Praline Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Microwave butter on HIGH for 40-45 seconds or until butter is melted. Add sugars, eggs, flour and vanilla. Mix well. Add pecans; mix well. Using small scoop, drop dough 2-inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes - until edges are slightly brown. (I only needed about 10 minutes) Cool 2 minutes and remove to cooling rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Peppermint Cookies & Cream Popcorn

2 bags microwave popcorn, popped
1 (6oz) box candy canes, crushed
1 pack Oreo cookies, crushed
1 1/2 packs Almond Bark
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil

Place popcorn in a very large bowl - the biggest one you have. Pour crushed candy canes and Oroes on top of the popcorn. (I crush my candy canes and Oreos in the food processor) Melt one pack of almond bark according to instructions on the package. Add the peppermint extract or oil to the almond bark and pour over popcorn. Stir. The Oreos will absorb some of the almond bark and the popcorn won't be fully coated.  Melt the remaining almond bark and pour over popcorn.  Stir until popcorn is coated.  Pour popcorn on wax paper and allow to harden. Once the popcorn has hardened, break into pieces and enjoy!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 cup crushed candy canes (1 6oz box)

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and candy canes.

Drop dough in 2-tablespoon (1/8-cup) portions, 2 inches apart, onto buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

Bake in a 400° oven until cookies are lightly browned and no longer wet in the center (break one open to check), 6 to 8 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.

With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Melting Moments

Cookie:
1 cup softened butter
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp milk

Combine all ingredients except 1 cup flour in mixing bowl and cream thoroughly. Add remaining flour a little at a time. Chill dough for half hour. Line baking sheet with foil. Roll dough thin between wax paper (3/16 of an inch). Cut out small round cookies with doughnut hole center (1 ¼ inch). They can be bigger but these cookies are very delicate and it can be hard to handle the larger ones. Place cookies about ¼ inch apart on lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees, 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Carefully remove foil with cookies from baking sheet and set on cooling rack. Cool for 20 minutes.

Icing:
1 cup powered sugar
2 Tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp almond extract
few tsp maraschino cherry juice

Mix together powdered sugar, butter and almond extract. Add juice from maraschino cherries and mix until smooth and creamy. Dab about 3/4 tsp icing on flat side of cookie. Gently twist another cookie into place to make a little sandwich.I found another variation on these cookies on the web. It is basically the same except you don't roll out the dough. You make balls and just flatten them.

Makes about 2 ½ - 3 dozen cookies.

Almond Toffee Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup toffee bits
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the oats, toffee bits, and almonds.

Scoop dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for three minutes on the cookie sheet. Move to a cooling rack.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Almond Lovers Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
3.5 oz  Pure Almond Paste (package is 7 oz, just cut in half)
2 egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz bag chocolate chips
3/4 Cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until well combined, light and fluffy. Add the almond paste in pieces until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. Scoop onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet with a medium cookie scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden crisp on the outside. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Chocolate No-Bake cookie

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbl peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

1. Place butter and milk into saucepan and melt over medium heat.

2. Once melted, stir in sugar, cocoa powder, peanut butter and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring continually. *you can leave out the peanut butter*

3. Boil for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring to avoid scorching & burning.

4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and oats. Stir well to combine.

5. Drop by spoonful onto silicone baking mat, wax paper, or parchment paper.

6. Cool and enjoy!

PERFECT SNICKERDOODLES

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Mix butter, sugar, and eggs with mixer in a large bowl.  Add cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla and continue mixing.  Add flour and mix well. Put flour in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. In a smaller bowl mix the 3 tablespoons of sugar and the 3 teaspoons of cinnamon.   Remove flour and roll into balls with your hands about the size of a walnut.  Roll balls in cinnamon and sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Cook in preheated 350 degree oven 10 – 12 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the pan as soon as you take them from the oven.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  Enjoy!

SOFT GINGER COOKIES

2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 Tbsp. sugar


Here's How...


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds.  Add 1 c. sugar.  Beat until fluffy.


2.  Add egg and molasses - beat well.  Add half the flour mixture at a time and beat until just combined.  


3.  Shape into 1" balls.  Roll in 2 Tbsp. sugar.  Place on un-greased cookie sheets or baking stone 2" apart.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until light brown and puffed.  Let cool for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks or plate to finish cooling.


