Cooking Heavy

This recipe does not come from Cooking Light! But it is a delicious chocolate cookie with a Rolo inside so it's a keeper! Kind of putsy so plan for time to unwrap 48 Rolo candies. Enjoy!

Rolo Surprise Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans (finely chopped)
48 Rolos (9 oz. bag)
1 Tbsp sugar

Heat oven to 375.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda, blending with a wisk.
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, margarine or butter, until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and eggs, beat well.
Add flour mixture, blend well.
Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans
For each cookie, shape one Tbsp dough around one Rolo, covering completely. When your hands get all gooey from this operation, rinse off and start again.
In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup pecans and l Tbsp sugar.
Press one side of each cookie ball into the pecan mix. Place nut side up 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until set and slightly cracked.
Cool 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheet.

ok on to stir-fry

Here's a simple recipe for Chicken Stir-Fry

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Cut into bite-size pieces
Marinate for 15-30 minutes in: 2 Tbsp. white wine
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Heat small amount (1-2 Tbsp) olive oil in a wok or large frying pan and saute 2-3 cloves garlic (or use 1 tsp. minced garlic)
Add chicken pieces & stir fry until cooked through (cut a piece and make sure it's white all the way through...no pink)
Remove the chicken
Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan and stir fry 3 cups of fresh broccoli cut into bite size pieces
Add 3-4 green onions sliced
Add 1 Tbsp. shredded ginger (peel the root and then cut into really small pieces, ie mince)
*ginger roots can be frozen until needed

Add the chicken.
Add 1/2 cup chicken broth (I use 1 chicken bouillion cube in 1/2 cup hot water
Add 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Thicken with cornstarch: Take 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and mix well with 1/4 cup cold water, until all the clumps are out. Then add to the stir-fry to thicken the sauce.

You can also add peanuts or cashews or almonds if you like. Or baby corn or carrots or any other veggie you like. Wa-Lah!

Garden Edition: aka Zucchini up the wazoo.

Hello fellow cooks,
I don't have too many original recipes, but one I believe I invented is my zucchini casserole. It is possible though that my mom invented this and I stole it. Whatever...it's very easy and you can use whatever you have.
Grate 3 medium zucchini
Add 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 sliced tomatoes
1 cup grated mozarella cheese
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Sometimes I add sliced or chopped banana peppers. This part I invented.

Spray a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray ( I like Pam spray)
Mix zucchini, garlic & onion and put in cake pan.
Place sliced tomatoes on the top
Sprinkle mozarella cheese over all
Cut up butter or margarine in small pieces and "sprinkle"? drop? on top (This cooking lingo is tricky!)
Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

Important note: cooking requires monitoring. Check your dish periodically to make sure it isn't burning, or drying out or other bad things. Don't just set the timer at 1 1/2 hrs and walk away.

OK, head for your nearest Farmer's Market for the zucchini & tomatoes! Happy cooking...