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Three Ingredient Fudge

If you are looking for a super easy way to make fudge, then you need to try this recipe for three ingredient fudge. My entire family loves for me to make this for them.

 

  • 3Cups of Chocolate chips – I use Semisweet but you can use milk chocolate as well
  • 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (or make your own)
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter or Margerine

Prepare your pan (8 X 8 or 6 X 9) by greasing it and lining it with wax paper.

Put all into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for another minute if needed. Stir and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla if you like. Pour into pan and spread into corners. Cool completely either in the fridge or in the winter an unheated room. Cut to the size you like and enjoy.

Recipes for making the Sweetened Condensed Milk are easy and there is a good one on this site. It really is a whole lot less expensive than buying it!

 

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Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Gingersnap Cookies

Old fashioned gingersnap cookies are one of my favorite holiday cookies. This is a recipe that we have been making for years. It has been used now for 4 generations–my grandmother, my mother, me, and now my daughter. Gingersnap cookies would look great on any table!

  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Additional sugar
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Roll into 1 inch balls and then roll in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

 

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Holidays

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Over the weekend, I decided to roast a pumpkin to make some bread with. Little did I know that I was going to get almost 4 cups of puree from the pumpkin that I cooked. I had to find something quick to put it in so I made this delicious recipe. It’s a twist on chocolate chip cookies!

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups (12-ounce bag) chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Desserts & Sweets Tagged With:

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1cup sugar
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix egg, sugar, and peanut butter
Fold in chips dough (this will be tacky)

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes at 350 or until done

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Polverones – Cinnamon Cookies

EASY RECIPE

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
…………….
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

HEAT oven to 350 degrees. LINE a cookie sheet with foil and set aside.

COMBINE the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use the electric mixer on high speed to cream the ingredients together (about 2 minutes).

ADD the flour, cinnamon and salt and mix on low speed for 1 minute.

SHAPE the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. CHILL the dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator or in the freezer for 30 minutes.

ROLL the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place on the cookie sheet 1-inch apart.

BAKE on the center oven rack for 15 minutes. REMOVE from the oven and cool the cookies on a wire rack.

Once the cookies are cool, ROLL them in a powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.

MAKES…..48 cookies

NOTES: I left the dough overnight in the refrigerator. After letting it set on the counter until it reached room temperature, the dough was very soft.

I used the smallest dipper to make the dough balls…..1″ diameter.

When cooked, the cookies do not taste very good. After rolling them in the cinnamon/powdered sugar mixture and letting them set overnight in a container, they are delicious…..melt in your mouth. (If you like the taste of cinnamon, these cookies are for you.)

I saved the leftover cinnamon/powdered sugar mixture to be used with oatmeal, cereal, and etc.

Enjoy.

This recipe is on a 5 lb. package of HEB All Purpose Flour.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Easy Whoopie Pie Gobs

  • 1 cake mix (any chocolate cake mix or devil’s food chocolate cake mix)
  • 1 (3-ounce) package of instant chocolate pudding
  • Whoopie Pie Filling (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease the cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, prepare cake mix according to directions on box, but using 3/4 cup of water instead of listed amount. Beat 1 minute.

Add instant chocolate pudding dry mix and beat 1 more minute.

Drop batter by the 1/4 cup (to make 18 cakes) onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake.

Bake 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Whoopie Pie Filling:

Whoopie Pie Filling:

  • 1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
  • 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening, although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only

When the cakes are completely cool, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down gently to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Let finished whoopie pies completely cool before wrapping.

Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap, or place them in a single layer on a platter (do not stack them, as they tend to stick).

To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Loosely pack them in a plastic freezer container and cover. To serve, defrost the wrapped whoopie pies in the refrigerator.

Makes 9 large whoopie pies.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Homemade Granola Bars

These are by far my favorite homemade granola bars. You can easily change the flavor of the by using different chips (i.e. peanut chips in stead of chocolate chips) and adding different nuts and dried fruit.

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 6 ozs milk chocolate chips
  • ½ cup coconut
  • 14 ozs sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups Quaker Natural Cereal
  • ½ cup nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Then place butter into a 13×9 pan and into the hot oven. Take the pan out when the butter has melted and you can roll it around to coat all the edges.

Spread out an even layer of granola into the pan and cook it for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts to the top.

Finally, cover with condensed milk. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Let the granola cool for a few minutes before cutting. The bars will become firm as they cool.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Homemade Rock Candy

I have a neighbor who makes this every year at Christmas time for everyone in the neighborhood. She makes several flavors and packs them into cute little Christmas jars or boxes.It’s an inexpensive but very thoughtful gift any time of the year.

  • You will need:
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup white syrup (Karo works well)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp food coloring
  • 1 tbsp flavoring (your choice)
  • powdered sugar
  • candy thermometer

Line a baking pan with nonstick foil and sprinkle powdered sugar in the bottom of the pan. Sit the pan to the side.

Place sugar, syrup and water in a saucepan with the candy thermometer and bring to a boil. Stir only until the sugar crystal have dissolved.

Once the sugar has reached 300 degrees, remove from the heat and add flavoring and coloring.Give it a quick stir and pour into the pan over the powdered sugar.

Let the sugar cool and then break it into small pieces. Put the pieces into a bowl filled with powdered sugar to give them a light coating.This is so they don’t stick together when you package them.

*Tip: cinnamon and peppermint are great but throw caution to the wind and try using watermelon,coconut, pineapple,or bubblegum. Experiment to find the flavors you like best. I think you’ll like them all!

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

I found this amazing recipe online and decided to make it only minutes after reading about it. If you are living Frugally, then you should have all of these ingredients in your pantry!

I tested it out on my 3 year old daughter and my 40 year old brother – both who can be picky eaters. The end result: Everyone loved them!

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

  • 1/3 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
  • 2 TBSP wheat germ
  • 1 TBSP honey

Mix together and shape into little bite size balls. Refrigerate any uneaten ones :)
You could also melt chocolate and dip one half of the ball into chocolate. Roll in peanuts, cocoa powder or anything else. Let your imagination guide you.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Traditional Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 lb. powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • food coloring

Put all ingredients (except food coloring) in a mixing bowl and beat with mixer on medium-high for 10 minutes. The icing should be thick and shiny, but don’t expect it to look like whipped cream.

If you’re coloring it, just take out what you need and put in a little bowl and stir in food coloring.

Cover the bowl of icing with a clean damp cloth in between uses so the icing stays moist.
If the icing is too thick, just a few drops of water stirred in will thin it out. Do this after you add the food coloring, since that will also add liquid and thin out the icing.

