Just Guess

If you guessed MORE chocolate chip cookies, you are correct! I tried two different batches today. I used the same basic recipe, but the difference was I used milk/dark chocolate chunks for the first one and semi-sweet chips for the second. When I took them to the staff meeting the second recipe won without any hesitation. I have to agree. The second is my favorite too. :) I'm still not going to share the recipe, but I'll at least share some pictures.



Batch #1

Batch #1



The chocolate used for Batch #1


Batch #2

Batch #2

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, Take 1

A few weeks ago while Stalena and I were in Tulsa we stopped at a Starbucks for breakfast. I had their Banana Chocolate Chip Cake. I nearly fainted it was so good. Okay, that may be slightly extreme, but I loved it. The flavor was amazing and it was moist. And so began my desire to find a home recipe of equal caliber. My mom has a pretty good banana bread recipe, but the Starbucks version is more like cake than bread. I searched a bit online and chose a few to try. My first attempt is from Cooks.com. I made it and even with a little mixing error on my part, the girls still loved it. I, however, don't. I feel like the flavor is lacking. It's soft and beautiful, but I want the flavor and lightness of Starbucks'.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake (Cooks.com)

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 bananas (use really ripe bananas)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 pt sour cream (16 oz)
12 oz package mini chocolate chips

Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. Add mashed bananas. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream. Lastly add 1/2 package of chocolate chips. Pour into greased pans (to get the shape I wanted, I used 2 loaf pans). Sprinkle mini chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Hamburger Boat

It probably won't surprise you when I tell you I visit with my patients about life outside of the hospital. I'm certainly focused on my tasks, but I like my patients knowing they're more than a list to me. Anyway, as I was talking with a patient and his family this week they told me about a recipe they call Hamburger Boat. I wasn't sure what they were going to describe with a name like that, but when they shared it I was intrigued. So last night, I tried it. And it's delicious and crazy simple.

Hamburger Boat

1 loaf of French bread
Ground Hamburger (I bought 2 lbs)
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
Mushrooms (if you like them)
Onion
Mozzarella cheese

Cut the French bread in half and then pull out most of the bread. Cook your hamburger and onion with the mushrooms, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. (I wouldn't add the tomato products until the meat is no longer red so you can make sure your hamburger is properly- and safely- cooked.)Once it's cooked and seasoned to your liking, spoon it into the French bread boats. The 2 lb amount was enough for both sides of bread. Then sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on the top and bake in an oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted. Pull out your trusty pizza cutter, slice it up, and serve. See? Easy and tasty.

I've been holding out...

Good Morning, friends. :) Well, I've been holding out on you. I tried a new chocolate chip cookie recipe about a week ago. They were pretty fantastic...as in, I may have found my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. EVER. I want to try a thing or two with it, but I feel like I'm sooo close after nearly a year long search. We'll see. But as time has passed, I feel a little selfish refusing to share it. I had never considered keeping recipes a secret until this one. I liked the idea of having a prized jewel recipe. But wouldn't it be sad if no one else experienced these cookies?