Lazy Day Deluxe Chocolate-Toffee Chip Cookies

 

I love an easy recipe!! Especially one that requires a bowl and a wooden spoon to make magic. Crunchy on the edges, chewy in the center… the flavor and texture are on point… a very good cookie for very little effort… and no waiting or fussy directions. 

Over the weekend I bribed my teenage son (it sounds awful… but it was the incentive he needed) to get started on his driving school videos… I said, “How ‘bout this… you go do an hour of studying and I’ll make fresh chocolate chip cookies?!”  

To my surprise, he was all in, it was a deal he could not pass up.  It was a cold Saturday afternoon… very chilly and damp outside—I was snuggled up on the couch reading… so after he’d been studying for about 40 minutes I decided I had better find my way from the cozy cocoon of blankets and into the kitchen, in order to fulfill my end of this deal. 

I was so lazy in fact,  I didn’t even reach for my recipe book… I just pulled down ingredients from the pantry… and got right to work.  My laziness continued as I decided to melt the butter and forgo the stand mixer or anything remotely electric, I used a wooden spoon and a bowl. My goal was to dirty as few dishes as possible. In 5 minutes we had dough… in 7 minutes chocolate-toffee chip deluxe dough and after a quick 13 minutes in the oven we had stumbled onto a scrumptious cookie—fit for the grumpiest of teenagers this side of the Mississippi.  My sweet boy remarked all weekend long about how delicious the cookies were and by Monday morning, there were only handful left on the plate in the kitchen.  My husband agreed… these cookies are indeed something special.

What’s the moral of this story??  I’m not sure… I guess laziness can sometimes lead to great things?…or maybe simplicity wins— the early bird usually gets the worm… but in this case, the cozy cocoon dwellers get the cookies… which turned out to be a huge WIN!  Enjoy these cookies… and be proud of all the energy you save by using so few dishes… you’re welcome. ;)  

Karri Perry’s Lazy-Day Deluxe Chocolate-Toffee Chip Cookies

A bowl and a wooden spoon make magic with this simply superb recipe.

1 cup light brown sugar

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 stick melted butter (8 Tablespoons)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup toffee baking bits

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Pinch of flake sea salt for topping

In a bowl, mix together the sugars, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Be sure no puddles of melted butter remain after stirring.

Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix to combine. 

Add the sour cream and gently stir to combine.

Fold in milk chocolate chips,  semi-sweet chocolate chips, along with the toffee bits and nuts.

Scoop 1 1/2 inch dollops of dough-spaced 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle each cookie dough portion very lightly with flake sea salt if desired.

Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven for 13 minutes.  Edges will be golden, center will be lightly set.  

Leave cookies on the hot baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  

Makes about 3 dozen.

Sunday Supper: Fried Chicken Menu

I love menus... especially the vintage ones from cookbooks or fancy restaurants.  It’s such fun to see the changing food trends.  I pulled out some vintage Pyrex and filled them with some traditional classics that never go out of style for our "Sunday Supper"

I thought it would be fun to begin making menus to accompany some of our family meals.  Today I’m sharing a Sunday Supper... Fried Chicken Dinner Menu.  The recipes follow.

Karri Perry’s Fried Chicken (Sandwich or Plated)

Makes 8 servings or sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 boneless-skinless chicken breasts-sliced in half lengthwise

1 ½ Cups buttermilk

1 Cup self-rising flour (White Lily)

½ Cup corn meal

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp black pepper

¾ Cup vegetable oil

Buns (good bakery style or brioche are great choices if making sandwiches)

Cole Slaw (Recipe below)

Dill pickle chips/slices

Mayonnaise (Duke’s)

Directions:

Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, creating 8 chicken cutlets out of the four chicken breasts.

Place the chicken in a casserole dish and cover with the buttermilk.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
To make the breading, combine the flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper and onion powder in a shallow dish.  Mix with a fork to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the buttermilk soaked chicken from the refrigerator.  Picking up one chicken breast piece with a fork, place it gently into the prepared breading and coat the chicken on both sides.  Remove the breaded chicken piece to a plate and continue the process of breading each chicken breast until all the chicken has been well coated with the breading.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil (there should be about ½ inch of vegetable oil in the bottom of the skillet to begin frying the chicken.) Once the vegetable oil is hot, gently place 3 or 4 of the breaded chicken pieces into the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes on one side until golden and then gently turn the chicken over to brown the other side.  Repeat this process until all of the chicken is fried to a golden color.  Once chicken is golden, remove the chicken from the skillet and place onto a  lined, rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.  (Tongs work great for moving the chicken)  Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

chicken sandwich:

Prepare bun with good mayo, and dill pickle chips.  Add the chicken and a dollop of crunchy coleslaw.  Serve and enjoy.

Karri Perry’s Crunchy Coleslaw

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded cabbage (green and purple) (Or use packaged coleslaw mix)

3/4  cup shredded carrot (1-2 carrots)

1-2 green onions chopped finely (About ½ cup) (use whites and greens)

Sauce:

½ cup of good mayo (I used Duke’s)

2 Tablespoons buttermilk

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

½ tsp garlic salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine the cabbage, carrots and the green onion, set aside or keep in a refrigerated zip-top bag until 20 minutes before serving time.

For the sauce, combine the mayo, buttermilk, vinegar, sugar, garlic salt and the pepper.  Mix well.

Pour the sauce over the prepared cabbage/carrot/onion mixture, toss to coat…let stand  20 minutes before serving.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated…but for a crunchier slaw, prepare just before serving.

Potato Salad, Go here for the recipe: Potato Salad Recipe

Buttermilk Biscuits, Go here for the recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

Deviled Eggs:

6 hard boiled eggs cooked and peeled.

