Hot Chocolate Cookies

These are great winter cookies!

Ingredients:

1 C Butter, room temperature
1 C granulated sugar
⅔ C packed brown sugar
2 whole large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3-¼ C flour
4 packages (1 oz. Packets, NOT Sugar-free) Hot Chocolate Mix
1 tsp salt
1-¼ tsp baking soda
1 C white chocolate chips
1 C milk chocolate chips
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars together until well blended. Add in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 to 4 parts, making sure all is incorporated.
Fold in chips.

Scoop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (I pressed the dough a little to help flatten it out.) Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Taken from: Your Homebased Mom

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I literally just made these. As I was going back for seconds I made sure to measure everything out so that I could repeat it perfectly next time. I may have just been hungry, but I thought these were amazing!

Serves:1

Ingredients:
1/3 C Canned or Shredded Chicken
2 t Ranch Dressing
1 t Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 t Spicy Brown Mustard
1 Slice American (or whatever you perfer) Cheese
2 Slices of Bread(Better bread makes the whole sandwich better!)
Crunchy Lettuce

Directions:
Mix the first 4 ingredients and spread on the bread. Add the cheese and lettuce. Enjoy!

Hershey's Best Brownies

These are my specialty! I get a lot of requests to make these brownies; I almost have the recipe memorized. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Ingredients:

1 C butter

2 C sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

¾ Cups cocoa

1 C flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 Cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13” x 9” pan. Microwave butter for 2 minutes, or until its melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add cocoa, beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until sides just pull away from pan.

Taken from: Hershey Homemade Cookbook

Favorite Chili

This kid friendly chili recipe has won two awards. Just last week, I walked off with a cute Thanksgiving apron as a prize in the church chili cook-off.

Ingredients:
2 cans of kidney beans
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 pound browned ground beef
1 Tablespoon dried minced onions
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin

Directions:
Place ingredients in a crock pot and stir together. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Serve with cornbread.

Serves 8 - 10 people.

Taken from: Rival Slow Cooker Recipe Book
Adapted by: Raejean

Oreo Bars

We're on a Rice Krispy Treat roll. This recipe doesn't have Rice Krispies, but substitutes crushed Oreos instead.

Ingredients:

One 16 oz package of Oreo Cookies
5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Butter an 8X8 inch baking pan. Line the baking pan with parchment paper letting the paper extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter paper; set pan aside.

Crush Oreos in a large zip-lock bag until ground.

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave until puffed, about 1½ - 2 minutes. Stir in ground Oreo Cookies until combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Using a piece of wax paper, press rice mixture evenly into prepared pan.

Let set up for at least 10 minutes. Cut into bars and serve.

Yields: 16 bars

Taken from: Sweet Peas Kitchen

Caramel Krispies

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 Cup Karo Syrup

1 Can Sweetened Condensed milk

12 Cups Rise Krispies

Directions:

Mix butter, brown sugar and Karo Syrup. Boil for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add sweetened condensed milk. Boil for 3 more minutes and then add Rice Krispies. Put in 9x13 dishes and let cool.

Taken from: It's a Daisy Day blog

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Kids love helping with this recipe! They can roll the dough into balls, press their thumbprints into the ball, and fill the print with peanut butter. It sure made my job easier.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups flour
1/3 Cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups chocolate chips, divided
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup peanut butter, divided
1/3 Cup softened margarine or butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Melt 1 Cup of the chocolate chips.

Beat sugar, 1/3 Cup peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Cover and chill until firm (about an hour).

Shape dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press 1/2" deep thumbprint in each cookie and fill with about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until sides are set but centers are slightly soft. Let stand for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling racks.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Taken from: Nestle Best Loved Cookies

Fancy Sandwich Wraps

I used to work in Wal-mart's Deli, and at Quizno's. I loved both of those jobs, making sandwiches and stuff was fun. I can make an awesome sandwich, but today I made wraps. We made these at Wal-mart, they came in a pre-packaged deal that we put together and then sold. I'm not sure if they still sell them or what they call them there. They're really just wraps cut up into bite size pieces. They taste better that way, I don't know why.

Ingredients:
Tortillas
Lunch Meat
Dressing or Sauce
Sliced Cheese
Lettuce

The combination I used this time:
Roast Beef
Turkey
Zesty Italian Dressing
American Cheese
Iceberg Lettuce

Directions:
Put a drizzle of dressing going down the whole side of the tortilla. It usually spreads as you roll it. Look at the picture of my layout. I try to spread everything out evenly, so that each bite will taste just as delicious as the next. Cover your entire tortilla. Roll the tortilla towards the cheese and hold it tightly as you cut it. I usually just eat the ends after I cut them off, or set them aside to snack on later. I usually set the other rolls in the container I'm packing for lunch, or you can use toothpicks to hold them together on a plate. They are good for parties. They taste even better with really good meats and cheese, and interesting dressings.

