No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls - A Blast from Some Person's Past

I don't know why, but these remind me of childhood.  Not even my childhood necessarily.  But somebodies...  (is "somebodies" even a word?)
(Thank you for the recipe, Laura C!!!  Good luck with your PCS!!!)

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins or craisens
(I'm not gonna lie--I add 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Mix all ingredients together and form into one inch balls on wax paper.  (I use my trusty cookie scoop.) Refrigerate until firm.

These also remind me, a tiny bit, of what we called "Numeral Dough" when I was little.  I remember we made it in first grade and my mom also made it for us a few times.  It was a mixture of equal parts Peanut Butter, Karo Syrup, and Powdered Sugar (I THINK that's it...).  You mixed those three things and it made a soft dough you could roll into snakes, form letters, and then eat.  I LOVED Numeral Dough.  Yum!

Mix one of these recipes up and tell me if it makes you feel nostalgic!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our close friends here are some of the healthiest people we've ever met. They are definitely good influences on us in the nutrition department. (We actually eat veggies now!) This recipe comes from Janeen--the healthiest of them all--who also has a website with tons of health information and lots of recipes. This is one of the recipes from her site. (www.nutritionwise.org)

Just one warning: If you are making these for your family for the first time, do not say "Hey everyone! I made Chocolate Chip Cookies!" They'll be looking for the Crisco/Egg/White flour version and be sorely disappointed. (I may or may not know this from being the disappointed one.)

Try this instead; "Hey guys! I have a super healthy treat for you!" They'll be all bummed. Until they see the chocolate. Then they'll eat 'em and eventually become addicted.

You've been warned.

Janeen’s Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups whole (old fashioned) oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped fine or ground (toasting is an option)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix in separate bowl;

1 cup apple sauce

1 cup maple syrup or honey

4 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Combine wet and dry ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes. Drop spoonfuls on baking sheet. These cookies do not “spread” so I like to flatten them a little.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. It's hard to tell if they're done, but they do start to brown on the bottom. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from sheet.

You can also experiment by adding cashews, cocoa or carob powder, raisins instead of c.c.’s, and/or peanut butter.

The only unhealthy ingredient in this recipe (besides the salt...and possibly sweetener...) is the chocolate chips, and we all know, chocolate could NEVER be bad. So enjoy these with a clear conscience!!! (I know I do.)

This recipe has been doubled so it makes a LOT!

Enjoy!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Doug is the one who likes to try new recipes in this family. I like to stick to "tried and true" so I don't waste my time or ingredients. But I must admit, using America's Test Kitchen recipes leaves very little room for error. They've tested a million different ways to make the recipe so they're SURE the one they give you will turn out. And we have ALWAYS been pleased with the results. These cookies Doug made were no exception; adorable, chewy, and delicious!

(Instead of frosting them, I just made a runny powdered sugar glaze and dipped them in it. They turned out perfect.)

Happy Holidays!!!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

from "The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book"

(Thanks for the awesome Christmas present Jay-Bird! We love it!)

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed (5.25 ounces) dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup light molasses

2 Tbsp milk

1. Process the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and process until the mixture is very fine and sandy, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, add the molasses and milk in a steady stream through the feed tube and continue to process until the dough comes together, about 10 seconds.

2. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces and roll each out to a 1/4-inch thickness between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment, stack them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15-20 minutes.

3. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, transfer it to a clean counter and gently remove the top sheet of parchment. Stamp out cookies using cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets with a thin metal spatula, spaced about 3/4 inch apart.

5. Bake the cookies until they are light golden brown and show a slight resistance to touch, 8-11 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. (Do not overbake.)

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

5 cups flour*

3-4 cups chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs and mix for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda and mix. Slowly add flour and chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. These are cookie perfection!

ENJOY! (And send ME some!)

*Occasionally I add half whole wheat flour but they're not as perfectly/unhealthily delicious that way. If you want healthy cookies, make a different recipe.

Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies

These cookies are so darn good. So.so.so.so good. So when I made the recipe, I decided to double it. BIG mistake. They're a little time consuming and a double batch took me FOR-E-VER to scoop, spread, bake, cool, coat, and combine. The other thing I learned was to over-cook them a tiny bit. Or just make sure the whole cookie is golden brown. Not just the edges. They're better when they're super crispy.


When you're done, try not to eat the whole batch. They're that good!



Chocolate Florentine Cookies
from Nestle Toll House Best-Loved Cookies

2/3 cup butter
2 cup quick oats
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
14 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups Milk or Dark Chocolate chips

Melt butter in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in oats, granulated sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla extract and salt; mix well. Drop by level teaspoon about 3 inches apart onto foil-lined baking sheets. Spread thinly with rubber spatula.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Peel foil from cookies.

Microwave morsels in uncovered, medium, bowl on medium-high (70%) power for 1 minute; stir. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring just until smooth.

Spread thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, placing flat side against chocolate. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen sandwich cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the PERFECT fall treat. I found this recipe via Stephanie's blog and it did NOT disappoint! They got rave reviews from friends and family alike!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
chocolate chips (as many as you want)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Bake for 22-24 minutes.