Drumstick Cookies
At the beach we eat a ridiculous amount of Drumsticks. We even started buying the little ones so we can feel less guilty when we eat them daily. It was only a matter of time until I turned them into a cookie for the summer. These are a simple summer recipe - the only added step is the topping, but I think we can all agree the topping is the best part of the Drumstick!
We finally get to go back to the beach this week - but only for a few days. This time in life - raising teenagers - means our summer is a lot of driving kids around or being on hand for their friends to come over. I’m embracing it. At some point they won’t need me and I’ll be at the beach all the time. And eating way too many Drumsticks.
Drumstick Cookies
makes about 2 1/2 dozen
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
12 ounces white chocolate chips
6 ice cream cones, crushed
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup peanuts, chopped
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy. Do not rush it.
STEP 2
Blend in dry ingredients until it’s nearly combined.
STEP 3
Pour in white chocolate chips and cone bits and combine completely. Scoop batter onto a baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden on the edges. Let cool.
STEP 4
Melt together the chocolate chips and coconut oil. I use the microwave on 30 second intervals. Dip each cooled cookie and sprinkle the top with the the chopped peanuts.
Serve warm OR add vanilla ice cream to the center and make an ice cream sandwich!
World's Best Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder is literally my favorite soup ever. We took a roadtrip several years ago down highway 101 which goes down the coast of Washington, Oregon and California (at some point it turns to Highway 1 but I can never remember where that happens). Every restaurant that we stepped into, I got clam chowder. Some were great. Some were gloopy. Some had too much dill. Some had too many potatoes. One was even red which is the most dreadful thing you can do to chowder.
Clam Chowder
Serves 4
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
¼ lb potatoes, finely chopped
1 can clams
8 oz clam nectar/ clam juice
4 cups seafood stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup half and half
¼ cup flour
2 tbs parsley, chopped
1 bag oyster crackers
STEP 1
In a large pot, cook bacon until browned.
STEP 2
Add onion, celery, potatoes, and garlic. Cook until onions and celery are softened. Stir regularly.
STEP 3
Pour in stock and clams. Don’t drain the clams before – pour the liquid into the pot. Add the bay leaf. Cover and cook 20 minutes.
STEP 4
Whisk together half and half with the flour. Very slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup broth.
STEP 5
Pour flour mixture into the soup pot and stir until incorporated.
STEP 6
Serve with fresh parsley and oyster crackers on top.
Watermelon Lemonade
It’s Fourth of July weekend! My favorite weekend of the year. Clearly it calls for a special beverage. I made this one booze free because it’s the perfect drink for a shot of vodka, if you so choose, but also then my kids will stop bugging me that I make all these fancy drinks that they can’t drink. Annoying.
Watermelon Lemonade
4 cups watermelon, cubed
2 cups lemonade
The zest of one lemon
Put everything in a blender together and blend until smooth! Serve over ice. Vodka or rum is optional.
