Chewy Brownie Cookies

2/3 C. shortening

1 ½ C. brown sugar

1 Tbs. water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 ½ C. flour

1/3 C. baking cocoa

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

12-oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix shortening, sugar, water & vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients, mix in until blended.  Add chips.  Drop on ungreased cookie sheet; bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes, until set- they will appear soft and moist- do not overbake.  Cool on sheet for 2 minutes, remove to rack.  Makes 3 – 3 ½ dozen.

*Christmas Option: Upon removing from the oven, place a single Andes Mint on top of each cookie, smoothing with a spreading knife as they melt.  This “frosting” will harden as the cookies cool.

Chiffon Cake

Simple, light, made from ingredients which are normally already in the pantry, what's not to love?  I can't remember where I first found this recipe, but I seem remember making it way back when we lived in Germany and had one kiddo, so it's been a while!  I used to ride my bicycle, with little Nathaniel in the kiddie seat on the back, to the Post library at Möhringen Kaserne, where we lived, and I would check cookbooks out to try new recipes.  Good times....

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I found these delightful muffins on Pinterest when I was looking for ways to use up the stockpile of cranberries left in the freezer after the holidays.  The original recipe was great, but a bit thin on cranberries.  I want a berry in every bite!  So I adjusted here and there and ended up with just what I was dreaming of in a cranberry orange muffin.  You could use fresh cranberries- before stockpiling them in the freezer, or, if using frozen, take them out to thaw slightly before adding them to the batter.  That way the batter won’t become a frozen lump as you try to spoon it into the muffin tins.

Cranberry Streusel Pie

My Mom found this recipe years ago, and it has become a holiday staple for our family.  It's an unusual pie, in that the "filling" isn't gooey or fruity.  It's more like a loose coffee cake in a pie shell with a sweet and crunchy topping.  Not only is it a unique addition to the dessert selections, but the leftovers make a tasty breakfast....

Cranberry Sauce

A Thanksgiving staple, and so simple to make, why would anyone buy the canned stuff?!

1 C sugar

1 C water

2 C cranberries, fresh or frozen, rinsed and picked through to remove stems and yucky berries

Boil sugar and water over medium heat for 10 minutes,(watch that it doesn’t burn).  Add cranberries immediately.  Cook, stirring, until berries pop.  Pour into serving dish to cool. 

Modified Toll House Cookies

This is from the most stained page in my cookbook.  The formula below is the result of a months-long quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie.  As yesterday was the first day of school I normally would have made a batch of these for Isaac to come home to, but he baked a double recipe only a few days ago and even took some in his lunch.  He's quite the cookie-monster when it comes to whipping up a batch of cookies!

Chicken Scarpariello

Okay, here it is: our favorite meal.  We learned to make this when Kate was 2 months old, so as of today we have been making and loving this for 25 years.  Chicken Scarpariello was introduced to us by our dear, darling, beloved friends, Jim and Cathy DePiante.  When they were newlyweds they worked in an Italian restaurant somewhere in New Jersey; Jim learned to make this while cooking in the restaurant kitchen.  It is now our go-to special-occasion meal, birthday meal, welcome-home meal, and "Let's have something special tonight" meal.  

When Kate was living in Europe for a semester and the DePiantes were living in Rome at the same time, she took the train to Rome to see them for a long weekend.  After a full and exhausting day of sight-seeing and black-market purse shopping with Anthony, she walked into their house to the familiar home-smell of Chicken Scarpariello cooking and Kate knew she was among family.

As with most of my recipes, I haven't made a "single," but I've doubled this for years.