DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

You will not be able to resist these deliciously soft and chewy double chocolate chip cookies. I have been making these cookies for years.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 t pure vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

2 ½ cups cake flour or all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t fine sea salt

12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz Hershey Bar, grated

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix to combine.

While mixer is still running, add vanilla, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined.  

Remove bowl from mixer and fold in chocolate chips and grated chocolate.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a medium size ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool on wire racks before storing in an airtight container.

SUMMER GRILLED SHRIMP & VEGETABLES

This is such a light and delicious summer dinner. You can add any vegetable you like. I love poblano peppers and added one but you can use a green bell pepper instead.

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 t avocado oil

1 t Old Bay seasoning

½ t onion powder

½ t garlic powder

½ t brown sugar

½ t sea salt

½ t freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch paprika

Juice of ½ lime

Extra-light olive oil spray

2 ears corn on the cob

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise

1 red bell pepper, cut in half, seeds and membrane removed

1 poblano pepper, cut in half, seeds and membrane removed

1 large sweet potato, partially cooked in the microwave, skin removed and cut in half, lengthwise

1 avocado, diced

Juice ½ lime

Place shrimp in a medium bowl.

Add the avocado oil, Old Bay, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, and lime juice.

Toss to completely combine and skewer shrimp onto metal skewers and set aside.

Lightly spray the zucchini, bell pepper, poblano pepper, sweet potato chunks, and ears of corn with extra-light olive oil spray.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill the corn cobs, zucchini, bell pepper halves, poblano pepper halves, and sweet potatoes halves for 5 minutes.

Turn over and grill vegetables another 5 minutes.

Add shrimp and grill 2 minutes on each side.

Remove everything from the grill at the same time.

Cut off the kernels from the cob.

Chop the zucchini, peppers, and sweet potatoes.

Divide everything among 2 plates and serve with a wedge of lime.

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES

These cookies were my daughter's favorite when she was growing up. It came from an old Colonial recipe for ginger cookies. I added less ginger and more butter. They are chewy and scrumptious.

12 T (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup unsulphured molasses

1 large egg

½ t ground cloves

½ t ground ginger

1 t ground cinnamon

¼ t ground nutmeg

½ t salt

½ t baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and butter until light and creamy.  Add the molasses and egg continue mixing.

Mix in the cloves, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.

Slowly add the flour and mix until completely incorporated.

Drop tablespoons of cookie batter onto lightly greased baking sheets.

You can also use the smallest ice cream scoop.

Leave 2 to 3 inches of space between cookies.

Bake until cookies start to darken, about 10 minutes. 

Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

BAKED ONION & CHEESE DIP

Set this appetizer out for an appetizer and you will see it gone before it cools.

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 cup minced sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla)

1 T dry minced onions

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¾ cup grated Pepper Jack cheese

½ cup grated Swiss Emmentaler cheese

1 t paprika

Finely chopped parsley, for garnish

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onions, garlic, and cheeses.

Spoon into a small baking dish, sprinkle with paprika and bake uncovered at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.