Addictive Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

A very seriously addictive and sugar-filled cookie. You can always omit one full cup of granulated sugar if you need to.

Addictive Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 12-oz. package (2 cups) semisweet choc. Pieces
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

In a med. bowl, stir together flour, soda, salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix on med. speed with mixer, butter/margarine and shortening for 30 sec. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating till well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop from a tsp. 2 in. apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375° oven for 8-10 min. Remove; cool.

Makes about 48 cookies (4-doz.)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Pie Recipe

So this recipe was originally called "Peaches and Cream Pie" taken from Kraft's What's Cooking Magazine, Fall 2007, by Stella Martin. I made it so much that we got sick of peaches, so I modified it to this Strawberry-Rhubarb recipe. But really, any frozen or fresh fruit will work. I prefer to use frozen fruit because the liquid needs to be reserved.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Pie

Prep. 15 min  |  Total: 50 min

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 pkg. (6-serving size) Jell-O Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling (the powder kind)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• Max 1/2 cup strawberries and 1/2 cup rhubarb (fresh or frozen), liquid reserved (from frozen) or 1 can (19 fl. oz/540 ml - med. size can) peach slices or canned fruit of choice, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 pkg. (250 g) brick of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (for peaches)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix flour, dry pudding mix and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside. In another bowl, beat egg, milk and butter with a wire whisk until well blended. Add to flour mixture; mix well. Pour into a greased 9.5-inch pie plate (glass works best); top with fruit.

MIX with a blender the cream cheese, sugar and the reserved fruit liquid until well blended. Pour slowly over fruit. If using peaches, sprinkle cinnamon over top.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean (I bake until the "crust" is golden brown). Cool 15 min. before cutting into slices to serve. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

NOTE: This pie is equally delicious served warm or chilled.