Monster Cookies... Leann's version

There are a plethora of monster cookie recipe floating around out there but, being the personality that I am, I cannot follow their recipes to the letter.  I must make changes.  So, with that in mind here is what I do for my kiddos...

I take the basic oatmeal cookie recipe from Betty Crocker's Giant Red Cookbook I got when I first got married (BTW, the cheese pizza recipe in that thing is the BEST!!!) and I tweak it.

the basic is...

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (softened)

1/4 cup shortening (if you don't have shortening... which I sometimes don't... then I just double the butter and it gives a little different texture but they are still delish)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups oats (I use old fashioned but the recipe calls for quick cooking... if you put old fashioned in a food processor and pulse a few times they become quick cooking.... just so you know)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (typically whatever I have on hand at the moment)

The recipe has raisins but I leave those out (when I make it sometimes I use craisins instead, too)

The recipe is one where you cream the butter/shortening and sugars together then add the egg.  In a separate bowl sift all the dry ingredients and then mix the two together... add the oats and nuts and there ya have it.

I double the recipe then...

To that I add:

1/2 cup mini M&M candies

1/2 cup mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

1/3 cup chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet)

1/2 cup Reeses Pieces

1/3 cup white chocolate or peanut butter chips (again... whatever is on hand)

I use a small ice cream or cookie scoop to place them on parchment on a baking sheet and then bake them for about 12 minutes or until done at 375 degrees.

They are quite chunky and gooey and yummy!!!  They freeze beautifully for lunches so you can make a giant batch and then bag them two by two for the kids school lunchboxes.

There will be a picture attached as soon as I make them this week... maybe tonight maybe tomorrow... I promise!  :)

Teacher gifts...

We worked on cookies and candies for the kids teachers yesterday. We made a cranberry pistachio biscotti, a Mexican wedding cookie and sugar cookies along with some little candies using a Wilton candy making kit. My daughter helped with the process. Here are a few pictures and a recipe for you.

Here is the biscotti. Both this cookie and the Mexican Wedding cookie recipe are from Mary Engelbreit's Cookies Cookbook: The Queen's Best Recipes. It is a great little book! :)

This was our first try at candy making and they turned out great! :)

Mexican Wedding Cookies

1 cup pecans or walnuts (about 4 ounces) chopped fine
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus additional sifted confectioners' sugar for coating at the end
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let the nuts cool, then finely chop. (I use a food processor for this)
3. In a medium bowl, toss the flour with the nuts and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
5. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 16 minutes, or until lightly colored. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then roll while warm in confectioners' sugar. Place the cookies on wire racks to cool completely, then generously roll the cookies again in confectioners' sugar.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

C is for Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a little cookbook put out by the Gold Medal Flour Company. I bought a copy of this one and it's companion, The Rainbow Bakery, when I started having kiddos. They really do have some basic wonderful recipes. One of our favorites is one we made for our Sunday Advent celebration a few days ago. Thought I would share the recipe and the finished photos. :) Enjoy!

C is for Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup of softened margarine or butter (I use unsalted butter)
1 egg
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix both sugars, butter and egg in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (I sift it in to incorporate better and the dough will be a little stiff). Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake until light golden brown, 8-10 minutes (centers will still be soft). Let cookies cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with a spatula. Makes about 48 cookies.

Gluten free cookies...

The testing and the journey are still ongoing. The doctor and bloodwork and such are now involved and we are searching for some answers to why I feel so badly all the time. In the meantime, I am experimenting with some gluten free and found this most excellent chocolate chip cookie recipe from this book.

Here is the recipe but if you want more you need to pick up this great book. It is SO worth it. I have also made the scone recipe and some other quick bread items.

1 cup vegetable shortening (must be shortening and not butter or margarine)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tbsp Brown Rice Flour Mix (see below for this)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Position rack in center of oven. Lightly grease cookie sheet with cooking spray (I actually just used parchment paper and it worked better)
2. Beat shortening and both sugars at medium speed in large bowl of electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
3. Add flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt; mix at medium speed until well blended. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts.


4. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in center of oven for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown. (for convection ovens, bake at 350 degrees F using no more than three trays at a time.) Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Store in an airtight container.


Flour Mix:
6 cups brown rice flour
2 cups potato starch (not potato flour) I use potato flakes and it works nicely
1 cup tapioca flour

Mix together and use as is.

July Daring Baker.... The Milan Cookie

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

Not a big fan of marshmallow cookies so I chose the second one offered... The Milan Cookie this month.

Milan Cookies
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour
• Cookie filling, recipe follows


Cookie filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested

1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.


5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.


6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).

9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

I paired the cookies to the most like size and shape so they would be even sandwiches...

Grandma Carrie's Tea Cakes

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

I cream the butter and sugar and then add the egg and vanilla. Measure out all the remaining dry ingredients and sift it into the creamed sugar and butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Then I roll out the dough on the counter and press the shapes I want. The cookie is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place on parchment covered baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool and serve with tea.

Sugar Cookies...

This is a standard recipe from my reliable Betty Crocker Cookbook (1987) that I got when I got married from Dan's cousin... Etamarie... I use it quite often.

Here is the recipe I am doing today with our Tiger Cubs for our Christmas party.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup margarine or butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
Granulated sugar for topping (I also buy colored sugar sprinkles or use other sprinkles for this)

Mix powdered sugar, margarine or butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients which have been sifted together before adding except for the granulated sugar (remember it is for the top right before baking). Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before using.

Makes a bit of a crumbly dough but then I work it into a ball and flatten to refrigerate.


Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 3/16 inch thick on lightly floured cloth covered board. I often do not have a cloth so I just use parchment paper. Cut into desired shapes with 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until edges are light brown, 7 to 8 minutes or so. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

We rolled it out, cut the shapes and then decorated...

Got a picture of the finished cookies and the boys but without permissions I won't put it here...

I will try to get a picture tomorrow night of just the cookies before we serve them. This was SO MUCH fun!!!

No Bake Cookies...

No Bake Cookies
(I love this recipe to get the kids in the kitchen making fun food!)

1/2 cup milk (I use whole milk)
2 cups sugar
1 stick of butter (real butter works best - unsalted)
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups old fashioned oats

Mix milk, sugar, butter and cocoa in saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute (no less). Turn heat off and add the peanut butter and I whisk until it is combined and then add the oats. Mix and drop from a spoon onto a parchment or wax paper on the counter or on a cookie sheet. Let them cool and get firm. If they are not hardening well you can refrigerate them to make the process faster.

There ya go... enjoy! :)

Friday Night Cookies

Dan brought home a bag of these...

with this recipe on the back...



We baked cookies and this is what happened...

Mixed it all and scooped them...


onto a baking sheet.

They baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees...

Made three dozen cookies with the first disappearing tonight.

A little vegetarian eating...

Yesterday was the first day I did all vegetarian. There has just been too much sharing of meals and Dan cooking for me to be able to do it sooner. When he cooks there is meat and I am not rocking the boat on making go even MORE out of his comfort zone by making me a separate meal. He is NOT that comfortable in the kitchen to begin with and then to have to be a short order cook and chef on top of that.... not good. So, I have politely enjoyed the bits of turkey in my veggie and barley soup and the bits of ground beef in my spaghetti sauce and such. No harm no foul.... no pun intended...

Yesterday, I had yogurt, fruit and granola for breakfast. I had black-eyed peas for lunch. Then, he asked me what I thought we should have for dinner and I politely suggested that it would be good to have some sweet potatoes my dad sent, some asparagus that needed to be eaten up before it went bad and then I did get up and move around a bit to make some sweet biscuits for dessert. Here is what we had...

I had walnuts in my potatoes and we roasted the asparagus with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt on mine.


These are the sweet biscuits.... nothing fancy but great with a cup of coffee. Just sugar, flour and butter. I used margarine instead because we were out of butter. It makes the texture a little different but they were still good and the kids ate the all up before bedtime.

Court of Honor Cookies

We are a scouting family. We do Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. This week has been a week of Cub Scout Day Camp. Last week our oldest and his dad were off at Boy Scout Camp. Tonight is the traditional Court of Honor for the awarding of merit badges after summer camp. They bring dessert and get their badges and we, the parents, take LOTS of pictures! LOL Here are the cookies that Dan and JoNathan requested I make for tonight. Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies... simple but YUMMO!!!!!



Want the recipe???

Here ya go...

Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unslated butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature
1 1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter. Beat in the egg, then add the vanilla and beat again. On low speed, gradually add the flour and beat just until blended into the moist ingredients..
3. I use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough onto a baking sheet and then I use a fork dipped in flour to press the cookie down one way and then cross the other way to form the pattern in the cookie.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Pop the cookie sheet with pressed cookies in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool for about 2 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to continue the cooling process. Once they are dry I store them in a rectangular tupperware if they don't all get eaten up first! LOL

Enjoy!!!

Kids finished the gingerbread today...

Front view

The back view

The decorators!!! They were so excited that I was not playing dictator today... LOL

What I did while they decorated! I made pillowcases for cousins today. See, I do more than cook!!! LOL

Have a Merry Christmas!!!!!

You can read more at my main blog on our Advent and some Christmas G.I.F.T. Challenges.

See you after Christmas. :)

The Gingerbread start....

Letting it set up...,
originally uploaded by academy252.

We got the dough made and cut out last night. We baked all the pieces and then put it together today. Tomorrow is the big decorating day. Oldest child and I put it together and the littler three will be helping with the rest tomorrow. The oldest is 13 and has this genetic bent for assembling and disassembling stuff. LOL This was right up his alley. We think he might be an engineer someday... ;)

This was the first year that we baked out own gingerbread and it was really easy. I cannot believe we have not done this before. You can see more of the process at my Flickr account.

For the record... I am TOTALLY sugared out!!! I think I shall be eating grapefruit for the next week. LOL

Making cookies for a friend...

We had a children's party at church last Saturday and made cookies for a member of our church who is currently serving in the Middle East. His wife came to help with the kiddos, do some baking and package them to send. We had a really great evening and the kids had so much fun decorating the tree and cookies.

Look what we have been up to...

Yesterday was Dan's end of semester Christmas concert so we spent the evening with him last night. Today was a day of cookie making. We made cookies for the Boy Scout Court of Honor/Christmas Party. Since we have been studying about traditions in other countries in our Christmas Around the World Unit we made several different kinds of cookies from different countries. Here is a sampling of our day...















Chocolate Walnut Biscotti - got the basic recipe
from Danielle at Never Trust a Culinary Student















Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
from a little book I picked up a few years ago called
Mary Engelbreit's Cookie Cookbook.
(my favorite of the whole bunch we made today)

















German Spritz - very good recipe! Got it online here...















Russian Tea Cakes - also a great recipe I found here...















Scottish Shortbread or Irish Sweet Biscuit
(same recipe different names)
I use a recipe I have from Darina Allen's little book
called Festive Food of Ireland