Best Chocolate Chip Cookies...EVER!!

My family is very serious about two things...

FAMILY and CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!! 

 

I mean my hubby wont eat a cookie if its not good (well unless hes trying to be polite). I think he considers him self an expert in the field of cookies!   The other day I bought some cookies just to have on hand if kids friends stopped by and he took one bit and decided that those were the grosses cookies ever and I wasn't to buy them again!  Well I guess he  made himself clear.

 

So I figured I better make him something cuz he LOVES his cookies!  Our family has a favorite...Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies...Probably the best and moistest cookie around! 

 

**Get all your ingredients out to make it easier to put it all together

**Cream together butter, sugars, pudding, vanilla

**Beat in eggs, one at a time till creamy

**Gradually add flour mixture, then chips

**Place on cookie sheet in rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart

**Bake at 375' for 8 to 10 minutes

**Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack

 

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUDDING COOKIES

31/3 cups unsifted flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups of butter or margarine, softened (not too much)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 package (6 serving size) jello instance pudding (vanilla, chocolate, etc)

(for regular cookies use vanilla, for peanut butter use chocolate...experiment with different flavors)

1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

3 eggs

3 or 2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

 

Mix flour with baking soda.  Combine butter, sugars, pudding mix, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy.  Beat in eggs one at a time until creamy.  Gradually add flour mixture, mix well, then stir in chips and nuts.  (Batter will be stiff).  Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 375' for 8 to 10 minutes.  Makes about 10 dozen.

**They really freeze well...just scoop out on a cookie sheet, freeze and then place in a container with a layer of wax paper between each layer.  These ones are my Chocolate peanut butter cookies...These are AMAZING!!! 

 

ENJOY!!

Schools out for Summer...

Can we give a BIG WHOOWHO!!!!!

Schools out for SUMMER!!!

 

I know - your asking what am I so excited for...I'm not the one that was in school all day?!?!?! Although that may be true - I was the one up before Josh and early morning seminary working our and cooking breakfast for him. 

 

Oh and lets not forget running up stairs (every other day it seemed like) while cooking breakfast and re-waking Josh cuz he fell back to sleep!

 

Then after he leaves for seminary getting Seth up for school.  Now that was a CHOIR!! The "Hurry up Seth", "Brush your teeth Seth", "Your hair is sticking up Seth", "Get your backpack ready Seth".  OR the "Mom, I can't find socks," "Well if you'd put  your clothes away maybe you'd have clothes." 

 

Then after school - getting homework done in under 2 hours would be a dream come true...BUT its like pulling teeth with Seth!

 

Let's see..."Mom can I have a snack?" "I need to use the restroom", "I need a drink", "My pencil needs to be sharpened" or one of my favorites "I need to stretch."

Whatever his reason or excuse it drags homework that would take 30 minutes into hours!  And I'm usually the one who has to sit with him...Oh and trust me I always have snack ready, pencils are sharpened, his drink is good to go, BUT somehow he drags it on!

 

Then Josh!!  Hes pretty good about doing his homework now in a timely matter.  It wasn't always that way.  But his problem is getting his homework done before scouts or bed.  When he stays after school, sometimes til 5 or 6, then dinner it doesn't leave much time.  Then theres always the projects due with only a day or two notice - so we are up late trying to get it done.

 

So you ask "Why am I excited for summer?"  Yes I still will be getting up early to workout but I don't need to rush getting breakfast ready and getting the boys out the door for school!  Two month break with NO HOMEWORK!!  No more "It's bedtime" and hearing "Oh mom I'm watching such and such, five more minutes pppplllllleeeeaaasssseeee!" Now they can stay up later...WHOOWHO!

 

The one down side is the real possibility of the boys driving me NUTS! The next 2 months and the depression of knowing in 2 months its ALL GOING TO START OVER!!!   NNNNOOOOOOOO - SAY IT ISN'T SO!! 

A school year full of first~crazy...

Its crazy to think about that the school year coming to an end for the kids!

I know I probably shouldn't call Josh and Cayla kids anymore, even Seth is getting older...

.BUT really, no matter how old they get they will always be my BABIES!! 

It was definitely a school year full of first!! 

~Josh starting High School~Crazy!

~Josh starting early morning seminary~Crazy!

~Josh growing 4 to 5 inches~Crazy!

~Josh joining track~Crazy (but fun)!

~Josh becoming an uncle~Crazy!

~Seth starting 5th grade~Crazy!

~Seth having the BEST school year since starting school~Crazy!

~Seth learning to enjoy reading~Crazy!

~Seth getting an "A" in spelling~Crazy!

~Seth joining Drama and LIKING it~Crazy!

~Seth being in his FIRST district play and SINGING a SOLO~CRAZY!!

~Seth becoming an uncle~Crazy!

~Cayla working full time and going to school full time~Crazy!

~Cayla starting the school year PREGNANT~Crazy!

~Cayla having a BABY (at Christmas time)~Crazy!

