Why don't I make Chocolate Chip Cookies more often?

They are so easy to make and taste so much better than packaged dough. . .

Andrea’s Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s the one my mom used, tweaked by me!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup butter flavor vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups AP flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet, white, or milk chocolate chips (1 cup) or any combination thereof
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
4. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

TIP: If nuts are omitted, add an additional handful of chocolate chips.

If they make it past the cooling rack, store them tightly sealed for a couple of days (they won't last that long. . .)

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Kim gave me a bag of these back in November and they were delish. I think the secret to the delightful flavor is the coffee. . .Thanks Kim!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons self rising flour

¾ cup margarine

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 (11.5 oz.) package semisweet chocolate mega-morsels

1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.

Combine butter and coffee granules in a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until butter melts and coffee granules dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature (don’t let butter resolidify).

Combine butter mixture, sugars egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mega-morsels and walnuts.

Drop dough be heaping tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325º for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Variation: For holidays, substitute mega-morsels with red & green colored baking chips or plain M&M’s.

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

My dear friend Kim Carper sent this to me, along with several more recipes that I will post in the next few days. Thanks Kim!

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

Ingredients

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• Dash salt, if desired
• 2/3 cup caramel topping
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in oats and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for topping. In ungreased 9-inch square pan, press remaining dough mixture evenly in bottom to form crust.a
2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until dough puffs and appears dry.
3. In small bowl, mix caramel topping, flour and vanilla until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips evenly over crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough mixture over caramel.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 12 to 14 minutes. After topping crust, bake 22 to 27 minutes

Cranberry Orange Scones

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in cranberries and orange peel.
4. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk and egg; add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring until mixture is just moistened.
5. On a floured board, knead gently a few times, but not too much.
6. Form into a patty on an ungreased cookie sheet; cut into 8 wedges with a knife but do not move it.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F.
8. for 15-25 minutes or until light golden.
9. Mix together powdered sugar and orange juice into a glaze; drizzle over scones.
10. Separate scones and serve warm.

From Recipezaar.

Cookies for a Snowy Day: No Bake Cookies

Many thanks to Amy @ The Finer Things for this quick and easy treat!

No Bake Cookies

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar
3 c. oatmeal (I use old fashioned)
5 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. peanut butter (I like chunky)

1. Mix butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
2. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add cocoa, oatmeal, vanilla, and peanut butter.
5. Mix well.
6. Spoon onto wax paper.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

*I like to use my cookie scoop for a more uniform shape. I squash them a little after scooping.
*If you’re in a hurry, place the wax paper on a cookie sheet pan. After scooping, let the cookies set up in the fridge.

The Chewy (Chocolate Chip Cookies)

If you check out the recipe on Food Network’s website, you’ll see that this cookie recipe got awesome reviews (518 to be exact). If that doesn’t tell you that these cookies are probably close to being the best chocolate chip cookie out there, I don’t know what will.

Thanks to Stacie (sorry for the typo Stacie) @ Kat's Kitchen for bringing this recipe to us!

(Recipe from: Alton Brown)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 ¼ cups bread flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups M&Ms

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
4. Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
5. Stir in half the M&Ms.
6. Chill the dough, then using an ice cream scoop (or smaller cookie scoop), scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6-12 cookies per sheet and press 4-5 M&Ms on top of scooped batter. Bake for 14 minutes or until gold brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Girl Scout Cookies

Here are the nutritionals and the WW points for the up and coming Girl Scout Cookies!


Lemon Chalet Crèmes, 1 cookie [80 cal/3g fat/0g fiber/12g carbs/40mg sodium/<1g protein] *2

Trefoils, 5 cookies [150 cal/7g fat/<1g fiber/20g carbs/105mg sodium/2g protein] *3.5

Do-si-dos, 2 cookies [110 cal/5g fat/<1g fiber/15g carbs/85mg sodium/2g protein] *3

Samoas, 2 cookies [150 cal/8g fat/<1g fiber/19g carbs/50mg sodium/1g protein] *4

All Abouts, 3 cookies [150 cal/7g fat/<1g fiber/21g carbs/75mg sodium/1g protein] *3.5

Chocolate Chips, 3 cookies [160 cal/9g fat/2g fiber/22g carbs/140mg sodium/1g protein] *3.5

Tagalongs, 2 cookies [150 cal/10g fat/1g fiber/14g carbs/100mg sodium/2g protein] *4

Thin Mints, 4 cookies [150 cal/7g fat/1g fiber/20g carbs/115mg sodium/2g protein] *3.5

~~These cookie nutritionals are from the Little Brownie Bakers in February 2008.

