Sugar Cookies or Bars

Ingredients:
4 C Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 C Butter, softened
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 C Sour cream
1 tsp Vanilla

Cookie Cutouts:
Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter, sugar, and egg. At a low speed add sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined. Wrap in foil and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight. Take out of fridge, roll out dough to 1/4-1/2" thickness and cut into cookies. Bake at 350º until light brown on bottoms each oven is different so just time the first batch. Let cookies cool and apply frosting.

Alternative Cookie Bars:
Follow the same instructions as above, but instead of rolling out the dough, press it down evenly into a lightly greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350º until toothpick comes out clean in the center (7-10 minutes), let cool, apply frosting, and cut into cookie bars.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8oz Cream cheese, softened
1 Cube butter, softened
3 C Powdered sugar
1 tsp Almond extract

Freezable Lemon Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1 1/2 packages of graham crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
5 Tbsp butter, melted
3 egg yolks
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from 2 lemons)
8 oz whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 325˚F

In a small bowl, mix the graham crackers, sugar and butter. Press firmly into a 9 x 9 x 2-inch ungreased foil pan. In another small bowl, beat the egg yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice on low-medium speed for one minute. Pour evenly over the crust and bake for about 30 minutes or until set.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, spread the whipped cream over the top.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to a month.

Before serving, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cut into bars. If not freezing, this can also be kept in the fridge for several days.

Strawberry Shortcake w/ Almond Glaze

Strawberry Shortcake

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1 small vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

2 tsp almond extract

Mix all the above ingredients together for a few minutes until well combined. Pour the batter into 2 round cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then gently remove from pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Almond Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tb butter, melted

2 tsp almond extract

1-2 Tb milk, if needed

Mix the glaze ingredients together while the cake cools. Once semi cooled, prick the cake with a large fork or the back of a wooden spoon. Spoon the glaze over the two round cakes letting it sink in. Save about 1/3 or so of the glaze and set aside.

1 pint whipping cream

powdered sugar to sweeten

1-2 pounds of fresh strawberries, sliced

Whip cream with 2 Tb powdered sugar, using a mixer. Wash dry and slice the starwberries and set aside.

Assembly:

Place one of the glazed cake rounds on a cake stand or large plate. Top with freshly whipped cream and a layer of strawberry slices. Follow with the second cake, more whipped cream and arrange more fresh sliced strawberries on top in a pretty pattern. Next drizzle the more of the almond glaze over the top and down the sides. Store in fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Cheesecake Bites

Crust:
1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Filling:

1/4 cup sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 T milk

1 T lemon juice

1 egg

Heat oven to 350º. In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Combine flour and walnuts or pecans with creamed mixture. Reserve 1 cup for topping. Press remainder into bottom of ungreased 8" or 9" square pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a small bowl, blend sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Add milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and egg. Beat well. Spread over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350º for 23-27 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 Cubes Butter

2 Eggs

1 C Brown Sugar

3/4 C White Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix well, then add

3 C Flour

1 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 bag of Milk Chocolate Chips (I use the Guittard brand)

Heat oven to 350º bake for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Trifle Sauce

3/4 C. Whipping Cream
2 T. Butter
2 C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. Vanilla

Put butter and cream in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until cream is hot. Do NOT BOIL. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let it melt then whisk until smooth and add vanilla. Excellent treat on top of your favorite ice cream!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

Then add:

1 cup pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Sift together dry ingredient then add to above wet mixture.

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

Add 1 cup milk chocolate chips. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Allow to cool then frost. (Optional: top with chopped walnuts)

Icing:

In saucepan, heat 3 Tb butter and 1/2 brown sugar over medium to med-high heat until bubbling and thick. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup milk. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Rolos Cookies

Devils Food Cake Mix (Duncan Hines is the best!)
1/2 C. Butter flavored Crisco
2 Eggs
Handful of Powdered Sugar
1 Bag of Rolo Candies

Unwrap rolo candies and place into bowl. Set aside for later.
Cut shortening into cake mix and add in eggs. This will create a THICK dough almost the consistency of bread. Knead with hands for easiest mixing.

Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls. Squish 1 rolo candy into EACH dough ball and cover all sides of the rolo candy completely with dough so that you create a little rolo pocket.

Place 12 per cookie sheet and bake at 350º for 9 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheet and dust with powdered sugar for garnish.

Coconut Cream Cheese Pie

1 C. Quick Oats
1/2 C. Butter
1/2C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Chopped Walnuts
3 Small pkgs. Instant Vanilla Pudding
3 C. Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1/4 tsp. Coconut Extract
1 C. Coconut
1 Container Cool Whip

Mix oats, butter, brown sugar, and nuts. Press into 9X13 pan. Bake @ 350º for about 15 min. Combine remaining ingredients, except whipped topping, and let set up. Top with whipped topping. Chill and Enjoy!

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 C. Butter
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar, packed
2 T. Water
1 (12oz.) pkg. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Eggs
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 lb. Andes Mints (2-6.67 oz. pkgs)

Heat butter, sugar and water in saucepan until melted. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Pour into large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, then add flour, baking soda and salt. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place Andes mints on top. After they melt, spread over entire cookie and remove from cookie sheet. Let them cool until chocolate is solid and enjoy!

