Nieman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
4 cups flour
5 cups blenderized oats (measure first then put in blender)
24 oz chocolate chips

Cream wet ingredients then add dry ingredients. Make 1 inch balls and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Use only quick oats.

Vanilla Pudding

2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt

Combine 1st 4 ingredients in microwave safe bowl and stir to prevent lumps cooking for aproximately 5 minutes. When it starts to thicken add:

3 egg yolks (beaten)

The best way to incorporate the eggs is to pour some of the hot milk mixture into the eggs whisking so they don't cook and have lumps of egg in your pudding. Then pour the egg mixture into the main milk mixture stirring constantly.

Heat for another minute or two until thickened to your preference.

Add:
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

When cooling this place a layer of plastic wrap right on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin forming as it cools.

This is by far my favorite to a boxed pudding, very creamy and smooth with a great flavor.

I use this for filling my eclairs!

French Bread

Ingredients:
Set aside to proof
1/4 cup water
1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

In Bosche or comprable mixer combine:
1 cup tepid water
1 tsp kosher salt

add to this the yeast after it foamy with bubbles and mix together.

Attach the dough hook into your mixer and mix in:
3 1/2 cups flour (add 1/4 cup at a time)
until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

After dough rises you will need these two remaining ingredients
1 Tbsp corn meal
1 egg white

Let dough rise until doubled in a large bowl sprayed with pam about 1 hour.

Flour your rolling surface and punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl. Roll it into an 8 x 12 rectangle. roll the dough like a jelly roll from the long end down and pinch the ends together smoothly. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal seam side down.

Let dough rise again for another 45 minutes. Take knife and cut slits in the top and brush top with beaten egg white.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken breasts coated in seasoned flour or cheater method Chicken Tenders
sliced mozzarella cheese

Spagetti sauce with these ingredients added:
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp italian seasonings
1 Tbsp chopped onion

Place chicken in glass baking dish, top with a slice of cheese and cover with tomato sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. If using chicken tenders follow baking directions on package.

Meat Loaf

2 lb ground beef
1 tbsp dried onion
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning

Sauce:
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Mix:
Egg, milk, seasonings, garlic, bread crumbs and onion. Add the hamburger and 1/3 can of tomato sauce, mix well and place in 8x8 baking dish.

Combine the sauce ingredients and spread evenly over the meatloaf.

Bake at 350 degrees aprox 30 min until all bubbly.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

chicken breasts (slice in half decreasing the thickness not the length)
ham slices
mozzarella cheese

The first 3 ingredients use the number one of each per serving.

Flatten out your chicken breast and place a slice of ham on top, then place a piece of mozarella cheese cut to fit on top of the ham (usually 1" by 1/2").

Roll the chicken up and roll it in a bath of egg wash then dip into seasoned flour and place in bottom of glass baking dish coated with butter. Hold chicken together with toothpick if desired. Place 3 to four tbsp butter into pan while baking. Bake for 3o minutes in 350 degree oven.

White sauce:

Take the drippings from the baking dish and add:
1 cup can milk or heavy cream
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 chicken bullion cube disolved

Heat until thickened and pour over warm chicken after placed on serving platter.

Fruit Dip

2 tbsp flour
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup pineapple juice

Mix ingredients and bring to a boil. Cool. Stir in one 9 oz tub of whipped topping.

Poppy Seed Bread

3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp butter flavoring
1 1/2 c oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

beat all ingredients together for 1 to 3 minutes at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Glaze:
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

Marie Callendar's Corn Bread

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, in seperate bowl mix wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir well until all moistened. Pour into lightly greased 8x8 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Barbecue Black Bean and Corn Soup (From Nummy Kitchen)

5 cups black beans, either precooked dried beans or drained canned would work
3 cups water
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Mrs. Dash)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (I used 3 tsp fresh)
1 stalk green onion finely chopped (this is the 2nd change I added this)

Put all ingredients into large pot and simmer over medium high heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

These bars are a classic blend of peanut butter and chocolate. Easy to make, and quick to satisfy!

Yield: 1 -9x13 inch pan
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust. Chill for about 5 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is completely set, then chill until ready to serve.

Cake Pops

1 cake mix (make as directed on box)
1 tub frosting
candy melts (vanilla flavored any color for the outcome you need
1 package lolipop sticks

Makes 40 to 60 depending on size.
cool cake completely and crumble into a large mixing bowl

mix all of frosting into cake crumbs using a rubber scraper which worked well and kept the mess to a minimum or you can use your hands

Make into 1" balls and place on cookie sheet then chill in freezer for 2 to 3 hours. I used my pampered chef cookie scooper which worked fine, but you still need to roll in your palms to smoothe the dough completely.

You can shape into what ever shape you want for the desired look you need.

Melt the candy pieces in a small glass dish (I used the prep bowl from pampered chef it is the size of a custard cup aprox)and place the dish into a larger bowl with hot water in it to keep the melted mixture smooth and prevent it from cooling while you are working with it. I melted small amounts since this does cool quickly and it is easier to work with in smaller amounts.

Once dough is chilled (which makes it much easier to do the remaining steps) take out portions at a time and insert a lolipop stick well into the center and dip into melted candy pieces swirling to ensure a smooth coating. Once dipped you need to gently, but quickly turn and tap the stick to remove any excess candy to achieve the smooth finished cooled coating. Careful not to tap too hard as the ball may fall off of the stick.

Once the coating is hardened add any faces or details using edible markers. I bought Wilton's which didn't write smoothly so my finished details I was disappointed with. I don't know if other brands work better or if this is something I need to figure out how to use better.

These are very time consuming so plan out an evening to make these ahead of time.

I took these to school for my son's b-day treat and the kids loved them! We put on the tag "Happy you can share my birthday with me"