"Baby Ruth" Cookie Bars

1 cup sugar

1 cup white Karo syrup

Bring to boil and add 1 1/3 cups chunky peanut butter

Add 6 cups Special K cereal

Stir until well mixed and spread into a buttered sheet cake pan.

Spread the following over the top and let melt (might need to put in warm oven for a few minutes, or can melt chips in microwave and spread over the top).

1 pkg chocolate chips

1 pkg butterscotch chips

Grandma Crosbie's Sugar Cookies

 3/4 cup shortening

4 cups flour

1 cup cream

3 eggs

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/3 cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and honey.  Beat in eggs.  Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together.  Alternate mixing in flour mixture with cream.  Chill until firm.  Roll dough for cutting out with cookie cutters.  Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes.

Submitted by Karren Mitchell

DoubleTree Signature Cookie

Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter, softened (two sticks)

3/4 cup + 1 Tbs granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/4 tsps vanilla extract

1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Pinch cinnamon

2 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.

With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds.  Don't overmix.

Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet line with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

Preheat over to 300 degrees.  Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.

Makes 26 cookies

Note:  You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there's no need to thaw.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees and place frozen cookies on a parchment paper-line sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake until edges are golden and center is still soft.

Published in Food Network Magazine, Sept. 2020

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and white sugar for 4 minutes or until creamy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
• Stir in flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until just combined to avoid over-mixing. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
• If possible, chill dough for at least 24 hrs.
• Scoop onto silpat or parchment paper covered baking sheets.
• Bake for 8-11 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a light golden color. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

*If you chill the cookie dough,make sure to tightly wrap it so it isn't exposed to air.  Once you are ready to bake the cookie dough, let the dough sit out for at least 15-30 minutes to allow to come to room temperature.  Depending on how long it has been chilling, it may be a little crumbly.  Press together with hands to form balls.

(From Kathleen Treu and Modernhoney.com)

Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Covered Pretzels

• Pretzels, small twists or square shaped
• 12 oz. Rolo candies, unwrapped
• 2 - 11.5 oz milk chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• sea salt

1.   preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.   line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper

3.   place pretzels on baking sheet in a single layer

4.   lay a Rolo candy on each pretzel and place in oven for 3 - 5 minutes

5.   gently press a pretzel on top of each Rolo to create a sandwich

6.   refrigerate until chocolate and caramel have cooled

7.   add chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl

8.   microwave for 30 seconds and stir, repeat until chocolate chips are melted

9.   using a fork, lower a pretzel Rolo sandwich into the melted chocolate and cover completely

10. allow excess chocolate to drip off and place back on baking sheet

11. repeat with all the pretzel sandwiches

12. sprinkle sea salt on top of each of all the pretzel sandwiches

13. refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate is hard

14. enjoy!

Shared by:  Nicole Larsen from realhousemoms.com

Amy's Best Ever Sugar Cookies

2 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder

Combine butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Add rest of ingredients.  Roll out dough to 1/4-inch and cut out shapes.  Cook on ungreased baking sheet for 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees.


Amy Mitchell

Michele's Nanaimo Bars

1st layer:
     1/2 cup butter
     1/4 cup white sugar
     5 Tbs cocoa
     1 egg, beaten
     1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
     1 cup fine coconut (put in blender or food processor to make angel flake finer)
     1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Mix 1st 3 ingredients in top of double boiler or heavy saucepan.  Add egg and stir and cook until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts.  Press firmly into ungreased 9 x 9 inch pan.

2nd layer:
     1/2 cup butter
     3 Tbs milk
     2 Tbs vanilla custard powder (Bird's -- available at World Market)
     2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, milk, custard powder, and powdered sugar together well.  Beat until light.  Spread over bottom layer.

3rd layer:
     3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz each)
     2 Tbs butter

(Chocolate hint:  if chocolate has been stored in fridge or freezer, let come to room temp before melting or it may seize.  Best melted in double boiler)

Melt chips and butter over low heat.  Cool.  When cool but still runny, spread over 2nd layer.  Chill in frig.  Use sharp knife to cut.  Makes 36 squares.

Karren Mitchell (shared by Michele Braithwaite)

   
   

Oatmeal Crispies

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
raisins and/or nuts

Instructions

Cream shortening and sugars, add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well and add the dry ingredients that have been mixed together.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

(These are the cookies that won Dad's heart)

Sugar Gems

Cream together:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Add:

5 cups flour

1 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Sugar Gem Frosting

2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup oil

2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla, coconut, etc.) Almond is especially yummy!

3-4 Tbsp milk

Coloring if wanted

Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (Betty Crocker Recipe)

My new go-to CCC recipe. I like these chocolate chip cookies even better than the regular ones.

3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 c. whole wheat flour (I use the white wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 Tablespoons water

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoon soda

2 1/2 packages Andes Mints

Preparation:

Melt the butter, brown sugar, and water over low heat. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Mix the flour, salt, and soda together. Beat the eggs and flour mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture.

Chill 45 minutes.

Roll into 1" diameter balls and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Immediately upon removing from the oven, place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. When melted, spread over top of cookie.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 egg
2 c. or 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 t. soda
1 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

4 c. flour

2 c. chocolate chips

Dissolve baking soda in pumpkin. Cream shortening; add sugar & egg. Combine dry ingredients. Add flour mixture alternately with pumpkin to sugar, egg & shortening. Add chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

Naomi's Revel Bars

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups uncooked quick or old-fashioned oats
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Beat 1 cup butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until blended. Add eggs; beat until light. Blend in vanilla.

Combine flour and baking soda in medium bowl; stir into butter mixture. Stir in oats. Spread 3/4 of oat mixture evenly in prepared pan. Combine chocolate chips, milk and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over oat mixture in pan. Dot with remaining oat mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are browned and center feels firm. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 36 bars

Karren Mitchell

Berry Shortbread Dreams

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 3/4 c. flour (may be more or less depending on where you live--you don't want dough to be crumbly)
1/3 to 1/2 c. raspberry jam (or other favorite flavor)

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract. Gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of the ball. Fill with jam.

Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle over cookies.

Nicole Larsen