Sugar Cookie Bars

For all of you who love Sugar Cookies but hate the rolling

 out the dough and cutting all those little bunny's or pumpkins

 or candy canes, just go with these Sugar Cookie Bars!

I am in love with these!

They are very moist and oh so yummy!

Just cut and ice with cute colored icing and you have a very delicious treat!

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/2 t almond extract

1 t vanilla

1/2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 1/2 C flour

FROSTING:

1/2 C butter softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 C powdered sugar

3-5 T milk

1 t vanilla

food coloring

1. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg until nice and frothy. About 4 minutes.

2. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat for 1 minute more.

3. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix them around so that all ingredients are well incorporated.

4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes.

5. Press the dough into a large jelly roll (cookie sheet) pan.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

7. Let the pan cool completely.

8. Time to make the frosting! In a medium sized bowl (or your stand mixer) combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat for about 2 minutes.

9. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Mix for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

10. Frost your pan of cookies. Cut the cookies into bars and serve!

As a fun decorative option, you could pipe a bit of white frosting onto the bars. Just take about 1/4 of the frosting out of the mixer before you add the food coloring. Put the white frosting into to sandwich sized zip loc bag. Carefully snip the tip and pipe some fun decorations onto the bars.

I found this little gem of a recipe here! Thanks

Moon Rocks

Tasty Tuesday
A new recipe from the Ultimate Cake Mix Book.
These cookies were really interesting with the pretzels and oatmeal both in them.
They had a moist but crunchy texture.

Moon Rocks

1 pkg. devils' food cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 (1 stick) melted butter

2 cups slightly crushed (2 1/2 inch) pretzel sticks

1 1/2 cups old fashion oats

1 cup white or swirl chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*

Blend cake mix, eggs and butter in large bowl. Stir in pretzels, oats and chips. Dough will be stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes until set. Cool cookies on sheet at least one minute before removing to wire racks.

Recipe from Ultimate Cake Mix recipe book.

Tasty Tuesday

I won this great little book from a giveaway on Connie's blog.

I also got a way cute apron and a few other GREAT goodies.

This book is so cute.

It has a colored picture for nearly every recipe.

I've looked at every page at least 5 times. So fun.

The first recipe I decide to fix was these coconut cookies.

I made them to pass out to the sisters after my R/S lesson a few weeks ago.

The were received with lots of Yums!

Coconut Clouds

2 2/3 cups flaked coconut, divided

1 pkg. Yellow cake mix (I used a white cake mix in the above picture)

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Reserve 1 1/3 cups coconut in medium bowl

2. Combine cake mix, egg, oil, water and almond extract in large bowl.

Beat at low speed with electric mixer. Stir in remaining 1 1/3 cups coconut.

I used the small cookie scoop and scooped cookie dough balls into

the remaining coconut. Roll to cover lightly.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake at 350* for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to cooling racks.

Cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

Makes 3 dozen.

What I will do different next time I make them is this:

They reminded me of the Girl Scout Cookie, Samoas.

So I think that I would dip the bottoms in chocolate and then put chocolate stripes on them.

Can you say double Yum!

V.D. Treats For V.T. Sisters

Thank you for the idea Connie.

They turned out so cute!

Best box mix ever!

Both of the above cupcakes were made from this mix:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Triple Chocolate Cupcake Premium Mix

Normally I do not like a box cake mix b u t ...

This cake mix rocks!!!!

I saw these on someones blog this week except

they were dipped in milk chocolate instead of white chocolate.

If it was your blog please leave a comment so I can give you credit.

These are just square pretzel with some peanut butter in the middle

then dipped in chocolate.

Wonderful!

Thanks to Kimmie at "Pink Cookies With Sprinkles."

These just say Happy Valentine's Day don't they?

I had a great time baking and delivering these treats

to the Sisters and to my family.

And, drum roll please .......

It was sunny and 72* today!

Can you say B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L!!

Beautiful day and thank you Heavenly Father!

A Great Christmas Cookie

Check here for other Ruby Tuesday pictures.

Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 Red Velvet cake mix

1/2 c. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add cake mix & stir until well blended.Powder sugar your hands well. Roll into 1" or 2" balls and dust balls in powdered sugar. Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets (Siplast and parchment paper work well too) . Bake for 10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet for 3 minutes or more before removing to cool on wire racks.

The original Gooey Butter Recipe, I posted here.

