Chocolate Chip Almond Oatmeal Cookies

It is TUESDAY! 

Here is my great tastes for the week! 

One of my new favorite cookies called chocolate chip almond oatmeal cookies! These were so good when I tried them for the first time - I had never had anything with this combination of ingredients! 

Try them and make them today!

Also, congratulations to Melanie who won our March giveaway with the gas card! Visit us daily to get your chance of winning more giveaways!

Ingredients:
1 Butter Flavor CRISCO Stick or 1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco all-vegetable shortening
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Firmly Packed Brown sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Rolled Oats
9 ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Slivered Almonds

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine shortening and sugars in a large bowl and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until they are well blended. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almonds extract until well blended.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in the medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture; mix well. Add the oats and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and almonds.

Spray cookie sheets and drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly brown. Cool on a cookie sheet for 4 minutes and then transfer and cool on a cookie rack.

Recipe adapted from Crisco Delicious Desserts for All Occasions

Macadamia Nuts!

It is Tuesday and I am ready to announce the great taste for the week!
Macadamia Nut Cookies!!!
I made these the other day and I couldn't get them out of the oven fast enough before my husband was eating almost all of them!

Great cookies! The nuts make them even better!

Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Butter, Softened
3/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups of Flour
1/2 tsp. Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Whole Macadamia Nuts 

Directions:
In a mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugars and eggs until they are light and fluffy. Add the flour, soda and salt. Mix at low speed until it is all combined. Stir in the vanilla and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes! 

* Note: (You can add 1 cup of white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips with this cookie and it is really good)

Lets Go Nuts!

Never heard of banana cookies before but

I found this recipe and thought I would try it! 

Kind of like a muffin and kind of like a cookie. 

I thought they were pretty good for something different!

Banana Nut Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Oil
2 Mashed Bananas
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Chopped Nuts

Directions:
Blend oil, bananas, eggs and sugar. Mix together flour, soda and nuts. Combine with banana mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Invite A Guest Friday!

I AM SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON FRIDAYS NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE INVITE A GUEST FRIDAYS!

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS! IT IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE EVEN MORE AMAZING RECIPES, CRAFTS, DECOR AND MORE!

TODAY I AM EXCITED TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW BETH OVER AT THE FIRST YEAR BLOG! SINCE IT IS GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME SHE IS SHARING A GREAT RECIPE WITH US! 

GIRL SCOUT THIN MINTS!!!!

WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE THEIR OWN! 

TRY THEM YOURSELF AND ENJOY THE RECIPE!!

MEET UP WITH BETH @ http://thefirstyearblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/thin-mints-girl-scout-cookies/ 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF YOUR GREAT RECIPES NEXT FRIDAY EMAIL ME, i WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU!

These are amazing, go ahead and buy the ingredients because you’re going to want to make them!

Wowza! These are seriously so good. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a girl scout cookie in 6 years, but when I was in girl scouts my favorite were the trefoils. I hear that some regions are starting to sell gluten free cookies.. $5 for like 12 cookies. Hmm, I’ll probably still make them at home. 

Cookie Ingredients
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup flour (plus more for rolling)
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, peppermint, and cocoa powder. Add the flour (I usedCooqi Gluten Free) and salt and mix everything into a dough. I had to add an additional 2-3 tbsp of water because my dough was way too crumbly.

Instead of using a cookie cutter to cut each into a circle (we’re all busy and they’re just going to end up in my stomach!) I rolled all of the dough onto a large cookie sheet using some additional flour. Once I got the dough to my desired thickness, I took a pizza cutter and cut the dough into squares.. woohoo what a time saver!

 

Bake for about 16 minutes, remember you want cookies with a crisp to them. Let them cool completely before dipping in chocolate.

