Decadent One Bowl Brownies

4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate (I used Baker's)

3/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup flour

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like the mini ones, but you can use either)

Preheat oven to 350.  In microwave safe glass or plastic bowl, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Add sugar and eggs and mix with with wooden spoon. Add vanilla, salt and flour. Stir until just combined. Add walnuts and chips. Pour into 9x13 glass pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan at least 30 minutes before cutting (cut with plastic knife for best results).

Snickerdoodles

Who doesn't love a good snickerdoodle?! Buttery, cinnamon-y, sugar-y goodness?  These will smell up your kitchen to high heaven before they are even finished baking!

2 3/4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

8 tablespoons softened butter, salted

1.5 cups sugar, plus 3 tablespoons

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, soda, tartar and salt into a bowl.
With a handheld or standing mixer, beat together the shortening and butter. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry mixture and beat until smooth.
Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the dough, by hand, into 1 inch balls, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Space them evenly on ungreased cookie sheets (about 12 to a sheet.
Bake until light brown, but still moist in the center, about 9 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Yields approximately 3 dozen.

I Want S'more Brownie Bars...

Craving a little summer-time treat to get you through the chilly winter?? Make these. They are off the chain. Perfect combo of sweet & salty, and who wouldn't love dessert bars with "S'more" in the title?

Graham Cracker Crust (bottom layer)

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (15 cracker sheets)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Fudge Brownie Filling: (middle layer)

• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Toasted Marshmallow Topping: (top layer)

• 4 cups (packed) miniature marshmallows

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 9x13” pan with LOTS of cooking spray. Make the graham cracker crust by combining the graham crumbs, sugar, and butter in a large bowl. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan- creating an even crust.

Place the chocolate and the butter in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium until they are melted completely. Remove from heat. Stir in the sugar. Mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Blend in the flour, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the pan and give it one final stir. Pour the brownie batter over the crust in the pan and spread evenly to the sides.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

Here's the TRICKY part - you may (or may not) notice that in my picture, the marshmallows are a little funny looking. Well, that's because you should know that the marshmallows you see there, are the second batch. The first batch of marshmallows were broiled until they were on fire, so those had to get quickly scraped off and tried again. Lesson to be learned: Sit right by your broiler, with the oven door open a crack, and watch those marshmallows until they are perfectly golden - 1-2 minutes MAX. So...

Turn on your oven’s broiler. Spread the marshmallows over the cooled brownies. Broil (while watching every second) until the marshmallows begin to brown. Let the pan cool. Cut into squares using a plastic knife (sprayed with cooking spray, to avoid sticky marshmallow mess.

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies / Gingerbread Dough

My friend Joyce made these for me last Christmas, and I LOVED them.  They smell amazing, and taste even better.  A perfect way to start off your holiday season!

1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. Grandma's brand molasses (USE THIS! no substitutes, or I will not guarantee the taste!)
3 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine sugar, molasses and butter until creamy.  Add egg.  Beat well.  Add remaining ingredients, beat well.  Mixture will look crumbly at first.  Keep mixing until you have a shiny dough.  Divide into 2 large balls (or you can roll this onto a pizza pan for a gingerbread pizza cake).  Roll out on floured surface (use about 1/4 c. of flour) about 1/4 inch thick (or more if you like them thick).

Bake cookies at 350 for about 7-8 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBAKE, they will be too crispy.  Pizza cakes take about 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness.

Note: If you are using this recipe to make gingerbread houses, you may want to cook them til crispy, and it helps to chill the dough to keep the edges sharp.

Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Bars

Here's a fun pumpkin recipe that will get you all jazzed up for Autumn!  This has it all - a thick, buttery crust, practically perfect pumpkin filling, and mouth-watering melted milk chocolate on top.  It's a great dessert to bring to a party and share - since it makes a ton!

1 lb. (4 sticks) softened butter
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
3.5 c. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large can (29 oz) canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
5 medium eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 recipe, Chocolate Glaze (below)

Preheat oven to 350 F. With hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until well combined. Slowly add in flour and salt until dough forms. Press into the bottom of 9x 13 glass baking dish that’s been lined with foil and sprayed generously with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In separate bowl, stir pumpkin, sugar, cream, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg into a mixing bowl until well combined. Pour over shortbread layer. Bake for about 1 hour, or until pumpkin layer is browned and starts to crack just a little.

Let cool for 1 hour, then cut into bars. Make chocolate glaze (recipe below).  Serve bars at room temperature.  If you'd like, you can chill until ready to serve (then glaze with chocolate just before serving).

