Citrus Tea Cookies

Dough needs to be chilled before baking.

·        1 C    Sugar

·        ¾ C   Butter

·        1 Egg

·        2 T    Corn Syrup

·        2 C    Flour

·        1 t      Baking Soda

·        1 t      Baking Powder

·        1 t      Lemon or Orange Extract

·        lemon or orange zest (optional)

Cream butter with sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg, corn syrup, and citrus extract.

Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Cover and chill dough at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Roll chilled dough into walnut sized balls*, then roll in sugar.

Place on baking sheet.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes (less baking time makes them chewier)

Recipe in original format was: :  Lemon Sugar Tea Cookies from CookieRecipe.com

*I doubled the recipe with no problem and I used the small end of a melon baller to "scoop" out the dough.  I would scoop out about fifteen to twenty at a time, then roll them, then place them in a wide bowl to coat with sugar.

The plate holding the cookies above is a small dessert plate so it gives you an idea of the size of the cookies.  If not making them for a buffet, I probably would scoop the dough with my usual cookie scoop.

I think they would also be good baked without rolling in sugar and then drizzled with a light glaze of confectioners sugar mixed with a little lemon juice after they cool.

Candied Cranberries

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cups Fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine sugar and water in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.

Bring to a boil.. no stirring... to soft ball stage (235 degrees).

Sir in cranberries, cook four (4) minutes until coated with syrup.  Drain well.

Discard syrup and arrange in single layer.  Cool.

(Will show picture soon.)

Beverly Nye's "rich" brownies

This recipe makes a cake-like brownie that (when completely cooled) can easily be cut into small squares.  It is good to take to potlucks as it travels well, too.

Beverly Nye's Rich Chocolate Brownies

Melt 2 sticks butter and add 7 T. cocoa (I often use only 4).

Then add 2 Cups sugar and beat well (I often use 1 1/2).

Add:
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups flour
Dash salt

Mix well.  Stir in nuts if desired.

Spread in greased 9 x 12" pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 min.

(I have let the butter-cocoa mixture cool and then just added everything else to the saucepan!)

For the thin layer of frosting I used today...

1/2 stick butter at room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa

Blend together in mixer until smooth.  Add milk about a tablespoon at a time until you get the fluffy consistency you want.  Be patient or you will add too much and then you have to add more sugar and then more cocoa and well, it can get to be a mess.

Pumpkin Cookies

I am posting these again just so new readers will find the recipe easier (and I finally remembered to take pictures before they were all eaten). A very delicious cookie and one of or favorites.

They are from Brenda Hyde's former Old Fashioned Living e-mail newsletter.

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening (I use 1/2 butter, 1/2 margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 cup mashed pumpkin
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins (optional, I prefer them without raisins)

*I often double this recipe by doubling all ingredients and using an entire can of pumpkin.

Cream shortening , sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs and
mix well.Add sifted dry ingredients and raisins. Drop
from spoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake at
375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes.

Frosting for Pumpkin Cookies

3 Tbsp. butter
4 tsp. milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Cook butter , milk and brown sugar until dissolved:
Cool and add powdered sugar and vanilla .

**Finely chopped walnuts or pecans
(optional for pressing into the frosting if desired... immediately after frosting the cookie)

Spread on cooled cookies (original recipe called for frosting them warm, I found waiting until they cool much better). Yield 4- 5 dozen.

*  Be sure if you double cookie recipe to also double frosting.  
**I usually press finely chopped nuts into about half the cookies.

Pumpkin Bars

I know pumpkin bars have been around for awhile. This recipe is from one of the best cooks in Muscatine, Iowa! The church we attended there had amazing pot lucks. It's one of my all time favorite recipes, especially in autumn and winter... so easy and it serves a lot.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
16 oz. can pumpkin (I think they are 15 oz. now)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Cup toasted walnuts or pecans (optional) *

Cream sugar and oil; add eggs and pumpkin; mix until smooth. Combine flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour into well greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 min (20 min. seems to work fine in my stove). Ice when completely cool.

