Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup of butter flavored shortening
1 1/4 cup of light brown sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until blended. Add egg to mixture. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Give the dry ingredients a whirl with a wire whisk to break up any lumps. Mix flour mixture into creamed mixture until blended. Stir in chips and nuts. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce

I go the original recipe from Kraft and of course I had to tweak it.

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 of corn flakes
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp basil leaves
1 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp shortening
1 package of fat free cream cheese, cubed
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth or white whine.

Put corn flakes and dry spices into the blender and crush until the corn flakes are powder. Here is a tip do not take the lid off of the blender until the dust has settled. Tenderize each breast with a mallet. I like to put the chicken into a zip locked bag when I tenderize it that way little bits of raw chicken are not slung around the kitchen.

Melt shortening in a heavy frying pan/skillet, medium heat. Coat chicken with corn flake mixture then cook chicken in pan. About 7 to 8 minutes on each side, get a nice brown on each side. Place cooked chicken on a broiler rack or cooling rack in a warm oven until time to serve. The rack is important, it keeps the chicken from getting soggy.

Use broth to de-glaze skillet. Add cream cheese, and Dijon continually stirring until cheese is melted and sauce starts to thicken. I get best results with a wire whisk. If you think your sauce is too think that add a little more broth.

Now for the presentation part. You can plate each serving but I find it prettier when I use a large platter. Lay chicken on plater and arrange in a nice row, overlap a little. Spoon sauce down the center of the plate. Sprinkle fresh basil and tomatoes on top. See ain't that pretty. You can put the left over sauce in a bowl with a spoon so people can dish up if they what extra.

Look on Kraft's website for other variations.