White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

 White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Whenever I can take short cuts, believe me, I do. I am always trying faster ways to make a recipe and I put each one through my taste test.  If it passes the “taste like homemade test” then that’s the way I will make it going forward.  That’s just what I did with this incredible delicious cookie.  First I made my “from scratch” cookies. Then I did a batch using a cookie mix.  You could NOT tell the difference!  I have given you both recipes so you can see for yourself!  These cookies are delicious either way you make them.  Soft and chewy with rich melted white chocolate and just a hint of cherry!  YUM!

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon corn starch

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cherries or cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and both sugars. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy and pale in color, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. 

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt. Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cherries.

Drop heaping spoonful’s of the batter onto the lined cookie sheet. You can also scoop the dough in your hand and roll into balls before baking. That's what I did with these cookies.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden around the edges.  

Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Drop a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.

SHORT CUT

1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker Cookie Mix Sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1 egg 

½ cup dried cherries, chopped (or use cranberries)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend the cookie mix, butter, cornstarch, and egg to form dough. Gently stir in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.  

Scoop the dough by spoonful’s onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  You can also scoop the dough in your hand and roll into balls before baking. That's what I did with these cookies.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the cookie edges become golden.  Drop a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.

Ham and Potato Hash with Sunny Side Up Eggs

 Ham and Potato Hash with Sunny Side Up Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love hash for breakfast and I make it often. If I have leftover ham or turkey or bacon, I like to create my own hash using whatever I have left.  This one is pretty simple.  I diced some ham, par boiled some potatoes, and add some garlic and onion.  Then topped it with some eggs, sunny side up of course.  Delicious!

 

Ham and Potato Hash with Sunny Side Up Eggs

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 cups potatoes, diced small

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups diced ham

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

 

 Fill a large saucepan with cold water. Place diced potatoes in saucepan with a tablespoon of salt 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring water up to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for roughly 3 minutes to parboil the potatoes. You are not cooking them yet. The trick is to take the potatoes out when they start to go tender but are still firm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drain potatoes into a large colander and set aside to cool and dry. While the potatoes are cooling prepare your other ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add olive oil and butter to a large nonstick skillet over low-medium heat. Add onion and fry until it becomes soft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add potatoes and cook until they start to lightly brown and get crisp. Don’t turn the potatoes too much, let them brown well before flipping them in the pan.  Add garlic to the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add ham continue to cook until the ham has started to lightly brown.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve immediately with poached or sunny side up eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

My Mom’s Apple Cobbler

 

My Mom’s Apple Cobbler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

      

     

 

     I make a lot of cobblers all year round.  They remind me of growing up in a southern home with a Mom that loved picking fresh fruit and making magic happen.  I make blueberry, peach, blackberry, and even strawberry now and then.  But my all-time favorite is Apple Cobbler.  It brings back such wonderful memories of going to the orchard with my Mom and picking the perfect apples to make the best dessert.  The house would smell so good and my Mom would be so proud of me for making it on my own.  I love this old-fashioned dessert! 

My Mom’s Apple Cobbler

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

For the Apple Filling

 

8-12 medium baking apples (see notes above) peeled, cored, and sliced

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ cup butter melted

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a  9 x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Toss gently to coat.

Pour lemon juice and melted butter over top of spiced apples.

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside. 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Cobbler

 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder. Whisk it together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 egg. Pour it into the bowl with the flour, then use a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour, making a shaggy dough. You can use a spoon or fork if you don't have a pastry cutter, be sure to use a cutting motion rather than stirring. It's okay if there are still some dry spots of flour. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoon the flour mixture on top of the apples evenly. Slice a stick of butter into 1/2 inch pieces. Scatter evenly over the top of the flour mixture. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. It’s done when the top is a golden brown and it’s bubbling all around the sides. 

Notes

Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drizzle each serving with a little caramel sauce for an especially pretty plate.

Storage: Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Cover and freeze the baked cobbler for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven before serving.

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.  

My Delicious Potato Poppers

You'll love this little appetizer.  So easy to make and just crazy good.  I also serve them on the side with simple dinners.  Little goodies, filled with potatoes and mustard. Then topped with cheese and bacon.  OMG.  So yummy.

    My Delicious Potato Poppers

 

1 Pound small Yukon Gold potatoes

2 teaspoons yellow mustard or more to taste

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon cream cheese  

¼ cup cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1-2 tablespoons of bacon bits

Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water until they are fork tender.  Set them aside to cool.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using a small melon baller, scoop out the inside of the potatoes and add to a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt to each scooped out potato.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mash the potato in the bowl with a fork or spoon and add the cream cheese and sour cream and mustard.  I usually just use a spoon and mash but you can mix with hand mixer if you want a smoother texture.

NOTE:  If the potatoes are moving too much.  Using your paring knife slice off the thinnest piece from the bottom and they will sit flat. 

Fill the potato skins with the cheese mixture. You can do this with a spoon or a piping bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the potatoes on a greased baking tray, and add the salt and pepper on top.  Add your bacon bits to the top of each potato and place in the oven for about 5 minutes until cheese melts.

 

Garnish with parsley.

Serve and enjoy!

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.