SUGAR COOKIE PERFECTION

This classic sugar cookie is very easy, very quick and delicious !!! It is a must for everyone's recipe box!!! Excellent for ANY and ALL holidays (just change the color of the frosting).  

Recipe Makes 

3 dozen 3" cookies 

and they freeze well.

3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
small pinch of salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons corn syrup (the clear white kind)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy (about 3 minutes on high speed).

Add egg, corn syrup and extracts, mix well.

Add flour + baking powder + baking soda + salt and mix well. Batter will be very thick, so a stand mixer works best for this.

Roll dough into 1" balls, then roll them in granulated sugar and pat them down JUST A LITTLE BIT (bottom of sugared glass works well for this).

NOTE: If you don't want to frost these cookies, you can roll them in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Line your cookie sheet with parchment (important). Place chilled cookie's about 3" apart on cookie sheet. 

Bake at 325° for 12-14 minutes (cookies should be VERY SLIGHTLY golden around edges, like this)

Cool the baked cookies a minute or so before you remove them to a cooling rack.

When the cookies are completely cool, you can frost them.

FROSTING

3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk (start with 3)
Mix well with wire wisk and frost cookies

WEEKEND BREAKFAST PIZZA

I don't buy refrigerator ("whomp tube") biscuits very often, but I DO buy them for this recipe. My family absolutely loves this quick and easy breakfast. As a matter of fact, the first time I made this, I was told "this is gold!!"  Even Picky-picky Hubby gave double thumbs up which is rare!!

This weekend treat can easily be "tweaked" to suit your family. Here are the basic ingredients:

8 ounce Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pound (total) cooked breakfast meat (see  note)
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash browns (thawed)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
4 eggs  (don't be tempted to add more)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Open the refrigerator rolls and press into an ungreased 12" pizza pan, pinching all of the seams shut. Important: make sure you press some of the dough up onto the sides of the pan to create a "lip". DO NOT PRE-BAKE THE CRUST.

Cook (and completely drain) one pound of your favorite breakfast meat (NOTE: I used equal parts of crisp bacon, breakfast sausage and finely diced ham...but ANY combo will work well. Just make sure the total weight is about a pound).

Sprinkle the cooked breakfast meat, evenly, over the unbaked crescent dough. Next, evenly sprinkle the thawed hash browns and cheddar cheese over the cooked meat.

In small bowl, whisk the 4 eggs, black pepper and milk together. Drizzle evenly over everything.  NOTE: Don't be tempted to add more eggs. It is going to SEEM like it isn't enough, but trust me...it is perfect.

Lastly, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all.  Bake in a 375 pre-heated oven for 30 minutes (my oven took 28 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before you cut it.

Sauteed mushrooms, peppers, etc. would be wonderful in this breakfast pizza. Just add them the same time as the thawed hash browns. You might have to add a couple extra minutes to the total baking time if you add a LOT of extra veggies.

NOTE: Use the loose frozen hashbrowns that come in a bag...just make sure they are thawed out before mixing into this recipe.

ENJOY !!!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

This is one of those rare meals that is not only good for you, but it's very tasty, very hearty and it rings all the familiar comfort food bells...it freezes well too!!

This recipe is a breeze to make because you put most of the ingredients in the crockpot the night BEFORE you want to serve it (no need to pre-soak the beans) and then the next morning, you just add the chicken and carrots and let it cook all day!! It will make your house smell scrumptious!!

1 1/2 cups DRY Great Northern white beans (rinsed but not soaked)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or several thighs)
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles (I use Ortega brand) 
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like "heat")
1 teaspoon salt (use salt ONLY if you are using salt free broth)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded

Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and green chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or about 8 hours).

In the morning, remove about a cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender)  Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.

Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots.  Cook this on LOW for 6 to 8 hours depending on how big your chicken pieces are.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir. This adds such a wonderful taste and texture.

I hope you like this hearty
"good for you" chili as much as we do

NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt.   If you use chicken broth made from bullion, don't add ANY salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.

NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.

NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food.  I use an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and it was absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, just add more cayenne.

NOTE: This makes a big pot of chicken chili. It freezes well.

ENJOY !!!