baking
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are a request of a blog reader and friend, Rebecca. I’m always looking for ideas for recipes and things to make. I will try anything! I love oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies. The combination of both together is fantastic. Then again, I’m pretty sure anything combined with chocolate is fantastic!
I found a ton of recipes for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. I might try a few of the other varieties sometime. A common recipe I found had vanilla pudding. Which I didn’t have on hand, so I couldn’t try that one. But it peaked my curiosity, so I might just have to try it soon. In the meantime, here’s the recipe I used for these delicious little bits of sweetness.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325º F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until smooth. Beat the eggs, then the vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls on to baking sheets covered with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
—–
I’d like to welcome all of my new followers from the “Grow Your Blog” party yesterday! That was such a neat experience. I’m looking forward to getting to know each of you through your blogs and hope you enjoy visiting my blog as well.
Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are my all-time favorite cookie. I was brought up with a love for cooking and baking, and used to make these cookies when I was a young girl. I would use my mom’s Betty Crocker Cookie Book from the 1960s.
As a matter of fact, I still use it, as she has passed the cookbook on to me. This page has many years of cooking stains and even notes about how to cut the recipe in half. (I did those fractions, back in grade school!)
Here are the magical ingredients for my favorite cookies. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsps ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400º F.
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Buckeye Balls
Buckeye Balls are one of those holiday treats that you will always remember the very first time you had one. They are just so good, they will make a lasting impression in your mind. And if you haven’t had them yet, what are you waiting for?? They are amazing! The peanut butter balls are so soft and wonderful. The chocolate coating on the bottom goes so well with the peanut butter, they will melt in your mouth. And then you will want another!
Making the peanut butter filling can be a bit tricky. Make sure you work the dough thoroughly. I use a Kitchen Aid and then use my hands to knead the dough a little more. When you make the balls, they might be very crumbly if you don’t mix the dough well enough. This is an all-hands-on-deck kind of recipe. I bring anyone who is home, in to help form the peanut butter balls. Otherwise, it would take forever.
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (1-pound) box confectioners sugar
9 oz. (about 1½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp shortening
1. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners sugar using a Kitchen Aid mixer. It will be dry and crumbly at first, but keep working it until everything is very evenly mixed.You may need to knead it by hand as well.
2. Form into 2 large balls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes.
3. Shape into tablespoon sized balls. Roll them in your hands to smooth. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
4. Refrigerate for about an hour.
5. In a small saucepan melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. When smooth, remove from heat.
6. Use a toothpick to dip each ball into chocolate mixture and place back on baking sheet.
7. Refrigerate until chocolate is set. (About an hour.) Use the back of a spoon to smooth over toothpick holes.
8. Eat. Share. Enjoy.
Chocolate Fudge
This is quite possibly the easiest fudge in the world to make. It’s simple, basic and only requires 5 ingredients. And only 4 ingredients if you don’t add the nuts. I happen to like nuts, but just didn’t have any in the pantry. This fudge is great to take to holiday gatherings, give as gifts, or just enjoy by yourself!
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dash salt
1/2 to 1 cups chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil.
2. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
4. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting edges of foil. Cut into squares.
Red Velvet Cool Whip Cookies
My friend Amy gave me this recipe. She told me these cookies are amazing and she was right! They’re gorgeous too. Also, they’re super easy to make!
Ingredients:
1 package of Red Velvet Cake Mix
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 egg
Powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together, using an electric mixer if possible.
2. Roll dough into tbsp sized balls and roll in powdered sugar.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
4. Enjoy!
Banana Bread
Is it just me or am I the only one that ends up with uneaten, over-ripe bananas every week? Most of the time they just end up being thrown away, which is such a waste. But when I have some extra time, I try to whip up a nice banana bread. This recipe is so basic, you’ll have all the ingredients on hand. The original recipe calls for only 2 bananas, but I would use 3 if you have them, for more banana flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sugar
2 bananas, beaten lightly
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2 tbsp honey
Nuts, optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 lb. loaf pan.
