Cowboy Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually stir in the sifted ingredients. Stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing.

PREP TIME
15 Min
COOK TIME
10 Min
READY IN
1 Hr

Oxtail stew

INGREDIENTS:
Serves: 4
2 lbs. (1 kg.) oxtail

1/4 cup oil

5 cups water

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 sprig thyme

3 slices hot pepper

2 cans of broad beans

Salt

Brown oxtail in oil. Add 4 cups of water and boil until tender. Add water if necessary. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic, thyme and hot pepper and salt. Stir for a few minutes. Let simmer until thick. Add remaining water and broad beans. Lower heat, cover and simmer again for 10 minutes.
Best served with rice and peas/beans

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

This recipe comes courtesy of Paula Deen and her show "Paula's Home Cooking" on Food TV. What I like most about this recipe is that it gets its banana flavor only from real bananas!

Ingredients List:

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line the bottom of a 9"x13"x2" baking dish with one bag of cookies. Layer the banana slices over the cookies and set aside.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine milk and pudding mix. Blend according to package instructions using an electric hand mixer. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk using the electric hand mixer until smooth. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. When combined, fold the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture.
Pour the mixture over the bananas and cover with one bag of cookies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours before serving so the pudding has a chance to set.
Just a note about arranging the cookies. Each bag contains 24 cookies. I was able to fit 23 cookies into the bottom of the pan (I ate the leftover cookie), but as you can see in the photo, 24 cookies will not cover the pudding completely because the pan is wider at the top than at the bottom. You might try arranging the cookies into 4 rows of 6 cookies instead.

Hummingbird Cake

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped firm ripe banana
.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 cup pecans. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
Frost the tops of all 3 layers, stack and then frost sides. Sprinkle top evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans.