Santa Sugar Cookies

Cute idea for Christmas time!

sugar cookies
white frosting
red sprinkles (hat)
chocolate chips (eyes)
red hots (mouth or nose???)
marshmallows (pom pom oh hat)

Oreo Cookie Bark

INGREDIENTS
1 (20 ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies with mint creme filling
2 (18.5 ounce) packages white chocolate
4-6 candy canes crushed

DIRECTIONS
1. Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper. Coat paper with non-stick vegetable spray and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, break half of the cookies into coarse pieces with fingers or the back of a wooden spoon.
3. In a microwave safe glass or ceramic mixing bowl, melt one package of the white chocolate according to package directions. Remove from microwave and quickly fold in broken cookie pieces. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread to cover half the pan.
4. Repeat process with remaining chocolate and cookies, spreading mixture into the other half of pan. Refrigerate until solid, about 1 hour.
5. Remove bark from the pan and carefully peel off waxed paper. Place bark on a large cutting board and cut with a large chef's knife. Store in airtight container
6. Sprinkle top with crushed candy canes (or can add with the oreos in step 3)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oreo-Cookie-Bark/Detail.aspx

Million $Dollar Carmel cookies

Everything I post is a dessert...I promise we eat "real food" too.

(Makes 4 dozen)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar, plus 1 Tbs
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus 1⁄4 cup
• 3⁄4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Heath candy bars
• 1 bag Rolo chewy caramels

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

2. In a separate bowl, mix 2 1⁄2 cups flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture a little bit at a time and blend well. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little extra flour. Cover and chill dough in fridge for about 30 minutes.

3. Chop Heath bars into small pieces. Place in a small bowl and toss with 1 Tbs sugar.

4. Once dough has chilled, wrap a piece around each caramel, forming a 1-inch ball and covering the candy completely. Dip top of the dough ball into the candy topping and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cookies will look quite soft, but do not overbake. Cool in pan slightly, then move to a rack or the counter to finish cooling. Store in a covered container

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

1c. butter
1 c peanut butter
2 c graham cracker crumbs
2 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 c semi-sweet choco chips
4 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions: Melt butter & 1 c peanut butter. Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. Press into ungreased 9"x 13" pan. Melt choco chips with 4 Tbsp peanut butter (either on stovetop or microwave) and spread on top of graham cracker mixture. Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

Pink Lemonade Pie

My Mom used to make this every summer. It is perfect after a hot summer day!!

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (do NOT use vanilla bean)
1 1/2 - 2 pkgs pink lemonade Kool-Aid (NOT sugarfree)
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Soften the vanilla ice cream, stir in pink lemonade until completely mixed in and dissolved. Pour half into each pie crust. Cover and freeze. Tastes great with sliced strawberries. Garnish with lemon slices.

*a lot of times I buy the frozen concentrate pink lemonade or regular lemonade instead of using the Kool-aid. I think it tastes better.

Ice Cream Cake

I got this recipe from my cousin. It is definitely a crowd pleaser!!

4 boxes (6 ct) ice cream sandwiches (roughly 24 sandwiches)

1 container Cool-Whip

1 jar Dove hot fudge

1 jar caramel (optional)

a few handfuls unsalted peanuts

Unwrap ice cream sandwiches and place one layer of sandwiches on the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan. You may have to cut some of the sandwiches a little bit to get the perfect fit. Drizzle some of the chocolate and caramel over the sandwiches. Next, spread 1/2 of the whipped cream over the top, then finally sprinkle with nuts. Repeat for the second layer. Chill and serve with extra chocolate, caramel, or nuts! That's it!

Peaches n' Cream Pie

3 oz. box orange Jell-O
2/3 c. boiling water
1 c. vanilla ice cream, softenend
8 oz. cool whip, thawed
2-3 c. peaches, sliced and cut into bite sized pieces
2 graham cracker crusts

Dissolve Jell-O completely in boiling water. Add vanilla ice cream and stir until melted. Fold in cool whip and peaches until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into graham cracker crusts. Refrigerate until set (can also freeze). Makes 2 pies.

