Perfect Snickerdoodles

https://cookiesandcups.com/perfect-snickerdoodles/

I was impressed when I made these that they actually did turn out and weren't hard! I like this recipe. Yumm!

The photo is off the website.
★★★★★ 4.7 from 54 reviews
Author: Cookies & Cups
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Yield: 20 large cookies

The BEST most PERFECT Snickerdoodle cookie recipe ever! Super soft and buttery, loaded with cinnamon and sugar. Plus, there’s no chilling the dough necessary, so they can be made QUICK!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, plus 1 yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 3/4 cup flour

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. 

Add in the egg, the yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon and mix for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Turn mixer to low and add in flour, mixing until just combined.

In a separate small bowl make your Cinnamon Sugar by mixing together cinnamon and sugar, stirring until evenly combined.

Using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop portion out the dough and roll into a ball. Then roll each cookie dough ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.

Place on prepared baking sheet about 2- inches apart. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning cookie sheet halfway through baking.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

I bake my Snickerdoodles for exactly 11 minutes every time I make this recipe with perfect results, but I know ovens vary, so bake only until the edges are slightly golden. The tops may seem slightly undercooked, but they will firm up perfectly when they cool. If you prefer a crisper cookie, bake for 2 additional minutes.

Store airtight for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cookie

Serves 20

Amount Per Serving
Calories		207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9.9g		15%
Cholesterol 43mg		14%
Sodium 131.1mg		5%
Total Carbohydrate 27.3g		9%
	Sugars 13.7g
Protein 2.5g		5%
Vitamin A6% Vitamin C0%

Potato Salad (Almost German Potato Salad)

https://abountifulkitchen.com/instant-pot-potato-salad/

https://abountifulkitchen.com/almost-german-potato-salad/

This photo is off abountifulkitchen website

Instant Pot Potato Salad/AUNT DI’S ALMOST GERMAN POTATO SALAD

My Family really LOVES this recipe. I quite like it but I'm not a pickle fan but I still eat it and it's good. I love cooking the potatoes and eggs in my pressure cooker, it's awesome. Follow her directions on the hard boiled eggs and they turn out great. Enjoy!

PREP 45 MINS

TOTAL 45 MINS

YIELD 15-20 SERVINGS

I Use a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot for all of my recipes. Most often, I use my 6 quart pot. 

Ingredients

• Small white or red potatoes, about 4-5 lbs washed, unpeeled
• 8-12 eggs
• Dill pickles, about 3 large or 6 small chunked
• Dill pickle juice about 3/4 to 1 cup
• Best Foods  or Hellman's Mayo – No LIGHT, please about 1 1/2 cups total
• Sea or Kosher salt
• White pepper, optional

Instructions

For eggs:

• Place the eggs in the Instant Pot with the wire rack in the bottom of the pot.
• Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant pot. Make sure the sealing ring is in place inside of the Instant Pot lid.
• Secure the lid on the pot and lock into position. Check the sealing valve on top and make sure it is set to the "Sealing" position. 
• Turn to "Manual" or "High Pressure"  setting and cook the eggs for 5 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, release the pressure in the pot carefully using the steam release valve on top of the pot. 
• Remove the eggs using the wire rack and place immediately in a bowl of cold ice water, or place the eggs in a bowl and run cold water over the eggs until cooled a bit.
• Peel and set aside. 

For potatoes:

• Wash the potatoes while the eggs are cooking, no need to peel or cut. If cooking eggs in the Instant Pot before cooking the potatoes, wash the Instant Pot insert with soap to insure there is not a cross contamination from the egg shells. 
• Place the washed potatoes in the clean Instant Pot with 1 cup water. Make sure the sealing ring is in place inside of the Instant Pot lid and secure the lid on the pot and lock into position. Check the sealing valve on top and make sure it is set to the "Sealing" position. Set the timer on the Instant Pot to 10 minutes on "Manual" or "High Pressure" setting with 10 minutes natural release time. If using very small potatoes 1-1/2 inches round, such as the potatoes sold in small mesh bags, I cook for 5 minutes with 5 minutes of natural pressure release time. See recipe notes for additional instructions.
• When potatoes are done, release the pressure carefully, and place potatoes in a large bowl. Discard any water in Instant Pot insert.  Use a knife and slice or slash the potatoes in half or fourths depending on size. 
• Pour pickle juice (cold or room temperature) over the hot potatoes. It is important the potatoes are cut and still hot while the juice is poured over. The juice will soak into the potatoes and create a type of dressing when the mayo is added and also add moisture to the potatoes. I start with about 1/2 cup of juice and add about 3/4 cup total as I fold into the hot potatoes.
• Generously salt the potatoes at this time. 
• Add mayo to the bowl, about 1 1/2 cups, along with eggs cut into chunks, and sliced or chunk dill pickles. The eggs, mayo and pickles may be added to the bowl at one time. 
• Fold all ingredients together and taste to see if more salt is needed.
• Add additional mayo if needed. See recipe notes for making ahead.   
• This salad is best served warm or at room temperature, but is also good chilled. 

Notes

• You may have to experiment with potatoes and cook time. The end result should be potatoes that are completely soft, but not mushy, with some of the skins being split. The amount of time potatoes take to cook will depend on many factors- size, variety of potatoes (red, white, russet , etc). 
• To reduce cook time of potatoes, cut the potatoes BEFORE cooking in the Instant Pot. Wash and cut the potatoes into even pieces, about 1 1/2 inch squares. Reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes  on high pressure, and immediately release pressure after timer goes off. Drain any excess water before proceeding with recipe. 
• If for some reason your potatoes are not cooked enough, Set the timer for an additional 3-5 minutes according to doneness and add 1/2 cup of water and start the Instant Pot on manual cook setting again. 
• If the potato salad is sitting overnight and served the next day, allow for some additional mayo to be added if needed. The potatoes will soak up mayo after sitting for a while. I wait to place on a serving platter or dish until just before serving in case extra mayo needs to be added. Always store the potato salad in the refrigerator. 

Homemade Oreo Cookies 

https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/homemade-oreo-cookies/

 This picture is from the website but mine looked the same.

I actually used a different recipe for the cookie part. A recipe that called for using devil's food cake mix. I used the frosting recipe though from this recipe and thought it was perfect!!!

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

48 mins

 

Perfect homemade Oreo cookies that will have your whole family drooling!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Unit: cup, large, teaspoon

Servings: 15

Calories: 269 kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter , room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening ,(I think I might of used the shortening and it was butter flavored, so it'd taste more Oreoish but can't remember for sure) or 4 oz of cream cheese if you'd like a cream cheese frosting for the filling, instead.
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cookies:

1. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Add the butter to a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until creamy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until well combined. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
3. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Roll the dough into small, 2 teaspoon sized balls. 
7. You should be able to roll about 30 cookie dough balls. I can fit 15 on each of my cookie sheets. Press down lightly on the top of the balls to slightly flatten. 
8. Bake for 6-8 minutes. The will appear soft but will continue to harden as they cool. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then remove to a wire cooling wrack to cool completely.

For the Filling:

1. Beat together butter and shortening until smooth. 
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. 
3. Once the cookies have cooled, add a small spoonful of filling onto the inside of a cookie. Place the inside of another cookie on top and press together.
4. Cookies store well, covered in the fridge, for up to 1 week. They also freeze well, up to 2 months. 

   
   
5. Filling can be made up to 1 week ahead of time, stored in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before filling cookies.

Recipe Notes

*I used salted butter in the cookies and frosting. You can use unsalted butter and add a tiny pinch of salt to the fry ingredients of the cookie batter.

*If you'd rather make a traditional cream filling (instead of cream cheese), substitute the cream cheese with 1/4 cup vegetable shortening. 

Recipe makes 15 sandwich cookies (30 single cookies). 

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 269Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Cholesterol 36mg12%

Sodium 180mg8%

Potassium 64mg2%

Total Carbohydrates 37g12%

Dietary Fiber 1g4%

Sugars 27g

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A6%

Calcium1.3%

Iron5.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Snickerdoodle Waffle Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze

https://laurenslatest.com/snickerdoodle-waffle-cookies-with-cream-cheese-glaze/

My family and the people we brought these to thought they were to die for. I thought they were good enough. They were a bit tricky to get out of the waffle maker in one piece. I had to be really really careful. I made them into waffle sticks with my waffle sticks maker. They were fairly quick and easy! This is not my photo. I like the round shape of these though. But mine did turn out nice looking with the drizzle of frosting and a little shake of cinnamon on top. 