Makes about 2 dozen.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3+ TBS. water (more to get desired consistency
1 TBS. shortening
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

In large microwavable bowl, melt chocolate, water and shortening in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. If necessary, microwave in 10 second increments until melted. Stir in vanilla. Add sugar and salt. If a thinner glaze is desired, add hot water a tablespoon at a time.  I put my glaze in a plastic baggie, cut a small hole in the corner, and drizzled on top of the pumpkin bars.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Mrs. Fields - Eat Your Heart Out)

1 cup of brown sugar

3/4 cup of white sugar

1 cup of margarine

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 cups quick oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and margarine. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate container combine the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and then gradually add them to the sugar mixture. Blend well. Add the chocolate chips and stir by hand to blend.

 

Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Cookies should look slightly unbaked in the center when you take them out. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute and then remove and let cool on wax paper or foil. Very best when hot right out of the oven!

Chocolate Coated Peanut Oatmeal Bars

These are a snap to make, and will take care of that hankering for peanut butter/chocolate combo.  Delicious - one of our favorite treats (and I'm not even a huge fan of peanut butter)!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 C. butter (1.5 sticks), softened
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg (large)
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. flour
1.5 C. oats

Frosting: 1 C. milk chocolate chips.

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, and peanut butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture evenly into pan and bake about 17 minutes or until lightly browned. (Note: Will be slightly underbaked.)   Immediately top with chocolate chips, wait about 5 minutes for them to melt, and take a metal knife to spread evenly into a thin layer.  Cool for 1 hour on wire rack.  Cut with metal knife and serve.

Burnt Butter Frosted Banana Cookies

I've posted this before, but now I have a (not very appealing) picture - and these are a summer time favorite.  Serve fresh off the pan, or refrigerate or freeze for a cooler treat.  Yum!  If you like banana bread, you will love these.  The burnt butter frosting adds a really rich and creamy touch!

1 stick softened butter (1/2 c.)
1/2 C shortening (butter flavor)
1 Cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Cream together butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.
ADD:
3 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

CHILL FOR ONE HOUR, use melon ball scooper to place on cookie sheet.

BAKE 350 FOR 10 MINUTES. Cool.

BURNT BUTTER FROSTING
1 stick (1/2 c.)  butter (melted on stove until golden brown-watch and stir).  Take off heat and add:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-4 Tbsp hot water (1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency) add powdered sugar if necessary. REFRIGERATE OR FREEZE

Mini Cheesecakes w/ Fresh Raspberries

I made this for Father's Day (courtesy of a little inspiration from Mel) - they were delicious, and so cute.  Next time I have to bring something sweet to a party or shower, this is it!  So easy to throw together, just requires a little chilling before serving.

Yields 24 mini cheesecakes (requires 2 standard muffin tins and 24 paper liners)
1 package shortbread cookies, 2"diameter (I used Keebler Sandies) - 24 cookies total
2 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
4 large eggs
fresh raspberries, optional
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Press one shortbread cookie in the bottom of each of the liners.
With hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and vanilla, beating and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes more.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake until set, about 20 minutes (the centers may seem a bit jiggly but the outer edges should feel firm to the touch). Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. The muffin liners will shrink away from the sides of the tin as they cool. Refrigerate the muffin pan (with the liners still in the pan) until the cheesecakes are cool and set, about 1 hour.
Remove the cheesecakes from the muffin tin. . Garnish the top of each cheesecake with a fresh raspberry or two, if desired. Serve.
(modified from Cook’s Country April/May 2010 and My Kitchen Cafe)

Zucchini Dessert Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Need a way to use up all that garden zucchini?  Don't have a garden, but love the lower prices of zucchini during the summer?  This was delicious, and quick to whip together, and makes a TON.

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups grated zucchini, liquid pressed out and drained

FROSTING                    

1/2 cup margarine, softened
(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a jelly roll or 11x14 glass pan.               

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the zucchini. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.         

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting. To make the frosting, blend together the margarine, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until well blended. Spread over cooled bars before cutting.   Refrigerate, or serve immediately.

Tish's No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

Let me be honest here.  A friend of mine recently made this for a monthly recipe group I attend, and when she brought it in, I (snobbishly) thought to myself - eeeeww! That looks nasty!  Then I read the ingredients and was even more appalled.  I should have known that my friend, who is actually an amazing cook, would not bring something to a recipe exchange that was gross.   It's no secret - I like gourmet food.  I like to make it (sometimes), I like to eat it (all the time), and this recipe does NOT darn well fit into that category.  Look at the ingredients, for crying out loud!  Boxed pudding mix? Cool Whip? Store bought everything?! You betcha.  This little ditty can be whipped up in under 10 minutes (not counting the time you need to refrigerate it), and tastes reeeeealllllllly good.  I don't care what people say, this is a keeper.  And, it gets better the next day.   So, this is my formal apology, Tish, I will never judge your food again - until after I taste it :).