~Cayla learning to be a great mom while balancing work and school~ Crazy (in a good way)!

See its been a CRAZY year of first with my babies (and I didn't even list all their firsts)...

BUT I WOULDN'T TRADE ANY OF IT!! 

I have such amazing kids if you ask me ~ which you didn't but I still think it!!! 

Brown Mountain Cake...

Saturday wee rushed home after the "Fight for Air Walk" and had to get some Desserts made for the Scout/YW's Auction Dinner. 

We decided to go with a Brown Mountain Cake, which is one of our family favorites.  YUMMY

Brown Mountain Cake...YUM!!

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Sift together flour, soda, salt and Cocoa.

Add alternating with buttermilk to cream mixture.  Stir in vanilla and warm water.

Pour batter into lightly greased and floured pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes



After cakes cool on rack, frost.  Can you say "So So GOOD"


BROWN MOUNTAIN CAKE

1 cup butter                                                   2 cups sugar

3 eggs                                                            3 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda                                          1/2 tsp salt

3 tlb cocoa                                                    1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla                                                  1/2 cup warm milk

 

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Sift together flour, soda, salt and cocoa, add alternating with buttermilk to creamed mixture.  Stir in vanilla and warm water.  Pour into lightly greased and floured pans.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Cool cake on rack.  Good with Homemade Chocolate frosting.

 

NOTE:   You can also use milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar if you don't have any buttermilk.  Works good!

 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

 

3/4 cup Cocoa                                                6 tlb butter

2 2/3 cups powder sugar                                5 to 6 tlb milk

1 tsp vanilla

 

Combine cocoa and sugar in bowl.  Cream butter with 1/2 cocoa mixture in small bowl.  Add remaining cocoa mixture alternately with milk beating to spreading consistency.  Blend in vanilla.

 

Makes 2 cups.   SUPER GOOD!!! 

 

Saturday is a SPECIAL DAY...

...Its the day we get ready for Sunday...RIGHT?

Well after all the craziness we do!

Saturday was truly packed full of fun and business!

Our day started out early with the "FIGHT FOR AIR" 5K Walk.  This was our 4th year being on "TEAM SYD'A" with our close friends the Degraffs.  Our team was put together in support of Sydnie, the youngest DeGraff who suffers from sever asthma.  We started out as a small team and now we've grown to over 50 members! 

 WHOOWHO...GO TEAM SYD'A!

Its a totally fun filled family event starting at 8a.m in Scottdale!  So that means we head out to get there at 7a.m...yes that's in the morning on a Saturday, when you are suppose to sleep in...NOT FOR OUR FAMILY!! 

Our team has always been a little CRAZY at the walks!  We try and make it all about our families that day!

The best part of the walk is the END...FREE PANCAKE BREAKFAST and the WATER FIGHT (the water fight isn't part of the walk...its just trouble that our families like to get into)

This years water fight was started by Seth (the little booger). But when you try and be sneaky, guess what...YOU GET SOAKED!!  Everyone gained up on Seth and the kid looked like a drowned rat!  It was FUN!!!

These two share a brain...it has something to do with being born on the 17th of Dec

Seth was trying to get Teresa, but I think Teresa got Seth!!

Seth you shouldn't sneak up on Teresa!

Erics first walk!

Seth LOVES pushing Eric

The Gassaways were getting into the walk...and so was DJ!

DJ, Eric, Craig, Cayla, Teresa and Austin

Everyone enjoyed playing with Eric while eating pancakes

My three boogers and our newest booger!



The Gassaways joined the team last year

Josh getting a fast drink during the water fight

Seth started this fight!

Seth tried to get his dad wet...I don't think it turned out too well for him.

The water is dripping off his head!

WOW Brenna is getting Seth good!

Hes a drowned RAT!

 

Josh is after Brenna!

The after effects of the water fight!

Caylas little family!

Our family after the walk...Seth was so wet he had to change...can you see him!

Brenna, Syd'a, Masie and Seth

 

Ryan was just as sneaky as Seth was at the walk...maybe it has something to do with the fact that they were both born on the same date!

DJ got Brenna

After the walk was over we had to drop Seth off at his grandparents so grandpa and Seth could go to the movies...Now isn't Seth just special!

Then the other race was one...we rushed home and got ready for the next BIG EVENT!!  We got home around 1:30ish and the COOKING BEGAN!

Saturday night was the youths spaghetti dinner/auction and we needed to get some desserts made for the auction.

Nothing like rushing to bake a double decker chocolate cake and 2 dozen chocolate cupcakes!  But we did it while trashing the kitchen...WHOOWHO it mess time!!  (I'll post pics and the recipe on another post for everyone)

Once at the dinner, DJ and I made sure we sate at the table Joshua was serving at!  Trust me, we made him work for his tip that night! 

It was nice to finally get home that night and sit down for more than 5 minutes. 

If Saturday is the day we get ready for Sunday - well we were busy at every task we did so we should be set...RIGHT?