Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the mint chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto some prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring off to cool completely.

Easy Fudge

3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
Dash salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting edges of foil. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Aloha Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups & 1/2 tsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Put the sugar and brown sugar together and mix. Then add the shortening and mix that all together good. Then add the eggs and mix really well. Then sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix, Mix, Mix. Then add the vanilla and mix again. Then add the oatmeal, chocolate chips, and nuts and mix AGAIN. I swear all this mixing makes these the best. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes until light golden brown. Let them sit on the rack for about an hour before eating. If you eat one before they will seem like they are not done. Just be patient.

Toffee Cookies

1 cup real butter, softened
1 Cup brown sugar, light
1 Cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 Cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 bag toffee candy bits
1 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup oatmeal
1 Cup flaked coconut
1 Cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat the eggs slightly then add to butter mixture and mix well. Sift flour, salt and baking soda; then add slowly to the moist ingredients and mix well. Mix in toffee bits, chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut and nuts until just combined. Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto an prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just golden brown.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 – 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup oil
One 15 ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until the batter is smooth. Spread the batter in a prepared 13 by 10 inch baking pan or muffin tins. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

ICING
One pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Monkey Pudding

2 1/2 cups milk
1 (6oz) box banana pudding
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container whipped topping
1/2 box of vanilla wafers
2 cups mini marshmallows (multi-colored)

Mix the milk, pudding mix, condensed milk, & 1/2 whipped topping until it thickens somewhat. Add in 1/2 the marshmallows. Put 1/2 the vanilla wafers on the bottom of your dish. Pour the pudding over the wafers. Add the rest of the whipped topping. Decorate with the leftover wafers and marshmallows. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tiger Butter Candy (really yummy and easy)

1 pound white candy coating, coarsely chopped

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Repeat with chocolate chips. Stir peanut butter into candy coating. Thinly spread onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with chocolate chips. Cut through mixture with a knife to swirl the chocolate. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2-1/2 pounds.

From Taste of Home Christmas Cookies & Candies cookbook.

Fast Cut-out Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 & 3/4 cups flower

Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour (one cup at a time). Mix after every cup. Roll to ½ inch thick. Dip cutters in flour or powdered sugar and cut out shapes. Bake at 400 for 6-7 minutes.

To make chocolate add 3 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate.


Butter Cream Frosting

½ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 to 3 tbsp milk
Food coloring (optional)

In a large bowl, beat together butter, vanilla, and sugar. Add milk until smooth. If necessary add more milk or powdered sugar until frosting is spreading consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring. Mix everything well.

Chocolate frosting- add ½ cup Hershey's cocoa

Firecracker Cupcakes

1-1/2 cups flaked coconut, divided
4 drops each: blue and red food colorings
24 yellow cupcakes
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
24 red string licorice pieces (4 inch strips)

PLACE ½ cup of the coconut in each of two separate resealable plastic bags; set remaining 1/2 cup coconut aside. Add blue food coloring to coconut in one bag and red food coloring to coconut in second bag. Seal bags; shake until coconut is evenly tinted. If you don't like coconut, just use red & blue sugar sprinkles.

SPREAD tops of cupcakes with whipped topping (or frosting if you prefer). Sprinkle with red, white (uncolored) and blue coconut as desired; press coconut gently into whipped topping to secure.

INSERT licorice piece into top of each cupcake for the firecracker's fuse. Store in refrigerator. You could also use blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries as toppings.

Hershey Kiss Cookies

3/4 c. peanut butter
1 can condensed milk
2 c. Bisquick
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. Hershey Kisses

Mix together peanut butter and milk. Add Bisquick and vanilla. Mix all together well. Shape into small balls, and place them on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Put a Hershey Kiss on top of each cookie as soon as you take the cookies out of the oven.

Funfetti Cookies

1 pkg. Funfetti Cake Mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 can Funfetti Frosting

Heat oven to 375̊F. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake at 375̊F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Spread frosting over warm cookies. Immediately sprinkle each with candy bits from frosting. Let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container. You should be able to use any flavor of cake mix you prefer.

Confetti Cake

1 cake mix (any kind)

1 1/3 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil or applesauce

3 eggs

½ cup of those round color sprinkle balls

Mix everything together until blended. Pour into a prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until done. Top with icing if desired. Then you have an instant party cake.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream Together:
1 lb. butter
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla

Add:
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
6 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
2 cups nuts (optional)
4 cups chocolate chips

Place scoops on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes. They usually look under cooked. This is a very large batch, so you may want to half the recipe if you are using a Kitchen Aid like mixer.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pkg semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
½ cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preset the oven to 350 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat just until blended. Mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks and nuts, if using.
Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
½ cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
½ cup milk

Mix in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
½ cup peanut butter

Mix well and drop onto a wax paper covered baking sheet. Serve cool or cold.