Anzac cookies

We made these for the first time and loved them!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Honey 

1/2 cup Butter

1 cup Flour

1/4 Brown sugar

1/2 cup Granulated sugar

1 cup rolled oats 

3/4 tsp Baking soda

2 Tbsp Warm water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter and honey in the microwave in a large bowl 

Add all dry ingredients (except baking soda) to bowl

Combine baking soda and warm water in small bowl and stir. Add to large bowl and stir together all ingredients. 

Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet. Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the balls about 4 across and 3 down on the baking sheet. 

Cook about 10-12 minutes until golden brown. 

Enjoy!

Aurora’s Apple Cider Pomegranate Scookies

Ingredients 

1 ¼ Cups Apple Cider

1.5 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar (optional)

½ teaspoon baking soda

1.2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.3 tsp salt

½ cup unsalted butter at room temp

1/2 cup granulated sugar

¼ packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp apple pie spices or cloves

1 large Pomegranate

Directions 

Boil Apple Cider down to ¾ cup

Open Pomegranate and remove seeds (Half will be added to the mixture after the apple cider is added, the other half can be added or eaten)

Mix all try ingredients in a large bowl and mix well

Add Butter and Egg Mix Well

When Apple Cider is Boiled down remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. It should still be warm to hot when added to the mixture.

Mix well 

When smooth add pom seeds mix well

Put in fridge to cool 1 hour

Scoop on cookie sheet bake in oven 400 F for 12 to 14 minutes

Shortbread Cookies

11/19/2015 Submitted by Marcia Van Camp

Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, and then stir in the vanilla.
3. Add flour and salt and mix well
4. Roll out cookie dough and cut cookie
5. Bake for 10-12 min

Notes: This recipe was on the package for these cute cut-out cookies that I bought at World Market. I looked on their site but I don't think they have the recipe online.

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/flower+side-of-the-cup+cookie+cutter.do

Under the Sea Party

11/03/2015 
Submitted by Marcia Van Camp

Here are some pictures from Aurora's 1st birthday party. We love her so much!

Sandcastle cake! 

I used candy molds and candy melts for the seashells.  I made one cake mix in a 9 x 13 pan for the bottom.  Then I made another cake mix and split it between two smaller round glass pans I had.  I frosted with white frosting and used crushed up graham crackers for the sand. I looked at a lot of pictures online and some used marshmallows for the tops, and I used sugar cubes.  I also frosted beyond the cake onto the tray so it would spread out a little more.  I really like the way it turned out. 

Next time I would use white or a light brown cake mix since other colors show through easily...and perhaps a darker frosting as well.  I would also use less moisture in the cakes so they stack easier. For the frosting, I would not get extra whipped since it slides off the sides and can't handle the graham cracker.  

Star cookies!

I rolled out some Pillsbury ready to bake sugar cookies and used a star cookie cutter. I added some Wilton colors and eyes, and look how cute they are!

Sand dollar cookies!

I used some Pillsbury ready to bake sugar cookies for these.  I made a small bowl of light and dark brown sugar.  I put the bottom of a glass into the sugar and flattened out the cookies with it.  I bought a package of sliced almonds and tried to pick out a bunch that were not broken and had nice shapes.  I placed them on the cookies after they baked and some were easier than others.  I started getting them wet with water and that seemed to help them stick.  I think next time I would make these cookies just a little thicker.

Broken Glass Cupcakes / Cookies

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp, 10/31/2015

Inspired by http://easybaked.net/2013/10/09/creepy-broken-glass-cupcakes/

Here are some pictures of the cookies I made this Halloween.  I wanted to make cupcakes but ran out of time and energy SO I used the Pillsbury ready to bake sugar cookies I had in the fridge.  I like the attached recipe since you can microwave the glass concoction vs. using your pan.  I did find though that using cooking spray changed the color to more yellow glass...and the glass was kinda sticky.  I tried it without but then the glass just stuck to the wax paper.  Maybe next year I will try some different methods.  I was able to get enough glass though to break off, so it all worked out.

Also, I don't know that I would used sweet and condensed milk again.  I would probably try for something thicker.  My blood isn't quite as good because I didn't have any black dye, and I was trying to use brown.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Banana Flavored!

Submitted by Marcia Brisson from Jenny Medlock

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package instant banana pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon banana extract (the recipe calls for vanilla but I like to give it extra banana kick!)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture gradually. Stir in chocolate chips.
3, Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Note: These are so so delicious!

Cranberry Oat Squares

Date tried: 7-10-09
From: Thrifty Fun Recipes. Doug likes these.
Submitted by: Mother Crumb

Ingredients
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup butter
14 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9x9 inch square pan.
• Measure oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter into a bowl.
• Using a pastry blender, mix together until crumbly.
• Pack half of the mixture into the pan.
• Spread cranberry sauce over the top.
• Put the remaining mixture on the top. Press down with your hand.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until a rich golden brown.
• Cool completely in pan.
• Cut into 36 squares.
This is very good served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Snow Topped Chocolate Mint Cookies

Date tried:12-11-09
From: Taste of Home Christmas Cookies.
Submitted by: Mother Crumb

Ingredients
1 10 ounce package mint semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 tablespoons butter, softened. (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar to roll the balls in

Directions
• Over a double boiler, melt 1 cup chocolate chips. Set aside to cool.
• Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla.
• Add eggs, beating well.
• Beat in the melted chocolate chips.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Mix in remaining chocolate chips.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll in confectioners’ sugar.
• Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and centers are almost set.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Gingersnaps

Date tried: November 1976
From: Betty Crocker
Submitted by: Mother Crumb
These are the first cookies I made for Doug when he went to Japan and we were both single.
I guess they made quite an impression.

Ingredients
¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
granulated sugar to roll the dough balls in

Directions
• Cream shortening and brown sugar.
• Add molasses and egg.
• Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Cover. Chill 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees’. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls.
• Roll in granulated sugar.
• Place balls 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or just until set.
• Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

FRENCH COOKIES

Provided by Darren Haycock /Suzanne Haycock and submitted by Marcia Brisson

2 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup, (2 cubes) margarine or butter softened (room temp or very slightly melted—better if just very soft.
2 eggs whisked together
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 cup warm water

Put first four dry ingredients in a bowl and hand stir ‘til mixed.
Add softened butter, 2 eggs that have been whisked together—can use a fork, and the soda dissolved in the warm water. Now Hand Stir everything together until well mixed. You don’t have to overdue it—these are better under mixed. Do not use a mixer!

Now add 2 cups of chocolate chips and gently stir ‘til evenly mixed.
Pour onto a well greased large jelly roll pan or big pan with sides. I use a jelly roll pan that is about 12 x 17 inches. Bake at 350 about 25 minutes. Don’t over bake. The batter will be pulling very slightly away from the sides of the pan. Take out of the oven and put on a cooling rack.

Quickly stir about two or three cups of powdered sugar together with a few drops of water to make a smooth glaze. If too thick to spread easily, add a little bit more water. If too thin and watery, add a little bit more powdered sugar. Pour on hot cookies and quickly spread all over. Quickly sprinkle on chocolate sprinkles. Let cool completely before cutting. These do much better if you let them cool several hours before cutting—cutting while still warm and they come out gooey and messy and don’t look good.

Monster Cookies

From Matt Walker in the 1996 edition of The Colonial Ward Culinary Guide to Life Submitted by Marcia Brisson
Makes 120 cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups peanut butter
2 ¾ to 3 ¼ cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
5 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 12-oz bag chocolate chips


Directions:
1. Cream sugars and butter then blend in eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter
2. Sift together flour and soda then add to creamed mixture
3. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F