Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups flour                        2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda               ¼ cup milk

1 tsp. salt                             ½ cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar                          3 eggs

1 cup shortening/margarine

1 pkg. chocolate chips

1 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:  Sift together dry ingredients.  Cream shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add dry ingredients alternating with milk.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Comment:  Grandma Ida Romer’s recipe.   Our favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Tomato-Basil Sauce with Orzo & Scallops or Shrimp

¼ cup olive oil, divided              

1 thinly sliced large sweet onion

2 T. minced garlic (6-8 cloves)

2 pt. cherry tomatoes

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided

¼ tsp. black pepper, divided

 

1 lb. dry-packed jumbo scallops or fresh shrimp

 

2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

1/3 cup salted butter

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:  Heat 2 T. oil in a skillet over medium high.  Add onion; sauté until softened and beginning to brown – 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic; cook while stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, 3 T. of basil, 1tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and release their juices, 6-7 minutes.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 2 minutes.  Transfer to bowl, cover and keep warm.

Wipe clean skillet.  Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season with remaining salt and pepper.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil over high heat.  Add scallops and cook until golden brown, about 90 seconds per side.   Finish with a dab of butter.  If preferred, cook fresh shrimp. 

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain.  Stir in butter and parsley.

Plate orzo with sauce and seafood.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining fresh basil to serve.

Comment:  Excellent sauce and the orzo pasta provides great creamy pasta touch.  Serve with any seafood of choice.  If no cherry tomatoes, substitute canned diced tomatoes.  We love sauce, so consider doubling the sauce recipe.

Corn-n- Tomato Tart

Crust:

1¾ cups flour

¼ cup play yellow cornmeal

1½ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg

¼ cup buttermilk

Filling:

4 slices tomato (1/4” each), halved

2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1¾ cups fresh corn kernels

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

5 large eggs

5 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

5 T. grated Gruyere cheese

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Garnish: chopped fresh chives, torn fresh basil

Directions:

For Crust. In food processor, pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and buttermilk; pulse until dough forms a ball. Turn out dough on to a lightly floured surface, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let dough stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Ona lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 14” circle. Press into bottom and up sides of a greased/floured 11” tart pan (or 9” pie pan). Fold edges under and crimp. Pierce dough all over with a fork. Place tart pan on a baking sheet. With double parchment paper extending over edges, add pie weights. Bake until dough begins to set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake 5 minutes more. Let cook on wire rack for 15 minutes.

For Filling. Place tomato slices on several paper towels; sprinkle with 1/3 tsp. salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels. Spread corn in an even layer in prepared crust. Spread Gruyere cheese over corn. In a large bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, 4 T. parmesan cheese, pepper and remaining 1¾ tsp. salt. Pour onto corn. Arrange tomato slices in a circle on cream mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until center is set about 35 minutes in a tart plan – closer to 45 minutes in a pie pan. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour before serving. Garnish if desired.

Comment: This is like a very-light, summer quiche. Check timing for dough refrigeration, salted tomatoes, tart cooling time, etc.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

 3 cups flour                         2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. baking soda               ½ tsp. salt

1 cup shortening                 2 eggs

1 cup sugar                         1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:  Sift dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening.  Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla.  Roll out on floured board. Cut into shapes.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.   Cool.  Decorate.

Comment:  Can substitute 1 cup shortening for ½ cup shortening and ½ cup butter.

Monster Cookies

½ cup margarine, softened         3 eggs

1 cup brown sugar                             1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups peanut butter               1 tsp. vanilla

4 ½ cups oatmeal                        2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips                  1 cup M&Ms candy  

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine margarine, eggs, sugars, peanut butter, and vanilla.  Gradually add oatmeal and baking soda.  Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms. 

Drop batter onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 8 minutes.  Check cookies by inserting spatula under edge of one cookie and lifting gently.   If it bends, it needs more time.  If cookie stays flat, it’s ready to come out.  Leave on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Comment:  There is no flour in these cookies.  When Mom makes these, Eric is a happycamper.