Michelle Obama's Winning Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 stick Crisco butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips 
• 1 cup mint chocolate chips (or Andes mint pieces)
• 2 cups chopped walnuts (or macadamia nuts)

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. 
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture. 
• By hand, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, mint chips and walnuts.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. 
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. 
• Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Easy White Cake (from scratch)

makes 12 cupcakes or a 9x9 inch cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 cup milk 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

Saffron Rice

Ingredients:

2 pinches saffron threads

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cube real butter

1 small yellow onion, minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups basmati rice (if brown rice, let soak in chicken broth for 2 hrs or so)

4 cups chicken broth or water + extra pinch of salt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp indian masala (mixed spices)

Directions:

Heat 1/4 cup water and crumple saffron threads with fingers into it, set aside

Rince basmati rice and drain

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter

Add minced onion & garlic and saute for about 10 minutes

Stir in rice

Stir in saffron liquid & broth (or water) and bring to a boile

Lower heat and simmer until liquid evaporates just off the top of the rice

Cover and cook for 20 minutes

Fluff the rice with a fork before serving