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Archive for March, 2013

Welcome to the start of another week and another menu plan!  We got to turn the calendar another page to March this week even though our weather here sure didn’t seem too spring-like.  I really hope the old saying of “in like a lion, out like a lamb” applies this year because I think we have had more snow in the last week than we have had all winter.  I am ready for some sunshine and warmer temps!

This past Tuesday, I experienced another first for me.  Two of my co-workers and I have joined a local homemakers club and Tuesday night was our first meeting/demonstration.  The subject was all things vanilla and our president actually made homemade vanilla extract for us and then she and a few others used this in recipes for us to try.  Here is a couple of photos from that night:

homemade vanilla extract

vanilla hot chocolate

Next month is all about healthy/alternative diets and I am presenting a short demo about lactose free ice creams.  Wish me luck!  I am usually not comfortable in front of crowds but I hope to pull it off without too much drama.  LOL!

I have a few new recipes this week along with some old faithfuls.  The peanut butter pudding cake didn’t get made last week because I needed to work on a recipe for the upcoming edition of the Lady Behind The Curtain’s Dessert Challenge so the PB cake is back on the list this week.  Have a great and blessed week!

Beef stew with noodles (new)

Grilled pork chops with oven fries (didn’t get made last week)

Chili with grilled cheese

Easy pasta soup (new)

Easy apple cinnamon pancakes with bacon

Pizza night

A-1 Swiss steak

Peanut butter pudding cake (new)

Please join me at I’m An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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If you are a chocoholic like I am, I have the perfect cookie for you!  I found this delectable little treat over at Tracy’s Culinary Adventures and it is a winner.  With this much chocolate and butter, you just can’t go wrong.  One little word of warning…this recipe makes a LOT of cookies so you may want to find some people to share these with.  Trust me.

choctrufflecookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 oz. (567 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups mini chocolate chips

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cookie sheets.  Sift the first 4 ingredients together and set aside.  Melt the semi-sweet chips in the microwave at 50% percent power for 45 second increments until the chips are soft enough to melt when stirred.

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Look at that beautiful chocolate goodness.  Mmmm.

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Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate before adding the next. Increase the mixer to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and the mini chocolate chips. 

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Using a small cookie scoop, portion out the dough on the cookie sheets.  I put about 14 cookies on each sheet.  Cook one at a time for 12-14 minutes. I let the first sheet cool for a few minutes while the second sheet cooks.  Then just reload and put the sheet back in the oven.

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Hello to everyone reading this!  It’s Friday so it is time for another edition of Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader so grab a book, write down the first line or two and give us your opinion.  My book for today is the latest by one of my absolute favorite authors, Joshilyn Jackson, who just happens to be a fellow Southerner.  If you haven’t read any of her books, please please try them.  They all have this air of mystery and intrigue along with family drama that just makes the pages turn themselves.  They are great!

Joshilyn Jackson "A Grown-up Kind of Pretty"

"My daughter, Liza, put her heart in a silver box and buried it under the willow tree in our backyard."

Isn’t that interesting?  We all know that she can’t literally bury her heart in a box, so what does that little box contain?  You will just have to read this book to find out.

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