Coconut Macaroons

This recipe is from my good friend, Theresa Preston who lives in Australia. This is the first macaroon recipe I've seen using the whole egg. I believe using the whole egg makes the macaroons taste so much better.

Her recipe is as follows:
1/2 pound coconut - sweetened flaked coconut you buy in the can or the bag
2-3 eggs depending on the size you buy. I always buy large eggs.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
and I added
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring

Mix together and either drop onto a greased cookie sheet, parchment paper, or a silicon baking sheet so they are easy to remove. Bake at 300 degrees until golden brown.

I made these for Easter dinner and shaped the macaroons into little nest before baking. You can see they turned out really cute using with Peeps and jelly beans. The next time I make these, I will be making them in small logs and dipping 1/2 of them into chocolate.

400 Sensational Cookies

Looking for a new cookie recipe for Christmas. Head on over to Mimi's Kitchen and get in on the chance to have a cookbook with 400 recipes for cookies. Also you'll find some great food recipes on her blog.

Just follow this link for 400 Sensational Cookies

Betty Crocker's Peanut Butter Cookies

This is my favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe.  I've tried many but this is the one I always come back to.

1/2 cup shortening (can use half butter or margarine, softened or can use all softened margarine)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I prefer smooth and creamy)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 teaspoon soda
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt

* If using self-rising flour, omit soda, baking powder and salt.

Mix thoroughly shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and egg.  Blend in flour, soda, baking powder and salt.  Cover and chill.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet.  With fork dipped in flour, flatten in crisscross pattern to 2 inches.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not hard.  (I sometimes dip my fork into granulated sugar instead of the flour.  It makes the cookies shine even after they are baked).

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  I always double this recipe because they don't last long.

Instead of having a plain peanut butter cookie, I sometimes place a Hershey's Kiss on the top of the cookies or stir in chocolate chips or plain M & M's into the cookie dough.  It makes them taste more like a Reese's Peanut Butter cup.

One Bowl Death By Chocolate Cookie

Here is another great recipe for Valentines!
This recipe is from Baker's Chocolate and is one of the very best cookies I've eaten.  Make a double batch from the beginning because the first batch will be gone before you get one.          

Death by Chocolate Cookie
  

2 packages (16 square) Bakers Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Coarsely chop 8 squares (1 package) of the chocolate; set aside;
MICROWAVE remaining 8 squares chocolate in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-2 minutes.  Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking powder.  Stir in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts.  Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch.  Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Note:  I make my cookies smaller than the 1/4 cupfuls.  They are too big for my liking.  Adjust the baking time if you adjust the size.

Candies to Make for Valentines

Here are two recipes I made for Christmas but I'm definitely making them again for Valentines. Everyone enjoyed these and both are very simple. In order to give as a gift, I will put these in a decorative container with each candy in a little Valentines paper cup.

Pecan Clusters--Bottom Left of Picture
From: Paula Deen, Food TV

7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
3/4 pound chocolate kisses or chocolate chips (Paula recommended Hershey's but I used milk chocolate chips)
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
6 ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter
2 cups pecan halves

Place marshmallow cream and chocolate into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Pour over marshmallow and chocolate, stirring until well blended. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Buckeyes - Bottom Right of Picture
Recipe given to me by my friend, Jean

4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup softened butter
chocolate for dipping--sometimes called chocolate coating or chocolate bark.

Mix together until smooth. Make mixture into balls about the size of a whole walnut. Place each ball on waxed paper on a sheet pan to refrigerate and just chill. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and place back on the waxed paper. Let the chocolate harden. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

********* Side note to the photo *********
The candy on the top left is pretzels dipped in the same chocolate as the buckeyes. The cookies are the mincemeat cookies which I have previously given you the recipe. It is listed in the menu.

Mincemeat Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup mincemeat
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 cups plain/all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Blend well. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on rack.

Easy Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup shortening (I prefer Crisco)
2 eggs
1 stick margarine or butter at room temperature
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Roll into small balls about the size of a walnut. Flatten with the bottom of a glass. (If you have a *SILPAT sheet, they are wonderful to bake your cookies on). If you don't have a *SILPAT, grease or spray your pan with a cooking spray so they don't stick. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.


A *SILPAT is a silicon baking sheet that is used as a liner for your cookie sheets. I use them for all of my cookie baking so they don't stick or brown too much on the bottom of the cookie.

Toffee Graham Crackers

1 stack graham crackers broken into 1/4ths
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup very finely chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 jelly roll pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the above ingredients in a small boiler. Bring to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring.

Place the graham crackers flat on the jelly roll pan. Pour the liquid mixture over them. Place the pan in the oven and bake 5-8 minutes. Remove them from the pan after they are cooled.

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups or 12 oz.  milk chocolate chips

Beat 1 1/4 cup of peanut butter and butter together.  Gradually add the sugar, graham crackers, and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.  Firmly press the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Melt the remaining peanut butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Place the icing on the bars while hot.  After icing is spread, place in the refrigerator to firm up for a couple of hours.  Cut into small squares.
This taste very close to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Peanut Butter Bar

1 1/4 cup self rising flour.
1 cup of sugar.
1 cup of brown sugar.
1/2 cup of peanut butter.
1/2 cup of crisco.
4 eggs.
1 tablespoon of vanilla.
1 0z. semi-sweet chocolate chips. (optional)


Cream eggs, sugar, crisco, and peanut butter together.
Add flour until becomes creamy.
Add vanilla.
Stir in chocolate chips if desired.
Pam a 10x14 clear casserole dish and pour in. (I use a big dish so NOT TO FILL TO TOP because it will rise and run over! and oh boy, what a mess it is.)
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cooking Time: Depends on how the temp works on your oven. I've found cooking time to be different on different ovens. You can check with toothpick. If toothpick comes out dry, it's done.

If you love peanut butter, you will want to hide this all to yourself. ;)

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

1- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1- stick butter, room temperature
1- egg
1- tsp. vanilla extract
1- 18 oz. box moist German Chocolate cake mix
Confectioners’ suger for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into teaspoon sized balls and rolled them in confectioners sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and “gooey”. Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.