This old fashioned icing hardens nicely to a pretty shine. It’s not the easiest to make and handle, but it makes an extra special icing. If you’re making festive Cut Out Sugar Cookies, you may want to try this traditional icing.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday Recipes, Recipes

Simple Sugar Cookie Icing

  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons milk
  • 4 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • food coloring

Put the powdered sugar and milk into a bowl and whisk together until nice and smooth.
Drizzle in corn syrup, whisking as you add, then drizzle  in vanilla extract, continuing to whisk.
Icing should be nice and smooth and shiny.

If you’re using different colors, divide the icing into small bowls, then stir in the food coloring until you get the colors you need.
After the coloring is added, if the frosting seems too thick, add a drop or two of milk and whisk again.  If the frosting seems too thin, sprinkle in a little more powdered sugar and whisk until smooth again. Food coloring is normally liquid (unless you use the gel kind that candy makers use) so it will change the texture; just adjust as needed.

Use new artist paint brushes (washed) to spread the frosting on your cut out sugar cookies, or use a small knife or the back of a spoon.
Let harden at room temperature then decorate further with candies, sprinkles, or cookie decorating gel.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday Recipes, Recipes

Cut Out Sugar Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar, put mixer on medium-high and cream together until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, with beater on medium.
Add the vanilla, beating until blended.
In separate bowl, sift or mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Start adding the flour mixture with beater running on slow, until a nice dough forms.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight is fine too.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Flour your surface and roll out dough with pastry roller to about 1/4 inch thick.
Dip edges of cookie cutters in flour, then cut out cookies.
Put cut out cookies on ungreased cookie sheets, each cut out about an inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven on middle rack for 6 to 9 minutes (depending on your oven); watch closely.
Remove and cool on a rack before icing.

You can freeze the dough if you wish. Just wrap with plastic food wrap and put in the refrigerator to chill. Then put plastic wrapped dough in zipper freezer bag and seal tight. The dough will be good for up to a month in the freezer. When you are ready to use the dough, remove from freezer and put in refrigerator to thaw.  This will take 3 or 4 hours, depending on your refrigerator temperature.

Take the thawed dough out of the refrigerator, take it out of it’s wrappings, put it in a bowl and loosely cover in clean plastic wrap. Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to make it easier to handle and roll out.

You can also cut out the cookies before you freeze them. After cutting out the cookies as directed above, put each individual cut out on a cookie sheet (no need to allow room between each one; you’re not baking them.)  Put the cookie sheet in the freezer.  After about an hour, remove the cookies and stack in zipper freezer bags with a piece of parchment paper in between each cookie just to make double sure they don’t stick together. When you’re ready to bake them, remove the ones you want, thaw on the kitchen counter for about 20 minutes, then bake as directed.

For the fastest way to decorating, you can cut out the cookies and bake them before freezing.  Just follow the directions for cutting out the cookies and baking them. Then, when cut outs are completely cooled, just stack them up, using a piece of plastic wrap between each one, and put them in zipper freezer bags. When ready to decorate, remove the ones you want from the freezer and thaw on the kitchen counter for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Then decorate as you wish.

Click on these links if you’re looking for a Simple Sugar Cookie Icing recipe or for a more Traditional Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies.  Both are delicious and fun to make.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday Recipes, Recipes

Easy Homemade Sugar Cookies

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • ½ tsp salt

Place the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl and cream them together.(This goes a lot faster if the butter has already been softened.)

Next, sprinkle in flour and salt until it is all incorporated.Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into small balls. Place the balls onto a lined cookie sheet.Flatten the balls of dough with a fork dipped in powdered sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Easy Homemade Brownies

This recipe was one of the first my mom got as a new bride transported from Alabama to California early in 1968 while my father was in the Navy. I think it came from another Navy wife from Texas. Mama was thrilled to have this recipe because it didn’t require a mixer, which she didn’t have. I have been making these brownies since I was 9 years old–31 years now! This recipe seems easier and probably cheaper than using brownie mix.

1 stick margarine
2 heaping Tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa*
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a square pan (or use Pam spray). Melt margarine and cocoa together in saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat. Stir in sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in flour and vanilla, and nuts if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean. If you like chewy brownies, take pan out of oven about halfway through. Bang pan on top of stove to make brownies fall and place pan back in oven to finish baking.

For a variation, try putting marshmallows on top of the brownies after baking, then pouring chocolate frosting over the top. Mama called these Glorified Brownies.

A double recipe fits well in a 9″ x 13″ pan.

* Have tried Kroger brand cocoa and it is very good–can’t really tell a difference. I heap my tablespoons of cocoa really big because I like more chocolate flavor.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Homemade Brownies

  • 6 tbsp Hershey’s cocoa
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (opt)
  • 2 eggs

Grease and flour a 9×13 pan and sit aside. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Place sugar, cocoa, flour, salt, eggs and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Melt butter in a small dish either in the microwave or on the stove and pour over the brownie mix. Blend all together.

Pour into greased pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes. Let cool a little before cutting.

*Tip:Never try to cut any type of brownie or cake until you see it pulling away from the edges of the pan.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Snow Tops

i’ve created a slight twist to the old peanut butter cookie recipe weve all enjoyed for years. my husband and kids love them, and the ingredients are all things most people normally have on hand.

1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
marshmallow creme or “white fluff”

preheat oven to 350. mix together your peanut butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. sprinkle sugar atop each ball, and make a criss – cross pattern with a fork across each, flattening each ball out. bake for 8 – 10 minutes.

cookies will be very soft when you pull them out of the oven. dont be alarmed, theyre done :o ). grab a teaspoon and dollop a small amount of marshmallow creme onto each cookie, right after you pull them out of the oven. let it sit for a minute or two. use a toothpick to spread the creme evenly (or should i say as best you can) across the cookies. enjoy! ****this cookie is delicious! but also very messy! when i make them, my kids are not allowed to leave the kitchen, no questions asked!! ;o)

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Homemade Fudge

  • 4 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 lg. can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 lb. butter
  • 1 1/2 bags chocolate chips
  • 1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • Nuts (opt.)

Place sugar and evaporated milk into a medium size pot and bring to a boil.
Once milk comes to a boil add butter and boil for an additional 10 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and pour in chocolate chips and stir until they are all melted.Then add marshmallow crème, vanilla extract and nuts (optional). Mix well.

Pour into a greased or sprayed pan and refrigerate. This recipe makes about five pounds.

*Tip: All ingredients in this recipe are fairly inexpensive and the recipe will yield a lot. It makes a great gift for teachers,bus drivers, and anyone else you would like to send a little “Thank You!” to.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Homemade Fudge Recipes

Homemade Fudge:

  • 4 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1-12oz can evaporated milk
  • 1-12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3-4oz packages German’s chocolate
  • 2-7oz jars marshmallow creme
  • 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Place sugar,butter and milk into a large saucepan and brings them to a boil. Turn down heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes making sure to stir constantly. Remove from the stove and add all remaining ingredients. Place into a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Cool and then cut into squares.

