Busy Girl's Secret Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I have been making these chocolate chip cookies for as long as I can remember. Both my children know the recipe and make them, but when it's time to share cookies, only Mom's touch will do.  This weekend I made 5 dozen to share at swim practice in celebration of a big birthday in our family and a few for home.  There are never any leftovers - and in fact, I seem to NEVER get a picture of these cookies!

• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Soften (but don’t melt!) butter or margarine in the microwave (or allow it to soften at room temp).  Cream butter with both sugars.  Add pudding mix and vanilla.  Beat eggs in a bowl, then stir in to sugar/butter mixture.  Stir in baking soda.  Measure flour by dipping, and stir in 1/2 cups at a time, until all flour is added.  Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees 8 to 9 minutes, until cookies are just starting to brown.  Kept in a tightly sealed container, these cookies will stay soft for several days - if they aren’t eaten first!

You can experiment with the pudding flavor - we've used chocolate for chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, and white chocolate for a slightly different taste.  Vanilla is our favorite, though!

Chicken Cutlets & Spinach with Raspberries.

After making those great pork cutlets a few days ago, I decided to apply the same technique to chicken - and it was just as much of a success!  This is an easy recipe (despite the long directions!) and is packed with flavor. It looks good too - worthy of a celebration table!

Just like with my pork cutlet recipe, the cutlets are a little fussy to prep, but cook quickly and evenly.  Three dipping/dredging bowls (or plates) ensure good coverage of the seasonings: the flour sticks to the chicken and gives the egg white something to hold to; the egg white provides a sticky base for the breadcrumbs; the breadcrumbs & seasonings, when cooked, give a crispy and flavorful outside.

Prepare 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Trim all visible fat and flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat tenderizer.  (To reduce splatter & mess, place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap when flattening.) Cut chicken breasts in half, if smaller pieces are desired. Set chicken aside.

Set up three shallow bowls or plates for dredging & dipping:

# 1

• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

# 2

• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 c water

# 3

• 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Additional ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 bags baby spinach
• 1/2 c pine nuts
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries
• balsamic vinegar
• shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare chicken for cooking in three steps: 1) dip in flour mixture, coating on all sides; 2) dip in egg white mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip off; 3) dip in breadcrumbs, pressing mixture in all over chicken.  Repeat for all pieces of chicken.

Heat 1 T of oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook half the chicken in each batch;  cook 3 minutes on each side, turning once.  Add 1 T of oil to pan between batches.

While second batch of chicken is cooking, heat 1 T oil in large stir fry pan.  Add spinach and saute for 3 minutes, turning frequently. Add pine nuts, continue to turn and cook 1 more minute.  Remove from heat.  Add raspberries and turn one more time.

Arrange spinach mixture on platter. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Arrange chicken on top of spinach and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Pork Cutlets with Avocado Nectarine Salsa.

This recipe is a definite keeper. I (thought I) made more than enough for dinner tonight, foolishly believing I would have leftovers.  My swimmers came home from practice and literally ate every bite - of every dish - that I served.  I’ll take it as a compliment, though I now need to figure out what I’m having for lunch tomorrow!


The pork cutlets are a little fussy to prep, but cook quickly and evenly.  Three dipping/dredging bowls ensure good coverage & flavor: flour sticks to the meat and gives the liquid in the egg something to hold to; the egg provides a sticky base for the breadcrumbs; the breadcrumbs & seasonings give the cooked pork a crispy and flavorful outside.  Well worth the fuss in preparation!  Make the salsa first, prep the dredging bowls, and then cook the pork.  And the beauty of this recipe is that you can change the seasonings and the salsa to match your tastes - completely versatile!

Avocado Nectarine Salsa

• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 nectarine, diced
• 1 T chopped cilantro
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• juice of 1/4 lemon

Mix avocado, nectarine, cilantro, & onion together in a bowl.  Squeeze lemon juice over all and gently toss.  Set aside.

Pork Cutlets

• 4 boneless pork chops

Bowl 1

• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt

Bowl 2

• 1 egg
• 1/4 c water

Bowl 3

• 1/4 cup panko
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground sea salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 T olive oil

Prepare three shallow bowls for dipping pork.  In Bowl 1, mix together flour, pepper & salt.  In Bowl 2, lightly beat egg and mix with water.  In Bowl 3, mix panko, breadcrumbs, pepper, salt, oregano, and garlic powder.  Set all three aside.

Trim all visible fat from pork and cut each chop in half.  Using a meat tenderizing mallet, pound each piece pork between two pieces of plastic wrap to an even 1/4 inch thickness.

Prepare pork for cooking in three steps: 1) dip in flour mixture, coating on all sides; 2) dip in egg mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip off; 3) dip in breadcrumbs, pressing mixture in all over pork.  Repeat for all pieces of pork.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook pork 3 minutes on each side, turning once.  If pork is cooked in more than one batch, you may want to wipe crumbs out of the pan and add a bit more oil.

Serve with salsa.

Top 10 Go-To Ingredients.

Last week I mused about leeks being one of my always-on-hand, go-to ingredients, and wondered just how typical that is as a go-to item.  That prompted some readers to ask what the rest of my go-to ingredients are.  This post is dedicated to those items that you will almost always find in my refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.  There are certainly others, but these are the ones that I think of as my go-to list. What's on your list?

