Favorite Friday: BeachComber Cookies

Happy Friday everyone!

It has been a slow week at the family feast, I know. I have been recovering from the onslaught of chocolate...

But we are back on track with a well-loved family favorite sent in by Kristen! These are her delicious Everything Cookies, and I know many of us have been wanting the recipe. Kristen says the recipe came from Southern Living, but she didn't remember what they called them--she appropriately named them Everything Cookies since they have, well, everything in them.

However...Kristen has since seen a similar cookie made on the food network, and they called them BeachComber Cookies. She does take these to the beach every year, so she likes this name better. They're Kristen's great cookies, so she gets to choose. I like the new, catchy name. So, here are Everything Cookies version 2.0....

BeachComber Cookies

Yeilds 4.5 dozen...consider making half and freezing the other half for later use

Ingredients:
1c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c crunchy peanut butter (I recommend estimation with the peanut butter so you don’t have to clean the measuring cup forever after measuring.)
1 t. vanilla extract.
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3 c granola with almonds (no raisins)
1 (12 oz) pkg. semisweet chocolate morsels
1 (10 oz) pkg. peanut butter morsels

Instructions
1. Beat butter at med. speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, blending until smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla, beating until blended. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until just blended. Stir in granola and morsels, cover and chill 2 hours. (I skip the “chilling” part and they still work out fine)
3. Shape dough into 1 1/2 in. balls, place on baking sheets.
4. Bake 375 for 8-10 minutes. For large cookies, 1/4 c @ 375 for 18 - 20min. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.

Caramel Chocolate Pretzels

I hope all you McCoys and friends had a fabulous Friday!

I am coming in JUST under the wire getting my Favorite Friday post done while it's still actually Friday... so in the spirit of making it snappy I am going to do an embarrassingly simple recipe, but luckily it scores big points for taste. And of course, it is chocolicious. I always get compliments on these, along with complaints from a few people who are annoyed because they can't stop eating them. They're addictive, so watch out.

Have you had too much chocolate yet? I didn't think so...

Caramel Chocolate Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 bag of small, salted pretzels
1 bag of rollo candies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pretzels out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving a little space between each pretzel. Put an unwrapped rollo on top of each pretzel. Bake them until the chocolate starts to melt (just eyeball it, but I think it takes between 5 to 10 minutes). Let them cool completely before putting them in a container to store. Keep at room temperature.

Oreo Chocolate Balls

The chocolate feast continues today with another great recipe from my good friend and neighbor, Kelley. She brought me a container of these delicious chocolate balls right after Alayna was born, and they disappeared in a flash. Since nobody else here at our house eats desserts, I guess I must have been the one who inhaled all of them--though to be fair, I did share some with my chocolate-loving mom. Anyway, these are to die for and easy to make. Enjoy!

Oreo Chocolate Balls
1 package oreo cookies
8 ounces cream cheese (reduced fat is fine)
6 blocks of almond bark (1/2 package)

Grind the oreo cookies in a blender or food processor. Add the cream cheese to the oreos and blend again. Melt the chocolate bark in the microwave or a double boiler. Roll the oreo mixture into balls and dip each into the chocolate. Allow to harden on wax paper. Keep in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's time for more chocolate breakfast goodness, and I don't mean Coco Puffs...

Denise sent in this much-loved family favorite--I don't know about you, but I have not thought about this one in probably 10 years. Chocolate Chip Muffins! We don't know for sure which Aunt started making these first, so step up if you'd like to take the credit. (For now we'll credit Myra, who gave the recipe to Denise, although I know my mom made these all the time too.) All I know is that they were a breakfast staple in the McCoy family when we were kids, and boy were they delish. It has been fun to see these favorite old recipes resurfacing now that we have the next generation of kids around to give us all an excuse for making them.

Chocolate week is not over yet, so you still have time to send in a favorite recipe if you have one to share. (Kristen, if you have time, your chocolate peanut butter balls would be perfect!) Happy eating!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe By: Myra McCoy

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add milk, eggs, butter and vanilla; mix. Fold in chips and nuts.
Put in 24 muffins cups lined with cupcake liners. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Added note: I use regular chocolate chips all the time and it doesn’t affect anything. Also, I spray Pam inside the muffin liners to help the muffins come loose easily. I also never add nuts because I don’t like them. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Scones

It's officially Chocolate Week here on McCoy Family Feast! Usually chocolate week would be a bit closer to Valentine's Day, but after that last post I couldn't wait... must-have-chocolate-now. Speaking of which, I'm wondering--is brown still Kate's favorite color?

Today I am thankful for the culinary masters who decided to make chocolate a breakfast food. Genius! The next two posts will be special breakfast treats. The first is a "friend" recipe, and coming up soon will be an old family favorite. If you have a favorite chocolate recipe you'd like to share this week, send it my way.

