Tag: butter

Marcy’s Legendary Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I am asked to bake cookies, my mind automatically goes to Chocolate Chip Cookies. I would say that I love a chewy chocolate chip cookie the best. However, if you give me a thin, crispy chocolate chip cookie, I love those too!

These cookies are phenomenal! If you follow the recipe, you will get between eight and ten cookies. For a small-group ladies’ bible study, they were a great choice. They will be massive with the perfect amount of chocolate and chew. They are excellent with a glass of cold milk!

Print Pin

Marcy's Legendary Chocolate Chip Cookies

Course Cookies
Servings 8 jumbo cookies
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate (preferable Lindt)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Stack two baking sheets together and line top sheet with parchment paper. Arrange oven rack to upper third position.
  • In a mixer bowl, cream butter with both sugars until well blended.
  • Add vanilla, eggs, and egg yolk.
  • Fold in flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and chopped chocolate and blend well to make a thick batter. If batter seems soft and greasy, add 2 to 4 tablespoons more flour. Dough should be soft but not too greasy or slack. You can also chill it 10 minutes if you think it has enough flour or let it stand 20 minutes. Either approach will help cookie dough "set up".
  • Scoop or form balls of 7 to 8 ounces of dough (yes, weigh it!) and place on prepared baking sheets about 1 to 3 inches apart. If you don't have a scale, use 1 cup of dough per cookie; each will measure 3 inches in diameter once placed on baking sheet. You can only bake a few at a time.
  • Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until cookies are nicely browned on top and just set-up looking.
  • Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 15 to 20 minutes before removing.

 

Chicken and Dumplings (like Grandma’s)

The “crud” has been at our house for weeks now. Thankfully, I have not had it yet, but Greg has been sick at least a month!

What do you want to eat when you are sick? I love Mama’s potato soup, which I have not had in years, or a big pot of chicken and dumplings! That’s comfort food at it’s finest!

Chicken and Dumplings are not challenging to make, but they are a little time-consuming. They are not something I make often, but with Greg being under the weather and the weather being so cold…it’s that time!

It took me years to perfect this recipe, that I’m sure cooks had been making forever. I tried so many short cuts over the years! Flour tortillas, canned biscuits, and frozen dumplings. You name it; I probably tried it. That is until I realized that there is no substitute for homemade dumplings. Why have mediocre dumpings when homemade dumplings are much better and super easy to make.

I promise, even the new cook can make dumplings like grandma! Give this recipe a try, and you will please everyone in your house!

 

Print Pin

Chicken and Dumplings

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ice water enough to make a stiff dough

Instructions

  • Remove chicken pieces, if any, from inside the chicken cavity. Discard and place chicken in a large Dutch oven. Add water to the Dutch oven to cover or almost cover the chicken. Cook until the chicken is completely done.
  • Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool.
  • Strain broth in the Dutch oven into a large measuring cup. Add 8 cups of chicken broth back to the dutch oven, set aside. (If you don't have 8 cups of broth add enough homemade broth or canned broth to equal 8 cups.
  • Mix 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. With the motor running, pour in ice water a little at a time,just until dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board. Roll the dough to 1/8" thickness or less. Cut into 1-inch strips (about 3 to 4 inches long). Let dry while you prepare broth.
  • Combine chicken broth, 4 c. water, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 4 tbsp. butter in the Dutch oven.
  • Pick cooked and cooled chicken off the bones and add to the pot. Bring to a boil.
  • Drop dumplings into boiling broth. After you have added the dumplings, place the lid on the pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer, leaving the lid on, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

 

Keto French Toast (Slow Cooker)

Greg and I have started this year doing something relatively new to me. We are now campers! My only camping experiences until lately were terrible. When I was a girl, my parents bought a big tent with all the supplies. We went once and never again. My mother wasn’t cut out for roughing it.

My second camping trip was shortly after Greg and I married. He borrowed a tent, and we set out to Lake Lanier. We arrived at the campground after dark and started setting up. He was doing all the work and had me holding a lantern. The problem was, bugs were attacking me because I was holding the light. It did not take long for my complaining to start an argument. By the time the tent was set up, and we were inside, it commenced to storm. I quickly informed Greg that I was not going to sleep under trees, on top of roots, and in the lightning! We ended up in the back of Greg’s 4-Runner sleeping for the night.

We have had a couple of camping experiences since then. However, it wasn’t until October, when camping in our fixer-upper camper, that we had never fixed up, that we discovered camping was something we could enjoy.

We bought a new camper and picked it up the day before Thanksgiving. After taking her out for the first time, I can officially say that I loved it, and I can’t wait for the next trip!

