Chocolate Chip M & M Cookies

These are one of my boys favorite cookies.
They love the M&M's in them.
We made them together over Spring break, and used Spring colored M&M's.
I usually make them with the regular colored M&M's but could not pass up the holiday M&M's.
These will be soft on the inside and a little crispy on the outside.
Yum.


Chocolate Chip M & M Cookies
makes 2 dozen

What you need:

-1 cup white sugar
-1 cup brown sugar
-2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
-2/3 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
-2 eggs
-2 tsp. vanilla
-3 cups unbleached white flour
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. salt
-6 oz. milk chocolate chips
-8 oz. M&M candies

How To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugars, butter and shortening until light and fluffy.

2. Next add the eggs and vanilla until combined.

3. Slowly add the flour, baking soda and salt. Be careful not to over mix the dough.

4. Turn off the mixer and hand fold the chocolate chips and M&M candies until well combined.

5. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cookies should have a slight golden on top, but also look slightly undone. You don't want to overcook these or they will be hard when cool.

7. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet. I have found this to be the best way to guarantee perfectly soft cookies each and every time.

Enjoy!

Caribbean Passion Fruit Smoothie

A cold fresh smoothie tastes like summer to me!
This is a favorite smoothie recipe in our home. I usually make two batches of this recipe to feed the four of us. I wouldn't double it in your blender, unless you have a huge blender that can handle that much blending. I find that it mixes better and faster if I just do one batch at a time.
If you live in the west you will know the name Jamba Juice, a smoothie making establishment. This recipe is a copy cat recipe from one of their smoothies.
I hope you are all enjoying your summer and keeping cool in the summer heat!


Caribbean Passion Fruit Smoothie
makes 2 tall cups

What You Need:
-1 cup mango juice
-1/2 cup frozen peaches
-1 cup frozen strawberries
-1/2 cup crushed ice
-1 cup orange sherbet


Add all ingredients to bender and blend. If too thick, add more mango juice.
Serve and Enjoy!

Monster Cookies

My kids absolutely LOVE these cookies!
This is a great recipe to have your kiddos help you make.
They are very easy to make and pretty much fail-proof.
A few things, I have used both creamy and crunchy Peanut butter for this recipe and both turned out great. The Crunchy is going to give you more of a chunky and crunchy cookie. Also, I always use the quick rolled oats when baking cookies, they will be more chewy this way.
The cookies might look slightly underdone when you take out and press the M&M's in them, but as they cool they will be perfectly soft and chewy.
I have made these for church bake sales, and they are always a huge it!
These Monster cookies are Super fun to make and eat.

Monster Cookies

What you Need:

1/2 c butter, softened

1 3/4 C peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

1 1/3 C brown sugar

1 C sugar

1 Tbsp corn syrup

1/2 Tbsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 1/2 C quick rolled oats

M & M’s

How To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet pan with Parchment paper or lightly grease with non-stick spray.

2. Mix all ingredients together until well combined, don't put the M&M's in yet they will be used after the cookies are baked.

3. For bigger cookies use a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, for smaller cookies use a cookie scoop and roll the dough into a ball and place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes Be careful not to over bake.

4. As soon as the cookies come out of oven, press M & M’s into the top of the cookies.

5. Before serving or eating wait for the cookies to cool.

Enjoy!

Best EVER Banana Bread

When are little family lived in Columbus, OH during our medical school years.
We made many life long friends.
We all made a Columbus Friends Cookbook.
Many of my favorite recipes are from this cook book, this Banana Bread recipe is one of them.
I have tried many other Banana Bread recipes none compare to this one.
It is by far the BEST EVER Banana Bread recipe.
And it also reminds me of my sweet friend Margo who is a great cook!

*Tip-the bread will be much sweeter if the Bananas you use are very ripe, like almost all brown ripe.*




Best EVER Banana Bread
Makes 2 loaves

What you Need:
-1 cup butter
-2 cups sugar
-4 large eggs
-2 tsp. vanilla
-2 tsp. lemon juice
-1 cup sour cream
-2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 really ripe bananas)
-3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1 tsp. baking soda
-2 tsp. baking powder

Topping:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


How To Make:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two bread pans.