Really Quick Homemade Fudge:

  • 1-16oz bag cream drop candy
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter

Place cream drops into a bowl and microwave them in 2 minute intervals until they are melted. Add peanut butter and mix well. Pour into lightly greased or sprayed dish. Cool and then cut into squares.

Homemade Fudge Candy:

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium to high heat. Add vanilla. Fudge will be ready when you can drop a small amt into cold water and it forms a hard ball.

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Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Homemade Chocolate Candy Recipes

Chocolate Peanut Candy:

  • 4 squares of almond bark
  • 4 squares of chocolate
  • 12 oz package Nestle’s chocolate chips
  • 16 oz dry roasted peanuts

Chop up squares and place them into a bowl with remaining ingredients. Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir well and cook in 1 minute intervals until mix has melted. Drop spoon-fulls onto wax paper while mix is still warm. Cool and eat.

Chocolate Crispy Candies:

  • 2-12oz bags semi sweet chocolate chops
  • 1-12oz bag milk chocolate chips
  • 1tbsp shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Melt semi sweet chips and shortening in microwave. Add milk chocolate chips and stir until melted. Stir in rice cereal and spread out on wax paper. Place in refrigerator to cool. Serve.

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Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

4th Of July Dessert Recipes

With 4th of July just around the corner, I thought I’d share some of my favorite simple dessert recipes with you. Whenever we are invited for a cookout or family get-together on Independence day and I’m asked to bring dessert, I whip up one of these flag cakes. It’s simple to make but looks really nice as a center piece or on the buffet table.

Flag Cake

•    1 package cake mix (white or yellow) *
•    8 oz  whipped topping (thawed)
•    1 pint blueberries rinsed and drained
•    2 pints strawberries rinsed and sliced

Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Cool completely.

Frost cake with whipped topping. Place blueberries in a square in the top left corner, and arrange sliced strawberries as stripes to make an American flag. Chill until serving.

* using a store bought cake mix is a great time saver, but when I can, I just make up a batch of this yellow cake recipe. It doesn’t take much longer to make and tastes better.

A fun healthy snack or dessert is these simple fruit kabobs. They look very pretty as well.

4th of July Fruit Kabobs

•    Bananas
•    Strawberries
•    Large Fresh Blueberries
•    Kabob Skewers

Slice bananas into large chunks.  Alternate fruit on skewers. Serve immediately.

Last but not least here is a fun dessert that also doubles as a simple activity for the kids. I recommend you either do this outside and have the kids work with the sprinkles over paper plates for easy cleanup.

Pretzel Sparklers

•    Long rod pretzels
•    White chocolate, melted or white chocolate frosting if you have younger kids doing this.
•    Sprinkles (red, white and blue) or star cake decorations

Melt the white chocolate. Dip the pretzel rod halfway into the melted chocolate then sprinkle the sprinkles over the wet chocolate. Lay on waxed paper or place in a cup to dry.

Filed Under: Cake and Frosting, Cookies, Candy and Bars, Cooking, Desserts & Sweets, Frugal Living, Fruit, Holiday Recipes

Zucchini Cookie Recipe

Getting kids to eat zucchini can be a bit tricky at times, but with this “sneaky” cookie recipe they’ll never know :)

  • 2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cup grated zucchini
  • 1 cup oil
  • 4 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Get out a large bowl and add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices to it. Stir it up to mix everything well. Add the zucchini, sugar and oil and mix until well combined. Stir in a cup of raisins or chocolate chips last. If you like you can also use 1/2 cup of each instead.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Get out a cookie sheet and drop the zucchini cookies on it using about 1/2 tbsp of dough per cookie. I use two tablespoons to scoop out the batter. Fill one spoon about half full with batter, then use the back of the second spoon to push the batter off the first spoon and onto the cookie sheet. These cookies will expand some so leave about 1/2 an inch of space between them.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. Move them to a cooling rack and keep baking until you have used up all the dough.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: , ,

Quick Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe may not be the “healthiest” but it is quick and easy with few ingredients for when your family has a hankering for something sweet.

Peanut Butter Bars:
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 eggs

In large saucepan, melt together peanut butter and butter. Remove from heat and gradually stir in sugar and flour; stir in eggs and mix well. Spread into a sprayed 9 by 9 pan and bake at 350 for 15-minutes.

*Note* You can also add in chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts, if desired.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Recipes

Freezer Cookie Recipes And Tips For Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough

If you’re looking ahead to the holiday season and wondering how you’re going to get all your baking done, consider freezing your cookie dough or fresh baked cookies ahead of time. When the holidays get closer you can get that last bit of shopping done or last present made instead of spending all your time in the kitchen.

FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH

Cookie dough will freeze well for 4 to 6 weeks. Rolls of dough should be sealed tightly in plastic wrap (chill in refrigerator first before freezing). Other kinds of dough should be stored in airtight containers. Drop cookies (unbaked) may be frozen on cookie sheets and transferred to freezer bags. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.

Don’t try to freeze soft meringue-type cookie dough. Chocolate chip, brownies, peanut butter, and sugar cookie dough (or anything similar) freezes well. Let the dough defrost in the refrigerator (about 2-3 hours). Make sure to label the container with the date and type of cookie dough.

FREEZING BAKED COOKIES

Almost any baked cookie freezes well. Let cookies completely cool before freezing. Wrap cookies individually in plastic wrap then store them in a ziploc freezer bag or storage tin (coffee cans or holiday tins work great). You can also just layer the cookies between layers of waxed paper in the container, but the individually wrapped ones will store longer.

Freeze frosted cookies uncovered first until they are firm. Then pack them in airtight container lined with plastic wrap or foil. Make sure to label the container with the date and type of cookies. Unfrosted cookies can be frozen up to 6-12 months (frosted, about 3 months). Frozen cookies thaw in about 10 minutes at room temperature (if you can wait that long). If cookies should be crisp when thawed, remove them from the container before thawing.

Gingersnaps

1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
2 eggs
3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 c. molasses

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Add molasses, stirring well. Refrigerate dough for an hour or two to chill. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in a little sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Refrigerate dough for an hour or two to chill. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Peanut Butter Crackles

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
Chocolate kisses or stars

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together butter, peanut butter, and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and press chocolate kisses firmly into cookie.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of “Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough” and “What’s for Dinner?”, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas
. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/chm.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Cooking Tagged With: , , , , ,

Orange Cookies

Orange Cookie’s

Bake 375* for 12 to 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/2 Cups sifted all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven and grease cookie sheets.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto wax paper
Cream shortening, sugar, eggs until fluffy……
Mix in orange rind and orange juice until blended……
Mix in pecans
Bake until brown, remove to wire rack and frost while still warm.