PREP 10 MINS

COOK 10 MINS

TOTAL 20 MINS

YIELD 2 DOZEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

for the glaze-

• 2 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• heavy cream or milk to thin into glaze consistency

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the cookies, whip butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients until incorporated.
2. Preheat waffle iron. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and scoop cookie dough into forms. Close waffle iron and cook until brown, about 2 minutes but depends on the iron. Carefully remove and cool.
3. For the glaze, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Slowly stir in milk or heavy cream to create a drizzle-able glaze. Drizzle over waffle cookies and top with more cinnamon. Serve.

                Pork (Carnitas) Street Tacos 

Pressure Cooker 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246332/carnitas-pressure-cooker/

O.k. folks, this recipe is AWESOME!!!!! We LOVED it! I served it on little corn tortillas with cabbage, salsa, cheese, cilantro and a cilantro lime dressing (not homemade but I'm totally o.k. with that). It did take me a bit of time to cut up the pork butt and it had a lot of fat on it which concerned me and I cut some of it off but when the meat was done, it did just fall apart and I took out a few chunks of fat but the rest of the fat seemed to disappear, or blend into the meat. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
By the way, that is not my photo but ours looked similar!


Ingredients


1 (6 pound) pork butt roast

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste

1 cup orange juice1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, diced, or more to taste

1 tsp corriander (optional-but I added about 3/4 tsp)


Directions

Prep 20 m
Cook 1 h
Ready In 1 h 35 m

Trim excess fat from pork butt; cut pork into 2-inch cubes and transfer to a bowl.

Combine salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, chile powder, and paprika together in a bowl. 

Rub pork cubes with spice mixture. Coat seasoned pork cubes lightly in olive oil; place in pressure cooker. 

Cover pork cubes with orange juice, onion, and garlic.

Place lid on pressure cooker and lock; bring to full pressure over medium heat until pork is no longer pink in the center, about 60 minutes. 

Let pressure come down naturally, about 15 minutes.

Remove pork from pressure cooker and shred meat.

THE BEST CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE

https://www.modernhoney.com/the-best-chicken-marinade-recipe/

Luke found this recipe and really liked the marinade so I'm keeping the recipe. Jed said it was really tasty as well. 

PREP TIME 30 mins,  COOK TIME 10 mins,  TOTAL TIME= 40 mins

The best chicken marinade for juicy flavorful grilled chicken.
Author: Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. Chicken Breasts, Tenders, or Thighs
⅓ - ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (depending on preference)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 Garlic Cloves, minced or ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
1½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper

Garnish:
Fresh Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl, stir together oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pierce chicken breasts with a fork all over. Place in a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over chicken.
Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. 4 - 5 hours is ideal.
Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush grill with oil to prevent sticking.
Place chicken on the grill. Cook for approximately 5 - 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of chicken. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees.
Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

CHICKEN POTPIE RECIPE

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-chicken-potpie

I'm not a huge pot pie fan but when it is requested by one of the boys, sometimes I give in. This did seem like a lot of work but in the end it was quite tasty and the older boys enjoyed it very much. 
Two years later update: the family LOVES this pot pie recipe! It is a winner. Easier if you don't have to make your own crust though.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1-3/4 cups sliced carrots
1 cup butter, cubed
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme (I did not add thyme)
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups whole milk
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
4 sheets refrigerated pie crust (I bought frozen crusts and let them thaw as I put together the meal)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. (Mine did thicken but did was very clumpy so I had to use my hand blender tool to get it smooth.) Stir in chicken, peas, corn and potato mixture; remove from heat.
Unroll a pie crust into each of two 9-in. pie plates; trim even with rims. Add chicken mixture. Unroll remaining crusts; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in tops.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked pies. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 425°. Place pies on baking sheets; cover edges loosely with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 70-80 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°. Yield: 2 potpies (8 servings each).

Test Kitchen Tips
Feel free to use your favorite homemade pie pastry.
When the edge of the pastry falls inward off the lip of the pie plate, we say it slumped. Reduce slumping by letting your fluted crust rest in the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes.

