Blondies

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1/3 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8 pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.

2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.

3 Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 9 blondies.

Just Oatmeal Cookies

These are my new favorite oatmeal cookies. I adapted a recipe from my husband's family, and they turned out so good I wanted to write it down before I forgot. I wanted the cookies to be all oat and no white flour, so I used my food processor to grind oats into flour. My brown sugar was rock hard so I used white sugar and molasses. Since my vanilla was all gone, I took a tip from another recipe and flavored the cookies with a little spice. Finally, I'm usually a butter proponent, but again, we were out (who does the shopping around here?!). I was happy with the result of shortening and a teensie bit more salt. If you try a new cookie recipe and it turns out kinda blah, chances are it needs more salt. That's just my opinion.

Just Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 C sugar
2 TB molasses
3/4 C shortening
1 egg
1/4 C water

1 C oat flour (process whole oats until smooth)
1 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3 C oats



Cream together sugar, molasses, and shortening. Add egg and water until combined.  Sift together the dry ingredients, except for whole oats, and add to sugar mixture. Fold in oats. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, rotating the pans, until the cookies are flattened and golden brown.

Cakesters

Photo by Heidi

A couple times a year, we buy Oreo Cakesters as a treat.  The kids love them.  I've been making double-chocolate chip cookies with cake mix for years, so I thought I would adapt that recipe to make homemade cakesters. This recipe is very similar to Elise's Oreo recipe.  If you want to use butter, try this recipe.  If you prefer shortening, see the Oreo recipe.  Elise also provides useful tips for rolling out the dough to cut fun shapes.

Cookies

1 package devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat half of the dry cake mix, the butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth, or mix with a spoon.  Stir in remaining cake mix.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (I use a small scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I line the cookie sheets with parchment paper).  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until edges are set and tops are slightly cracked.  Cool one minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely before filling.  Makes about 50 cookies (enough for 25 cakesters).

Filling

1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter

3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar to combine.  Add vanilla. Gradually add milk (about one teaspoon at a time) until creamy and easy to spread. Fill each of half the cooled cookies with about one teaspoon filling and gently press another cookie on top.

To make double-chocolate chip cookies, add 1 cup chocolate chips to the cookie dough and bake as directed.

Chocolate Molasses Chewies

Here are some perfectly soft and chewy cookies. Molasses is a festive flavor and I appreciate using it for cookies other than gingerbread. I imagine adding some cinnamon would be good. Adapted from Everyday Food.


Chocolate Molasses Chewies

2/3 C chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 1/2 C flour
2 Tb cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tb molasses
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting

Heat oven to 350.


Microwave the chocolate chips and butter until almost melted. Stir until completely melted. Let cool. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. To the butter and chocolate mixture add the sugar, egg, molasses and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture until combined.


Drop tablespoons of dough onto lined baking sheets, forming into circles and flattening slightly. Bake for 12 minutes. Do not over bake. Dust with powdered sugar while cooling but still warm.

Snickerdoodles

I had great success with this recipe yesterday, so I thought I would share it. :)

1cup shortening/butter/margarine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
mix all these with a mixer until you can tell the eggs have been well beaten
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
put all these in together, and mix well with mixer
Then roll into 1" diameter balls and roll them in this mixture:
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

place on a cookie sheet, and cook for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You will know when they are done because they will appear slightly cracked on the top. They will puff up, then collapse as they cool.

White chocolate chip chocolate cookies

I just made these with my cousin's kids last night, and it was splendid because they could help out and it wasn't too messy. And they turned out fantastic. I'm sure you have all seen them, but I have a recipe book full of ways to use cake mixes besides making cakes. This is adapted from 101 Ways to use a Cake Mix:

White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies
(1) chocolate cake mix
(2) eggs
1/3 cup oil

mix together and add however many white chocolate chips you want (about half the bag)

bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes.

Soft Gingersnaps

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup light molasses
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Granulated sugar for coating

In a large mixing bowl, beat oil, sugar, eggs and molasses together well. Sift dry ingredients and stir into oil mixture until blended. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Form into balls, using 1 heaping teaspoonful of dough. Roll each ball in granulated sugar (this is a great job for a kitchen helper!) and bake on ungreased baking sheet (I use parchment paper) for 6-8 minutes, or until cookies are puffy and tops begin to look cracked. Do not overbake. Cookies will flatten as they cool. Cookies will be delicate after they first come out of the oven, so leave them on the baking sheet for a minute or two before carefully moving them to a cooling rack.

The kids and I made these yesterday to give away to neighbors (after tasting a few first).

David's favorite cookies!

David loves these cookies! I make them mostly at Christmas time, but I also make them when he is really craving them. They are soft, spicy and oh-so-delicious!

Big Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
milk
sugar

In a mixing bowl cream butter, 1 cup sugar, egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in milk and then in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven about 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned and still puffed. Do not over bake. Let stand on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to wire rack. Makes 24 cookies.

Texas Chocolate Chip Cookies

photos by Emily Hale

Named so because of their size, but possibly because of the extra chocolate too (chips plus grated chocolate bar). They're so good. The oatmeal is blended before added to the dough, so it adds a little texture (and nutrition I suppose) without the chewiness of the whole oats. This recipe came from Jon's family who I think got it from a local news station.

