Iced Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

if your garden is anything like mine this year it is slow on tomatoes and huge on squash.

So here you have two varieties of zucchini cookies: yum!!!

zucchini chocolate chip cookies

3 eggs

1 c. oil

3/4 c. sugar

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 c. grated zucchini

2 t. vanilla

4-4 1/2 c. flour

3 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

1. mix oil, sugar, sugars, zucchini and vanilla in large mixer.

2. stir in dry ingredients

3. mix in chocolate chips

4. bake at 325 for 12 minutes.

5. drizzle with browned butter frosting- a.maz.ing

For what we call "snicker doodle" zucchini cookies- skip the chocolate chips and sprinkle the cookies with cinnamon sugar. We leave these ones unfrosted.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 c. butter

2 -3 c powdered sugar

milk, to thin

1 t. vanilla

1. melt butter in small sauce pan until completely melted and begins to brown.

2. stir in powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency

3. add vanilla and spread on warm cookies

*** let me know which ones you tried and which ones you liked best! Have a favorite zucchini recipe you want to share? e mail it to me at justahintofsalt@gmail.com

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Red Peppers

2 t garlic salt

1/2 t black pepper

1 t dried oregano

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper (do not use green bell peppers- they will taste bitter)

1 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

1/2 bunch green onions sliced

1 c chicken broth

1 T balsamic vinegar

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Combine garlic salt, pepper & oregano in a small bowl. Brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle spice rub over chicken.

2.Brown chicken in heated skillet (adding a little more olive oil to the pan if needed) for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a glass baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake chicken at 450 for 10-20 minutes. (I cooked mine about 18 minutes with really thick chicken)

3. Add 1 T olive oil to the pan, add bell peppers and green onions. Saute until soft. Stir in chicken broth and balsamic. Bring to a boil and then simmer until it thickens a little bit. (If you want to hurry the thickening- add one 1T cold water to 1T cornstarch-stir to combine and then stir into balsamic mixture)

Serve peppers over the chicken.

This is best served on a bed of mashed potatoes!! Delish!

Rachel's Homemade Doughnuts

I have always wanted to try homemade doughnuts. For over 10 years I have been daunted by the task. Encouraged to make fun family traditions - we took this project on while the men in our family attended the Priesthood Session of LDS General Conference this weekend. It was so fun, and not too hard. I will make them again one day this week of spring break and maybe even work out the kinks enough to hand them out to the trick or treaters next Halloween.

Rachel's Doughnuts

8 T butter

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. sugar

2 1/4 t yeast
1 t salt
1 t nutmeg (optional)
1/2 t vanilla
3 eggs

1 c. mashed potatoes (the real thing- mashed nothing added to them)

5 1/2 c. flour


1. In a small bowl melt the butter and incorporate it into the milk.

2. Add sugar and yeast (You don't want your milk/ butter too hot, but warm enough for it to get the yeast going.)

3. Beat your eggs and gently stir into mixture.

4. Mix in nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Pour into mixing bowl with bread attachment.

5. Add mash potatoes and stir to combine.

6. Add flour one cup at a time kneading until smooth.

7. Let rise until double in size OR refrigerate several hours or overnight.

8. Roll out dough and using a glass or biscuit cutter - cut into desired size doughnuts and place on a lightly floured cookie sheets to let rise again.

9. Heat oil to 365, use a thermometer. Use Vegetable or Canola oil. Oil should be deep enough to submerge at least half the doughnut. (I'd use a large pot personally.) Flip doughnuts to cook evenly. It doesn't take too long.

10. Place cooked doughnuts on a large stack of paper towels. Turn them over 2-3 times to get rid of as much oil as possible.

11. Glaze while still warm- and enjoy them hot!!


Glaze:
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
pinch of salt

In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.


Chocolate Glaze:
3 oz. unsweetened choc, coarsely chopped ) or 9 T cocoa and 3T oil
3 T Butter
2 C. powdered sugar
2 Tcorn syrup
5 T hot water


In heat proof bowl or double boiler, melt choc and butter. Remove from heat, add remaining ingredient's. Whisk until smooth.


Maple orange Glaze:
1/2 c. Butter, melted
1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar
1/4 c. Maple Syrup
2 T orange juice zest of one orange
3 drops red food coloring 3 drops of yellow food coloring


In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.

