Grandma Barbara's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Note from Zoe: This is my very favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, which came from Joel’s Mom.  The cookies come out slightly perky instead of flat, perhaps because of the dry pudding powder that goes in the mix.

Grandma Barbara’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter

½ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

One packet Jello instant vanilla pudding powder (either size is fine, 3.5 oz or 5 oz)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 ½ cups flour

2 cups chocolate chips

Beat together BUTTER, SUGAR, BROWN SUGAR, DRY PUDDING MIX, BAKING SODA, and VANILLA.  Beat in EGGS.  Add FLOUR and stir together.  Stir in CHOCOLATE CHIPS.  Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove promptly from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack or wax paper.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Fun Variations:

Try butterscotch chocolate chips, or your favorite holiday M&M’s.

Or try chocolate pudding (instead of vanilla pudding) and white chocolate chips.

Feta Dill Dip

FETA DILL DIP- shared by Lara

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp white-wine vinegar
4 oz. crumbled feta, divided
1 cup fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:
In a food processor, place yogurt, parsley, vinegar and all but 1 tsp feta and 1 tsp dill.  Blend until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl; top with remaining feta and dill and, if desired, pepper.  Serve with whole grain pita chips.

ENJOY!

Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce Wraps- shared by Susan 

Ingredients:Ground turkey or chicken
Water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Green onions, chopped
Roasted peanuts, chopped
Carrots, diced (I buy the bag of slivered carrots from Trader Joe's, then dice those)

Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves

2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 pkg Lee Kum Kee (Panda Brand) Sauce for Lettuce Wraps (in the asian food aisle at the grocery store)

Directions:
Heat oil over high heat in large frying pan or wok.
Add chicken or turkey and stir fry until browned. 
Add all vegetables, stir fry another 2 minutes
Add 3/4 pouch sauce. Bring to a simmer. Add peanuts. 

Save some sauce for drizzling into lettuce cups.

ENJOY!

Pizza Dip

PIZZA DIP- Another great appetizer/dip shared by Courtney!

All ingredients from Trader Joes.

1 tub ricotta cheese
Fresh basal
Quattro Farmaggio shredded cheese blend
Pizza sauce
Pepperoni
5-6 cloves Garlic
Garlic salt and garlic pepper to taster. I like a lot of garlic :)
Boboli pizza crust cut to bite size pieces or what ever you like for dipping.

In a blender, food processor, or Vitamix finely chop garlic and basal and pepperoni. I used a one or two handfuls of basal. Then do the same with the pepperoni. I used several slices.
Mix basal, garlic and pepperoni with ricotta and spread over the bottom of a square dish.
Add the garlic salt and garlic pepper if needed.
Pour a layer of tomato sauce over top of the ricotta mixture.
Top sauce with Quattro Farmaggio cheese, as much as you like.
Top the cheese with whole slices of pepperoni
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and serve with toasted boboli pizza bites.
Enjoy!