Mmm mmm Monday~

Here is a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I got online off of a random blog. The recipe sounded gooooooooooood.... but it was awful! I'm sharing it anyway! I think it would have been better had I NOT melted the butter like the recipe called for. I always have had bad results with melted butter in cookie recipes...so anyone reading this DO NOT MELT YOUR BUTTER! The cookies were crispy and thin and stuck to the cookie sheet and the parchment paper....cruel-cruel- joke. Hey, this would be a wonderful recipe to give to someone you didn't like! *woot-woot* Chocolate chip cookies
1 cup butter, melted (don't melt the butter!!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding mix (the small 4 serving box)
1 tbsp milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets and set aside (or parchment paper). They stuck to both--- so your choice! In a large bowl, mix together butter, and brown and white sugars. Stir in dry pudding mix and milk. Stir in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir this into your butter mixture. Drop by tiny-tiny balls onto your prepared pans. These suckers spread like you wouldn't believe! (again, the result of that melted butter) Bake in the center of your oven until golden brown around the edges about 12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then pry those suckers off of the cookie sheet transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. (yes, these cookies are so bad/ugly they are banished to a paper plate!)Now, I had to eat a lot of these to make sure that I didn't like them...and yes, after eating quite a few... I don't like them. They would be wonderful broken up and tossed on some ice cream-- if you like that kinda thing. In keeping with my "More is better" montra, I had doubled the recipe *gasp*...so the second batch I added 2 cups of oatmeal to the mix. (trying to make a purse out of a pigs ear) At least this batch came off of the cookie sheet a little easier and the cookies didn't bend in two in your hand when you picked them up.... ugh...If ever (and I would never) make these again, I wouldn't melt the butter. Bad-bad butter.... 'nough said. Now, if anyone tries this recipe and they come out perfectly fine...do not tell me, I would have a melt down. A b-u-t-t-e-r melt down~ *note.... only the small metal basket has real fruit in it :-) the rest is faux~ I'm more of a cookie girl than a fruit girl! lol I am not even going to mention the "token" lettuce I have in the fridge~

Mmm Mmm Monday

Yes, yes...I know. I haven't been sharing a recipe every Monday like I said I was going to.....but I was getting mmm-umm fat (fatter)...so I thought I had better not do this EVERY Monday :-)
That being said...lol....
Here is a recipe for a:

Blackberry pie

3 to 4 cups of blackberries (store bought if you don't grow your own)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of flour

2 store bought pie shells

extra sugar for the top of the pie

In a bowlie mix the blackberries, sugar and flour until you can no longer see the sugar and flour. Next just pour that into a thawed pie shell (thats been poked with a fork to vent) With the second pie shell plop it onto some wax paper and fix any cracks in the shell with your finger dipped in water. I always cut off the edge of the second pie shell and toss it out. It is to much work trying to get all that to fit on the pie and make it look pretty! Just pick up the wax paper with the flattened pie shell on it and flip it onto the filled pie shell. Crimp the edges together and cut vent holes in the top. I lightly wet the top of the pie with my fingers dipped in water and then I sprinkle the sugar on top. If your fingers are slightly damp it gives the sugar a really nice look... kinda like crystalized sugar in a way, but not crunchy at all. I always place some foil around the edge of the pie shell to prevent it from getting overly brown-- then just bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. This pie photographed dark-- but it was very light in color actually and very tasty :-) I could have "highlighted" the photo, but then that would have washed out my darling cupid sitting behind it...and I just couldn't do that!

Mmm Mmm Monday

Sour Cream Softies
3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup (8 oz.carton) sour cream
cinnamon and sugar
Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together.
Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream--blending well to make a thick batter. Drop by rounded teaspoon about 4" apart on
greased cookie sheet. I use a glass dipped in sugar and cinnamon to smash the cookies into a circle. I also sprinkled even more of the cinnamon & sugar on some of the cookies (thats why some are darker than others)
Bake at 400 degrees for 12 min. or until lightly golden brown around edges. Makes 3 1/2 doz.

Mmm Mmm Monday~

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe yet...its one of my all time favorites.... if you love banana bread you'll love these banana crumb muffins :-) Banana Crumb Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda and baking powder. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups. 3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Mmm mmm Monday~

Brownies...yum.Here is a super easy/fast recipe for brownies. Grab a box of brownie mix (told you it was easy!) Instead of using the 2/3 cup of oil that the recipe called for on this box, I used applesauce. You cannot even tell the difference--honestly! Anywho, cook according to the box. I used a 13"x9" pan so it took me about 25 minutes to cook.

Once the brownies have cooled completely..... whip up this yummy frosting to add on top. This frosting is more on the "peanutty" side rather than the "sugary" side....so if your needing something sweeter, this isn't the frosting for you.

