Cheeseburger Soup and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been making this soup for over 5 years now and the gang still considers it a favorite! It is ok to freeze it and warm up later if you make a larger batch!

Cheeseburger Soup
TasteofHome recipe

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta or shredded cheddar is ok too)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1. In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same
saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add
broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook
and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Add to soup; bring to a
boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
4. Add cheese,milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from
the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 330 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 59 mg cholesterol, 1,027 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2009

Wanted to try the recipe to see if they realy were crispy and chewy .... SUCCESS!
Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

These cookies have a lower chip-to-dough ratio than our earlier favorites and a thicker, softer thing going on than the consummate cookies, to help you differentiate them. But when I’m looking for a classic cookie, kind of like the old school Toll House recipe but better, even, this is what I go for.

As always with cookies, you can scoop, flash freeze and then freeze the cookies until you’re ready to bake them, or to bake a few off at a time. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to your baking time, of course, or let them thaw out on a tray for a while.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.