Spicy Shrimp and Grits

I have always loved Southern food and since moving to Florida, I have been surrounded by it.  Yes, I know a majority of it is awful for you so I stay away from most of it.  But my family is a HUGE fan of grits and a dish I had been dying to try was shrimp and grits.  So, I went on a search for recipes.  It took a while but I did find one that wasn't too bland or complicated.  You know, me I didn't follow the recipe exactly but I did stick pretty close.  This recipe fed my family of four perfectly but the amounts could easily be adjusted up or down.

For the grits:

1 1/2 cups quick cooking grits (Yes, I know Alton Brown would have my head but it's what I had on hand.)
4 1/2 cups of chicken stock (I use low fat/low sodium.  I'm sure you could also use water)
1/2 cup of shredded cheese (I used low fat Mexican but you could use whatever you like)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp:

1 lb. shrimp (I used 31/40's)
3 carrots, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a small sweet onion
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 cup white wine (I used chardonnay.  Beer or stock would work too)
Olive oil
1 tbs. parsley, chopped
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Spice mix:

1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (You can adjust this to taste)
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (This can also be adjusted to taste)
1 tsp. salt.

In a medium sized saute pan, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Heat the oil over medium high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the carrots, celery, onion and jalapeno.  Season with salt and pepper.
















After about 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes more.

 Add the spice mix.

Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to toast the spices being careful not to let them burn. The onion should be translucent and the other veggies should be soft.

While the veggies are cooking, you can start the grits by heating the stock in a saucepan over high heat.

As the stock heats up, add the wine to the softened veggies and bring to a boil.

Once the wine comes to a boil, add the shrimp, lime juice and parsley.  Stir until the shrimp and incorporated.

Lower the heat to medium low and cover.  While the shrimp cook, slowly whisk the grits into the stock.  Lower the heat to medium low and cook the grits for 5 minutes.  Add the grated cheese at the end of the cooking time and stir until melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the grits into a bowl and serve the shrimp and sauce over the top.

I was surprised at how easy and good this recipe was.  It was a hit with the entire family and it will definitely go into the meal rotation.

Adapted from My Husband Cooks.

Put The Lime In The….

The original version of this post was published on the Drinking Made Easy site here.


A couple years ago, my husband and I bought a lime tree.  Last spring, it bloomed fairly heavily but given my luck with my Meyer lemon tree, I didn’t get too excited.  I figured maybe we would have a handful of limes and we’d have better luck the next year when it was more established.  Well, I was wrong.  We ended up with more limes than we knew what to do with and I was getting pretty sick of mojitos, daiquiris and fresh made margaritas.  So I hit Google to find other libations that used fresh lime juice.  This year, we have even MORE so there may be a part 2 of this post in the future!


One of the first drinks to pop up brought me back to being under 21 and drinking in a club that wasn’t so great about checking ID’s.  Our drink of choice was the kamikaze shot although I am pretty sure back then I had no idea what was even in them.  I made a mental mote to make a couple rounds the next weekend.  Well, wouldn’t you know, that very weekend I attended a party where the host was a former bartender.  Without me even saying anything, he busted out the shaker and made a couple rounds of kamikaze shots.  Ahhh, I was back to my youth.

Kamikaze Shots

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Triple sec

1 oz Lime juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes, and serve.

If you’re so inclined you can look for the recipe to make this into an actual drink rather than a shot.  Those are just as good.

This second recipe caught my eye because of the South Beach reference.  At the time, we were thinking of South Beach as a destination for our anniversary.  Even though the trip didn’t pan out, the drink recipe stuck.

South Beach Martini

2 oz Orange vodka

2 oz Absolut Citron

3/4 oz Cointreau

3/4 oz Lime juice

Ice

Twist of Orange peel

Shake well with ice. Strain into large martini glass. Garnish with twist of orange peel.

Now this last drink sounds, well, odd but at the same time, refreshing.  I would LOVE to have an avocado tree but we don’t really have room for one.  I like to think this drink borders on healthy…it gives a dose of vitamin C as well as a dose of good fats!

Avocado Daiquiri

1/4 medium Avocado

3/4 oz fresh Lime juice

1 cup crushed Ice

1 1/2 oz Light rum

1 wedge Lime

Crush ice in blender. Add rum, lime juice, and 1/4 medium avocado in blender. Blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Pour into glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Like I said above, the tree has even MORE limes this year so stayed tuned for more lime recipes both drinking related and not!

A Few Of My Own Recipes

I've shared a couple of my, well, made up recipes in the past.  I always get nervous doing it because I don't exactly measure, etc.  But I have a couple of family favorites I would like to share.  I'll give my usual warnings that measurements are approximate.  And feel free to do what I do with recipe which is change it to make it your own.

This first one I came up with this past weekend.  It was a pretty cold weekend by Florida standards and I thought soup would be a great idea.  Hubby grew up eating his grandfather's "greens and beans" so this soup is a bit of a spin-off from that.

Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

1 package of turkey sausage (5 links...feel free to use regular sausage)
1/2 pound of kale, chopped (you could also use escarole)
2 cans of white beans (I used Great Northern beans)
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups of chicken broth (I use fat free sodium free)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Brown the sausage in a bit of olive oil.  Remove from the pan, take off the casing and slice the sausage.

Add a bit more oil to the pan and saute the onion and garlic until translucent.  Add in the kale until it's all wilted down.  Add the sausage back in and then add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes.  Season to taste.

Even the kids liked this (well, my youngest wouldn't eat the "seaweed" but she ate everything else).  I threw in some leftover orzo too.  It's great with a nice crusty bread.

The next recipe I've changed a few times before I got to the "recipe" I use now.  I made these for Valentine's Day last night.  They're always a family favorite.

Chicken Quesadillas

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 pablano pepper, sliced (or you could use a regular pepper or a couple of jalapenos)
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. pureed chipotles in adobo (use more or less depending on taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup of canola or vegetable oil (depending on how limey you want the marinade)
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of Shredded Mexican style Cheese (this depends on how cheesy you like them)
6 Burrito size flour tortillas (you can use smaller ones if you like)
Cooking spray

Put the chicken, onion and pepper in a shallow dish or resealable bag.  Whisk together the lime juice, chipotle, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to make the marinade.  Pour over the chicken and veggies and marinate for at least half an hour but not more than a couple of hours.

Cook the chicken and veggies in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are a bit tender.

Now, how you make the quesadillas will depend on what kind of equipment you have on hand.  I use a Foreman Grill but you can do it in a skillet or on a grill as well.

Spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray and place on the pan or grill, sprayed side down.  Sprinkle the tortilla with a bit of the cheese, spreading it evenly over the tortilla.  Add a layer of the chicken and veggies (not too much...a nice single layer is good) then top with a bit more cheese.  Spray the second tortillas with cooking spray and place on top of the first, sprayed side up.  Let the quesadilla cook for about 5 minutes on one side.  If using a pan or grill, flip the quesadillas over (this can be tricky) and cook another 5 minutes or until the tortilla is a bit browned and crispy.  Repeat the process with the other 4 tortillas.  You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.  Let them cool a bit before cutting into wedges (I cut mine into 8 wedges using my pizza cutter).  We top ours with salsa and sour cream.

When we're eating healthy, I use whole wheat tortillas and reduced fat cheese.  I've also make them with steak.

I hope I got these recipes right!  If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments!

Drive By Steak Post

I'm going to apologize in advance for the short post.  I do have another one in the works but I need to try all the recipe first so it will likely be  LATE Super Bowl post.  But hey, you can use the recipes for next year!

I recently tried this steak recipe after my friends Wendy and Bill turned me back on to London broil.  I have NOT made it as a salad.  I just use all the marinade for the steak and serve it with roasted potatoes and a veggie.  I imagine this marinade would work great for flank steak too.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

 

1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick

3 tablespoons lime juice, divided (I don't divide it...I throw it in all at once.  I don't get why she says to divide it)

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce (I use chili garlic sauce.  Sriracha would also work)

1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)

3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried

1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Rinse and pat the meat dry. Place in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.

Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.

One of these days I will make it as a salad.  This marinade is SO good and the longer you leave the steak in, the better.

 

I PROMISE you a post next week with the Super Bowl recipes I tried...well, unless they suck but I doubt they will!  GO GIANTS!!!!

More Apps and Picks

'Tis the season for parties so I am doing another installment of appetizer recipes.  I LOVE to do apps on Sundays while we watch football.  Lots of times, we won't even have a real dinner...we just fill up on little stuff.  I think it's a great way to spend a Sunday and I have found some great new recipes.

This first recipe I got out of a magazine.  It comes from Stacy's Pita Chips and it's so simple and SO good on crackers.  If you click on the hyperlink, you can find it under "Classic Dips."

Classic Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup sour cream (I use Light)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Light)
1/4 cup cream cheese (I use reduced fat)
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (I use Parmesan)
1/4 teaspoon garlic gloves, minced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a small baking dish, mix together artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, mayo, cream cheese, Romano cheese and garlic.  Cover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.  Serve warm, hot or cool.

