Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Kids love helping with this recipe! They can roll the dough into balls, press their thumbprints into the ball, and fill the print with peanut butter. It sure made my job easier.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups flour
1/3 Cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups chocolate chips, divided
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup peanut butter, divided
1/3 Cup softened margarine or butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Melt 1 Cup of the chocolate chips.

Beat sugar, 1/3 Cup peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Cover and chill until firm (about an hour).

Shape dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press 1/2" deep thumbprint in each cookie and fill with about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until sides are set but centers are slightly soft. Let stand for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling racks.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Taken from: Nestle Best Loved Cookies

Fancy Sandwich Wraps

I used to work in Wal-mart's Deli, and at Quizno's. I loved both of those jobs, making sandwiches and stuff was fun. I can make an awesome sandwich, but today I made wraps. We made these at Wal-mart, they came in a pre-packaged deal that we put together and then sold. I'm not sure if they still sell them or what they call them there. They're really just wraps cut up into bite size pieces. They taste better that way, I don't know why.

Ingredients:
Tortillas
Lunch Meat
Dressing or Sauce
Sliced Cheese
Lettuce

The combination I used this time:
Roast Beef
Turkey
Zesty Italian Dressing
American Cheese
Iceberg Lettuce

Directions:
Put a drizzle of dressing going down the whole side of the tortilla. It usually spreads as you roll it. Look at the picture of my layout. I try to spread everything out evenly, so that each bite will taste just as delicious as the next. Cover your entire tortilla. Roll the tortilla towards the cheese and hold it tightly as you cut it. I usually just eat the ends after I cut them off, or set them aside to snack on later. I usually set the other rolls in the container I'm packing for lunch, or you can use toothpicks to hold them together on a plate. They are good for parties. They taste even better with really good meats and cheese, and interesting dressings.

Chocolate Mousse Praline Pecan Pie

This is one of our traditional Thanksgiving pies, but sometimes I have to make it more often than that!

1/3 Cup butter or margarine
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 Cup coarsely chopped pecans
8” graham cracker pie crust
Chocolate Mousse Filling (see below)

In a small microwave-safe bowl, place butter. Microwave at high for 1 minute or until melted. Add brown sugar, water and cornstarch; stir with wire whisk until smooth. Microwave at high for 1 minute of until mixture comes to full boil. Stir in chopped pecans; spread mixture on bottom of crust. Place crust in the freezer while preparing the filling. Prepare the Chocolate Mousse Filling and carefully spread over pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves 6 - 8.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING
1 1/2 Cups milk, divided
2 squares baking chocolate
1 4 ounce package instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 Cups Cool Whip

Combine 1 cup of milk and baking chocolate in large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir till chocolate is completely melted. Stir in remaining milk. Add pudding mix; beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or till well blended. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Gently stir in cool whip.

Original recipe taken from: Hershey's Homemade, we've since modified the chocolate mousse recipe.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 1/2 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing (or Mayo)
2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing
3 teaspoons Mustard (Spicy or Brown is good, if not yellow works!)
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Onions (Optional)
Bread (I used sourdough, but any will work)
Tomato (Optional)
Lettuce (Optional)

Directions:
Cut up eggs into small pieces. Mix the eggs, ranch, italian, mustard and chopped onions. Toast bread if desired. Spoon egg salad onto bread, lay lettuce and tomato slice on top, as well as the other slice of bread.

Originally Taken From: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1981), Adapted by Monica

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken
Flour
Montreal Chicken Seasoning
Garlic Salt
Cooking Oil
Lemon

Directions:
Mix a plate of flour and your seasonings. Dip the chicken into the flour and make sure it is well coated. Heat 1/4 Cup of Cooking Oil in a frying pan, keep the heat at medium low. Set the chicken in the pan, cook for a minute on each side and then squeeze the lemon over it. Let the chicken continue cooking until thoroughly cooked, keep adding lemon as you flip it over.

Taken From: Ben Jamer