Texas Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
2 C oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt (I like a little more salt in my cookies so I used 3/4 tsp)
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 (4 oz) milk chocolate bar

Preheat oven to 375 (our oven tends to be hot so I would bake at 350, it's your call). Measure oatmeal, then blend it using a food processor or blender until fine powder. Whisk together the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside. Cream sugars and butter together in mixer. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined. Grate chocolate bar and stir into batter along with the chocolate chips. Roll into large balls, or use a large scoop, making large enough to fit only 5 - 6 on each pan. Leaving 2 inches between cookies because they spread out, press balls slightly down on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly golden brown.

Oreos

(or Cake Mix cookies, as we refer to them at my house)



1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
3/4 cup Shortening
2 eggs

Mix ingredients together. Roll into quarter-sized balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes. Do not over-cook! Fill with vanilla or cream cheese frosting.

** My husband prefers using yellow cake mix and chocolate frosting, which is equally tasty!

♥ ♥ ♥ One more thing-- if you're going to roll out the dough and use cookie cutters, like I did with this batch, use wax paper between the dough and your counter and the rolling pin. The dough is very sticky! Roll the dough out to about 1/2" thick and bake shapes for 5-6 minutes. Over-cooking will cause the cookies to be too crunchy.

Happy Valentine's Day!

In Honor of Andy's Birthday...PIE CRUST COOKIES!

Today is my son Andy's birthday. Andy LOVES these. Whenever I'm visiting him, I try to make them for him. He will eat them all in one sitting, unless he rations them, which he has been known to do. Even then, he eats them up pretty fast!

When I was growing up (did I ever really do that?), my Mom always used the leftover scraps of pie crust to make little cookies. (My Mom and Dad were children of the depression - they used everything.) Mom made the most amazing pies - the crust was always perfecto. She used lard in her pie crust, which in today's world is a ginormous No-No. I'm sorry, but if you want really flaky pastry, NOTHING can really take its place in a basic pie crust recipe.
So, if lard is out and shortening is in, the real trick to flaky pie crust is not in the ingredients, it's in the mixing. USE YOUR HANDS!!

Basic Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1 t. salt
2/3 c. + 2 T. vegetable shortening
6 T. cold water

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the shortening and work it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly and the pieces are about the size of peas.
Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the water. Again with your hands, work the water into the flour mixture until moistened - DO NOT OVERWORK IT!
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and set one half aside. On a well-floured surface, roll out the other half until very thin. Repeat with the second half.
This recipe is enough for a 9 in. 2 crust pie or several cookies.

For cookies:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Slice rolled-out dough into 1 inch strips and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until set and very lightly browned.
KEEP AN EYE ON THEM - THEY BURN EASILY!

If you've done it right, they will melt in your mouth and you will find a use for those leftover scraps. But you must promise to think of Andy when you make and eat them.

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

When my Mom died, I inherited all of her old cookbooks. (Nobody else wanted them, can you believe it?) I love looking through them and seeing all of her little notes and changes she made to various recipes. Seeing her handwriting brings her back to me so vividly! She was a wonderful cook and I am so grateful to have learned a few of her tricks, although I'll never match her skill in the kitchen!

One of her books was published by our ward's Relief Society in 1956. (I was 4.) So many of the recipes in this book are absolutely classic - I'm not saying they are all great, just classic. But this cookie recipe is great and one we used a lot. It is so easy, and most likely, you'll find you have all the ingredients on hand.
Don't over-cook! You want them chewy, not crumbly.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 t. PVE
1/2 c. cream (my Mom always used evaporated milk)
1 c. coconut
3 c. oatmeal

Mix sugar, cocoa, butter, and cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil about 2 minutes (soft ball stage). Place coconut and oatmeal in a large bowl. Add vanilla to the hot mixture and then pour over the coconut and oatmeal. Mix until well blended. Drop by tablespoon onto a buttered cookie sheet. Let stand until cool.

AUNT NETA'S SUGAR COOKIES

Aunt Neta, my Dad's oldest sister was born and raised in Cache Valley. My Mom used this recipe as far back as I can remember. She always made a plate of heart shaped, frosted cookies for all of her kids on Valentine's Day. I loved them!! She had the best cookie cutter, too, one I have tried in vain to find for myself. Oh well, no matter the shape, these are my favorite sugar cookies - bar none!

1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. butter or margarine (shortening works, too, but not as tasty!)
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3 1/2 c. flour

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Dough should be soft, but not soupy. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. **Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch. Cut into desired shapes and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 - 15 minutes. Don't over-bake! They should be firm and only very lightly browned. Remove cookies to cool on a wire rack. Frost and decorate as desired. I use a homemade butter cream frosting. Don't ask for the recipe - I don't use one - next time you're at my house, I'll just show you!!

**Don't be intimidated by the dough - it is supposed to be really soft and a little sticky. Generously flour your cutting surface, slap the dough on, sprinkle more flour on top, and knead a little bit until the dough is firmer and less sticky.

Pushpas

photo by Emily Hale

The Art department at CSU has a kick-off picnic at the beginning of each school year. Our friend Pushpa Lehene brought these fudgy, chewy cookies to our first picnic, and I thought they were store-bought (they were so tasty and perfect looking!) But she had made them, and gave us the recipe. We've called them Pushpas from the start, and they will always remind us of her. Pushpa's husband Marius is a professor at CSU. We love them and their sweet Emil very much! (I think they should start a blog...)

Pushpas
1/4 C butter
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 C (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C (6 oz) peanut butter chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 C flour
1/2 C chopped pecans plus pecan halves for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter, milk, and chips in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly. When melted, remove from heat and add vanilla, flour and chopped pecans. Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Press a pecan half into the center of each. Bake for 5 minutes (do not overbake). Cool on wire racks, makes 3 dozen.