2. Mix butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined. Blend in lemon juice, sour cream, and mashed bananas.

3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in with other ingredients until just combined, do not over mix.

4. Pour batter into the two greased bread pans.

5. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle on top of batter.

6. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until knife inserted come out with just a few wet crumbs.


Recipe Source: My good friend Margo :-)

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Homemade Oreo's are always a Big hit at our house!
With three boys in the house, they eat these yummy cookies up fast. Let's be honest, I have a few myself.
Two soft chocolate cookies with rich cream cheese frosting sandwiched between.
What's not to love?
This recipe is easy enough to let your kiddos help, if you choose.
A glass of milk will be perfect to go a long side these Oreo's.
Yum.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Chocolate Cookie:
-2 devils food cake mixes
-4 beaten eggs
-1 cup of oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper or grease with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium mixing bowl mix all three above ingredients until well combined. Roll into about 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 6-9 minutes.
3. Take out and cool completely before adding filling.

Cream Cheese Frosting Filling:
1 - stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 - 8oz package cream cheese
3-4 cups - confectioner's sugar (depending on desired consistency)
1 - tsp vanilla extract

1. Cream butter and cream cheese add vanilla and mix well. Add confectioner's sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency.
2. Spread 2-3 Tablespoons of frosting in between each cookie.

Store cookie's in an air tight container to keep moist.

Enjoy!

Blondies

Yes, I am blond
and I love me some Blondies!
These little bars are so very good.
Butterscotch chips are usually used in blondies, this recipe uses White chocolate chips.
I think it gives the blondies a deeper and richer flavor and really brings out the brown sugar from the cookie base.
These are so very easy to make, hand mixes up in 10 minutes bakes in 25.
A great recipe to have your little kiddos help you with, if you choose.
Don't forget to eat these with a glass of cold milk, YUMMY!

Blondies
makes 24 in a 13 by 9 baking pan

What You Need:
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon Baking Powder
-12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
-1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-4 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup white chocolate chips
-1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

How to make:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with foil or Parchment paper, and then grease the foil or parchment paper with Pam spray.

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

3. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar together. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in the chips and nuts.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the blondies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 22-25 minutes.

5. Let the Blondies cool completely in the pan for about 2 hours. Remove the blondies from the pan, cut into squares and Enjoy!


Source: America's Test Kitchen

Monkey Bread Mini's

This recipe is a very Easy way to make the
all-famous Monkey Bread.
So easy that I usually have my two kiddos help me do it. They love to help and EAT these really tasty treats.
They are sweet, gooey, cinnamon-y, and a little crispy on the outside very
Yummy!



Monkey Bread Mini's
Makes 12 muffins OR 6 Jumbo Muffins

2 tubes of Pillsbury Refrigerated french bread dough
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

1. Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cut in small cubes so in total you should have around 80 little pieces of dough. In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Dip each piece of dough into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until totally covered. Divide evenly between the muffin cups. In a saucepan boil the butter and brown sugar. Spoon about a teaspoon of the brown sugar/butter mixture over each muffin cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until baked through.

Option: You can drizzle icing over the tops of the muffins after they get out of the oven. (mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk)

These taste the best when hot and fresh out of the oven!

Enjoy!

Colored Velvet Cup Cakes

These are Very Yummy Mini Cup Cakes!
You can use whatever colored decorating paste you want depending on the color you are after. I think it would be very cute to make little pink or blue ones for a baby shower or orange for Halloween, Yellow for Easter, the possibilities are endless :-).
I use Wilton brand Decorating paste you can buy at Micheals, Hobby Lobby, or any store that carries the Wilton baking line.
You could also make regular sized cupcakes with this recipe.
Have fun!

