S'mores Cookie Bar

A friend of mine brought Emerson these for his bday. I haven't made them yet but the whole family kept BEEEEGGGGGGING Emerson for a bite. So so good. The next-day-eating Emerson said it's better when you microwave it a little.

1 stick butter softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 t baking powder
5 Hershey milk chocolate bars (the 1.55 oz ones)
1 jar (7oz) marshmallow cream

Heat oven to 350. Spray a 9" square pan or use parchment paper with it hanging over the sides (easier to cut this way after since you can just lift it out)
Large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. About 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, cracker crumbs, powder and dash of salt. Beat together on low speed just until combined. The dough will be crumbly and that's okay. Set aside 1 cup of cookie dough for topping.
Press the remaining dough in pan. Arrange chocolate bars over the graham cracker crust. You may have to break them to make sure the whole thing gets covered.
Drop spoonfulls of marshmallow cream over and try to spread it the best you can. Sprinkle the reserved cookie dough on top and gently press down.
Cook 23-25 minutes. Edges will be golden brown Let it cool in pan for at least 30 minutes or longer.
(If you want them gooey serve before that time)


Note: you can double it and stick it in a bigger pan. And the lady who brought it said she has ALSO used mini marshmallows instead of fluff and she says its easier and tastes fine too.

Peanut Butter Blossums

One more delicious new cookie recipe I found that was addicting! I probably ate these in 3's after every meal...breakfast included!!

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter (I used crunchy!!)
• ½ cup granulated sugar, more for rolling
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Nonstick spray or vegetable oil for cookie sheet, optional
• 5 dozen (one 11-ounce package) Hershey’s Kisses, foil removed

Preparation

1. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing thoroughly. If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray, oil or line a cookie sheet with nonstick liner and set aside. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. (For a precise number of cookies, divide the dough into 5 pieces, and shape each piece into 12 balls.)
3. Roll cookies in sugar and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake until very light brown and puffed, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and lightly press a candy kiss into center of each cookie, allowing it to crack slightly. Return to oven until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely and store in an airtight container.  

**I kept these in the fridge to keep the chocolate from melting in the humidity and they kept great!

Link:Peanut Butter Blossoms 

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love pumpkin cookies, but haven't found a cookie recipe I love, until now! These are not a super sweet cookie and NEED a frosting with them. I'm not a big frosting person, but found a yummy cream cheese frosting to pair with this recipe and love it. Normally, I put chocolate chips with everything, but I think this needs the frosting to add the sweetness. I put the link to the website where I pulled the recipe from at the bottom. However, the recipe I posted has a few changes based on some of the reviews I read. Also, it called for a brown butter frosting if you like that instead of the cream cheese.

Pumpkin Cookies 

2/3 cup granulated sugar  
2/3 cup packed brown sugar   
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla  
3/4 cup pumpkin   
2 eggs
2 1/4 flour  
1 teaspoon baking soda  
1 "heaping" teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in pumpkin and eggs until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  

2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls.  

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Link: Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cookies 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Whip together the cream cheese, butter, and extract until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and whip until smooth and fully incorporated.
**This made enough frosting for a double batch of cookies.

I pulled the cream cheese frosting recipe out of a Best Bites book, but the recipe on their website is different so I didn't post the link.

I stored these in the fridge and they have been delicious everyday!!

 

Chocolate Pie

I have actually NEVER cooked a Thanksgiving meal before. We've always been invited and asked to bring a side or something. Last year was the first time we where having Thanksgiving at our home and my parents ended up coming to visit and took care of the whole thing.  This year I really thought I was going to prepare our first Thanksgiving meal at home but again, we where invited somewhere. This time I was asked to bring a few things one of them being a pie. I have also never ever made a pie before (isn't Gabe so lucky to have married me? Poor thing.).  I've had this chocolate pie recipe for about a month now and still haven't made it, so I thought I'd make it for tomorrow.  So yes, I have never tired this recipe but it looks easy and delicious. I'm excited to try it. And this pregnant lady has really high hopes for this pie so it better be everything it's said to be!!

Ingredients

• 1 whole Pie Crust, Baked And Cooled (or Can Use Oreo Or Graham Cracker Crust)
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Whole Milk
• 4 whole Egg Yolks
• 6-1/2 ounces, weight Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Finely
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
•  Whipped Cream, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk together.

Pour in milk and egg yolks, and whisk together.

Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, about 6-8 minutes (maybe less, maybe more; just watch it!) The second it starts to bubble and thicken (note: It should be thick like pudding!) remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and butter, and stir until everything is beautifully combined.

Pour the pudding into the pie crust (if there is extra, spoon it into small dishes) and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours uncovered.

Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream!

Flat Apple Pies

Normally I wouldn't post something I haven't tried, but this looks delicious and easy. I'm going to make this for us this week (that should tell you that I think it will be easy!). I'll just make the pie dough in advance and put it in the refrigerator. I got this recipe off of The Pioneer Woman.