Orange Icing:

Makes 1 & 2/3 cups

Combine:

2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon Grated orange rind in a bowl
Gradually stir in 2 – 3 Tablespoons of orange juice until smooth

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

White Christmas Cookies

White Christmas is a traditional cookie made in Australia for Christmas time. As an educational treat for my homeschooled children, each year we pick a place on the globe to learn about the traditions and culture behind how that location celebrates the Christmas season. This year was Australia and this was a recipe given to me by an Aussie friend of mine and the kids new holiday favorite.

Ingredients

250g(8oz)copha(vegetable shortening),3 cups rice bubbles(rice crispies),

1 cup coconut,3/4 cup (powdered)icing sugar,1 cup powdered milk,30g(1oz)mixed peel,30g(1oz)preserved ginger,30g glace apricots, 30g glace pineapple,1/4 cup sultanas(grapes), 30g glace cherries.

Method

Melt chopped copha over a gentle heat,combine rice bubbles,coconut,sifted icing sugar,powdered milk and chopped friuts, mix well.Add melted copha and mix thoroughly, press mixture into lightly greased or paper lined lamington tin(or anything you would typically put rice crispy treats in to form).

Refrigerate until firm , cut into bars for serving.

NOTE: for a more economical confection, replace glace fruits with 1 cup mixed fruit,(keeping the sultanas)as well

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Holiday Recipes

Pecan Surprise Bars

Crust:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 C. melted butter
1 egg

Reserve 2/3 C. cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix, butter, and egg until crumbly. Press evenly on bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake 15-20 min. at 350.

While baking, make…

Filling:
2/3 C. reserved cake mix
1 1/2 C. dark Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs

Mix together and beat at medium speed for 2 min. Pour over baked crust and sprinkle with 1 C. chopped pecans.

Return to oven and bake 30-35 min. or until filling is set. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Orange Slice Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
6 tbs. veg. or canola oil
1 c. pecans or walnuts/ chopped
1-14 oz bag of chopped orange slices

Mix cake mix, eggs and oil. Add orange slices and nuts. Drop by teaspoons on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Lemon Squares

2 C all-purpose flour
1 C margarine
1/2 C powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 C granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 T lemon juice (1/4 C.)

Blend flour, margarine, and powdered sugar thoroughly. Press evenly into an ungreased 13×9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Beat rest of ingredients together. Pour over crust and bake 20-25 min. DO NOT OVERBAKE. COOL THOROUGHLY BEFORE CUTTING.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Tiger Butter

Ingredients:
1 pound white chocolate
1 pound semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/3 cups crunchy peanut butter

Instructions:
1. Line a 10×15 inch pan with parchment. Set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering (not boiling) water, heat white chocolate and peanut butter. Stir constantly until white chocolate and peanut butter melts.
3. Spread onto prepared pan. Pour melted semi-sweet chocolate over top and swirl through with a knife, to create a marble pattern. Chill until firm. Cut into 1 /2 x 1″ pieces.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

1 egg
1 cup peanut butter,smooth or crunchy
1 cup sugar
Extra sugar for topping

Mix the 3 ingredients together till mixed. Scoop and press with a glass/fork. Top with sugar. Bake 350 about 10 mins.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Cathedral Windows

  • 2 T. oleo (margarine)
  • One – 6 oz pkg chocolate chips
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 C. miniature colored marshmallows
  • 1/2 C. chopped nuts
  • Flaked coconut, quite a lot

Melt oleo & chips, add beaten egg & continue to cook over low heat till smooth (1 minute), stirring constantly, cool. Add marshmallows & nuts. stir until all coated.
Have ready a sheet of foil and the flaked coconut on the foil. Pour mixture on top of coconut & shape into a roll. Be sure to coat the outside with the coconut. Wrap in the same foil & chill. Slice & see the pretty windows.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Sugar Cakes

1 c. buttermilk*
1 t. baking soda
5 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Add baking soda to buttermilk. Sift flour and baking powder. Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix well.

Add flour and baking powder. Mix well.

Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen.

* I don’t use buttermilk – I put 1 T. lemon juice in a measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Andes Mint Pillow Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter – softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
49 Andes Créme de Menthe Thins (Can also be made with Andes Cherry Jubilee or Andes Toffee Crunch Thins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms.

Divide dough in half. On well-floured surface, roll half of the dough into a 14 x 9-inch rectangle. Arrange mints evenly on dough, forming 7 rows of 7. Between 2 sheets of wax paper, roll remaining dough into a second 14 x 9-inch rectangle.

Remove top sheet of wax paper and discard. Carefully turn second rectangle over mint-topped dough, matching edges. Remove remaining wax paper. Using a pizza cutter or scalloped-edge pastry wheel, cut dough evenly between mints. Gently press edges of pillows to seal.

Place pillows 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400° degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Cool completely before storing.

Yield:
4 dozen cookies

I just pat the dough out in my hand and do it that. You do use a little more dough since your not rolling it out but, it’s also easier.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Incredible Date Cookies

3 cups plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
8 oz. unsalted butter (1 cup)
3 tsp orange flower water
1/4 cup milk
8 oz pitted dates
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tsp of water

Sift flour, sugar and cardamon into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into pieces and rub flour with fingertips until distributed evenly. Blend orange flower water or rose water with milk and sprinkle onto flour mixture. Mix to a firm dough and knead lightly until smooth. Rest dough for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop dates. Place in a pan with the butter and heat gently until dates soften, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

Divide pastry into 3 equal portions and roll each portion into a rectangle 1/2″ thick and 4″ wide. Put one-third of the date mixture, shaped into a long roll, along one edge of pastry and roll up to enclose filling. Press edges and ends to seal and place rolls joint side down, on ungreased baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry crimper or any other means to make a design. Brush with egg/water mixture.

Bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (170 C or 325 F) for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on tray – pastries will become firm and crisp on cooling. Cut cookies at an angle at about every 1/2 inch before completely cooled. Store in a sealed container when cool.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Cranberry Bars

I don’t remember from where I got this recipe; but I always make it during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Cranberry Bars
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups cold butter
1 cup sugar
3 cups quick-cooking oats

Directions:
In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Add cranberries and cook until they pop. Add orange juice, peel, butter, cinnamon, and salt. Cook 5 minutes more or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in walnuts. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Add sugar and oats; mix well.

Spoon half into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Pat firmly into pan.

