The Supermom Chef

We’ve discussed the cookie issue before, and you all know that I am a soft cookie kind of gal. So naturally these are my all-time favorite peanut butter cookies. As a matter of fact, I’ve made these at least four or five times and each time I ate them so fast that I wasn’t able to get a photo of them to post. Selfish and shameful, I know, but dangit I like cookies! These are also a favorite of everyone else that’s ever tried them. I feel sure you’ll enjoy them just as much!

I wanted to do the traditional “hand-from-the-side-grabbing-a-cookie-off-the-platter” shot and asked for my  hubbies help. This is what I got. Yep, he’s a smart-ellick, but for some reason I love him!

I promised him I’d give him a cookie if he’d cooperate, and then this is what I got. Much better!

Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

 1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 whole large egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (11 oz) package peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Gradually pour in the flour mixture, with mixer on low speed, increasing speed to medium until the mixture is completely combined. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookies the size you prefer and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, being careful not to overbake. The cookies do not appear completely done but will continue to cook as they cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/soft-peanut-butter-cookies/

My hubby is a really big pecan pie fan, so naturally as soon as I saw this recipe I thought of him. I made these this summer to take on our beach trip and everyone loved them. They are much simpler than the traditional pecan pie bars as there’s no crust to make, you just roll out the dough in the pan and pour the filling over it. The one and only thing that I might change about these the next time that I make them is to double the filling. They were delicious as is, but I felt like just a little more filling would send these totally over the top.

Oh, and I’ll go ahead and apologize for the terrible photograph. When I made these I was packing my family of five for a trip to the beach and let’s just say that my hands were overly full. So I just snapped and went. You know how it goes, right?

Crescent Pecan Pie Bars

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

1 (8 oz) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll dough and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9×13″ baking dish to form a crust, pressing perforations to seal. Bake 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix pecans, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and egg. Pour filling over partially baked crust. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Recipe from: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/quick-crescent-pecan-pie-bars/82f4481e-66f0-4054-a636-22c0a708b8ca/

Did you know that my hubby and I were high school sweethearts? Yep, we were, we are, whatever is the appropriate way to phrase that statement. We started dating when we were just in the 9th grade, and with the exception of a short separation our 10th grade year we’ve been together ever since. We got married at such a young age (I was 20 and he had just turned 21) that I’m sure the whole town was talking about how crazy we were, and how we’d never make it. Here we are, almost to our 9 year anniversary and we’re a whole lot stronger now than we were even back then. Not many people can say that now-a-days but dangit I sure love that man like crazy, including the times he drives me crazy!

You’re probably wondering how all that sappy talk fits in with a post about a sandwich wrap, right? Well, when we were love birds back in high school my dad was very protective. Actually, that’s putting it mildly; I can easily recall a gun being pulled on Matt on one occassion but that’s an entirely different story I’ll share on another day. So we rarely got to go out, but when we did we’d usually go to a movie and have dinner at Applebee’s. Romantic, right? They had a wrap on their menu called the Salsa Club Roll-Up that I’d get every single time we went. It was quick (had to make it home in time for curfew), delicious, and one of the cheapest things on the menu so I didn’t feel bad ordering it. I have no idea why they ever took that wrap off the menu, but let me just tell you I was devastated the first time I walked in there and didn’t see it on the menu. I still miss that wrap, so when I’m feeling like one I just make one up myself. Not quite the same, but it fills the craving. Now that I’m a mom I love these even more because my kids love them too!

Club Roll-Up

large flour tortilla

sliced deli turkey

sliced deli ham

sliced Swiss and/or American cheese

mayonnaise

sour cream

salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a flat work surface, lay out the flour tortilla. Spread with mayonnaise, as desired. Top the whole tortilla with the sliced turkey and ham, using as much or as little as you prefer. Roll up, and place the sliced Swiss or American cheese on the top. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melted and the wrap is heated through. Serve with salsa and sour cream for dipping, if desired.

Have you missed me? Sorry for the hiatus but family comes first. We have all been up in Boston for the last month or so taking care of my son while he had and recovered from his 18th surgery. Yes, you read that right, his 18th surgery! And he’s only 7 years old. Anyway, we are home now and for those of you that know me personally and have prayed for my family I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart! It truly means the world to us! Now, onto cookies because I know you’re dying for a new recipe, right?

So, feeling kind of dramatic and wanna start a huge debate? Then just ask a room full of people how they prefer their chocolate chip cookies. It gets all kind of crazy! Cookies, and especially the most traditional chocolate chip variety, are one of those things that people prefer a certain way and no other way. I personally think that the bigger, puffier, and softer a chocolate chip cookie is, the more delicious it is, although my hubby tends to disagree (he likes his flat and crispy, weirdo!). There’s no pleasing everyone, that’s for sure. These cookies fall somewhere in the middle to me. They are definitely not thin and crispy, but are also not overly soft or puffy either. This is a great basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, in my opinion. Not my favorite, but definitely one that I find myself using over and over again.

