Cookie Monster Salad

1 Cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk measure 1 cup milk + 2 tsp lemon juice, let set for 5 minutes)
1 sm. Pkg. intsant vanilla pudding
12 oz. Cool whip
2 cans mandarine oranges, drained
1 20oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 pkg, fudge stripe cookies, crushed

Mix pudding and buttermilk, add cool whip. Add. Fruit. Add crushed cookies just before serving.

Gooey Chocolate Brownies

I made brownies from scratch before and it was not worth the effort.  These however ARE!~  I made them in less than an hour, so it may take about 15 minutes longer to make these then those good ones from the box!
Let’s Cook: A book for kids who love to cook


Ingredients

6oz dark chocolate broken into pieces (I uses 1/2 bag bittersweet choc chips)
1 1/2 stick butter
1 1/4 cup sugar (I used white but the recipe says golden superfine sugar..is that supposed to be brown?)
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
1 scant cup all-purpose flour
2tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the cake pan, 8” square, and line it with nonstick baking parchment.

2. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl. Melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove pan from the heat. Cool Slightly.

3. Add the sugar and sale to the melted chocolate. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add them gradually to the mixture.

4. Sift the flour into the mixture and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Scrape the mixture into the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is pale brown and the middle is soft. Remove from the pan.

6. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before cutting into pieces. Remove from the pan and serve with ice cream to make a delicious dessert.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Fudge Cookie Bars

This recipe is from my second mom Nyla.

"Cookie" mixture:

1 c shortening

2 c brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 c quick oats

Chocolate mixture:

1 pkg chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Grease large cookie sheet.

Reserve 2 cups oatmeal mixture and press rest into bottom of cookie sheet.

Melt chocolate chips, and then combine with butter, salt, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Pour over crust. Sprinkle/lay reserved oatmeal mixture on top of chocolate. Bake for 15 minutes at 350*.

Delicious Apple Pie

This is from Rosa Young. We made these for YW on Tuesday night. For each recipe we made 4 mini pies. And each girl got to take home 2 mini pies. We made a total of 24 mini pies in about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425*

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 3/4 + 1/8 C. Flour
1/4 + 1/8 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Shortening
5 Tbsp. Water

Combine Flour, Salt, Shortening and Water. Toss mixture with fork to moisten. Create a ball. (Can use your hands to mix it better.) Wrap ball in plastic. Chill for 15 mins. in refrigerator before rolling.

Filling:
4 big apples (use your favorite) Core, Skin and Cut apples into bite size pieces
1/2 C. Butter
3 Tbsp. Flour
1/4 C. Water
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Melt Butter in a saucepan, add flour to create a paste. Stir well. Add water, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Stir. Add apples. Let simmer.
Roll out dough. Grease a 9" pie plate. Place dough in pie plate. Leave some dough to make a lattice for the top. Pour filling into pie plate. Roll out remaining dough and cut into thin strips and place on top of the pie (to make a lattice design).

Bake for 15 mins. at 425* and then for 35 minutes at 350* until apples are soft.
For golden crust, beat an egg and brush the egg on the crust.

Strawberry Pie Bars

Adapted from http://www.recipegirl.com/

CRUST:

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoon brown sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

FILLING: the recipe came from this webpage

2 cups fresh strawberries, mashed

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

2 cups strawberries, cut in to pieces

TOPPING:

3 cups quick-cooking oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled*

1. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 15-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the flour, spices and salt until a soft dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and 1/2 inch up the side in an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and set. Let cool on a rack.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Add mashed strawberries and cook slowly for about 10 minutes until thickened. Let cool.

3. Prepare the topping: In a large bowl, mix the oats with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Using fingers (wash your hands and take off your rings first!), squeeze the butter into the oats & sugar and crumble together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture into clumps.

4. Assemble the bars: Spread the strawberry filling over the crust. Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking, and keep an eye on it to make sure the top isn’t getting too browned. Let cool completely on a rack before cutting into 2-inch bars.

*It is important the butter is chilled otherwise the butter makes more of a paste than crumbs.

Makes 4 dozen bars

Lemon Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1 ½ C. sifted cake flour

1 ¾ C. sugar

14 egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 tea. Cream of tartar

Zest of one lemon

2 tea. Vanilla extract

¾ tea. Lemon oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sift flour into mixing bowl. Sift sugar into separate bowl and set both aside. In a copper or stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks; add salt when whites are just foamy (add cream of tartar at this point if using a stainless steel bowl). Gently fold in sugar with a rubber spatula; fold in flour in two batched. Add lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon oil. When all is completely incorporated, transfer batter to angel food cake pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is pale brown in color and springs back when gently touched with finger, and when a skewer inserted in center comes out clean (approx. 1 hour). Cool upside down in pan. To serve, gently remove from pan, releasing sides with knife. Serves 10-12.

