Scotcharoo cookies

If you've ever had Scotcharoos (cooked corn syrup-butter-sugar/peanut butter-rice krispies base with melted chocolate/butterscotch chip topping), they're reeeeeeally good! When I was flipping thru cookie recipes recently, I found an easy recipe, changed a few things, added a few ingredients and came up with a simple cookie recipe that tastes a LOT like classic Scotcharoos! It's a 'cheat' recipe with cake mix, but until I figure out a 'scratch' recipe, this will have to do for now! :)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, mix together:

1 package of chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker devils food or dark chocolate...)

1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter

1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 beaten egg plus one egg white only

Mix together well - add:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup rice krispies

1 cup butterscotch chips

Drop onto ungreased (or parchment lined) baking sheets by heaping tsps. - flatten slightly

Bake for 10 minutes - remove from sheets after cooled slightly.

Marbled pound cake

Grease and flour an aluminum tube pan. Heat the oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl on medium speed, cream together:

1 cup softened butter

2-3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat in 6 eggs - one at a time - beating one minute after each addition, scraping sides of bowl often.

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Measure out 3 cups of flour and add 1/2 tsp. baking soda to it.

Have 1 cup sour cream measured in a cup.

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To the creamed batter mixture, alternately add the flour and sour cream - starting with flour and ending with flour - mix on low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl often.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE:

In a small bowl, mix 6 Tblsp. cocoa powder with 2 tblsp. vegetable oil and mix until smooth. Add 1-1/2 cups of the cake batter to the chocolate and mix together thoroughly.

Put several Tblsp. of plain batter into the bottom of the tube pan, then add several Tblsp. of chocolate batter - keep alternating the plain & chocolate until it's all in the pan. Take a butter knife and GENTLY swirl the batter briefly, to make a chocolate swirl effect.

Bake the cake for 90 minutes (1-1/2 hr) @350. Test it with

a toothpick to make sure the center is completely done. Remove from the oven - cool for a while before removing from pan. Cool completely. Frost the cake or dust it with powdered sugar.

Christmas cookies!!!

Recipes will be posted soon! Merry Christmas to ALL !! :)

Whole wheat biscotti

My husband's insulin dependent (diabetic) & I'm always looking at ways to cut down on carbs so he can enjoy something sweet with his coffee. You can substitute the Splenda (artificial sweetener) with regular sugar - the results are the same.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup Splenda (or regular sugar)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup golden raisins

Mix well - set aside.

In another small bowl, beat:

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tblsp. melted butter

Combine both wet & dry ingredients and knead until thoroughly mixed. On a parchment lined baking sheet, place the dough - which has been rolled into a 10" cylinder - flatten it into a long regtangle (approx. 12" x 3" x 1/3" high). Bake for 22 minutes or until it begins to become golden. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Slice the biscotti dough into 1/2" pcs. & lay onto the baking sheet - return to the oven and bake another 20 minutes.

Chocolate shortbread w/drizzled chocolate

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine and mix thoroughly:

1 cup softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour

Knead well and divide dough into 4 parts. Roll each into a cylinder, approx. 12" long. Place evenly apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Or to make it easier, line the sheet with parchment! Pat gently into a flattened rectangle, approx. 1/4" high by 1-1/2" wide by 12" long. There should be 2 strips per baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until done... it'll be a little soft, yet fully baked. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then slice into strips (1/2" or so). Let cool completely and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Or use both (melted) white AND (melted) dark chocolate for more contrast.

Banana B'oats (dog treats)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients together and mix thoroughly. Roll into 1" balls, place onto ungreased cookies sheets (they don't spread out) and flatten with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until they're golden brown.

1-1/2 cups oat flour

1-1/2 cups brown rice flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup oat bran

1 egg

1/2 cup bananas (mashed/pureed)

1/2 cup water

Doggie Ginger snaps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet - they will not rise or flatte, so if you want a flatter cookie, press down on them before baking (with your hand or a floured glass bottom). Bake 18-24 minutes until they're golden brown. Cool and store at room temp. in a loosely covered container.

