Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Sometimes in life you just have to make important decisions.  Some of those decisions are major and require sudden change.  Sometimes those decisions are the best decisions you’ve ever made…..like the recent decision I have made to give up chocolate chip cookies for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups.  Why you ask?  Because it’s not just a chocolate chip cookie….it’s a chocolate chip cookie  filled with whatever I want.  I mean why just eat a cookie when you can eat the cookie and the filling too?  This was one of those decisions that makes me very happy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out the cookie dough with an ice cream scoop and then roll into 1 inch balls and place them in a very well-greased or sprayed muffin tin. Using something small and round, press the dough balls down so they form a cup shape. I use a small spice jar or my smallest measuring cup.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Filling

1½ cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon sea salt

3 egg yolks

3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

whipped cream, to serve

Crack three egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.

Use a double boiler or a glass bowl that will fit on top of a saucepan. Fill half full with hot simmering water. Pour in the cream and warm it for 3 or 4 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla, sugar and salt. Continue whisking until the sugar is dissolved.

Spoon a little of hot cream into the egg yolks to temper them, and then pour the remaining egg yolks into the milk mixture, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped chocolate and continue stirring until it melts, combining with the cream and eggs and thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Pour the custard into cooled cookie cups and cover with plastic.  Refrigerate until set.  Top each cookie cup with your choice of sprinkles, white chocolate chips, whipped cream, or whatever you like.  For a real treat, fill them with vanilla ice cream and drizzle chocolate syrup on top! 

 Short Cuts:

Use refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough and roll into balls to make your cups. Use instant chocolate pudding mix as directed for your filling.

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Smothered Meatballs and Gravy

Did someone say comfort food?  I think this dish is the ultimate in comfort food. Beefy and delicious, these meatballs are smothered in a rich thick savory gravy and served over rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes.  Wow! What a great dinner! 

One of my Mom’s favorite dishes to serve her family was meatballs.  She would just make up the recipe as she went along so it was sometimes hard to follow.  But after years of making them, I realized she made them exactly the way she imagined the flavor to be in her mind. I find that I now do the same thing after all these years.  I make them the way I think they should taste, and while it’s hard to even write my own recipe, I made an effort this time so that I could share them with you.

Smothered Meatballs and Gravy

2 pounds ground chuck

3/4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 small jar of beef gravy

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, black pepper, and onions. Add 3 tablespoons of beef gravy to the mix. Reserve the remaining jar of gravy for later. If the mixture is too dry, add more gravy. If it is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.

Mix together with hands until everything is combined. Then shape into meatballs. You can  make larger meatballs to serve for dinner as you see in the photos, or smaller meatballs to serve as appetizers.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high.  Add the meatballs and brown on all sides until, about 7 to 10 minutes. Searing the meatballs locks in the flavor. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Make sure you scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the skillet.  Whisk flour for about a minute or so or until lightly browned.

Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add in the Worcestershire sauce and stir. Add the heavy cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Add the remaining gravy from the jar and whisk to blend.  Remove the meatballs from the oven, and add to gravy. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.  

Serve over buttered egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes!

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Shrimp Cocktail

If you’ve never had Shrimp Cocktail, you have no idea what you’re missing.  But it’s so expensive to order in a restaurant and so easy to make at home.  And trust me, once you’ve made your own Shrimp Cocktail, you won’t ever order it again.  Oh, you say…I can get some at the grocery store.  Don’t even.  No comparison.  Let’s just say, I always have to buy an extra pound of shrimp when I make it for friends and family because I can eat a pound all by myself!  This is the best Shrimp Cocktail you will ever eat.

Shrimp Cocktail

2 pounds de-veined, shell-on extra-large or jumbo shrimp

2 1/2 tablespoons salt

10 sprigs fresh thyme

2 teaspoons peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

8 (2-inch) strips lemon peel plus 1/4 cup juice, from 2 lemons (reserve the lemon halves that have been juiced)

8 cups ice

Combine the shrimp, 4 cups cold water, salt, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and celery seeds in a large pot. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring every so often, until the shrimp are just beginning to turn pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon peels, lemon halves of the lemons that were already juiced. Cover the pot and let the mixture sit until the shrimp are completely pink and firm, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir the ice into the pot and let the shrimp cool completely, about 5 minutes. The ice stops the cooking of the shrimp so they don’t get rubbery and tough.

Drain the water and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Refrigerate the shrimp up to 24 hours until ready to serve. If you can’t wait, keep them in the fridge until completely chilled.

Cocktail Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve with the shrimp.  Lay out shrimp on platter and serve sauce on the side.  Or you can hang the shrimp over a glass or parfait dish of cocktail sauce for a prettier presentation.  Enjoy!

NOTE:  If using frozen shrimp, be sure and thaw them completely before using. 

NOTE:  If you can’t find Old Bay Seasoning, you can make your own:

 

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves

2 teaspoons celery salt

1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground mace

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

 












Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container and store in a cool place. Use with seafood or chicken.

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Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups

One bite and you’ll say OMG, this one’s a keeper!  It is just that delicious. It’s like chicken alfredo but wrapped up in perfect little rolled up portions of chicken, cheese and the best homemade alfredo sauce you’ve ever tasted. You will make this time and time again.

Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups

8 Lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or make your own)

2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese

 

Alfredo Sauce

½ cup butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups)

4 ounces cream cheese

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and lay them on a paper towel to remove excess water.

 

 

 

In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. 

 

 

Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Turn down heat to just a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and continue to stir periodically while working to prepare roll ups.

 

 

Line the bottom of the 9 x 13 inch pan with 1 cup of sauce.

Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce over each noodle leaving only a small amount of space along edges.  Add some chicken on top of the sauce on each noodle. Add some shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken.  You can also mix the sauce, chicken and cheese together before topping each noodle if you like.

Carefully roll up each lasagna noodle and place seam side down in your prepared 9 × 13 pan. Repeat until you fill your dish with roll ups. Any toppings that fall out you can put back in as you roll or add to the next one you make.

 

Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining sauce over the top.

 

Then sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese all over the top. I like a lot of cheese but you can add more or less depending on preference. 

 

 

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.    

 

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and then slice and serve.

 

Wonderful with a tossed salad and some crusty Italian bread! 

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