Who in their right mind doesn’t love yummy chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven, with a big glass of milk?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/8 cup all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 sticks butter (NOT margarine), melted and slightly cooled

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (12 oz) package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until well mixed. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix well until the batter has lightened slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips at the same time. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Form dough into tablespoonful-sized balls (or use a kitchen scoop) and place on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheets. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set and just lightly browned (they will still look slightly underdone). Don’t overbake or else the cookies will be tough and hard. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe from: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/05/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

It’s no secret that I’m like an addict when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter treats. I could literally sit down and eat and entire pan of something made out of these two ingredients. I may have even done that a time or two. *clears throat* I won’t be posting for quite a while because I’m headed back up  North for my son’s 18th surgery this week. It’s a bit sad, I must say, but we are dealing with it okay. I know God will pull us through like He always does. So until I’m back posting more yummy treats for you to make, this one will have to tied you over until I return. Oh, and if it’s not too much trouble, please remember to keep our family in your prayers during this difficult time.

I must say, these little babies are every bit as delicious as they look. Yum, yum, and YUM!!!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

2 (16 oz) packages refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 (18 oz) jar creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, spread one package of cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish, covering the entire pan. Mix together powdered sugar and peanut butter until fully combined. Spread on the cookie dough, making a layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Break off chunks of the remaining package of cookie dough, and cover the chocolate chips with this dough. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Adapted from: http://mealplanningwithconnie.blogspot.com/2011/01/chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-cookies_23.html

Before I tell you about this recipe let me just tell you about my hubby. He’s a super picky eater. He doesn’t like anything “weird” in his food, and “weird” in his mind qualifies as anything other than pasta, meat, or potatoes. He sure doesn’t like onions or peppers, and will turn his nose up at the food that I make if that’s in there. What a punk, huh? Anywho, this recipe is for those kind of picky eaters.

Usually once a week I’ll make a menu for my family’s meals for the week and go to the grocery store only once during the week. But every now and then I’ll find myself standing in the grocery store wondering what on earth I can make that would be easy and yet still delicious. That’s how this recipe came about. I was standing in the meat case at our local grocery store and wondering what I could fix for dinner. It was 5:30 pm after I had spent an entire day at the hospital with all three of my kids so I was exhausted. I needed something that I could literally just fix and walk away from while it cooked. Then I looked over and saw a display of slider buns. You know what I’m talking about, right? Those itty bitty cute little hamburger buns? That’s when I thought, what the heck? I’ll buy these and some hamburger meat (that’s what we call ground beef here in the South) and make some little burgers (aka “sliders”) for the kids.

Turns out my hubby was the one that immediately fell in love with these little mini burgers. Matter of fact, he pretty much hoarded the leftovers all to himself and he never eats leftovers! He begged me at least 2 more times that week to eat them. If he raves about a food like that, then you know it’s good! When all else fails, this recipe is sure to please my picky eater!

My hubby likes to put two layers of beef on each of his buns, but I prefer the more dainty single layer.

Hamburger Sliders

2 pounds (80% lean) ground beef

1 package hamburger slider buns

seasoned salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

desired fixings for your burger (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread out the ground beef covering from edge to edge. Sprinkle generously with seasoned salt and freshly grated black pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. The beef will shrink up a good bit while cooking, but don’t be alarmed about that. Cut the large rectangle shaped beef pattie into smaller bun-size squares. Top as desired.

These treats are one of those things that brings back very fond memories of my childhood. My mom wasn’t big on making treats (brownies, cookies, etc.) but when it came to breakfast and dinner (lunch was at school or my Mae Mae’s house), there was always something on the table. And I’m not talking about just a bowl of cereal or a pop tart. She always had something fresh cooked, whether that be french toast, pancakes, or something yummy like these little donuts. I used to look so forward to special days like these were breakfast was something sweet and delicious. We always ate only healthy food for dinner (chicken, chicken, and more chicken!) so treats like these were a welcomed addition. I love sharing sweet memories and traditions like these with my kids. What are some of your favorite memories from when you were growing up?

You can cover your donuts in your choice of toppings, but our favorites are either powdered sugar (like my little HERO John Matthew prefers)

Or in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar like my sweet Adee prefers

Me? I like a little of both! Oh geez, who am I kidding? I like a lot of both!