Chocolate Mousse Praline Pecan Pie

This is one of our traditional Thanksgiving pies, but sometimes I have to make it more often than that!

1/3 Cup butter or margarine
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 Cup coarsely chopped pecans
8” graham cracker pie crust
Chocolate Mousse Filling (see below)

In a small microwave-safe bowl, place butter. Microwave at high for 1 minute or until melted. Add brown sugar, water and cornstarch; stir with wire whisk until smooth. Microwave at high for 1 minute of until mixture comes to full boil. Stir in chopped pecans; spread mixture on bottom of crust. Place crust in the freezer while preparing the filling. Prepare the Chocolate Mousse Filling and carefully spread over pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves 6 - 8.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING
1 1/2 Cups milk, divided
2 squares baking chocolate
1 4 ounce package instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 Cups Cool Whip

Combine 1 cup of milk and baking chocolate in large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir till chocolate is completely melted. Stir in remaining milk. Add pudding mix; beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or till well blended. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Gently stir in cool whip.

Original recipe taken from: Hershey's Homemade, we've since modified the chocolate mousse recipe.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 1/2 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing (or Mayo)
2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing
3 teaspoons Mustard (Spicy or Brown is good, if not yellow works!)
1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Onions (Optional)
Bread (I used sourdough, but any will work)
Tomato (Optional)
Lettuce (Optional)

Directions:
Cut up eggs into small pieces. Mix the eggs, ranch, italian, mustard and chopped onions. Toast bread if desired. Spoon egg salad onto bread, lay lettuce and tomato slice on top, as well as the other slice of bread.

Originally Taken From: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1981), Adapted by Monica

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken
Flour
Montreal Chicken Seasoning
Garlic Salt
Cooking Oil
Lemon

Directions:
Mix a plate of flour and your seasonings. Dip the chicken into the flour and make sure it is well coated. Heat 1/4 Cup of Cooking Oil in a frying pan, keep the heat at medium low. Set the chicken in the pan, cook for a minute on each side and then squeeze the lemon over it. Let the chicken continue cooking until thoroughly cooked, keep adding lemon as you flip it over.

Taken From: Ben Jamer

Browned Butter Cookies

1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

3 egg yolks

pinch of salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/3 Cup flour

Browned Butter Frosting (see below)

Mix butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add in egg yolks, salt, soda and vanilla. Stir in flour and mix until combined. Form dough into one inch balls. Chill dough on a cookie sheet for about 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass into sugar and then press the ball of dough flat (about 1/4 inch) Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a minute and then remove to a cooling rack.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 Cup butter

4 Cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 Cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

In a small pan brown butter over medium heat. Watch closely. Allow it to just turn golden brown, flecks will appear. Butter will get foamy. Stir often to make sure it browns evenly. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla and cream. Beat in mixer on medium high until it has a creamy texture. Frost cooled cookies.

Taken from Your Homebased Mom who took it from 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone by Wendy Paul.

Chinese Almond Cookies

Ingredients:
2 3/4 Cups flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup shortening
1 slightly beaten egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
48 Whole almonds

Directions:
Stir flour sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Mix in egg, milk and almond extract. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Place an almond in the center of each cookie and flatten slightly.
Bake at 325 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 48 cookies

Taken from: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1981)

S'mores Cookies

Ingredients:

1½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cups miniature chocolate chips

1½ cups mini marshmallows

2 Hershey bars, chopped

Directions:

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt, and baking soda, mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for about an hour. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of a Hershey’s bar into each cookie. Return to the oven and bake an additional 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Taken from: Jennifer's Road Trip

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsp. milk

Directions:
In one bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In another bowl, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract; add the dry ingredients, mix well.

Preheat oven to 350. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls 2-inches apart (the cookies do spread a little) on an ungreased cookie sheet. Push in the center of each ball with your thumb to make an indentation, dip your thumb in flour as needed to get a nice deep impression.

Heat chips and milk in saucepan until the chocolate is melted. Stir this mixture until smooth. Spoon the chocolate into each indentation. You’ll have enough chocolate sauce to “overfill” each indention. Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookies look "dry". Cool on racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Whopper Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 Cups softened butter
3/4 Cups packed brown sugar
3/4 Cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Cups flour
1 Cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups Whoppers, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl, mix flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture; mix well. Stir in chopped Whoppers.

Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 12 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Taken From: Your Homebased Mom who took it from Sprinkled with Flour.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I make these every few weeks at our house, it's a cheaper breakfast than cereal. For you Bisquick users, get a Kitchen Aid, it is just as fast to make the batter this way! Not to mention better tasting!

The 4th of July Flags in the picture are a free printable. Click here to view.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cups Flour
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Milk
3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil (or whatever you have on hand)
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients, then add the egg, milk and oil. Mix well, then add the chocolate chips. Another option to help with the chocolate chips sticking to the bowl is to coat them with flour first. I put them in a container with flour and shake it.

Set the skillet at 350 degrees if electric, or medium if it's on the stove. Pour the pancake batter onto your hot skillet and flip when bubbling. Let cook on the other side for a couple of minutes, each side should be a golden brown.

They taste great with our Maple Syrup.

Taken From: Miller, Jan, ed. Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Corporation, 2006. Simplified by Monica.

Blender Banana Bread

I wanted to use a couple of bananas before they went bad, but the usual Banana Bread recipe I use called for more bananas then I had so I tried the recipe that came with my Blend Tec Blender. It turned out really well, but I'm sure it would still turn out being mixed without the blender.

Time: About an Hour

Ingredients:
2 Eggs Whites (I just used the whole egg)
1/2 Cup Light Olive Oil (I used Vegetable Oil)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 Bananas -Peeled and Broken in half
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg (I left this out)
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Nuts (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place ingredients, minus the nuts, in the blender jar in the order as listed and secure the lid. Press Speed Up button until Speed 6. Let run for 30 seconds, or until well mixed. Mix nuts in and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until golden.

Taken From: Blendtec Lifestyles Recipe Book

Peanut Butter Cookies

Time: About an Hour

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar or 1/4 Cup Honey
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 3/4 Cups Flour

Directions:
Mix butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add baking soda and powder. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well, then add flour slowly. Mix until everything is well combined, the dough should be like play dough.

Set oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll them in granulated sugar. You can also sprinkle the sugar on top after you flatten the cookies, but the extra on the pan may burn. Flatten the cookies with the traditional criss-cross marks so that everyone knows its a peanut butter cookie. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the bottoms are light brown.

Taken From: Miller, Jan, ed. Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Corporation, 2006. Simplified by Monica.

Pasta Pizza Bake

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground sausage, browned (We used hot Italian, it was delicious!)
1 pound rotini pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons onion flakes
2 Tablespoons flour
1 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
3/4 Cup diced pepperoni
2 Cups mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Heat olive oil in medium size sauce pan. Add onion flakes. Stir in flour. Add spaghetti sauce, evaporated milk, and oregano. Stir until thickened. Add sausage and pepperoni. Combine pasta and sauce in a large casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Make-Ahead Directions:
This can be made ahead and refrigerated. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional five minutes.

Raejean’s No Bake Cookies

AKA: Deer Cookies, Tewksbury Treats

Ingredients:
2 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs. Cocoa
1/2 Cup Peanut butter
1/2 Cup Milk
3 Cup Oatmeal
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Butter

Directions:
Mix sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a large pan and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Taken From: Our Family Recipe Box

Grandma's German Pancakes

AKA: Creepy Crawlers.

Time: Thirty Minutes

Ingredients:
6 Tbs Butter
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Flour
Powdered Sugar

Directions(In Monica's Words):
Put butter in a 9x12 pan and put it in the oven while it preheats to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, beat eggs and add milk then flour. Don't mix too much if using the kitchen aid, it should be lumpy. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve hot, with maple syrup.

Directions(In Grandma's Words):
For one 9x12 in pan whip up 6 eggs good then add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup flour. Turn on your oven to 400* and put a half of cube butter or margarine in. melt it in the oven while you are mixing the other ingredients. Bake for 20minutes, Shake on Powdered Sugar before serving. Mine turn out different every time, and they will usually slump down when you get them out of the oven at first. You can also use this recipe for making individual cream puffs to put chicken or tuna salad in for lunch.

Taken From: Grandma Roberts, Family Recipe Box

Ridiculously Easy Chicken Parmesan

I keep this stuff on hand at most times for when I want something quick!

Time: About 10 minutes from start to finish

Ingredients:
Frozen Breaded Chicken Patties
Spaghetti Noodles
Spaghetti Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella (optional)
Parmesan

Directions:
Cook the noodles on the stove. Warm the spaghetti sauce on the stove or in the microwave. Warm the chicken patties in the microwave. If you're feeling fancy, cut the chicken into strips. Serve the noodles with the sauce on top and the chicken on the top or on the side, sprinkle mozzarella (you can warm it for a little bit in the microwave to melt it) and parmesan on top.

Taken From: A Random Idea Created From Hunger Pains