Holiday Open House

I was a baking fool this past week, getting ready for our holiday open house. There were a lot of cookies! I wish I had pictures. Here are some we had on the buffet :

Texas-sized Almond Crunch Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. oil
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
3 1/2 c. Pillsbury's Best all-purpose flour
1 c. Pillsbury's Best whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
2 c. coarsely chopped almonds (I like to use the sliced almonds)
1 (6 oz.) pkg. almond brickle baking chips
Sugar

Cooking Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine sugar, powdered sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add almond extract and eggs; mix well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.

In second large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; mix well. Add to sugar mixture; mix at low speed until well blended. By hand, stir in almonds and brickle chips.

Using large tablespoonfuls of dough, shape into balls. Roll in sugar. Place 5 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With fork dipped in sugar, flatten each in crisscross pattern. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. 3 1/2 dozen (4 inch) cookies.



Oatmeal Cookies
Mix together:
1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar. 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Add:
1/2 cup shortening, 1 egg, and 1/4 tsp vanilla. Beat well.

Stir in 3/4 cup oatmeal. Form into small balls using a cookie scoop. Roll in sugar.

Bake at 375° for 10 - 12 minutes



No Bake Cookies

Melt 1/2 cup margarine
Add 2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons peanut butter

boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly

Take off the heat, add 2 Tablespoons cocoa, stir well
add 1 tsp vanilla and 3 cups quick cooking oats.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper (I use the small cookie scoop). Chill until set.

Low Fat Pumpkin Cookies

1 spice cake mix
1 29 ounce can pumpkin

In a bowl, mix together cake mix and pumpkin. Drop by tablespoons ontp greased baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.


Caramel Crunch Bars


4-1/2 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams
1 pkg. (11 oz.) KRAFT Caramel Bits
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts
1/2 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil generously with shortening. Place grahams on bottom of pan, cutting to fit if necessary.

MICROWAVE caramel bits and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramel bits are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 sec. Pour over grahams; top with peanuts, marshmallows and crushed pretzels. Drizzle with chocolate.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars to serve.


Tuxedo Brownie Cups

1 package brownie mix (8 inch pan size)
2 ounces white baking chocolate
2 Tablespoons milk
4 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 14 minutes, or until the edges are set; do not overbake.

Immediately, while the brownies are still warm, press in the centers with a plastic bottle cap. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, Set on a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

While brownie cups cool, melt the white chocolate according to package directions. Add milk and stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a medium size bowl, mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar; stir in the white chocolate mixture and blend until smooth. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping.

Pipe the cream cheese mixture into the brownie cups. Store in an air tight container, in the refrigerator for as long as two days. For Christmas I garnish these with crushed up candy canes sprinkled on the top. In summer, put a sliced strawberry.

Banana Bread

2/3 cup Shortening
1 –2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
2/3 cup buttermilk

2&1/2 cups flour
1 & 1/4 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp salt

Cream shortening, sugar, add eggs , bananas,
Buttermilk, and 1tsp or so of vanilla.
Add dry ingredients that have been sifted together.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour
Makes 2 large loaves.

M & M Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed firm
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups M&M's plain chocolate candies
Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract thoroughly.
Sift flour, soda and salt.
Add dry ingredients gradually to creamed mixture.
Mix well.
Stir in M&M's.
Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
Use the red & green holiday M & Ms for Christmas!

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Mint Oreo Truffles

8 oz cream cheese
1 pound oreos (cool mint flavor for mint)
1 pound milk or dark chocolate (I used semi sweet for the mint, but dark would be good too)

Process oreos in the food processor until they are a fine powder. In mixer blend oreos and cream cheese thoroughly. There should be no traces of cream cheese. Roll into small balls and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until firm.

Melt chocolate, dip balls in chocolate to coat. Lift out and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on another wax paper lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with more chocolate to finish tops. Let cool.

Peanut Butter Snowballs (again!)
2 cups peanut butter
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups rice crispies cereal
1 package white chocolate chips or vanilla almond bark

In an electric mixer, mix peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and blend well. Add rice crispies and mix until combined. Form into 1-inch balls. Put on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and freeze until firm or overnight. Melt white chips or almond bark according to package directions. I add a Tablespoon of shortening to thin for dipping. Dip the balls in to coat completely and put back on wax paper to harden. You can store them in the freezer until your ready to use them. Caution: addictive!

The lemon squares and gingerbread were mixes!