Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Whenever we have roast chicken, I freeze the leftover chicken.  It's perfect for soup, enchiladas or other casseroles.  I find chicken cooked in the crockpot tends to dry out but using already cooked chicken in a soup or casserole works perfectly.  This recipe would also be great made with leftover turkey!

Crock  Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package frozen corn (about 14 oz)
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• corn tortillas
• cooking spray

Directions:

1.     Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, black beans, onion, green chiles, corn and garlic into your crock pot. Pour in chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

2.     When fully cooked, pull chicken out and shred. Place back inside crock pot. 

3.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray. Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter, then spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some Lawry's seasoning salt or just plain salt and pepper if desired.

4.     Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve soup, top with cheese, avocado, green onions or any other add-in you like and then sprinkle tortilla strips on top.

 I am linking this to On the Menu Monday,  Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

The Best Roast and Gravy EVER!!!

 Check out my giveaway for a digital magazine subscription here!

I love my Crock Pot, especially this time of year.  Dinner is ready when I come home from work, leaving plenty of time for baking or present wrapping!  Pinterest has become my new vehicle for storing the recipes I want to try!  Sometimes the challenge with Pinterest is to find the link to the original post, which makes it hard for a blogger to credit that source.  I am going to link to my original pin which was from a site called Repinly!

Crock Pot's were made for cuts of meat like roasts.  I almost always cook mine in the slow cooker.  Traditionally, I use an envelope of onion soup and some beef broth or water.  After cooking all day, the roasts are always tender and delicious.  Curious about this recipe, I decided to give it a try.  I am not a Dr. Pepper fan but have made other recipes using soda.  The original poster said this was the best roast and gravy ever and they were so right.  Usually I can take or leave beef gravy.  With this recipe, however, I could have just eaten the gravy by the spoonful. 

Dr Pepper Roast

1 beef chuck roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 package onion soup mix
2 cups Dr. Pepper

Cook on low in a slow cooker 6 - 8 hours and you'll have the best roast and gravy you have ever had. 

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!

Zinio Digital Magazine Subscription Giveaway

Are you a magazine reader?  I am!  I find a lot of my recipes and ideas in magazines.  I clip the page and then what do I do?  Go on line and find a digital link to the recipe or idea and save it.  With digital magazine subscriptions becoming more and more mainstream,  if my magazine subscriptions were digital ones, this would be so much easier and less paper!

Have you heard of Zinio?  They offer digital subscriptions to thousands of top magazines from around the world.  You can browse and purchase subscriptions or even single issues instantly from your computer or mobile device wherever or whenever you like.  Zinio's explore section lets you read, even without a subscription, thousands of articles from your favorite magazines and share them with friends.

Zinio has 300 magazine titles available at up to 50% off their already-discounted prices.  Here are just a few sample titles: LA CUCINA ITALIANA, VEGETARIAN TIMES, FOOD ARTS, CLEAN EATING.  

Check our Zinio's titles and deals here !   Also, you can enter Zinio's sweepstakes for a chance to win an iPad Mini here !!!

Want to try reading a digital magazine?  Zinio offered me 10 free magazine subscriptions.  I am going to try one myself, so I will be sharing 9 of them with my readers!  To enter, leave me a comment letting me know which magazine you would choose.  Also, make sure I have a way to contact you, if you're a winner!  Contest ends at midnight on 12/30!

I was compensated for this post but all opinions are my own!

Bloggers Day of Silence - Newtown

 

Macaroon Kiss Cookies - Virtual Cookie Exchange

Last week, I participated in the cookie exchange at Tim's office.  It's so much fun to try everyone's delicious recipes.  Today I am participating in a virtual cookie exchange, equally as fun but so much easier on the hips.  Di over at Di's Kitchen Notebook is hosting her 3rd annual virtual cookie exchange.  This is my second year participating.   Last year, I shared these Chocolate Nutella No Bakes.

Having pinned about a dozen cookie recipes over the past few weeks, it was hard to decide whether to try a new recipe or bake an old favorite.  I decided to try a new recipe,  Macaroon Kiss Cookies and as a bonus I had all the ingredients in the house.  These cookies combine all of the goodness of a coconut macaroon with a hint of orange and a chocolate kiss.  The coconut gets toasty while the cookies remain soft and chewy.  Delicious!