ICING **

All ingredients at room temperature

3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional but good)
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese; add vanilla and then powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. This is not as fluffy as regular icing.

Spread over pumpkin bars when they are completely cooled.  If desired, press toasted nuts into part of the freshly iced cake before cutting into squares.

** I often double the icing recipe, especially if I'm going to press nuts into it.  I double everything but leave the butter to one stick, which is more than enough.

 * I love checking out how professional caterers fix and display food, that's where I learned this trick of pressing toasted nuts into part of a baked good instead of putting them in the batter.  It is especially good for making one recipe for people who dislike nuts in their food and people who love them.

I was at an "After the Concert" open house for the youth symphony in the City.  The caterer had used this idea.   I have "borrowed" it in so many baked goods since then.

Weight Watchers Pineapple Angel Food Cake

This is so quick and quite delicious. It doesn't have to be refrigerated when finished but I like the texture when it is cold. Serve with a dollop of Cool Whip or whipped cream if available.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 Pkg. angel food cake mix
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in its' juice

With a spoon, mix together (do not drain the pineapple) the pineapple and cake mix. Pour into ungreased 9 x 13 dish. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Pan must be ungreased so cake can rise properly.

Cucumber Sandwiches

This is the vegetarian sandwich I put together for the graduation open house. I think it would be wonderful for a tea party, too. This is just the basic recipe, one could do a lot with it.

Cucumber Sandwiches

• 2 loaves mini French bread (baguettes would work well, too)
• 1 English cucumber
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• Seasoned rice vinegar (any vinegar would probably be fine)
• Favorite herbs - I used dried dill and thyme

Thinly slice cucumber and place in a small bowl. Cover with vinegar and let set 30 to 60 minutes (30 is really all you need). Drain vinegar.

Mix together herbs (to taste) and cream cheese. If needed, add a little milk or cream to make it lighter. However, if the cream cheese is at room temperature, it should mix up just fine. I like the taste of the herbs to come through so I started with a half teaspoon of each and added a "pinch" until I got the flavor I wanted. You may want to add a pinch of salt.

Slice bread to desired thickness. I think mine was about 1/8th of an inch but I'd slice them a little thicker if they were to be more filling, as for a tea party. Spread cream cheese mixture on the bread and then top with two cucumbers.

Serve on your prettiest plate or serving platter.

Shrimp Salad for sandwiches

I saw this Paula Deen recipe all over the Internet. I may use it for the Graduation Open House since I have two packages of cooked baby shrimp in the freezer.

I wouldn't do it for the open house but for a tea party, these would be great on dainty miniature croissants.

Paula Deen's Shrimp Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, minced
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 dash onion salt
• salt and pepper
• 1 dash seasoning salt
• 1 dash celery salt
• 8 slices your choice bread, toasted
• lettuce
• tomato, slices

Directions

1. 1 Cut shrimp up and transfer to a bowl.

2. 2 Add eggs, celery, and mayonnaise and mix well.

3. 3 Add seasonings, to taste, and stir to combine.

4. 4 Spread additional mayonnaise on both sides of bread.

5. 5 Heap shrimp salad onto bread and then cut sandwiches in half.

6. 6 Serve with lettuce and tomato, if desired.

From: RecipeZaar

Key Lime Squares

I think I'm making these for Saturday. I'll let you know how we like it!

I have plenty of key lime juice to use up. I like Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice. I think I got it at Target but I've seen it at other grocery stores. Don't let anyone tell you bottled stuff is not good... this is excellent. I use it all the time for key lime pie (my hubby's favorite).

Key Lime Squares

Recipe From: CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

Serves/Makes: 2.5 dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
4 eggs
1 lime peel grated (I may use lemon peel instead, since I already have one)
1/4 cup flour

Directions:
Mix first four ingredients, then press in an ungreased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beat together remaining ingredients. Whisk together and pour over hot crust. Bake 30 minutes.