Peanut Butter Frosting~

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)

5 Tbs. butter (not the real stuff)

1 tsp.vanilla

mix all that together-- then add up to 1/3 cup of milk depending on how thin or thick you want this frosting to be. NOTE: do not add all the milk at once or you'll end up with a thin/runny frosting.... pour a little milk in at a time so you can control the thinkness of the frosting. I prefer thicker.... so I added only about 1/4 a cup of milk. It made the frosting very thick & fluffy, almost like a meringue. Then just smooth the frosting on top of the cooled brownies in the pan and cut into squares.

Mmm-mmm Monday~

Here is a pretty tasty peanut butter cookie recipe that has oatmeal in it. Makes for a chewy/crispy cookie :-)

Peanut butter cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup oats

Cream together the butter, white & brown sugar, eggs and peanut butter. Add to the mixture the flour, baking soda and oats. Once thats all blended together drop by rounded teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. These suckers spread super large. So, I would suggest the rounded scoop be no bigger than a quarter. Once you have 12 cookies on a cookie sheet, take a fork thats been dipped in white sugar to compress the cookie ever so slightly to make the criss-cross pattern on top. You don't want to flatten them anymore than you have to as these will spread... and you'll end up with an overcooked cookie! Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Easy-peasy and oh so yummy!

Mmm-mmm Monday~

Here is a wonderful sugar cookie recipe. It is absolutely fabulous, no lie. When you make these cookies you also need to make a bowl of air popped pop corn-- (for YOU to eat) and invite your super-skinny friends over because these suckers are loaded with calories! The cookies plus the frosting take a total of 5 sticks of butter!Sugar cookies~
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups butter or margarine, softened (thats 4 sticks!)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1. In a large bowl, beat together the 3 cups powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into fourths. On lightly floured surface, roll each half 1/8 inch thick. I always add more flour to the dough as it is super sticky. I would say I add about 1/2 a cup to each dough (fourth....) so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin/cookie cutter and plastic cutting mat. Then cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. I put 8 on each cookie sheet~

3. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Did you know that a dark cookie sheet cooks things faster and darkter? Anywho, once cooked, cool completely, about 30 minutes. Then frost away! Here is a wonderful frosting recipe that sets up nicely so you can stack the cookies...and it stays semi-soft.

Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

food coloring of your choice & sprinkles if you desire~

I had said I was going to put up a Mr. Linky for people to link up to share recipes, but it was to complicated for my pea-sized brain to figure out-- that combined with my laziness to read & figure it out put "Mr. Linky" on hold for a long time lol....sooooooooo if you'd like to share a recipe, leave a comment and I'll place you right *here* with a link to your blog. If not, seriously, go make these sugar cookies.... you'll thank me!

Mmm-mmm Monday~

Something new!! Every Monday I'm going to share a new (or old) recipe. I would like to do a "Mr. Linky" so everyone who would like too... could add a recipe they would like to share...but right now I'm to lazy to do it :-) Sooooo keep this in mind if you'd like to join in. I'm shooting for NEXT MONDAY.... but with my grandaughter's impending birth, who knows for certain. (okokok, that and I'm lazy lol) Anywho, here is a wonderful recipe that I have used for years & years. It is sooooooooooo good that everyone asks for the recipe-- which until NOW I have never shared-- I'm telling you, its THAT good!

Toffee-topped Muffins (easy-peasy)

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (I never add the salt)

1 teaspon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Paper muffin cups~

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I just use my hands)Remove 1 cup of the flour/sugar mixture and set aside. To the flour/sugar mixture, add the baking powder and salt (again, I never add the salt) I use my large kitchen mixer and beat the vanilla, milk and egg together. I slowly add the flour/sugar mixture into the mixing bowl until it is all blended together. Continue beating until a smooth batter forms. (like a watery cake mix) Fill each muffin cup with the mixture filling half full. Once all the muffin cups are filled (approximately 15) sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over each muffin (approximately 1 tablespoon each) Next, mix together the coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts together and place a heaping spoonful onto each muffin. (I add a lot more than what is called for, and I even added some white chocolate chips!) Thats it, bake the toffee muffins at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer each muffin to a wire cooling rack so the bottom doesn't get overcooked or burnt while sitting on the hot cookie sheet.

