Cookies 'n Brownies

My mother-in-law recently gave me a great idea. Make a batch of brownies and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Pour the brownie batter in the pan and drop cookie dough on top. Bake as directed for the brownies.

Try it with a scoop of ice cream on top. Yum!

If you have refrigerated or frozen cookie dough, it makes it go a lot faster. See my tips for freezing cookie dough in Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. Just put frozen cookie dough balls on top without defrosting.

I did this for FHE last night and it was a hit. I just wish I'd put more scoops of cookie dough on it! (I'll post a picture when I make it again, since I didn't take a picture of it.)

Spanish Chicken Stew

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breast, cut in 2" pieces

1 tsp adobo

1 cup sofrito

6 to 8 cups water or chicken stock

3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes*

4 medium potatoes, washed and cut in 2" pieces

2 cups bite-size carrot pieces

1/2 cup Spanish green olives

1 pkg Sazón Goya(R)

1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked

Season chicken breast with adobo and sauté over medium heat until no pink remains. Add remaining ingredients, except rice. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are soft.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Serve stew over rice.

*Only use bouillon if you are using water for the stew

Serve with any of these:

Slices of avocado that have been seasoned with salt and pepper

Tossed salad

Mango

Tostones

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 8 to 13 minutes per sheet

1 recipe makes: 3 dozen 3-inch cookies

My mom got a Butter Flavor Crisco(R) Cookie Recipe Book when I was a young teenager and I tried the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe and loved it. I have been making them often ever since...

Original recipe:

3/4 cup Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups if nuts are omitted)

1 cup large pecan pieces, optional

Doubled:

1 1/2 cups Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

2 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (3 cups if nuts are omitted)

2 cups large pecan pieces, optional

Tripled:

2 1/4 cups Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

3 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp salt

2 1/4 tsp baking soda

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (4 1/2 cups if nuts are omitted)

3 cups large pecan pieces, optional

1. Heat oven to 375F.

2. Cream shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Blend until creamy. Blend in egg.

3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in separate bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

4. Drop rounded Tablespoonfuls (about 2 measuring tablespoons) of dough 3-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

5. Bake at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies (they will look light and moist - DO NOT OVERBAKE), 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes (they will continue to bake during cooling). Remove to cooling rack.

My hints:

Using cookie scoops makes it go much faster and I end up with even, round cookies.

I like to bake cookies on stone. The cookies turn out more moist and cook more evenly. Occasionally, I forget that I'm baking cookies and remember about 20 minutes later when they start to smell overcooked, but they still aren't burned! When baking on stone, for moist cookies, the first batch takes about 12 minutes, but once the stones are a little warmed, it only takes about 10 minutes. They are ready when they are slightly golden and no longer shiny.

I usually triple the recipe and bake a couple of sheets of cookies, then scoop the rest of the dough onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper and freeze until hard. Then I put the frozen cookie dough balls into freezer bags, remove the air, label them, and put them in the freezer. Then when I want fresh cookies, I put the frozen cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and bake until slightly golden. I usually just use my toaster oven with my toaster oven-size stone pan!

Crisco's Variations:

1. Drizzle

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet or white melting chocolate with 1 tsp Butter Flavor Crisco over VERY low heat or 50% power in microwave. Stir well. If too thick to drizzle, add a little more Butter Flavor Crisco to thin. Drizzle from end of spoon back and forth over cookie. Sprinkle with nuts before chocolate hardens, if desired.

To harden chocolate quickly, place cookies in refrigerator for a few minutes.

2. Chocolate Dipped

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet or white melting chocolate with 1 tsp Butter Flavor Crisco over VERY low heat or 50% power in microwave. Stir well. Spoon into a cup. Dip one end of cooled cookie halfway up in chocolate. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts before chocolate hardens. Place on wax paper.

To harden chocolate quickly, place cookies in refrigerator for a few minutes.

