Chex Snack Bars

December 10, 2010 by

These no-bake bars are easy to make and a hit with everyone. Originally a Girl Scout recipe, I’ve tweaked things a bit to suit my taste and renamed it. Considered a one-pot meal, the Girl Scout recipe goes by the name Garbage, and that’s just not very holiday-appropriate (though it might make it more of a hit with kids). Chex Snack Bars are the tenth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 large box of Chex cereal (e.g., Rice Chex)
  • 1 cup peanuts (or your favorite nut)
  • 1 box powdered sugar
  • 1 12-oz. bag chocolate chips
  • 1 cup raisins
  • (optional) ½ cup M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces (holiday colors if possible)

Directions

  1. Spray a 13" by 9" pan lightly with nonstick spray.
  2. Melt butter or margarine in large dutch oven..
  3. Stir in peanut butter until well blended.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
  5. Spread in prepared 13" by 9" pan and allow to cool completely.
  6. Cut cooled bars into squares, and store in a tightly covered container.

Variations

  • Choose your favorite cereal. The original recipe calls for Rice Chex, but Rice, Corn, or Wheat would all work. You might also substitute Crispix or Rice Krispies.
  • The original recipe calls for a bag of mini marshmallows.
  • I like to add the M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces for a touch of color.

Filed under Candy, Cookies

Hidden Mint Cookies

December 9, 2010 by

I first saw these cookies on Paula’s Home Cooking with Paula Deen. They’re so simple that once hear the recipe once, you’re ready to go. Their secret is that they use all pre-made ingredients. The work is all assembly and waiting for the yummy cookies to emerge from the oven! Hidden Mint Cookies are the ninth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 15 mint cookies (e.g., Girl Scout Thin Mints or Keebler Grasshoppers)
  • (optional) Chopped nuts for topping

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Grease cookie sheets.
  3. Slice sugar cookie dough into 30 ¼” slices.
  4. Layer 15 slices on the prepared cookie sheet.
  5. Top each slice with a mint cookie.
  6. Cover the mint cookie with another sugar cookie (so you essentially have a sandwich).
  7. Press the edges of the sugar cookies together on each sandwich so that the mint cookie is sealed inside.
  8. Sprinkle tops of cookies with chopped nuts, if desired.
  9. Bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are golden. Be sure not to overcook (as it dries out the hidden mint cookie).
  10. Allow cookies to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container.

Variations

  • These cookies are a variation on the candy-stuffed cookies. If you don’t like the taste of mint cookies, substitute a snack-sized candy bar for the mint cookies.
  • If the sugar cookie dough is too soft to slice easily, put the roll in the freezer for 20 –30 minutes before slicing.

Time Required: 20 minutes

Servings: 15 cookies

Filed under Cookies

Orange Cookies

December 8, 2010 by

Orange cookies, the eighth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas, are another family recipe, this time my mother’s mother’s recipe. The taste of these cookies always makes me smile—especially that orange frosting. Mmm.

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs, one at a time
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 cups flour (More if orange is very juicy)
  • Juice from One orange, plus grated rind,
          or 1 cup orange juice and 2 tbsp orange rind
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Orange Powdered Sugar Frosting

  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange rind

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Grease and flour cookie sheets.
  3. Combine all ingredients. Batter will be thick.
  4. Drop cookies by spoonful onto prepared cookie sheet.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Allow cookies to cool completely.
  7. Combine powdered sugar with grated orange rind.
  8. Add orange juice, one tablespoon at a time until frosting is spreadable. Be careful not to use too much juice.
  9. Ice cooled cookies with frosting.

Time Required: 75 minutes

Servings: 10 dozen

Filed under Cookies

No-Bake Candy Cups

December 7, 2010 by

I learned the fun of candy making several years ago, when I took a Wilton candymaking class at the local Michael’s. Wilton Candy Melts make it easy to create simple candy and bark with nothing but a microwave. Here’s one combination I invented from the ingredients on hand when I wanted a fast treat. No-Bake Candy Cups are the seventh of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds white Candy Melts
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 3 cups Rice Krispies
  • 2 cups peanuts

Directions

  1. Melt the Candy Melts in the microwave, according to the package directions.
  2. Spray two silicone mini-muffin pan lightly with nonstick spray.
  3. Stir peanut butter into the melted candy melts.
  4. Mix Rice Krispies and peanuts.
  5. Pour the candy mixture over the Rice Krispies and peanuts, stirring to combine.
  6. Spoon mixture into mini-muffin pan.
  7. Chill until solid and remove from pan. Once solid, candy should be fine at room temperature, but return to the refrigerator for storage if necessary.