Frosting:

2 Cups. Whipping cream

½ pkg. lemon pudding

Serve with fresh fruit, especially nice with raspberries or strawberries. (FYI this is my official birthday cake, the one I asked for every year growing up...mmm)

Texas Sheet Cake/ Crazy Cake

Cake
3 c. Flour
2 c. Sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cocoa

Mix dry ingredients together.

1 c. oil
7 tsp. cider vinegar
7 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. water

Mix together and then add to dry ingredients. Combine until just moistened. Do not over mix.
Bake at 375* for 20-25 mins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting
1/2 c. butter/or margarine
2 Tbs. cocoa
1/4 c. milk

Heat ingredients together in a saucepan until a continuous boil while stirring. Remove from heat. Add..
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients and then pour over hot cake.(Just removed from the oven) Let cool. The frosting will stiffen when cools. Enjoy!

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats

I got this recipe from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, Ghiradelli makes bittersweet chocolate chips.
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
one package of marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
4-6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
finely chopped Oreos, for topping

Directions: Place bittersweet chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside. Grease a 9×13″ pan.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined. Turn off heat and stir in the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract.

Gently stir in the Rice Krispies and coarsely chopped Oreos, and mix to coat evenly. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, leveling the top. (I like to use a piece of plastic wrap over my fingers and press it down with my hand.) Allow to cool completely.

Once cooled, cut into squares. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until completely melted. Place the finely chopped Oreos in another bowl. Dip the top of each square into the white chocolate and then the finely chopped cookies. Set aside to cool and let the chocolate set completely.

Or spread melted whit chocolate over the top of the un-cut treats the sprinkle with cookie crumbs and lightly press down. Then cut and serve.

Store in an airtight container.

Girl Scout Samoa Bars.

For the year round girl scout in you!

Cookie base:
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt

Cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Working at low speed gradually add flour and salt until crumbly. Pour crumbly mixture into 9x13 pan lightly greased or lined with parchment paper and press into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes until base is set and edges are brown. Cool completely.

Topping:
3 c shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12 oz chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp milk
10 oz dark or semi sweet chocolate (I used milk chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).
Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

Note: You can simply drizzle chocolate on top of the bars before slicing them up if you’re looking for yet an easier way to finish these off. You won’t need quite as much chocolate as noted above, and you won’t quite get the Samoas look, but the results will still be tasty.

(If you are really want the original Samoa cookie, the recipe is found here. Both recipes were found on bakingbites.com)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipping Sauces for Fondue

These recipes were not served but I will be trying them shortly. They have my two favorite ingredients, chocolate and peanut butter.

The Original
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

Combine the chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Heat until the chocolate is melted, stirring constantly or combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted stirring every 30-45 seconds. Be careful not to let the chocolate burn. Pour into a warm fondue pot. Add the peanut butter and stir gently until blended. Keep fondue warm over low heat.

Snickers Bar Fondue
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons chunky peanut butter

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Heat until the chocolate is melted, stirring constantly or combine the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted stirring every 30-45 seconds. Be careful not to let the chocolate burn. Pour into a warm fondue pot. Add the caramel and peanut butter and stir gently until blended. Keep fondue warm over low heat.

NOTE: These recipes, along with the dipping sauces and meat styles are recipes curtesy of The Melting Pot Cook Book

Cookies

Sometimes you find a good recipe on the internet than you can't relocate it Here are some links to the above cookies. Nestle's White Chip Chocolate Cookies (right) and Hershey Kiss Cookies. Jeremy loved this dough! One thing I loved about the Kiss recipe that I had never seen before is that you put the kiss in the cookie after it is mostly done, then put it back in the oven for 2 minutes. The kiss still keeps its shape.

Simply Sensational Strawberry Shortcake.

Absolutely delicious and easy!

Found through Kraft Recipes

1-1/4 cups milk, divided

1/4 cup Sour Cream

3 Tbsp. sugar

2-1/4 cups all-purpose baking mix for biscuits

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

4 cups sliced strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Beat 1/2 cup of the milk, the sour cream and 3 Tbsp. sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in baking mix until just moistened. Spread evenly into greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake 12 to 15 min. or until top is golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

ADD remaining 3/4 cup milk to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Toss strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar; set aside. Cut cake horizontally in half to make two layers.

