ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies

Another great recipe from the Ghirardelli website. A favorite of Nathan's because he gets to adorn these cookies with M&M's. For a super soft cake-like cookie (pictured below), I substituted some of the granulated sugar with instant vanilla pudding.

YIELD:

24 large cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color. 
2. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated. 
3. Sift flour with baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. 
4. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll into 2 inch balls and press down with a fork.
6. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: If you like cookies with a more cake-like consistency, substitute the 3/4 cup granulated sugar with a 3.4 ounce package of instant vanilla pudding mix and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Add the pudding mix and sugar (in step 1) and follow above directions.

 

gullivers cream corn

This creamed corn is thick and sweet. This is not a low-fat side-dish, but once in a while, live it up! Very tasty with a holiday prime rib or turkey dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (20 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• white or cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place corn kernels, whipping cream, milk, salt, flavor enhancer, sugar, and white or cayenne pepper in a large stockpot. Bring to a slow, low boil beginning on medium heat, stirring frequently. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
2. Melt butter in the microwave, or in a small saucepan on low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Stir into the corn until well blended. Enjoy!

xiu mai

Most people think of Chinese dim sum when they think of siu mai. Vietnamese xiu mai, however, simply means meatballs. My mom used to make this for breakfast on the weekends. It's best served with fresh french bread, which I would dip into the xui mai broth...yum! Since my mom gave me this recipe, I eyeballed everything and don't have exact measurements. 

INGREDIENTS:

• ground pork butt
• tomatoes, diced
• yellow onions, diced
• olive oil
• fish sauce
• oyster sauce
• ground black pepper
• soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine ground pork, olive oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce and pepper to taste. Mix in a generous amount of diced onions.
2. Form 2 inch sized meatballs and place in ceramic rice bowls (3-4 meatballs per bowl) or any bowl that can withstand being in a steamer.
3. Saute diced tomatoes and remaining diced onions with a little bit of soy sauce. 
4. Steam the meatballs until they are halfway cooked (approximately 8 minutes). Add a generous amount of the sauteed tomato/onion mixture on top of the meatballs and finish cooking (an additional 8 minutes).
5. Serve with french bread.

Note: With the same pork mixture, you can also make stuffed tomatoes. Cut a tomato in half and remove the seeds to create a "tomato bowl". Fill the bowl with the pork mixture. Heat a little bit of canola oil in a saute pan and pan fry the stuffed tomato (meat side down) on medium heat until the top is browned. Flip the tomato over and continue cooking until the pork mixture is no longer raw on the inside. Serve with a side of rice and a dash of soy sauce.