Tasty Tuesday

MOM’S OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Bring to a boil - then simmer gently over low heat, for 15 minutes. Let raisins and liquid cool:

2 cups water

2 cups raisins

Mix together:

1 1/2 Cups of shortening or butter

2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

4 cups Oatmeal

4 Cups all purpose flour

Now add:

The cooled raisin mixture including all the liquid as well.

Mix together well, then add:

1 cups nuts (opt)

3 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 teaspoon of each of these: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

Mix together until well blended. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

Recipe Thanks to Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Tasty Tuesday

Magical Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup sugar, or 1 1/3 cup sugar replacement (recommended: Splenda)
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup equivalent of the Splenda, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in Splenda to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining Splenda. Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ricotta Cookies

Ricotta Cookies:
1 cup butter, soften at room temperature
1/2 cup ricotta, at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, blend softened butter with ricotta until creamy. Add vanilla and mix well. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended. Add eggs & mix well. Slowly stir in dry ingredients & blend well. Drop from a teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes, don’t over bake. Cookies will have only a small amount of golden coloring.

After cookies have completely cooled, frost with glaze & sprinkle with sugar sprinkles.

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or flavoring of your choice
2 to 4 teaspoons milk

Makes approximately 70 Cookies.

Thanks Katherine of Smokey Mountain Cafe

Tasty Tuesday

Grandma Bonnie's Original

Pineapple Drop Cookies

Cookies:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) can crushed pineapple

in its own juice, drained (save the juice for glaze)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze: (optional)

4 tablespoons butter

1 pound powdered sugar

Juice from canned pineapple

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. 2. To prepare cookies, sift flour, salt and baking soda together and set aside. Beat butter and sugar together until light. Add eggs; beat until well combined. Add pineapple, vanilla and flour mixture. Mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on pan. Bake 12 minutes.

3. To prepare glaze, beat butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency of a glaze. Spoon over cookies while they’re still warm. Makes 5 dozen.

Recipe courtesy of the Longaberger Company.

I saw this recipe in the Sunday newspaper insert American Profile

I just felt the need to try it. They were Wonderful! Rich but light, almost like a pound cake flavor. The pineapple must make these very moist! They turned out great for a new recipe. It's a keeper!

As If...

...brownies on their own aren't rich enough!!

Over on Bakerella last week she was thanking Betty Crocker for this wonderful recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies!

How could that title be more enticing? I had to go there... then as always I HAD to give them away quickly!

Oh, me, oh my!

Little secret here, I didn't have a box of cookie mix. I never make cookies from a box so I just made a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies and used that on top of the brownie mix. I only used half of the cookie dough.

Once you get to this point it's not over. Then you ice them. Betty Crocker chose her Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting. Bakerella chose a Chocolate Ganache. I just made up a quick chocolate icing from a tablespoon butter with a 1/2 cup chocolate chips melted, a splash of milk and some powdered sugar. Mm, mm good!

But remember, hurry and give them away!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.
2. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting. For brownies, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.

Tasty Tuesday

Yummy and No Bake!

So if you don't bake you can still have wonderful homemade treats. I know you can microwave! Can't you??

So take your Ritz crackers and put you some crunchy (or smooth) peanut butter between two of them and then melt you some chocolate or Almond Bark and dip your little crackers in it and set them on some wax paper and sprinkle something festive on them or drizzle some more chocolate on them for a beautiful presentation.

And if you don't want to take the time to make peanut butter crackers buy the box of mini Ritz bits and just open the box and melt the chocolate and dip them in and let them set up. They are wonderful. I think I like the mini ones better. Just pop them in your mouth. Yummy, yummy!

Gooey Butter Cookies

Katherine over at Smoky Mountain Cafe posted this recipe that she had gotten off of Priscilla at Priscilla's Baking Adventures. I just had to try them! They were so easy and sooooo good!!! I've now made 5 batches for different occasions that I have had this weekend. They are very moist and almost lemony, if that's a word. They are my new favorite.

Gooey Butter Cookies

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 yellow cake mix

1/2 c. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add cake mix & stir until well blended.Powder sugar your hands well. Roll into 1" or 2" balls and dust balls in powdered sugar. Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets (Siplast and parchment paper work well too) . Bake for 10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet for 3 minutes or more before removing to cool on wire racks.

I couldn't let it go without trying a Chocolate cake mix in the same recipe. It wasn't as good for me as the yellow cake mix was. Still this recipe is a keeper.

