Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

 Love the slightly crunchy cookie with the fudge brownie!


















1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 (8.9 ounce) brownie mix - I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate using eggs, oil and MILK for the brownie mix.

Cream butter and sugars, add vanilla and egg.  Add the flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir gently until incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare brownie batter as directed.  Pour batter into a 9x9 baking dish.  Scatter pieces of cookie dough over the top of the brownie batter.  Press gently on the dough just until it starts to sink down into the batter.

Bake for 35 minutes so they aren't overcooked.  These will be more fudge like.

Let stand for 15- 20 minutes and cut into pieces for serving.

Parmesan Herb Crust Baked Salmon

Thanks to Christine for sharing this recipe this week.  It is a winner, so delicious and so easy.  She served it with fresh green beans, I chose fresh asparagus, grilled.

1 salmon filet, about 1 pounds, left whole

Parmesan Herb Crust:

3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 shredded Parmesan cheese (NOT GRATED)  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Place salmon, skin side down, onto lined baking sheet.  Cover salmon with another piece of parchment paper.  Bake salmon for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and remove top piece of parchment paper.

Top with garlic, Parmesan and parsley mixture.  Return to oven uncovered and allow to bake until registers 135 degrees F when checked with an internal thermometer probe.  The Parmesan cheese should have melted and lightly browned.  

Allow to rest 5 minutes and serve.

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs for Sub Sandwiches

These were delicious on a hoagie bun with melted mozzarella cheese for Super Bowl Sunday.

1 large egg
2 lbs lean ground turkey
2/3 cup panko crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2 (28 oz. ) cans crushed tomatoes

Beat the egg in mixing bowl.  Add the ground turkey, panko, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, parmesan, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Mix together.  Roll into golf ball size meatballs.  


Place onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker, top with 1 can crushed tomatoes.  
Coat a large skillet with remaining tablespoon olive oil.  Lightly brown the meatballs for about 1 minute on each side.  Layer the meatballs in the slow cooker as you're browning each batch.  Once all of the browned meatballs have been added to the crockpot, pour remaining can of tomatoes on top.

Cover and cook on low for 6 - 6 1/2 hours.  

Fusilli Caesar Salad

I made this side salad on Super Bowl Sunday and served it with Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball Subs (recipe to follow).  Best part of this recipe is the croutons made with King's Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls.  Hands down the best croutons I have ever had.  

8 ounces fusilli pasta
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Croutons:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (12 count) package King's Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls, diced into 1" cubes

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, butter, parsley, oregano, basil and garlic powder.  Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Add olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine.  Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden about 4 - 5 minutes; set aside.  For extra crispy croutons, leave in slightly longer.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions; drain well and let cool.

To make the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with pasta, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. 

Serve immediately, garnished with croutons.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Each Sunday we come up with another "Slow Cooker Sunday" idea.  Last week it was cold and wintery so we decided to make beef stew.

This was delicious and had it again during the week for a quick dinner.










2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz. tomato paste, unseasoned
32 ounces of beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups diced carrots
5 small red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces (3 cups)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup canned peas (I used Le Sueur brand)
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup flour
1/4 water

Combine beef, celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and tomato paste in the slow cooker. Mine is a 4 quart slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 10 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.  I cooked it on HIGH.  

About 30 minutes before serving, mix the flour and the water together in a small bowl and pour into the slow cooker.  Mix well until combines.  This will add a nice thickness to the stew.  

Add the peas and corn.  Continue cooking covered for 30 minutes.  Serve with fresh bakery sourdough bread.  

Best Ever Mac and Cheese

I first made this recipe when living in Nebraska and purchased Creamette's elbow macaroni.  This recipe was on the box and I modified it slightly.  When serving it to by grandsons recently they all loved it.  Extra creamy, much better than the box.

2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 pound Velveeta Cheese cut into small cubes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni as directed on package and drain.

In saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour and salt.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook and stir until mixture thickens slightly.  Remove from heat.

Place macaroni in casserole.  Pour white sauce over macaroni and stir well.  Add cubed Velveeta cheese and fold in well to blend into white sauce.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until bubbly.  

Baked Chicken Nuggets

While taking care of my three grandsons for the weekend recently, I thought this would be a good recipe for Fast Food Friday!  The three boys (10, 8, and 5 loved it).  

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces.  

In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt and basil.  Mix well.  

Put melted butter in a bowl for dipping.

Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.  Place the well coated chicken pieces on non stick aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes.