Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you like the soft and chewy kinds of cookies then you have to try this recipe. I'm not so sure that this recipe is the exact one used for the "real" Mrs. Fields cookies, but it sure is one that I'm going to use from now on. My only complaint is that they don't flatten out that great when they are baking... they kindof hold their shape. If you are particular (like I am) about having your cookies perfectly round, then you may have to do a little extra work by rolling them into perfect balls before plopping them down on the pan (cookie scoops work wonders). I even flattened them down a little with the back of the spatula when they came out of the oven.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all−purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, (12 oz.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300F. In medium bowl combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well
with wire whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer blend sugars at medium speed. Add
butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix at medium speed until just blended. do
not overmix.
Add the flour mixture and chocolate ships, and blend at low speed until just
mixed. Do not overmix.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake 22−24 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a
cool surface with a spatula.
This recipe says that it makes 12 cookies, but this is SO WRONG! I was able to make 36 cookies PLUS Aubrey and I ate some of the dough.

Fajitas

Aubrey and I were watching the food network last night, and we saw Alton Brown making fajitas. We made a late night trip to Wal*Mart to get a steak and the ingredients for the marinade. We couldn't find a skirt steak or flank steak, so we decided to get a sirloin. The recipe says to marinate for 1 hour, but we did it overnight. We also didn't grill directly on the charcoal, but it still turned out very good. This is definitely worth making again!


Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 scallions, washed and cut in 1/2
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar or Mexican brown sugar
1 of each: Red, Green, Yellow Bell Pepper; sliced
1 Yellow Onion; quartered
2 pounds inside skirt steak, cut into 3 equal pieces
Tortillas
Special equipment: blow dryer (LOL... maybe we'll try this one day)

Marinade ingredients in the blender

Directions:
1. Heat charcoal, preferably natural chunk, until grey ash appears. In a blender, put in oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, cumin, and sugar and puree. In a large heavy duty, zip top bag, put pieces of skirt steak and pour in marinade. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Allow steak to marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator.


2. Remove steak from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Using a blow dryer, blow charcoal clean of ash. Once clean of ash lay steaks directly onto hot coals for 1 minute per side. When finished cooking, place meat in double thickness of aluminum foil, wrap, and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

3. Place peppers and onion in skillet and continually stir until tender, but still crisp. Remove from heat.

4. Remove meat from foil, reserving foil and juices. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat. Return to foil pouch and toss with juice. Make your fajita by placing the veggies and meat on the tortilla and rolling up.

Mushroom Rigatoni Bake

Recipe from Cooking Light:
This pasta was pretty good. Aubrey said he'd eat it again, and I agreed. However, I think next time I'll probably just use 8 ounces of mushrooms (total). I'll also mix some Mozzarella cheese with the Asiago. The Asiago is pretty strong like Parmesan, and you can easily substitute Parmesan cheese if you can't find Asiago.


Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked rigatoni or radiatore pasta
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup shallots (1 large shallot)
8 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
4 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP dry sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (I used skim)
1 cup (4-ounces) grated Asiago cheese, divided
Cooking spray
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic; saute 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
4. Place flour in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add 1/2 cup cheese, stirring until melted. Add pasta and mushroom mixture to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (Serving size: about 1 and 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Content (per serving):
Calories 474; Fat 16g; Protein 21.8g; Carb 61.4g; Fiber 3.3g; Cholesterol 40mg; Iron 3.9mg; Sodium 745mg; Calcium 386mg

Jenny B's Potato Salad

Aubrey's mom makes the best potato salad, and she says it's an "act of love" since it takes a good chunk of time. She made this for Memorial Day, and it was even more of an "act of love" this time because I asked her to measure out the ingredients. She usually just measures by eye.


Ingredients:
5 pounds red potatoes
1 TBSP minced onion
1/2 cup Dill Salad Cubes (Mt. Olive), drained
10-15 green olives, sliced
1/2 jar (about 1/2 cup) of Drekeys Sandwich Salad Sauce
1 and 1/3 cup Mayo (Hellman's)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
10-12 hard boiled eggs, halved horizonally and sliced

Directions:
Boil potatoes for about 15-25 minutes. Make sure they are tender, but not too tender. You don't want them to mush when you mix all of the ingredients together. After boiling, peel and chop into about 1/2 to 1-inch cubes. Let cool slightly and mix in the rest of the ingredients (except the eggs). Fold in the eggs at the end. Refrigerate.

