Cow Cookies

I love chocolate chip cookies, they are my favorite dessert! One day, the kids and I came up with a new name for these cookies- Cow Cookies! They have white and semi-sweet chocolate chips, which reminded us of a black and white cow. :)

Laura’s Cow Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Pink Salad Dressing

Pink Salad Dressing

2 T poppy seeds
1 C White Vinegar
1 C Dark Vinegar (I use the pom)
1 T Salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried mustard powder
1 C white sugar
1/2 large red onion
3 C Salad oil

Blend all above (except oil) in blender until well blended. Slowly add the oil while blending to emulsify. This will make 2 large mason jars of dressing. Can be halved. Will taste better after a few days of flavor blending in the fridge.

I like to use this salad dressing for a Christmas Salad with spinach and romaine lettuce, strawberries or craisins, candied or toasted pecans. It is delicious!

-recipe from Mandy Oras

Moroccan Kidney Bean and Chickpea Salad

I love this recipe, it is one of my favorites. It has so much flavor and it's very healthy. This salad keeps very well in the fridge for a few days, very good lunch idea.

Moroccan Kidney Bean and Chickpea salad

1 small garlic clove, chopped

1 tspn salt, divided

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

2 Tspn ground cumin

¼ tspn ground cinnamon

2  15oz. cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed

15oz can chickpeas, rinsed

1 cup finely diced carrot

1 ½ cups chopped fresh parsley

½ cup chopped fresh mint.

Sprinkle garlic with ½ tspn salt and mash with the side of a knife or fork to form a paste.  Scrape the paste into a large bowl.  Add the remaining ½ tspn salt, oil, lemon juice, cumin and cinnamon and whisk to combine.  Stir in the kidney beans, chickpeas, carrot, parsley and mint.  Serve at room temperature or cold.

Serves 10: about 2/3 cup each.

If making ahead, omit mint and cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.  Stir in mint just before serving.

Serve with whole wheat couscous, I like to make mine with vegetable or chicken stock.

-Recipe from Mari Noble. 

Creamy Bolognese Pasta Bake

Creamy Bolognese Pasta Bake

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium brown onion, chopped finely

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 stalks of celery, chopped finely

1 large carrot, chopped finely

1 pound ground beef

½ cup dry red wine

½ cup beef stock

1 can (13 oz.) diced tomatoes

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 cup milk

½ cup frozen peas

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

9 ½ oz. rigatoni pasta

1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions: Heat oil in large saucepan over high heat; cook onion, garlic, celery and carrot, stirring, for 5 minutes or until vegetables soften, Add beef: cook, stirring, until browned. Add wine; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, until liquid is almost evaporated. Add stock, tomatoes, tomato paste and milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in peas and parsley, season to taste.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water until tender, drain. Stir pasta into Bolognese mixture with half of the cheese. Spoon into dish, then top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until browned lightly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

TIPS: You can make this recipe a day ahead. Also suitable for freezer meal. 

-recipe from Mari Noble

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

1 3/4lbs boneless, chicken breast or rotisserie chicken

Salt and pepper

48oz. light chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/3 cup sliced carrots

1 1/3 cup finely diced celery

1 shallot or small onion, finely diced

½ cup flour

¼ cup milk (1% is fine)

1 ½ cups frozen petite peas

15oz. box Pillsbury, ready to roll pie crust

1 egg, for egg wash

Melt butter in large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the carrots, celery and onion.  Stir occasionally and cook until lightly browned.  Add the flour to the vegetables and whisk for 1 minute.  Add the broth and milk and whisk until it thickens, about 5 minutes or so and set aside to cool.

Shred chicken and add to the cooled sauce and also add peas, season with salt and pepper and mix well. 

Remove the 2 wrapped pie crusts after leaving them to rest on the counter for 15 mins. Turn an empty mini loaf pan over on the pie dough and cut around it 3 times to get 3 pie crusts and cut 3 steam vents into the crusts.

When sauce has done some cooling add mixture to mini pans or pie plate.  Top each mini pan with precut crusts or pie plate with crust round.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins.  Freeze up to 2 months

To heat up frozen pie, no need to thaw. Cover pie loosely with foil and cook at 400F for 40 minutes, then uncover and cook for 35 minutes.  

-Recipe from Mari Noble