1. Berries. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Not sure my fruit drawer is ever without them. I use them in all kinds of dishes, including as a sauce for grilled fish or chicken, in salads, and straight from the box.
2. Leeks. The item that prompted this post. Love them.  Soups, salads, with potatoes, baked with chicken or pork, on pizza.
3. Fresh herbs.  I am a cilantro & Italian parsley junkie and I have basil & mint growing in my kitchen window.  For Christmas I received this awesome herb keeper that more than doubles the life of fresh herbs.  I use fresh year round if I can.
4. Onions. Red are my favorite, but a sweet yellow onion caramelized and tossed with a balsamic reduction is almost a meal in itself. I use onions liberally.
5. Balsamic Vinegar.  Really good balsamic vinegar. I am spoiled to have discovered this amazing 25 year balsamic available five minutes from home. I use it on everything. Green beans? Toss with a little parmesan & balsamic.  Fresh nectarines?  Sea salt & balsamic.  Baked chicken?  Lemons & balsamic.  Yep, I'll try it on anything.
6. White Beans. I don't use a lot of canned goods, but beans are a staple, especially canellini beans.  I use them in soups, salads, & side dishes, and they make a great thickener for a soup or stew.  I also like them with a little garlic, sea salt, and lemon.
7. Plain Greek Yogurt. With a lactose intolerant eater in my life, I use a lot of yogurt in place of sour cream.  Stir it into stroganoff, top baked potatoes, use it in baking. Or just eat it from the container with some of those berries mentioned in #1 above!
8. Whole Grains. Quinoa, brown rice, and wild rice are tops on my list. I've recently discovered some terrific frozen whole grain sides that make it super easy to include these in any meal.
9. Lemon. I use a lot of fresh lemon & fresh squeezed lemon juice. Limes are pretty abundant in my fridge too. Nothing brightens a vegetable dish or fruit salad quite like a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
10. Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts. From freezer to oven, straight into the soup pot, or into the skillet, frozen chicken breasts are versatile and easy to work with. 

There you have it. My top 10 go-to list. I'd love to hear what's on your list!

Apple Stroganoff.

A funny conversation on a recent morning about the French pronunciation of apostrophe led to this recipe. It’s a twist on a traditional ground beef stroganoff that uses apples instead of mushrooms and is made creamy by adding Greek yogurt.  It has a sweetness to it, thanks to apples and a little agave nectar, used to cut the tartness of the yogurt.  As I finished cooking, I commented that there would be plenty of leftovers for a second meal. I. Was. So. Wrong.  Maybe a half cup remains for someone to snack on later. Definitely a keeper.

• 2 cups cooked pasta (I used orecchiette)
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground sea salt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 7 ounces 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 1 T agave nectar

Cook pasta according to package directions; when cooked, drain and set aside.  Brown ground beef in large skillet until cooked through.  Add salt, pepper, and paprika to meat.  Stir in apples and parsley and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples are heated through and starting to soften.  Stir in pasta and toss gently.  In small bowl, add agave nectar to yogurt and mix well.  Add yogurt mixture to skillet and stir well.  Turn heat to low and cook 3 to 4 more minutes, or until heated through.

Caramelized Leek & Goat Cheese Pizza.

Been noticing lately that many of my recipes are the result of having little time to cook and using ingredients that I have on hand.  When I think about what I consider to be “on hand” ingredients, I laugh a little.  Seriously, does the average refrigerator have leeks as an “on hand” ingredient?  Mine does!  I might have to write a post about my favorite, always on-hand ingredients - but that’s for another day. Today I have a recipe for an easy, five ingredient pizza (ingredient #6 is the pizza dough).

crust for one pizza (I buy prepared dough from Trader Joe’s - makes life simple!)

• 1 bunch of leeks
• 2 T butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T balsamic vinegar (use the best quality you have; I use a 25 year balsamic that is good enough to drink!)
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven according to pizza crust recipe.  Prepare crust and set aside.  Thoroughly wash leeks; thinly slice white and light green parts.  Heat butter and oil over medium heat in skillet until butter is melted.  Saute leeks in butter and oil over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Leeks will turn brown as they cook.  Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks are soft and fragrant.  Add balsamic vinegar, stir, and cook another 5 minutes.  Spread leeks across pizza dough; sprinkle goat cheese evenly on top. Bake 13-15 minutes, until crust is baked and cheese is soft.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top of cooked pizza according to taste.

Simple Nicoise Salad.

When traveling in France, I enjoyed authentic Nicoise salads almost every day.  A local French bakery, Chez Arnaud serves a delicious Nicoise here at home.  I set out to create my own recipe, with a dressing that closely matches the flavor I have come to love, but without the anchovies.

Dressing (makes enough for 4 salads)

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T dijon mustard

Salad (ingredients for 1 serving)

• 2-3 cups mixed greens
• 8 green beans, cooked
• 3 small red potatoes, cooked and halved
• 1 hard boiled egg, sliced
• 3 ounces tuna
• 4 to 6 olives, mixed

For dressing, whisk together oil, lemon juice, and mustard. Set aside.  Arrange lettuce on plate or in a bowl.  Top with remaining ingredients. Serve with dressing on the side.