Macaroon Kiss Cookies

Makes approx. 48 cookies

Recipe courtesy of Rook No. 17

2 1/2 cups All purpose flour

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2/3 cups butter, softened

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon juice from a fresh orange

10 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided in to 6 cup and 4 cup portions

1 bag Hershey Kisses (48 pieces)

Step 1:  In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, vanilla and orange juice and beat till smooth.  

Step 3:  In 1 cup increments, mix flour in to the butter mixture.  Add the 6 cups flaked coconut and beat to combine.

Step 4:  Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. While dough is chilling, remove wrappers from the Kisses.

Step 5:  Preheat oven to 350.  One at a time, scoop dough into 1.5" balls (about the size of a large walnut, roll between your palms, then roll in the bowl of remaining coconut (4 cups).  Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet, at least an inch apart (cookies will spread slightly).  A standard cookie sheet should accommodate a dozen cookies at a time.  Bake 12-14 minutes, until the cookies puff and are very lightly browned.  

Step 6:  Remove from oven.  Immediately press one Kiss into each cookie.  Return pan to oven and bake for an additional minute.

Step 7:  Remove pan from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.  With a thin spatula, gently move cookies on to a rack to finish cooling.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

A Crafty Christmas

I don't really consider myself crafty!  Pinterest has turned even me into a crafter!  Every time I am on Pinterest I am inspired by all of the great DIY ideas out there!  Kudos to all of you creative people who come up with these great crafts!!

Two years ago I bought a roll of Deco Mesh, convinced I would (could) make a wreath or garland out of it.  Last year, time got away from me and the Deco Mesh remained in the boxes with the Christmas decorations.  This year, determined to use it, I decided to make a garland for the mantle.  Armed with the Deco Mesh, pipe cleaners and some ribbon, I made the garland! It was fun and easy.  The biggest challenge is how to attach it to the mantle.  I have some mesh leftover and am thinking of making bows for our garage lights.  

Our downstairs family room / bar area is decorated in a wine theme.  We have a small pencil Christmas tree in that room.  Last year I remember thinking how  great it would be to decorate this tree in a wine theme but decided against it because it would mean buying all new ornaments.  This Spring when we were in wine country, I purchased a key chain made from a wine cork.  At the time, I thought, I could do this.  I should make these for gifts or to sell.  Last week while browsing on Pinterest, I saw this same idea turned into Christmas ornaments.  Tim reminded me I had "those" beads I purchased when I took beading classes a few years ago.  With Tim's help (THANK YOU, TIM), we now have a tree in the family room with a wine theme!!!

A few weeks ago our local home improvement store, Menards, had those fun glass blocks on sale.  I picked up a couple.  I know Tim thought they were going end up, undecorated, in the box with the Christmas decorations, along with the Deco Mesh (from last year) at the end of the season.  Convinced I was going to prove him wrong, I did some searching on Pinterest.  I found some fun lettering sets for the blocks but they were a bit expensive and I really didn't want to spend a lot on something that was only going to be out for a few weeks each year.  I did find a pin on Pinterest showing the glass block wrapped like a present!  Ribbon and some sort of embellishment, seems easy enough.  I can do this!  I even think if I change embellishment on these, they can be Valentines Day blocks, too!!

What crafts have you made this holiday season?

I am linking this to  Homespun Christmas and Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

A Recipe Rewind - Peanut Butter Balls

When Tim shared with me that his office was having a cookie exchange, I didn't have to think twice about what I was going to share.  Not sure if you would consider these cookies or candy but they're a holiday recipe I've been making since Justin was small.  I've posted these a couple of times before but they're so good, I couldn't resist sharing again this year.  This years batch is in the fridge chilling, so I am posting a picture from a couple of years ago.

I saw this tip for keeping chocolate warm while dipping candies and plan to give it a try when I dip these this week. 

