Megan's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is 100% from my sister-in-law Megan. She is the Queen of chocolate chip cookies and she came to visit a couple of weeks ago and showed me the secrets to cookie baking - for which I am eternally grateful! Her recipe is easy to remember. So just in case you're at the store and you suddenly think "oh, chocolate chip cookies!" you will know exactly what you need. The recipe pattern goes like this:

sugar, sugar
fat, fat
egg, egg
vanilla
baking soda
salt
flour
chocolate

Let me explain:

ingredients
1 cup each brown sugar and white granulated sugar
1/2 cup each canola oil and cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon each baking soda and salt
3-3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 of a bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions
Mix together sugars, fats, eggs and vanilla working in the butter with a pastry cutter. It will be chunky and that's ok because next you will add the baking soda, salt, and 3 cups flour*. Completely work in the butter using a wooden spoon. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll cookies into 1" balls and cook for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. When you take the cookies out bang them on the counter (this keeps them chewy and delicious). Then use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack. Then try not to eat the lot of them because you know if you do you have some explaining to do to your trainer...

*You may need to add up to 1/2 cup more flower depending on where you live and what the weather is like outside, and the temperature inside your house. I'm not sure how to tell you how you should gauge that but I know that I use 3 1/2 cups flower out here in AZ and it works like a charm. Enjoy!

p.s. Will post pictures when I remember to take them instead of eating the cookies first!

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

P.S. Don't bake the cookies to a crisp; They are meant to be soft and chewy. Store them in an airtight container

marthastewart.com

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies & Cranberry Noels

Yummers! There is nothing like freshly baked cookies to get into the Spirit of the season!

Chewy Molasses – Spice Cookies

ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.

Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.

Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Cranberry Noels

ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla. Beat until just combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, salt, cranberries, and pecans; continue beating until fully combined.

Turn dough out onto a clean work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 8-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Remove from oven, and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Helpful Hint

Once formed into logs and wrapped well in plastic, the dough can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Before slicing, leave the dough at room temperature until it just begins to soften. For a festive variation, roll the edges in colored sanding sugar before baking.

These recipes are from Martha Stewart click here and here for the whole deal.

Mrs. Sigg's Snickerdoodles

Mrs. Sigg's Snickerdoodles

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.

3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Yields 4 dozen

Butterscotch Krispy Treats

"EATING THESE MAKE MY TONGUE DANCE"

{direct quote, name withheld}

ingredients

12 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips

6 cups crispy rice cereal

1 cup peanut butter

12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

directions

1. Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with foil, lightly butter. Set aside.

2. Measure the crispy rice cereal into a large bowl, set aside.

3. Melt butterscotch and peanut butter in saucepan, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Pour butterscotch mixture over the crispy rice cereal. Mix well. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and lightly press.

4. Put chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 second increments. Stirring after each 30 second increment until chocolate chips are melted and smooth. About 1 minute and 30 seconds total. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the butterscotch-cereal mixture using an offset spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour then cut into squares, serve them, eat them, and let your tongue be happy!

Raspberry Bars

Has anyone besides me eaten those ridiculously loaded raspberry bars? You know the ones made with the pretzel-butter crust with a cream cheese layer and then a raspberry or strawberry topping? Have you ever though "Geez this is going to stop my heart...but dang these are good!". If you said yes to any of these questions try this recipe. It is a lighter, slimmed down version. I love the picture, and it makes me salavate, but I haven't tried it yet. So if you do give a holler and say what you think.

Crust
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (see Note)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Filling
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
3 cups fresh raspberries, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

1. To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Place flour, pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add ice water and vanilla and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to the prepared pan. Press evenly and firmly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
3. Bake the crust until it looks set, but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
4. To prepare raspberry filling: Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you prepare the rest of the filling.
5. Reserve 16 raspberries. Puree the remaining raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in the gelatin mixture and cook, stirring, until the gelatin is melted, about 1 minute.
6. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Pour the raspberry mixture into a medium bowl and set it in the bowl of ice water. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of loose jam and is beginning to set around the edges, about 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, milk and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
8. Spread the thickened raspberry filling evenly over the crust. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the filling. Draw the tip of a sharp knife or skewer through the two fillings to create a swirled effect. Nestle the reserved berries into the filling, evenly spacing them so each bar will be topped with a berry when cut. Refrigerate until the bars are completely set, about 3 hours. Cut into 16 bars, one raspberry per bar.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per bar: 101 calories; 5 g fat

TIP: Note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat. Find it in the baking section of the supermarket or online at bobsredmill.com and kingarthurflour.com.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

eatingwell.com