Christmas Cold Cures: Chicken & Cookies

Left out another C — vitamin C (but that would have made a really long post title).

Grenville has been dealing with  a pre-holiday cold this week complete with drippy nose, clogged ear drums and coughs. Yesterday, he donned his most comfortable sweatshirt and gave in to a (very long) daytime nap. Doesn’t he look comfy stretched out on the futon?

Using  the remains of last night’s dinner, a store-bought rotisserie chicken, I made a timeless old-fashioned remedy — Chicken Soup. There are lots of recipes around, but in the past few years, I haven’t followed any specific one. It seems (to me) that making chicken soup is nearly foolproof. And while I have followed cookbook and internet recipes, now I wing it. No pun intended, not even a fowl joke (whoops).


So, without listing any exact measurements, here’s MOST of the main ingredients (others can be added): chicken carcass with meat left on, carrots, celery, onion, salt pepper, bouillon (cube or powder), low-sodium chicken broth. Other added spices included parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (just like the song, a great memory jogger). My seasoning choice was this mixture sent by blog friend, Tammy, Sweet Southern Happiness. THANKS!
Place carcass in large pot, cover with water (6-8 cups), add sliced onion, celery leaves, bouillon, and seasonings. Let come to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until meat falls off bones. Remove carcass, cool before cleaning off chicken. Add large carton of chicken broth and can of beef broth OR just use only chicken broth (personal choice here).
While waiting for pot to boil, peel and cut up 3-4 carrots and celery stalks (more or less as you prefer). Add to the pot with the reserved chicken. If needed, you can add any leftover chicken from last night’s dinner (we had some). Cook on low heat until veggies are softened AND add other veggies of your choice — corn, string beans, peas, etc. MY choice was frozen corn and scallions.


Final step, add pasta or rice (your choice OR not) and cook directly in soup. We prefer orzo, a short-cut pasta shaped like a large grain of rice.

Serve with a salad and/or fresh bread (Grenville baked a loaf yesterday). ENJOY even if you (hopefully) don’t have a cold.


And, the COOKIE Cure are these chocolate, chocolate chip mint and butterscotch chip cookies that Grenville baked the other day.YES, he told me that they made him feel better.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What’s your favorite cookie recipe?

At The Frog & PenguINN – holidays or not – it’s the chocolate chip cookie, a drop cookie created in the U.S. and featuring semi-sweet chocolate chips. Other ingredients include white and brown sugars, flour, salt, eggs, baking powder, butter or shortening; vanilla extract; and (if you prefer) chopped nuts. Depending on the ratio of ingredients, mixing and cooking times, some recipes produce a softer, chewy style cookie and others produce a crunchy/crispy style – either way they’re still delicious.
Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookies
What’s NOT to like about a cookie that features chocolate chips? This recipe is featured on every bag of Nestle® semi-sweet chocolate morsels.



Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 ½ C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ¾ C granulated sugar
• ¾ C packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 C (12 oz.) Nestle® semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 C chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels and nuts (if using).
5. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper).

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks or brown paper to cool completely. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Serve with a cold glass of milk.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

While we’re on the subject of chocolate – one of our favorite topics – here’s another recipe for fellow chocoholics. If you liked the one for Best Ever Fudge Brownies, try this one too. And, here’s a plus, it uses many of the same ingredients.
What’s needed . . .

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 C butter softened
• 2 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ C powdered cocoa (Hershey’s® Cocoa is my choice)
• 2C flour
• ½ bag (6 oz) of Hershey’s® dark chocolate morsels (or 5 oz chopped, unsweetened baker’s chocolate; other substitutions are peanut butter or white chocolate morsels)

Preheat oven to 350°.

1. Using a mixer, cream butter, eggs, vanilla until soft. Scrape down bowl.
2. Add baking soda, salt and cocoa. Scrape again. Gradually add flour. Add chocolate morsels last.
3. Drop teaspoon-sized drops onto un-greased cooking sheet.
4. Bake 8-9 minutes.
5. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to rack or brown paper.

These have also become a favorite of the cookie monster (Grenville) at  the Frog & Penguinn.

Brownies Anyone?

Who doesn’t like fudge brownies?

OK, if you raised you hand that you don’t like them, then read no further – this recipe is not for you. These fudgy brownies are a chocoholic’s delight. Calories don’t count during the holiday season. Right?

This recipe comes from the back of a bag of King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.  I was using this brand for other cookie baking. Grenville suggested this be the next recipe tried and also volunteered to be the taste tester.
There’s  no mixer required – just a good mixing bowl and a sturdy wooden spoon.

Best Fudge Brownies Ever

• 1 C (2 sticks) butter
• 2 ¼ C sugar
• 1 ¼ C Dutch-process cocoa
• ½ tsp salt (add 1 tsp if using unsalted butter)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ C unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 C (12 oz. bag) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

1. In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter; add  sugar and stir to combine. Return mixture to heat briefly until hot, but not bubbling. (It will become shiny-looking as it’s stirred.) Heating the butter and sugar a second time will dissolve more of the sugar which yields a shiny top crust.
2. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Stir in cocoa, salt, baking powder and vanilla.
3. Add eggs, beat until smooth, then add flour and chips, mixing well to combine. Soon batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake brownies for 30-35 minutes OR until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out dry. Brownies should feel set  on the edges and in the center. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a table knife. (This helps prevent brownies from sinking in the center while cooling.)

Cool completely before cutting and serving. Yield: 2 dozen brownies.*

* Only if Grenville doesn’t get to them first.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Before heading south to GA for the Thanksgiving holiday, I made peanut butter cookies. This very easy recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies (depending on size).

The ingredients list is small and you may already have everything needed in your pantry.

NOTE: You can add chocolate chips or nuts for variations of this recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies

• ¾ C creamy peanut butter (any brand)
• ½ C Crisco® all vegetable shortening
• 1 ¼ C light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 TBSP milk
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 ¾ C all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt

Heat oven to 375°

1. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended.
2. Add egg and beat until blended.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add slowly to creamed mixture at low speed.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheet; flatten slightly with edge of fork.
5. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until just set and starting to brown.
6. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to cooling rack or brown paper to completely cool.

Best enjoyed with a tall glass of cold milk.