Noel Nut Balls

This recipe is a Martha Stewart one in the current issue of Good Housekeeping. I have always loved Mexican Wedding Cookies, and this is her version of one. I made them this morning and they were very easy and they are VERY yummy!

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp pure honey
1 tsp orange juice
2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cups chopped walnuts or chopped pecans
1/2 Cup sifted confectioners' sugar (plus additional for rolling)
1/4 tsp salt

*In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and honey until fluffy. Add orange juice and beat until combined. In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix together flour, nuts, confectioners' sugar and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until combined. Gather dough and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.

*Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper (I did not have any and the cookies turned out fine). Roll dough, 2 teaspoons at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake until browned around edges, 12-13 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Roll in confectioners' sugar to coat. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Chewy Granola Bars

"Make a batch of homemade granola bars in no time"

Ingredients:

1 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup rice krispie cereal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional. I don't use as I used salted butter)

Additions - select one of the following:

1/2 cup nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit

Instructions:

In one bowl combine melted butter, brown sugar, honey and vanilla extract. In second bowl combine oatmeal, rice krispie ceral, flour , baking soda, cinnamon and salt if using. Mix well. Add you additional selected item from list above and mix well.

Combine the two bowls together and mix well. Spread mixture in a 13 x 9 sprayed pan and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and cool on the counter and then cut in bars and store in the fridge or freezer.

Homemade Teething Cookies

I have several friends expecting a bundle(s) of joy or had a baby in recent months. Keep this recipe in mind for when those teeth are planning to arrive!

Homemade Teething Cookies

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp applesauce

Heat oven to 300. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until dough begins to hold together. Dust the counter with flour, then transfer the contents of bowl to the counter. Knead lightly until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Roll out with a rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cut out cookies using an inverted cup and a clean soda-bottle cap for the hole in the middle (the finished cookie looks like a donut - perfect for little hands to hold). Transfer cookies to a greased cookie sheet. Bake until barely browned, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on cookie sheet. They're ready to eat now (under adult supervision, of course). Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

*Note: This recipe came from the February 2009 issue of Wondertime magazine

Yummy, Chewy Molasses Cookies

This is my sister's recipe that she makes and I LOVE it! These are soft, chewy and perfect for Christmas or any time


Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup sugar

Beat margarine, sugar, egg, and molasses. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mix well. Chill for an hour. Make dough balls from spoon. Roll in 1/2 cup sugar before putting on pan. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Monster Cookies

This recipe came home in a cookbook Caroline's class made. The mom who submitted this recipe was right - they are addictive!!

1 (1 lb. 1.5 oz) bag Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1 (1 lb. 1.5 oz) bag Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
1 1/2 Cup Quick Cooking Oats
1 Cup Butter
3 Eggs
2 Cups M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl stir all ingredients except M&Ms until soft dough forms. Stir in M&Ms.

On ungreased cookie sheet place about 1/4 Cup of dough *** I use a small cookie scoop because I do not want monster sized cookies ***.

Bake 12-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Cake Mix Cookies

Many of you have probably seen this recipe, but, just in case...

Cake Mix (any kind or flavor, but the lemon is deeeelish!)
1 egg
1 stick of butter

Melt butter, add it and the egg to the cake mix, stir. Drop onto a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes!

Easy Peasy! Especially if you are in a rush, or your child tells you they need cookies for the whole class, in an hour!

"Homemade" Cookies in Minutes!!

I know everyone has seen these cookie mixes from Betty Crocker in the grocery stores. They are always on sale and with coupons, you can buy them for next to nothing or get them for free! I made a batch the other day, and used the stick of butter and egg that the recipe calls for. They turned out really flat, runny and crunchy. I experimented with the sugar cookie mix the next time I made them. Instead of the entire stick of butter, I only used 6 Tablespoons (softened) and the egg and they turn out tasting EXACTLY like homemade cookies--Soft, chewy, and yummy. I made the chocolate chip mix again tonight for a friend, and did the same thing and they turned out great!
So, if you ever need a quick dessert, a welcome plate of cookies for a neighbor or a teacher's treat that tastes like you made them from scratch, make these cookies using the 6Tbsp of butter and the one egg. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Raspberry Cream Sandwich Cookies

These cookies were made by my sister Dolly a few weeks ago. When I tasted them, I instantly told her that they were some of the best cookies I'd ever had (I am a cookie monster!!!). I couldn't get enough of them. The real vanilla bean is the secret ingredient, I think. These are great with the raspberry filling, but I made them the other day without the filling and they were good, too. I will say that mine were flatter than Dolly's. I think it was because my butter was salted? I prefered Dolly's fluffier (like the above cookie) version:) This is from Martha Stewart's Magazine:

1 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 Sticks (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softenened

1 1/2 C plus 2 tsp sugar

1 Large Egg

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, halved with seeds scraped and reserved

6 oz (1 Cup) fresh raspberries

7 1/2 oz. good quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 Cup heavy cream

*Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Mix butter and 1 1/2 Cups of sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add egg, extract and vanilla bean seeds;mix until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture.

*Scoop batter into 1 inch scoops and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake cookies 4 minutes. Take out and tap on counter to flatten cookies. Return for another 6 minutes. Let cool.

*Puree raspberries and remaing 2 tsp sugar in food processor or blender. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing to extract juice. Discard seeds. Set aside. Melt white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of hot water. Remove bowl from pan and mix in cream, in a low stream. Whisk in raspberry mixture and and refrigerate 20 minutes.

*Spread 1 heaping tsp. raspberry cream onto the underside of cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.

Oatmeal Crispies

I hadn't made these in awhile but whipped out the recipe when my BF had her baby last week b/c they are her FAVs. This recipe is an oldie but goodie for a good "comfort food" dessert (or snack)!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on whether your butter is salted or not)
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts (I don't usually put these in but you can if you want)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Paradise Macaroons

I stumbled upon this recipe during a cookie swap at work and everyone in my family agrees that these are little bites of heaven.

Ingredients:
2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.