Carrie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
1/2 cup of room temp. no salt butter cut into "pats"
1/2 cup butter flavor Crisco ( plain is fine too)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 -3.4 oz package of vanilla or French vanilla instant pudding
2 room temp eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

I turn my oven to 350 . Put flour, salt and soda in a small container and combine. Set aside.
Cream the butter, shortening & sugars until fluffy (3 minutes) Scrape down the sides.
Add the package of pudding mix in on slow until incorporated. Add the eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides.
With the mixer on slow I start slowly adding the flour mixture until just combined I never over mix once the flours are added. Scrape down sides and beaters.
Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips and mix with the mixer just a few seconds to get everything good and mixed.
I use an ice cream scoop to dole out the cookie portions onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. 8 cookies per sheet. I offset them 2 by 2. I make them fairly good sized. I get 24 cookies per batch. I bake them 2 cookie sheets at a time next to bottom rack and next from top rack for 14-15 minutes. They will look under cooked, or almost barely browned. I like them very soft, I don't let them get to much color. Let them cool on the cookie sheet 30 minutes. The cookies are best after they have completely cooled down. (in my opinion) That is all I can think of.

*I used a smaller scooper and cooked them for 11 minutes and they turned out great! They’re super soft.

Lori's Mango & Rice

First make sure you use "sticky" rice.

Rinse 2 cups rice until water is clear and let stand in 2 1/3 cups water for at least 2 hours.

Bring rice and water to boil and slowly boil, stirring occasionally until most liquid is reduced leaving little craters. Cover and cook very low for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. Pour one can (app 13 1/2 oz) unsweetened coconut milk (shake well) into saucepan with 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 t salt. Bring to simmer and continue simmering for at least 10 minutes until milk is thick and will cover the back of a spoon. Pour half of milk over rice, stir gently until blended. Let rice stand for 30 minutes. Stir in remaining milk and serve with sliced fresh mango. You can garnish with lime zest or fresh mint if you wish.

Sounds complicated, but it's really not. Oh, and you can't refrigerate leftover rice because it will harden. The restaurants just leave it at room temperature.

Andy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla ext
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

oven to 350
cream butter and sugar
beat eggs in one at a time
stir in a vanilla
dissolve soda in water
add to batter
add salt
stir in flour
stir in chips
cook 10 minutes

Andes or Rolo Candies Cookies (Cake Mix)

1 box Chocolate Cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
Box of Andes mints (I I use half a mint per cookie)
*you can also use Rolo's instead

Heat oven to 350*. In large bowl combine cake mix, oil, and eggs; stir by hand until dough forms. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. If necessary, refrigerate dough for easier handling. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350* for 9 to 11 minutes until surface of cookie is cracked. Immediately top each cookie with mint, when it starts to melt swirl it around the top of the cookie covering the majority of it. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool (sometimes I put the cookies in the fridge to harden the melted mints).

Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies

Cheesecake Cupcakes

24 vanilla wafers
3, 8 oz. cream cheese bricks
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

Line muffin tins and place a vanilla wafer in the bottom. Combine everything else. Pour into cups 2/3 full. Bake 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until set. Refrigerate.

I think they’d be really good with a little almond flavoring.

Strawberry & Cream Jello

Bottom layer:
2 large boxes of strawberry banana Jello
4 cups hot water
1 lb. sliced, sweetened frozen strawberries

Dissolve Jello in hot water. Add the frozen strawberries to cool the Jello. Pour in 9x13 pan. Cool in fridge until set.

Second layer:
2 cups whipped cream, whipped
1 large box strawberry banana Jello
2 cups hot water
4 oz. cream cheese

Dissolve Jello and beat with cream cheese while still hot. Cool and fold in whipped cream. Pour over first layer. Chill until ready to serve.

Crazy, Yummy Hot Fudge Sauce

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
6 Tbsp. butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring continuously. Add half and half, Whipping cream, corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil and cook at a gentle simmering without stirring to 225-230 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Pour into non-metalic container, add vanilla and whisk.

(I don’t use a thermometer. Make sure you turn the heat down to simmer or the bottom could burn.)

S'mores Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 (1.55 oz. each) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars
• 1 cup marshmallow creme
  

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

2 Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan.

3 Arrange chocolate bars over dough, breaking as needed to fit. Spread with marshmallow creme. Scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallow; carefully press to form a layer.

4 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. 16 bars.

Caramel Brownies

1 German Chocolate cake mix
49 caramels
¾ cup margarine
6 oz. chocolate chips
2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided

In saucepan, melt caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk; set aside. In large bowl, mix cake mix, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and melted butter. Spread half of mixture in a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes. Spread melted caramels over first layer. Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel layer. Spread rest of cake mixture on top and bake for 18-26 min. Remove and cool before cutting.