Cool on a rack and cut into squares. Sift powdered sugar on top when cool.


This recipe is from CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
© 1995-2008 CDKitchen, Inc.

German Chocolate Cookies

Click to Enlarge

These cookies are absolutely delicious. I made them for my husband's birthday instead of German Chocolate Cake (his favorite). They do take a little extra time to prepare but they are worth it, especially for a special occasion.

They are also quite rich... but delicious. I think my husband liked them better than German chocolate cake... and that is saying something.

I froze some of the cookies I made after frosting them and before adding the chocolate on top (well, except for that one lone cookie that eventually made its' way to the serving plate. :)

German Chocolate Cookies

Cookie Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/4 cup flaked coconut

German chocolate icing:
1 egg
1 5 oz. can evaporated milk (or measure 5 oz. from larger can)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
1- 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Chocolate drizzle:
12 oz. chocolate chips
-0r-
dipping chocolate
(I had some dipping chocolate left so I melted it and it worked great)

For frosting, in a saucepan, combine the egg, milk, sugar, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 10 - 12 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Mixture will reach 160 degrees (I didn't check temp, I just stopped when mixture thickened). Take off heat. Stir in coconut and pecans. Set aside and let cool.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in 2 cups chips and coconut. Drop by tablespoons 2" apart onto ungreased baking sheets. (I used my cookie scoop, which looks like a little ice scream scoop). Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet for ten min. before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

In microwave, melt the chocolate chips or chocolate dipping chocolate. Frost the cookies when completely cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

(Recipe originally from Taste of Home magazine)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

We all thought this was delicious when I made it over the Holidays. Next time I'm going to use lemon extract and add some lemon zest. Whatever extract used, this would make a wonderful cake to be served with strawberries and whipped cream. I drizzled some melted white chocolate over it before serving at Christmas. As with many such cakes, it is even better the second and third day after baking... albeit hard to stay away from that first day. :)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined.

Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes* or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 1 (10-inch) cake


From: Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2001

*You should also be able to bake these in two (2) 8 1/2" loaf pans for 60 to 70 minutes. Test center with a toothpick, if ready then set the loaf pans out to cool about ten minutes, then remove the pound cake.

Cranberry Orange Scones

2 cups all purpose flour
10 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cold butter
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup half and half cream
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries (I used fresh frozen cranberries)
1 tablespoon milk

Glaze: 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2+ tablespoons orange juice

In large bowl, mix flour, 7 teaspoons of sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In small bowl or measuring cup, combine orange juice, cream, orange extract, egg, and dried cranberries (if using fresh cranberries, add when kneading). Add to flour mixture, measure just until soft dough forms. On a floured surface, knead very gently about six times. Pat dough into 8 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges.

Separate wedges and place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk, sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine glaze ingredients to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over each scone.

To use food processor:

Combine all dried ingredients into food processor bowl. Add butter and pulse just until mixture becomes crumbly. Pour liquid ingredients without any cranberries into processor. Pulse just until mixture comes together.

Proceed as above recipe, adding cranberries after taking out of processor.

This recipe is delicious and moist. I'm going to try it using lemon juice, lemon extract, and poppy seeds very soon.

Cinnamon chip scones

This recipe is easy and delicious!
From: The White Lily Tearoom
in Bluff Park, Alabama

Cinnamon Chip Scones
3 cups self-rising flour*
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature (yes, I know scone recipes usually call for cold butter)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup cinnamon chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter cookie sheet.

In large mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer), mix flour and sugar.

Mix in butter with dry ingredients just until mixture resembles cornmeal. (I just used the paddle attachment and it worked fine.)

Add heavy cream and cinnamon chips to mixture. Mix together until dough forms, mixing as little as needed.