Makes about 36 cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1t vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
2t cinnamon
¼ t salt

Frosting
3T butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 ½ to 2 cups powder sugar


Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar  together mixing well.  Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  Add the remaining ingredients. Add remaining ingredients.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool completely and frost.

To Make Frosting:

In a saucepan on medium heat combine butter and brown sugar. Let it cook until it is smooth and bubbly, be very careful not to let this burn and stir constantly.  After it starts to bubble let it cook for one minute.  Remove from heat and mix in milk.  Add powdered sugar until it is a spreadable frosting consistency.  Frost cookies.  This frosting will harden rather quickly, so work fast or have a helper to get them all frosted. 

Birds Nests

In a large glass bowl combine
¼ cup butter
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ cup chocolate chips
Microwave until melted.
Add 4 ½ cups marshmallows and microwave until melted, about 30 seconds more. Stir until blended. Then mix in 4 ½ cups chow mein noodles. Butter your hands and shape mixture into little nests. Set them on wax paper and add candy malted eggs or jelly beans. They will set and dry a bit after they cool so they’re not so sticky. One recipe makes about 18 nests.
If you double this recipe (we always do) you’ll need two bags of noodles. These are a fun and easy treat for the children to make. We have also made them for a bird themed birthday party, and they would also go along great with any bird study. Buy some extra ‘robins egg’ malted eggs now while they are available if you wish to make them again later in the year.

$100 pecan cookies

1 cup shortening (butter-flavored Crisco is best)
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups cornflakes
2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and butter, then add confectioners' sugar. Mix in vanilla and beat in flour gradually. At this point, the dough may not hold together. That's OK.
By hand with a wooden spoon, stir in cornflakes and pecans. (The dough will be very stiff, so this won't be easy.) Roll large teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, mashing the dough together but being careful to not crush the cornflakes any more than necessary.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets 1 inch apart and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until slightly brown. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling racks.

Sticky-Fingers Bars

For the crust

16 tablespoons (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
4 Snickers bars (2.07 ounces each)

For the filling

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Golden Syrup (substitute light corn syrup, if desired)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt

For the topping

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth and creamy. Add flour and peanuts, mixing just until combined. Scoop the dough into a 9" x 13" baking pan coated with nonstick spray - press dough down to form an even layer over the bottom of the pan.

Place pan into the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and place pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Slice Snickers bars into 1/4" thick pieces. Arrange the top of the crust evenly with the sliced Snickers, leaving roughly 1/4" between the pieces of candy bars.

To prepare the filling

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla and salt. Pour mixture over the crust - place pan into the oven and bake until the center is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

Drop dollops of the peanut butter over the top, then use an off-set spatula to spread it to an even layer. Scatter the top with the chopped peanuts. Randomly drizzle melted chocolate over the chopped peanuts. Place pan into the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Makes about 25 to 30 bars.

Killer Kahlua Brownies

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) white chocolate chips
6 ounces (about 1 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together cocoa and baking soda - whisk in 3 tablespoons butter, whisk in boiling water and Kahlua. Whisk in sugar, egg and remaining butter until smooth and combined.

Add flour and salt into the bowl, stirring just until combined. Fold in white and bittersweet chocolate chips. Scoop batter into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray, then spread the top smooth with an off-set spatula. Place into the oven and bake until the brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan or a toothpick placed in between the center and the edge comes out with a few moist, fudgy crumbs attached, about 26 to 30 minutes. Remove and allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.

Makes about 9 to 12 brownies.

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

 (Adapted from Canadian Living)

For the filling

3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For the crust and topping

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes

To prepare the filling

In a medium saucepan, add blueberries, sugar and juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Whisk into the blueberry mixture and bring back to a boil - cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and place mixture into a medium bowl - place plastic wrap directly on surface and place into the refrigerator until it has cooled, about 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the crust and topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, sugar, orange rind and salt. Add butter cubes and using a pastry blender, cut butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop half of the mixture into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray - press mixture down to form an even layer. Remove blueberry filling from the refrigerator and spread over the top. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Place pan into the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden, about 45 minutes. Remove and place onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes about 16 servings.