Delicious Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
2 1/4 C. very warm water
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 yellow or white cake mix
5 C. flour

Mix water and yeast together with a wire whisk in a large bowl. Whisk cake mix into yeast water. Stir in flour one cup at a time. Let stand in bowl in a draft-free place for 45 minutes. Knead enough to punch down and roll to approx. 18" X 10". Add a small amount of flour if needed for kneading.

Filling:
1/2 C. butter or margarine softened
1 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. chopped nuts (Optional)
1/4 C. raisins (Optional)

Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds. Spread over rolled out dough. Sprinkle nuts and raisins over dough. Starting with the widest end, roll dough into a tight log. Cut with dental floss into 1/2" to 1" slices. Place in a greased 9x13 inch pan and an 8x8 inch pan. Allow rolls to rise 25-35 minutes. Bake at 350º for 17-23 minutes, watching carefully.

Frosting:
1 (3-4oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Cream Puffs

1 C. Water

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Butter

4 Eggs

Heat water and butter to boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs all at once. Continue beating until smooth and well blended. Drop dough by tablespoon on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400º for 35 minutes until golden. Remove immediately and let cool on wire rack. Once cooled, slice puffs in half and remove residual dough leaving a hallowed out puff. Fill puffs with your favorite cream or use the following:

1 3 oz. package instant pudding (your favorite flavor -- lemon is excellent) made according to package and set until firm

1 8 oz container whipped topping

Combine after pudding is chilled and fill puffs. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate frosting. Enjoy with fresh berries.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

These make a GREAT St. Patrick's Day treat!

Cake Layer:

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter softened

1 can (16oz) Hershey's syrup

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, beat until smooth. Spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in dish.

Mint Creme Center:

3 drops green food coloring

2 cups powdered sugar

1 T water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 t mint extract

Beat above ingredients together until smooth. Spread on cooled cake layer.

Chocolate Topping:

6T butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt in small saucepan. Cool slightly. Pour over mint cream center. Refrigerate.

Note: Make sure each layer has time to cool before adding the next. It works best to refrigerate overnight after you finish the mint creme center and then add the chocolate topping the next morning. Leave ample time for the final chocolate layer to harden in the fridge as well. These can also be frozen.

Symphony Cookies

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!!

1 C. Butter

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1 Small box of instant vanilla pudding (or chocolate)

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Large Symphony Bar (with toffee bits), chopped

Cream butter, sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate. Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 9-10 minutes. Cool on rack.

Breakfast Muffins

I recently found this recipe online and made them...they are very nutritional and make a great muffin for breakfast or even for dessert with the cream cheese icing on them:)

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup brown sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c carrots
2 apples, shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped or ground
3/4 cup of 1% milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease muffin pans or line with paper cups. Mix together flours, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and walnuts. Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla in another bowl. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes. Makes 15 muffins.

Light Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

1 (8oz) pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, whip until creamy. Tip: Individually freeze plain muffins and thaw for a quick and healthy breakfast, or serve as a hearty dessert with Light Cream Cheese Icing.

Toffee Brownies

1 (17.6 oz) Brownie Mix Package with Walnuts
Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray
3 (6 oz) Candy Bars with Almond and Toffee (Blue Symphony Bars)

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter.

Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

Yummy Brownies!

I made this for activity days and the girls really liked it.

Honestly I got this off the back of a brownie mix:)

1 Brownie mix
3 C marshmallows
1/2 C M&Ms
3/4 C Chocolate Frosting melted in microwave

1/3 C chopped walnuts optional (just add to brownie batter before baking)

Make brownie mix as directed. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20 min remove and drop marshmallows on top and return to oven for 10 min more. When finished cooking pour M&Ms on top and drizzle with frosting. Cool completely before cutting.

Brownie tips:
Follow the boxes recipe for high altitude and cake like brownies.
Fold in 1/2 C sour cream. Jen B gave me this trick and it REALLY works well.

Apple Cobbler

3 large apples, peeled and sliced
1 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 C. butter, melted

Put apples in the bottom of a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish.

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and egg until it looks like coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle topping over the apples.

Pour melted butter over the entire dish.

Bake 350º for 30 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

Better than Sex Cake...Almost:)

1 Box Super Moist German Chocolate Cake Mix (Made as directed)
1 Can (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Jar (16-17oz.) Caramel, Butterscotch or Fudge Topping
1 Container (8oz.) Frozen Whipped Topping
1 C. Toffee Chips or Bits

1. Heat oven to 350º(325º for dark or non-stick pan). Make cake as directed in 13X9-inch pan; Cool 15 minutes.

2. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

3. Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee-chips.

Rice Pudding

We love rice pudding at our house, my kids can't get enough of it. I know when Ryan first suggested we make it I thought yuck...but I love it. It is really good with some cinnamon sprinkled on the top of it also.

2 C. White Rice (Original Long Grain-not instant)
8+ C. Milk
2 Eggs
1 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla

In a large pot combine milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until eggs are mixed in. Then add rice. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Then I turn it down to a medium-low heat and just let it simmer, I set a timer for every 4-5 minutes and stir it about that often until the rice is tender. Additional milk may be needed, and if it sits in the fridge overnight it will need added milk in the morning. If the rice soaks up the milk you just keep adding more a little at a time. Very Delicious! Topped with cinnamon is good too:)