(makes 1 9x13 pan which will serve at least 12 people)

2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding (sm. size)
3 1/4 c. milk
1 large tub whipped topping, thawed
1 box graham crackers (3 packages)
1 can store bought chocolate frosting (not creamy supreme)

Pour pudding mix in mixing bowl and beat in the milk with hand mixer.  With wooden spoon, fold in whipped topping. 

In 9x13 pan, place graham crackers in bottom to cover the entire bottom of the pan.  Pour half of the pudding mixture on top and spread evenly, being careful not to displace bottom layer of crackers.  Top with more crackers to cover completely.  Pour remaining pudding mix on top. Cover with final package of crackers.

At 50% power, place frosting in microwave (remove lid and foil) and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds.  Take out and stir.  It should be smooth and pourable.  If it is not, microwave at 15 second intervals until you reach desired consistency.  Pour over the final layer of crackers.  Refrigerate several hours for best results.

Malted Blondies (a.k.a. Best Cookie Bars EVER)

Can I make you a promise with this recipe?  My promise is this.  You will not be able to eat just one.  These have a secret ingredient that adds an addicting element that you cannot resist.  Think soft, chewy, chocolatey, with a hint of toffee and malt.  My cousin, (shout out to Miss Liz!) made these for a recent family gathering, and I didn't tell her this at the time, but I ate three of them.  You will love these. 

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons malted milk powder (look in the coffee section of the grocery store)
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), coarsely chopped
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, place your walnuts in the oven, and set the timer for 15 minutes, or until you start smelling walnuts.  Remove and let cool.  Meanwhile, butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan. If you like, line the pan with a parchment sleeve (I do mine in well-greased tin foil, with the parchment underneath) to make the removal and cutting of the bars easier.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, and beat in the eggs and vanilla until well-blended. Add the dry ingredients in two additions on low speed and beat until just combined. Mix in the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts. Give the batter a final folding by hand with a spatula to make sure there are no dry pockets and the batter is evenly mixed. It will be very thick. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bars are deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the bars to a cutting board and cutting them into 24 squares. Once they cool completely, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Makes 24 bars.

Adapted from A Piece of Cake Blog

Snickers & Apple Salad

This little ditty came from a dental school friend (thanks, S.!) who is stocked full of delicious recipes!  This one is no different.  It tastes like a creamy carameled apple AND it has Snickers bars in it/on it!  You cannot go wrong.  Delicious!  Serve it as a fruit salad, or for dessert.

8 granny smith apples
6, 2oz. snicker bars, finely chopped
1 container of whipped topping
1/2 jar of caramel sauce
Cut apples into bite size pieces (optional-peel).
Chop 5 of the snicker bars and combine with apples.
Mix in Cool whip, but save a little for garnish.
Mix 1/4-1/2 jar of caramel sauce into mixture.
Garnish with cool whip, drizzled caramel and top with remaining snickers.

Serve immediately (does not do so well for leftovers)

Poppy Seed Pudding Cake with Lemon Glaze by Guest Chef Amanda

1 lemon cake mix

1 small package lemon instant budding
¾ C. Oil
4 eggs
Water according to cake mix
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix ingredients together and pour into greased bunt pan (see Cake Release below). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Take out of pan and drizzle with lemon glaze!


Lemon Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup warm water
1tsp. lemon flavoring

**Best Cake Release**
½ cup Crisco
½ cup veg. oil
½ cup flour

Blend it in your blender and put it in a tight container. Just brush or wipe it on your pans with a paper towel and your cake will always come out of the pan clean. Turn your cake out within 15 minutes of pulling it from the oven. This mix will last for forever. (well, maybe 6 months to a year.)

Chocolate Truffle Cake by Guest Chef Amanda

“The 24 hour cake!” wait a day after baking before eating this delicious cake because on day two the texture of the cake is like a truffle! Mmmm!

Ingredients:
1 Devil’s Food cake mix
2 sm. Boxes Instant Chocolate Pudding mix
5 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
16 oz of sour cream
1 bag of chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

2. Combine cake and pudding mix and then create a well in the middle of a large bowl.

3. Dump the sour cream, melted butter and eggs in well.

4. using a large spoon (trust me, your mixer will fry because this is so thick, plus your arms will need the workout!) Mix all of the ingredients together, don’t be alarmed on how thick it is, that is normal.

5. Then pour the entire bag of chocolate chips in and mix again.

6. Spray your bunt pan with some Pam (or “Cake Release”) and put the batter in it.

7. Bake 50 – 55 minutes. Once it is done baking, let it cool for 10 minutes then flip it out!

This cake doesn’t need any frosting but some fresh whipped cream and Berries is delicious! You can eat it right away, but I highly suggest waiting a day, I promise, it is well worth the wait! Enjoy!!

Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookies

Need a last minute holiday treat to share at a party (or eat all by yourself?!)  These are a cinch to whip together, and have just the right amount of chocolate with a hint of mint!  Enjoy!

 (adapted from tootsie.com)

2 ¼ c. all-purpose flour, sifted

¾ c. cocoa, sifted

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ c. shortening

½ c. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. Mint Chocolate Baking Chips (if you don't have this, you can substitute with 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, and then add 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips)

3/4 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.

With a hand held or standing mixer, beat together the shortening and butter until creamy. Add the sugars and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. Fold in the mint chips.

Roll the dough, by hand, into a 1 ½ inch balls. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar to fully cover ball. Flatten the balls gently into ½” thick disks and place about 2” apart, spacing them evenly on un-greased baking sheets. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies set 1 minute on baking sheet. Remove from sheet and move to wire rack to cool completely.

Yields: 3 Dozen Cookies

Spiced Cake w/ Double Brown Butter Frosting

Looking for a scrumptious sheet cake that will make people think you are amazing?  This is the one.  It's moist, fluffy and the frosting is called double brown because you brown the butter with brown sugar.  The frosting will make you want just one more bite (and another and another).

4 c. unsifted flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can sliced peaches, drained
1 tsp. cloves
2 eggs
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. oil

Frosting:
½ c. butter
4-5 c. powdered sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. whole milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour jelly roll pan. Blend fruit in blender. Add oil and eggs. Mix all dry ingredients together; add wet ingredients to dry. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool before frosting. Bring to a soft boil butter, brown sugar, and milk together. Beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla.

Christmas Apple Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (recipe follows - or you can just use your favorite, even a store bought roll-out will do!!)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
7 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, stir in vanilla and let simmer.

2.Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust (thanks to Annie @ Annie's Eats!!  She's a genius!) and seal the edges in a fluted pattern.  Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off, trying to avoid the dough as much as possible. 

3.Bake 15 minutes at 425. Reduce the temperature to 350.  Bake for 35 minutes, until apples are soft, and crust is golden brown (place tin foil around the edges to prevent burning.

DOUBLE PIE CRUST
2.5 c. flour
2 TBS. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 TBS. ice cold water (I dip my Tablespoon into a cup filled with ice and water, just don't add chunks of ice)

Directions:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of food processor. Mix briefly to blend. Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas. Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.  It will look a little dry and that is okay.

Shape the dough into two even-sized balls incorporating all dry parts, but avoiding overworking the dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.  I make mine the day before. Remove from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.

PIE POLISH
The perfect finish to the perfect pie!  All you need is:
1 Tbsp heavy cream, half and half, or milk
1 large egg yolk

Beat egg yolk with cream and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.

PBX Cookies (Peanut Butter Criss Cross)

Have you started dreaming up cookie ideas for your holiday cookie exchange yet?  No?  Why not, don't the rest of you plan your life around cookie exchanges?  Well, here's ones I'm adding to MY list.  And there's a story behind it...

So, this awesome young lady that I know offered to babysit for an ENTIRE Friday night for me in exchange for my making a plate of her favorite cookies.  Are you kidding me?  Deal.  The only problem?  She wanted peanut butter.  I don't do peanut butter.  I don't not like it, but I, by no means, really enjoy peanut butter, so I was a little flustered.  Nonetheless, I pushed through my mental block, did some research on the best peanut butter cookies - and here's what I came up with!  

They were beautiful, soft and chewy with a little crunch from the sugar sprinkled on top.  And -ME- of all peanut-butter loathing people rather enjoyed them with a tall glass of ice cold milk.  Yum. 

3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 cup (1 stick) butter flavored shortening
1 cup sugar, (+2 TBS. for sprinkling on top of dough)
1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Combine peanut butter, shortening, sugars, milk and vanilla in large bowl.

Beat with hand mixer at medium speed until well blended.

Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder and soda.

Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop on greased baking sheet with a melon scooper.

Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake at 375ºF for 8-9 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.  Let cool 5 minutes on pan.

Yields about 3 dozen cookies.  Freeze some dough if you don't want to make them all - they last about 3 months in the freezer!

Soft & Cakey Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

While I'm on a pumpkin kick (I couldn't just let me leftover pumpkin from my pumpkin chocolate chip bread go to waste!), I thought I'd share (or re-share) a yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe.  It's quick and delicious, with just the right amount of pumpkin spice to chocolate chip ratio.  Freezes well too, so you can make some now, and make some when you need a sugar rush after Halloween.

1 c. butter flavored shortening (1 stick)
1 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream above ingredients together.

1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients and combine with creamed mixture.

Add 6 oz. (half a regular-sized bag) of your favorite chocolate chips
Mix well, roll into balls, place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Yields 3 dozen.