Perfect Pie Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

 

Perfect Pie Crust Directions
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter, gradually work the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. This step should take 3 or 4 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg with a fork, and then add it to the mixture. Next, add in the cold water and vinegar. Stir the mixture together until it's just combined, and then remove half the dough from the bowl. Yield: dough for 2 crusts.

 

(See below for directions on rolling out the dough prior to making the pie)

 

Ingredients for Apple Pie Filling:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 recipe Perfect Pie Crust, recipe follows
6 tablespoons butter

 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Set aside and see how long you can keep from sneaking a slice of apple.

With a rolling pin, begin rolling out the Perfect Pie Crusts into large circles. Roll the dough from the center outward. Be gentle and patient, it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.

If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen the dough and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes, no back-and-forth rolling.

Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the dough and carefully place the circles on large baking sheets.

Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust. Fold over the edges of each crust so that it covers 2 to 3 inches of the apple mixture. No need to be artistic - the more rustic the better. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of the butter.

Bake until the filling is golden and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust appears to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.

Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter. Eat 'em on the go!

**I'm going to add pecans to the filling, drizzle caramel sauce on top when it's finished and serve/eat with vanilla ice cream.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/flat-apple-pie-with-perfect-pie-crust-recipe.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

One of our friends here makes this amazing cake and just gave me her recipe. I've made one similar to it and it's delicious, but hers is even better. It's cake taken to a whole new level! Even Brons likes it and he doesn't usually like cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 3/4 C boiling water
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C white sugar
1 C uncooked oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional - I like to add it in for more flavor)
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 C chocolate chips
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oats, sugars and butter. Stir in boiling water until butter melts completely. Stir in eggs.

In separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa. Add to wet mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and 1 C of the chocolate chips.

Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining cup of chocolate chips (I add a few extra) over the top and nuts, covering well and evenly.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins. 

Enjoy! 
 

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm just copying and pasting this chocolate chip cookie recipe my friend found on pinterest. Adri, Pat and I were talking about good chocolate chip cookie recipes while we were in LA and I told them this is my favorite one. Although you have to chill the dough before baking, it's definitely worth it!  The link for the actual blog is at the bottom.

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180 grams) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Directions:

Toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft, yet thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have them evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick. See this post for more clarity and a photo. Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Press a few more chocolate chips/chunks on top of the dough balls for looks, if desired. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies stay soft and fresh for 7 whole days at room temperature. Cookies may be frozen up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough may be frozen up to three months and baked in their frozen state for 12 minutes.

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/13/chewy-chocolate-chunk-cookies/ 

Raspberry Pretzel JELL-O

After hearing that Jodi was making this for Thanksgiving TOO, I decided that we should post one of my family's favorite recipe. We have had it every Thanksgiving for about 8 years. Brooks doesn't like it because of his allergy to dairy, but the rest of us down it. This is for a casserole dish size. I would half it if you can't eat it all in one sitting. It's okay-ish the 2nd day for leftovers but after that, forget it.

2 cups crushed pretzels
3 T sugar
1/2 c. butter melted
Mix and press in the bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Take out and cool. (HAVE TO cool it!!!)

1  8oz. of softened cream cheese
1 c. sugar
12 oz. cool whip
16 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
Mix and spread on top of pretzels. Make SURE it covers even in the corners. This is the middle layer and if you don't get it spread everywhere then the top layer will get down into the pretzels and change the consistency. Put in fridge and chill for at least 2 hours. I usually make this the night before. Mine (up to this step) is in the fridge right now like this.

6 oz. JELLO raspberry or strawberry
3 cups boiling water
10 oz. frozen raspberries
Mix JELLO in water until it is dissolved and add raspberries. Let it sit for a little bit to cool down before pouring this last layer on top. If it's too hot it will bore a hole right through the white layer. ;) Pour on top and put back in the fridge to chill until set and firm on top. (2-ish hours)

Frozen Key Lime Pie - 4 Ingredients

Ingredients:

1       9inch graham cracker crust (or oreo)
1       can sweetened condensed milk
1       8oz container cool whip
1/2c  fresh or concentrate lime juice  

*You can add green food coloring to make it look more like a key lime pie 
**You can add a garnish to the top like lime slices, lime zest, chocolate shavings or cool whip

Mix condensed milk, cool whip and lime juice together. Add mixture to graham cracker crust. Freeze for at least 4 hours.

DELICIOUS!!

Pudding Cookies with Applesauce

Pudding Cookies

1 cup butter (I used applesauce, since I can't have dairy while nursing Elle and will continue to use it...it was so delicious and made them so soft! 1:1 ratio, 1 cup butter=1 cup applesauce, works as oil substitute too!)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla (I prefer Almond extract, so good)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 small pkg instant pudding mix (chocolate or vanilla...pretty much whatever flavor you are going for)

3/4 cup chocolate chips, nuts, health bits (any fillings you like, do 3/4 cup of each filling)

Cream butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir flour, baking soda and pudding mix together. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Mix well. Add fillings. 

Bake 350 8-10mins (if you use applesauce bake 10-12mins)   

I had to post this, because I was so excited to find a cookie recipe and dairy substitute that turned out so delicious!