Chocolate Coating Ingredients
10 oz dark, milk, or semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp peppermint

In a microwave safe bowl, combine half the chocolate and half the butter. Melt, stirring every 30 seconds until it is smooth. If it’s too thick for dipping, add more butter and microwave for a few seconds. Add the peppermint and stir. Dip each cookie into the chocolate and turn with a fork to coat. Transfer to wax paper or the original cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to set. Reheat the chocolate as needed.

These are super great when stored in the freezer!

http://thefirstyearblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/thin-mints-girl-scout-cookies/

Come back for more, soon I’ll be making homemade gluten free samoas!

Oreo's for Valentine's Day!

Oreo cookies are the best! Add a little milk and they are a weakness of mine for sure!

Why not make some homemade Oreo's for your loved ones today! This will be a treat for them!

Don't forget to visit my boutique tab! I have a lot of new items - especially the new cute Spring Dresses for Little Girls!

Oreo Cookies

ingredients:

1 Box of Devil's Food Cake Mix

3/4 cup Butter Flavored Crisco

2 Eggs

1 (8 oz.) package of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup of Butter

2 Tbsp. Vanilla

2 cups of Powdered Sugar

directions:
In a large bowl combine the cake mix, 3/4 cup of Crisco and eggs. Chill about 10 minutes. Roll into small bowls (3/4 inches - they are better when they are smaller). Place these on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Don't bake them longer or they are just crunchy and not soft. Then they don't taste good. Cool your cookies. 

For the filling beat your cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix together. Spread the milling on the bottom of one cookie and then place another cookie on the other side. This makes about 2 dozen cookies! Enjoy!

Make them heart shaped for a great Valentine's treat!!

Sweet Cinnamon

My grandma passed away a few weeks ago and a great friend of mine brought me some delicious cookies!

They were so good I wanted to try them myself and share them with everyone.

Snickerdoodles are always a great treat to have around. 

The cinnamon tops it off!

Snickerdoodles

ingredients:
1 cup of Butter
1 1/2 cups of Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 3/4 cup of Flour
2 tsp. Cream of Tarter
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
3 tsps. Cinnamon

directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter 1 1/2 cups of your sugar and both of the eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Combine the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Chill the dough and also an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge. 

Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Coat these by gantly rolling the ball of dough in the sugar mixture. Place on the chilled ungreased cookie sheet and bake them for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan immediately and place on a cookie rack to cool! Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from www.food.com

It's All In the Sour Cream!!!

Valentines Day is just around the corner and at my home it is always known as the sugar cookie holiday! It has always been fun to make heart shaped cookies and add pink icing to them to give to those you love.

Here is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever found! 

And I love to make it.

This recipe tastes so good because it is all in the sour cream! 

This makes it taste like the best sugar cookie! 

Come to Great Tastes Tuesdays to get your sugar cookie recipe for Valetines Day!!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup of Margarine or Butter

2 cups of Sugar

1 cup of Sour Cream

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Salt

4 tsp. Baking Powder

4 ½ - 5 ½ cups Flour

Directions:

Cream your margarine and sugar together. Add sour cream, vanilla and eggs then mix it all together. Add your baking soda, salt and baking powder and mix it again. Add your flour one cup at a time then mix it well. Your dough will be sticky. Roll it out on a floured surface to about ¼ - ½ inch thick. Cut out your cookies and then place them on a slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes or until they are lightly brown. 

Blockbuster Cookies

Try these great cookies for a change of taste-

I thought they were pretty good!

They've got a mix of raisins and chocolate, sweet and salty.

What a fun cookie with a fun name for a movie night!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, at room temperature

1 cup Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp. Vanilla 

1 1/2 cups Milk Chocolate Raisinets 

3 cups Cuttered and Salted Popcorn, store-bought or homemade

Directions: 

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

2. In a large bowl, use a stand or hand mixer on medium speed to cream the butter until it's light and fluffy. Add both sugars and blend until they're well combined.

3. Crack one egg into a small bowl. Separate the white from the yolk of the second egg and add the yolk to the first egg. Throw away the white or save it for another recipe. Add the eggs and the vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture and blend on medium-high until they're fully incorporated.