White Bean Chili

white bean chili- might just be my favorite, easy, comfort soup!

White Bean Chili

1 med. onion chopped and sauteed (or 2 T minced dried onion)
3-4 chicken breasts - I cook the chicken separately and add it at the end

2 (15 oz) cans White Great Northern Beans, drained
1/2 can Garbanzo Beans, drained - I find they get softer if I sauté them with the onions
1 can corn, drained (or 1 c. frozen corn)
1 -2 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 t cumin
1/2 t lemon pepper
1/2 t salt
3 cups chicken broth
(juice of one lime if I have one!)

Saute the onions and garbanzo beans in a little bit of butter. While they are cooking open all of your cans and pour them into a large pot on the stove. Add the spices, bring to a boil and then reduce heat until serving. Add chicken just before serving so it doesn't get to soft.

Or somedays I just put it all in the crock pot!

Then serve with sour cream, grated cheese, and chips! yum!!

This would also be a great food storage meal- just add canned chicken!

Chocolate Characters

1. choose your favorite character and print a picture that will fit on your cake. cover your picture with wax paper.

2. Melt baking chocolates. I find they melt best in a glass pan in the oven at 170.

3. Tint your chocolates with OIL CANDY COLORINGS. They come in most every color- but I just bought Red, Yellow and Blue and figured I could make most colors from those.

4. Pour melted chocolates into squeeze bottles (old mustard and ketchup style)- or for smaller amounts just use small bowls. Trace carefully around your picture with an outline color. (We used chocolate.) The details that are on the top of the picture should be done first.

5. Fill in the remaining space with other colors. The chocolates dry fast so don't worry about the colors blending. Let dry completely and then flip over onto cake and gently pull back wax paper.

Pizza crust 101

Hi girls! I tried to cut and paste the real recipe, but I had no luck. Ash, get with me on this if it is indeed possible. Here is a link to the actual CPK crust recipe that I have in my CPK cookbook. It must be made the day before, and per the exact instructions. I always double the recipe to make two 12" pizzas. The recipe is totally high maintenance, but the result is chewy, authentic crust. You will never go back to a same-day make dough again. Remember to place the dough on a pre-heated pizza stone.

This link also provides the recipe for the bbq chicken pizza. It is delightful! You must use more red onions than listed, and smoked Gouda is a must! The picture above looks to have bacon on it as well. That is a swell addition.

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/ccc/california-pizza-barbecue-chicken.html

This link below, will get you the the carbonara pizza recipe that I made just tonight. Add diced Roma tomatoes to the top for color. I really liked it. (Henry still likes the bbq chicken better, and was actually sort of a hater about this pizza.)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pizza-Carbonara/Detail.aspx

FYI, I killed the yeast on the crust that I made last night. Make sure the water is not too hot.

Can I also give a little shout out to Saf yeast? I have failed so much in the past, but this yeast is fool-proof, if you don't kill it, that is. By it at Bowman's, and Dick's. (if you live in the Davis county bubble.) And to you non-Davis county-ites, you know what I mean.

Lettuce Wraps

My friend Ericka posted this on her blog about a year ago. We have made these a couple of times now- and my family loves them. I have made a few minor adjustments- like leaving out the water chestnuts (yuck!!). They are super easy. Try them and I might just be your new best friend : )

3-4 chicken breasts1 large carrot
(10 baby carrots)
1/2 lb mushrooms
3 green onions
1 red bell pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 head iceberg or butter lettuce, leaves washed and separated

sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Cook chicken in large pan with a little bit of water until cooked thoroughly.

While the chicken is cooking dice up your veggies. A food processor makes this one of the easiest meals I have ever made. Carrots, red pepper, green onion and mushrooms should all be diced to about the size of a kernel of corn.

Remove the chicken from the pan- it will much easier to cut when cooled.

Saute veggies in 1T oil and 2 cloves of garlic (~1 t minced garlic) and 1/2 t sesame oil.

Mix together sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.

When veggies are soft, add diced chicken and sauce and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with rice and lettuce. (my kids liked the mixture both on rice and on lettuce. I liked adding a little bit of rice to my chicken & veggies on the lettuce).

ENJOY!! ( **I have also made this with 1 lb ground spicy sausage in place of the chicken. My 11 year old taste tester Kate LOVED them**)

Rolo Cookies

Confession: I like chocolate best when mixed with caramel!

(twix, skor, rolo, pecan turtles- you get the idea)

Rolo Cookies

2 1/4 c flour

3/4 c cocoa

1 t baking soda

1 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 c butter, softened

2 t vanilla

2 eggs

48 Rolo- i bought a 12 oz bag and had more dough than rolos

sugar for rolling

In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa and baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Add flour mixture and blend well.

With floured hands wrap about 1 tablespoon of dough around an (unwrapped) rolo. roll in sugar- and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 7-10 min- just until they are set and slightly cracked.

Annie thought that they were so good they shouldn't just be cookie of the month- they should be cookie of the year!!

Soft Molassas Cookies

Judy Brown's Soft Molassas Cookies
( aka supersoft gingersnaps - from Favorites)
1 1/2 c butter
2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c molasses
4 1/2 c flour
4 teaspoons baking soda (this is not a typo!)
2 teaspoons cinnamon2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and molasses and mix well. Add dry ingredients. Roll into balls with a cookie scoop and roll balls in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 for 10 minutes.These make wonderful holiday cookies!

Gram's Gingerbread Boys

Today I made Gingerbread boys with Cori. She hummed and serenaded me with beautiful Christmas songs as I mixed, rolled and cut out the most delish little men ever to be covered with frosting. Cori is a wonderful baker and an amazing song writer- what a gift to be able to turn tender feelings into words.

Thank you Cori for filling my kitchen today with wonderful smells, treats and sounds! Here's the recipe for her gingerbread cookies and for her music visit http://www.coriconnors.com/

Gram's Gingerbread Boys (via Cori) * revised

1/4 c butter

1/4 c butter flavored crisco

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c molasses

1/2 t cider vinegar

1/2 c buttermilk

3 c flour

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 t ground ginger

2 t cinnamon

First off follow the recipe EXACTLY! (or your cookies will be less than delish- trust me!) Cream shortening, butter and sugar. Mix in molasses and vinegar. Mix a cup of flour with the spices. and mix into batter. Then alternate adding flour and buttermilk. ("start with flour and end with flour") CHILL for at least a few hours to over night. Roll out thick and bake at 375 for 6-10 minutes. (6 min was perfect in my oven- don't over bake if you want them soft). Cool and frost with butter cream frosting.

Yummy butter cream frosting

1/2 cup butter softened

1t vanilla

1/4 t salt

1/3-1/2 cup EVAPORATED milk

4 cups powdered sugar

beat the butter until fluffy, add additional ingredients, alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency, should be thin enough to spread so the frosting appears smooth on the top of the cookie. The frosting will harden slightly and you can used a pastry bag to pipe on additional decorations.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rachaels' Pumpkin Cookies (from Favorites)
3 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 cup oil
2 t nutmeg
2 t cinnamon
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
3 cups sugar
1 t salt
5 cups flour
1 1/2 c chocolate chips


In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Add flour and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.



Browned Butter Frosting
1 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c milk ( i use evaporated milk in frosting)
1 t vanilla


melt the butter on the stove in small sauce pan until melted and it begins to brown. (watch it close so it doesn't burn) add to powdered sugar and slowly add milk until smooth, add vanilla -Frost and enjoy!!!

Brown Sugar Muffins

1/2 butter softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 c. milk
2 c. flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking soda

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in milk. Add dry ingredients and stir. Pour into greased muffin pan. (makes about 12 regular sized muffins) Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

We had these tonight with Cauliflower soup!! yummmmm!!!

Uncle Steve's Peach Ice Cream

5 years ago my uncle Steve passed away. At his funeral we ate the most delicious homemade peach ice cream. This summer I called around to the wonderful women who provided lunch to find this recipe because it was such a vivid memory for me! Another great way to remember Steve!

4 eggs

2 1/2 c. sugar

2 c. milk

1 t vanilla

1/4 t almond

8-10 large peaches. pealed and pureed

2 c. whipping cream

Beat eggs until think and lemon colored (about 5 minutes). Beat the sugar in until dissolved. Stir in milk, vanilla and almond. Stir pureed peaches into egg mixture and then fold in the whipping cream. Pour into Ice Cream Freezer! (makes 4 quarts)

creamy bacon farfalle

!ell lets be honest, I don't cook much during the summer. We grill a lot and I make a few different pasta salads. My new summer fav is the one Ashley posted below. It is awesome cold with Feta!!

Another favorite pasta salad Gretel and I created by sharing ideas and substitutions back and forth and viola!! delish pasta.

CREAMY BACON FARFALLE

handful pine nuts (about 1/2 cup)
6- 8 mushrooms sliced
1 c. frozen peas
1 bunch asparagus cooked and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
a handful (about 1/2 cup) cooked and crumbled bacon. ( I buy the Kirkland brand cooked bacon from Costco- LOVE IT)

1 cup half and half
1 c. chicken broth
2-4 T butter
1 clove garlic ( I like the minced garlic)
2 T. lemon juice
1 c. parm cheese
cornstarch

1 lb farfalle cooked and drained.

In a large skillet toast pine nuts. Then add butter, garlic, mushrooms and bacon saute until soft. Add asparagus and frozen peas- cover and simmer on low.

In a small sauce pan warm broth over med heat. In separate bowl mix 2 T cornstarch and 1/4 c. of the cream add rue to broth and stir until thick. Add the remaining cream (3/4 cup) lemon juice and 1/2 c parm cheese.

In a large bowl combine cooked mushroom/bacon/pine nuts, sauce and noodles. Depending on your veggie to noodle ratio you may not want to use all of the noodles. This pasta is also great with grilled chicken left over from a previous day of grilling! Sprinkle with remaining parm cheese and enjoy!!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

I LOVE chocolate chip cookies, and I make pretty good ones too.

But I am not going to share my recipe, not because I am mean, but because chances are you have a perfect recipe too- you are just making them wrong. (I know this is possible because people have used my recipe and made terrible cookies)

So here is how to use your recipe to make PERFECT chocolate chip cookies:

Fresh Ingredients: Don't pull out 4 year old baking soda and hope that is works.

Correct Measuring: make sure that your measuring spoons/cups all add up. I used to have a 1/2 cup that was more like a 1/3 and I couldn't figure out why my cookies didn't work.

Use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter at room temperature: whatever the recipe calls for use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening.

Mix it by hand. Seriously. Let it be the arm workout that justifies all of the cookies you are going to eat!

Don't Overmix: Cream the butter and sugar and then add the eggs one at a time. (if you can't mix it all by hand- STOP using the mixer after you add the eggs) From here on out stir in the flour mixture and chocolate chips.

Refrigerate your dough if you have time- even it is only 30 minutes.

DON'T spray your cookie sheets and preheat your oven.

Use a cookie scoop so that your cookies are all the same size

And MOST IMPORTANTLY pull your cookies out of the oven before they are done. (I have a grandma who will not take anything out of the oven until the timer goes off. The rolls can be black on top- and still no matter- they are not done until the timer dings.)

Be patient: Put just a few on the cookie sheet to start out with. Start with 8 minutes. If you can see they are still gooey- leave them in for another minute or two. But if they look like just one more minute and they will be perfect: Pull them out and let them set. I think that you'll be surprised that they keep cooking on the pan. If they are still too gooey then next time cook them a minute longer.

I would love to hear if these tips (and any others) help you make AWESOME, no-fail chocolate chip cookies!

* disclaimer- that is not my picture at the top, but it was the best I could find. Guess I'll have to make some!

Fruit Pizza

Another summer fav: Fruit Pizza
The first time I ever made this, I totally ruined the dough. My cute boyfriend at the time(hubby now) showed superior cooking skills and told me the 2 1/2 C. flour was indeed that and not two half cups of flour (yes- that equaling one total cup of flour). Lucky for him I have gotten better at cooking, and can read a recipe now.
I made individual pizzas this time. You can make a big one and cook it on your pizza stone, or use your cookie cutter and make small ones. The small ones were fun because I could give them away!!
Crust: Use this sugar cookie recipe.
Filling: Mix 8oz. softened cream cheese with 1/2 C. sugar and 2 t. clear vanilla- mix until light
Toppings: Whatever assortment of fruit you desire. I used strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi and bananas. I have also used peaches and mandarin oranges.
Let the cookies cool and then top them with filling and fruit!

