Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

While cleaning out the "cooking" cupboard today, I found my mother-in-law's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe tucked behind a box of sugar.  I thought our cookbook blog might be a safer place to keep it.  

The ingredients and mixing instructions are spelled out, but not the cooking instructions...which my husband calls the "advanced chef" technique. So upon consulting Quaker Oats (which has a great, free recipe PDF) and Betty Crocker, we recommend baking at 350 for about 10-13 minutes until browned...or until you can no longer resist the aroma!

Our son if not a big fan of oatmeal yet, so when omitting that from the mix, reduce cooking time to 9-11 minutes.

Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 unbeaten Eggs
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Hot Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Quaker Oats (instant)
• 1 cup Walnuts
• 1 pkg Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees*
2. Mix butter well on slow speed. 
3. Slowly add sugars, and blend well. 
4. Add eggs to butter, then beat well
5. Combine baking soda and water, then add to butter mixture
6. Add vanilla, then mix
7. Add flower and salt and mix
8. Add oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips, then mix until combined
9. Drop by spoonfuls unto cookie sheet*
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned*

*Will consult with Adrienne and update accordingly! We'll also update with our own picture soon!

Harvest Rice Salad

While looking for vegetarian recipes for a fall pot-luck, I stumbled upon a "Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad" recipe on Simply Recipes.  I made some adaptations, and the resulting Harvest Rice Salad received rave reviews--and an empty bowl--in return.

Harvest Rice Salad

Ingredients

Rice:

• 1 cup Wild Rice mix
• Water or Vegetable stock (amount per rice package instructions)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Butter

Stir-ins:

• 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried Apricots
• 1/2 cup toasted Pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced Scallions

Dressing:

• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp grated Orange Peel
• Salt and Pepper to taste (freshly ground optimal)

Directions

1. Follow instructions on the rice package for cooking 1 cup of rice. Add butter.
2. While rice is cooking, make the dressing: combine dressing ingredients (lemon juice, olive oil, orange peel, salt and pepper) then mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Combine the "stir-in" ingredients (cranberries, apricots, pecans and scallions) in a medium serving bowl.
4. Once rice is done and fluffed, cool completely.
5. Add cooled rice to the bowl with "stir-ins." Mix thoroughly.
6. Mix in the dressing just before serving. 
7. Salad can be served warm, room-temp, or chilled.

Serves 4-6.