Friday, May 10, 2013

Gooey Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are delish! And totally fat free and calorie free...

1 Box Chocolate Cake mix of your choice (with pudding)
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Beat softened butter and cream cheese together. Add egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add chocolate cake mix (I like Devil's food or Chocolate Fudge) and mix until blended. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Roll dough into ball shapes and then in powdered sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I am a huge pizza fan! I love it! Here is a quick, easy, and healthy recipe that I have enjoyed. This is the recipe I found online. Below are some changes I made...

    2 c. whole wheat flour
    1 pkg. or 1 tbsp. active dry yeast
    3/4 tsp. salt
    1 c. warm water
    1 tbsp. olive oil
    1 tsp. honey

Pour flour into a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and salt. Mix well. Add water, oil and honey; mix well. Cover with a moist cloth and place in a warm spot for 10 minutes to rise.
Punch down and press into a greased 14 inch pizza pan or a 10 inch pan for a thicker crust. Spread sauce and other ingredients on pizza crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=79407

 I usually add a little more olive oil and honey. Also, I let the kids roll out their own "personal pizzas." I also brush the crust with a little olive oil and some seasoning (Johnny's Garlic Bread seasoning from Costco) before putting on the sauce and toppings.

French Dip Recipe!

This is my super easy French Dip Recipe. My sister-in-law, Debi, taught me how to make these and they are a family favorite!

Season a good sized chuck roast with salt and pepper and brown all sides. 

Place the browned roast in a Crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6. When the roast is tender and falling apart then it is ready to use!

Shred the roast into small pieces and pick out all of the nasty fatty stuff. You might want to let the roast cool for a bit before you shred it. 

For the Au Jus, I just use the gravy packets that you can get at any grocery store. I buy them when they are on sale for 3 for $1 :) Make one to two packets of Au Jus. Place the shredded beef in the Au Jus. 

Make two additional packets to serve hot with your sandwiches. 

Butter hoagie rolls or bread of your choice and place on the griddle until golden brown and crispy. 

Place meat inside of the hoagie with or without a slice of mild provolone cheese, dip into steamy Au Jus and enjoy!

Caramel Popcorn Recipe

I love making treats and here is the recipe for one of my favorites!

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 tsp salt

Stir over medium/medium-high heat until bubbling. Add:

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

Stir constantly until boiling. Add:

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Stir constantly until the mixture reaches soft ball stage (228 degrees). I usually just put some cold water in a glass dish until it feels soft, but does not disintegrate into the water. It takes me about 2-4 minutes of boiling. Remove mixture from heat and add:

2 tsp vanilla

Pour over 5 gallons of popped corn. I fill my air popper measuring cup a little under level three times. After mixing the popcorn and caramel well, pour mixture on parchment paper or nonstick cookie sheets to cool. You can make caramel popcorn balls or just put it in baggies after cooling. Yummy!