Peanut Butter Balls
1/2 cup butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 pound powdered sugar
8 ounces Hershey's chocolate bar
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate bits
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cake paraffin

Melt butter, stir in peanut butter until smooth. In a large bowl, combine rice krispies and powdered sugar. Pour peanut butter mixture over rice krispie mixture. Stir until combined well. Chill for at least one hour. Roll rice krispie mixture into balls approximately the size of walnuts.

In a double boiler or a bowl over a pan of boiling water, combine chocolate bar, chocolate chips, paraffin and vanilla. Stir until melted and combined.

Dip balls into chocolate mixture, making sure to cover all sides. Place on waxed paper to dry.


I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday. 

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Have you started your holiday baking?  Tomorrow is food day at Tim's office, so I decide to bake a holiday cookie recipe I've been eying since last year.  The chocolate and peppermint are a perfect combination!  Watch out these are addictive!!

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies Recipe:
(Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10 ounce) package  Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa powder.  Add to the butter/sugar mixture and combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to avoid cookies from flattening.

After your dough has chilled, drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes or until set up but the centers are still soft.  Let the cookies cool for 1-2 minutes.  Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss.  Allow to cool long enough for the kisses to harden.


I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday. 

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

 Thanks to everyone for your kind words last week!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Brown butter adds such depth to the flavor of these bars.  Most of my experience with brown butter has been in savory cooking with recipes like this Brown Butter Sage Pasta.  When I saw this recipe for Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting, I couldn't wait to give them a try.

The trick to perfect brown butter is to brown the butter slowly, swirling the pan while the butter browns.  If you brown it too quickly it will burn and that's not good!!!  You frost this cake while it's still warm.  I used a trick I learned a number of years ago with this banana bread, I poked holes into the cake allowing the frosting to seep down inside the cake.

These banana bars are delicious and dense like a pumpkin bar.  The brown butter frosting is heavenly and puts these bars over the top. 

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars

I am linking this recipe to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!

Goldie June Johnson 04/21/20 - 11/12/12

Goldie June Johnson, 92, passed away quietly at the Life Care Center of Kansas City, on Monday, November 12, 2012. June was born on April 21, 1920 in Benton City, Missouri. She lived most of her life in Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas, and was a graduate of Rosedale High School. She also lived in Clark, Missouri, California and Nebraska. June was a Regional Manager for Russell Stover's Candies, and a homemaker. June and Robert W. Johnson, her husband and sweetheart, were married August 3, 1988.  She was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. June enriched the lives of all who knew her, and she leaves many in sorrow but with gratitude for having had her in their lives. 

June was my Bonus Mother (I never liked the word step mother).  (My Mother passed away when I was 16.)

  Having June in our lives brought us all great joy.   She will be missed!!!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta - Secret Recipe Club

It's Secret Recipe Club time! For those of you who aren't familiar with SRC, it works like this. Each month, we're assigned a blog and choose one of their recipes to feature on reveal day. For this month's reveal, I was assigned Cheese Curd in Paradise.  Congratulations to Ashley, she's about to welcome a new baby, Kellen, into this world.

 I try to choose a savory recipe for SRC since I never have any trouble coming up with a new sweet recipe to make! I love Chicken Enchilada's. When I saw this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Pasta, I decided that was the recipe I was going to choose. I omitted the red peppers (none on hand) and used some leftover cream cheese instead of the sour cream. This recipe tastes just like chicken enchiladas. I think next time I might try adding a few black beans, more protein and more color.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (you can add more chicken if you like a meaty pasta)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 10 oz. cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used medium heat)

1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce (I used mild heat)

2 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup light sour cream

1 lb Penne pasta

Toppings:

Avocado

Green Onion

Sour Cream

Cheese

Black Olives

Instructions

In a large rimmed skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Add chicken, spices, chilies, and enchilada sauces. Simmer for 15 minutes.  While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta, drain and set aside.

Lower the heat for the sauce and stir in the cheese. Allow mixture to stop bubbling and stir in the sour cream. Be careful not to boil the sauce because the sour cream will break and curdle.