These yummy scones are a specialty of Kristi Jackson. She discovered the recipe in college, and has been making it for happy overnight guests ever since. It is easy, but don't tell that to your impressed friends. The recipe suggests you cut them into wedges, like a pie. This makes for big scones, which is great for a small group. For a brunch, I sometimes make them into little round scones with a biscuit cutter. Last Christmas I did not get my act together in time to make goodies for my neighbors, so I made it up to them by giving them heart-shaped scones with homemade strawberry-port jam on Valentine's Day. I have gotten a ton of mileage from this recipe, so hopefully you'll enjoy it too. Thanks, Kristi!

Chocolate Chip Scones
recipe from Mary Engelbreit and Kristi Kay

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups whipping cream

Topping:
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add chocolate chips. Stir in cream with a fork until dough holds together in a sticky mass.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured board. Knead the dough several times. Pat dough into a 10" circle. Cut circle into 8 wedges.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart.
Brush scones with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

(If any are left, they can be frozen. Heat frozen scones in oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.)

Jody's "O" so Good Chocolate Cake

As promised, here is your chocolate fix for the weekend. Thanks to Denise for sending in this decadent recipe!

This is a cake made by Denise's friend Julie, thanks to the recipe from HER friend Jody. Looks like this recipe has a long line of fans, and Denise is spreading the love by passing it along to us! Denise says this chocolate cake is amazing, and that it also works great in the form of cupcakes for parties. In her circle, this is known as the "O" cake. Taste it to find out why. It is "O" so good!

Jody's Chocolate Cake

Recipe By: Julie Jacobson

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons margarine, (not butter)
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa, Light Frosting
1/2 cup cocoa, Medium Frosting
3/4 cup cocoa, Dark Frosting

Directions:
Mix together:
2 cups sugar
1¾ cup flour
¾ cup cocoa
1½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Beat on medium for two minutes:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Then add 1 cup boiling water.

Makes 1 9x13” sheet cake, or 2, 9” rounds.
Bake 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes.

FROSTING:(I double the recipe to make it extra yummy.)

For light frosting, use 1/3 cup cocoa.
For medium frosting, use ½ cup cocoa.
For dark frosting, use ¾ cup cocoa.

6 tablespoons margarine (not butter)
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
cocoa of your choice

Cream margarine. Add cocoa and sugar alternatively with milk and vanilla. Beat until spreadable.

Favorite Friday: Chicken Bruschetta

It's Favorite Friday again already, and I am taking the opportunity to share my family's current go-to weeknight meal. This is one of those recipes where, as long as you have chicken in the freezer, you can keep everything else on-hand and make it when you did not have time to plan dinner. Alayna likes to help me sprinkle on the cheese and basil, and mix up the stuffing. I just found the recipe on the back of the low-sodium stovetop stuffing box--the only addition I make is adding a can of sliced mushrooms. We usually just steam up a bag of green beans or broccoli for a side dish. The picture is from the Kraft foods website, but I usually do ours in a 9x13 dish and it looks more golden brown on top than the one pictured.

By the way, I have a couple of friends who read our blog but don't comment since it's a family recipe blog. So to anyone else who knows someone who would be interested, I say the more the merrier--share it with your friends if you'd like. We welcome comments from all our loved ones, McCoy or not!

Sneak preview: Speaking of friends, this weekend look for a post featuring some "O" so good chocolatey goodness from a friend of Denise's friend. See, where would we be without our extended "family" of loved ones?

Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional. I cut the up into even smaller pieces.)

1/2 cup hot water

1 box Stovetop Stuffing mix (we use low sodium)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Place in greased 9x13 pyrex. Sprinkle the basil and mozzarella over the chicken. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, garlic, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and water, stirring until just moist. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Pulled Pork with Barbecue Sauce

Thanks again to Denise for sharing another great recipe--this one is in response to the request for good slow cooker recipes. If you ask me, anything with the word "barbecue" in it sounds delicious.

Denise says this easy recipe is a staple in her home, and she sometimes doubles it to use the leftovers in recipes throughout the week. It's also good for potlucks or to share with other families.

I can think of so many uses for this--pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork burritos, pulled pork sliders, pulled pork chalupas, pulled pork...(that's enough, Bubba). Leave a comment with your suggestions for the best way to use this great BBQ pork!

Pulled Pork with Barbecue Sauce

Recipe By: Lynn Alley, via Williams-Sonoma (the cookbook is called: The Gourmet Slow Cooker, Volume II)
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:
2 pounds pork roast, any cut (Denise says bone-in gives the very best flavor)
2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Place the pork in the slow cooker.
In a bowl, combine the ketchup, vinegar, water, onion, garlic, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Pour the sauce over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat falls apart.
Remove the pork from the cooker and allow to cool slightly. Remove and discard any bones. Pull the meat into shreds using your fingers or two forks. Return the meat to the cooker and stir into the sauce. Serve warm.

Pancetta-Wrapped Roasted Turkey

Today we have a special recipe from Matt and Denise, and I must say it looks delicious. This is a roasted turkey that they have made for Thanksgiving and a few other times, and they say it is always a hit with their friends for its awesome presentation and of course just good eating. I'm also SO excited that Denise sent pictures of the recipe in progress and completed. What a gorgeous bird--nice job Matt and Denise, and thanks for sharing!

