Rich and Easy Cookie Bars

Almost more of a candy bar. These didn't last long!

Makes 2 to 3 dozen.

1/2 C butter

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 oz) can condensed milk

2 C (12 oz pkg) chocolate chips

1 C grated coconut

1 C pecans, or other nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 9x13" pan in the oven. Remove from oven. Stir graham crackers into butter and press onto bottom of pan. Pour condensed milk evenly of crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans; press down firmly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars when cool.

Apple Cheddar Bread

Makes about 4 mini loaves (2" x 4") or 1 large (5"x 9")

1/4 C butter
2/3 C sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C applesauce
2 apples, chopped
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 C walnuts (optional)
2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add applesauce and mix well. Gently stir in apples, cheese and walnuts. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients to rest of batter and stir just until moistened.

Pour into greased loaf pans. If using smaller pans, I find it helpful to use a very large cookie scoop.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean, 25 minutes or so for smaller loaves, and 50 minutes for a large loaf. Cool in pans 1 or 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Mocha Nut Cookies

This recipe is a real winner. It was a good thing I doubled it for a party, or they would have all been gone in a flash!
Makes about 5 dozen

1 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
1/3 baking cocoa
2 T instant coffee granules
1 C finely chopped walnuts
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, coffee, cocoa, flour one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in walnuts. Dough will be stiff.

Drop rounded 1 inch balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. A small cookie scoop works really well.

Bake for about 14 minutes or until set. Cool on pans for a couple minutes before removing to wire racks.

Optional:
While still warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes about 24 muffins

3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups pumpkin
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

Fill greased muffin cups nearly full. I use a large cookie scoop, which makes it easy and mess-free.

Bake 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

These are best served warm!

Pumpkin Cookies

These were really good. I usually only eat cookies when they're hot out of the oven, but these were good cool. =)
Also, the whitish spots in the photo are NOT mold, of course. They are melted green and blue chocolates...
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

2 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup M&M baking bits (optional - they are very good with out chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Cream butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add molasses, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Add cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Mix well. Gradually add flour and then oats. Stir in walnuts, raisin and M&Ms.

With cookie scoop, drop onto baking sheets.

Bake for 9 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Old-Fashioned Brownies

We found that these are pretty crumbly if you overcook them... However, they tasted great, and if you top them with ice cream, they're perfect.

Serves: 2 dozen bars

2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup Florida crystals
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter, Florida crystals and honey together. Add all the other ingredients except the flour and nuts, and mix well. Add flour and beat until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Spread into a greased 9 by 13" pan. I doubled the recipe so I could use my favorite Pampered Chef bar pan.


Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

If you are using these for ice cream sundaes, try warming the brownies before serving. Enjoy!

Fruit Filled Thumbprints

These delicate little cookies are so pretty! We tried three different jellies: blackberry, strawberry and orange. We also used three different "nuts": pecans, walnuts and sesame seeds. The cookies are best if you actually follow the recipe. If you use whole eggs in the batter instead of merely the yolks, they are not as delicate, and require more flour to make the dough workable. These would be perfect to serve at formal events.

Makes about 6 dozen

2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts (pecans will make a nice dark contrast to the cookie, walnuts will be lighter and taste more delicate)
fruit preserves, at least 1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add egg yolks, salt, vanilla and flour. Beat until well mixed, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat egg whites with a fork until foamy. Form cookie dough into 3/4" balls. Dip into egg whites, roll in chopped nuts, and place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets, or, as I prefer on sil-pat covered baking sheets. Make a depression with a thumb or teaspoon in the center of each cookie. The deeper/wider the indentation, the more jelly will fit in, and the sweeter the cookies will be.

Bake for 8 minutes; remove from the oven, and fill centers with preserves. Return to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until lightly browned.