Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sheldon is the chocolate chip cookie fan in this house. I like them but could live without them. He said this recipe was WAY better than Better Homes and Gardens. (We left out the nuts.)

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.

3. Bake for about 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

By, Michelle

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

So, I tried this recipe this morning and it was really good! I substituted buttermilk for the milk, however, as I had some extra and buttermilk makes everything better;-) It was a bit dry so I added about 1/8 of a cup more of the buttermilk. Super good and the crumb topping is not flour-y at all the way some are.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/To-Die-For-Blueberry-Muffins/Detail.aspx

By, Lora

Rolo Cookies

So this recipe is one from a lady in our ward. They are delicious cookies. I promise you wont be able to eat just one. I have also had them made with dark chocolate cocoa powder and for all of you dark chocolate fans they are extra yummy. I also have put York Peppermint Patties inside instead of rolos, best with the dark chocolate batter.  I had to cut the patties is half though. I also just made the batter and added white chocolate chips, no rolling needed.  Just drop them onto the cookie sheet.  Hope you enjoy.

1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 C flour
3/4 C cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 bag of rolos

Cream together sugars and butter. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and add to wet ingredients. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and press rolo into center. Roll in regular white sugar.

Bake at 375* for 7-10 minutes.

Yeilds 3 dozen

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

This is a recipe I found on a blog "bake at 350" but I modified it a bit by using a cake mix. Tasted good to our fam! And let's be honest... it's all about the marshmellow filling.

For the Cupcakes:

Chocolate cake mix (or see link above)

For the Filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla exrtact
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Icing:

1 stick unsalted butter
1 & 1/2 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla


Prepare and bake the cupcakes (using paper liners).

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium star tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). (It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache.)

Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. (I also found that dipping the cupcake in the ganache worked quite well.) Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip (I used a #2 plain tip); pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store in the refrigerator.

By, MIchelle

Cake Mix Cookies

I decided to start transferring the recipes I have been collecting from all of us these passed few years. This is one of Michelle's.

1 package cake mix
1/3 c. soft butter
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients and drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Michelle's favorite mix to use is confetti cake.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

These are seriously like the cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon. They take FOREVER to make, but are so delicious and worth it! And they make about a billion, and freeze well.

from Michelle

Rolls:
1/2 c. warm water
2 pkgs dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c. margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
6 c. flour

Cream Cheese frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk

Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl until yeast and sugar are dissolved. Set aside. In a large bowl, prepare pudding mix according to package directions. Add margarine, eggs and salt. Mix well. Add yeast mixture. Blend.

Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch dough down and let rise again.

Roll dough out on floured surface to 34x21 size. (AKA long and skinny) Spread soft butter all over surface. Mix 2 c. brown sugar and 4tsp. cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle on top and pat down into the dough. Roll up very tightly. Cut with thread or knife. ( I use dental floss. Wrap it around and pull it- it keeps from getting all smashed).

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 2" apart. Take hand and lightly press down each roll. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden. DO NOTOVERBAKE!

Mix all ingredients for the cream cheese frosting. Frost rolls when they come out of the oven.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 C. butter
2 C. sugar
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 3/4 C. flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. grated zucchini
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C. milk or buttermilk

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and zucchini. Alternate adding dry ingredients with milk. Put in a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out of pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

From Nicole, courtesy of Sunset Magazine

1/2 C. butter (room temperature)
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. half and half
2 tsp. vanilla extract
( for thinner frosting add more half and half)

In mixer bowl, beat butter until very smooth, add powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla. Beat until very smooth. Tint with food coloring.

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Nate's Grandma

1 1/3 C. butter
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 1/2 C. flour
12 oz. package Chocolate chips

Soften butter; blend with brown sugar, white sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix in salt, baking soda, and flour. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE!!