Chocolate Chip Cocoa Cookies

I've been wanting to make some cookies and when I found out I didn't have enough ingredients for the gingersnap cookies I wanted to bake, I settled on an old time favorite. I decided to follow the directions on the back of the semi-sweet chocolate chip bad and added some extra cocoa powder. I just made a 1/2 batch which made about 2 dozen cookies, just enough for a few for dessert and to fill up my cookie jar. Below is the recipe for 1/2 batch.

Ingredients
1 1/4 c white all-purpose flour
1/2 c light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 c white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c butter
1 egg
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together ingredients except the chocolate chips. Add the chocolate chips last and mix in. On an ungreased pan place 8 spoonfuls of the mix, place in the oven. Bake for approx 10-11 minutes.

Stay posted next week for the gingersnap cookies.

Wild About Wild Rice

My favorite type of rice hands-down is wild rice. I love Trader Joes Wild Rice, and a strong second is Rice A Roni. I never thought I would like the Rice A Roni kinda, but I usually get a good deal at Albertsons for $1.50/box, which is good for two people and I always have a little left over for another night. The Trader Joes brand is actually Basmati & Wild Rice and it runs about $3.50, and since I don't get to TJ's that often I get a box or two when I go for the cupboard. I do try to be cost effective and therefore only get the TJ's brand once and a while.

The best pairing for wild rice for me is grilled salmon and zucchini... yum! Tonight I bought 1/2 lb of precooked shrimp, cooked it up with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 garlic cloves. I served this on top of Rice A Roni Wild Rice and a side of steamed zucchini.

Shrimp is usually a once a week staple for us. My husband loves beef, so I try to limit our beef to twice a week, usually some sort of yummy steak over the weekend, and either leftovers from that during the next week or a lean ground beef. I fill in the other days with chicken, shrimp, and salmon.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

So easy to make in a pinch and it's great for left over lunch.

Ingredients
2 cans tuna
1 cup macaroni noodles (dry)
1 tbsp mayo
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
Lemon juice (to taste)
Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Garlic Salt (to taste)

Directions
1. Fill medium sauce pan with 2/3 full of water, bring to boil. Add pasta noodles, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes.

2. In a small bowl mix together tuna (drain water), mayo, a few squirts of lemon juice, and 4 dashes of Tabasco sauce.

3. Grate cheese and preheat oven to 375º

4. Drain pasta and add it to the tuna, mix together.

5. In a casserole dish, layer in half of the tuna and pasta mixture. Top with half cheddar and half parmesan. Sprinkle a light layer of garlic salt. Repeat this to fill the casserole dish. Top entire dish with a layer of bread crumbs.

6. Cover with lid and bake for 25 minutes at 375º.

Notes
Serves approx 4-6 people. You can add a vegetable like small peas or chopped carrots.

Kikkoman Roasted Garlic & Herb Marinade

This is a must in the kitchen. My husband and I love to grill and we happened upon this Kikkoman seasoning in the store, it's called Roasted Garlic & Herb marinade. It's awesome for veggie kabobs, chicken, steak, and my new favorite sauteeing it with shrimp and broccoli. The marinade is usually about $3.50 in the store.

Here is a little recipe I whipped up on my own:

Garlic Shrimp & Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice

1 3/4 c water

1/2 lb of precooked shrimp

1 crown of broccoli

4 tbsp Kikkoman marinade

1 garlic clove (minced)

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook rice as directed on the box. Usually 1 3/4 cup of rice and 1 cup rice. Bring to boil. Then set flame to low and cook approx 15 minutes or until water is cooked through.

2. Take off the tails of the shrimp and cut up broccoli into small pieces.

3. In a large pan set flame to medium and add olive oil. Try to coat the entire pan. Add in shrimp and garlic.

4. Cook for about 3 minutes turning the shrimp occasionally. Then add in the Kikkoman marinade and then the broccoli. Keep turning the ingredients and adjust the flame temp accordingly until the rice is complete.

5. Toss together in a large bowl and serve.

First kitchen...

I thought I'd start to blog about my cooking adventures as a newlywed. I'm 26 and got married this past May and I'm still learning the tricks of being a good cook. There is so much to learn, and it's actually a lot of fun trying out new recipes and creating new ones from scratch. It can be a challenge because my husband can be kind of picky at times, but that just means I have to get creative.

I have a new house and a new kitchen (well kinda new, needs some updating... it's new to me) and a new husband try out my new culinary delights. So, here we go....