Source: Jenny Bishop

White BBQ Sauce
with Smoked Ribs

White BBQ sauce origitated in Alabama, and if you haven't tried it... it is a MUST! I actually prefer white BBQ sauce to the red. If you add it to the meat on the grill, add it at the end of the grilling or smoking so it doesn't break down. I like to use it as a dipping sauce, especially with grilled chicken. This particular recipe is from Cooking Light. It's best if it's made ahead (at least 8 hours before serving), but you can serve immediately, too. It lasts up to 1 week in the fridge in an air tight container.

White BBQ Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup light mayo
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 TBSP black pepper
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1 and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Yield 1 cup

Nutritional Info:
Per 2 TBSP
Calories 53; Fat 5.1g (sat. 1g); Protein 0.1g; Carbs 1.7g; Fiber 0.3g; Chol. 5mg; Iron 0.3mg Sodium 139mg; Calcium 4mg.

Smoked Ribs:
Ingredients:
Slabs of ribs
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Get smoker ready, and place seasoned ribs inside. Smoke around 350 degrees for several hours (we smoked them for about 6 hours).

Roasted Garlic

I've been watching cooking shows, and I've seen 2 different shows roast garlic. One used it to make garlic mashed potatoes (sounds really good), and one made it for a spread on toast (like garlic bread. I decided to try this tonight to go with our meal. Roasting the garlic makes it really squishy, and the garlic comes out of the papery casing so easily. I used a grapefruit spoon because it was too hot to touch. You can also squeeze it out when it cools. Roasted garlic also has a milder taste than a raw clove. It will still scare away vampires, but maybe not as many. :)

Ingredients:
1 large bulb of garlic
1-2 TBSP olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
From the "pointy" end of the bulb, slice 1/4 to 1/2-inch off the top to reveal the garlic cloves within, but do not remove too much of the cloves' flesh.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the garlic bulb upright on a square sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top of the exposed cloves.
Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Pull the aluminum foil up over the bulb and fold to seal. Roast about 35-40 minutes, until the garlic cloves take on a rich golden color and the papery covering has begun to brown but has not blackened.
Remove from the oven and cool several minutes before spreading on the toast. You can also place it at room temp on the table for people to use instead of butter for numerous things.

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Crepes

This was a good and "different" meal from Cooking Light, and it's easy to cut the recipe in half (good when cooking for 2). I shredded a cooked chicken breast, but you can also use a rotisserie chicken. I also didn't have any crème fraîche, so I used sour cream instead. You can make crème fraîche by mixing buttermilk with heavy whipping cream (recipe below).

Ingredients:
teaspoon butter
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups thinly sliced baby portobello mushroom caps (about 6 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
6 (9-inch) packaged French crepes (such as Melissa's)
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Add wine, and cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Add broth and fresh thyme; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add crème fraîche, stirring until well blended. Add chicken, tossing to coat.
Place 1 crepe on each of 6 plates. Spoon about 1/3 cup mushroom mixture into center of each crepe; roll up. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutritional Info:
CALORIES 272(30% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 5g,mono 2.8g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 19.4g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 66mg; SODIUM 643mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.5g

Crème Fraîche:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP buttermilk
In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the cream to 105 degrees F (40 degrees C). Remove from heat and stir in the buttermilk. Transfer the cream to a large bowl and allow this mixture to stand in a warm place, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until thickened but still of pouring consistency. Stir and taste every 6 - 8 hours. This process takes anywhere from 24 to 36 hours, depending on your room temperature. The crème fraîche is ready when it is thick with a slightly nutty sour taste. Chill cream, in the refrigerator, for several hours before using. Crème fraîche may be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Kung Pao Chicken

Another recipe from Cooking Light... Aubrey and I both loved this. I do recommend having a good vent in your kitchen when cooking this. Aubrey and I were literally choking while cooking this because of the crushed red pepper. That was the ingredient that "made" the dish in my opinion. It gave it a little "kick." This is good served over a little bed of wheat or white rice (we used wheat).

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger, divided
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Yields 4 servings:

Nutritional Info:
per 1 serving: CALORIES 239(30% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 1.1g,mono 3.7g,poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 30.9g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 60mg; SODIUM 589mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.4g

French Onion Soup

This is another Cooking Light recipe. I cut down the recipe below to feed only 2 people, but I'm wishing I made it all and stuck the remainder in the freezer since it was so good. Maybe next time! I made few changes to the recipe in (changes in red).


