Fresh Strawberry Pecan Cookies

I took this batch of cookies to a mom's night out ages ago. Even recently I've had people ask for the recipe!

1 1/2c white sugar
1c butter
1/2T baking soda
2 eggs
1 pint strawberries, pureed
3c flour
1t salt
3/4c pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or line cookie sheets.
Cream together butter and sugar then mix in eggs and strawberry puree until just blended. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets and back for 8-10 minutes.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

1c butter softened
1 1/2c white sugar
2 eggs
2t vanilla
2 3/4c flour
2t cream of tartar
1t baking soda
1/4t salt
2T white sugar
2t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. In a separate ball mix together 2T sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets. Remove from sheets immediately.

Roasted Duck

We made this for a holiday dinner several years ago and it turned out really well.

2t salt
2t paprika
1t black pepper
1 5lb whole duck
1/2c melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub spices into skin and place in roasting pan.
Roast duck for 1 hour. Spoon 1/4c melted butter over bird then cook for another 45 minutes. Spoon remaining 1/4c butter over the duck and cook for another 15 minutes until golden brown.

Stuffed Shells

1 box pasta shells
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 container ricotta cheese
1 pound ground beef
1 medium grated zucchini
1t minced garlic
1c or so grated mozzarella

Boil shells according to package directions.Fry up ground beef. At the end add zucchini and garlic. Allow to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add remaining ingredients (except for sauce and cheese.) Fill shells with a spoon and place in a greased pan. Pour sauce over shells and cover with mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my new go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. This makes a big batch so I either halve the recipe or wrap half in saran wrap and foil then freeze it until we want more.

4c flour
1t baking powder
1t baking soda
1 1/2c butter, softened
1 1/4c sugar
1 1/4c brown sugar
2 large eggs
1T vanilla extract
2 1/2c chocolate chips (I sometimes mix and match, other times just use one kind)
1c chopped nuts (optional. We don't use this... sometimes I just add more chocolate instead ;))

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients in a seperate bowl. In your mixer bowl beat butter until fluffy. Add sugars and rest of wet ingredients.
Gradually add the dry mixture. Mix in chocolate and nuts. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes (or more if you made jumbo cookies. Sometimes the mood hits, you know?)
Cool on sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

My Favorite Chocolate Cake

The original copy of this recipe is a "mocha" cake but you can't really taste the mocha. It's just a delicious chocolate cake. The best I've ever had.

2c flour
2c white sugar
2/3c cocoa powder
2t baking soda
1t baking powder
1/2t salt
1T instant coffee powder
1/2c oil
2 eggs
1c buttermilk
1c hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Into a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Incorporate the wet ingredients (minus the last) one at a time until a thick batter has been made. Pour hot water over the thick batter and stir until uniform.
Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
I use chocolate buttercream on this cake and it's decadent and delicious!

Buttermilk Pie Crust

This is a nice and easy pie crust, though not as pretty as a traditional recipe.

2 sticks cold unsalted butter
2 1/2c flour
1T sugar
1t salt
1/2c buttermilk
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients then mix in buttermilk. Divide into to even balls. Press into your pie plate and chill until ready to use.