Chips Galore Cookies

Ingredients

· 1 cup butter-flavored shortening

· 1 cup sugar

· 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

· 2 eggs

· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

· 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 teaspoon basking soda

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1 cup chopped pecans

· 1 cup milk chocolate chips

· 3/4 cup peanut butter chips

· 3/4 cup English toffee bits or almond brickle chips

· 3/4 cup flaked coconut

· 2/3 cup white baking chips

 

Steps

1) In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

2) Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks.

 

From: Taste of Home Christmas: 465 recipes for a merry holiday!

 

Shelli's Staff Pick

BPL’s wonderful Head of Adult Services, Shelli, chose Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More by Cynthia C. Nims as her staff pick. She stated, “I always love going to a gathering that has a variety of finger foods to try. Instead of filing up on one or two main dishes, I have a bite or two of several different flavors. It’s just fun for my taste buds! I tell myself to create that kind of thing at home, but then I either don’t remember what the particular selections were that really made my palate celebrate, or I just lose motivation. This book came to my rescue! Some of my favorites are Chocolate Tartlets, Almost Bite-Sized Pizzas, and PB&J Blondie Bites. I definitely recommend this book the next time you are hosting a Super Bowl party”. If you’re looking for quick recipes that can feed a whole room, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re in the mood for something salty or something sweet, you’re sure to find a recipe that will be apatezing to you. If you’re a fan of this book, Nims has 14 other titles with a large array of recipes. Gourmet Game Night can be found under the call number , “641.81 Nim” in the adult nonfiction section.

Shrimp Tofu Cake

 

Ingredients

· 3/4 pound raw medium shrimp (in shells)

· 14 ounces firm tofu

· 1/4 cup chopped green onions

· 2 tablespoons cornstarch

· 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

· 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

· 1 egg, slightly beaten

· Lettuce leaves

· 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

 

Steps

1) Heat oven to 375°. Peel shrimp. Make a shallow cut lengthwise down back of each shrimp; wash out vein. Pat dry with paper towels. Cop shrimp.

2) Mash tofu with fork in medium bowl. Stir in shrimp, green onions, cornstarch, vegetable oil, salt, sesame oil, white pepper and egg with fork until well mixed. Spread shrimp mixture in greased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Bake 25 minutes.

3) Line serving platter with lettuce leaves. Cut tofu cake into 3-inch squares; place on lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with oyster sauce.

 

From: Betty Crocker’s New Chinese Cookbook

Recipes by: Leeann Chin

 

Vegetable Bake

 

Ingredients

· 13 1/4-oz. can mushroom pieces, drained

· 1 onion, diced

· 1/4 c. butter

· 10 3/4-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

· 10 3/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup

· 11-oz. can cut green beans, drained

· 11-oz. can yellow wax beans, drained

· 11-oz. can sliced carrots, drained

· 8-oz. pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese

· 8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Steps

1) Sauté mushrooms and onion in butter until tender; add soups, beans and carrots. Remove from heat; spread into a 13”x9” baking pan. Combine cheeses; sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

 

From: Christmas all through the house: Over 600 holiday recipes, cheery crafts and easy-to-make gifts for flurries of fun!

By: Gooseberry Patch

 

Chorizo Sausage and Hominy Casserole

 

Ingredients

· Vegetable oil or pork lard

· 2 1/2 cups canned hominy, liquid reserved

· 1 tablespoon salt

· 1 1/4 pounds Mexican-style chorizo sausages, in natural casings

· 1/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

· One 5-ounce can evaporated milk

· 1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 12x9x2-inch baking casserole with oil or lard.

2) Place the hominy with liquid and the salt in a large pot and cover with water. Ring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook at a gentle boil until the hominy is a little more tender, about 15 minutes. Add the sausages and cook 30 minutes with the hominy.

3) Transfer the sausages to a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked hominy to the baking casserole, saving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Cut the sausages in half. Arrange the sausages on top of the hominy. Sprinkle the cheese on top and then sprinkle the evaporated milk over the cheese. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/4 cup of hominy cooking liquid. Bake until the cheese has completely melted and the sides are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot with sour cream or crème fraiche. 

 

From: Bake Until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook

By: Clifford A. Wright

 

National Cookie Day

Cookie Monster once said, “Home is where heart is. Heart where cookie is. Math clear: home is cookie." Here at the BPL, we couldn’t agree more, and if you haven’t already guessed, we also take National Cookie Day very seriously. Each year on December 4th, everyone is given the perfect excuse to enjoy a sweet treat – a cookie! Whether you like them fruity, frosted, chocolate, or chunky, you have our support. We also have dozens of cookbooks that will support any sweet cravings you might have. Some of our staff recommendations include:

• Sally's Cookie Addiction: Irresistible Cookies, Bars, Shortbread, and More From the Creator of Sally's Baking Addiction By McKenney, Sally

• Martha Stewart's Cookie Perfection: 100+ Recipes to Take Your Sweet Treats to the Next Level 

• Cookies are Magic: Classic Cookies, Brownies, Bars, and More By Heatter, Maida

• 100 Cookies: the Baking Book for Every Kitchen with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More By Kieffer, Sarah

While there are cookie recipes in most of the cook books on our shelves, these specific titles are fan favorites due to their yummy photos, the large varieties they offer, and the beginner-level recipes. If you’re hankering for a cookie, head our way; you can be sure to find what you’re looking for, and probably much more!