Taco Soup and Chocolate Chip Cookies

So to start out the recipe-palooza I will start with two recipes that are tried and true recipes in my family, these are not new recipes, they are my go to when I need something quick and easy. I will be giving out my taco soup recipe and my family’s top secret chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I have made both these recipes so many times I have them memorized! Get ready to be hungry!

Taco Soup:

1 lb ground beef

2 cans of corn (drained)

1 can of pinto beans (drained)

1 can of stewed tomatos

1 can of tomato sauce

3 cups of water

1 pkg of taco seasoning.

So what you do is you brown the beef and you can either add the taco seasoning directly to the beef, or just add it to the soup (I don’t have a preference either way is fine). While browning the beef add the water, corn, beans, tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes into a big pot on the stove.  Once the beef is browned add that to the pot and make sure to not forget to add the taco seasoning. Once everything is added together and bring to a rolling boil for about 20min and then let it simmer and it is ready to be served. I like to eat this with tortilla chips (the scoops are my favorite) with sour cream and copious amounts of shredded cheese!  This is so easy and perfect for a cold rainy day!

Now as promised I will be giving you two recipes in this post, and this is if you are in need of a good cookie recipe.  These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten, and I have been told by several different sources I should open a cookie shop just for these cookies!

Grandma Henson’s Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 cup of white sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of shortening (NOT BUTTER FLAVORED)

1 tsp vanilla I sometimes add a little more because I love vanilla

2 eggs (you need to beat these separately before adding to above mixture)

Sift together in a separate bowl:

2 ¼ cups of flour

1tsp salt

1 tsp soda

¼ tsp nutmeg (SECRET INGREDIENT ALERT) I sometimes add a little more because I like the taste

Once the two mixtures are well mixed start adding the dry ingredients to the wet ones, you’ll want to use your electric mixer for this, I have noticed that ever since I’ve gotten a kitchen aide my cookies have gotten so much better! But it’s ok if you don’t have a kitchen aide or bosch.  Continue mixing until all the ingredients are integrated.  Then add a bag (or less how ever many you want) of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, and the trick is you want to take them out when they are not quite done so they finish baking on the sheet. This method takes some getting used to and may take a few trials to get right!

These are delicious fresh from the oven, or frozen, or really any way you want to eat them! Enjoy and thank my great grandma Henson for this recipe!