Swig Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter softened 

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar 

2 Tbl water

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

5 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar 

Cream butter, oil, sugars, water, eggs and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the dough. Roll dough into golf sized balls (about 2 Tbl) and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a flat glass into sugar and press form in the middle of each cookie leaving the cookie about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is slightly browned. You want them soft so be careful to not over bake them. Let cool and frost. I like them with butter cream frosting but the original Swig cookies have a sour cream frosting. 

Butter cream frosting 

1 cup butter softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2-3 oz heavy whipping cream (I’ve used whole milk too)

1 tsp vanilla 

Mix all ingredients together and whip for about 5 minutes until frosting is creamy

Swig frosting

1/4 cup butter 

6 Tbl sour cream 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

4 cups powdered sugar 

2-3 Tbl milk

1-2 drops red food coloring 

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Taco Soup

 2 chicken breasts 

1 can black beans (15 oz) rinsed and drained 

1 can corn (15 oz) drained

1 can rotel (10 oz)

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 pack taco seasoning 

1 8 oz cream cheese (softened )cut into cubes

1-2 cups shredded cheese

Place chicken breasts into crockpot. Pour black beans, corn, rotel, taco seasoning and chicken broth over chicken. Give the mixture a gentle stir. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and shred. Put back into crockpot. Add in the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Whisk the soup gently to incorporate the cheeses. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes to dissolve the cream cheese. Let sit uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or strips. 

Chelsey’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

 1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups flour

2 cups chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla until well mixed (about 3 minutes). Add dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Add in chocolate chips. Scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes until edges start to brown. Let sit on cookie sheet for another 5 minutes to finish baking. Cool completely. These freeze well!

Potato Cheese Soup

 3-4 cups diced potatoes

1 onion diced

4 cups of water (enough to barely cover vegetsbes)

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

3 heaping Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Pepper to taste

1/4 tsp paprika (optional)

Bring vegetables to a boil with water and bouillon. Cook until tender. Melt butter, add flour cooking for a couple of minutes. Stir in milk. Add to potatoes. Cook until it comes back to a boil. Remove from heat. Add in cheese. Season as desired. With the bouillon, I never add additional salt. 

Variation: you can change out the potatoes for cauliflower or any other vegetable!