Freezer Meals: I have been working using the Wildtree workshops, using other ingredients and putting my own interpretation on some of the recipes. Here is a copy of the “Get Your Grill On” Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop in my own words. If you are unable to afford or obtain the Wildtree ingredients, I put substitutes on the very first page of the list of recipes. For example, their BBQ sauce is awesome, 100% organic and I liked it a lot. But, you could also make something similar yourself at home using your own recipe. Here’s mine. Most BBQ sauces on the shelf contain high fructose corn syrup – but Wildtree’s does not. If you want the ingredients, contact information is at the bottom.
The Meals Are:
Ginger Beef with Spicy Slaw
Herb Chicken & Veggies
BBQ Country Ribs
Cheesy Garlic Turkey Burgers
Savory Tilapia
Rodeo Burgers with Onion Strings
Herb Grilled Shrimp Skewers w/Angel Hair pasta
Hickory Rodeo Chicken
Rancher Steaks
Ginger Chicken Skewers
Please contact myself or a local Wildtree representative regarding the bundle that goes with the meal recipes, shopping list and extras. Thank you!
Update: My super awesome creative friend has created a new logo for my website. I can’t WAIT to put it up! There are still a couple things that we are tweaking, but here is the first stage:
Recipe: This is the hubby’s new FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipe. I couldn’t believe anything could topple Alton Brown’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, but this one did!
These cookies are FULL of chocolate chips – 18 whole ounces The batter is easy to work with and makes 48 cookies with a 1 Tb. cookie scoop.
As with most of my cookie recipes, this one works better for me if I freezer the cookie dough balls before baking. Buttery, chewy, and delicious. Everything you want in the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Did I mention it is King Arthur Flour’s recipe of 2015? 🙂
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE??
Tips:
-When making any kind of cookie, I always find that freezing the balls of dough first helps with spreading.-
-Why do professional cookies not spread? This is because most of them contain shortening. Shortening will not melt/spread like butter can. Since all of my cookies and cookie recipes are 100% butter, freezing is the way to go.
-Once the flour is added to the cookie dough batter, mix until just combined. Overmixing will result in one tough cookie.
-Try to keep the cookie sheets cool in between batches as hot pans will cause spreading.
-Weigh the dry ingredients for consistent results.
-Check the oven temperature once in a while. It says it is at 350 degrees, but it might not be. You can use temperature almost as an ingredient. Low temps will prevent cookie spread.
-Baking the cookies longer will result in crispier cookies.
- 1 cup (16 Tb) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (7 and ½ oz.) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (3 and ½ oz.) sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 Tb. vanilla extract
- 2 cups (8 and ½ oz.) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (3 and ½ oz.) old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt or ¾ tsp. table salt
- 3 cups (18 oz.) semisweet chocolate chip cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees if you are not going to freeze the cookie dough balls.
- In a great big mixing bowl: beat the butter and sugars together with a mixer on medium.
- Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Beat to combine. Scrape bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly and mix until combined.
- Add chocolate chips and stir in.
- Drop cookies onto silicone mat, parchment or well-greased cookie sheets. Large cookies will be ¼ cup of dough, smallest cookies will be 2 tsp. in size. I use a tablespoon cookie scoop. From frozen, my cookies take 9 minutes - sometimes they need another 30 seconds after that.
- Freezer in the freezer for 1 hour in balls. Then, store in freezer bag for later use if not baking immediately.
- Or, Bake cookies 8-12 minutes depending on their size. They will be light golden brown with darker edges.
- Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
To get eggs at room temperature faster, pour hot tap water on top of them in a bowl. Eggs will be room temperature in about 15 minutes.
Oh yum! I’m always looking for new freezer meals and I love that you’ve included the shopping list as well! Those cookies look absolutely delicious and I’m so thankful I have all the ingredients already or I’d be running to the store right now 🙂 Thanks for the temperature tip, I hadn’t thought to check the temp of my oven, but it might account for the cooking time issues I’ve had. Pinning this!
Thanks! Good luck – I know you’ll love these cookies. Reading about cookie baking from professionals explains so much about how mine turn out! Love your blog – I use scrapbook paper on my walls, too. Easy and fun way to change decor.
Oh wow, these cookies look to die for! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe since chocolate chip are my favorite cookies. I always put the batter in the fridge for a few hours, but I’m going to try the freezer method and see how that goes.
And I love your new logo!
I tried the fridge and that works most of the time. It seems like some recipes like this one just do better frozen. I’m glad I finally found out that bakeries use shortening and that is why they don’t run into our cookie problems!
What a great post! Grilling recipes and cookies. Love the handy printable lists you have provided. I don’t think there is anything on that list my family won’t eat! Especially looking forward to trying the Cheesy Garlic Turkery Burgers.