Ingredients:
2 tespoons olive oil
4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth (6 cups beef broth & 2 cups chicken broth)
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
Preheat broiler.
Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Makes 8 servings

Nutritional Info:
CALORIES 290(30% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 4.8g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 16.8g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 317mg; SODIUM 359mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.4g

Fried Fish

Aubrey's aunt came across some grouper and trigger fish today, so we decided to fry it. Aubrey is good at frying, so he did most of the work. It is so much better to fry outside because it doesn't smell up the house. However, you can do the same thing inside on the stove.

Frying the fish in a stock pot

Ingredients:
About a gallon of peanut oil (or enough to fill 1/3 of your stock pot
About 2 pounds of fish cut in small strips (1 inch wide by 3 inches long), bones removed

Corn meal (enough to fill about 1/3 of a gallon size zip lock bag
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix together the salt and pepper with the corn meal. Zatarans also makes a fish fry mix that you can use instead. Pour corn meal mixture in a gallon size zip lock bag. Add the fish and shake, making sure the fish is coated with the mixture.
Pour the peanut oil in a large stock pot and heat until pinches of corn meal look like they're frying when dropped in.
Place fish directly into the oil or in a basket lowered into the oil and fry until cooked throughout (about 5-10 minutes).
Layer paper towels on a plate and place the cooked fish on the paper towels to drain excess oil.

Stuffed Peppers

This is another recipe from Cooking Light. Stuffed peppers were the very first thing I learned to cook besides the fried bologna when I was a brownie scout. I took a home economics class in high school, and it was so much fun learning how to be a "Suzy home-maker." I still need to work on my sewing skills. The shorts I made could have fit a baby elephant.
Aubrey and I both enjoyed these stuffed peppers, and we were full after just one.

Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
4 medium red bell peppers
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico), divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry red wine
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside.

While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the next 5 ingredients (beef through allspice); cook 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat. Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.

While beef cooks, combine 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.

Spoon about 3/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine mixture to pan. Cover with foil.

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.

Nutritional Info ( per one pepper with 1/3 cup sauce):
CALORIES 347(20% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 3.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 26.6g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 284mg; SODIUM 747mg; FIBER 4.6g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.9g

Filet Mignon w/ Mushroom Wine Sauce

I got this recipe from Cooking Light. I'll give it a 7 out of 10 in taste. The filets are small (4 ounces), which was good for me, but I think Aubrey wanted more. A good thing about this is that it's a "one pot" dish. I really like that when it comes time to clean up. Another good thing is that this recipe is for 2 people... so I don't have to worry about left overs (sorry Mama; I know you love them).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon bottled or fresh minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sweet Marsala

Directions:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan. Add mushrooms to pan, and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove mushrooms from pan. Remove pan from heat; add Marsala, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium. Return pan to heat. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in mushrooms.

CALORIES 318(31% from fat); FAT 11.1g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 26.3g; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 410mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.9g

Herb Butter

We had a pot luck BBQ lunch today. I made the corn, and I wanted something special to go with it. I found Emeril's recipe for herbed butter on the food network website. I thought it was really good. I didn't have a lemon, so I used lime juice instead. This butter would be good on bread or steaks, as well.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (12 TBSP) unsalted butter, at room temp
2 TBSP minced fresh parsley leaves
2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme leaves or lemon thyme leaves
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together all the ingredients. Place on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the butter and pushing in as you go, roll into a tight cylinder, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm. (The butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 1 month.) All I did was mix the ingredients together and put in a small container. I didn't roll it into a cylinder. Make sure your butter is at room temp. If not, it will be nearly impossible to get all of the ingredients incorporated.

Mother's Day Breakfast

Coffee Cake Muffins

This is actually a review since I didn't make these from scratch. All of the ingredients were pre-mixed in this cute container, and you just add milk, eggs and butter. I bought this container at Williams Sonoma several weeks ago, and I decided to make them for Mother's Day. I took Aubrey's mother a basket this morning, and I had a few left over for Aubrey and me to eat for breakfast.

This is what the finished product looked like. I thought they were good, but I honestly think that there are other recipes that are just as good. I think the packaging is what caught my eye. Presentation does a lot for me!!

Giant Sugar Cookies

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart's website (once again). Of course, they don't compare to my grandmother's (we call her "Sugar") sugar cookies, but they sure are good. Maybe one day I'll blog "Sugar's" sugar cookie. I don't think I've ever made a cookie this big before. Only 5 of them fit on the cookie sheet. Wow!