Variations

  • Choose another color of Candy Melts if desired, but remember the peanut butter may change the color slightly.
  • Use chocolate Candy Melts and Cocoa Pebbles for Chocolate Candy Cups.
  • A silicone pan is ideal for this recipe, as you can push the formed candy out of the pan. Paper liners in a metal pan can work, but the paper may stick to the candy in places.

Filed under Candy, Cookies Tagged with , ,

Original Girl Scout Cookies

December 6, 2010 by

In the early days, Girl Scouts raised money by baking and selling cookies—a sugar, shortbread cookie usually cut in the shape of a trefoil. Today there are two bakeries that supply all the cookies that are sold by Girl Scouts in the United States, but you can try one of the original recipes for cookies in your kitchen. Original Girl Scout Cookies are the sixth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Sugar for decoration

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Cream butter and sugar.
  3. Beat eggs and then add to butter and sugar.
  4. Add milk and vanilla, mixing well.
  5. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.
  6. Chill at least 1 hour.
  7. Roll ⅛” thick on floured board.
  8. Cut into trefoil shapes with a cookie cutter.
  9. Place on ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar.
  10. Bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until edges are brown.

Variations

  • If you don’t have a trefoil cookie cutter, use whatever you have on hand. Traditionally, a round cookie cutter would be the best substitute.
  • Decorative sugar is the traditional topping, but any sugar or decorative sprinkle can work. Try cinnamon sugar or colored sugar if you prefer..

Time Required: 75 minutes

Servings: 6–7 dozen

Filed under Cookies Tagged with

Blueberry Oat Bars

December 5, 2010 by

My mother loves blueberries. She starts nearly every day with a blueberry bagel smothered in blueberry preserves. When I found this simple recipe for blueberry cookies, I was pretty sure I found a new cookie she’d love. Blueberry Oat Bars are the fifth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg blueberry muffin mix
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup blueberry preserves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Grease 8" square pan.
  3. Rinse and drain blueberries from muffin mix.
  4. Combine: dry muffin mix, oats, and sugar.
  5. Cut in butter.
  6. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crumb mixture.
  7. Press the rest on bottom of greased 8 inch square pan.
  8. Gently fold blueberries into jam, and spoon over crumb mixture in pan.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over jam and press lightly into berry mixture.
  10. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
  11. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Variations

  • Create Cranberry Orange Oat Bars by substituting cranberry-orange muffin mix and orange marmalade.

Time Required: 35 minutes

Servings: 9–12 cookie bars

Filed under Cookies Tagged with ,

Ethel’s Sugar Cookies

December 4, 2010 by

I have no idea who Ethel is, but these are the sugar cookie against which all others are measured. A recipe from my mother’s Betty Crocker cookbook, these are the cookies she made for every occasion when we were younger. Probably the simplest cookie I’ve ever made, but also my favorite. Ethel’s Sugar Cookies are the fourth of my 25 Cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup shortening (optionally ½ butter)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sugar for decoration

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and flavoring together.
  3. Measure flour by dip-level-pour, or by sifting.
  4. Blend flour, baking powder and salt.
  5. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  6. Chill at least 1 hour.
  7. Roll 1/8″ thick on floured board.
  8. Cut with 3″ cookie cutter.
  9. Place on ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar or other decorations, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes.

Variations

  • Decorative sugar is the traditional topping, but any sugar or decorative sprinkle can work. Try cinnamon sugar, nonpariels, or a seasonal topping like Wilton’s Sprinklings. Can also be frosted after baked and allowed to cool completely.
  • Substitute lemon flavoring for the vanilla extract.
  • Add chocolate chips or your favorite stir-ins and use the drop cookie method for a nice change from your basic sugar cookie..
  • For drop cookies, skip the refrigeration, and drop by rounded spoonfuls ont baking sheet.
  • For a basic coffee cake, put dough in greased square pan, sprinkle with sugar, and bake 20-25 minutes.

