Creamy Asiago Sauce

Melt 2 Tbsp butter, add 1/4 cup flour (or GF flour) and form a roux

Stir in about 1 cup of chicken broth

Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese

Serve over rice or pasta (but not good over gnocchi)

-Nikki Adams

Yummy Bruschetta

2 cloves of garlic, minced
                  sauté in 2 tsp olive oil and allow to cool before adding to the rest

3-5 tomatoes, diced into small pieces
6-8 basil leave, chopped
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients (including the oil from the sautéed garlic) in a bowl.

I like to let it sit for a couple of hours to let flavors blend and then I drain off some of the excess liquid. I usually put it in the fridge if it's going to be a couple of hours before I serve it but I think it is probably fine to let sit at room temperature.

Serve on toasted french bread. (I slice it at an angle, brush one side with olive oil and stick them olive oil side down on a cookie sheet in the top rack of the oven at 450 degrees for 5-6 minutes.)

Nikki Adams (adapted from Simply Recipes)

Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies - Sally's Baking Addiction

I had told the kids we could make chocolate chip cookies but lo and behold, we were out of chocolate chips! We had white chocolate chips and needed a recipe. Thank you Sally's Baking Addiction for the delicious Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies. I do not need to look for another recipe!

The ingredients are basic but her step-by-step directions are on her blog.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Beat on high!

Then mix in:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp milk
1 1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes and cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes.

Made 21 medium-large cookies (without my kids eating cookie dough, it probably would have made 24 cookies).

Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Dip

I don't have exact amounts but here are some general quantities to go off of.

1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 chopped jalapenos
1 small can (4.25 ounces) green chilis

5ish tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
Chili powder
Onion powder
Garlic salt/powder

Add lime juice and/or cilantro if you want.
I add lime juice but no cilantro (mom has turned me anti-cilantro).

Put all of this in a blender. Add different spices depending on what flavors you like.

Warning: This gets spicier each day! So don't make it too spicy at the beginning otherwise after a few days it will be too spicy to eat!!!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream

Add random diced/shredded vegetables if you want (peas, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, etc)

In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes. 

Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Taste Like Chewy Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is another recipe from Averie Cooks. They are good chocolate chip cookies that don't dry out! I did not chill the cookie dough like her recipe calls for and I made mine smaller (her batch made 20 cookies) and baked for less time. Downside, with the corn syrup, they taste a lot like Chips Ahoy cookies.

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet but milk would be good too)

Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

I think this made about 36 cookies.

Soft M&M Cookies

I was asked to make M&M cookies for a wedding reception and had never made any before. The recipe I found was a hit! I didn't love them warm but my kids loved the dough and I couldn't stop eating them for the next couple of days. They stayed soft and didn't dry out at all! Here is the link to the recipe from Averie Cooks. Here are my abridged instructions:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding (or 2 tsp cornstarch)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup M&Ms
OR
instead of that, I have added just milk chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips and PB chips.

Mix together, make into little balls and refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. I have frozen some of the dough for a couple of weeks in a ziploc bag and they were just as delicious as the original batch. She says you can freeze them for up to 6 months.

Bake at 350 F for 10-11 minutes or until edges and top have set, even if they look slightly undercooked. Cool on baking sheet.