Tomato Spice Cake

This is one of those recipes that sneaks in the vegetables. This vegetable is in the form of tomato soup. You would never know it.

2 c. all purpose flour
1 ½ c. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. allspice
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. ground cloves

1 can tomato soup
½ c. shortening
2 eggs
¼ c. water

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 pan. Measure dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Add soup and shortening. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping constantly. Add eggs and water. Beat two minutes more, scraping frequently. Pour into pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Yummy Chocolate Trifle

1 chocolate cake mix
12 oz. Cool Whip
1 large box chocolate pudding
3 SNICKERS bars cut in small pieces

Bake cake. Make pudding according to directions. Layer bite-size pieces of cake, 1/3 pudding, 1/3 Cool Whip, 1 Snicker bar in a trifle dish or a deep glass bowl. Repeat 2 more times. (You will not use all the cake.) Refrigerate.

***I like to sprinkle the crumbs of the snickers on top when finished.

Better than Almost Anything Cake

You may already have a version of this recipe, but I made it last night and it's so yummy!

1 package Betty Crocker SuperMoist German chocolate cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 jar (16 to 17 ounces) caramel, butterscotch or fudge topping
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup toffee chips, or bits or 5 bars chocolate-covered toffee candy bars coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Pour into pan. Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 15 minutes.

Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon. Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Store covered in refrigerator.

Banana Bars

1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. butter
1 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 ½ c. bananas mashed (approx. 4 bananas)
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add and beat sour cream, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda and add to mixture. Grease and flour large cookie sheet (15x8x1). Spread mixture in pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Recipe from Debbie Gilbert

Coffee Cake

***This is for an 8X8 pan recipe but you can double it and put in in a 9X13.

Batter:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

Topping: (don’t’ forget to double this too if you double the batter)
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp firm butter (do not melt this or it won’t work)

Heat oven to 375. Grease pan (8X8 for single batch, 9X13 for double). Blend all batter ingredients. Beat vigorously for 1/2 minute and spread in pan. Mix topping together separately and sprinkle on top of the batter. Be careful not to overload it in the center or it will sink. Bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.

Lemon Blossoms

18 1/2-oz pkg. yellow cake mix
3/12-oz pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup oil

Glaze
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
3 TBS oil
3 TBS water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and oil. Blend well for 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each cup half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel.
To make glaze, add lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 TBS water to powdered sugar. Mix with spoon until smooth.

With fingers, dip cupcakes into glaze while cakes are still warm. Place on wire rack with waxed paper underneath to catch dripping glaze. Let glaze set (took about 45 minutes) then store in a container with a tight-fitting lid

Peach Cobbler

So EASY! My husband "doesn't like cobbler", but I got him on this one. He LOVES it.

Ingredients:

2 (16 ounce) can peaches (if your ambitious you will opt to do fresh peaches, I'm not.)

1 yellow cake mix

1 1/2 sticks butter

1-2 tsp cinnamon

sprinkle of brown sugar and nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Pour peaches and juice (drain one can) into 9x13 pan.

3. Pour cake mix over the top. Pat cake mix down until it mixes with the juice.

4. Take butter and use a grater to shave butter evenly over the top. If you want you can just slice it and layer it on the cake. (if you use the grate make sure it is frozen or very firm.)

5. Sprinkle your cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar on top.

6. Put in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until brown.

Serve with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Sugar Cookies

These are my all time favorite sugar cookie recipe. They are so soft. Enjoy!

Easy Sugar Cookies
2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sour cream or vanilla yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
5 c. flour

Cream together sugar and shortening. Then add eggs, sour cream (or yogurt) and vanilla. Mix in baking soda, baking powder and flour. I sometimes put in fridge for jut a bit to set, but it is not necessary. Roll out and cut. Bake at 350F for 8-11 min.

*The key to these is roll them out thick enough. If they're too think, they'll be crispy. Also, don't let them brown in the oven. If they just start turning brown, they're plenty done :)