Coffee Cookies!

The original recipe was found at Chickens in the Road here.  You can find LOTS of good thing on this site.  Most of my new recipes come from the forum – Check it out!!  Here is my version of these cookies, I made a few modifications mostly because we don’t keep a large pantry and I like coffee flavor a lot.  Boy are they good,  YUM!!

2 1/2 T  instant coffee crystals 1 1/2 T  hazel nut creamer * 1 c  butter 2/3 c  sugar 2/3 c  brown sugar 1 t  baking soda 1/4 t  salt 1  egg 1 1/2 t  vanilla

2 1/4 c  flour 3 T  coco powder 2 1/2 T hazel nut creamer * 1/4 c  chocolate chips  (optional) * The original recipe called for cream or half and half – but I never have any.  The coffee creamer worked great as an alternative!

• dissolve coffee in 1 1/2 T of creamer
• in mixer, cream butter with sugar and brown sugar
• add coffee mixture, soda, salt, egg and vanilla
• mix in flour slowly
• divide dough in half
• add coco powder and creamer to one half
• add chocolate chips to other half
• place a small drop of each dough together on cookie sheet
• bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees

NOTE:   There are only 2 of us here now, and instead of baking all of this recipe, I baked 2 small sheets then wrapped the rest into 2 rolls and refrigerate for later in the week. 

I Want THESE Cookies

Susanne McMinn has one of the best Blogs! Check out her life on her little piece of heaven.
Now back to these cookies - Drunken Rum Cookie Logs Click the link or the picture for the recipe along with special holiday baking instructions.

You can find this and so much more on her fourm.

Baking

This morning I was up at 5:30am.

I don't know why I was awake! So I started with bagels. And leftover Cranberry sauce.

This is really Good and EASY to wipe up! You can find the receipe at Farm Bell Recipes along with so much more.


After I was done with the bagels, I realized I had not had good bread since BEFORE I left for Florida over 2 week ago.

So off to the cupboard. Here is were I keep a few recipes that I just can NOT remember.

One day I will add cork squares to the inside of this door and be able to keep more than 2 or 3, but for now this works. :)


The house is cold, except for the family room, so that is were I let the dough rise. Here it is ready for butter and into the oven.


Tonight John made wounderful stuffed shells, and there was fresh bread. Yum!

Strawberries!

We are currently taking a strawberry break. But for 3 weeks this is what I did each night after work. The blossoms are back!

My husband would pick berries at my mothers during the day, and I would clean them in the evening. We had shortcake, smoothies, and ice cream and berries.


They are much better when they are fresh.



But on the weekends we made jam for the winter.



Ok some for now - you cant let those partial jars go to waste!

Kitchen Organization!

I really wish I would have taken before pics.....


I did go shopping for this project. I bought a few of the jar above and Ball reusable lids for canning jars.

I'm loving this. I have alread used up some pasta. Then when I open a new 1lb package and make a side - I fill up the empty jar. I am going thru some of the lower cabnets now.

It may take awhile thou. I'm not sure I want canning jars in the lower cabnets.

Panini - fancy word for Adult Grilled Cheese

HOW TO:

Heat your griddle and a bacon press. OK, the press is not needed, but the if you like these sandwiches, that $8 bacon press is a really cheap Panini press. I've had mine for years, and I was a little off on the price.

You can order a simple Lodge press from Wal-Mart for $16.


These sandwiches are pretty much up to your taste. We like ham or turkey, cheese, spinach, tomatos, and avacado - spread a little ranch dressing on one side of the bread - and butter the outside of the sandwich.

No avacado in the house today - we just made due, but its not the same.

Place the sandwiches on the HOT griddle and press.

When you start with a hot griddle, it does not take long. They will burn quickly.

Flip, press again and ENJOY.

Dinner is scheduled for 1:30pm

Yesterday I had the day off with John. We did some of those routine things together. With him working nights we don't get much "together time", so we went grocery shopping - Ughhhh.

Ok we need to work on this I know it......

I need to be quite but we need something for supper at 1:30. Lets start with potatos.

Don't worry about getting them cut up the same size - just hack at them, but I'm making them small - I only have 4 hours!

Soup's cooking! Chicken stock, potatoes, onions and spice - in the crock-pot. Done.

A little clean up needed, but this isn't to bad.

That's my little red french press, I couldn't do anything in the morning without it first.

After 3 hours on high, the red onions are a thing of the past. The boat motor will make quick work of those chunks.

(Note: if you leave this cook for 4 - 5 hours on high the soup will taste more like baked potato soup-this crock-pot will even brown some of the splatters on the side so I know when to stop)

A few more steps - 8 oz of cream cheese (life is better with CHEESE!)

Add this to the pot and cook for 15-20 min longer to melt.

This is just shy of 1/3 a 12 oz package of bacon.

And I did NOT get the remainder back into the freezer in time. John grabbed it for tomorrows breakfast. He is usually off on Sunday, and that is his day to have a nice breakfast. It usually involves eggs, toast and some type of meat - bacon is his favorite! It will be split between the 3 of us. Or rather, I will get 2 pieces. And the guy will split the rest.

Now I have help in the kitchen, its not a little space but I just want to finish! And John does NOT understand taking photos while cooking a meal.

He is off to the shower. I have 10 min to get this done. Chop and crisp. (we need something else) check out the panini's in the next post. I made it, but didn't get all the pics I wanted.

The result: A Success!! - Now off to chop on some fabric, I'm going to play.

Crock-Pot Potato Soup
• 2.5 lbs peeled & cubed red potatos
• 1/2 small onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 t seasoning salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 qt chicken stock
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Garnish (crispy bacon and/or green onions)

Place all item in crock-pot except cream cheese and garnish - cook on high for 3-5 hours. (a longer cook time in my HOT crock-pot will give a roast flavor, but I have to watch that it does not burn)

Smooth soup with emersion blender, cut cream cheese into blocks and add to soup. Cook 15-25 min longer to melt.

Stir and Serve with garnish as desired.