My notes:  I serve it hot and I also uncover it for the last 10 minutes of baking.

This next recipe was one I remembered from my childhood and I was excited to find it.  When I made them, it brought me right back to my family's Christmas Eve get togethers.

Spinach-Cheese Balls

1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 egg                                           
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt                                           
1 cup tomato pasta sauce, if desired

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix all ingredients, except pasta sauce. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve with pasta sauce.

These next two recipes I tried this past weekend after seeing them on an episode of "Down Home With The Neelys"  Oh my God...they were both SOOO good.  On the second one, I have NOT tried the dip yet but I can't wait to!

BBQ Pot Stickers

1/2 pound ground pork

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Neely's BBQ sauce, plus an additional 1/4 cup

1 teaspoon Neely's BBQ seasoning, recipe follows

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Dash hot sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

25 to 30 small square wonton wrappers

Canola oil, for frying

1 cup chicken stock

In a medium bowl, add the ground pork, green onions, garlic, BBQ sauce, BBQ seasoning, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Mix together with a wooden spoon until incorporated

Lay 3 wonton wrappers at a time out on your work surface. Cover the others with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Dip your finger in a small ramekin of water and brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Drop a teaspoon of the filling into the center of the wonton, add a drop of BBQ sauce, approximately a teaspoon, on top of the filling. Bring 2 opposite points together and seal, then bring the next 2 points together and pleat the top, making a little purse. As you go, set the filled dumplings on a sheet tray and cover with another damp paper towel. Repeat until all the filling is used.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add the dumplings to the pan. Make sure they are not touching or crowded together. Let the dumplings cook, for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the chicken stock and cover. Reduce the heat to low, and allow the dumplings to finish cooking by steaming, another 2 to 3 minutes. Once done, gently remove the dumplings from the pan.

Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Neely BBQ Seasoning:

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups paprika

3 3/4 tablespoons onion powder

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Shrimp Hushpuppies With Vidalia Onion Dip

Onion Dip:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 Vidalia onions, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Dash hot sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Shrimp Hushpuppies, for serving, recipe follows

Add the olive oil and butter to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from the heat and allow the onions to cool.

Blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, hot sauce, garlic powder, and chives together in a medium bowl. Add the onions and stir well to blend. Taste for seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Cook's Note: This dip is best made the night before, so the flavors have time to meld.

Shrimp Hushpuppies:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup self-rising flour ( I didn't have any so I Googled a substitute recipe...easy peasy!)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 small onion, grated

1/4 cup chives, chopped

1/2 pound cooked shrimp, cleaned and tails removed, chopped

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Peanut oil, for frying

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

Now, I will admit I haven't tried the next recipe  but I plan to make it on Christmas Day.  It looked so good, I just had to share.

White Beans and Rosemary Crostini

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 ounces pancetta, diced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thickly sliced
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Squeeze of lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baguette, sliced

Heat a fireplace to medium heat. Adjust the grill racks over the flame and heat a heavy Dutch oven over the rack. Alternatively, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Once hot, add the oil to the saucepan. Add the pancetta and render some of its fat. Add the rosemary and garlic, and saute until fragrant. Stir in the beans, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Mash the beans with the back of a wooden spoon. Don't mash them all smooth, you want some texture.

Toast the baguette slices. Serve the beans on top of the toasted baguette. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.

If you love apps like I do, definitely give these a try.  I guarantee they'll become staples.

A Time For Giving Thanks...And EATING!

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays mainly because of the food.  We always spent that holiday at another family member's house...even after I got married but I longed for the day when I could host my own.  Once we moved away, I figured I would have that chance and we would be able to make some new traditions.  Well, that hasn't quite happened yet.  The first year I did host dinner for my parents.  But last year we spent the week of Thanksgiving at Disney World with Hubby's entire family and we ate dinner at a restaurant (not something I ever care to repeat).  I did make a turkey breast dinner for our immediate family the following weekend.  But this year, I am really looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with some good friends who live a couple hours away.  We will be heading up to their house the day before and I CANNOT wait (neither can my husband and kids).  They love to cook as much as I do so we will all be pitching in.

They will be ordering a turducken which I cannot WAIT to try.  We'll also be frying a turkey which I will supply.  I am going to bake the apple cranberry pie I posted here.  I am also going to make the stuffing.  Now, stuffing has ALWAYS been my favorite part of Thanksgiving.  I made this recipe for the first time the year my parents were here and it was a hit so this has become my staple recipe.  It is SO good.

