Chewy Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 to 4 Tbsp buttermilk
Sprinkles or colored sugar, for decorating

• Preheat oven to 375.
• In a small bowl, stir together flou, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, crem butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Add enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet (typically 3 Tbsp).
• Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a brush or fingers, moisten the top of each cookie with the remaining buttermilk and slightly flatten the top of each cookie (I used the bottom of a glass). Sprinkle with raw sugar or colored sprinkles.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.

I'm on a hunt for the best sugar cookie and this one is in first place so far for taste and consistentcy. Bummer is that they aren't rolled, so you can't make fun shapes! I frosted some as well and they were a hit.

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter (although you can substitute margarine, you will have the best results with butter. The cookie will have a richer taste and will be crisper around the edges)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 11-12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (for variation of this cookie, substitute milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet and/or add 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts before baking)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, salt baking powder and baking soda.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. With your fingers, place golf ball size dough portions 2” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Note: It is very important you do not exceed the cooking time given above, even if the cookies appear to be under baked. When the cookies are removed from the oven, the sugar in them will stay hot and continue the cooking process. The finish product should be soft in the middle and crunchy around the edges.

Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cup peanut butter chips

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.
• Fold in peanut butter chips.
• Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Sweet Corn Tomalito

Steamed Corn Pudding, a traditional Tex-Mex side dish.

Serves 8

5 tablespoons Margarine

1/4 cup masa harina

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cup whole-kernel frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons milk

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the margarine, masa flour and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. In a food processor or blender, blend one cup of the corn kernels with the water and cornmeal just until smooth. Stir into the masa mixture.
   
3. Mix in the remaining the remaining corn, baking powder, salt and milk until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
4. Microwave for 10-13 minutes at 90% power level. Stir pudding before serving to give it a consistent texture.