12 cooked egg yolks, crumbled 

1/4 cup good mayonnaise (Duke’s)

1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard 

1teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Optional-2-dashes hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for garnish

Directions:

There are two ways I like to boil eggs:

Method 1:

Bring a large sauce pan half full of water to simmer. Gently place eggs one at a time into the simmering water using a ladle.  Let eggs boil for 10 minutes, covered.

After 10 minutes, turn heat off and run cool water over the eggs for 4 minutes to stop the cooking. Crack shells and peel.

OR

Method 2: Place eggs in a medium pan, cover with cool water.  Cook on stove stop on medium high heat until water comes to a rolling boil.  Cover and turn off heat, letting the eggs cook in the hot water for 12 minutes.  After 12 minutes, pour cold water over eggs to stop the cooking.  Crack and peel.

Refrigerate peeled hard boiled eggs in a covered dish until ready to prepare.  Slice each peeled egg length-wise. Remove the cooked yolks, and place into a bowl. Using a fork, break up the cooked yolks until finely crumbled.  

If there are remaining bits of cooked yolk inside the whites, rinse gently with cool water and dab dry with a paper towel.  Rest prepared whited on an egg plate.

To the crumbled yolks, add the Mayo, mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar and hot sauce if using. Whisk until smooth and creamy.  

Scoop the yolk mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large tip if you’re feeling fancy or simply spoon in the yolk mixture filling into each waiting hard boiled egg white.  

Sprinkle the filled deviled eggs with smoked paprika.

Additional garnishes: crisped bacon, fresh dill sprigs, fresh flat leaf parsley

 

Winter Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Red and Green Winter Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing-Karri Perry | Blue Ribbon Favorites

Dressing:

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire 

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 Tablespoons Mayo (Duke’s or Hellman’s)

2 minced garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard (Dijon is fine too)

2 Tablespoons water

3 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2-3/4 cup olive oil

Stir together the vinegars, water, and all the ingredients, adding the olive oil last. Whisk together until combined and smooth. Refrigerate, covered until ready to use.

Red and Green Winter Salad

Lettuce mix (about 9 ounces-serving 5-7)

1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds

1-2 Granny Smith apples-diced

1-2 Honeycrisp apples-diced

1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

1/2 cup smoked Gouda-grated

To prepare:  Pour 2-3 Tablespoons of the creamy balsamic dressing in a shallow 9x13 casserole dish. Using tongs, add the lettuce mix, lightly dressing the lettuce with the creamy balsamic. Add the apples, pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Add a touch more dressing and using the tongs gently disperse the fruit, and nuts throughout the lettuce.  Top with a sprinkle of the grated smoked Gouda.  

What put salad is a shallow casserole??

Keeping the salad in a large casserole dish allows for easy serving, all the good chunks of apple, pecans and smoked Gouda stay level and don’t sink to the bottom of a bowl, the sides of the casserole keep the salad contained and from spilling onto the countertop.  Using tongs is not only a great tool for preparation but also for serving the salad. 

Have  the creamy balsamic dressing available on the side,  for guests that would like to add more dressing.  

Refrigerate leftover dressing for use up to 1 week.

Spicy Pesto Stuffed Shells

Spicy Pesto Sauced Stuffed Shells

Karri Perry | Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Ingredients

Sauce:

1 box Jumbo Pasta Shells

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1-25 ounce jar prepared marina sauce (use your favorite brand)

3 Tablespoons Pesto-(store bought is fine, a 7-ounce refrigerated container works well)

1 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup vodka

*

Filling:

14-ounce Ricotta Cheese-whole or skim

1/2 cup Parmesan grated

2 cups divided Mozzarella Cheese-grated

3 Tablespoons Pesto

1 large egg

Directions:

In a large oven-safe skillet, over medium heat, add oil and onions.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Stir together for 1 minute or until fragrant.  

Add marinara sauce.

Add the pesto, stir together. Bring to a simmer.

Add the heavy cream and vodka, stir together. Allow the sauce to simmer for at least 15 minutes while boiling pasta shells and preparing filling.

For Shells: In a large pot, fill with water and boil 20-25

Jumbo Shells-boil for about 9 minutes—Following package instructions; boil until softened but still a little firm-Al dente.  (Overcooked shells-that are too soft and flimsy are hard to fill, break and tear easily) Drain shells and set aside to await filling. 

Filling:

Stir together in a medium bowl

14 ounces Ricotta cheese

1/2 Parmesan cheese-grated

1 cup Mozzarella cheese-grated

3 Tablespoons pesto 

1 large egg-lightly beaten with fork.

After cheese filling is mixed together, transfer to a medium zip-top bag.   Snip the bottom corner of the bag  (creating about a 1 inch opening) when ready to fill the cooked shells. 

Gently squeeze the filling into each shell.

Place each filled shell into the waiting sauce-filling side up. Once pan is filled with stuffed shells, cover and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, remove cover, add the remaining 1 cup of grated mozzarella, sprinkling the cheese over the shells and sauce. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes more, to melt and lightly brown the cheese.  Top with fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!!

• No skillet? No problem.  Transfer sauce to a large buttered 9x13 casserole dish with deep sides.  Then add the stuffed shells in rows—cover and bake as directed.

• If you prefer a meat sauce, brown 1 lb. of ground beef, or ground Italian sausage, or ground turkey or chicken.  Brown your choice of meat with the onions and oil, and continue on with the sauce as directed.

• If you have a little leftover pesto, slice open a loaf of Italian bread, spread on a layer of pesto, a little butter and cheese. Place on a baking sheet and warm the bread in the oven during the last 15 minutes of baking for a scrumptious addition to your meal.