Toffee Bars

Great to take to pot lucks and teacher luncheons. I'm taking these next week when the Kindergarten is responsible for Teacher Lunch Day.

1 Yellow cake mix
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Butter
1 (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 - 1 Cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 - 1 Cup Heath Bits O' Brickle


Mix first 3 ingredients until crumbly. Pat into 9x13 pan. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Additional sugar
5 dozen kisses, unwrapped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda. Add butter and peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Make balls out of level tablespoons of dough - add flour if needed. Roll in sugar.

Bake 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and add 1 kiss to the center of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies w/ Toasted Pecans

I love all the goodies in these cookies.

1/2 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large egg
3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup pecans, roasted for 10 minutes and chopped


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and add to butter, sugar and egg mixture. Beat until well incorporated, and then stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, place on parchment-sheet lined cookie sheets and bake for 17 minutes. Should make about 24 cookies.

Chocolate Chip Graham Cookies

Making these for a Casa Hogar Elim party tonight.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand - my choice brand)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat sweetened condensed milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder and stir until smooth; then add chocolate chips. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Snickerdoodles

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Gradually stir in flour mixture with a spoon.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 30 (1 inch) balls; roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake cookies until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes (check @ 12 minutes). It's best to take cookies out just before they look done, and they'll be perfect. Makes about 30 cookies.

Recipe and picture from Mrs Harding Cooks blog.

Variation- This summer at our church's Women's retreat we were served the most awesome cookies. They were Snickerdoodles with chocolate chips and pecans. Try using the recipe above but add 1/2 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to the batter.

Special K Cookies

When my grandma would make these - she would sit sheets of waxed paper on her washer and dryer to let them harden. Then she would place the cookies in this orange Tupperware container. She also made a mean pimientos cheese spread and used this container to store it - I will have to post that recipe sometime. I love that I have this container along with many other wonderful things of hers.

1 cup sugar
1cup white corn syrup
12 ounce jar peanut butter (smooth
4 cups Special K cereal

Combine sugar and syrup in a small pot. Boil for one minute. Take out of pot and place in a bowl. Add peanut butter. Add cereal. Drop from a teaspoon onto waxed paper. Let cool.

Old Fashioned Teacakes

This is a family recipe that my great uncle use to make for us. I love that I have his recipe card and my great grandmothers recipe box; they are very special to me. Give this recipe a try - make sure you use a 3 1/2 inch cookie cutter because you want the cookies thick. So good...

1 cup salted butter (room temp)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs (room temp)
2 tbsp buttermilk (*see substitution below)
5 cups all - purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
Additional sugar (for sprinkling)

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk* and beat well. Combine flour and soda; gradually stir into cream mixture. Stir in vanilla. Chill dough several hours or over night.

Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut into rounds with a 3 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on lightly greased (my addition--parchment covered) cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove cookies to wire rack and let cook completely.

*Substitution for buttermilk - take 1 cup milk and add 1 tablespoon vinegar - mix together. Let stand for 5 minutes then add to any recipe calling for buttermilk.