Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

The Foodie Diva, Uncategorized

When my siblings and I were kids our dad would give us a short window to eat our Easter candy. Then he would, take our un-eaten chocolate Easter bunnies and chocolate covered pretzels and store them in the freezer until he was ready to make his chocolate chunk cookies. To this day, he buys extra candy just so he has the supplies to make these cookies at a moment’s notice. So next time you have extra candy that you don’t know what to do with, I suggest you whip up a batch of these cookies. Be careful you might just eat the whole batch yourself! #YouHaveBeenWarned

Ingredients

6 cups of flour

2 tsp. of baking soda

2 tsp. of salt

2 cups (4 sticks) of butter

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla butter nut flavoring

2 tsp. of vanilla

4 large eggs

3 cups of coarsely chopped assorted milk chocolate*

1 cup of broken pretzels

2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350.

2.In a large mixing bowl stir together dry ingredients and set aside.

3.In another large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars until fluffy. At medium 4. speed add extracts and beat, adding eggs one1 at a time.

4.When eggs are incorporated, turn mixer off and stir dry ingredients in by hand. Mixture will start getting stiff.

5.When dry ingredients are mixed, add chocolate, pretzels and nuts, stirring until distributed evenly throughout.

6.Using a medium- sized cookie scoop, drop cookies about 2 inches apart onto

parchment- lined cookie sheet.

7.Bake for 14-18 minutes until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven.

8.Take from cookie sheets immediately and place on racks until completely cooled.

*If you are from Pittsburgh you are familiar with Sarris, that is my dad’s chocolate of choice. If you’re not from Pittsburgh, you have my condolences!

What to Expect on The Foodie Diva

The Foodie Diva, Uncategorized

Welcome to The Foodie Diva, where my love of travel and cooking come together. As well as reviewing restaurants on my travels, there will be recipes that are tried and true. What makes my recipes unique is the fact that they can be modified to be gluten free, dairy free, or both without sacrificing any flavor.  Whatever your diet restrictions may be, you still deserve delicious food. And I aim to please.

Turkey

The Foodie Diva

Who says turkey is just for the holidays? With this easy and delicious recipe you can make it smell like Thanksgiving any time of the year!

1 20 lb. turkey cleaned and rinsed, patted dry
salt
pepper
poultry seasoning
3 stalks celery chopped into 2-inch pieces
3 large carrots chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion quartered
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs rosemary on stems
1/4 bunch parsley on stems, cleaned
1 stick butter cut into 1-inch cubes
olive oil

  1. Preheat oven to 500.
  2. Generously season the cavity with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp of poultry seasoning. Stuff the cavity with the vegetables and herbs and cubed butter.
  3. With cooking twine, tie legs together to keep vegetables inside.
  4. Rub the skin of the turkey with olive oil, about 1/4 cup.
  5. Place on a roasting rack in a large pan breast side up.
  6. Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
  7. If pan starts to burn, add a cup of chicken broth.
  8. Reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking for approximately 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer reads 180-185 when inserted into the thigh and juices run clear.
  9. Remove bird from oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
  10. Remove vegetables from cavity and place in roasting pan with drippings. Set turkey on carving board.
  11. Heat drippings on the stove over medium heat, adding water (about 2 cups). Let simmer for about 15 minutes.
  12. Pour drippings into strainer, pressing on vegetables and herbs to extract maximum flavor. (This is not standard thick gravy. It is an au jus consistency).
  13. Carve turkey. Place au jus on meat and serve remaining on the side.

 

 

 

Linguine with Clams and Shrimp

Dinner, The Foodie Diva

This is my favorite dish, and I always ask for it on my birthday. Once you taste this delicious and simple dish you’ll ask for it as well.

2 cans chopped clams with juice
½ bottle clam juice
1 lb large and raw shelled deveined shrimp
1½ sticks butter
2 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup chopped parsley

  1. Melt ½ cup butter in a large pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add shrimp and sauté until they turn pink. Turn off heat and set aside.
  2. In a small sauce pot, melt remaining butter. Sauté garlic in melted butter until fragrant, being careful not to brown. Add clams and their juices, clam juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and simmer over low heat until heated through.
  3. In a large pot of boiling water with 1 tbsp salt, cook linguine until al dente. Drain linguine and place in a large serving bowl. Add shrimp to clam mixture and pour over hot linguine. Toss to coat and top with chopped parsley.

Welcome!!

The Entertainment Diva, The Foodie Diva, The Jetsetting Diva, The Random Diva, Uncategorized

Buisness card

Hi,

My name is Vanessa and welcome to my blog. This blog will be a little bit of everything. From tips and tricks, reviews of my favorite things and much much more. You name it I’ll blog about it! To start off here is a list of my favorite things so you can get to know me a little better!

Food-Linguine with clams and shrimp
Drink-Snapple (Diet Peach)
Music-Backstreet Boys
TV Show-Ellen
Movie-Troop Beverly Hills
Thing to do on your day off- Watch my shows off the DVR
Ice Cream-Banana
Color-Teal
Song- Anything by the Backstreet Boys
Book- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Dessert-Cheesecake
Quote-“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”(Unknown)
Animal-Dog
Holiday-Christmas
Number-5