Spread filling over crust. Top with remaining crumbs; pat lightly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Lemon Meltaways

A picture perfect Christmas cookie from the Oregonian in 2005. They really do melt in your mouth. Yield is about 3 dozen.

3/4 c butter (1-1/2 cubes)
1/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c cornstarch
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

ICING
1/4 c butter (1/2 cube)
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, cornstarch, flour, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until creamy. Do not be alarmed if the dough appears dry at first; it comes together with more beating. Divide dough into two logs and chill.
When dough is firm, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut dough into 1/2 inch slices and place on baking sheet. (at this point, I like to gently use a fork to make a slight imprint). Place on baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes and cool before icing.

To make icing: cream butter. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until mixture is spreadable.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Guaranteed to add at least 1 inch to your waist and probably 2 inches to your hips…but a wonderful chewy,rich Christmas cookie from the Oregonian in 2004

1-1/2 c butter (3 sticks)(no margerine)
2 c granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
3-1/4 c all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt ( I leave out; the butter has plenty salt)
1-1/2 c dried cranberries
1-1/2 c sweetened flaked dried coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, with a mixer at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, orange zest and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg until well blended.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture , stir to mix then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes. I found that the dough is much to stiff for my hand mixer so I do it the old fashioned way…by hand. Mix in cranberries and coconut. You will probably think it is never going to hold together, but it will.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheets. Bake until cookies just begin to brown, 11-15 minutes. Shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie; longer baking time a crisper cookie. If using two sheets, reverse their position in the oven half way through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

NOTE: The mixture may look dry until it comes together as a dough. If it is too crumbly to form balls, the dough needs to be mixed longer. If you have a food processor to do the work for you, it is a piece of cake, if not, your arm will feel like falling off by the time you get it just right. The dough should be a smooth, homogeneous mass.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

No Bake Cookies

This recipe was always a hit during my childhood. When mom would make these cookies, we knew we were in for a treat!

2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix together milk, sugar,and cocoa in a sauce pan until blended. Add stick of butter and stir over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring often to keep from burning. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from burner and stir in the following:

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir well and when melted,add 3 cups quick oats. Stir thoroughly for 1-2 minutes until no longer glossy. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Allow to harden and enjoy!

Submitted by:
Karen Stein
Stuart, Oklahoma

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Roasted Coconut Pecan Cookies

  • 2 stick butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2cups self-rising flour
  • 1 cup roasted coconut
  • 1 cup roasted pecans
  • 1 tablespoons flavoring suggestions: rum, vanilla,coconut

chop pecans then place on baking pan
with coconut, place in 350 degree oven
for about 10 minutes.
mix butter, sugar eggs and flavoring,
then slowly mix in flour and coconut
and pecans until well blended. bake at
350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Here’s a very simple peanut butter cookie recipe. Fun to make with the kids around the holidays.

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg

Mix ingredients together. roll into 24 balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. press down with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. cool on wire rack.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

This is a super simple peanut butter fudge recipe. It’s a lot of fun to make with the kids and also makes a nice frugal present. When I give these away as a gift, I allow them to completely cool, then package them in holiday themed plastic bags. Add a bow and you have a nice little gift that’s always welcome.

  • 12 oz. Jar of peanut butter
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 bag of chocolate (or Peanut butter) chips

Melt chips and peanut butter together over medium high heat. After they are completely melted together, remove from heat and mix in milk. Pour into pan lined with wax paper and chill for an hour or two. Then cut into squares and serve.

Submitted by HBHW reader Priscilla

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Holiday Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice

In a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans; set aside 3/4 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Submitted by HBHW reader Bonnie

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars, Holiday Recipes Tagged With: ,

No bake fancy-looking “marble” cookies

Ingredients:
Approx. 25 plain vanilla cookies, broken in tiny pieces (vanilla wafers, animal crackers, etc.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients, except cookies, in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously. When begins to boil, stir until mixed. Remove from heat. Add cookie pieces, stir until mixed. Let cool slightly
Spoon mixture onto a sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil. Shape into log. When frozen (or almost), remove covering and slice into cookies!

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: , , , ,

Congo Squares

Family recipe back in 50′s.

2 3/4 c flour, sifted
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 c shortening
3 eggs
1 c. nut meats
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c brown sugar
1 pkg. Nestle’s semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. Melt shortening and add brown sugar. Stir until well mixed. Allow to cool slightly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients, then nut meats and chocolate. Pour into greased pan about 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 inch. Bake 350 degrees, 25-30 min. Makes 48 squares. When almost cool, cut into squares 2 x 2 inch.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

COCONUT BALLS

2# Powered Sugar
pinch of salt
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
8-12 oz. flaked coconut
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. paraffin wax
1/2 cup chopped pecans (if desired)

Melt butter and add milk. Stir in sugar and salt. Add coconut and pecans; chill, then roll into balls. Insert toothpick into each ball and freeze.Melt chocolate chips and paraffin wax in a double boiler. Dip each ball into the chocolate mixture and sit on wax paper.

I usually make these without the pecans as my husband and I aren’t suppose to eat nuts due to medical conditions. These taste just like Mounds candy bar but with milk chocolate instead of the dark chocolate. YUM YUM

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

This is a favorite in our house and has been since I was a little girl. Everyone usually has all the ingredients and if not doesn’t cost a ton to buy them.

1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick cook oats

Boil butter, cocoa, sugar, vanilla and peanut butter together in a pot for 1 minute.
Add oats and mix well.
Spoon out into the size you want on wax paper or aluminum foil on the counter or table.
Cookies will harden/set while they cool

Great for kids to help make and they will be gone before you know it.
Nicole L. – Erie, CO

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles

  • 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2/3 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar mixed with 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl mash together the margarine and sugar. Add the egg and beat until everything is creamy. Add the baking powder, salt and flour. Stir it up until you have a nice thick dough. In a cereal bowl, combine the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.

Now comes the fun part; let the kids help. Make sure everyone’s hands are clean and then shape the dough into balls the size of a walnut, or an egg yolk. Roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated balls on an oiled cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a smooth cup or glass, press the dough down to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake them at 400° for 10 minutes. If your oven runs hot, turn it down to 375°. These cookies are great in lunch boxes and for after school snacks. These are an old favorite of mine. My momma made them for us as children, and they are exceptionally good.

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Cream Cheese Fudge

  • 8 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • OPTIONAL:  1 cup mini marshmallows or 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or walnuts or 1/2 cup dried fruit like cranberries or raisins or a combination to suit your tastes

Soften the cream cheese to room temperature. You can do this by microwaving it for 30 seconds or by letting it stand at room temperature for about an hour. Unwrap it and put it into your mixing bowl before you let it soften.