1 egg

1/4 cup safflower OR vegetable oil

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup water

2 cups oat flour

2 cups brown rice flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

Plumpkins (dog treats)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets (tblsp.)- they don't rise or flatten, so if you want a flatter cookie, press down on them before baking. Bake 18-24 minutes - cool on racks and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1-1/2 cups oat flour

1-1/2 cups brown rice flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 egg

3 Tblsp. applesauce

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup water

Honey Mutts (dog treats)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients & mix thoroughly. Roll into 1" (larger or smaller is fine) and place in ungreased cookie sheets. Press down on each cookie to flatten them out a bit - these don't spread so you don't have to leave a lot of space between them. Bake 18-24 minutes until they're golden brown. Cool & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1-1/2 cups brown rice flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 egg

1 c. unsalted peanut butter

4 Tblsp. applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1/8 cup water

Gingrebread cookies

Make the dough several hours ahead of time (needs to chill) or plan to bake them the next day. This recipe made 50+ (2") gingerbread men plus one large 7" moose. :)

In a mixing bowl, combine:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together & then combine thoroughly with the butter mixture:

3 cups flour

1 tsp. bkg. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Mix well - pat into a small disc, wrap in plastic or put in a baggie & refrigerate 4 hrs. or overnight.

Before baking, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a few baking sheets or line them with parchment.

Using half the dough (stick the other half back in the 'fridge) roll out to 1/8 to 1/4" thickness on a floured board. Cut into shapes & place on baking pans. Save the scraps and re-roll them when you're all finished cutting out the 1st 'round' of shapes.

At this point, you can decorate the cookies with sprinkles or other candies (if you're not frosting them). Otherwise, leave them alone.

Depending on the size of the cookies & the thickness, bake for 8-12 minutes. Remove & cool. Frost and decorate after they're cooled if desired.

Chocolate truffle cookies

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine:

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teasp. vanilla

1-1/2 oz. of melted/cooled unsweetened chocolate

2-1/4 cups flour

MIX THOROUGHLY.

Fold in 1-1/2 - 2 cups chocolate chips (whatever kind/size you want, mint, white, peanut butter) - I used mini semisweet chocolate

Form dough into 1" balls. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between them (they don't spread out). Bake for 10-12 minutes until they're firm to touch. Cool 15-20 minutes then roll into cocoa/sugar (below).

Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 4 Tblsp. cocoa powder

The finished cookies look nice placed in mini muffin papers.

Cornbread chili bake

Next time you make chili, make extra and try this out - it's really great!! You'll need 5-6 cups (more or less) of chili (I used leftover chili that I made the other day. I make a spicy chili with a lot of sauteed onions, celery, different beans, corn & peppers.)

Use an oversized, deep dish pie pan or a 3 qt. baking dish/pan - grease it & heat the oven to 350.

For the cornbread- in a mixing bowl, combine & blend well:

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tblsp. sugar

3 tsps. baking powder

Mix the next four ingredients together in a smaller bowl:

2 Tblsp. melted butter

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

12 oz. creamed corn (IF corn was in season, I'd have made it fresh, but I caved in & used canned)

Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and fold it together (don't beat it heavily) until it's blended and incorporated together.

Pour a little less than half the cornbread batter into the pan and spread it evenly to cover. Sprinkle it with 1/2 cup of shredded colby-jack cheese.

Spoon the chili over the cheese (5-6 cups, more or less - the amount doesn't have to be precise).

Sprinkle the chili with another 1/2 cup (a little more is fine if you like cheesy!) of grated co-jack cheese.

Carefully blop the remaining cornbread batter over the cheese and carefully spread over the top to cover the cheese, etc.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cornbread is golden. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Macaroni & cheese

Boil 1# of noodles (elbows are good- I use rotini) until nearly done. Drain. While the noodles are cooking, make cheese sauce:

In a large saucepan, heat 1/2 cup butter & 1 Tblsp. vegetable oil. When hot, add:

1-1/2 cup minced onion & saute until very soft & caramelized, making sure it doesn't burn.

Stir in a few Tblsp. flour (3-4) - stir well. Cook for 5 min. over low heat. Slowly stir in 2 cups cream (half & half) and a cup of milk. Stir well and cook over low heat until it begins to thicken. Season with salt, (heavy on the )pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. of Emeril's Original essence (or seasoned salt-on the spicy side), 1/8 teasp. cayenne.