Thanks for mentioning that! When grouping meals I always wonder what people will like and not like.
I love your new logo! Looks really good!
Thanks! My friend Christine does amazing work and is so creative.
Thanks!
Since going back to work, I’m always looking for healthy meals I can make at the weekends and freeze for convenience. My boys will love the turkey burgers, I’m sure. And cookies will go down great for dessert!
Yes, I love the convenience and not really the cooking aspect – but the cleaning! Cleaning sometimes takes even longer than cooking the meal. Or maybe it just seems that way 🙂
I love a good twist on burgers. Enjoy dessert, too!
That chocolate chip cookie recipe looks awesome! Definitely going to try it. King Arthur also has a really good brownie recipe that I love and highly recommend.
The grilling freezer meals (and shopping list) information is great. Right now, I have very limited freezer space in the apartment we are in, but as soon as we buy a new place, I am trying some of these out.
By the way, love the prototype for your new logo!
Ooh, yes I love King Arthur Flour’s brownie recipe. It is THE best homemade brownie for sure! I have them posted here: http://www.whisktogether.com/2012/02/16/best-brownies-i-ever-made/
We had an apartment last year. I understand! I felt like I barely had enough room for the standard items like veggies and such.
I love King Arthur’s brownies as well! They are my favorite homemade brownie and I posted them here http://www.whisktogether.com/2012/02/16/best-brownies-i-ever-made/
I understand about the freezer – we lived in an apartment last year and those fridges are tiny!
I’m not a fan of oatmeal but chocolate chip is always my choice!!! Can’t go wrong there.
What photo editing software do you use and/or what do you use to be build your infographic? Your images look great.
I don’t taste the oats much – it just makes the cookie chewier perhaps.
Thanks! I use Adobe Lightroom to edit photos and Photoshop CC to further edit or add words and graphics.
I love freezer cooking, so am looking forward to trying out some of those recipes.And the cookies – on my to do list. Thanks!
As a professional baker, I can tell you butter is THE way to go. Oh sure it is bad for your heart and blah blah blah but really? Yes, butter. Hands down.
I really like your new logo as well. Good stuff there.
And yes, Alton Brown rocks!
I think it is probably better for your heart than shortening or margarine though! Oh those nasty trans fats in everything for decades.
The cookies look delicious but the recipe seems a bit complicated for someone is not keen on spending too much time in the kitchen. Maybe, it’s easier than it seems, I’ll have to give it a go.
I found it the same as my other typical cookie recipes. Though weighing my ingredients does cut down on a lot of time and measuring cups. Just dump until the scale hits the right ounces. Cream the wet, add the dry, add the mix ins and then you are done. I freeze mine only because I don’t like them to spread too much. That is the other not-typical direction, but doesn’t need to be done.
I love, love, love your new logo! And those chocolate chip (my favorite cookie) oatmeal cookies look amazing and would be great to have in the freezer when company drops in or to keep all to myself.
I hate it when cookies spread out thin! Great tips! I will try freezing my cookie balls next time for sure! 🙂
Like I always say: make sure to toast your nuts and freeze your (cookie) balls! Works every time.
I LOVE your logo. Your friend did an awesome job. I am a freezer cooker myself. It makes life so much easier to grab a premade bag out of the freezer and continue with your day. I am going to try these cookies. They look delish!
Premade bag = no clean up too!
Oh man I have a weakness for chocolate chip cookies. I like your logo too, you look like you have an awesome blog.
Thank you!
I love the idea of freezer meals, or items I can keep on hand for food prep ready to go, like peppers and onions, patties for sandwiches. Great ideas and links. I love a good chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for sharing this great ideas!!!
Ooh yes! I love the handy precut frozen peppers or when we have too many they won’t go to waste in the freezer.
Mmm!! I want to make some cookies now after reading this!! I learned something new from your post about how it is better to keep the pans cool in between batches or the cookies will spread.
Thanks! Where did you live in South America? Or did you live in different countries?
Thanks for sharing this! 🙂 Can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Now you got me craving cookies…thanks for that!
-Kim
I love the freezer meals list – I’m always looking for things I can pre-prepare. I have a feeling this is going to be very useful – thanks!
Thank you for the great freezer recipes – and I agree Alton Brown Rocks!
I love freezer cooking in advance. It makes life so much easier. I have done crockpot meals but not grilling freezer meals. I am bookmarking this for my next cooking prep session. Thank you!
Yum! These look so good. Also, I love your whisk logo!
Thank you! My friend Christine did an amazing job.
Thank you for sharing the freezer meals! I love creating meals ahead. It saves so much time with a little one in the house. I’ll also have to try the cookies. They look delish!