Return drained pasta to the original pot and pour sauce over pasta. Toss pasta with sauce so it is evenly coated. Plate and top with desired toppings.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Taco Bake

Looking for a new hamburger recipe, here's one that's easy and uses ingredients you may have on hand.  This dish is cheesy and the leftovers, if you have any, are delicious the next day!

Taco Bake

Recipe Courtesy of The Country Cook

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

* water as called for on back of seasoning packet

3 large flour tortillas (8-inch size)

1/2 cup Salsa Con Queso

1 1/2-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions:

Brown and crumble ground beef. Drain excess grease.

Add in taco seasoning and water (following directions on back of seasoning packet).

Once the taco meat is ready, turn off heat and had in 1/2 cup salsa con queso.

I like a mild salsa con queso. This is a spicy dish so a hot salsa con queso would just be too spicy for us.

If you have anyone in your family that is very sensitive to spicy dishes, you could always use a regular, spreadable cheese dip.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer the bottom of  the pan with a flour tortilla.

Now add about 1/3 of the meat filling.  Then add 1/3 of the shredded cheese.

Continue until you are done with all of the layers.

Bake a 350 for 15 - 20 minutes. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut into wedges.  Top with salsa or sour cream.   

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!

In The Mood Intimates - Lace Boyshorts Review

Are you an online shopper?  I am!  I buy make up, shoes, clothes, gifts, books and kitchen items on line.  It's easy and such a time saver, find what you want and click click, it's done.

One thing I've never purchased on line is intimate apparel.  Seems like that's something I always put off purchasing and I am not sure why.  Everyone deserves to wear something beautiful underneath their clothes.  For me that's about to change,  recently I was contacted by In The Mood Intimates.  They were looking for some blog ambassadors.  I quickly responded and said, sign me up!!!

For this month's review, I received a pair of their Hanky Panky Signature Lace Boyshorts.  I love boyshorts.  Their fit is perfect and they are so comfortable.  These were no exception, comfy....check, good fit....check and to top it off they are a beautiful pink color.  (I have to clarify this, no that's not me in the boyshorts, I only wish I looked like that when wearing them.)

If you're looking to treat yourself or need a beautiful holiday gift for someone, check out In The Mood Intimates.  They have a great selection, reasonable pricing and $5.00 shipping (unless you spend $70.00 and then shipping is free.)

Disclosure:  I’m a member of the In  The Mood Intimates Ambassador program and received a review item in exchange for this post.  The opinions are my own.

Breakfast Casserole

Weekend breakfasts are one of my favorite meals! Breakfast casseroles are the best. You make them the night before and bake them the next morning. They're also perfect if you're having house guests. Today's recipe is a different take on a breakfast casserole I've been making for years. Instead of bread, it uses waffles and has the addition of maple syrup. You could easily omit the syrup if you don't want the casserole to have a slight sweet taste.

Maple Sausage and Waffle Casserole
Recipe Courtesy of Plain Chicken
8 frozen Eggo homestyle waffles, cubed
16 ounces maple breakfast sausage, crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1-1/4 cups whole or low-fat milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt
pepper
 Cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain fat. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Add half of the cubed waffles in a single layer. Top with half of the sausage and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Layer the remaining waffles and sausage and 1/2 cup more cheese. Whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole. Wrap the baking dish with plastic wrap and place refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day. Bake at 325 degrees 45 to 50 minutes.

I am linking to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!

Chinese Cumcumber Salad

As summer draws to a close and we're focused on those fall foods, I wanted to share one more recipe of summer. Many weeks our CSA bag included a cucumber or two. Looking for a new way to serve cucumbers, I found this recipe. If you like foods with an asian flair, you'll enjoy these. They're crisp and delicious. Be sure to soak them before marinating them in the dressing, it adds to their crispiness. These are best served the day you make them but will be okay the next day, after that they tend to get a little soggy.

