Grandma Great

My sweet, generous, lovable grandma died in 1984, just a few months before I gave birth to my son. She was and continues to be a positive and loving presence in my life. She helped be my mom, while my mom was trying to be work full-time and be a full-time single mom. She fed us breakfast in the morning and shared our afternoons after school. Every person that knew her, loved her. How couldn't they? She met every day with a smile and met every person's need with outreaching, loving arms. For our birthdays we could choose our favorite dessert and she would make it for us. I always picked 'Filled cupcakes' and to this day is one of my favorite things. So.... for today here is the recipe for one of treasured grandma's recipes!

Filled Cupcakes
1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1-8oz pkg cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 pkg chocolate chips
dash of salt

Prepare cake mix according to directions on box. Put cupcake paper in muffin tin. Fill cupcakes tins with chocolate mix.



Cream cheese with sugar, eggs and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Put 1 rounded teaspoon of cheese mixture in the center of each cupcake



Bake according to cake mix, don't overbake!



Let them cool and frost with enthusiasm!
P.S. You can use any flavor cake mix you want, my favorite is chocolate. We did some spice cupcakes along with chocolate for my daughter's wedding. Delicious!

Stromboli

A couple of weeks ago I tried a new recipe, it is called stromboli. My family LOVED it, but they keep calling it stuffed pizza. Which actually is a pretty good description of it! I saw Rachael Ray make this on her show and then I ran across it on this blog.

Start with pizza dough, provolone cheese, ham and pepperoni

Take the dough and place on cookie sheet, roll into a rectangle

Place a layer of provolone cheese down the middle of the dough

Add a layer of ham and a layer of pepperoni

Then top it with one more layer of yummy cheese!

Fold the dough together in the center and edges. Pinch together

Turn the pizza over and drizzle with olive oil and Italian seasoning. Cut slits on top

Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown

Slice and serve with a side of marinara sauce

Oohh, it is just so yummy!

I love to read!

I just recently read the book, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. It is her first novel and I loved it. The book is a great summer read. Sit by the pool, cold drink, warm sun and a good book - could it get any better?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well... here we go!

I have a passion for chocolate chip cookies! I probably have over 100 different recipes, in search of the
'best' chocolate chip cookie. However, I always return to my tried and true, soft and chewy, perfect chocolate chip cookie for me! They make me happy - I love getting the mixer out, anticipating the whirl of the blades as I cream the butter, add the flour and then finally the chocolate chips!

When my family is around it is a battle trying to keep the dough in the bowl and not being scooped up by a finger or a spoon. (Really, who doesn't love cookie dough)

I love frozen cookies, so the first batch goes right into a ziploc baggie (gallon size) and placed in the freezer. I happen to have a thing for ziploc baggies as well.

So, I thought it would be appropriate, for my first post, to share my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Whether you like them warm, right out of the oven, or frozen, allowed to thaw for just a minute before you submerge them in a cold glass of milk, I don't think they will disappoint you.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
Cream these ingredients, then add:
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Mix together. Then in a separate bowl combine:
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. I keep my mixer going at a slow speed the whole time.
Now for the fun part!
Add: 1/2 pkg chocolate chips
1/2 pkg white chocolate chips
1/2 pkg butterscotch chips
This is the important part. Bake at 350 for exactly 10 minutes. Do not over bake!!

Heaven!