Pat into a 1/2 inch thickness and cut out with a 2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Do not overbake.

I let them cool on the baking sheet.

Makes nine scones.

*If you don't have self-rising flour, for each cup of flour add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4th teaspoon salt.  Whisk together with the flour before using it in a recipe.

Beverly Nye's "Basic Mints"

In Beverly's cookbook called A Family Raised on Sunshine, she gives this recipe for Spring. While it is nice enough just rolled into patties, you can also mold it in a candy mold for pretty shapes.

Basic Mints

Knead together with hands*:

8 oz. package cream cheese, room temp
2 lb. package powdered sugar

Color and flavor as desired:

Lemon-Yellow
Mint-Pink
Wintergreen-Green

*I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to mix these ingredients.

Either shape into small patties or mold with candy molds. I've seen some candy makers roll these in white sugar immediately after shaping.

You can also just add mint flavoring, form into patties, and dip into dipping chocolate.

Mamaw's Marvelous Lemon Pound Cake

I love this recipe! It is one that I cut out of a magazine and "pasted" it in one of the photo albums where I keep such magazine and newspaper articles I've clipped out to save. (The kind that has a plastic sheet that you can lift up and has a sticky background to hold pictures...or magazine articles!)

The recipe calls for it to be baked in a Bundt pan. However, since I was making it the last time for a dessert buffet, I baked it in the mini Bundt pan that makes six mini cakes. I then cut the little cakes into 1/8ths and drizzled the glaze on the cut pieces. This way, all the cake gets some of the drizzle. (There was enough batter left over to make mini muffins, too!)

The article didn't say what magazine this was from but I think it was either Tea Time or Southern Lady.

Mamaw's Marvelous Lemon Pound Cake

2 sticks butter, room temp
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, room temp
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
3 Tablespoons pure lemon extract (I used 1 Tablespoon lemon and 1 Tablespoon vanilla)*

*I think orange extract would taste great, too.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons lemon juice (or milk if you don't have juice)

Cream the butter and sugar, beating very well, recipe says "almost beat to death"! Add eggs, one at a time.

Combine the flour, baking powder and lemon extract in one bowl. (I add the extract to the milk, it works better for me that way.)

Add flour mixture and milk to batter, alternating flour/milk/flour/milk. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into a greased Bundt pan and place in a cold oven. Set the oven to 325 and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

For the six mini Bundt cakes pan, I bake in a preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes.

For mini muffins, I baked them in a preheated 350 oven for approx. 20 minutes.

Glaze: Combine the powder sugar and lemon juice (or milk), making it as thick as possible (sometimes I have to add a little more liquid for the right consistency), then apply the glaze to the cake. Let the glaze "set" before serving.

(As I said, if I'm serving it buffet style--already sliced and on a platter--I don't drizzle it on the top of the cake, I drizzle it over the slices.)

MaMaw's Victorian Jam Cake

My sister, Jean, updated my grandmother's original Victorian era Jam Cake recipe. When she made MaMaw's version, the cake was 12 in. high! This one she says is delicious and managable.

Jam Cakes were very popular in the Victorian age. I've seen them mentioned often in old fashioned books. I have not made this but Jean is an excellent cook.

Grandma Vick's Jam Cake (ala' Jean)

Cream together: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, then add...4 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda (disolved in buttermilk)

4 Cups flour
1 tsp. each: ground cloves, cinnamon, allspice

2 cups blackberry jam (seedless better)

Sift flour and spices; add to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Add jam last, mix well.

Pour batter into four 9" round cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until it tests done. Cool cakes completely before filling and frosting.

Filling:

3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup milk
1 cup butter

Boil to soft stage, stir in:
1 box raisins (1 lb.)
1 pkg. figs, cut up (small package), more if you like
1 cup coconut
Beat until thick (enough for three layers)

Caramel Icing:

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 Tbls. butter
Powdered sugar
Cream cheese (optional)

Cook brown sugar and butter to boiling, pour into mixer, while beating add powdered sugar gradually, until thick enough to spread on cake.

