we all need a cookie once in a while.

and these are just TOO good.

It's been a while since i've made real chocolate chip cookies.
ok, ok...
you caught me.
you want the truth?
i've never actually made real-homemade chocolate chip cookies.
(that worked, or in other words, didn't end up in the garbage.)
i know,
i'm admitting to my amateur cooking right now.

i've bought the store-bought dough before...
and we've eaten those.
(and maybe that's what i would make to take to friend...on my own plate of course!)
but quite honestly, i get a little intimidated by baking.

but since THRIVE has greatly improved my cooking confidence,
i thought...
"what the heck, i'll bake!"

so here you go, best cookies we've EVER had at our house!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup THRIVE white sugar
1 cup THRIVE brown sugar, packed
3 THRIVE whole eggs, rehydrated
(3 Tbsp powder + 6 Tbsp water)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon THRIVE baking powder
3/4 cups THRIVE white flour
2 cups chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 F

In a large bowl, whip butter. Add sugar and brown sugar. whip together for about 5 minutes
Slowly add prepared eggs, while constantly stirring the mixture. Add vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Blend well.
Sift in flour and gently stir to incorperate. Increase speed and blend for another 5 minutes. Mix in chocolate chips.

place portions on greased cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cookies turn golden brown.

Enjoy.

recipe from the THRIVE cookbook.

you're gonna LOVE this soup!

My friend shared this recipe with me, and our family fell in LOVE with it.

so when we were craving some good ol fashioned comfort food,

{yet, there were very little veggies in the fridge}

we made it with THRIVE!

and the best part....

i didn't have to do all the chopping this time.

2 Tablespoons butter (THRIVE powder butter reconstituted)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped onion (THRIVE chopped onions)
3 carrots chopped (THRIVE chopped carrots)
2 stalks of celery (THRIVE chopped celery)
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour(THRIVE flour)
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
2 cups chicken stock (stock adds such a richer flavor, I use Swanson brand for both stock and broth)

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped cauliflower (THRIVE cauliflower)
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped (THRIVE potato chunks)
2/3 cup of milk (THRIVE instant milk reconstituted)
2 cups chopped broccoli (THRIVE broccoli)
2 heaping cups of shredded cheddar cheese (THRIVE shredded cheese)

Melt butter with salt in large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender (about 10 min) Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes {garlic burns easy} Then add 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, mixing well until veggies are coated. Add chicken broth and stock, potatoes and cauliflower, cook on med heat until potatoes are 1/2 tender {about 25 minutes}, add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender. Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

(using THRIVE will decrease the cooking time as well....best way to make this...taste test often)

If you like a bit thicker soup, I take a ladle of just broth at the end and mix with -2 tablespoons of cornstarch, whisk it together and then add back to the soup, let it heat up and soup will thicken.

Happy Cooking!!

tis the season.

there's nothing like a good bowl of apple crisp this time of year.

and this recipe did not disappoint.

Apple Crisp

4 c. THRIVE apple chips

2-3 c. THRIVE apple drink

1/2 raisins

3/4 c. THRIVE brown sugar

1/2 c. THRIVE white flour

1/2 c. THRIVE quick oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

8 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1. in large bowl, cover apple chips and raisins with warm water or apple drink. let sit 5-10 minutes until softened and rehydrated. drain.

2. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Make a crumble by combining brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly.

4. Divide apple mixture evenly between 4 individual, buttered ramekins or oven-proof baking dishes. Sprinkle crumble over the apple mixture in each dish.

5. Bake for 25 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Top each bowl with a scoop of ice cream or whipped topping.

*this time i used fresh apples (tis the season) and left out the raisins.

watch the cooking demo here.

Congo Bars

there are two kinds of people.

those who order desert,

and those who order an appetizer.

i prefer appetizers myself.

but i was wishing for something sweet the other night and found this recipe from Thrive.

Congo Bars

2 c. Thrive brown sugar

2/3 c. oil

3 Tbsp Thrive whole egg powder

6 Tbsp water

2 3/4 c. Thrive white flour

1/2 tsp Thrive iodized salt

2 1/2 tsp Thrive baking powder

chocolate chips (optional)

mix well, add chocolate chips to taste.

spread dough into a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes.

makes 16-20 bars

it was really yummy!