Ben's Chocolate Chip Cookies Submitted by Rachel

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup real butter
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp hot water
2 1/2 cups of sifted flour

Cream butter and sugars add eggs and beat well. Sift remaining flour with salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Add hot water and vanilla mix until well blended. Add chocolate chips. Drop from spoon on greased cookie sheet bake at 375 for 10 minutes Makes 6 1/2 dozen cookies.

Easy Apple Crisp

Easy Apple Crisp

6 Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Sliced
1 Cup Water, or 1 TBS per ½ Pint Jar
1 White Cake Mix
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ Cup Butter, Melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x19 inch
baking dish or 12 ½ pint jars. Arrange apples in an even
layer in bottom of baking dish or jars. Pour water over apples.
In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, brown sugar, and
cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until ingredients are thoroughly
blended; mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apples.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Serve with vanilla
ice cream.

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Roll Out Pie Crust
1 Cooking Pumpkin (the small ones) - need 15 oz. pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Pumpkin Puree: Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out insides. Place pumpkins facing down on an aluminun covered cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes. Peel skin away and mash with a potato masher.

Cook pie crust according to directions. Let crust cool completely, and set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Make filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; whisk in cream. Pour mixture into cooled crust; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is set, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack, 1 hour; refrigerate to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Make topping: Place 3 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan; sprinkle with gelatin, and let soften, about 5 minutes. Place pan over very low heat; stir until gelatin dissolves. Let cool slightly. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar until very soft peaks form. While beating, slowly add gelatin mixture; continue to beat until soft peaks form.
With a rubber spatula, mound topping in center of chilled pie. Refrigerate at least 1 hour more (or up to 1 day). Sprinkle with more cinnamon before serving.

I also made these in half pint jars. Use both crusts, cut them into fourths. Butter the inside of the jars, pack the crust down into the jars. Bake as directed. Let cool. Scoop pie filling 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely. Add whipped topping. Makes 8 pies in a jar.

Friendship Bread Starter, Care of, and Bread Recipe

To make starter...

Ingredients

* 1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cups white sugar
* 1 cups milk

Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. For the next 10 days handle starter according to the following instructions.

Instructions for Starter...

Day 1: Receive the starter

Day 2: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 3: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 4: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 5: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 6: Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk.

Day 7: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 8: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 9: Stir (if in a bowl) or mash the bag (if in a Ziploc)

Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide into 4 containers or Ziploc bags of 1 cup each for three of your friends. Keep one for yourself (if you want to start the process over ~ if not give all bags to friends) and give a bag to two friends with the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10 and the following recipe for baking the bread. A nice touch is to give them a few slices of the bread as well.

DO NOT use metal bowls or utensils as the metal does react with the batter.

To make bread...

Ingredients

Remaining starter after the 4 cups have been separated

2 cups of flour

1 3/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup vegetable oil & 1/2 applesauce

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding (you can use any pudding flavor and you can substitute sugar free)

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional (you can even try dried fruits, chocolate chips, etc.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add oil to bowl with remaining starter mixture along with eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined; set aside.

In another large bowl, mix together remaining 2 cups flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt, baking soda, pudding, and nuts, if desired. Add dry ingredients to starter mixture and stir until well combined. Divide batter evenly between two 8-by-4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans.

In a small bowl, mix together remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon (if using other pudding flavors such as chocolate you may want to omit the cinnamon); sprinkle evenly over batter. Transfer to oven and bake for 1 hour. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

My favorites are to use the banana cream pudding, no nuts, no cinnamon and butterscotch pudding, no nuts, no cinnamon ~ YUMMY!

Dangerous Cake in a Mug

Just tried the vanilla one - Awesome! My students are going to make this tomorrow for one of their birthdays!

Dangerous Chocolate Cake in a Mug
Ingredients
4 TBS of flour
4 TBS of sugar
2 TBS of cocoa powder
1 TBS of Cornstarch mixed with 3 TBS water
3 TBS water
3TBS oil
1 TBS chocolate chips (optional)
1 dash vanilla

Required - 1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to coffee mug and mix well. Add the Cornstarch mixture and mix well. Add water and oil and mix well. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Put the mug in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes (1000 watts). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed. Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Dangerous Vanilla Cake in a Mug
Ingredients
6 TBS of flour
4 TBS of sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1 TBS of Cornstarch mixed with 3 TBS water
3 TBS water
3TBS oil
1 dash vanilla extract or lemon (or whatever flavor you like)

Required - 1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to coffee mug and mix well. Add the Cornstarch mixture and mix well. Add water and oil and extract mix well. Put the mug in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes (1000 watts). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed. Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Tropical Smoothie

3/4 c 2% milk
1 c Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple Chunks All Natural
1/2 c Yoplait Light Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 c Minute Maid Light Orange Juice Beverage
1 Banana
3 TBS Coconut

Blend all ingredients in a mixer.

Makes 3 Servings @ 3 WW Points

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

2 1/2 Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1/2 packet Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup Picante Sauce
8 Corn Tortillas
1/2 Can Enchilada Sauce
1 cup 2% Finely Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese

Cook chicken, taco seasoning, and picante sauce in a crockpot on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with a fork. Set aside.

Spray skillet with cooking spray. Heat up tortillas until they can bend without tearing.Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Roll and place in a baking dish. Top with Enchilada sauce and cheese. Cook in 350 oven until cheese is melted. Approximately 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with Spanish rice and Refried Black Beans. Delicious!

Serves 4 2 Enchiladas = 10 WW Points