Ingredients:
-Makes 10
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with one rack in upper third and another in lower third. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat well to combine.
With mixer on low, add half the flour mixture, followed by sour cream, then remaining flour mixture; mix just until smooth. (Dough will be stiff; you may need to finish mixing it by hand with a wooden spoon.)
Drop mounds of dough, each equal to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 4 inches apart, onto two ungreased baking sheets; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until edges of cookies are just firm and tops are barely beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheets once halfway through. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo

Menu:
Chicken & Green Salsa Tamales
Black Beans with Lime
Tres Leches Cake

I have been so excited about cooking Mexican. It was so much fun working with ingredients that were foreign to me. Aubrey and I made the tamales last night since we both had to work today. His turned out the best. :-) I also made the cake yesterday, and the consistency of it is perfect... not too runny, and not too dry. The black beans were really good and had just the perfect amount of heat. I changed the recipe up a little bit. Everything was so good and filling. The recipes for all of these dishes are from MarthaStewart.com.

Chicken & Green Salsa Tamales
This is a recipe that Oscar De La Hoya (famous boxer) shared with Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:
Makes 12

15 large dried corn husks, plus more for cooking
1 cup lard, unsalted butter, or shortening
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 cups store-bought masa harina
1 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium store bought chicken stock, heated
3 medium tomatillos, papery skins removed
2 to 3 jalapenos, stems removed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 small onion
1 extra-large (3/8-ounce) cube chicken-flavored bouillon (such as Knorr)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into twelve 2-by-1/2-inch strips
Mozzarella cheese, cut into twelve 2-by-1/2-inch strips

Directions:
1. Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the husks to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Let soak for 1 hour. Remove, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together lard and 2 teaspoons salt on medium speed until combined. Slowly add the masa harina and stock. Continue to beat until well combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add the tomatillos and jalapenos and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to the jar of a blender along with the garlic, cilantro, onion, and bouillon. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little water, if needed.
4. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add chicken and tomatillo mixture. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
5. Working with the grain, tear 3 corn husks lengthwise into 24 quarter-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
6. Place one of the remaining 12 corn husks on work surface; pat dry. Position corn husk so the small end is parallel to the edge of your work surface. Place 1/4 cup of the masa mixture onto the center, but slightly closer to the bottom, of the corn husk. Spread into a rectangle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the small end and a 1-inch border around the other three sides. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of the masa mixture, followed by a piece of potato and then a piece of cheese. Bring the two long sides of the husk together to enclose the filling. Fold the ends under, tying with 2 of the reserved strips to secure. Repeat process with remaining husks and filling. 7. Fill a tamale steamer, or a stockpot fitted with a steamer insert, with enough water to come just below the level of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer insert with a layer or corn husks. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and add tamales so that they stand (upright) in the pot. Cover with damp paper towels. Steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To check for doneness, unwrap a tamale. When done, dough will come free from corn husk and feel soft. If dough sticks to corn husk, rewrap, and steam 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes to allow the masa to firm up. They will remain warm for about an hour.

Black Beans with Lime

Ingredients:
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced (I substituted half of a white onion, chopped)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
About 1-2 TBSP cilantro for garnish

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add beans, chili powder, and 1/4 cup water. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 1 percent milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
7 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces fat-free evaporated milk
12 ounces light whipped topping
Fresh fruit such as kiwi, tangerine, and pineapple, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate after each addition. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture to mixer, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake until cake is firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed and evaporated milks. Poke holes all over the warm cake using a wooden skewer or toothpick. Slowly pour milk mixture evenly into holes. Let cake cool and allow it to absorb liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate cake 1 hour.
Remove cake from refrigerator and spread whipped topping over top of cake. Serve with fresh fruit if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Midnight Snack

Snickerdoodles

I can't believe it's midnight, and Aubrey and I are eating warm cookies. Well, actually I can!I love Snickerdoodles cookies. In fact, I think they're right up there with the chocolate chip cookies on my "favorites" list. I was so happy to find a Cooking Light recipe for these cookies. I'm not sure if Cooking "Light" would be the right word. I'd rather say "Cooking Light-er." I have to keep reminding myself that just because the calories may be reduced doesn't mean they're calorie "free."

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat just until combined. Shape dough into 30 balls. Combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small shallow dish. Roll balls in sugar mixture, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until tops crack. I had to bake them for about 10-12 minutes. When they came out of the oven, I pressed them down with the back of the spatula to give them the "flat" cookie look. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.
Yield 30 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 99(30% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 2g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 0.9g; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 17mg; SODIUM 59mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.9g