Colored Velvet Cup Cakes

Makes 36 mini cup-cakes

What you Need:

1 Box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 Cup water

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix

1/2 Cup plain yogurt or sour cream

5-8 drops of your color of decorating paste (Pink, Green, Orange, Yellow, Blue. . . )

Frosting:

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 stick softened butter

1 lb powdered sugar

Colored Sugar Sprinkles if desired

How To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, add cake mix, eggs, water, oil, pudding, and yogurt. Beat on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly beat in 5-8 drops of green decorating paste until you get desired color of green. Scoop batter into paper lined mini cupcake tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool completely.

2. To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar until creamy and thick.

3. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

ENJOY!

Recipe Source: Adapted from Picky Palate

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My husband said that these were the BEST bar cookies he had EVER had!
Needless to say these are really very good bar cookies.
This recipe makes a lot, a yummy crowd pleaser.
If you want to make less, you can half the recipe and bake it in a 9 by 13 pan.
Enjoy!


Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Makes a cookie sheet pan of bars

4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 sticks butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large milk chocolate bar, chopped up
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)


1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.

3. Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 45-50 minutes. DO NOT OVER COOK. They may seem undercooked, however when they cool they will be perfectly chewy. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Empanadas From Luis

A couple of years ago my oldest son loved watching Noggin, a television program for kids. One of his favorite shows was 'Cooking with Luis'.

Luis would go grocery shopping for his ingredients with his mom, then also with the help from his mom would make a dish following a recipe. This program got my oldest son so excited to cook. We went online and printed off all of his recipes from Noggin.com and started to make them together.

One of the recipes was this one, Empanadas. I have to be honest with you I was a little hesitant when I saw the list of ingredients. However, we made them together my son and I, and they turned out far better than I ever thought they would. These Empanadas are Delicious! My kids LOVE them and eat two each. We have now made them many times since and love them each time. They never get old.
I hope you give them a try, you will love them.

Empanadas from Luis
Makes 8

What you need:

1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 White Onion, chopped
1 pound of ground meat (Beef, Turkey, Pork, or Chicken)
4 Hardboiled Eggs, chopped
1 cup Spanish Olives OR Manzanilla Olives stuffed with Pimentos, minced
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon Cumin
Pastry Dough (I used Pillsbury Refrigerator)
1 Egg Yolk (raw)

How to Make:

1. Heat oil in a pan, when the oil is hot, add the red peppers and onions. Stir them around for 5 minutes. Now, slowly add the meat, and mix it all together. Make sure you don’t overcook the meat.

2. Now chop 4 eggs into bits. Stir the eggs into the meat. Pour it all into a big bowl.

3. Chop up the olives and add them to the mixture. Sprinkle a bit of pepper and a pinch of salt. Now add Cumin. Cumin gives the empanadas their special taste.

Pastry
On a dry table, with dry hands, roll out your pie crust. If using Pillsbury refrigerator dough, unroll both pie rounds from package. Now I used a regular table bowl for my 'dough cutter' to get the perfect round circle. You should be able to get 8 small circles out of the dough. You will have to re-roll the dough out a few times just like you would cookie dough.

Filling
Add some of the warm filling to the middle of a pastry circle. Fold it over all the way so the edges touch. For a perfect empanada, use a fork to make marks around the edges. Do the same for all the empanadas and put them on a baking sheet.

Bake

To make them golden brown, paint them with an egg yolk.
Cook at 350º F (180º C) and cook for 35 minutes.

We like to eat ours with Salsa on top.

Yummy! :-)

Sugar Cookie Bouquet

This sugar cookie recipe makes firmer cookies which make great cookies for frosting and decorating, also good for Cookie Bouquets.
One thing I really like about this recipe is that when you cook the shaped cookie dough they retain their shape. It does not puff out or flatten out.
They also taste very good, the vanilla and almond extract make this cookie yummy.
They are also firm, but soft, very good.

Sugar Cookies

6 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 c sugar
4 sticks butter
2 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
**Powdered sugar for rolling out**

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

2. Do not refrigerate, right away roll onto a floured surface (USE POWDERED SUGAR for rolling out) and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

IF MAKING A COOKIE BOUQUET: you will need to stick wood skewers in the cookie, right after you take them out of the oven, the cookie still needs to be hot when you stick it in. Then let completely cool before you frost.