Williams Sonoma Triple Chocolate Brownies

https://abountifulkitchen.com/2010/01/willims-sonoma-triple-chocolate.html/

PREP 5 MINSCOOK 30 MINSTOTAL 35 MINS
YIELD 16 SQUARES

Ingredients

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 eggs beaten, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips*
3/4 cup white chocolate chips*
2/3 cup nuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 325°F. Line an 8 inch square pan with foil, grease foil.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Heat, stirring often, until melted.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until just blended. Do not over mix.
Stir in the chocolate chips
Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly.

Notes

-This brownie recipe is AMAZING!!! I like it best the next day or after it has cooled for quite awhile. I also love the milk chocolate chip and white chocolate chip combination!!

-You may use any combination of chocolate chips, milk, white or dark chocolate. A total of 1 1/2 cups total.

- I have also used 3/4 cups chocolate chips and an additional 2 tablespoons of flour.

Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken

https://homemadehooplah.com/grilled-honey-balsamic-chicken/

https://therecipecritic.com/2014/05/grilled-honey-balsamic-chicken/

This photo is off therecipecritic.com sight

My family thought this chicken was wonderful. My biggest critic that usually won't even eat any meat thought it was fantastic. I knew then it was a keeper!

A sweet honey balsamic marinade that makes chicken unbelievably tender and juicy. Marinates in half the time for twice the flavor!

PREP: 10 MINUTESCOOK: 15 MINUTESCALORIES: 320 KCAL
YIELDS: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN SEASONING
 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless and skinless
 1 tsp olive oil
 1/2 tsp salt
 1/4 tsp black pepper
 1/2 tsp paprika
 3/4 tsp onion powder

HONEY BALSAMIC MARINADE
 2 tbsp honey
 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
 2 tbsp ketchup
 1 tsp garlic minced

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CHICKEN SEASONING
Place olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder in a Ziploc bag (gallon sized). Add chicken and toss to coat, covering chicken with spices and oil. Set bag nearby.

FOR THE HONEY BALSAMIC MARINADE
In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, ketchup, garlic, and honey.

Divide the sauce in half. Pour one half in the bag with the chicken and store the other half in a sealed container (or bowl covered in plastic wrap).
Shake bag with chicken so that the meat is covered in the marinade. Seal bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Also store sealed marinade in the refrigerator until ready to use.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
When ready, remove chicken from ziplock bag. Discard bag and marinade that the chicken soaked in.
Grill your chicken per typical cook time, usually 3-5 minutes per side (or until no longer pink inside).

While chicken cooks, take the marinade that was stored separately and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Once chicken is cooked, drizzle or brush remaining marinade on top.
Serve immediately.

RECIPE NOTES
Recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic.

NUTRITION
320KCAL | FAT: 7G | SATURATED FAT: 1G | CHOLESTEROL: 145MG | SODIUM: 633MG | POTASSIUM: 874MG | CARBOHYDRATES: 13G | SUGAR: 11G | PROTEIN: 48G | VITAMIN A: 5.1% | VITAMIN C: 4% | CALCIUM: 1.1% | IRON: 5.3%

Giant Cornbread for a Crowd

http://atmimistable.com/giant-cornbread-crowd/

I like this recipe because it makes a large cookie sheet sized pan of cornbread (I didn't want the pan to overflow so I put the remaining batter in a small pan). It has a nice taste and texture and was moist.

Sweet and rich, this giant cornbread recipe is scaled to feed a crowd!

Author: Mimi
Cuisine: AmericanRecipe type: Bread
Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  35 mins

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2½ cups yellow or white cornmeal (I used yellow cornmeal)
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoon salt
2 1/21 cups half and half or milk (I used half and half)
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted
½ cup honey
5 large eggs, slightly beaten

Instructions

Heat oven to 400°F.

Spray ½ sheet baking pan with cooking spray, or grease with butter. (I greased my pan with butter)

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

I melted my butter then mixed it with the honey to soften the honey more. I even heated those with the milk since the cold milk curdled the butter a little. It helped make everything smooth.

Stir in all remaining ingredients just until moistened.

Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. (I made one mini loaf of bread besides the cookie sheet sized pan. I was afraid the cookie sheet would be too full and overflow)

Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I turned my cookie sheet half way through the baking process to more evenly brown the edges. Mine did not come out very brown though, mostly blond)

Notes

This recipe yields 45 2" squares of cornbread.