Easy Deliciousness

October 2, 2012: Chicken Soup for the Soul

It seems like everyone around me- co-workers, friends, etc. have been sick with allergies, the cold, and the flu. There’s no better choice than chicken soup when one is not feeling 100%. Homemade chicken soup really is easy enough to make—no need for Ramen! 

Here is a basic recipe that I used for reference, but you can also add your own vegetables and spices to taste. I added a few seasonings and some peppercorns.

It’s really easy to cook a large pot, and is very helpful when you’re feeling too sickly to eat anything else. You can also freeze individual portions for future sick days. 

August 27, 2012:  Ooey Gooey S'mores Cookies

One thing I did not get the opportunity to do this summer is sit by a campfire, toast a marshmallow, and make a delicious S’more treat.  It’s hard to find a bonfire in the city—I think I will have to tap into my friends living in the burbs for a fall bonfire invite.  

I decided to make these S’more cookies for an office baby shower.  I was able to share more than expected--the morning of the baby shower the Mama went into labor!   These did not last in my office very long.

Now that the summer temperatures are cooling down, you can use the oven to bake this melt-in-your mouth delicious s’more treat.  Here's how:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 dash of cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups miniature chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
2 Hershey bars, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, salt, and dash of cinnamon. In a second larger bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of hershey bar into each cookie.

Return to the oven and bake an additional 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.


Yummy-- let me know how your cookies turn out!

July 23, 2012:  Fricken' Chicken

The other night I made honey mustard cornflake chicken strips that even impressed myself.  My boyfriend coined them as his favorite meal that I’ve ever made for him.  Absolutely delicious!

These strips were very flavorful, the perfect bite of savory honey mustard with crunchy sweet cornflakes coated on a tasty organic breast of chicken.  There were variations of this recipe online. Here is how I made it:

1.  Cut raw organic chicken into thin strips (this is very important-- I tried to repeat the recipe with a whole breast a few days later and the corn flakes ended up burning with the inside of the chicken remaining raw)

2.  In a small bowl mix one cup of honey mustard, while adding as much salt, pepper, onion bits, garlic (amount subject to your taste buds).  Feel free to add a little zest by adding a dash of other ingredients in your spice drawer such as celery salt and/or a pinch of paprika.    

3.  Separate the mixture in half

4.  Dip raw chicken breasts in the mixture and coat with corn flake crumbs

5.  Place in oven at 425 Degrees for 15 minutes

6.  Remove from oven and coat with second half of mixture, place back in the oven for about another 2 minutes 

7.  Pair with your favorite sides (I did a garden salad and mashed potatoes) and Enjoy! 

Smacznego! 

July 9, 2012:  Life is Better in Flip Flops

Summer is by far my favorite season.  I recently went to a friend’s pool party for the 4th and made these flip-flop pool party cookies. 

A great way to wow your friends, these make the perfect treat for any summer occasion— pool party, beach gathering, office party, or summer cookout to name a few. 

These are easy to make, require no baking, and cost less than ten dollars in ingredients.

Here is what you’ll need:

A package of Nutter butter cookies (who knew they were so conveniently shaped like sandals)

Cake/cookie icing

Cake confetti decoration

With icing, simply draw the two lines at the top of the cookie (as shown) to mimic a flip flop.  Decorate immediately before the icing hardens (you have about 5 minutes)—simple as that!  I made these while watching just one episode of The Big Bang Theory!

Now go make these cookies for your next summer event before the season slips away!