Wonderful Wednesday—July 7, 2010

Checking out the garden:


What’s for supper?
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place bone-in chicken pieces into baking dish. Sprinkle both sides generously with House Autry Chicken Breader (or a blend of flour, salt, and pepper). Cut approx. 4 tbsp. of butter into small pieces and space evenly on top of chicken.

Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water into baking dish, being careful to not wash the breader from chicken. Place in oven for 1 hr. 15 min. Then carefully spoon some of the cooking juices over the top of the chicken. Continue baking for another 15 – 30 minutes, or until chicken is done and golden brown. Remove chicken from baking dish onto serving platter. OR if your family is unexpectedly delayed (as mine was), place into another baking dish (you want to remove it from the cooking juices to keep it nice and crispy) and place into a warm oven to await their arrival.


Since I had “extra” time, I even made decided to fill the cookie jar! ;-)


Yes, it was a wonderful Wednesday.

Will-Power….or Not

Man likes chocolate chip cookies. So do I. If I make them, I know that I will eat too many....before they are even technically "cookies". Therefore, I don't make them. But then Man gets none either. SO....I'm going to make chocolate chip cookies. I am making cookies, because NOT making cookies means that my home is not well-kept. To intentionally deprive my husband of something that he likes due to my lack of will-power is being a bad wife. It is as bad as not washing his socks or not cooking dinner. It is my job as keeper of the home to try-- as much as I can-- to make each member of the family feel loved, to provide for their needs and their desires (within reason).
Here is my recipe….

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces chocolate chips (your preference of milk chocolate, semi-sweet or bittersweet)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cream butter and shortening together; add sugars and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour, soda, and salt; mix well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for one minute on cookie sheet; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
Unfortunately, I doubt that I will be able to develop will-power instantly (yes, a character flaw); therefore, I will have to work out a little—okay, a lot—harder tomorrow. AND….I think I will also freeze part of the dough….This makes way too many cookies for 3 people to eat, and my neighbors all think I am trying to make them fat. So I try to only send baked goods to them on special occasions.
 
Enjoy!!!!