Chocolate Sin Raspberry Brownies

1 ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup margarine
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ cup flour

Melt chocolate with margarine in a heavy saucepan. Cool slightly. In bowl, beat sugar and eggs together. Add chocolate mixture. Stir in baking powder and flour; blend well. Spread evenly in lightly greased 9x9 pan, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. (I use a 9x13 pan and cook it for 25 minutes.)

Filling:

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Melt chocolate in heavy saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and raspberry preserves. Beat until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate, mixing until blended. Spread on top of cooled brownies.

Glaze:

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vegetable shortening

Melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat. Drizzle over top of truffle layer. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting.

Raspberry Bars

Yield: 2 dozen

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) vanilla or white chips, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 
  
• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Remove from the heat; add 1 cup chips (do not stir). In a small bowl, beat eggs until foamy; gradually add sugar. Stir in chip mixture and almond extract. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to egg mixture just until combined.
• Spread half of the batter into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• In a small saucepan, melt jam over low heat; spread over warm crust. Stir remaining chips into the remaining batter; drop by teaspoonfuls over the jam layer. Sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Rasmussen Special K Bars

1 ½ cup sugar
1 ½ cup Karo Syrup
1 ½ cup peanut butter
1 box of Special K cereal
1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chips

Butter 9x13 inch pan. Measure 6 cups of cereal and pour into very large bowl. In saucepan over medium heat, dissolve syrup and sugar. Bring to a soft boil and remove from heat. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Pour syrup mixture over cereal and make sure cereal is well coated. (I usually add a little bit more cereal until it doesn’t look too goopy. Be careful not to add too much cereal or the bars will be dry. Pour cereal mix into buttered pan and spread evenly. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in microwave by putting them in a glass dish, microwaving a bit, then stir, a little more, then stir, and so on. When smooth spread over cereal bars.

Suzy Marshmallow Brownies

Mix and bake your favorite brownie mix. When they come out of the oven sprinkle mini marshmallows over top and put under broiler until they start to brown. Don’t walk away or they might burn. Then make and spread frosting over top. They’re messy to cut, but melt in your mouth.

Frosting:

1 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. Butter
1/3 cup milk.
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

In small sauce pan combine butter, sugar, and milk. Bring to boil and boil ONLY 1 minute, stirring constantly. If you cook too long it will become rock hard. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Pour over marshmallows immediately.

Seafoam Jello

2 large canned pears
6 oz. lime Jello
12 oz. cream cheese
1 pint whipping cream (sometimes we use a little more if we have it.)

Heat 2 cups pear juice in microwave. Dissolve Jello in pear juice. Using an electric mixer, mix Jello with softened cream cheese. Refrigerate until cool, not hard. Mash pears and mix in Jello. Whip cream and gently fold into Jello. Pour in a 9x13 pan. Set in refrigerator until firm.

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. cooking oil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 16-oz. can pumpkin
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
chopped nuts, optional

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread in ungreased 10 x 15 x 1-inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Top with frosting when cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting (I double because this amount is barely enough to spread. I didn’t double the vanilla because it seems strong to me.)

1 3-oz. Pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. softened butter

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and powdered sugar a little at a time until smooth.

Mrs. Field's Pumpkin Harvest Cookies

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup solid-pack unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 bag white chocolate chips
1 cup pecan halves and pieces, toasted

Preheat the oven to 300. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the flour until combined. Stir in the white chocolate and pecans.
Drop the dough by rounded Tbsp., 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until just set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Bavarian Apple Torte

Makes 8-10 servings.

Crust:
In large bowl, cream together ½ c. butter, 1/3 c. sugar, and ¼ tsp. vanilla. Cut in 1 cup flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press dough onto the bottom and pat partially up sides of 9” springform pan.

Filling:
Preheat oven to 450. In a medium sized bowl, combine 8 oz. softened cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar and mix well. Add 1 egg and ½ tsp. vanilla and blend thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan.

Topping:
In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, and ½ tsp. cinnamon. Add 4 cups cored, peeled, and thinly sliced apples and toss. Arrange apples over cream cheese filling and sprinkle with ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional). Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and continue baking at 400 for and additional 25 minutes. Cool completely before removing rim of pan. If almonds brown too fast make a loose tent of foil.

Apple Betty

4 cups sliced, peeled, pared tart apples
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 375. Mound apples in buttered pie plate. Sprinkle with orange juice. Combine sugar, flour, spices. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Cook for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (hold out 1 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 cube margarine (melted)

* Mix together and press into a 9x13 greased and floured pan.

30 oz. can pumpkin pie mix
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup canned milk

* Mix together and pour over cake mixture
1 cup remaining cake mix
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. margarine

* Mix together and sprinkle on top. Bake 350 for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream.

Easy Peach Cobbler

1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
2 (16 oz.) cans sliced peaches in heavy syrup
2 sticks butter
Pour peaches and syrup into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover peaches completely with dry cake mix, do not mix. Cover mix with pats of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees F. until golden brown approximately 25 minutes. Serve with ice cream.