PLACE bottom cake layer on serving plate; top with half of the strawberry mixture. Spread with pudding mixture; cover with top cake layer. Spread with remaining whipped topping; top with remaining strawberry mixture. Serve immediately. Store any leftover shortcake in refrigerator.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is a traditional side dish at the Cook family Thanksgiving dinner table.

Crust:
3 cups broken pretzels
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbs. sugar

Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400* for 6 minutes. Let it cool.

1 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 6-oz. strawberry jello
1 1/2 c boiling water
1 16-oz. pkg. strawberries, thawed and slightly smashed

Cream 1 cup sugar and cream cheese, fold in cool whip and spread on cooled down crust. Mix Jello and water, add strawberries. Cool and pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill before serving. Top with more Cool whip and strawberries when serving.

Chocolate chip oatmeal raisin Cookies

2 cups sugar
6 cups oatmeal
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 cups raisins
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix together the following and then add to the dry ingredients:
1 1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup milk

Stir well. Chill several hours or overnight. (Can skip this part and it still turns out great) Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375*F for 12-15 minutes.

Yield: 8 dozen
If you don't have time to bake them all, the dough can keep in the fridge for several days and you can make cookies on demand.

Christmas Rocky Road

1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 pkg. butterscotch chips
1 c. peanut butter
1 pkg. marshmallows
1 can peanuts/or nut of choice. I prefer walnuts

Melt Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips on medium power for three minutes or until melted, stirring every minute. Add peanut butter. Heat for 1 more minute. Stir. Add mallows and nuts. Stir well. Put into a greased pan. Let set in the fridge. Perfect in about 1 hour.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

BATTER:
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

PUMPKIN MIXTURE:
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1/2 evaporated milk

TOPPING
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans (or walnuts)

1. Grease or spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
2. Mix together batter ingredients.
3. Pour 1/2 of batter mixture in the 9x13 pan.
4. Mix together the pumpkin ingredients.
5. Pour all of the pumpkin mixture over the batter.
6. Pour the remaining half of batter over the pumpkin. This step is a little difficult-it's okay that the pumpkin mixes in a little with the batter. (I just spooned little drops of batter over the pumpkin mixture.)
   
7. Make the topping and pour over batter.
8. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
9. Let cool completely.

Enjoy! It is REALLY good!!

Apple Crumb Dessert

This is probably a classic that everyone already has their favorite recipe. We had lots of apples so I just flew by the seat of my pants and made this, it probably exists in the world wide web but I didn't follow it I just made it up...well mostly.

Filling
9 apples (I used yellow ones I think they were Jonah Gold) (peeled, cored and cut into chunks)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2-3 tablespoons, lemon juice
1/4 cup flour (I actually forgot this so it was really watery, this will thicken it up)
1 TBSP-ish cinnamon

Topping
1 1/2 cup oats ground fine (I did it in my blender)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

For Filling
Mix all ingredients and pour into a 9x13 pan.

For Topping
Mix all dry ingredients and cut in butter until it is fine and crumbly. Spread on top of filling.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve warm with Vanilla ice cream!

Homemade Oreo Cookies (Revised-not replacing)

I just realized that this has already been posted. Even though both recipes are a little different they have the same theme and I am sure that both are very good. I am just trying to clean out my file box and posting as many recipes as I can so I don't have to save a million papers.

Cookies

2 pkgs. chocolate cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 c. canola oil

Mix the ingredients and roll into balls. I had to finish mixing with my hands as it was a little stiff. Cook 7-10 minutes at 350*. Cool.

Frosting

1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cube butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
5 c. powdered sugar
1 (8oz.) container of cool whip...save the empty carton.

Mix all ingredients together with a mixer. Frost middle of two cookies and put together. Enjoy!

There will be extra frosting so store it in the empty cool whip container in the freezer for more oreos at a later date.

Makes approximately 24 oreos.

No Bake Chocolate Toffee Cookies

The measurements are a little weird just because it was converted from serving 100 people to 25 people. It is a girls camp recipe. Sorry the picture looks like mush.

3/4 c. +2 TBS. Unsalted butter
1/4 c. +# TBS. cocoa
3 1/8 c. Sugar
3/4 c. + 2 TBS. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 c. quick cooking oats
1 3/4 c. toffee bits

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a soft boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, then oats, then toffee bits. Crop by tablespoonfuls on wax paper and let harden. Serves 25.