Surprise Cookies

Source: My version of a recipe by Martha Stewart

Serves: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 large marshmallows, cut horizontally (or 12 maraschino cherries, cut horizontally)
• Chocolate frosting
  

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat until well combined. (I didn't have any vanilla extract, so I used vanilla flavored soy milk... 1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon of soy milk total.)
5. Add reserved flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
6. Using a tablespoon, drop dough onto un-greased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies begin to spread and become firm.
8. Take cookie sheets out of oven and put one marshmallow (cut-side down) on the top of each cookie. Return cookie sheets to oven and continue baking until marshmallows begin to melt (about 2 - 2 1/2 minutes). (This got very messy and I only used marshmallows on about 1/4 of the batch. For the other 3/4 I put a cherry on top of the cookie. I preferred this version.)
9. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost cookies with your choice of chocolate frosting. Because I didn't have time to make any home-made frosting I used Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. This is the recipe Martha Stewart suggested using. Chocolate Frosting for Surprise Cookies
11. Top with sprinkles, if you want. I used cute piggy sprinkles because I made these for my cousin's birthday party. 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

(picture from Beantown Baker)

Source: Me

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops
• 1 bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce)
  
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

Directions: 

1. Spray bottom and sides of slow cooker with non-stick spray.
2. Fill bottom of slow cooker with water, just until the bottom is covered.
3. Place uncooked pork chops in bottom of slow cooker. (I didn't cut the fat off)
4. Cover pork chops with barbecue sauce, salt and brown sugar.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours.
6. Remove pork chops from slow cooker. Cut off the fat. 
7. Using a fork, pull the pork apart, and put it back in the slow cooker.
8. Cook for another 30 minutes or so, until all of the liquid has been soaked up.

Orange Stir-Fried Chicken

Source: Betty Crocker

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  
• 1 teaspoon grated gingerroot or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used ground ginger)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (I used 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4" strips
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted)
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded (I cut into thin slices)
• 4 cups hot cooked rice
  

Directions: 

1. Mix soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  If you don't have time, only refrigerating for 5 or 10 minutes works as well.
2. Mix orange juice and 2 teaspoons cornstarch until cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink (approximately 4-6 minutes).  Remove chicken from skillet.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and carrots and stir fry until vegetables are tender (approximately 3 minutes). Stir in chicken and orange juice mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir about 30 seconds or until thickened. Serve over rice.