Best, Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This is a recipe that I found on http://www.allrecipes.com/, and it really does live up to it's name. When paired with Watkins Original Double Strength Vanilla, you will never go back to the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips!

FYI: For the month of February you can save $3.00 on Watkins Original Double Strength Vanilla. Regular Price: $14.99. Sale Price $11.99!

Best, Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie!

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (yes.. melt it into liquid)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp Watkins Original Double Strength Vanilla - yes.. a whole TABLESPOON!
1 egg
1 egg yolk

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper (my preferred method).

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt - set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well well blended. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until light and creamy. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended. If your mixture is thin looking, add another 1/4 cup flour. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand - using a wooden spoon.. or other heavy spoon.

Roll cookies into 2" balls and place 2" apart on your cookie sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes (mine took exactly 15 mins.).

Cool on wire rack... leave the kitchen while they are cooling, or you won't have any to share :)

Enjoy!

Yield: 2-3 dozen, depending on size

** Deanna is an Independent Watkins Associate - please reference her name and/or Associate ID 376966 when placing your order. Or you may contact her directly.**

Deanna's Beef & Black Bean Enchiladas

My family loves mexican, but can't afford to eat out as often as we would like to have mexican food. Here is a recipe I put together and the family devoured it. It is now in the "Family Favorites" file:

Ingredients
1 Can black beans
1 lb extra lean ground beef (93%)
3 Tbsp Watkins Mexican Soup & Seasoning Mix
1 Cup water
1 Small can green chiles
1 Can mild red enchilada sauce
7 Burrito size flour tortillas
8 oz. Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Brown ground beef. Drain black beans and add to pan, along with Watkins Mexican Soup & Seasoning Mix, green chiles, and water. Stir together well. Let sit over medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed into meat and beans (about 5-10 mins).

Divide meat/beans equally into 7 tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place in 9X13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour enchilada sauce over top of tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over top of tortillas.

Bake in oven (375)° for 20 mins, or until cheese is bubbly.

Number of Servings: 7

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 7

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 325.0
Total Fat: 16.5 g
Cholesterol: 67.6 mg
Sodium: 791.9 mg
Total Carbs: 15.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.4 g
Protein: 25.3 g

** Deanna is an Independent Watkins Associate - please reference her name and/or Associate ID 376966 when placing your order. Or you may contact her directly.**

Taco Seasoning

I usually just use Watkins Mexican Soup & Seasing Mix on "taco night," but I found a great alternative should I run out of the aforementioned staple in our household. This recipe was found on a great website called AllRecipes.com

2 tablespoons Watkins chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Watkins garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon Watkins onion granules
1/2 teaspoon Watkins red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon Watkins oregano
1 teaspoon Watkins paprika
1 tablespoon Watkins cumin
2 teaspoons Watkins sea salt
1 teaspoon Watkins black pepper

Place in sealed container and shake well to mix.

Yield: 20 servings (appx. 1 tsp/serving), adjust serving size to taste.

** Deanna is an Independent Watkins Associate - please reference her name and/or Associate ID 376966 when placing your order. Or you may contact her directly.**

Recipe of the Month - November

Here are a couple mouth-watering recipes, perfect for the fall weather and festivities!

Watkins Apple Cake

3 cups/750 mL all-purpose flour
3 cups/750 mL sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 cup/250 mL vegetable oil
½ cup/125 mL orange juice
3 tsp/15 mL Watkins Baking Powder
2 ½ tsp/12 mL Watkins Vanilla
1 tsp/5 mL salt
4 large apples, peeled and sliced
2 to 3 tsp/10-15 mL Watkins Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and flour 10-inch/25 cm tube pan. Beat flour, 2 cups/500 mL sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, baking powder, vanilla and salt in large bowl for 2 minutes. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Toss apples with remaining 1 cup/250 mL sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Arrange half of apple mixture in one to two layers over batter. Top with remaining batter; arrange remaining apple mixture over batter.

Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate. (Slide knife around edge of pan if necessary to loosen cake from pan.) Makes 12 servings

This recipe can be found in the Watkins Vanilla Classic Cookbook. It has a quality hardbound book featuring a die-cut cover with custom illustration and vintage Watkins artwork and full-color photography; 128 pages. Package the 2 together in a cello-bag, tie with a raffia bow, and you are set for the holidays!

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Herbed Turkey

1 (12 lb/5.4kg) whole turkey
1/4 cup/60 mL Watkins Original Grapeseed Oil
2 tbsp/ 60 mL Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
2 tsp/ 10 mL Watkins Organic Basil
1 tsp/ 5 mL Watkins Organic Sage
1 tsp/ 5mL salt
1/2 tsp/ 2.5 mL Watkins Organic Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F/ 190°C. Clean turkey (discard giblets and organs) and place in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic powder, basil, sage, salt and pepper. Using a basting brush, apply the mixture to the turkey.

Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 160°F/ 71°C. Remove bird from oven, and allow to stand for about 30 minutes, internal temperature will rise.

Carve and serve.

** Deanna is an Independent Watkins Associate - please reference her name and/or Associate ID 376966 when placing your order. Or you may contact her directly.**