Peanut Buttery Chocolate Chip Loaded Cowboy Cookies

Original recipe by Camilla Saulsbury, The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book

Adapted recipe and photos by Something Different For Dinner

My shortcut for this recipe was refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, but I didn't have any so I made mine. The cookies turned out awesome!! They were so yummy.

I better stop baking!! Summer is just around the corner. Although you'd never know it, with the weather up here.  I don't think it's ever going to stop raining! GRRRR.

Peanut Buttery Chocolate Chip Loaded Cowboy Cookies:

1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough ( I made my own, recipe below)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts ( I DIDN'T USE THESE)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray.

Break up cookie dough into a large bowl. Add coconut, peanut butter, quick oats, and peanuts to the dough.  Mix well.

Drop by kitchen teaspoons, 2 inches apart, on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-13 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire racks.

Cheers! Enjoy. These cookie will not disappoint.

Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies

By: Nestle Toll House

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions:

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts(opinional).

50/50 Salad w/ fuji apples, feta, candied walnuts, and dried cranberries

I was inspired to make this salad from one I had at Mimi's Cafe, in Sacramento, CA. I'm sure they have it at all their locations. I think they call it a "Strawberry Salad".

I used a 50/50 spring/ baby spinach mix for my green base. Then, I added thinly sliced Fuji apples, dried cranberries, feta cheese, some homemade candied walnuts, and tossed it in Brianna's Home Style Real French Vinaigrette.




before the toss

 This salad is good and tasty.

Slightly sweet from the apples, a little tart from the feta and dried cranberries, nutty sweetness from the candied walnuts, and a final tang from the vinaigrette. Give it a try. My family was asking for more!!




after the toss :0)


Plus, it's a great way for my girls to get their salad in.
Enjoy!! Happy Monday!!

Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne

Original recipe by Ree Drummond, from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Photos and recipe adapted by Kelly @ SomethingDifferentForDinner

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup flour, mixed with water

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 pounds ground beef

8 ounce can of tomato sauce

2 cans dark red kidney beans

1 12 ounce can of diced tomatoes

Place ground beef in a large pot and add garlic.

Cook until the meat brown, and add the red onion

If your meat is really greasy, drain it before you add in the spices and tomato sauce.

Stir together, cover, and let cook on low for about an hour. Stir your chili occasionally.

If your mixture starts to dry out, add in 1/2 cup of water at a time.

After an hour, I added in about 1/4 cup of flour mixed with about 1/2 cup of water.

This helps to thicken up the chili.

Stir together. Taste, and add whatever you think it lacks. I then added my kidney beans and can of diced tomatoes. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

When I tasted it, I realized it was too spicy for the kiddos. So...I added in about 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. It was the only thing I had and it cut the spice down perfectly.

YUM!!! We topped ours with some shredded cheddar cheese. No onions.

Cheers! Happy Friday!! *Kelly

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

I was in a baking mood and need a really interesting, not your standard cupcake.

I found, on another blog, this recipe. I searched for awhile but I kept coming back to this one.

I knew I had to give it a try. So glad I did.

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

original recipe: from Patti @ http://worththewhisk.com/. Recipe Under: Cupcake Recipe
recipe and pictures adapted by Kelly @ Something Different For Dinner.

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

• 3 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup strong cold coffee
• 3/4 cup Kahlua
• Kahlua Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a medium bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy; then beat in sugar until stiff peaks form.  Set aside. 




Letting my butter get to room temp. and my seperated eggs. The egg white, nice and stiff.


Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks one at a time. 

Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and Kahlua; blend well. 

Fold egg whites into batter.  Fill prepared cupcake cups to 2/3 full. 

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
Remove cupcakes from tins and cool on rack completely before frosting. 

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

Kahlua Buttercream Frosting

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp. Kahlua
• 2-3 Tbsp. hot coffee



starting my frosting



frosting all done

In large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar.  Add cocoa powder, Kahlua and hot coffee.  Beat until smooth.  Frosts 2 dozen cupcakes.




sittin' perdy

Cheers!! Hope you enjoy! They were so amazing. The chocolate and coffe flavors went so well togeher. The Frosting is the best part!! Let me know if you try this recipe!! Let me know what you think!!
*Kelly

Apple Compote

Goodmorning!