3. Holiday Dress-Ups

Frost cookies with Creamy Vanilla Frosting. Decorate with red and green candy coated pieces.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting

Combine 1/2 cup Butter Flavor Crisco, 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners sugar, 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla in medium bowl at low speed of electric mixer until well blended. Scrape bowl. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cookies.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

1 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 to 8 whole frozen strawberries

1 fresh or frozen banana

Put ingredients in blender. Puree until smooth.

You can use any kind of frozen fruit. I also like 6 to 8 strawberries with 1/2 cup berry blend (blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries). All measurements are approximate.

When Michael makes this, he omits the sugar and vanilla and uses 2 packets of Splenda and 2 scoops of vanilla-flavored protein powder.

Tip: I like to use mostly frozen fruit and cut back on the ice. It makes for a richer, fruitier smoothie. When bananas are getting the brown speckles, I peel them, put them in a freezer bag, and freeze them, removing as much air as possible. Then they are ready to be used in smoothies or banana bread. Use in 3 months or less.

Striped Pudding Parfaits

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

This is a recipe from The Pampered Chef (R) "Kids in the Kitchen" recipe book (no longer in print). This is almost word for word from the book:

2 cups cold milk

1 pkg (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling

2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping

1 pint strawberries

2 medium bananas

1/2 cup Honey Granola Crunch

1. Pour milk into Classic Batter Bowl. Add pudding mix and beat with Stainless Steel Whisk for 2 minutes until pudding begins to thicken. Refrigerate 5 minutes.

2. Attach Open Star Tip to Easy Accent(R) Decorator. Using Medium Scoop, fill tube with whipped topping.

3. Remove stems from strawberries. Peel bananas. On Cutting Board, cut bananas into 2-inch pieces using My Safe CutterTM. Slice strawberries and bananas using Egg Slicer Plus(R).

4. In 6 (6-8 oz) parfait or clear plastic drinking glasses, layer pudding, whipped topping, strawberries, bananas, and granola any way you like. Top with a strawberry fan or extra banana slices, if desired.

Cook's Tip:

By using other flavors of pudding and different fruits, you can create an almost endless number of flavor combinations. Just let your imagination run wild!

Tool Tip:

The Medium Scoop is the perfect tool for scooping pudding into the parfait glasses.

Honey Granola Crunch

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Makes: 6 cups or 12 servings

This is a recipe from The Pampered Chef (R) "Kids in the Kitchen" recipe book (no longer in print). This is almost word for word from the book:

1 cup nuts

4 cups quick or old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup stick butter or margarine

1/4 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. On Cutting Board, coarsely chop nuts, about 1/4 cup at a time, using Food Chopper.

2. In Rectangular Baker, mix nuts, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt using Mix 'N Scraper(R).

3. Place butter in Small Micro-Cooker(R). Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until melted. Stir in honey.

4. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and stir with scraper until oat mixture is evenly coated.

5. Adult help: Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes so mixture browns evenly. Using Oven Mitts, remove Baker to Nonstick Cooling Rack. Stir.

6. Cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container.

Cook's Tips:

If you like, add 1 cup of your favorite dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, blueberries, coconut or chopped dates to the oat mixture after removing from the oven

For a speedy snack, sprinkle Honey Granola Crunch over yogurt or cut-up fresh fruits or just enjoy a handful!

Crunched for time but hungry for dessert? Sprinkle Honey Granola Crunch over your favorite warmed fruit pie filling and top with whipped topping or ice cream.

For an extra special dessert, use Honey Granola Crunch in our Striped Pudding Parfaits.

Homemade Adobo

Prep time: 5 minutes

Makes: About 2 cups

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup garlic powder or granulated garlic

1/2 cup onion powder

1 Tbsp. dried oregano, crushed between hands

1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. paprika, optional

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Use in place of adobo or as an all-purpose seasoning. Use to season meats or roasted potatoes.

Paprika Potatoes

Prep Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours

Serves: 6

6 large potatoes

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash potatoes well and cut into bite-size pieces. Add to a 13"x9" pan and drizzle olive oil over the top; toss lightly. Mix seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle over potatoes. Mix well.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, turning every 20 minutes. Remove from oven when potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.