Now that I’m back home, back to reality, and have no holidays in sight, my diet needs to change somewhat. French Toast is my favorite breakfast food, and you know that’s off-limits on most healthy eating plans. Keto French Toast (Slow Cooker) has the taste without the carbs, so I think it’s the perfect recipe to start the new year! It’s easy and a delicious breakfast that can be made ahead of time and reheated throughout the week. It takes about two hours to cook in a slow cooker, and who doesn’t love a slow cooker recipe?

 

Print Pin

Keto French Toast (Slow Cooker)

Course Breakfast, Keto
Servings 8
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons butter softened
  • 12 large eggs
  • 12 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 8 drops stevia

Instructions

  • Preheat the slow cooker to high and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a blender, combine butter, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla extract, coconut flour, cinnamon and stevia. Combine ingredients until smooth, then pour into the slow cooker.
  • Cook on high for 2 hours, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • If desired, sprinkle with powdered Swerve, ground cinnamon and serve with sugar free syrup.

Notes

Macros: (does not include desired toppings)
Net Carbs:  4 g.; Fat: 42 g.; Protein 13 g.; Calories 447

Chocolate Covered Cherries

My favorite time of year is in full swing, and so is my calendar! I do not recall a season as busy as this one has shaped up to be in years. I love it, though. All of the hustle and bustle helps only to spur me on.

Christmas candy has always been a part of the holidays for me. It’s more than the sweet, deliciousness; it’s the memories it stirs. Making it alone has me reminiscing of being in the kitchen with my mother. I am blessed to have my mama still, but she does not do all of the cooking that she once did.

Last year I made keto chocolate-covered cherries, which were a great treat and kept me on plan. However, this year, although I am keto, I plan to make my mama’s recipe for chocolate-covered cherries. Honestly, I look forward to these cherries more than any Christmas meal!

Print Pin

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Course Candy
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 26 ounces maraschino cherries approximately
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon Crisco shortening

Instructions

  • Drain cherries, pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Combine butter, syrup, and salt. Blend in powdered sugar. Knead until smooth.
  • Shape 1/2-1 teaspoon of the mixture around each cherry. Place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Chill.
  • In a heatproof medium bowl, combine the chocolate chips and shortening. Place the bowl over a small saucepan with and inch or two of water, over low heat. Stir occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted. Keep the bowl over the water, do not boil.
  • Remove cherries from refrigerator and dip each cherry in chocolate. Place the cherries back on the cookie sheet. Pleace the chocolate-covered cherries back into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
  • Once they are set you can transfer them to an airtight container with wax paper between each layer. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
  • Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving.

Ranchman’s Steak Butter


Keto has changed my life tremendously. I feel better than ever before. I’m more confident that I have been in years and I love shopping for clothes again. Not only do I praise keto for feeling better in my clothes, but my blood pressure is also down, the numbers on my latest blood test was excellent.

It’s true, I do get a little overzealous when I talk about keto. I want everyone to experience the joy that I have. Keto is misunderstood by so many. I honestly think that most people with negative opinions have not read and studied this lifestyle. Most hear a negative comment from someone and go from there. When you hear negative feedback though, find out the facts. What happened that made this person have a bad experience. What exactly were they doing? Were they doing the shakes, supplements, were they eating healthy fats and balancing their diets with plenty of low-carb vegetables? If you dig a little bit, you can probably pinpoint what went wrong for them.

I have been keto since September 2018 and still have so much to learn. It is beneficial that I have friends on this same journey. We support each other by sharing recipes, accomplishments, and frustrations.

This week’s recipe is an incredible steak butter! I first tried steak butter in Kansas City several years ago, and I have been hooked since. Forget the steak sauce, this is all you’ll need. The fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon juice make any steak mouth-watering! This recipe makes enough to share with a friend or freeze. Don’t limit yourself to only topping steaks, though, try it on poultry, pork, and even fish too!

Ranchman's Steak Butter
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp. plus 1 lb. unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. black pepper
  • 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
  1. Toast garlic in 2 tbsp. butter in a small skillet. Heat just until turning brown. Be very careful not to burn it. Set aside.
  2. Place 1 lb. butter in a medium bowl. Add minced thyme, minced rosemary, salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Mix well.
  3. Add melted butter and garlic to butter/herb mixture, blend.
  4. Divide butter in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and form 2 logs. Refrigerate to firm.
  5. After grilling your steak place ¼-inch thick disks on each steak. Serve.
Notes
(Can be kept in freezer up to 1 month.)

Nutritional Information:
Net Carbs: 0g; Fat: 9g; Protein: 0g; Calories: 110