Add your oil and vanilla to the softened cream cheese. Beat with a spoon until smooth. Stir in the cocoa and powdered sugar. It takes diligent stirring to get the fudge properly mixed together. If you arm gets tired then enlist the cooperation of a friend. The mixture will be smooth, very thick and evenly colored when done.

If desired you may add any extra goodies at this point. They are nice for variety but are not necessary. Work the goodies into the mixture until everything is smooth and even again.

Oil an 8-inch square pan or a large plate. Press the fudge into the pan or make a pretty layer of it on the plate. Chill for several hours to harden. Cut into small squares and serve. This is good enough to be a gift to someone you are trying to be good too. It’s cheap as gifts go too, which is always nice, plus it has the status of being homemade. Cut 6 by 6. Makes 36 pieces.

Per Serving: 75 Calories; 2g Fat (22.9% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 26mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Coconut Macaroons

In a large bowl combine the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla. Stir well. Drop by small spoonfuls onto a very well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan while still warm. Makes about 3 dozen.

If you are making these to use up coconut from homemade coconut milk, follow this procedure:

Stir everything together and bake as directed above. Makes about 2 dozen macaroons.

If desired, you may add 1/2 to 1-cup of chocolate chips to the recipe and bake as directed. Either way, these are good, easy and very popular.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: , ,

Fred’s Oatmeal Cookies

  • 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)

Soften the margarine in the microwave, or by leaving it on the counter for a few hours. In a large bowl combine the margarine, both sugars, egg and vanilla. Beat with a whisk until very fluffy and shiny. Measure in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Use a big spoon to mix it all up. Finally stir in the oatmeal, and the raisins if you are using them. The mixture will be thick. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Makes about 3 dozen.

These are a real favorite in our house. Fred would eat them all in one sitting if he could. My kids don’t like the raisins, but Fred and I both do, so we do half a batch of each. First I bake 2 panfuls without raisins, then I add 1/2-cup of raisins to the remaining dough and bake them last. That way everyone is happy.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 1 cup softened margarine (2 sticks)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2-1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (about 1/2 of a 12 ounce bag)

First get out your favorite big mixing bowl. Put the soft margarine in it, or you can soften the margarine in the microwave, if it is hard from the fridge. Measure the sugars into the bowl with the soft margarine. Use a whisk or large spoon to mix the sugar and margarine together until it is soft, smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs. Beat the mixture until it emulsifies into a smooth satiny batter. Add the vanilla and salt; mix well. Now sprinkle in the baking soda, and dump in the flour. Use a big spoon to stir it all up to a nice smooth dough. Add the chocolate chips. Stir again.

Drop the cookie dough by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake them at 350� for 10 minutes. They will be a light golden brown, and have an incredibly enticing aroma. Transfer the cookies to a spread out dish cloth to cool. Bake another batch. This recipe makes about 4 or 5 dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them. They have fewer chocolate chips than other chocolate chip cookie recipes, but there are still enough chips to make them taste sinfully good.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Quick Sugar Cookies

  • 1/2 cup soft margarine or shortening
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1-1/2 cups flour

In a medium sized bowl cream together the margarine or shortening and sugar. Beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the salt, baking powder and flour. Blend it all up until it makes a nice smooth dough. Drop the mixture by small spoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 8 to 10 minutes.

If desired, you can color the dough with food coloring for special occasions. You can also form them into small balls and roll them in a little granulated sugar right before baking.

I love this recipe because it is so easy to prepare. I think it goes together even faster than most cookie mixes. It is cheap and easy too, costing only about 50¢ to 60¢ for the whole batch. If desired, this recipe can easily be doubled.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Cinnamon Raisin Bars

  • 1 cup boiling hot water
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup oil or shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour

Place the raisins in a large bowl while you heat up the water. When the water boils, pour it over the raisins. They will swell up and absorb some of the water. Add the oil or shortening. The heat from the raisins and water should be enough to melt the shortening, if that is the fat you use. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the egg and mix everything until the oil is well combined with everything else. Add the baking soda, salt and flour. Mix very well. The batter will be thin and lumpy. That’s alright, it is supposed to be. Turn this batter into a well oiled 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Bake at 375F for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool before cutting. Frost if desired with a simple vanilla frosting.

UPDATE from a reader named Karen; November 2005

I have a suggestion for a variation on the Cinnamon Raisin bars, which are a huge favorite here. For one, it is possible to omit the egg with good results–my baby can’t eat eggs yet, and this way he can have a bite of his big brother’s snack. Also, if you add about a cup or more of shredded carrots to the raisins (before adding the boiling water) and mix as usual, they are wonderfully moist and somewhat like carrot cake. I’m always looking to sneak veggies in wherever I can.

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Lemon Bars

  • 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • powdered sugar

Soften up the margarine by leaving it on the counter for an hour or so, or do it in the microwave. Add the flour and 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix very well to make a dough similar to pie crust. Turn the dough into a 9 by 13-inch pan. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to pat and press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. This is the crust. Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes. Do not overbake.

Now prepare the lemon layer. In the same bowl combine the eggs, 2-cups sugar, 1/4-cup flour and lemon juice. Blend with a whisk until smooth and thick. Carefully pour this over the baked crust. Shake the pan gently to level it all out. Bake at 325° for another 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool before cutting. If desired, sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top of the bars to make them pretty and because it tastes so good. Serve with tea for a tea-party or bring to a church potluck. I like these around Easter Time because they seem like a nice spring-time dessert.

Filed Under: Cookies, Candy and Bars Tagged With: ,

Blondies

  • 1 cup margarine, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups flour (sifted or fluffed before measuring)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup peanuts, optional

In a large bowl combine the margarine, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and fluffy. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Beat again, making a smooth, satiny mixture. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix with a big spoon until the batter is thick and smooth. Stir in the peanuts if desired. Turn this batter into a well oiled 9″ by 13″ rectangular pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. The bars will rise up and then fall slightly. Remove from the oven when done. Allow the bars to cool before cutting into 24 or 32 pieces. If desired you may frost these with chocolate or vanilla frosting. These are a pleasant change from brownies. I especially like them with the peanuts added, but they are absolutely optional. Without the peanuts you still have a rich, chewy bar, perfect for lunch boxes and company.

To fluff up your flour before measuring it, just stir it with a spoon to incorporate some air. If you can’t sift or stir your flour then reduce the amount called for to about 2-1/2 cups.

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Fudge Brownies

  • 1 cup melted margarine (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/4 cups flour

First off, don’t be tempted to put baking powder or baking soda into this recipe, thinking I have forgotten to list it above. This recipe does not call for any leavening other than the eggs. This is the secret that makes them chewy and fudgy. There is another recipe for Cake Brownies which does call for baking powder, if that’s really what you want.