Since this icing gets very hard and will crack on cake, Jean mixes in a little cream cheese (1/2 of three ounce package) to keep icing softer.

Can cut recipe in half for a 2-layer cake.

Dream Bars

Dream Bars
¼ cup shortening
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup flour

Mix together and pat in bottom of square pan. (I used 9 x 13, they were a little flat but baked fine.) Bake 10 min. at 325 degrees.

Then prepare the following:

2 tbsp. Flour
¼ tsp. Salt
1 cup flaked Coconut (I used 1 ½ cups)
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ tsp. Baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used ½ cup of chopped pecans)
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder over nuts and coconut. In a separate bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1 cup brown sugar and vanilla and add to first mixture. Spread evenly over baked crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

Christmas cookies

Here are some of the tried and true Christmas cookie recipes I've used over the years. I'll be adding more soon.

I always use real unsalted butter in my cookies (unless a recipe calls for margarine or butter flavored Crisco). I also only use pure extracts (never use imitation vanilla if you want a good quality baked item). I prefer King Arthur flour most of the year but at Christmas, when I am doing a lot of baking, I will also use Gold Medal flour with excellent results.


Jewel Cookies

2 Cups flour
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 Cup white sugar
2 Large egg yolks

Filling: Cherry or Apricot preserves (can also use nuts, Hershey's kiss, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks just until blended. Add flour, again just until blended. Break off walnut size piece and roll into a ball. Flatten each ball with thumb in middle, making an indentation. Fill with preserves.

Bake on greased cookie sheet 20 to 25 minutes.


Butterballs (from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

1 Stick butter, room temp
3 T. honey
1 Cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T. vanilla extract
1 Cup pecans, chopped somewhat fine
3/4 Cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease cookie sheets.

Cream butter, beat in honey. Gradually mix in flour and salt, then vanilla...add pecans. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Form balls by hand, the size of a quarter. Place 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven, as soon as cool to the touch, roll in conf. sugar. Cool completely and roll in conf. sugar again.


Chocolate Chip Brickle Bars (From Christmas-Cookies.com)

1/2 Cup (one stick) butter, room temp
1 1/2 Cups graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. Can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. almond brickle chips (like Skors)
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup chopped nuts (sometimes I use coconut instead)

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt butter in 9 x 13" dish in the preheated oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter, pour condensed milk over the crumbs. Sprinkle brickle chips, chocolate chips and nuts (I like to put nuts on half the mixture, coconut on the other half to please both guys in my family). Press down firmly.

Bake until lightly browned, 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Cherry/Chocolate/Toffee Chip Cookies (from Martha Stewart's TV show)

1 1/2 Cup flour
1 t. baking soda
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 Cups sugar
3/4 Cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 Cup quick oats

1 Cup EACH: Dried Cherries, Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chunks, Skor's Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour and soda (sift if you have a sifter), set aside. Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Then add egg and vanilla. Combine with flour. Add oatmeal and then the dried cherries, chocolate and toffee.

The original recipe called for dough to be divided into 3 logs, rolled in plastic wrap, chilled and then sliced and baked. I still do this if I'm going to freeze the dough but I found that time consuming and the dough tended to crumble when I cut it (which it doesn't do when frozen).

However, I have had great success with dropping dough by teaspoons (I actually use a little cookie scoop purchased from Target) onto baking sheet and baked 8 - 10 minutes.

Everyone I give these cookies to love them.

Rasberry Truffle Brownies (From Country Woman magazine)

1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 Cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 t. instant coffee
2 T. water
1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 Cup flour

Filling
1 Cup chocolate chips
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese - room temp
1/4 Cup confectioners sugar
1/3 Cup seedless rasberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Cool.

