C is for Cookie

Cookie Monster had it right. “C” is for cookie! When the world feels like it’s crashing in around you, take two of these and call me in the morning.

Shopping List
All Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Dark Brown Sugar
Sugar
Unsalted Stick Butter
Eggs
Vanilla
Chocolate Chips
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Chile Powder

Tools
2 Cookie Sheets
1 large bowl
1 medium bowl
Wooden Spoon
Flour Sifter
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Ice cream scoop
Cooling rack

“C” is for Cookie Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ C. All purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 C. dark brown sugar, packed firmly
½ C. sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. chile powder

Set out the sticks of butter for about 15 – 20 minutes to soften up. When the sticks of butter are soft to the touch, get started!

Pre-heat your oven to 300.

Set your flour sifter in a medium bowl (if you don’t have a flour sifter, no worries, just add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine), pour the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chile powder into the flour sifter. Sift into the bowl. Once the flour/spice mixture is sifted, set aside.

Next, in the large bowl, mix together the sugar and dark brown sugar until combined. Add the softened butter and mix to combine with a wooden spoon until a grainy paste forms. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.

Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the flour/spice mixture one cup at a time. Mix each cup to combine. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, add the chocolate chips and mix to combine.

Using the ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough and place on the cookie sheet. Yes, I know that’s a lot, but trust me…it’s worth it. You should be able to fit 8 – 10 cookies on your cookie sheet, depending on how big your cookie sheet is.

Bake for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer using a spatula to the cooling rack (if you don't have a cooling rack, just lay down some aluminum foil on your counter and put the cookies on top of that). You’ll need to give them about 10 minutes to cool before you can eat them.

Store in an air-tight container! They should last about two days. ;-)

The Devil Made Me Do it Chili

It's been a little cold and rainy here lately. So, I needed a little comfort. I made this chili a while ago when we had a few friends over to watch the UofA (Go CATS!) v. ASU football game. In honor of my friends who cheered on the Scum Devils, I made them some chili.

For the CATS...we had Eegee's. woot!

Shopping List
1 package beef stew meat
Flour
Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 bulb garlic
1 poblano chili
1 can chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1 large can red enchilada sauce
1 bottle amber beer (I like Dos Equis Amber)
Cumin
Chili Powder
Oregano
Cinnamon
Cloves
1 box beef stock
Sour Cream (optional)
Montery Jack cheese (optional)
Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Tools
4-qt. Dutch Oven
Wooden spoon
Plastic cutting board

Devil Made Me Do it Chili

1 package beef stew meat, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 C. All Purpose flour
1/2 C. Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, with the juice (cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces)
1 large can red enchilada sauce
1 Chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce, diced
1 bottle Dos Equis amber (or any amber beer whose flavor you like)
1 TBSP. ground cumin
1 TBSP. chili powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 box beef stock
1 brick Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 brick Cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream

Put the dutch oven over meduim heat. Put 1/4 C. of olive oil in the pan to begin heating. While the oil is heating, dredge the beef pieces in the flour (I put the meat into a large bowl, pour the flour over it and stirred to cover all of the meat).

Once you have the meat completely covered, pour into the pan to begin browning. If you have a lot of meat, work in batches so you don't bring down the temperature of the oil. Stirring frequently, brown the meat.

Once all the meat has browned (it doesn't have to be completely cooked, the meat will be added back to the chili to complete cooking), remove it from the pan and place on a plate.

Add the remaining 1/4 C. of olive oil to the pot and add the onion, garlic and poblano pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from burning. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes.

Once the veggies have become soft, add 2 C. of the beef stock to deglaze the pan. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once you scraped most of the brown bits off the pan, add the whole bottle of beer. Stir gently and the foam will eventually go away.

Once the foam from the beer has gone down, add the tomaotes, enchilada sauce, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves and oregano.

On a plastic cutting board, dice the chipotle pepper. Add to the chili.

Stir to combine. Add more beef stock if needed. Drop heat down to medium-low and cook for two hours or until meat is tender.

Serve in large bowls, sprinkle with cheese and top with sour cream. Don't forget to make cornbread!!

Enjoy with a cold bottle of Dos Equis Amber.