Easy Peasy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (Swiss, Dark, or otherwise - I use Duncan Hines)

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 stick butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 1/2 c chocolate chips (variety of your choice)

1/2 c nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir cake mix, egg, and butter well, will be tough.  Add chips and nuts (optional).  Bake for 9-11 minutes.  

Below I used a Swiss chocolate cake mix 1/2 c dark chocolate chips and 1 c peanut butter filled chips, no nuts.  

You can also use variations such as 1/2 c milk chocolate chips, 1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips, and 1/2 c of white chocolate chips which is a must around the holidays.  Try using a dark chocolate cake mix with semi sweet and mint chocolate chips too!

Super Easy Taco Meat (taco salad or tacos)

Are you always looking for a fast and easy meal to feed your family?  Well, I have the meal for you!  I've been making this meal since I was a freshman in high school and I've never gotten sick of eating it!  

Taco Salad:

1 lb ground round, chuck or sirloin

1 can cream corn

1 packet of taco seasoning, I buy hot

Shredded lettuce, I usually buy pre-shred

2 diced roma tomatoes

8 oz shredded cheddar

½ diced onion, optional

1 avocado diced, slightly salted or guacamole, optional

Sour cream, optional

Salsa, optional

Tortilla chips, flour tortillas, or taco shells

Brown meat and drain. Add entire can of cream corn and packet of taco seasoning. Allow to simmer, about 5 minutes.

Place chips on place, add meat, and toppings. Or you can make into tacos.

Serves 4.

Root Beer Float, the skinny version

Root Beer Float

(the skinny version)

Diet Root Beer, chilled

Free Cool Whip, frozen

Pour desired amount of root beer over frozen scoops of cool whip.  Viola!  It's that easy!

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

Grits:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 whipping cream
• 1 cup quick cooking grits
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan

Shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper of your choice (green and red mix is best), chopped
• 1/2 pound turkey or chicken sausage, sliced
• 2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined (we used Schwan's Garlic Herb)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• Chopped chives, for garnish, optional

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the chicken stock, and whipping cream up to a low simmer. While simmering whisk in the grits and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly and return to a low simmer. Cook until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-heat. Melt butter and saute onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. Saute until tender and translucent, and add the sausage. When the sausage has cooked, add the shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Add white wine and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over the Parmesan cheese grits. Garnish with chopped chives if you choose.

Courtesy of The McNeely's...with a few tweaks.  Of course you can also half this recipe.  

My First Blog and It's About FOOD!

After many years of mulling it over, I have decided to finally start my food blog.  I will try to post as often as I can but not so often I annoy all of you.  Now on to what food item to blog about first... hmmm.