So, first melt your margarine (I do it in the microwave). Next get out a large bowl and combine the margarine and sugar with a spoon or whisk. Add all four eggs, and beat the mixture until it is sort of fluffy and emulsified. Add the salt, cocoa, and vanilla. Stir up really well. Add the flour. Stir again until the mixture is thick and chocolaty. Turn the batter into a well oiled 9 by 13-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before serving. Cut into 32 small squares.

NOTE: These are the richest brownies I have ever eaten. They do not need any frosting; actually, it would just be gilding the lily. They are pretty good with walnuts though. I add 3/4 cup of home cracked black walnuts in season, especially during the holidays. If you do crack black walnuts yourself, be sure to wear gloves while you do it, because they will stain your hands for weeks.

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Cake-Like Brownies

  • 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 2 tablespoons tap water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

First melt the margarine. I do this in a glass mixing bowl in the microwave, but you could do in a small pan on the stove, and then pour the melted margarine into a big bowl. Add the eggs, tap water and sugar. Mix very well. Add the cocoa, salt and vanilla and mix again. Finally add the flour and baking powder and stir until smooth. I do all of this mixing with a whisk, but electric beaters, or even a big spoon would work too. Turn the batter into a well oiled 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350F for about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. These are best frosted I think. The recipe is easily doubled and baked in a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Some people prefer this type of brownie to Fudge Brownies. Personally I don’t, but everyone has their own taste.

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Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

  • 1 cup soft margarine (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water

Get out your favorite big bowl. In it combine the margarine, and sugar. Mix and mix until the stuff is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs. Mix some more, and the creamy mixture will become fluffy and satiny. Stir in the vanilla. Measure the cocoa, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Stir until everything is well combined. Finally dump in the oatmeal and flour. Stir up the batter, mixing it well. If the batter seems dry to you, add the optional tap water called for. You may or may not need it, so jut use your best judgment. When everything is mixed and you have a nice cookie dough, it is time to cook the cookies.

Drop the dough by large teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for about 12 minutes. If you make small cookies, they will need less time, but I make them pretty big, so 12 minutes cooks them perfectly. This dough cooks best if it is pressed down with a fork or cup, like peanut butter cookies. I don’t always do this, but usually the first batch reminds me to flatten the other batches one way or another.

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Fudge Brownie Cookies

  • 1 cup soft margarine (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons water, if necessary

Get down your best big mixing bowl. In it combine the margarine and sugar. Mix until the mixture is creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Blend again, until the batter is fluffy and soft. Add the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the dough until it is thick and well formed. If the dough is too thick, you may add a spoonful or two of water to soak up the flour. Blend very well after adding the water. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a well oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

These are very rich and chocolately. If you liked you could add a cup of walnuts, or a cup of white chocolate chips, or both. Chocolate chips can also be added for Double Chocolate Cookies, and 1/2-cup of coconut is good by itself, or in combination with any of the other additions. Scrumptious. Double Scrumptious actually.

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Old Fashioned Fudge

  • 1-1/3 cups milk or evaporated milk
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup margarine
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Get out a large sauce pan, 3 or 4-quart sized. In it combine the milk and sugar. Start heating the mixture over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa, salt and corn syrup. Mix very well to dissolve the cocoa. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to cook until it reaches the Soft Ball stage when a small amount is dropped into a bowl of cold water, or 234° on a candy thermometer. When it does, remove the pan from the heat and place it on a dish towel or cake rack to cool down. Add the margarine and vanilla, but don’t stir. Remember, Don’t Stir it yet. Just let it sit by itself in a corner, almost forgotten. Let it cool until the bottom of the pan is barely warm to the touch, or about 110°. This may take as long as an hour, so be patient. When the fudge has cooled down, start beating it with a spoon or whisk. Very quickly (sometimes less than a minute, sometimes a couple of minutes) it will start to loose it’s glossy, shiny appearance on top. When it just begins to loose this reflective quality, immediately pour it into a pan greased with margarine. You should grease the pan ahead of time, while the fudge is cooling in the pot. Shake the fudge in the pan to spread it evenly. Or if that doesn’t work, try to spread it out with a spoon. Allow it to cool and harden, and then cut it into pieces. I use a 7 by 10-inch pan to set up this fudge, a 9-inch square pan would work too. As would an 8-inch square pan, although the pieces would be a little thicker.

Don’t scrape the sides of the pan while you are making this recipe. The sugar on the sides of the pan will cause the whole batch to crystallize and it will still taste good, but have a grainy texture. I really recommend a candy thermometer for candy recipes. The cold water test is a skill that takes a lot of ruined batches to develop. This recipe makes about 2-1/4 pounds of fudge, it is so good I can’t even tell you, you have to make it for yourself. Makes an excellent gift.

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Grandma Puckett’s Fudge

  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 large can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
  • 24 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips(4 cups)
  • 1 cup real butter (2 sticks, cut up)
  • 1 big spoonful peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups black walnuts

This is the absolute best tasting fudge in the entire world. You must use real butter to make it. This is one of the few recipes in my collection which demands real butter. Butter can often be purchased on sale in the spring, and sometimes during the holidays. I usually buy 2 to 4 pounds when it is on sale, and freeze it for this recipe.

To begin, combine the sugar and evaporated milk in a large 4 quart pot. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir it constantly while it comes to a boil. When it boils, you can stir a little less often. Boil it gently for exactly 6 minutes. Not a second longer, not a second shorter (actually I have varied the cooking time by cooking it up to 30 seconds longer and still had good results).

While the sugar and milk are boiling, prepare the next step. Get out a very big bowl. Pour the chocolate chips into it. Cut the butter into small squares and place it in with he chocolate chips. Put the peanut butter and the vanilla into the pan too. Have the black walnuts measured, and near by for when you need them. Also butter a big cookie sheet, or a couple of glass pans.

When the sugar and milk mixture is done boiling (for 6 minutes exactly) pour it into the bowl with the butter and chocolate chips. Using electric beaters, beat the mixture until the butter and chocolate chips are melted. Add the nuts and continue stirring until they are well distributed. The fudge should still be soft and glossy. Turn it into the prepared pan(s). I shake the pans vigorously to get the fudge into all of the corners. You could spread it with spoon if you liked, but the glossy finish might be disturbed. It still tastes good, either way.

Let the fudge set up for about an hour, and cut it into small squares. When the fudge is good and hard, it can be placed in small containers and frozen, or given away to thankful recipients. Small gifts containing 6 pieces of this fudge are quite adequate for gift giving. This recipe alone is enough to make the reputation of a cook. I can not emphasize how good it is, the flavor is beyond words.

