Two Chicks Who Like To Cook

This past Sunday, my mom, some friends and I got together for our second annual cookie exchange.  We love the cookie exchange.  It's a great time for us ladies to get together and hang out.  We enjoyed some great food, wine, conversation, games and of course we exchanged cookies.  The rules of our cookie exchange are simple. We each bring a different type of cookie and we all bring our cookies already separated and bagged up based on the number of participants. The cookie exchange is a great way to get a nice variety of cookies for your family without baking yourself into a coma. This year, we have layered bars, turtles, chocolate tortes, white chocolate covered pretzels and some old standards like rice crispy treats, chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies. The ladies were all kind enough to allow me to post their cookie recipes on the blog.  I hope you enjoy these recipes and are inspired to host your very own cookie exchange. LORINDA'S LAYERED COOKIE BARS  

Last summer, I went to visit my sister in Chicago and I tried the Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake at the Cheesecake Factory and it was so awesome.   We all fell in love with that cake so I came home and decided I would try to create my version of the cake so take a look.  CHEESECAKE 20 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 3/4 Cup Sugar + 2 Tablespoons Sugar 1 Teaspoon Almond Extract 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature 1/2 Cup Sour Cream, at room temperature Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in the extracts and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in the sour cream. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. The foil should protect the cheesecake

We all know and love Thanksgiving food, the turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese yum, but by like Friday afternoon, you kinda want something different. We've all had (or maybe even made) turkey soup or maybe even turkey and dressing hash. There's nothing wrong with these dishes but here are some of my tips for creatively using Thanksgiving leftovers to create totally new and exciting dishes.  Enjoy! Lorinda TURKEY QUESADILLAS AND TURKEY ENCHILADAS These are staples in my family the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Here's what I do.  Mince 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 of a bell pepper.  Saute in 2 tablespoons of oil for 5 minutes. Shred 8 cups of turkey.  Add turkey to a pan, then add 1/2 cup of water.  Season liberally with cumin, paprika and Lawry's seasoned salt.  Heat through.  Remove half of turkey and get 8 flour shells.  Scoop 2 - 3 tbs of turkey on half of shell, cover with cheese and fold over.  Brush with oil and bake on 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minu

I have been practicing rolls recipes for about a week now.  My family was to the point where they were tired of eating roll like substances that didn't quite cut the mustard and then I came across this recipe.  This recipe was delicious and pretty easy.  I had a couple minor snafoos but I worked them out and found my thanksgiving roll recipe. A few things I've learned in my journey.  First, doughs that rise in the fridge are much more flavorful and taste less "yeasty" than other recipes.  Second, be sure to proof your yeast.  Give it that 10 minutes to foam so you know you have good yeast.  There's nothing worse than skipping that step and having rolls that don't rise.  Third, whatever liquid (milk or water) you're using to proof your yeast, monitor the temperature.  Active yeast should be between 105 - 115 degrees, higher than that, it kills the yeast; lower than that, the yeast doesn't activate. Enjoy! ADAPTED FROM DIVAS CAN COOK - Homemade Ye

That's right it's that time of the year again, Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks and enjoy family and friends.  For many (myself included), it can be a time of great stress and anxiety.  It doesn't have to be and it won't be if you follow these tips. 1 Month before Thanksgiving - Figure out your menu.  Consider everything from appetizers to drinks to desserts. If you're trying something new, you may want to test those recipes out to ensure they make the cut. 1 - 2 Weeks Before Thanksgiving - Review all the recipes that made the cut.  Inspect your pantry.  Make sure you have enough thyme, poultry seasoning, nut meg . . . There's nothing worse than getting into a dish and realizing you don't have enough of something. Get a note pad and write down all of your ingredients and keep in mind quantities.  For example, if you're making a carrot cake with cream cheese icing and a cheesecake and maybe some cream cheese mashed potatoes, you need to make sure

So, it's the fall time of year and I love warm and delicious comfort foods but I'm also very busy and though I would love to spend most Saturdays chopping, dicing, baking and cooking, I can't because there's work, karate, basketball practice and errands to run.  On those days, it's wonderful to come home to something like these Slow Cooked Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas.  Enjoy! INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup chili powder 2 cups chicken stock 1 can tomato paste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika 1 teaspoon cocoa powder ½ teaspoon chipotle ½   teaspoon salt Garlic Powder and Onion Powder Lawry’s Seasoning 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 large onion diced Corn tortillas Shredded Cheese Sour Cream (Optional) Enchilada Sauce (Just in case, you run out) Finely dice the large onion.   Liberally season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder and Lawry’s seasoning. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together chili powder, chicken stock, tomato paste