Valentine Peanut Butter Blossoms

It's about that time... time to do some fun Valentine's Day baking. I LOVE holiday baking. This recipe is the original peanut blossom recipe, but instead of using a Hersey kiss, on top, use a heart chocolate. Makes a nice and festive V-Day treat.

* Heart shaped Chocolates (dove milk chocolates and Reese's peanut butter hearts)
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl. Add 1/3 cup granulated and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate heart into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. (we put them in the freezer because the chocolate hearts continue to melt)

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Frosted Banana Cookies

Kylie and I made these cookies this morning and they are my new favorite. They even taste great without the frosting. They taste just like homemade banana bread. Yum-O! Thanks to my friend, Summer, for the recipe.

Cookies:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening (I didn't have butter-flavored, just re. shortening and they came out delicious still)
1 cup sugar
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 3)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/4 cups flour

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Cream the butter and shortening. Add sugar, then bananas. Mix well. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over-beat. It will be a sticky batter. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Cool completely.

For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Spread on cookies.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies

Just finished decorating our gingerbread men with the girls. Such a fun Christmas tradition!

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1 egg yolk
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses and egg yolk. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Chill for at least an hour. It's a fairly sticky dough so you might need to chill it a little longer.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough to 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2" apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. If you bake them on the short end they will stay soft and chewy and if you bake them on the longer end they will be nice and crispy. They're great either way!

Allow to cool about 5 minutes on pan and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Once they're cooled you can decorate (the best part)!

New Years Resolution Cookies :)

Yes, these are healthier cookies. They are yummy and packed with healthy fats, fiber and protein. They are perfect for rewarding yourself without jeopardizing your New Year's resolutions. :)

1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup oil (or applesauce to be even healthier)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

Heat the oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, oats, cinnamon and salt.
In a large bowl, mix together the egg whites, brown sugar, oil, milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well. Mix in the raisins, zucchini, hazelnuts and chocolate. The mixture will be somewhat soupy.

Drop tablespoon size mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a wire cooling rack.

Makes about 30 cookies

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies

LOVE these cookies! Super easy, super cute & not to mention super yummy!! We made them for FHE tonight and they were a hit.

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated peanut butter cookies
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup orange decorator sugar crystals
14 twisted butter-flavor pretzel sticks, broken in half

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir cookie dough, egg yolk and flour until well mixed.
2. Pour sugar crystals into small bowl. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls; roll in sugar crystals. Insert 1 pretzel piece into each ball for pumpkin stem. Using toothpick or tip of teaspoon, make lines around sides for pumpkin ridges. Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or just until set in center when touched with fingertip. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Monster Cookies

Remember these, ladies?! :) I have grandma's original recipe, but it is so big, the batch makes like a million cookies. This is the shortened version. :) Don't these cookies just bring back so many memories?! I've decided to make these a new family tradition with my little family, maybe at Christmas time, in honor of Grandma & Grandpa Sutherland. I am gong to make these tomorrow with the girls.... umm, can't wait!

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies (M&M's)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins (if using), baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons (if you want to make smaller/normal size cookies) or you can make "monster-sized" ones like g-ma. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

**Made 20 "Monster-sized" cookies. :) **

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies

1 pouch Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread Mix (I use Krusteaz. You can find it at Sams this time of year)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but I prefer it) :)
sugar (too roll cookies in at the end)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place quick bread mix and butter in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add egg, oats, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Continue to mix on medium speed until dough forms. Stir in chocolate chips, if desired. Using rounded tablespoon dough for each cookie, form balls and roll in sugar, if desired. Place 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.