Sugar Cookies... to die for!

Here is the recipe for soft, moist, sugar cookies. Enjoy!

2 C. Sugar
2 C. Butter
6 Eggs
1 1/2 T. Vanilla
2 T. Baking Powder
7 C. Flour
1 C. Sour Cream

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder. Then flour. Fold in sour cream. You can chill the dough, but you don't have to! Sprinkle POWDERED SUGAR.. not flour, on your counter and roll out dough to be a good 1inch thickness. Cut and put on greased cookie sheets. (Use parchment paper, way easier!) Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. They wont turn brown, they will start to crack a tiny bit on top and that's how you will know they are done! Don't over cook or they will be dry dry dry....

These cookies are so soothing, they will put you to sleep.... 

For the Frosting:
I always use a cream cheese frosting, because I think it tastes the best, but also has a good consistency when frosting these cookies

1 package cream cheese
1/2 c. softened butter
4-5 C. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla
dash salt
3-4 T Evaporated milk ( you can use regular; however, it will not be as fluffy, it will be more runny so don't add as much)

Fall Apart Roast Beef for Sunday Dinner

If you have been wondering how to make a roast tender, moist and delicious... I have your answer! This recipe will make your family love love love you! Try it, you won't be disappointed!

Sunday Roast Recipe

4lb (however big you want really) shoulder or rump roast thawed. ( I don't always have mine thawed but its better if it is)
 Sear the roast in a big pan by melting butter in the pan, and then sear every side of the roast. Season it as you go with season salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. This helps to keep all the moister and flavor in the meat.
Set the roast and juices from searing in a crockpot. Then add:

1 Package mushrooms
1 Onion sliced
2-3 Cloves garlic
1-2 Cans Beefy Mushroom Soup
2-3 Cups Beef Stock

Cook on low for 12-15 hours. I prepare mine on Saturday night, and then it is ready when we get home from church. It cooks a good 15+ hours. It is the perfect Sunday roast, and makes the best gravy! To make the gravy, take the roast out of the crock pot and dump the juices into a pan. Get the juices to boil off some of the water, takes about 5-7 min after it is boiling. That way your gravy has condensed flavor. Taste it and see if it needs any more seasonings, if so add salt, pepper, etc. to get desired flavor. All you do after that is mix about 4-5T. Cornstarch in a little bit of water, and slowly add to gravy until you get the thickness you want. Make the Homemade Roll Recipe I have posted, and add a vegetable and you have the an amazing Sunday dinner that will make your family go nuts!

Peanut Butter Cookies

We were having a lazy day yesterday, the snow was falling like crazy so we were stuck in the house. Our best solution was so make some peanut butter cookies. I have never liked peanut butter cookies because they are always dry and crumbly, and that's gross! I did like this recipe however, and  I also found that if you under bake them a minute or so they will stay chewy the next day as well. 

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C butter, melted
1 C Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Peanut Butter
2 Eggs
1 T. Vanilla
1/2 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
2 1/2 C. Flour

Cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, then eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Shape into 3 inch balls and score with a fork crosswise. Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes. Don't over bake or they will be dry. They shouldn't be brown when they are done, the best way to test them is to see if the outsides have cracked a little bit! Enjoy!

Remi enjoyed his little shot of protein and sugar for the day!

Homemade Bread that is Delish!

I tried this recipe for homemade bread, and I think it is a winner. It has the perfect combination of a crunchy brown crust, and a soft chewy inside. Brady and I ate almost the whole loaf in one day. Try it and let me know what you think!! 

Recipe: Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen www.americastestkitchen.com

3 3/4 C. Flour

2 t. Salt

1 C. Warm Milk

1/3 Warm Water

2 T. Butter Melted

3T. Honey

1 T. Instant Yeast

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. When it has been at 200 for 10 minutes shut the oven off. 

2. Mix 3 1/2 Cups of the flour, and salt in your mixer with the dough hook. Mix the milk, water, butter, honey, and yeast in a bowl. Turn machine on low and slowly add the liquid. Turn machine to medium speed. Knead for 10 minutes. If you can see it needs more flour add 1 T at a time until you get 1/4 Cup more. DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR! Biggest mistake that people do... then your dough will be tough. When it is done kneading, place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with wrap. 