In large bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar. Dissolve coffee crystals in water and add to egg mixture with the melted chocolate. Mix well.

Combine baking powder and flour, stir into chocolate mixture. Pour into 9" well greased square dish and bake 30-35 minutes. Cool.

For filling: Melt chocolate chips and cool. Beat cream cheese until smooth, add conf. sugar and jam. Stir in cooled melted chocolate chips. Spread over cooled brownies.

Chill very well before cutting for filling to get firm. Store in the refrigerator.

This is amazing...rich but amazing.

Cowboy Cookies

I found this recipe in a book a few weeks ago and I tried it soon after. I "kind of" liked it but there were changes I knew would make it better. After trying the changes today, I've got to say this is the BEST cookie. It's even better than my chocolate chip cookies and people love them.

This makes a huge batch of cookies. I had enough to send to a young friend at University and plenty to fill our cookie jar. My huge stand mixer strained at this big batch. I suggest mixing wet ingredients with a mixer and then mix in dry ingredients by hand in very large bowl.

Added:  Yes, recipe can easily be cut in half! Also, I have made this with all butter and no margarine.

Cowboy Cookies

1 cup (two sticks) margarine, room temp
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups unbleached flour
4 cups quick (not instant) oatmeal, uncooked
3 cups chocolate chips (I used 1 pkg. regular choc. chips and 1/2 pkg. mini chocolate chips)
1 cup coconut
1 cup Heath english toffee bits (or chopped nuts, I used the toffee bits)

Whip margarine, butter, and sugar untill fluffy. Add eggs and then vanilla.

Whisk together in large bowl... flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix into cream mixture. Add oats, then remaining ingredients.

Scoop out onto cookie sheet (I use a small cookie scoop but I expect a tablespoon would do just fine.)

Bake 7 - 10 minutes, until lightly golden on top. My oven took ten minutes.

Two great cake recipes

I was reading over some Holiday recipes the other day. I thought you might like these two recipes to use in the months ahead. Since both are better made ahead, they are perfect for Holiday cooking.

The first recipe, Chocolate Chip Apple Cake, came from a friend so it's known as "Sheila's Cake" in our house. It's probably the cake both my daughter and I bake most often. It's best made the day before but I have to hide it to do that.

The lemon cake is one I made for my daughter's wedding open house. She had a small wedding and reception but a large open house for friends a couple of weeks after the wedding. I like to include something chocolate, something lemon and perhaps something with berries for buffets. People raved about this cake. It's a Lora Lee Parrott recipe from one of her cookbooks. This cake needs to be made at least one day before serving, also.

Chocolate Chip Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees*

2 sticks butter - soft (I often use 1 stick butter and 1/2 C. canola oil instead)
2 C. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 C. water
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 C. flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (a pinch) of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 C. apples, peeled and chopped
12 oz. bag semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter (or butter and oil) and sugar. Add eggs and mix, then add water and vanilla.

Stir together flour, cocoa, soda, salt and spices. Beat into creamed mixture. Add apples and chocolate chips.

Pour batter into greased tube or bundt pan. Bake for 1 1/4 hours. Cool on a rack.

*My daughter made these into cup cakes. I'm thinking she baked them at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Just check after fifteen minutes to see how they look, then check every five minutes and write down how long it took (which I didn't do).

Lemon Gelatin Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 package yellow or lemon cake mix
1 package lemon Jello-O (3 oz.)
1 C. boiling water
dash - salt
4 eggs
3/4 C. vegetable oil
2 C. conf. sugar
1/2 C. lemon juice

Combine boiling water with Jell-O. Set aside.

Beat eggs lightly, add oil, salt, Jell-O mix, and cake mix. Beat for two minutes on medium speed.

Bake in a 9 x 3 dish for 30-45 min.

When baked, pierce all over with fork. Mix conf. sugar with lemon juice, pour over cake while it is still hot. This creates a glaze when it cools.

Make a day or two before serving.