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Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

  • 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix together the margarine and peanut butter in a large bow with a big spoon or whisk. When they are blended together and creamy, add the white sugar and brown sugar. Mix it all up until it is light and fluff. Add the vanilla and salt, and mix again. Finally measure in the baking soda, baking powder and flour. Stir it all up, it will be very thick. At this point a spoon works better than a whisk. When you have a nice smooth dough, you can stop mixing. Shape the dough into balls about an inch in diameter. Arrange them on a cookie sheet. Dip a fork in a small amount of flour, and smash each dough ball twice with the tines of the fork, making the traditional cross-hatch pattern. You could also just smash the balls with your palm to flatten them out, if the cross-hatch pattern isn’t very important to you. I find that children are more than willing to help out with the fork flattening of the cookies. Bake the cookies at 375° for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the pan. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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Short Bread Cookies

  • 2-1/2 cups whole wheat or white flour or half each
  • 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Soften up the margarine first. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix it until it is soft and creamy. Add the flour. Stir it up until it is thick like pie crust. You will probably need to use your hands. Knead the dough until it is smooth and soft. Pat the dough onto a pizza plate or cookie sheet to a big circle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the big circle into 16 or 20 wedges. I use a pizza cutter to make cutting it easy. After it is cut into wedges, poke the surface all over with a fork. You can make pretty designs if you want to. Bake the big cookie at 350° for about 20 minutes. The edges will be brown. Use the pizza cutter to re-cut the lines in the cookie. Allow it to cool and serve with tea for a special tea party.

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Whole Wheat Snickerdoodles

  • 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar mixed with 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl mash together the margarine and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until everything is creamy. Add the baking powder, salt and whole wheat flour. Stir it up until you have a nice thick dough. Some folks chill the dough, but I am usually in too much of a hurry to do that, so I never bother. In a cereal bowl, combine the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.

Now comes the fun part, let the kids help. Shape the dough into balls the size of a walnut, or an egg yolk. Roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated balls on an oiled cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a smooth cup or glass, press the dough down to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake them at 400° for 10 minutes. If your oven runs hot, turn it down to 375°. These cookies make a great, healthy snack.

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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 1 cup margarine, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup chocolate or carob chips

These cookies are healthier than most because of the whole wheat flour. They taste really good too. If you are going to a scout meeting, or church potluck where the parents are really uptight about food and nutrition, than bring a long a batch of these cookies, and listen to their praise.

Start off by finding your trusty big bowl. My favorite bowl is red plastic, easy to clean, and just the right size for most of my mixing needs. Place the margarine into the bowl. If need be, soften it in the microwave for a few seconds. Add the sugar, and cream it together with the margarine until it is smooth and fluffy. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Add the eggs. Beat the mixture until the eggs are well incorporated, and the batter is fluffy, shiny and satiny. Now stir in the whole wheat flour. When it is smooth and thick, add the chocolate chips. Stir and stir until they are evenly distributed through out the dough.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I usually use a pizza pan instead, but cookie sheets are traditional. Bake at 350° for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool for a minute or two before prying them up from the cookie sheet with a spatula. I lay them on a clean dish towel to cool before packing them away in the cookie jar or into a container for transport. This recipe makes about 3 dozen.

Variations:

Carob, Cranberry, Almond Cookies: Use 1 cup of carob chips, and add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup of chopped almonds. Proceed as directed. The sweetness of the carob, the piquancy of the cranberries and the crunch of the almonds makes the perfect combination. These could probably be sold for big bucks. Very good!

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Peanut Butter Granola Bars

  • 3 cups of homemade granola
  • 3 tablespoons margarine
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Optional:  1/2 cup raisins, or peanuts, or chocolate chips, or coconut, or sunflower seeds, or chopped apricots, or dates, or whatever strikes your fancy

You may use any recipe for granola that you like. If it already has peanuts and raisins added then you probably won’t want to add more, but you could if you wanted to. The end results wouldn’t be affected that much either way.

In a 2 quart sized saucepan melt the margarine and peanut butter together. Make sure the heat is low and stir it a lot to melt it evenly. Meanwhile crack both eggs into a cereal bowl and beat them up with a fork. When the margarine and peanut butter are completely melted together remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the eggs. You have to do this quickly so the eggs won’t cook into scrambled eggs and peanut butter mess. The mixture will thicken and emulsify making a nice dough like texture. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the prepared homemade granola. Add any optional ingredients to suit your taste. Turn the mixture into an oiled 8-inch square pan. Chill the bars in the fridge until hard. Cut into 16 squares. Serve with milk for a good snack, or pack in lunch boxes as a (relatively) healthy treat.

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Preacher Cookies

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick) or 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  • Dash salt
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups rolled oats

First take out a nice 2-quart saucepan. In it combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine. Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat until the margarine melts, and the sugar dissolves. Bring the pot to a boil, and reduce the heat slightly. Simmer the mixture for several minutes, until the chocolate forms a soft ball when dropped into a bowl of cold water. This is about 234° on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat when it reaches the soft ball stage. Add the salt, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Finally stir in the oatmeal. The mixture may seem a little runny, but will thicken up as it cools. Drop the mixture from a tablespoon onto a sheet of waxed paper. It should form medium sized cookies. Depending on the size of the cookie, you may end up with as few as 15 or as many as 24.

This is my favorite recipe in the whole wide world. It got it’s name because it could be prepared quickly when a housewife looked out her window and saw the preacher riding up the mountain on his horse. By the time the preacher arrived, the cookies were cooling. I remember family members making them for me as a kid, and I still have people calling me just to request this recipe over the phone. This one recipe could make the reputation of a good cook.

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

  • 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick) softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1-1/4 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a large bow combine the softened margarine and peanut butter. I measure the peanut butter by packing it tightly into a metal measuring cup. Then I scrape it out with my fingers. Add the sugar or Sucanat and the egg to the bowl. Mix it up really good until it is smooth, fluffy and glossy. I do this with a wire whisk. You could use a big spoon if you preferred. Add the vanilla and stir it in a little. Add the salt, baking soda, oatmeal, and flour. Stir it all up really well. You need a spoon to stir in the dry ingredients. A whisk just won’t work for this part because the batter is so thick.

Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. These cookies don’t spread very well so flatten the cookies with a fork or the flat bottom of a cup which has been dipped into flour. Bake at 350° for about 12 minutes. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Half a cup of chocolate chips may be added to the batter if desired. I love these cookies. They are crunchy and chewy and creamy and warm and good. I have been known to let the kids have them for breakfast when I want to sleep in on a Saturday morning. But that is a secret, so don’t tell anyone. ;-)

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