Thanks! Glad to find a fellow Riley on the web 🙂
I just started freezer cooking…and LOVE it! As a busy homeschool mom to four kids, an easy meal is heaven sent! Your cookies…I can’t wait to try them! I am not the best baker around, but I sure do like to try!
I think the best thing about freezer cooking is less mess! I love to cook, but not the cleanup. Thanks for visiting!
Mmm! Yummy! I’ve never met a chocolate chip I didn’t like. Thanks for a new recipe to try. I also liked how you explained the difference between the butter and the shortening.
The freezer recipes look delicious. I’m planning on doing a freezer cooking session soon, so new recipes are always welcome.
Thanks.
Thanks for visiting! I love having a freezer meal on hand for emergencies or if someone needs a meal brought to them.
Oooh, this is a great recipe, thank you for sharing it.
Will have to try these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for my husband.
I love chocolate chip cookies & oatmeal cookies but haven’t ever had them in one. I am going to pin for future reference. I am also going to start following for great cooking/caking ideas.
Ooh they are awesome! There is a chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookie on my blog as well.
http://www.whisktogether.com/2013/12/26/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/
I thought it was even better using coconut oil instead of butter – but I am a coconut lover. My friend found the recipe and we both loved it.
I made a commitment to eat better and those cookies look so yummy. The photography was stupendous! I kicked my sugar addiction; I still consume sugar, but just not the amount that I used to, which was ridiculous. So I think 1 or 3 cookies wouldn’t be a bad thing 😛
Everything in moderation! And they have whole grains 🙂
I love those cookies they look delicious I am not surprised they are well liked 🙂 We would TRY to only eat one at a time!! I like the logo too – it is fun, witty and smart!
Thank you! My friend Christine is amazing. I can eat these cookies one at a time too…. in succession of three or four 🙂
Yes, Christine is amazing with logos! I can eat one of these cookies at a time… in succession of three or four 🙂
Freezing cookie dough to help spreading?! That is a new tip that I shall utilize. I think I could really use the freezer ideas too! I’ve been wanting to start using freezer meals for busy days. These recipes sound delish and I can’t wait to try!
I love freezing cookie dough because then we have some for later 🙂 I’m not sure that it actually makes it into the oven sometimes.
Lovely blog. And I can’t wait to start grilling now that spring is here! Your photos are just beautiful and the idea of being smart about the use of time in the kitchen or grill is inspiring. Thanks for the recipes. Those cookies are going to be a hit with my 9 year old who loves oatmeal.
I love Chocolate Chip Cookies but I never thought about adding oatmeal to them. I’ll have to try this recipe and see how the kids like it. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I usually don’t like oatmeal cookies but these looks so delicious that I have to try them. I know my husband and children will love them too.
I don’t like chocolate chip cookies very much, but I do like these after they have cooled! They are mainly for the hubby and kids 🙂
Yummy! Oh these things will wreck havoc on my diet. Oh well, I guess the additional minutes on the thread mill will be worth it.
These cookies look and sound yummy! I am going to look further at the meals and see if that is something my daughter might be interested in doing for us.
Great post and really useful info! I love chocolate chip cookies and my last batch spread like crazy. I will freeze my dough balls next time. I love your new logo and will definitely check out the rest of your site!!
Oh I know. I hate it when they spread! I love big, hunky chunky cookies. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I have been on a 20 year hunt for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. Who hasn’t?! I’ve pinned both types you mention and I REALLY appreciate the tip of freezing the batter prior to cooking. I’ve been doing a lot wrong all these years; thanks for setting me right!!
Thanks for the recipe. Will try it out with my kids this weekend and let you know if it’s a hit.
Never thought of including oatmeal in these.
yummmy cookies. I need to bake some and put the candy bar down.
Yum! Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely be making those cookies.
My favorite cookies are Everything Cookies, http://www.homeecathome.com/the-home-economist/everything-cookies
And what a great idea. Freezer meals for the grill. Your food photography is fantastic by the way. I just started working on improving my food photography and what a difference it makes.
My favorite cookies are oatmeal raisin (oatmeal fruit and nut on the blog), but the rest of the family our total chocoholics.
Thanks about the food photos! Though the photography is almost a two edged sword. I’ve seen great photos of food on other blogs, and they were awful recipes. And some awful food photos that tasted awesome.
OMYummm… thanks for the freezer meal ideas. I used to live in an area that had a Dream Dinners and would go there… since I no longer live in an area that has one I dont’ have any freezer meal ideas… Thanks for much!!
Oh and I can’t wait to try the CC Cookies 🙂
We used to have Dream Dinners, too! And Let’s Dish. They both closed up shop 🙁