My Famous Peaunt Butter Cookies

My Famous Peanut Butter Cookies

2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cream the first 6 ingredients together and then add the others. Criss/cross with a fork and sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes depending on your oven. Do not over cook!

They aren't really "famous" I just threw that in there 'cause it sounded good! I don't know who to give the credit to for this recipe. It's been in my recipe box since college. I know that way back then I used a Palatka Ward recipe book, made up from the Sisters in the Ward. So this could easily be a recipe from that old book. Any way it has served me well for over 30 years! They are all most never fail, unless you burn them! I took this platter full to Dr. Brooks office last Friday when Harry went for his check up. Of course they loved them.

Tasty Tuesdays

Monster Cookies

Over on "South In Your Mouth" She posted this recipe for Monster cookies a few weeks ago. What intrigued me about this recipe is that it didn't have any flour in it? Shelby and I finally got around to making them.

Shelby loves to bake.

I hand her the items measured and she dumps it into the bowl. Then she mixes it up with the mixer with my hand on top of hers. I put them on the pan and open the oven door and she helps slide them in and then she gets to close the oven door and watch through the glass as they cook. It's a lot of fun. We wait to bake when Reagan takes a nap, so she's not underfoot. I love baking better than cooking.

She was eating her share of chocolate chips.

Finished Product!

They were wonderfully delicious!

And they were "hooge".

"Second Opinion!"

So the recipe makes a "hooge" amount. I had a bowl of batter left from when Shelby and I had baked them on Tuesday so I got up early on Friday to make a dozen or two to take to Harry's Dr.s appointment.

I set them down right in front of Dr. Brooks as we were passing his computer station on our way to an examination room. He grinned and said "Oh No." We went on in and waited maybe 3 minutes and he comes in chewing and said "oh, man, what do you call those cookies" so I told him Monster Cookies! They are big cookies and I guess that's why they are called Monster Cookies, but he loved them! He told us that in the Dr's. lounge at the hospital, they have a stack of peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies and he is famous for taking one of each and smashing them together and making one big sandwich cookie for lunch. He told us that he loves sweets and that he absolutely loved this cookie because it had peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate chips in it, all of his favorites! I of course was thrilled he loved them and told him that I love to bake and since Harry is a diabetic and I'm a sweet-aholic the only time I seem to bake is for my Sunday School class. He said he'd take any thing he could get! His wife is also a Doctor (eye) and I think that they have a busy schedule. I just love him and his whole staff. They treat us like friends when we go in that office.

Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups crunchy peanut butter
9 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups plain M&M's
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions
1) In very large bowl, use mixer to combine first seven ingredients--eggs through peanut butter.
2) Add oatmeal, candy, and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly by hand.
3) If dough is too sticky, either refrigerate or add another 1/2 to 1 cup oatmeal.
4) Scoop ice cream size balls of dough onto cookie sheets, with plenty of space in between.
5) Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes. If using two racks, switch top to bottom and bottom to top about halfway through.

Buttermilk Cookies

Buttermilk Cookies

I found this recipe here on Ezra's blog. They looked very good and cake like. I thought they must be really moist since they have buttermilk in the recipe. So this past Sunday evening I made them. They turned out really good and they were very moist. BUT, and that's a big BUT, as I was putting the left over buttermilk back in the fridge I looked a little closer and to my real surprise, it was NOT buttermilk at all it was regular ole 2% milk. (I'm losing it, I know.) But the little pint bottle looked just like the buttermilk bottle and apparently I didn't pay very close attention and just picked up the wrong one. To make a long story short, I can't even imagine how much better they could have been had they had the buttermilk in them instead of regular milk. I ate 4 of them and then had to wrap them up quick before I ate the whole lot! (They actually taste "lemony.") I gave them to the next person that came to my house. That was my brother, AKA "Barney's friend Chris." He took them home to the children. I talked to them the next day and they were all gone! They really liked them too. So if you are looking for a new cookie recipe try these with or with out the buttermilk.

Adapted from Gourmet,

January 2008
Makes about

5 1/2 dozen cookies

For Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter two large baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, zest, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until smooth.

Drop level tablespoons of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are puffed and edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes per batch.

Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks.

To glaze the cookies:

Whisk together all glaze ingredients and brush onto tops of warm cookies.
Let stand until cookies are completely cooled and glaze is set.