My version of Milano cookies :)

I was craving Milano cookies and didn't want to spend the $4 bucks they now cost, so I decided to make them.


I had never made them before but they came out pretty good. Next time I will use molds for the cookie shapes though.


Enjoy!

]Ingredients
Cookie part
1 1/4 cup salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs sugar
3 cups flour

Filling
1 1/2 tbs softened salted butter
1 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp pur mint extract
1 long squirt of Hershey's syrup (yup that is how I measure it lol)


Directions for cookies
Mix brown sugar, vanilla extract and sugar with butter til smooth
Slowly add the flour and mix til smooth.


Next drop onto parchment paper and flatten or shape into an oval. I used a really small spatula.
Bake at 325 for 15-18mins, til brown, then set aside and let COOL.

Directions for filling
Melt chocolate filling ingredients in a double boiler pot on LOW heat. Cook til melted together, stir constantly and don't burn the chocolate!

Assembling the cookies
On the flat side of the cookie spread enough chocolate then top with another cookie, flat side down. Continue til cookies and chocolate are gone!

Now you have Mint Milano style cookies! I think i'm going to dip them in chocolate and roll in walnuts next!

Almond Joy Cookies

I am not much of a baker so I have been branching out. I came up with these on my own and they turned out pretty good!! 

They make about 4 dozen with these measurement.

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter 
3 cups flour
1 cup each brown and white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 bags of Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Chips(or milk chocolate if you prefer)
2 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
2 1/2 cup sliced almonds


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F

In a bowl mix dry ingredients and set aside


In a large bowl mix butter with both sugars to a cream. Next beat in each egg separately. Then add vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Next stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds til thoroughly mixed. 


Drop onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10mins. 




Serve wilk milk :P

White Wine sauce...

This is a basic and easy white wine sauce.  It takes time and you have to be able to check on it and stir it. Make sure it doesn't boil constantly. If it starts to boil turn the burner off for 10 mins then turn it back on...You dont want it to boil! White sauces are best slow cooked on low :) 


You can adjust it to your liking by adding more half and half or more wine if you prefer. It's a sauce I use as a base and then go from there with extra flavoring.

Ingredients


One carton (1 quart) of Half and Half
One half bottle of white wine (I use pinot grigio)
6 tbs butter
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tbs flour



Directions:


I mix all ingredients and let cook in a double sauce pot. I cook on low for 3 hrs. You can put it in a small crock pot or on the stove top directly but it boils too fast even on low.  Make sure to stir often. You can add more wine if needed or more butter if you want it to not be so creamy. 




Things I add to it usually are garlic powder or fresh sauteed garlic....roasted garlic, pesto, mushrooms, fresh parsley and other things. I have added cheeses to it to make an alfredo but that you really need to use a crock pot because of all the cheeses and it can't boil!

German Style Beef Stroganoff

Stroganoff  is in my top five favorite meals. I love sour cream and mushrooms and this dish has both! I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


I always thought stroganoff was German in its origin and after some reading I found it's Russian. The version we see in restaurants in the states, like TGI Fridays, is the German version of it. It became very popular in Germany in the 1900's where they added mushrooms and onion. This dish has many variations but they are basically the same it just depends if you want onions or mushrooms in it. The base is the mustard, sour cream,  beef bouillon and lightly floured cooked beef strips. Traditionally it was made with a white cream sauce called Smetana or sour cream. The onions and mushrooms came along later when it became popular in Germany.  It can be served over rice or pasta.


It is always interesting to find out the origins of food and the variations depending on region or time period are amazing. 


Never be afraid to make something your own!

Ingredients


1 1/2 lbs sirloin steaks, thinly sliced not the thick ones and cut into small strips 
3 cups of sliced mushrooms 
small yellow onion diced
I can of cream of mushroom or onion soup
16 ounce sour cream plus 2 cups
1/2 cup chopped green onions
10 ounces beef broth
3 tbs flour
2 tsp mustard
1/2 tbs fresh minced garlic
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1 bag of egg noodles cooked half way


*olive oil for sauteing...


Directions


1. Heat olive oil about 2 tbs in a pan and add steaks, onions and mushrooms. Sautee til half way cooked about 5 mins. Stir while cooking.


2. Add steak strips with the mushrooms and onions to crock pot or slow cooker. Next add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot and stir to mix. Slow cook for 4hrs on low.  Stir throughout cooking. When ready to serve, serve with a spoonful of sour cream on top and a few fresh chopped chives.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I have been making this for over 10 years and I make it different every time. It is an easy and simple meal and you can pretty much alter it however you want for flavor. I have made this many times and usually there are no left overs! 


Ingredients:


2lbs cooked chicken cubed
3 cups Mexican shredded cheese blend
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 16 ounce pkg pepper jack cheese shredded
3 14oz medium size cans of enchilada sauce
1/4 cup diced green chilies or one of the small cans already diced
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes 
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can corn
1 can sliced black olives
1/2 tbs fresh minced garlic
corn tortillas
1 onion diced
1 cup chicken broth 
hot sauce
sour cream


Directions:
preheat oven to 350F


1. cook chicken and sautee onion in the same pan, cube and set aside
2. in a large pot add all the above ingredients except the hot sauce and corn tortillas
3. Add chicken and onion and cook til cheese has melted...stirring often. Cook on medium heat, don't cook too high or you might burn the cheese.
4. One cheese has melted and items are blended take a lasagna pan and layer the bottom with a little bit of the cheese mixture, then you want to layer the corn tortillas on the bottom like you would pasta for lasagna. Next pour some of the cheese mixture over the corn tortillas then layer more corn tortillas followed my more cheese mixture. Continue layering like a lasagna ending up with the corn tortilla layer on top.
5. bake in oven for 45mins-1 hour or until cheese starts to bubble and brown. Let sit for 10mins before serving. 
6. Cut in serving size portions like lasagna and serve with hot sauce and sour cream. Even a little salsa on the side is tasty!


I do not have a picture yet of this, will add one when I make this again.