Seriously, these are wonderful and be selfish, don't give out the recipe! lol

Lemon Meringue pie & cupcakes~

I pulled off all the lemons off of my lemon tree and squeezed & froze all the juice so I could have "lemons" all year long. I placed 1/2 cup of lemon juice in each ziploc snack bag, folded the bags to get out as much air as possible then sealed them shut. I freeze them flat so I can stack them easily in the freezer. Here is my first pie of the year, okokok first TWO pies of the year, one for me and one for my daughter and her family..... YuMmY!Deluxe Lemon Meringue Pie
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/3 c cornstarch
1 1/2c water, cold
1/2 c lemon juice
5 large eggs -- separated (you'll use the yokes for the pie)
2 tb butter / or margarine
Optional: 1 tsp Lemon rind -- grated- up to 3 tsp
9" pastry shell -- baked
Meringue:
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 c sugar -- plus 2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 egg whites (left over from the pie)

Combine the sugar & cornstarch in a large heavy saucepan; mix well. Gradually add the water and lemon juice into the mixture and have the pot on a medium heat stirring until mixture is smooth. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; gradually stir into lemon mixture. Add butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 minute, stirring continuously. Remove from heat; stir in lemon rind. I let the lemon filling cool in the fridge for a few house then I pour it into the pastry shell. This way the lemon filling doesn't "sweat" and make a watery mess.... Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of an electric mixer just until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Beat in vanilla, and spread meringue over filling, touching the edge of the pastry to get a nice seal. Bake at 325~ for 25 to 30 mins. or until meringue is golden brown. Cool to room temp.

Lastly, some low calorie cupcakes that I made for my daughter to pass out to a few people who will come to visit her in the hospital when my grandaughter Chloe is born~

Here is a close up of one of the cupcakes~

Yummy!

I was trying out a new recipe for this upcoming thanksgiving.... Cheese & garlic biscuits! Soooooooo good, I thought I'd share it with the everyone! Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter melted

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter.

Makes one dozen biscuits.

Angela over at Cottage Magpie has more thanksgiving recipes to share, check it out~

Pity Party~

Sooooo while I'm throwing myself a pity party due to the fact I got a notice from my doctor that my mammogram showed "findings that need further evaluation" (next appointment Tuesday-- gulp) I thought OMG, whats a party without cookies? No party I'd ever attend I'll tell you that! LOL
So, I made two different kinds of cookies with recipes I found while surfing blogs~ Who knows which blogs I've taken them from... I am sooooooo like that! Anywho, here are the recipes if you'd like them :-)

This was the BEST pumpkin cookie recipe out of the two. (I didn't like the glaze so I only put it on some cookies) They tasted like little bites of pumpkin pie-- yUmMy!! I am not a big fan of "drop cookies"....I like things uniform-- even my cookies, but hey, these are sooooooooo good, I'll eat them even if they look like little blobs :-) I tried flattening them out with a glass dipped in sugar... they didn't taste as good! Anywho-- here are the recipes!

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Glaze
1 c. pumpkin
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/4 c. flour
Preheat oven to 350. Mix wet ingredients together until well blended. In a separate bowl combine the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and then add to the wet ingredients. With a small ice cream scoop, drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 13-14 minutes.
For the Cinnamon Glaze, use about 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 1 Tbs. softened butter, and milk until it has a nice smooth consistency. After it is thoroughly combined I stir in a pinch or two of cinnamon. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and Enjoy!

This recipe below was just as easy to make as the first, but it comes in at second place in my book. The first one is THAT good!

Pumpkin-chip cookies~
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup of softened butter
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg until well blended. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture. Once all ingredients are well-mixed, add the chocolate chips.Place spoonfuls on greased baking sheets. Bake approximately 12 minutes or until edges are firm. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then place on a wire rack and cool completely. Recipe makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

Peach Pie~

I made a peach pie with the peaches from my very own trees :-) I didn't get a lot of peaches--- I don't know why considering my trees are huge. Okokok.... I did let a lot ripen on the tree and fall off-- thats probably why I didn't get that many lol. Here is a wonderful recipe that you MUST TRY! It is another one of those tweaked recipes of mine lol

Brown Sugar Peach Pie~

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbs. flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 4-5 cups of peaches
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 store bought pie shells

Add the vanilla to the 4 to 5 cups of peaches...stir well. In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients together. Pour the dry ingredients over the peaches, stir until its all coated. Using a fork make vent holes in the bottom shell....pour in the peach mixture. I always hold back about 1/2 of the juice created from the sugar mixture as I don't like "soupy-pies" Now... take the second pie shell crust out of the pan and onto a piece of wax paper to make a top for the pie. Using water to fix any cracks~ While the pie shell is on the wax paper I used a cookie cutter to create the vents for the top of the pie-- Once you flip the pie shell ontop of the pie--just lift the corner of each heart to offset it a little for a nice vent opening. Super cute!

Oh my gosh.... tastes so good too! The great thing about this pie is that everyone will want big pieces-- so then you won't have left overs that you'll end up eating lol