Monday's Menu Item

Photo credit: MeeMom

Note: It has taken (literally) years for MeeMom to find a chocolate chip cookie recipe that works for her.  This is THE recipe!  Enjoy.

MeeMom's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
2 cups butter (no substituting)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond oil (or 1/2-1 teaspoon almond extract)
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips (DooDad prefers milk chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugars until creamy.  Add eggs, vanilla and almond oil. Add dry ingredients: flour, salt, and soda.  Mix until incorporated into dough.  Mix in chocolate chips.

Make cookie dough balls the size of golf balls.  Place 2x3 on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes on until golden brown.  Remove from pan and let cool on cookie rack . . . if they last that long!

Monday's Menu Item

photo credit: MeeMom
Pizza Soup with garnishes

We know, we know.  It doesn't sound so good, but try it once and you'll be hooooooooked!  In our family, we like to start with the soup as the base and then have a bunch of "garnishes" or "sides" that are added to the soup.  This allows for everyone to put in their soup what they like. That means they'll eat every bite instead of picking out the onions and the olives and the peppers and . . . .


PIZZA SOUP
Feeds a Hungry Family of Eleven

1-2 pounds ground beef or Italian sausage (or both)
2-3 Tablespoons oil
2 large cans or bottles of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2-14oz cans of Italian tomatoes, pureed
6 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups water + 7 boullion cubes)

Brown meat in oil.  Drain and rinse.  Place remaining ingredients in large stock pot or slow cooker.  Let simmer for an hour or longer, if you have a lot of time.

Soup Garnishes/Sides:
cooked macaroni or shell pasta
bell peppers
onions
cheeses (Mozarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, Colby)
fried pepperoni (yum!)
kidney beans
black olives

Serve with bread sticks or garlic toast

Monday's Menu Item



photo credit: MeeMom
Waffles with sour cream sauce and fresh peaches!

Truth be told we DO have breakfast for dinner!!  This is one of our very favorites!

WAFFLES WITH THE WORKS
Yield: Enough for a hungry Family of Eleven
(This is a perfect recipe for a Belgian Waffler Iron)

5 1/4 cups white or wheat flour (or half and half of each)
3 Tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
5 1/4 cups milk (I always use pre-made powdered milk)
1 1/2 cup oil

Place all ingredients in a large mixer.  Beat until smooth.  Bake in heated waffle iron.

Serve with all or some of the following:
Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter
Powdered Sugar
Fresh Fruits
Jams or Jellies
Honey
Ice Cream
Whipping Cream
Yogurt
Sour Cream Sauce: mix with sugar to taste and a drop or two of almond oil
Fruit Sauce

Monday's Menu Item

Photo credit: MeeMom

DUTCH OVEN IN THE OVEN STEW
Feeds: A Family of Eleven


Ingredients (add what you like, the amount you like)
Potatoes, quartered
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts cut in pieces
Roast Beef, cut in small pieces
Carrots, cut into pieces
Corn
Onions, cut into large chunks
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1/2 cup water

Place in 350 degree oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until potatoes are soft.

Serve with gravy or BBQ sauce.

Monday's Menu Item

photo credit: MeeMom

BUTTERSCOTCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Yield: Enough cookies for a Family of Eleven

3 sticks butter, softened and almost melting
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until well blended.

3. Mix in eggs and vanillla.

4. Gradually add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, beating until well blended.

5. Stir in oats and chips

6. Make into racquentball-sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake 8- 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet an dplace on wire rack.

8. Watch them disappear!