Crisco Peanut Butter Cookie

From my mom!

• 3/4 c Creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 c Crisco
• 1 1/4 c Brown sugar
• 3 tb Milk
• 1 t Vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 1 3/4 c Flour
• 3/4 ts Salt
• 3/4 ts Baking soda

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375F.
2. Combine peanut butter, Crisco, sugar, milk, and vanilla
3. Beat at medium speed until blended.
4. Add egg and beat again.
5. Combine dry ingredients. Mix in at low speed
6. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake 7-8 minutes or until brown.

Variation: flatten slightly in a criss-cross pattern with a floured fork. Top with sprinkles or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

(Taken from the back of a Crisco can in the '60's)

The Cheesecake Factory White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake--Oh Yeah Baby!

OK. I know what you are thinking. This is not quick. It is not cheap. And it sure isn't fat-free. This is one of those special occasion recipes. . .enjoy!


Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Filling:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Optional Garnish:
2 ounces shaved white chocolate
whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.

2. Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss 'em out), then let the strained preserves sit to cool, then put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or crush 20 Oreo cookie wafers -- with the filling scraped out -- in a resealable plastic bag) into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

4. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

5. Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 ounces of white chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don't want to blend the raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

6. Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2 ounces of shaved white chocolate. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Babe Ruth Bars (a la Momma Sharlene)

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups corn flake cereal
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
  1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Heat sugars, syrup, and peanut butter in a heavy pan until smooth.
2. Mix cornflakes, chips, and peanuts in a buttered 9x13 pan.
3. Pour peanut butter mixture over all and mix. Press gently into pan.
4. Allow to cool and cut into bars.

Makes 18 bars.

Oatmeal Walnut Cookies (a la Andrea)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 18.5-ounce package yellow cake mix
• 2/3 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or chocolate chips
• Granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Prepare baking sheets with non-stick spray or line them with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, mix butter and eggs until light and fluffy.
4. Stir in cake mix, quick oats, and walnuts.
5. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls.
6. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass that has been buttered and dipped in granulated sugar.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: A tip on storing cake mix cookies: Depending on the type of cake mix you use, these cookies may dry out after two days. To prevent this, store them in an airtight container with a piece of bread. For some reason this keeps the cookies just as fresh and moist as can be.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cookies (a la Andrea)

• 2 18.25-ounce packages yellow or spice cake mix
• 1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Pour cake mixes and pumpkin into a large bowl and mix well until fully incorporated.
3. Stir in butterscotch chips.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8-12 minutes.
6. Cool 2 to 3 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies (a la Andrea)

• 1 18.25-ounce yellow cake mix
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven go 350 F.
2. Dump cake mix into a large bowl.
3. Stir in the oil and eggs until well blended (go ahead, you can even use your clean hands!).
4. Mix in the chips.
5. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls or roll into balls the size of walnuts and place 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet and flatten just a bit with your fingers.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake.
7. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks.

Yield: About 2 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Because there are so many different kinds of cake mixes (with pudding, with double pudding, extra moist and so on), you may need to make slight adjustments to this recipe. For example, I’ve found that with some varieties of mix the dough is so stiff and dry it’s not possible to form the cookies into balls. When this happens I simply add one or two tablespoons of water until the dough is workable. If you want to cut down on fat, try substituting 1/2 cup applesauce for the oil. Variations: You can use just about any combination of cake mix and chips. Example: Carrot cake mix with white chocolate chips; chocolate cake mix with peanut butter chips; devil’s food cake mix with toffee bits chips; German chocolate cake mix with pecans and coconut; white cake mix with crushed pineapple (drained) and coconut.

Lemon Coolers (a la Andrea)

• 1 18.25-ounce package lemon cake mix
• 1 8-ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed (like Cool Whip)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix together cake mix, whipped topping, lemon zest and egg. The batter will be very sticky.
3. Just be patient as you drop by teaspoonfuls into bowl of confectioners’ sugar and coat.
4. Shape into balls.
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Do not allow to brown.
6. Best the second day provided they are stored in an airtight container once cooled.

Yield: 36 cookies.