Chinese Cucumber Salad
Recipe Courtesy of Kalyn's Kitchen

Ingredients:
4 medium sized cucumbers
2 T sea salt (for soaking water)
black sesame seeds for garnishing salad (optional but fun)
Dressing Ingredients: 4 T red wine vinegar
4 T soy sauce
3 T sugar
4 tsp. sesame oil
 1-2 tsp. Sriracha Sauce (or other hot sauce of your choice)
 Instructions: Peel cucumbers, leaving some of the peel on in stripes if they are fresh garden cucumbers. Cut each cucumber in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Cut cucumbers in 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick slices. Soak 30 minutes in salted ice water. (I used 2 T sea salt in the water.) While the cucumbers are soaking in the ice water, mix the red wine vinegar, soy sauce, sweetener of your choice, sesame oil, and Sriracha or other hot sauce to make the dressing. After 30 minutes, drain the cucumbers well, put them in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, and pour dressing over cucumbers. Let marinate 30 minutes in the fridge, turning the container over a few times. After 30 minutes more, drain the cucumbers, reserving a few tablespoons of the dressing. Put cucumbers on serving dish, drizzle over the reserved dressing, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds if desired.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

The Ultimate Sugar Cookie - Secret Recipe Club

It's hard to decide what I like most about Secret Recipe Club...reveal day or choosing which recipe to make from my assigned blogger.  If I had to pick, I think it would be looking through the recipes of the blogger I am assigned for the month and deciding on a recipe.  This month, I was assigned Heavenly Treats and Treasures.  Check out her blog, she has beautiful photography and a wonderful selection of recipes.

Do you have a favorite cookie?  Mine is probably chocolate chip but a close second is a good sugar cookie.  When I came across the recipe for ULTIMATE Sugar Cookie, I stopped searching and bookmarked the recipe.

Why is this recipe the Ultimate Sugar Cookie?  The secret ingredients are cream cheese and melted butter.  The cream cheese, I totally get but melted butter just seems counter intuitive to cookies.  The results a slightly crispy, yet creamy sugar cookie!

 The Ultimate Sugar Cookie:
Yields about 18 large size cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus about 1/3 cup for rolling
2 ounces of cream cheese (cut into eight pieces so it's easier to incorporate)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

•  Adjust oven rack to middle position.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
• Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and cream cheese to a large bowl.  Pour warm butter over sugar mixture and whisk until combined.  Add vegetable oil and whisk again until incorporated.
• Add egg, cream, vanilla and whisk until smooth.
• Add half of flour mixture and gently mix in with a spatula or wooden spoon until almost incorporated, then do the same with the remaining flour.
• Measure 1/3 cup sugar into a bowl.  Using about a 2" size scoop (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoon size), scoop cookie dough, drop into hands and roll gently into a ball.  Working in batches, roll balls of dough in the sugar to coat evenly and then space a few inches apart on cookie sheets.  There will be enough room for 6 large cookies per sheet. 
• Using bottom of a drinking glass or a measuring cup, flatten each cookie so it is about 3" in diameter.
• Sprinkle top of each cookie with additional sugar
• Top with colored sprinkles if desired.
• Bake one sheet at a time, just until edges are barely beginning to turn golden - about 12-13 minutes.  Rotate cookie sheets halfway through baking time.
• Remove pan from oven, and allow cookies to cool 2 minutes on the sheets on a baking rack.  Then, slide cookies on parchment paper off sheet to the rack and allow to cool.

Honey Corn Muffins - Club Baked

I grew up making those little Jiffy mixes.   Sometimes it was the cake mixes and other times it was the corn muffins.  I think it was the next step up from the Easy Bake Oven.  The authors of Baked Explorations describe our recipe for this month's Club Baked as their favorite, similar to the Jiffy mix, not overly sweet and light in texture.

I made these last week with our first bowl of fall chili.  They're delicious with just a little butter or the addition of drizzle of honey.  They have a nice tender crumb and the edges turn a beautiful golden brown.  Next  time I am going to try these as corn bread in my cast iron pan.

Want to make these yummy muffins?  You'll find the recipe over at Karen's blog, Karen's Cakes & More.  Karen's hosting this month's recipe and also is our leader in Club Baked.  You can find the links to the other Club Baked bakers muffins here!

Next up for Club Baked, Carrot Coconut Scones on 11/1.  November?  Crazy that it's almost November!  That means the holidays are just around the corner and Club Baked will be taking a break until January!!

I am linking these to On the Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!