TheKitchenCookie

Who doesn't  LOVE a fresh Chocolate Chip Cookie?!  I have a brother like that. Imagine! And we come from the same parents. From what his wife tells me he eats them now if that's the only option but growing up he never ate chocolate. I can't decide whether not liking chocolate would be a blessing or not. Imagine all the therapy one would need if not for chocolate. Anyway, I made these crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside confections last evening and was reminded again of the chocolate chip cookies we used to have when I was a little girl. Back then things were more simple and not quite as extreme as they are now and we used to jokingly call them Surprise Cookies because it was a surprise if you found a chocolate chip.☺ I'm sure it was my Mom being frugal while still wanting to make treats for us. Bless her heart she treated us well! I used to make chocolate chip cookies but was never quite satisfied until about 5 years ago I was helping to serve lunch at sc...

Here is another chocolate and peanut butter concoction that is totally irresistible and so easy to make. I sometimes make these instead of cookies if  I'm not in the baking mood. The only trouble is they never last long. Here's what you'll need: ¼ cup butter, melted 10½ ounces mini marshmallows 5½ cups Rice Krispies 1½ cups milk chocolate chips ½ cup peanut butter Melt butter in a 6 quart kettle, add marshmallows. Melt completely over low heat. Add the Rice Krispies. Mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 10½ x 15½ baking sheet. In a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Melt at 1 minute intervals until completely melted, stirring after each minute. Spread on top of Rice Krispy mixture. Let set in a cool place till chocolate mixture sets up. Be careful not to let the chocolate get too hard, it will not make a neat roll if you do. Loosen all around with a metal spatula. Roll, start...

It's possible that I was naive as to how different food cultures could be from one Amish community to the next when I married my handsome Lancaster Countian 16 years ago. I guess I just figured that they would mostly do things the same. Well I soon figured out otherwise, and have decided that there are definitely good things about both Holmes and Lancaster Counties. This particular recipe is one that differs greatly in the two Amish communities in which I have lived. In Holmes County, Ohio we call this, Dressing. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania it is called Roscht., (as in roast.) I still can't bring myself to call it Roscht, maybe I'm stubborn or maybe it's other things but I feel strangely self conscious when I say it and feel like I need to cast a glance around my immediate perimeter to see if someone heard me. Haha, sounds like an issue, doesn't it? But definitely not one worth stressing over. It's simply what one gets used to calling it. I've ...

If you love chocolate, peanut butter, creamy, easy, and delicious look no further, you have found the pot at the end of your dessert rainbow.  I aquired this recipe from my Mom (she uses Twix candy bars) years ago and made it once before but for some reason passed it over since then. When I was preparing for our Thanksgiving meal I was trying to come up with desserts that would please everyone and thought of this one. I decided to use Peanut Butter Cups instead of the Twix Bars and they loved it! So did I for that matter. Now I had a problem because I liked all 3 kinds that we had that day, Pumpkin, Pecan, AND Chocolate Cream Pie. Sigh, always you have choices. It is super easy to prepare if you use refrigerated pie crust, which I did for the sake of time. Also because I'm not what you would call crazy about making them from scratch. Using the instant pudding also makes it an easy option. DO NOT USE RAW COW'S MILK TO MAKE ANY KIND OF INSTANT ...

Happy Thankgiving to you all! This post is mostly for the sake of my family in Ohio but you are welcome to look at it too if you so choose. I neglected to take a picture of everybody at the table but you know how it goes, the kids and everyone else was hungry and I hated to make pictures for a blog more important then their needs so you will have to imagine them there. ☺ The ham and the turkey breast were delicious! as was the dressing/filling/stuffing whatever you choose to call it. I love this stuff! My mom makes the best but since she is 400 miles away I had to make my own using her recipe. A common tossed salad for my kiddos that fear fancy ones. ☺ Creamy Cole Slaw because I was hungry for it. Also on the menu were mashed potatoes and gravy. Candied Sweet Potatoes because I was hungry for them and sweet corn. Chocolate Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Cups. Mm mm MMMM! I'm sure I will make it some more! Very easy and stress free! Not So Rich Pecan Pie I usually o...

If you like chocolate (and I do) these babies are definately in the top 10 list. I don't have such a list but if I did they would be there. They are rather rich so I don't make them too often and they are wonderful with coffee. They are easy and almost never fail unless you bake them too long then they can be dry. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 10 x 15 inch bar pan with non stick spray. Oatmeal Mixture: 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup butter 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla Put in mixer bowl and cream together till fluffy. 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups quick oats 2½ cups flour (Gold Medal) Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Press 2/3 of the dough into prepared pan and set the rest aside. Fudge Mixture: 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 can sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoons butter ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chopped nuts, optional Combine in a microwavable bowl. Microwave at short intervals,about a minute each....

I'm not sure when it was that I became fascinated with Biscotti,but it was sometime in the last few years. I think it intrigued me because it seemed sort of unusual and mysterious to me. I always thought to myself that someday I'm going to learn how to make it. Well I'm pleased to tell you it's one of the easier things to do in this world. It's not mysterious at all. It's simply an Italian cookie that is baked twice. But it is my new favorite thing in the kitchen, and I'm sure I'm not done experimenting. I looked around on the Internet and through cookbooks for good recipes and couldn't quite find what I thought I was looking for, then on Tuesday night my friend Sharon and I were shopping and she mentioned that she goes to Central Market and there's some very good White Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti there. So I Googled that and found this one that I will share. I made a few minor adjustments and  I baked them a little longer than I should have be...