The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the kitchen of Sarah

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bag chocolate chips

 Cream butter and sugars.  Add vanilla and eggs.  Stir in flour, soda, and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or til golden brown.  Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

From the kitchen of Niki

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat. Sift, four, salt, and baking powder together and add to the cream mixture. Blend well. Cover and refrigerate.
Roll dough on lightly floured board to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Bake on greased sheet for 10 -12 min at 375 degrees until lightly browned. Cool and frost (optional). Makes a dozen cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 block of cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon warm milk
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
food coloring

Mix all ingredients well until mixture is smooth

Enchiladas

from the kitchen of Jen

1/2 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/4 c. chopped onions
2 T. green chilis (optional)
1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 c. sliced olives
8-13 corn tortillas
2 c. shredded cheese (I just sprinkle a little cheese in the mixture and then a little on top when done)
1 can enchilada sauce
1/2 c. sour cream
Shredded lettuce
To soften tortillas, heat on dry skillet 10-15 secs then flip for 10 secs. In a large skillet, brown meat, set aside, then saute onions, then chili's. Mix meat back in when done. Stir in tomato sauce and olives and 1c. (or less) of cheese. Place a spoonful of meat mixture into softened tortillas, roll up and place in greased baking dish, seam side down. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas, sprinkle with cheese (and more sliced olives.)

I serve with spanish rice and black beans, chopped tomato, and avocado

Soft Sugar Cookies

from the kitchen of Suzy

1 1/2 c sugar
2/3 c butter
2 eggs
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/4 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Add to moist ingredients.  Mix well.
Chill dough for 1-2 hours.  Roll out and cut into shapes.  Cook until light golden on edges.  Do not overcook!

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
6 c powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
Add milk to desired consistency.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

from the kitchen of Shawnalyn
Ingredients:
1 Cup butter
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 Cup sugar
1 Cup peanut butter (creamy)
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 ½ Cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and peanut butter until creamy. Add eggs, beat until well blended. Add remaining ingredients, leaving chocolate chips for last. Drop Tablespoon or so of dough for each cookie. Bake for 10 min on ungreased cookie sheet.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

from the kitchen of Shawnalyn

Ingredients:
6 chicken tenders
3 Cups bow tie pasta
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Cups sliced mushrooms
½ Cup sun dried tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons basil
3 Cups cream or half and half
Directions:
Saute mushrooms in butter, then add tomatoes, basil and garlic. Add already cooked and shredded or cubed chicken and saute for about 2 min- then add cream. Turn down heat and reduce mixture to desired thickness and consistency. Toss with noodles and sprinkle with parm cheese.
I like to add feta cheese as well at the end, and I also add pine nuts.

Asparagus Pasta Salad

from the kitchen of Rona

In a small pan, heat 1/3 cup olive oil. Lightly saute 2 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces and slit in half. Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to this oil and allow it to return to room temperature.
Cook 8 oz. bow tie pasta to al dente in salted water. Dip out, reserving the water, and cool in ice water. Drain well. Set aside.
Break ends off of 1 lb. asparagus and cut into 1 inch pieces. Boil these in the simmering
water from the pasta for 4 minutes. Cool in ice water. Drain well. Set aside.
Prepare 1/2 pound snow or sugar-snap peas by removing the strings & cutting on an angle. OR, you can use 1/2 C. frozen peas.(They will thaw just fine)
Into a salad bowl whisk 3 Tablespoons white vinegar with the cooled oil & green onions.
Chop 1 TBL fresh parsley & add to bowl. Add 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped, and
2 Cups quartered Roma tomatoes (drained). Add pasta & asparagus and toss all of this together. Add Kosher salt or other chunky salt. If you like, you can toss in some shredded Parmesan cheese.