large bowl. Mix well. Place in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan.

Spread cottage cheese over the top. Pour sauce mixture over cottage cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
Bake at 350° degrees until cheese is melted, about 20-30 minutes

Enjoy! God Bless!

Mini Brownie Cups

Mini Brownie Cups are SO easy!!!

2 boxes of brownie mix (box brownies are the best!)

chocolate chips, peanut butter, mint extract- etc

Mix the brownies according to the directions- line your mini muffin tin with the mini paper cups & fill them about 2/3 full- you can add chocolate chips or mint or a tsp of peanut butter (to each mini cup) and cook them for about 15- 18 min

Enjoy! God Bless

p.s. i made regular w/choc chips, mint & peanut butter ones!! yummmy!

Crock Pot Pot Roast/Potatoes

i love my crock pot:

You Need:
1 pot roast
2-3 potatoes
seasonings (garlic, salt, pepper, onion- etc)
2 beef boullion cubes
2 1/2 cup water

all you have to do it cut up the potatoes & throw everything into the crock pot for about 8-9 hours.

i love it because when you get home, the house smells awesome & dinner is ready!!!

God Bless

Blueberry & Choc Chip Muffins

in honor of being home- i made muffins last night:


CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

8 tbl of unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbl sugar

Preheat oven to 375°

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. Cream the butter with the 1st two sugars on medium speed until fluffy and lighter in color. Allow 2 to 3 minutes to do this. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside. Place the milk in a mixing bowl and whisk in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the milk mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Add about half of the chocolate chips to the mixture and stir just to combine. Fill the muffins cups about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and then the sugar over each muffin. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a cake tester or sharp knife inserted into the center comes out with out any crumbs attached. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar topped off with white sugar (about 1-2 tbls)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400° Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with muffin liners.
Combine cups flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mx together oil, milk & the egg in a small bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries & about half of the Topping mixture. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full & spinkle the rest of the topping on top.

To Make Crumb Topping:

Mix together the listed ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Enjoy & God Bless!