  Then place the bowl in the oven that you preheated, but is now turned off. Shut the oven door:) Let rise for 40-50 minutes.

 After the dough has risen, take out of the bowl and shape into a greased 9 by 5 loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 20-30 minutes.

When the loaf has about doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Here's the catch: to achieve a nice crunch around the bread, you need to fill a pan with 2 cups boiling water and put that on the lowest rack in your oven. Then place the bread on a middle rack when the oven has pre heated. Bake for 40-50 minutes. In my oven, it was about 46 minutes, so I would set it to 45 and then check it! 

When the bread is finished cooking, take it out of the oven and transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool. I put butter on the top to make it even more delish! ENJOY! 

Chewy, Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have searched the web for the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have tried millions it seems, but today I think I nailed the challenge right on the head. These cookies were soft and chewy in the inside, and the outside had the perfect crunch around the outside. Try them and let me know what you think!!

Here is the recipe!

2 1/4 C. Flour

1 C. Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 C. White Sugar

1 Egg plus 1 Egg Yolk

1/2 t. Salt

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1 T. Vanilla

12 T. Melted Butter - Warm, not super hot

1 1/4 C. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat your oven to 325. In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In your mixer cream the butter, and both sugars. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients on low and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop 1/4 cup of dough and shape in a ball. Put on greased cookie sheet and bake 16:30 minutes. (That is the exact time in my oven, but because temperatures vary..... somewhere between 15-17 min) Let the cookies cool for 1 min on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack. Perfect chocolate chip cookie!

Homemade Rolls

The Best Homemade Roll Recipe

Combine in bowl:

2 pkg. Instant Yeast ( approx. 2 T)
2 T. Sugar
1 C. Warm Water

In a large bowl combine:

2/3 C. Sugar
1 1/2 t. Salt
1 C. Hot Water
5 T. Melted Butter
2 Eggs ( whip in a little bowl first)- Be careful not to add the eggs to fast or they will scramble!

Add yeast mixture. Then add:

5-6 C Flour

In a small bowl melt:

1/2 C. Butter

Mix the dough with a spoon until it becomes too hard. Then knead with hands. The dough should have enough flour in it that it doesn't stick to your hand, however this dough does not require a lot of kneading so it will be a little bit sticky, but should still spring back when touched. Oil your hands and gather the dough into a ball. Flour counter. Roll out the dough to be about 2 inches thick. I use a cup to cut out each roll, but you can use whatever you have that is circular. After you have cut each roll out, take each roll and stretch it to make an oval, then dip your hands into the melted butter and line the middle of the roll. Then fold the roll in half. Place on greased cookie sheet about an inch apart. Rise for 1-2 hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 min. After the rolls come out of the oven I brush them with more melted butter.

I learned this recipe when I was in high school from a good friend of mine. I love this recipe so much I will never use another! It also brings back great memories every time I make it!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

4-5 Chicken Breasts

Put them in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours. Save the broth!

1 pkg. Shredded Carrots
1 Large Onion Diced
1 pkg. Celery Diced
2 C. Chicken Stock
1 Tube Concentrated Chicken Broth
1 T. Sage
1 T. Salt
1/2 T. Pepper

Put these items in a large pot and put on stove until vegetables are tender.

1 pkg (12 oz) Noodles. I like to use big fat noodles, but any would work.

Cook these according to package.

Make a roux:
1/2 C butter
1 C flour
Melt the butter in a saucepan and then add flour. Mixture will look gummy, and dry.
Add 2 Cans of Evaporated milk & 1 C. Whole milk & 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup.
 Set aside.

When the chicken is done, shred and put back in crockpot. Add the vegetable mixture. Then add the roux mixture. Taste and make sure it has enough salt, pepper. If it is seasoned well, add the noodles. Do not let it boil after you add the roux!!

I got this recipe from a good friend a long time ago, and have changed a few things, but love the basic concept! Yummy!

Valentine Birthday Cake

My dad's birthday is on Valentines Day, and this is the cake I made him. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, then I decorated it with cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, and seasonal marshmallows. Sooo yummy!!