Time Required: 45 minutes

Servings: 4 dozen

Filed under Cookies

7 Layer Cookies

December 3, 2010 by

I first tasted 7-layer cookies, also known as “magic pan cookies,” when I was babysitting at the house across the street. They seemed like the most decadent thing in the world. I was so taken by them that I went through the recipe box in the kitchen, found the recipe, and copied it down. They’re a great cookie when you are in a hurry since they come together quickly and all in one pan (and a favorite with babysitters). It’s the third of my 25 cookies of Christmas.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter or oleo
  • 1½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not evaporated)
  • 1 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 pkg (6 oz) peanut butter chips
  • 1 can (3½ oz.) flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray 13″ x 9″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Melt butter in baking pan, either by placing in the oven. If using a glass pan, you can also melt the butter in the microwave.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter.
  6. Pour sweetened condensed milk over crumbs.
  7. Top with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts.
  8. Press down gently.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Cool, cut and serve.

Variations

  • Vary the toppings added to this cookie to suit your taste. You might try white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, mint chocolate chips, more than one kind of nuts, and so on.
  • To store, include a piece of wax paper between the layers to keep cookies from sticking together.

Time Required: 45 minutes plus cooling time

Servings: 2 dozen

Filed under Cookies

Preacher Cookies

December 2, 2010 by

Today is my brother-in-law’s birthday, so for the second of my 25 cookies of Christmas, I’m sharing the recipe for his favorite cookies. Each year I make him a batch as part of his Christmas present.

The name of these no-bake cookies supposedly comes from the days when preachers rode the circuit, visiting their parishioners. The cook looked out the window and noticed the preacher riding toward her house from across the valley. Either because she didn’t have the right ingredients or didn’t have enough time (depending upon the version of the story you read), she whipped together this simple cookie and had them ready to serve the preacher when he got to her home.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 cups sugar
  • Dash of Salt
  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Directions

  1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass pan or a jelly roll pan.
  2. Combine butter, milk, cocoa, sugar and salt in a large saucepan, and boil for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in oatmeal, peanut butter and vanilla.
  4. Pour into a the prepared pan and allow to cool.
  5. Once completely cool, cut into 2 1/2″ to 3″ squares and enjoy.

Variations

  • Add raisins or chopped peanuts, if desired.
  • Speed up the cooling process by placing the pan in the refrigerator.
  • To store, include a piece of wax paper between the layers to keep cookies from sticking together.

Time Required: 15 minutes plus cooling time

Servings: 2 dozen

Filed under Cookies Tagged with ,

Pumpkin Cookies

December 1, 2010 by

I remember walking in my great-grandmother’s home on one of our trips to Pennsylvania and finding her packing up these cookies to give to us. At that point, I thought pumpkins were useful only for pies at Thanksgiving. Little did I know! Thanks to the lovely lady I called Great Grandma Hahn, my mother’s father’s mother, for the memory and these tasty treats.

This is the first of 25 cookie recipes I’m posting to celebrate the Christmas holiday, but these pumpkin cookies are tasty any time of year!

Ingredients

  • ½ cup shortening
  • ½ cup soft butter or oleo
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 1 cup raisins
  • ½ to 1 cup nutmeats (e.g., chopped walnuts)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cups sifted flour
  • 1 can evaporated milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Place raisins in a saucepan and cover with water.
  3. Bring water and raisins to a boil over medium heat, and then drain and allow to cool.
  4. Cream together shortening, butter, sugar and egg in a mixing bowl.
  5. Add pumpkin, raisins, nutmeats and vanilla.
  6. Sift together soda, baking powder, cinnamon and flour.
  7. Add flour mixture (dry ingredients) to pumpkin mixture (wet ingredients).
  8. Drop by spoon onto greased cookie sheet and brush with canned milk.
  9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Variations

  • Any chopped nut can be used for the nutmeats—walnuts, pecans, and so forth.
  • Skip the step of boiling raisins if you like. The process makes the raisins plumper and juicier, but isn’t required.
  • Add white chocolate chips after combining wet and dry ingredients for an even richer cookie.

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