Johnnies Salty Peanut Cookies

Johnnies Salty Peanut Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Rice Krispies®
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup salted peanuts
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
Combine sugar, and shortening, blend until creamy. Add the eggs,and vanilla.
In a separate bowl add the remaining ingredients; mix well.
Combine both bowls, and mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, flatten slightly.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

The Famed Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe

Mississippi Mud Cake

It is thought that the basic concept of this cake was likely created by a home cook sometime after World War II, because it was made with mostly pantry staples, simple ingredients that could easily be found. The actual name Mississippi Mud Cake and the exact method, probably got attached to it a little later though, with the first known printed recipe believed to have been in a newspaper column sometime during the early 70s. Its roots, however, are surely deeply implanted in the hearts of all of us who live in the Deep South. The photo below is a newspaper clipping of unknown year which included coconut.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
10.5 oz. miniature marshmallows *(I used the large ones cut in half)
Frosting:
1/2 package powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter, softened
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the sugar, butter, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Stir in the flour and 1 1/2 cups of the toasted pecans.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured 15x10-inch pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from oven and top evenly with the marshmallows. Return to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined and smooth.
Remove cake from the oven and drizzle chocolate frosting over warm cake. *If you used the large marshmallows cut in half as I did, you will notice that it is now easier to cut the pieces. All you have to do is cut between the marshmallows.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Cookies

Sweet potatoes are thought to be one of the oldest consumed vegetables, dating back thousands of years ago in areas across Central and South America. Today there are many advantages to eating and cooking with various types of sweet potatoes.

1. They are inexpensive.
2. They last a long a time in your refrigerator.
3. They are extremely versatile in recipes.
4. They are packed with important nutrients too, and we are going to use that to our tasty benefit now! Let's get started.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 Cans Sweet Potato, drained
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,
nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of
butter and white sugar. Add Sweet Potato, egg, and 1
teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until
creamy. Mix in dry ingredients.
Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Perfect for summer, you will want to try these Orange Creamsicle Cookies. just the refreshing touch you need for those hot summer days.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoon orange zest
2 cups white chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl cream together your butter and sugars.
Stir in your vanilla and eggs until well mixed. Stir in your orange juice.
In separate bowl combine your flour, baking soda, salt and orange zest.
Stir in your white chocolate chips.
Allow your dough to chill for an hour before scooping out teaspoonfuls of dough. Drop your cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for about 9 minutes until cookies are golden.
Allow to cool for several minutes on your cookie sheet, before removing to a cookie rack to cool completely.

Fresh Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies

Looking for a different cookie to serve your guest? These Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies may just be it.

Perfect for the summertime when those fresh blueberries are in stock.
Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoons lemon extract
6 oz. white chocolate chips
1 cup blueberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, egg, milk, almond and lemon extracts. Mix well after the addition of each ingredient. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; blend into the sugar mixture. Mix in white chocolate chips. Fold in the blueberries.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (I line them with aluminum foil.)
Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Let the cookies cool.

The Chips Ahoy! Cookie Recipe...A copycat that's Great!

Home Made Chips Ahoy, anyone!

Chips Ahoy! debuted in 1963, and has been a favorite of many a cookie lover since that day, but times are tough, and you may be sitting at home right now thinking "I would really like some Chips Ahoy! Cookies", but being the part of the 99%, you just can't afford them. Not to fear, you may have just what it takes, in your home right now, to enjoy this homemade version of that exact Chips Ahoy! recipe.
Why not get into the kitchen, start baking, and at least you can feel like the 1%. After making these you will wonder why you haven't done this all of your life.
Let's start.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg white
1 tablespoons warm water (if needed)
6 ounces semisweet mini chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
Use an electric mixer to mix the two sugars and shortening. When creamy add the vanilla, salt, and egg white.
Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time adding a tablespoon of warm water as necessary to mix the flour. Note: don't exceed 2 tablespoons of water, this will make a firm dough.
Mix in chocolate chips. Roll into 2-inch balls and press down to make flat. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 36 good size cookies.
When they are done you will have a hard time believing that you have just created these. This may have just become my "go to" chocolate chip cookie from now on.

Lemon Squares, A Great Summer Treat

Lemon Squares

Dessert bars, or simply bars or squares, are a type of American "bar cookie" that has the texture of a firm cake or softer than usual cookie.
The term "bar cookies" or "squares" originated in the 20th century. The earliest examples we find in American cookbooks are from the 1930s [Date bars]. A survey of cookbooks suggests these recipes gained popularity as decades progressed. Lemons are ancient foods enjoyed in many cultures and cuisines from the beginning of time through present day. They figured prominently in custards, pies, cheesecakes, candies, and baked goods. They were also used to flavor savory dishes (lemon chicken, etc.). Lemon bars, as we know them today, evolved from Renaissance times. Why? The ingredients provide the answer. This is when shortbread/crust was developed, lemon custard was very popular and sugar was sprinkled on everything.

Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Topping
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons of Flour
Pinch of Salt
Directions:
Heat oven to 350ºF.
Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, building up 1/2-inch edges.
Bake crust 20 minutes.
Beat granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar.