Danielle's Yummy Cookies

A dear friend shared this wonderful cookie recipe with me.

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (unpacked)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup Heath English Toffee Bits (Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits)
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, Add the eggs and vanilla and combine.

In a different bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture beating at low speed after each addition.

Once the dough is ready; stir in the nuts, chocolate toffee bits and miniature chips.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the paper 2-inches apart.

Bake at 350 F for 7-10 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown.

Rest in cookie sheets for 1 minute and immediately remove to cookie racks.

Makes 50 small cookies

Rosemary Garlic Marinade (For Chicken)

1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground  black pepper
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or some more if you desire)
4 ounces prepared garlic (1/2 cup minced)
1/8 tespoon ground turmeric (optional)

Mix all the ingredients. Marinade 8-10 lbs chicken pieces for 4 hours or overnight.

Toffee Pecan Cookies

1 box Butter Pecan cake mix
1/2 bag toffee bits or Heath
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1/2 stick butter, softened

Mix the cake mix, butter, eggs and water; beat with a hand mixer.

Stir in the toffee chips and pecans and combine with a wooden spoon.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart.

Bake in a preheated 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let it reat for 1 minute and then, transfer to a cooling rack.

The Best Sloppy Joes

www.melskitchencafe.com




2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 medium onions roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup BBQ sauce (We like Famous Dave's Sweet and Zesty)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
8-12 potato rolls

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is finely crumbled, the liquid boils off and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Drain the grease of the meat and onions. Stir in the tomato paste, and keep stirring until the meat is coated.

Add the BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened about 4-5 minutes. You can make the Sloppy Joe meat up to 2 days in advanced and reheat it over low heat or in the microwave.

Wrap the rolls in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Serve the Sloppy Joes hot with the warm rolls.

Note: This meat can be frozen. Freeze the Sloppy Joe meat in a freezer-safe container and then thaw it in the refrigerator prior to serving. Reheat on medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Home-made Apple Pie Spice Recipe

www.cdkitchen.com

1 1/2 teaspoons groung nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Store, tightly covered in a cool dry place.

Makes 2 tablespoons

Apple Pie Waffles

6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups Bisquick Mix
2-2 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup finely chopped Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored

Mix the dry ingredients in a a bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl. Mix it altogether. Use 1/4 measuring cup per waffle. Cook as directed on waffle maker.

Serve with syrup and whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon (optional)

Makes 12 waffles

For a home-made APPLE PIE SPICE recipe, look on condiments, please.

Pan de Yuca (Tapioca Bread)

1 cup tapioca starch or tapioca flour (almidon de yuca Goya brand or yuca harina Colombiana brand)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2- 2 cups Italian cheese blend
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus 1 pinch salt, optional)
water (milk or whipping cream if needed).

Mix all the ingredients adding some liquid if needed until the dough is very flexible.

Make balls the size of a walnut and place on an ungreased baking sheet 2-inches apart.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: Very good if served with smoothies.