Blondies

(Blond Toffee Brownies)

Recipe from: Taste Of Home


1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 to 1 C. Guittard, vanilla chips
(1/4 to 1/2 C. English toffee bits or almond brickle bits)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, beat well. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips or toffee bits.
(I prefer to use less toffee bits and vanilla chips)

Grease 13x9x2" pan with Pam baking spray. (I made a double batch and spread it into a 17.25x11.5x1-inch pan with waxed paper sprayed with Pam baking spray.) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. (Watch closely)

These cookie bars would be great served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream--Yum! :)

Best-Ever Soft Sugar Cookies

(Taste of Home Cookbook)

Sarah wanted to make cut-out sugar cookies for Easter this year but we were almost done mixing everything together when I noticed this recipe was for "drop" sugar cookies. :( So, we baked the first batch of cookies as directed and then tried kneading flour into the dough, a little at a time, to make the dough stiff enough to roll-out. This hasn't worked out so well for me in the past, but this recipe was great for it.

1 c. butter (softened)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs (I substitute 1/2 of the eggs with egg whites)
     (For a double batch I used 2 whole eggs + 4 egg whites)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
2 c. flour
1 t. cream of tartar (try a little less, maybe 3/4 t.)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ground nutmeg (I halved this amount)

In a large mixing bowl, seriously, a large one if you are doubling this recipe! ;) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract.

Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 mins. or until light brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.



Buttercream Frosting: (Wilton Recipe)

1/2 c. white Crisco
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 t. clear vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
4 c. (sifted) confectioners' sugar (1 lb.)
2 Tbsp. milk

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer.  Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.  Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Makes 3 cups.

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies

EASY!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together:

1/3 C. water
1/2 cube butter, softened (4 Tbsp.)
1 pkg. Duncan Hines plain Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 egg
1/8 C. flour
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips, optional

Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, or onto a cookie sheet with a Silpat mat. Bake for 12-14 minutes and let cool for 1-2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar and let cool completely.

These cookies usually disappear in my house before they have time to cool, so good luck with that! ;)

Steve's option: spread chunky peanut butter over cookie and sprinkle with powdered sugar for a Reese's fix.

Chocolate Chip Cookies...why not?

Perhaps it is a bit odd to post our Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, which is basically the Toll House recipe, when you can just read it off the bag of chocolate chips...but what if you lost the bag? ;)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together and set aside:

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, combine:

3/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened (1 sticks)
1/2 C. Crisco, plain or butter flavor (it doesn't really matter)

Mix well, then add:

2 large eggs

1tsp. Mexican Vanilla (If you haven't already converted to Mexican Vanilla you are behind the times) ;) ha!

Mix briefly to combine, then gradually add in flour mixture.

Stir in 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips

Omit nuts!!! (just kidding, you can add them if you want them) :)

Scoop cookie dough using a cookie scoop or form into small balls using a teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely. Store in a gallon size Ziplock bag to keep the cookies soft. (The other key to keeping the cookies soft and chewy is to replace the butter the recipe calls for with 1/2 butter and 1/2 Crisco.

To make Justin's Chocolate Chip Cookies: (Or, if you just want to drive Steve crazy. Steve is obsessive about perfectly measuring out ingredients...and cleaning as he goes!) Use the same ingredients as listed above and just dump everything into a large bowl, except the chocolate chips. Mix well. Add chocolate chips or M&Ms, mix well, and bake according to directions above.

Steph's tip:
Double the batch and when you get tired of baking the cookies, scoop the remaining cookie dough onto a plastic plate. Put in freezer for about 20 minutes and then remove dough balls from plate and put into a large Ziplock bag. Lay bag flat in the freezer. Bake the cookies within a couple of weeks, there probably won't be many left to bake it you wait too long. ;)

Blondies

3/4 c. butter, melted
2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. Ghiradelli white chocolate chips

Melt butter, add sugar and eggs. Mix. Add vanilla and all dry ingredients. Scoop batter into greased 9x13" baking pan. (I have found it easiest to press into the pan using a sheet of waxed paper.) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until middle is set but soft. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.

*I cover the top with foil to prevent top from over-browning during last minutes.

For drier blondies, cook another 5 minutes, covered.

Eldredge Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

(When our family makes cookies we always use equal amounts of butter and Crisco in the recipe. Just the right amount of soft and crisp. Also, aside from Steve, we are lazy and only use this one bowl method) :)

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. Crisco
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

Then add and mix together briefly, do not overbeat:
2 large eggs
1 t. mexican vanilla

Add to mixture above a little at a time: (I stir the baking soda and salt into one of the measuring cups of flour and then sprinkle it into the dough.)

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

2 c. Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips, although I also love the Guittard milk chocolate chips

Drop by cookie-scoop onto baking sheet lined with a Silpat. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 mins. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

If, by some miracle, you have any cookies left over to store, I suggest storing them flat in a gallon size Ziplock bag to keep them softer.

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Note: if your cookies have become hard as rocks, try sealing in a slice of bread in the bag and the moisture from the bread will transfer to the cookies. Don't leave in too long or your cookies will taste like Wonderbread. Not recommended.  : p