2. Mix the sugar, bananas, eggs and honey together until well mixed,
3. Add the flour, a little at a time. Mix until it forms a soft dropping consistency.
4. Spoon the mixture into loaf pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out of the center clean.
7. Leave the loaf to cool in the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
8. Cut into thick slices and serve warm with butter.
Best Pumpkin Cookies Ever
These are by far the BEST Pumpkin Cookies EVER. In the ENTIRE world. Seriously. You will thank me when you make them and proceed to stuff your face with them. They are that good. And do you know what else? They are so simple to make!
Do you see this box of pumpkin bread? Well, all you need to make these cookies is this box of pumpkin bread mix, 1 egg and 1 stick of butter. That’s it. Well, and a teeny bit of cinnamon sugar. But that’s it! Simple, right? I have been making these cookies for years and my family always looks forward to indulging in them around the holidays. They have become somewhat of a tradition in our house.
Here are the instructions:
Ingredients:
1 box of pumpkin quick bread mix (store brand or Pillsbury)
1 stick of melted butter
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine bread mix, butter and egg; stir until dry particles are moistened.
2. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheets and set on wire rack until cool. Store in air tight container. Makes 24 cookies.
4. EAT AND ENJOY!
Caramel Corn
Do you say “Car-a-mel” corn? Or “Car-mel” corn? I say Caramel Corn. There’s an “a” there and it’s not silent. At least not in my world! However you say it though, it is mighty good. Caramel Corn is a family favorite from my husband’s side of the family. There was a recipe passed down for several generations. I’m not giving the secret family recipe away though! I found a similar recipe on Pinterest, and I am going to post that. I have actually found at least 20 different recipes for Caramel Corn while doing research for this post. They are all slightly different. However you make it, you will love it!
Ingredients:
1 cup unpopped pop corn (Use an air popper, it is SO much better.)
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
Instructions:
Pop the popcorn, add peanuts now if you’d like them. (I highly recommend salted, roasted peanuts.) Set aside in a big baking pan. (I use my roaster pan, it’s perfect!) Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Then allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, for 4 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract.
Immediately pour the caramel over the popcorn in the roaster pan, stirring to coat each kernel. Bake the popcorn for one hour at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove the caramel corn from the oven. Pour it into a plastic container, a big one with a lid is preferable. Use a wooden spoon to stir the caramel corn, breaking it apart as it cools. Keep doing that every few minutes until they no longer clump together. Eat and enjoy. And store in an air tight container for the best taste.
Cookies for Kids, Wine for Moms
My sister-in-law hosted the 2nd Annual “Cookies for Kids, Wine for Moms” event yesterday. What a genius idea! There were 8 moms in attendance. 12 kids. And 1 dog.
My nieces rolled the dough…
And cut the cookies, before the crowds arrived.
There were lots of cookie cutters in Christmas shapes. (And even a Christmas Cow!)
The crowds arrived and cookies were decorated. Very nicely I might add.
The decorating ended, and play began. For the kids anyway. The moms cleaned. And chatted.
And drank wine.
It was a huge success!
Monkey Bread
It’s sweet, gooey and delicious. It’s Monkey Bread! And it’s super simple to make with just a few ingredients. Try it some morning when the whole family is home, they will love you for it.
Ingredients:
2-3 rolls of refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits in a tube
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks butter/margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
- Prepare Bundt pan with cooking spray.
- Cut each biscuit into six pieces. (Similar to cutting a pie.)
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, mix well. Drop pieces of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture and stir gently with a large spoon. Do one biscuit (6 pieces) at a time, it keeps them from sticking together.
- In a small sauce pan, combine remaining sugar cinnamon mixture with the brown sugar and butter. Bring mixture just to a boil then immediately and carefully drizzle the mixture over biscuit pieces in the Bundt pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. (I turn mine around once during cooking to ensure even baking.)
- Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then put a large plate on top of the Bundt pan. Flip the bread over and onto the plate. Remove Bundt pan.
- After cool, pull apart pieces of the monkey bread, eat and enjoy!
