Chocolate Pudding Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Combine the flour and soda and set aside. Mix the butter, sugars, pudding mix and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add in the eggs and mix well. Gradually stir in the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips and drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Baja Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (24 ounce) bag baby potatoes
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 1/2 cups pico de gallo 

• 1 cup canned diced green chiles, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon garlic pepper seasoning
• 1 teaspoon red hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add roast and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker; set on Low.
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3. Arrange potatoes, carrots, pico de gallo, green chiles, and jalapeno peppers around the roast. Sprinkle in taco seasoning, garlic pepper, hot sauce, and chili powder. Cover and cook until roast is fall-apart tender, about 5 hours.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas, cut into chunks
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. 
   
3. Place the bananas into a large plastic zipper bag, seal the bag, and smoosh the bananas with your fingers until very well mashed. Set the bananas aside. Place the brown sugar and butter into a mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut a corner from the plastic bag, and squeeze the mashed bananas into the bowl of brown sugar mixture. With the electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the bananas, egg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk until the mixture is well combined. Switch the mixer to low speed, and gradually beat in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt just until the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
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5. Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is set and lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean.

The Best Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

• 4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco(TM))
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups vegetable shortening for deep frying
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
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3. Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
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5. Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.