Easy Homemade Donuts

1 can refrigerated canned biscuits

vegetable oil, for frying

cinnamon sugar mixture or powdered sugar, for coating the donuts

Preheat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut donut holes out of the center of the biscuits using a small biscuit cutter. Drop the “donuts” and “donut holes” in the oil, frying in batches, turning once during cooking to make sure that both sides cook evenly. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, and allow to dry out for about 30 seconds before dipping in the sugar of your choice (either the cinnamon sugar mixture or the powdered sugar). Serve hot for best taste.

I don’t even have to tell you how delicious this dessert is. It’s basically a no-bake cheesecake mixture, sliced strawberries, and cubed up pound cake. What’s not to love about that? I didn’t have a recipe for this particular dessert but rather just kind of threw some things together one day on a whim and it turned out great. It’s another one of those desserts that I made to take to a family gathering that didn’t last longer than a minute or two before it was completely gone. I think I’m making a name for myself here. Only problem with that is that people have these high expectations so I must deliver or else! You can dress this up by serving each person their own individual servings in a dish, or you can simply fill a regular size trifle dish. Either way it’ll still taste good, so just choose which route suits you best. I wouldn’t go so far as to ever call this dessert “healthy”, but you could make it a little healthier by substituting low fat ingredients for their full fat counterparts. I’ll bet no one would be the wiser if you did so.

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

1 (16 oz) prepared frozen pound cake, thawed

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound freshly sliced strawberries

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese until softened and all lumps are worked out. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing well until combined. Slowly mix in the whipped topping. Set aside. Meanwhile, cube pound cake into bite-size pieces. Place half of cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle dish; top with half of the strawberries and a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat, using the remaining mixture and ingredients, ending with the cream cheese mixture. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Stop right there! Do I have your attention? No, really, do I have your full attention? You’re going to wish I did if I don’t because this dip is so flavorful, so unbelievably delicious that it’s just indescribable. And isn’t it just beautiful? Beautiful, I tell ya! I know, I’m wiggin’ out a bit over this dip but it’s just that good! So simple to throw together yet so indescribably flavorful that even those that claim they “can’t cook” (I’m gonna change you folks yet!) can make it. I made it for a girl’s day of sewing (which I myself CANNOT do) and although there were only four of us there, we somehow managed to almost eat the entire dish. And we weren’t one bit ashamed of that either. If you like Greek flavors, this dip will become your new favorite. Promise!

What I’d give for another taste of this yummy dip right this moment!

Greek Layered Dip

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best)

1 teaspoon Italian or Greek seasoning (I used Italian)

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 (6 oz) package original flavor Hummus

3/4 cup chopped cucumber

3/4 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese (I used sun dried tomato and basil flavor) 

2-3 green onions, sliced

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, seasoning (Greek or Italian), and garlic until well combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of a serving dish (a pie plate works well for this dip). Top evenly with a layer of the hummus. Sprinkle the hummus with the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, and green onions. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with pita chips.

Adapted from: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/layered-greek-dip/

Grilled shrimp sounds simple enough, right? So then why can’t many restaurants get it right? I mean, if you work in a restaurant as a chef of all things, you should know how to cook grilled shrimp in my opinion. But I find that time after time, restaurants don’t even cook it right. I have even gone to one locally owned restaurant that is very well known for their seafood, ordered grilled shrimp, and sent it back because it had absolutely NO flavor at all. Now I’m not one to send food back often, but when you are paying almost $30 for a few grilled shrimp and a salad it dang sure outta have some kind of flavor!

Most often when cooked at home, people cook the shrimp for far too long, resulting in rubbery shrimp. When I was growing up I remember my mom boiling shrimp for a long, long time each time she cooked it. It wasn’t until later that my mom found out that shrimp cooks in a matter of just minutes.

Now I’ll be the first to tell you that this shrimp is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s got no spectacular special ingredients. It doesn’t deserve any culinary awards. But it’s just a delicious, basic grilled shrimp recipe. If you’re feeling particularly saucy one night, add in another spice to add the flavor or change it to suit your meal for the night. You can also cook this grill whichever way you prefer, either on a regular outdoor grill or in a grill pan indoors. I have cooked them both ways, and strangely enough my hubby seems to prefer the indoor version better. Whatever works for you though; take this recipe and make it your own!

Yes, that would be my driveway you see the shrimp plate sitting on. I was in a hurry that day because I had hungry kiddos waiting for their food!

Grilled Shrimp

peeled & deveined shrimp (amount will depend on how much you need to cook)

salt

pepper

garlic powder

olive oil

Preheat grill (or grill pan) over medium-high heat. Rinse and dry shrimp. Place on skewers (if using wooden skewers on a regular grill remember to soak them in water before using). Lightly brush or spray the shrimp skewers with olive oil on the first side. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a small amount of garlic powder. Flip the skewers over and repeat the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on the second side. Grill over medium-high heat until the shrimp are opaque, about 3-5 minutes, depending on your heat source.