Icing
(This will cover 2-3 dozen)

4 TBSP meringue powder
1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon of Almond Extract

1. Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.

2.Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. (Do NOT skip the sifting!)

3.Add in the corn syrup and extract.

Increase speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks form.

4. The frosting will be white, if you want to add color use food coloring.

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

These beauties are by far the BEST Gingerbread cookies I have ever made.
Not only are they soft and delicious, they are so simple to make!
There is no need to be afraid or intimidated in making these cookies, they are easier to make then sugar cookies!
The dough is very easy to work with too.
My 6 year old son helped me cut them all out into shapes, and then we all enjoyed eating them.
So very yummy!
I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe's 'Sugar Rush- 12 recipe's in 12 days'.

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe From My Kitchen Cafe

*Makes about 2 dozen gingerbread men*

3 cups flour
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature (but not warm!), cut into 12 pieces
¾ cup light or dark molasses
2 tablespoons milk

1. With an electric mixer, stir together the flour, brown sugar, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and add the butter pieces. Mix at medium-low speed until the mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and with the mixer running, gradually add the molasses and milk; mix until the dough is evenly moistened about 20 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.

2. Scrape the dough onto a work surface and divide it in half. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough ¼ inch thick between 2 large sheets of parchment or wax paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment or wax paper, stack the dough on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.

4. Remove one dough sheet from the freezer and place on the counter. Peel off the top parchment or wax paper sheet. Gently cut the dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, transferring the shapes to the prepared baking sheets with a wide metal spatula and spacing them ¾ inch apart. Set the scraps aside. Repeat with the remaining dough until the baking sheets are full. Because flour is not added during rolling, dough scraps can be rolled and cut as many times as necessary.

5. Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 9 minutes. Do not overbake!! Cool the cookies on the sheets 2 minutes, then remove the cookies with a wide metal spatula to a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Gather the scraps; repeat the rolling, cutting and baking. Frost as desired (You can use a ziploc bag filled with simple white icing).

6. Store soft gingerbread in a wide, shallow airtight container or tin with a sheet of parchment paper between the cookie layers. These cookies are best eaten within one week.

ENJOY!!

Mummy Hot Dogs

This is a Halloween family tradition in our house.
My kids love these Mummy Hot Dogs, and look forward to me making them.
They are so super easy to make and only have 3 ingredients!
This is a fun treat to make your Halloween a little it scarier.
Don't forget to dot the eyes with mustard and dip them in bloody ketchup!
Yummy.


Mummy Hot Dogs

-2 tubs of Pillsbury Refrigerated Bread sticks
-Jumbo Hot dogs

-Non-stick cooking spray (Pam spray)
-Mustard, Ketchup

To Make:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.

2. Pop open the cans of bread sticks. Unroll the bread stick dough. Cut each bread stick in half length ways.

3. Work one on one with each hot dog, wrap dough around hot dog to look like a mummy.

4. Place on greased pan. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned.

5. Finish with dotting the eyes with two drops of mustard.

Enjoy!

Candy Corn Kiss Cookies

I knew as soon as I saw these cookies on
The Idea Door,
that I had to make them!
If you have never been over to her blog you have to check it out.
She has some of the best IDEAS.
Our family loves the regular Kiss cookies made this same way but with a chocolate kiss.
The candy corn kiss just looks so fun.
I found the candy corn kisses at Target in the seasonal area.
My kids love to help me unwrap the kisses, and put them in the cookie, then of course eat them!


Candy Corn Kiss Cookies
adapted from the Idea Door

What you need:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling cookie dough in)
48 Hershey® Kisses® chocolate candies, unwrapped


How to Make:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beating until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into creamed mixture until well mixed.

3. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Optional - you can lightly roll cookie dough balls in the 1/4 of sugar before you bake.

4. Place balls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss or candy corn kiss into the center of each cookie (cookie will crack around edges). Remove from cookie sheet and let cookies cool on wire racks or tin foil.