Julie's Pesto Pasta Salad

Guest blogger here. I am a sister to this salty cook. And I love her a lot. Seriously. I also love her enough to make a post on a cooking blog. I say that because I am not always super confident in my cooking skills... but I have a few tricks up my sleeve that seem to be people pleasers. Summer cooking for me is a LOT of pasta salads. Mostly cold ones that I make in the day and stick in the fridge ready for dinner that night. But the other day my cute bff from elementary school (who's birthday is today!) brought this pasta salad to a shower and I have salivated over it ever since. It was so simple- yet had such a fun fresh flavor. Love it!

Julie's Pesto Pasta Salad


box of bowtie pasta
chicken cooked on the grill- and cut into pieces
purple or sweet onion
craisins
pesto sauce ( I use Costco's- I know she makes her own sometimes)


Cook your chicken on the grill. It looks so much prettier when done on the grill, and for this pasta it adds a nice smoky touch. Cut it up and set aside. While your chicken is grilling, cut your onion and throw it on the stove with some olive oil. I let these caramelize for a really long time. Like almost a half an hour- til they are nice and clear and stringy! After your noodles are cooked, drain and then toss them with the pesto sauce. Add the chicken, onions, and craisins. Serve warm.


My own twist: I added a little half and half to the sauce to make it a bit creamier. Also it was delicious topped with crumbled feta. Another addition you could add would be toasted pine nuts.

Salmon Tacos

voila! one of the best and easiest cinco de mayo dinners!!


salmon

cajun seasoning

1-2 T butter per pound of salmon

small corn tortillas

cheese ( I like pepper jack)

shredded cabbage

mayo

1 lime

cilantro

salt & Pepper

Gently spread butter on salmon fillet in small pats, then sprinkle cajun seasoning on salmon according to your own personal spicy threshold. Wrap entire piece of salmon in foil and cook on the BBQ for about 20 minutes until light pink and flaky. (no need to flip)

while your salmon is cooking, melt pepper jack cheese between two small corn tortillas (just lightly spray the pan with Pam so they don't stick)

Place hot salmon on the tortilla and add shredded cabbage (I love the pre-made cole slaw mix because it saves on the chopping)

Then top with lime cilantro sauce: 1/2 c mayo, juice from one lime, 1 t salt, 1 t pepper, 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro ( I like to thin my sauce with a little milk to make it spread easier)

And for dessert: Fried Ice Cream. Just roll a ball of vanilla ice cream in honey bunches of oats, or granola and then drizzle with caramel. It is a lot easier and you won't run the risk of burning your house down or having to endure hot oil smoke for days!!

Brittany's Sweet & Sour Chicken

how cute is that apron??

Brittany's Sweet and Sour Chicken
1/2 c flour
1 T baking powder
2 c water
2 T cornstarch

4 chicken breasts, boned & skinned and cut into cubes
Mix ingredients & marinate the chicken for at least an hour

2 c cracker meal (I haven't yet been able to find cracker meal so I have used fish fry and it works great. You'll find the McCormick 12 oz boxes near the Seafood Counter)

Dip marinated chicken pieces in cracker meal and fry in oil for about 2-3 min per side. Drain on paper towel.

Sauce
2 T ketchup
1/2 c sugar
2 squirts of lemon or orange juice
1/2 T vinegar
3/4 c + 1 1/2 T water ( I know it's a weird measurement, but it works)
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil on med-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil 2 min.
Then combine 1 T cornstarch & 1 T water and then add to sauce and stir until boiling and thick.

(note on the sauce- Brittany adds an extra cup water, but I liked the thicker and heavier syrup. So if it too much for you add more water)

Fried Rice
3 c cooked rice (rice is actually better if it is a day old)
1 c carrots, diced
1 c onion, diced
1 c celery diced
1 c broccoli florets diced

1 c. frozen peas (add the peas when the other veggies are almost soft)
2-3 T butter OR 2/3 c. veg oil. (I prefer butter, Britt likes oil)
Stir-fry vegetables for 10 min. Add rice and soy sauce (3-4 T) to taste, breaking up rice clumps.

Free Cone Day!!

Tuesday April 21st is Free Cone Day

at Ben & Jerry's noon to 8pm



wow! that's long enough to go back a couple of times!!



ohh! and think of the fun shopping you can do at the gateway in between cones!



your welcome!