Pancetta-Wrapped Roasted Turkey

Recipe By: Food and Wine

Serving Size: 12

Ingredients:
BRINE:

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup crushed red pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 jalapenos, sliced

2 quarts hot water

1 13 pound turkey

RUB:

1 tablespoon chile powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 pound sliced pancetta

DIRECTIONS:

MAKE THE BRINE: In a large bucket or pot, combine the salt, crushed red pepper, garlic, jalapeños and hot water and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the turkey, breast side down, then cover with the cold water so it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate the turkey for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Drain and rinse the turkey and pat dry.

MAKE THE RUB: In a small bowl, combine the chile powder, salt, cumin, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, brown sugar and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the turkey. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Arrange about three-quarters of the pancetta over the breast, overlapping the slices. Secure the pancetta in several spots with toothpicks. Wrap the legs and thighs with the remaining pancetta, securing it with toothpicks.

Roast the turkey for about 4 1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165°. After about 1 1/2 hours of cooking, cover the turkey loosely with foil as the pancetta browns. When the turkey is done, transfer it to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes. Discard the toothpicks. Carve the turkey into slices and serve the crispy pancetta on the side.

Favorite Friday: Granola

Happy Favorite Friday, family!



Today's fave is courtesy of Denise. This is the granola from the Peach Tree cookbook, and I know this is a staple in many of our families. I think Denise keeps it on hand most of the time, and my mom makes it and gives it regularly as well. I think my mom and Myra use about twice the amount of nuts, so that can be adjusted to your taste if you like. It is definitely a family favorite!



Denise gave me a great tip when I called her about the recipe a while back--she buys the nuts in bulk, then makes quart freezer bags with the nuts needed in one granola recipe. That way when she makes it, she just has to combine a prepared bag of nuts with the oatmeal and wet ingredients. This definitely has come in handy for me, so thanks for the tip, D! Just don't forget to add the oats like I did--you will end up with sticky nut candy, which is not nearly as good.



Also, stay tuned for a fun week ahead for your favorite blog. We have a backlog of great recipes to share so I'll have lots of posts coming up.







Granola
Recipe By: Cynthia Pedregon, The Peach Tree Inn, Fredericksburg, TX

Yield: 9 1/2 cups


Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups dark raisins, optional


Directions:
1. Place rolled oats, walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds in bowl and mix well.
2. Mix together syrup, honey, canola oil and vanilla and pour over dry ingredients, coating thoroughly.
3. Place in large shallow pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes, stirring every ten minutes until browned.
4. Add raisins. Allow to cool and refrigerate in airtight container. Keeps in refrigerator for up to two weeks.


Notes:
I prepare this recipe with only raw or roasted nuts. Not salted. I use Pam on the jelly roll pan (a large rectangular pan with about 3/4 inch lip...mine is light in color....not a "nonstick" kind) to keep it from sticking. I put the granola on the pan, and for my oven, I can let it go for 30 minutes before needing to stir it the first time. I stir once at 30 minutes, and then it browns quickly after that. I stir every 5, then in batches of 3 minutes until it's as brown as a I like it. Matt prefers it more brown than some.


Andy and Laurel introduced us to Fage yogurt while in Scotland. It's available now at most grocers. I can get it here in San Marcos. It's a greek-style yogurt that is fat free, but high in protein. I mix the granola with that, and I'm not even hungry until lunch. It's perfect for us.

Weinstein Espresso Martini

Thanks to Jon for sending in the recipe for the delicious espresso martinis he and Kate served at progressive dinner this year. There's nothing like mixing an upper with your downer for a great time. Oh, plus chocolate! This can't be beat.

Espresso Martini
2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz espresso
1/2 -3/4 oz Chocolate Liquor (such as Godiva)

Shake, strain and serve up in martini glass

Poinsettia Punch corrected

Here is a correction for Myra's Poinsettia Punch recipe from the progressive dinner. Looking at the one I posted, I should have known I'd made a typo when it called for WAY more alcohol than one should drink, even at Christmas. Anyway, this one is correct. Thanks, Myra!

Poinsettia Punch
1 bottle of chilled champagne
3 cups chilled cranberry-apple juice drink
1/4 cup thawed white grape juice concentrate
1/4 cup of orange liquer

Favorite Friday: Lime-Cilantro Coleslaw

Happy new year, McCoys! I hope you are all off to a good start for 2009!

It's Favorite Friday again, and in the spirit of making healthy resolutions, I will post one of my favorite healthy recipes--Lime-Cilantro Coleslaw. You are at my mercy when it comes to the recipes chosen unless someone else sends some in, so I hope you like them. Thanks to Myra for letting me know she couldn't post--hopefully I've worked out the kinks, so try again if you had trouble at some point.

This is one that Meags requested for game night (and she tells me she also ate it for breakfast the next morning), and Andy requested that Laurel get the recipe. It's popular at my house too. We served it to friends this New Years Eve along with Phillip's favorite Firecracker Enchiladas, a recipe for another day...

Lime-Cilantro Coleslaw
4 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons sugar
1 bag of cole slaw
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine first 3 ingredients for the dressing. Toss with the slaw, green onions, and cilantro.