Fudge Brownies

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped almonds
Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

In the top pan of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over (not touching) simmering water in a pan, combine the butter and chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and holds a trail for 3 or 4 seconds when the beaters are lifted from the batter, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla and the cooled butter-chocolate mixture until no streaks remain; do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until just blended. Fold in the almonds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some wet crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.

Transfer to a rack and let cool in the pan. Cut into 2-inch squares. Just before serving, using a fine-mesh sieve or sifter, dust lightly with the confectioners’ sugar.

Coconut Lime Pie

1 9" graham cracker crust

1 pkg. cram cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can (6-ooz) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

1 container (4 1/2 oz) frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed

4 oz. flaked coconut  (optional)

In large bowl with electric mixer on high, beat cream cheese until creamy.  Add condensed milk and beat until blended; combine beating until thoroughly mixed.  Add limeade concentrate and beat until smooth.  At low speed, add shipped topping beating just until blended.  Pour into Pie shell.  Top with coconut.

Refrigerate 3 hours or may  be frozen.  I quit adding coconut except for a small area as most didn't want the coconut on their pie.  I also doubled and made it in a 9x13 pan. 

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

 

1 qt. water + 4 tsp. bouillon or 1 qt. chicken broth
2 chicken breast
2 stalks celery
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies
1 teaspoon chili poweder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Lime
Cilantro
salt
pepper

 

Cook chicken breast in water or chicken broth.  Remove from broth and cook.  Add remaining ingredients except lime and cilantro to taste and cook about 30-45 min.  Add maybe 1/2 cup cilantro and juice of one lime or two and salt and pepper to taste.  If you saute the onion, celery and garlic in a little oil before adding you get more flavor. 

 

I kind of made this up so it might not be right amount of liquid, but this is what i put in.  Then you need to garnish with tortilla strips, avacado, jack cheese. 

Sugar Cookie Bars

Bars
1 cup butter, at room temperature (I use half butter, half margarine.)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 cups flour

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk
food coloring, if desired


Directions:

1
Bars: In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
2
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt & baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
3
Spread on a greased, rimmed baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). The dough will be just like cookie dough- heavy & sticky- so it’s best to spray your hands with a little nonstick spray and use them to help mold the dough into the pan.
4
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 mins - 15 mins, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I like to slightly under cook mine. I take them out at 10 minutes exactly. They are not brown at all, but I think that they are better this way.).
5
Cool completely before frosting.
6
Frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla, almond extract and salt.
7
Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined.
8
add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency.
9
Add a few drops of color, if desired.
10
Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Original recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/sugar-cookie-bars-450990?oc=linkback

Cookie Monster's Famous Cookie Dough (our favorite sugar cookie recipe)

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Equipment

Medium-sized mixing bowl
Measuring cup and spoons
A fork

Instructions

1. Put 3/4 cup of butter or margarine (that’s a stick and a half) into your mixing bowl.

2. Measure 1 cup of sugar.

3. Pour sugar over butter.

4. With fork, squash butter and sugar together until they are blended.

5. Crack open two eggs and pour eggs over mixture in bowl.

6. Measure 1 teaspoon vanilla and pour over mixture.

7. With fork, blend everything in the bowl together.

8. Measure 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and pour over mixture in bowl.

9. Measure 1 teaspoon baking powder and sprinkle over flour.

10. Measure 1 teaspoon of salt and sprinkle over flour and baking powder.

11. Mix everything together either with the fork or with your hands.

12. Put dough in icebox to chill (at least one hour).

Cookie Monster says you can make lots of dough at once, and save it in a plastic bag in your freezer for future baking. However, he must have been preoccupied, eating all the dough before he got around to including the baking time instructions.  I'd do 350 degrees, 7-11 minutes.