4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three batches, blending well after each addition.

5. With a spatula, stir in the Raisinets, then gently fold in the popcorn.

6. Use a medium cookie scoop to shape the dough into mounds (about 2 tbsp each), and put nine of them, staggered, on each baking sheet. Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. 

*Note: If it seems a little weird to you, you can delete the popcorn and not put that in the dough. 

Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Here are some cookies to make today for a treat!

ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) of Margarine or Butter, softened
1 cup of Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick of just old fashioned)

directions:
1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together you margarine and sugars (brown and white) until they are 
    creamy.
3. Add your eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. Combine your flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in one bowl, mix well 
    and then combine it with the bowl you already have mixed. Mix this well.
5. Stir in your oats and raisins.
6. Drop by tablespoons onto and ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown.
8. Cool on your cookie sheet for a minute and then remove and place on your 
    wire rack.

This makes about 4 dozen cookies.

 Recipe Adapted From Quaker Oatmeal

Rollo Cookies

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the recipes!

If you have any requests just email us or send us a comment. 

Every recipe I post I try for myself so I can give you some tips and write what I think of them. Trust me - I have tried things that have tasted gross! 

And those things I will definitely not post for everyone to try.

So if you have any requests just let us know!

These cookies have a little surprise in them!

Great to take for a Christmas plate of cookies for someone!

They are easy to make and are do fun and delicious in the middle.

Hope you enjoy the recipe!

Chocolate Surprise Cookies (aka Rollo Cookies)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of Shortening or Butter

2 eggs

1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix

A bag of Rollo’s

Directions:

Mix your shortening, eggs, and cake mix together. Lightly spray your cookies sheet. Before placing spoonful’s of dough on your cookie sheet wrap a Rollo inside. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes and let them cool on a wire rack. Enjoy your surprise inside! The Rollo melts and so you have a chocolaty carmel goodness inside!

picture from: http://noemptychairs.me/2009/12/04/twelve-days-of-christmas-cookies-two-great-cookies-from-one-easy-dough/

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin!

It is Friday! And today you get double duty!

Two cookie recipes that are great and easy to make!

I just made these peanut butter cookies a day ago and they are all ready gone and I have had some request to make more.

Also, these pumpkin cookies are so fast and easy -

You don't have to take the time to measure out each different spice.

Hope you enjoy these recipes!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
  
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of Butter, softened
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/4 cup of All-Purpose Flour
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup chopped peanuts or 
          1/2 cup chopped peanuts and 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

In a large bowl beat your butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until they are combined (about 30 seconds). Don't have your butter completely melted or it makes the cookie loose a lot of its shape. 

If you put it in the microwave to soften it mine only takes about 10 seconds and it is good. Add you sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Beat until these are well combined. Beat in your eggs and vanilla and then beat in as much of the flour as your can with the mixer. Stir in your remaining flour and then stir in your oats, flour, peanuts, and peanut butter chips if you decided to use those.

Drop by tablespoons on your ungreased cookie sheet. You don't need to grease it because peanut butter already has a lot of grease in it. If you do spray grease your cookies will spread like pancakes. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes or until your cookies are lightly brown. Let them cool on a wire rack.

*Note: if you freeze them overnight in a Ziploc container and pull them out in the morning, when they defrost they are moist. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 box of Spice Cake Mix
1 small can (15 oz.) of Pumpkin
1/2 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix the cake mix and pumpkin together well and then add in your chocolate chips. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet and place in the oven. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes and for higher elevations a minute or two more. Pumpkin is hard to tell if it is completely done, so if you don't bake them long enough they will be gooey. 

When they are plump they are up and rounded. 
Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and enjoy your cookies!

 

Leftover Makeup?

Also watch this video from Rachel Ray. These tips for using your left over makeup are awesome!! So easy and so useful!

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/grettas-bottom-jar-beauty-tips/