Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Many people have their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe all locked up, but I have run across a lot, who never seem to have much luck with them.  When I give them this recipe and method, it always becomes their go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  These are delicious, practically foolproof, and they could not be easier.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened) - the real stuff, no margarine or shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use just a little less)
1 egg
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Method:
Cream together, butter, sugars, egg, soda, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occassionally). Add flour and stir until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until just incorporated. Drop by tbsp on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 F for 9 - 11 minutes.

No Bake Cookies

These are the no-bake cookies that I grew up on, and honestly, no other has ever compared to them in my opinion.  These are chocolatey and chewy without ever getting grainy.  I love them.  To me, they are the perfect no-bake.  My mom got this recipe from one of her old ward cookbooks.  I copied it down years ago, so I couldn't tell you which ward for sure, but I seriously think it came from her student ward in Laramie, Wyoming back before I was ever born.

We have have enjoyed these several times this summer.  It is nice to make a cookie that doesn't require turning on the oven.  Plus, we just keep these puppies right in the refrigerator, so they are always cold and perfect for a hot summer day.

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla (I like to add 2 tsps.)
1 cup coconut
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

Method:
Combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk in saucepan and bring to boil.. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.  Drop by teaspoon (I use my 1 tsp cookie scoop - so easy) on wax paper while still hot.  Cool completely before serving.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Easy Cheese Danish

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 Tbsp. ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest of one lemon

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined.

Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 minutes.

Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm. (My husband actually likes them best at room temperature with a little powdered sugar glaze.)

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

This is one of our favorite summer treats. When strawberries are in season and on sale, we always try to make this yummy sorbet at least a couple of times. It tastes just like sweet fresh frozen strawberries!

Strawberry Sorbet

1 C water

1 C sugar

1/4 C light corn syrup

1 quart strawberries

4 T lemon juice

In a medium saucepan make a simple syrup of the sugar and water. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Clean the strawberries and remove the stems. Place them in a blender and add the lemon juice. Puree completely. Press through strainer to remove most of the seeds. Add the simple syrup and corn syrup and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Freeze in ice cream freezer as directed.

We love this right out of the ice cream maker at soft serve consistency and also after it has firmed up in the freezer

Chocolate Bon Bons

We love these, and I only make them once a year, at Christmas time, which is strange because they are soooo easy. Probably, because I love them too much and cannot stop at one (or two, or three...).

Chocolate Bon Bons

3 large Hershey Bars (with or without almonds)

1 13 ounce tub Cool Whip

1/2 tsp peppermint extract (optional - we like them best without)

crushed vanilla wafers, flaked coconut, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, etc.

Melt chocolate carefully and pour over Cool Whip which was placed in large bowl. Pour slowly and fold in chocolate as it is poured. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least two hours. Drop by teaspoon in wafer crumbs (or coconut, or nuts, etc.) and roll into a round ball (about bite size). Place on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper and freeze. Yum!