I had a great weekend. Dinner and beers @ our local brew/pub with my sister (Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, CA), a nice Italian dinner out with my sister in law (Gabriel's in Eureka, CA), St. Patty's party on Sunday for the kiddos (hosted by my good friend Lori). One on one time with my little M.

It was a great weekend, minus the never ending rain....

Oh and that little thing called a Tsunami warning in Eureka, and low lying areas of California. I have to say I am glad I live up in the mountains and not in the tsunami zone anymore.

And we must not forget the horrible earthquake in Japan.

By the way, a town about an hour north of where I live, Crescent City, CA,  had it's harbor and boats destroyed by the waves. Tsunami Video of Crescent City,CA harbor

I was inspired this morning by Pam @ http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/ to post only one aspect of my meal. She has an amazing blog, that inspires me and makes me hungry everyday. Check it out.

I was only making breakfast for two people so my recipe makes a small amount.
You will have to modify if you are preparing this for more people. Just double it. Real Easy.


Apple Compote

Ingredients:

2 large Golden Delicious apple; peeled, cored, sliced, and cubed
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tablespoon Cherry Brandy (homemade from a friend)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
pinch salt
pinch of flour
1 tablespoon butter


Directions:

In a large sauce pan, combine water, sugar, spice, cherry brandy, vanilla, salt, flour, and butter. Boil gently until sugar is dissolved and it starts to thicken up, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the apples, and return to boil. Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the apples become tender, about 15-20 minutes. The mixture will thicken up too, thanks to that pinch of flour.

Let your compote sit and cool before serving. It will thicken even more.

Serve on top of Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast, or anything else that might sound good to you. 
OR use as a sweet side dish, or dinner dessert.



bringing my compote back to a boil





served on top of homemade waffles

Cheers! Have a great Monday! Thanks for dropping by. *Kelly

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter

I really really need a new camera. My little point and shoot is just not doing it anymore. The flash is not working correctly anymore and I need better pictures of my food. Sorry for the crappy shots today.

These pancakes were more like dessert than breakfast. They were SO GOOD. Next time I will use less chocolate chips though. Still insanely good.

I topped them with Cinnamon Butter (recipe below) and Maple Syrup.
Enjoy!


Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Adapted recipe & photos by Kelly @ somethingdifferentfordinner.blogspot.com
Original recipe by Paula Deen on Food Network

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted plus 4 tablespoons, divided
• 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• Maple syrup, for serving

 

Directions:

Preheat griddle on medium low heat.


In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

wet ingredients, mixed

In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.


In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff.




Egg whites, nice and stiff, and the pancake mix


Gently fold into batter. Gently fold in chocolate morsels.


Melt 2 tablespoons butter on hot griddle. Ladle about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle.

Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Turn and cook the other side. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining batter.

Cinnamon Butter:

1/2 stick of sweet cream butter, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar

With an electric mixer, cream these ingredient together on medium speed, until well mixed.

That's it. This butter is also really good to keep on hand in the refrigerator for toast, on top of oatmeal, etc. whatever you what.  Thanks for checking in! Have a good Monday.

Pizza Ala' Lori

The kids wanted pizza. As usual. So, I decided to try my hand at it. My good friend Lori, of No More Sweat Pants, had a great pizza dough recipe, on her blog here, and below.  Super good, the girls loved it and really easy. Thanks Lori.

I topped my pizza with:

1 twelve oz. jar of store bough pizza sauce

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 Colby jack cheese

from my spice rack: Pizza Seasoning

Original recipe, my good friend Lori, No More Sweat Pants

Adapted recipe & photos by Something Different For Dinner.



No-Rise, No-Yeast Pizza Dough Recipe

 

2 Cups Flour (I use a mixture of white and wheat flour)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cups Water (I had to use a little bit more.)

Mix flour, salt, baking powder.  

Add 2/3 cups of water.  If needed add 1 TBS more at a time until the dough is mixed.

Knead on floured surface until spreadable and workable; about 2 minutes.

Place on greased pizza pan or large cookie sheet.

Spread oil on crust (I use olive oil) put whatever sauce, cheese, and toppings you want.

Bake at 425°F for about 20 minutes.