The Best Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever

These are the best homemade chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! A friend made them for a few parties and I asked for the recipe. He told me it was the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever recipe and he was right. I will never use another chocolate chip cookie recipe again!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
6 to 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks (one generous cup; it’s fine to just use half a 12-oz bag)

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars on low speed until it is smooth and lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
3. Add the vanilla and egg and beat on low speed for 15 seconds, or until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until they are just incorporated. If using a hand mixer, use a wooden spoon to stir them in. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour, and preferably 24-36 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Adjust racks to lower and upper thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Spoon the dough, using a large cookie scooper or a tablespoon, 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges but still soft, almost underdone-looking, in the center. To ensure even baking, turn the sheets front to back and switch racks halfway through.
7. Remove the sheets from the oven and carefully slide the parchment or silicone mats directly onto a work surface. When cookies are set, remove them to a cooling rack. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving or 20 minutes before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

From Debbie Koenig

Fruit Dip

As the weather gets warmer, you'll find more varieties of fruit at the grocery store. I was able to find a very good cantaloupe, which was the main ingredient in my fruit salad. Just chop up your favorite fruits and serve with this dip for an easy and healthy appetizer or side. The dip will disappear fast, and don't be surprised if your friends start dipping other treats into it!

Ingredients
7 oz container of marshmallow fluff
8 oz block of cream cheese
1 T of fruit preserves (I used raspberry).

Directions
1. Place the cream cheese in a small mixing bowl and allow to soften. Place in the microwave for 10-20 seconds if you're short on time.
2. Scoop all of the marshmallow fluff into the bowl and mix with the softened cream cheese until well blended.
3. Add your favorite fruit preserves to the mixture.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shrimp and Egg Salad

With Easter around the corner, it’s fun to find different ways to serve hard-boiled eggs. This easy recipe comes from an AllRecipes booklet. I enjoyed eating it on a bed of romaine lettuce for dinner, but it would also make a great appetizer on crackers or cucumbers, or you can make it into a sandwich. The mayo was a bit much, you could probably get by with ½ a cup. One recipe review suggested using ½ cup mayo with ¼ cup sour cream.

Ingredients

1 lb large peeled and deveined cooked shrimp (I used a frozen pack of medium shrimp)
1 cup chopped celery
1 large carrot, shredded
½ cup chopped onion (I omitted this)
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
¾ cup mayo
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place the eggs in a small pot and fill with water until eggs are covered. Slowly bring to a boil.
2. While the water boils, chop celery and onion and place in medium mixing bowl. Shred in the carrot.
3. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and cover the pot for 10 minutes.
4. At this time, add shrimp to the mixing bowl. If you are thawing frozen shrimp, you may want to rinse with water.
5. When the eggs are finished cooking, drain the hot water out and add ice water.
6. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel and add to mixing bowl.
7. Scoop the mayo into the mixing bowl and blend shrimp, eggs and veggies.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.

Corned Beef Dinner

My mom would make corned beef with cabbage on St. Patrick ’s Day and I always looked forward to it. This year I made it myself and couldn’t believe how simple it was! I started with a 2.5lb piece of meat in my 3.5 qt slow cooker. It was a tight fit at first, but the meat shrinks and it turned out perfectly. The recipe called for four servings, but I think it could stretch to six with all the leftovers I have!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 small carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 corned beef brisket with spice packet (about 2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1/2 t grated orange peel
• 1/2 t mustard
• 2 cabbage wedges

Directions

• Chop onions, potatoes and carrots. Place in a 3qt or larger slow cooker.
• In a medium bowl, grate the orange peel and whisk with apple juice, cloves, brown sugar, mustard and contents of spice packet.
• Place the brisket in slow cooker on top of veggies. Pour the juice over it and cook on high for 4 hours.
• Chop the cabbage into bite-size pieces and add to slow cooker for 30 minutes.
• Set the slow cooker to warm until you are ready to serve.

Adapted from Taste of Home http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Corned-Beef-Supper

Chicken Taco Soup

This easy slow cooker meal tastes exactly as it should, tacos in soup form. I enjoyed it with tortilla chips and salsa on the side. If you don’t like spicy foods, use plain diced tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes with green chilies.

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions
1.    Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend.
2. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
3.    Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Shred into bite size pieces.
4. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

From Allrecipes.com