Cut up 2-1/2 cups velveeta-type cheese and stir into the hot milk mixture. Keep heat on low, stirring now and then. Stir in 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup grated smoked gouda, 1 cup grated colby-jack cheese and stir well. After cheeses are melted and thoroughly mixed & heated, stir in 2-1/2 cups of heavy (whipping) cream mixed with 2 beaten eggs. Stir, taste- check for seasonings & add more S & P if needed.

Combine the cheese sauce with the cooked, drained noodles. It'll look a little soupy but the noodles will absorb the sauce. Spoon into a greased 9x13" pan - sprinkle the top with grated colby-jack cheese (a cup or however cheesy you want to go here)... bake on center rack of oven at 350 for 40 minutes or until the top is golden. Kick up the temp to 400 and leave it in for another 5 minutes if you want the top more golden-brown.

Chocolate pizzelles

Again, use the same technique as the standard pizzelle recipe (posted previously).

In a mixing bowl, combine:

1/2 cup melted butter

3 level Tblsp. cocoa powder mixed w/1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Stir in: 1-2/3 cups flour mixed with 3 tsps. baking powder

Drop by scant Tblsp. onto heated pizzelle iron & cook until done. Remove to racks to cool & enjoy them plain or dusted with powdered sugar.

Gingerbread pizzelles

Same technique, different ingredients. Heat your pizzelle iron while you make the batter.

In a bowl, mix:

1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
2 Tblsp. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla

1-2/3 cups flour mixed with 3 tsps. baking powder, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cinnamon, a pinch of ground cloves

Cook pizzelles as usual, being careful not to overcook them - they're darker colored than standard ones due to the molasses & spices.

Pizzelles

You'll need a pizzelle iron to make these, which can be found online, in cooking supply stores or some Italian markets (Caputo's).

Heat the iron according to mfgr's directions while you're making the batter.

In a mixing bowl, blend together:

1/2 cup melted butter

3 eggs

3/4 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. anise extract (OR 2 small drops of anise oil) - the anise flavoring is optional

1-2/3 cups flour mixed with 3 tsps. baking powder.

The batter will be on the stiff side. When the iron is ready, carefully drop a scant Tblsp. of batter into the center of the iron, closing the top/pressing it down until it's closed. Watch for the light or timer - carefully & slowly lift a bit to check color/doneness. The pizzelles will be SOFT when removed but will harden as they cool off. If you like them darker, more well done, leave them in a few seconds longer but check constantly because they cook QUICKLY.

Once the pizzelles are cooled, you can dust them with powdered sugar or leave them plain.

Cappuccino biscotti

This is a low-fat cookie; no butter or oil is used!

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment.

In a large bowl, mix together thoroughly:
2 eggs PLUS 1 extra white only
1 tsp. vanilla
2 rounded tsps. of instant coffee dissolved in 2 tsps. hot water
1 cup sugar

Stir in:
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour

Knead together. Leave dough as-is, or add a cup of chopped nuts or a cup of mini chocolate chips (or both).

Divide the dough in half. Form into 2 equal sized rolls, approx 10" long - pat down to form a sort of rectangle shape approx 1/4-1/3" high --- leave a couple inches of space between them on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they're done in the center. Remove from oven and let sit for a couple minutes.

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into 1/2" slices, then return them to the baking pan. You don't need to leave space between them. Put the biscotti back into the oven and bake another 12-15 minutes until they're 'dried out' more and thoroughly baked.

Enjoy them plain or wait until they're cooled off to drizzle white or dark chocolate over them.

Raspberry walnut squares

Heat the oven to 350. Grease a 9X13" pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

9 Tblsp. melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 Cups rolled oats

2/3 C brown sugar

3/4 C flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together until crumbly, then add 2 cups chopped walnuts. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of crumbs for topping.

Press the remaining crumbs firmly onto the bottom of the pan. Open a can of raspberry Solo filling (or any favorite flavor - regular jams tend to get runny when baked so stick to Solo fillings) - carefully and evenly spread the fruit filling over the crust. Sprinkle the top with remaining crumbs.

Bake for 23-28 minutes or until the top is golden brown colored. Cool completely before cutting into squares.