Raffy's Turkey Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

1 medium green apple, cored and diced into 1-inch cubes

1 medium red apple, cored and diced into 1-inch cubes

1 medium onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cubed

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 (6-ounce) bag dried cranberries

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, meat removed from casing

8 ounce jar steamed whole chestnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 pound day old cornbread or bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup canned chicken stock

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan add the apples, onion, 1 tablespoon oil and butter cook over a medium low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Add the wine, cranberries, and salt and pepper, simmer for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turkey sausage meat and break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl toss together the fruit and onion mixture, the sausage, the chestnuts, the cornbread and red pepper flakes. Combine all the ingredients.

Add the chicken stock, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Gently place into an 8 1/2 by 8 1/2- inch glass Pyrex baking dish and top with the remaining Parmesan. Dot with butter. Place in middle rack and bake until top is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

My Notes:  I leave out the chestnuts.  I also don't measure the chicken stock...I just add it until the consistency is right.  I also leave off the Parmesan cheese and butter on the top.  The top browns nicely enough without it.  I use ciabatta bread that I leave out to get stale but I think any bread would work.

I will also be supplying the cranberry sauce.  I like whole cranberry sauce and it is SO easy to make, there's no reason to buy it.  When I was a kid, we used to make cranberry relish in elementary school around Thanksgiving.  We make it with oranges and walnuts so I went looking for a similar recipe.  This one brought the memories flooding back.  I've also made it without walnuts and it's just as good.

Fresh Orange-Cranberry Sauce with Walnuts

1 12-ounce bag cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 medium seedless orange, all peel and pith cut away, fruit diced

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook until cranberries are tender and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in orange pieces and walnuts. Transfer to bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

We will also be having the Thanksgiving staples such as sauteed spinach with bacon, butternut squash, mashed potatoes, corn bisque and sweet potatoes.

Another good side side that incorporates a green veggie and butternut squash is a salad made with roasted butternut squash and arugula.  I made also made this the year my parents were here and it got rave reviews.  I tweaked it a little so I'll add my notes at the end.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced

Good olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

My Notes:  I used spinach in place of arugula.  I also used goat cheese (chevre) in place of Parmesan.  I just think it goes better with the tangy dressing and the sweet squash and cranberries.

As a last note, another good pie to serve is the caramel apple pie I posted at the same time as the apple cranberry pie (link above).

I hope that as time goes on and I cook more Thanksgiving dinners, I can use it as a chance to try new spins on traditional recipes.  I will be buying an extra turkey to make another turkey dinner for my immediate family so maybe I'll go look for some new recipes.  You know if I find good ones, I'll share them!

C Is For Cookie And Cookie Is For Me

I thought I would get an early start in the holiday baking posts this year in case anyone has a cookie swap or holiday party to go to.  I've already posted some cookie recipes here but I have lots more thanks to several years of attending a cookie swap back in CT so I thought I would share a few more.

I'm not sure where I got this first one.  My mom used to make these cookies but I can't remember if this is her recipe or if I got it elsewhere.  I quick search of the Web didn't turn up any exactly like this one so if anyone knows where it came from, let me know.  This is also for one of my friends...I was supposed to send her this recipe WEEKS ago (Sorry, Chibi!)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C white sugar
1 egg
1 C canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 C AP flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon; gradually mix into the creamed mixture.  Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown,  Cool on wire racks.

This next recipe is a bit nostalgic for me because Hubby and I spent our wedding night at a Double Tree.  I do have to say, the cookies are amazing!

Double Tree Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups semi-sweet, chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Grind oats in a food processor or blender until fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just blended. Add the chocolate chips and nuts to the dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well blended.

NOTE: For the best results, chill the dough overnight in the refrigerator before baking the cookies.

Spoon rounded 1/4 cup portions onto an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Place the scoops about 2 inches apart. (You will probably only fit 4-6 cookies per sheet at this size) Bake in a 350°F oven for 16-18 minutes or until cookies are light brown around the edges and soft in the middle. Store in a sealed container when cool to keep soft.

This next recipe I got from my sister-in-law.  You could probably use any kind of miniature candy bar you like for this.  I've made them with Milky Ways.

Snickers Surprise Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

24 Snickers miniature candy bars

Preheat oven to 300°F.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, mix together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and combine thoroughly.  Then mix in flour mixture.

Cover and chill dough 2-3 hours.

To form cookie, scoop a tablespoon of chilled dough and flatten.  Place a miniature Snickers in the center and form the dough into a ball around the Snickers.

Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-20 minutes.  Cool cookies on a rack.

Optional: Decorate cookies with powdered sugar or drizzled melted chocolate or both.

Well, that's it for now.  In the next week or so, I'll be putting up some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes so keep an eye out!