Yields 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Classic Oatmeal Cookie

I have been on a oatmeal kick lately.
These Classic Oatmeal Cookies are a new favorite for our family.
They are PERFECT!
Soft and chewy but also a little crispy on the outside.
The day I made these, I happened to have a few visitors come to our house and of course shared these cookies with them. They were a HUGE HIT, I then gave our visitors the recipe.
If you like oatmeal cookies you have to give these a try.
My boys keep asking me when I will make them again, soon I hope.
Enjoy!

Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

FROM: My Kitchen Cafe

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add Baking soda, powder, and salt and mix. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

These little bites are a perfect combo of
Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Crunch.
I made these with my youngest son (Seth) for a after school snack for my other son (Isaac) and why not a after work snack for my hubby.
They store very well and last for at least a week in the refrigerator.
So if you have a thing for Peanut Butter and Chocolate. . .
you will love these!
Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

From Stephanies Kitchen

makes about 45 sandwiches

1 cup of peanut butter (creamy works best)
2 Tbsp softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar (you may need more)
3/4 cup brown sugar (you may need more)
Pretzels (the waffle shaped ones)
1 bag good quality chocolate (I like milk)

1. Using a mixer, combine peanut butter and softened butter and beat until smooth. Add the sugars and stir to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. If not, add more sugar ( a little bit of each) until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll. Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball and set on a cookie sheet. I like to roll all the balls and then sandwich them between two whole pretzels. When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

2. Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely. Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are a Olsen family favorite.
They have the consistency of pumpkin cookies,
more cake like not crispy like your average oatmeal cookie.
I almost always have these ingredients on hand, they are very quick to throw together and cook.
Great for school lunch treats or after school snacks.
Enjoy!



Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

-1 cup applesauce
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 cup shortening**
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (NOT INSTANT)
-1/2 teaspoon cloves
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Cream together shortening (**NOTE** I use the shortening bars they are a lot easier, I hate digging out shortening out of the can) sugar, applesauce.

3. Add egg and vanilla mix until well combined.

4. Mix in all dry ingredients, just until combined. Do not over mix.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. On a greased cookie sheet drop 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes.

makes about 18 cookies

Snickerdoodles

This is another cookie that brings back some good childhood memories for me.
My mom used to make these for us as kids.
I remember helping her roll the dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture, watching them cook in the oven, then eating one warm off of the pan.
Now I do the same with my kids.
A glass of cold milk goes really well with these yummy cookies.
Enjoy!!


Snickerdoodles

-1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-3 cups of flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

topping:
-4 Tablespoon sugar
-2 teaspoon cinnamon

How to Make:
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high speed. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tarter.
3. Sift and pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. In a small bowl combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the topping.
6. Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll in into a ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press slightly down onto a ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
7. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes and NO MORE. The cookies may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are removed from the oven. When the cookie have cooled they should be soft and chewy in the middle.

Makes about 2 dozen

No Bake Cookies

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Oats . . . Oh my!
I made these cookies with the help of my two little boys.
They had so much fun pouring, mixing, and then EATING!
This was a great Friday afternoon snack and treat.
Very easy to make, and just as easy to EAT. ENJOY!

No Bakes Cookies
adapted from Janelle O.

Makes about one dozen:

Combine in a Sauce Pan:
1/4 cup butter
4 Tbs. Cocoa powder
3 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup milk

Stir constantly over hight heat for 5 minutes or till butter has melted.

REMOVE FROM HEAT and add:
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups rolled oats

Mix well and drop onto waxed paper or lightly greased cookie sheet. Let cool and enjoy!

Shirley J Blueberry Muffins

Shirley J Blueberry Muffins

For 1 Dozen Muffins you will need:

-1 1/2 cups of Cold Water
-3 cups of Shirley J Blueberry Muffin Mix

Make:
Mix for 2 minutes, pour into a greased muffin tin.
Sprinkle with Cinnamon and Sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes.

(This mix is sold in a 5 lb bag and will make 6 doz muffins cost is $19.95)