Cinnamon Rolls and Chocolate chip cookies

Today we are making cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies. I'm using the recipe from Pinterest that looks amazing and makes a ton for cinnamon rolls so we can share with our friends. I found the recipe here. I am not going to use raisins... those should never be in cinnamon rolls or even bread pudding... I could go into a whole diatribe about that... but I digress... not going to go there today. So that is one thing that will definitely be changed from the original recipe. I am not quite sure but I also love to add not just white sugar to my cinnamon rolls but also cinnamon chips and brown sugar. We will be also making a cream cheese frosting for the top of these delicious nuggets of goodness. I am grateful to be able to have a friend come and make these with me. It will also be a homeschooling lesson for science for my 15 yr old. I've taught my older two sons to make pretzels and bread from scratch. So we are doing cinnamon rolls for this son. This way all of my older three sons will know how to make something with yeast and learn that powerful lesson of how all things are alive... even the bread we make.

My chocolate chip cookie recipe will be from my Better Homes and Garden cookbook Limited Edition 1930-2000. I love a good Chocolate Chip cookie. I also believe whole heartedly they should have butter and shortening. Not many recipes call for both. So it's hard to find those that call for both. They make a far superior cookie. I double the recipe. I will be listing the ingredients doubled here.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter (I use salted)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups unbleached flour
2 pkg semi sweet chocolate chip pieces


1. In a large mixing bowl (I use my kitchen aid) beat the shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Beat mixture until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixture. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons or an ice-cream scoop about 2 inches apart on uncreased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake 375F degrees oven 8-10 min till edges are lightly browned. Let sit for a bout 30 seconds to 1 min before removing from pan. Transfer to wire rack or wax paper and let cool. Makes about 120 cookies... I use a large scoop. So makes about 60.

Applesauce Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These last couple of weeks I've been trying to see how little I can go to the grocery store by using my food storage to make meals for my family. So far I've only had to buy milk, eggs, and bread. I do have powdered milk, powdered eggs and flour. However, those items are quite expensive to replace in powder form. I want to make sure I keep those for a true emergency. Therefore, I am willing to purchase only those items from the store. I have been using frozen and canned vegetables instead of fresh, just for this experiment since I currently don't have a garden. I have several banana's that were getting quite browned in places and I needed to use a few of them up. Instead of the typical banana bread I wanted to make something that was a "treat" for my kids. They won't eat banana bread. I found a recipe on yummly.com for banana oatmeal cookies. I had most of the items and I decided it sounded delicious to make. However, I got a phone call part of the way through making the cookies... never a good idea. However, I made a mistake in making the cookies, and they still turned out delicious. Here is my altered recipe from the one I found on Yummly.com. I am posting the doubled recipe since I doubled the original recipe. this recipe makes 4 doz cookies.

Total time 20 min
Bake 10 min
Prep 10 min

Applesauce Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter shortening
1/2 cup applesauce (homemade)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup white unbleached flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 ripe (browning) bananas
4 cups oatmeal (old fashioned)
4 Tbsp flax seed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream sugar, shortening and applesauce until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time incorporating each egg before adding the next. Add dry ingredients alternating between flours and other dry ingredients. Add oatmeal, bananas, and flax seed. Drop by teaspoonful on greased baking sheets. Bake 10 min each.

These cookies are delicious! My kids LOVE them! I was worried that the baking powder would change the flavor and consistency of the cookies but it didn't bother them at all. They are fluffy almost cake like cookies. Nice and soft! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Banana Oat Cookies

I had several banana's that were turning a yucky brown color, I was almost going to throw them out. Then I found this recipe, and I thought it would be wonderful! I needed a treat for my kids lunches, and I wanted something that was healthier than store bought cookies, and not chocolate chip, as I didn't have any of those. This was perfect!

My two younger children helped making them. They really enjoyed sifting the flour, mashing the banana's and adding the oats to the mixture. It was fun having them help.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Cream together the shortening and sugar, beat until light and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes) scraping sides. Add egg, banana, oatmeal and nuts (optional). Mix well.
Add dry ingredients, mix well and drop by the teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet

Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven) check after 9 minutes to add further time.

Cool on wire rack, store in closed container.

Verdict:
SO YUMMY, they are soft and moist. They taste like banana bread. but in the convenience of a cookie.

I added slivered honey roasted almonds.

Red Velvet Cookies

As I was making the Pumpkin Chocolate Butterscotch cookies, I also wanted to make red velvet cookies. I have never made even cupcakes that were red velvet. I looked on allrecipes.com as to how to make these. I was surprised that there was actually cocoa in red velvet, as well as sour cream. Luckily I had just enough sour cream. :) I also happened to have two bags of the betty crocker sugar cookie mix in my food storage. :) Double score! :) So I decided to make them.

Ingredients:

1 (1 pound 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon red food color

1 egg

3/4 cup Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Mix cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg in bowl until soft dough forms.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

I didn't have any nuts, so I skipped that option. Other than that I followed the recipe. Braeden said they were yummy and he couldn't even taste the sour cream. (mind you he HATES sour cream). so that was a GREAT thing :) They are light and airy. Pretty tasty :) Enjoy!

Pumpkin chocolate butterscotch cookies

I love baking cookies! Don't you? Doesn't everyone?! I can't see why not. I love the joy of eating the cookie dough, the smell of the cookies baking in the oven, and the warm cookie with a cold glass of milk... ah... the good stuff, that's the joy of life... isn't it... I think so...

Well, enough about me and my obsession with cookies, well, baking in general. I believe that cookies make the world a little brighter place. Today's recipe came about because at first I was going to make some pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Then i thought, I know a scary thing... Can I make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I liked the recipe that used oil instead of butter, since I'm out of butter... I know another travesty... So, I decided I would double the recipe so I have enough for my kids to have some and for me to give some away. (I love sharing food with others :)) So, in doing that, I realized that I had 1/2 a bag or 1 cup of butterscotch chips that needed used, and I wasn't wanting to put them in regular chocolate chip cookies. I thought (I know I need to stop that) these would be good in my pumpkin cookies.... So here is what ingredients I used :) Enjoy!

And yes, I've already had some of the dough and a fresh warm cookie... mmmmm tasty... I think I will eat another one soon... now I'm craving them! Darn them!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 egg

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips*

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips*.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Makes at least 4 dozen cookies

Recipe from Allrecipe.com

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

For those of you who know me... know that I'm not a huge fan of raisins. I usually eat them sparingly at best. I don't like adding them to many recipes. So for me to make Oatmeal-Raisin cookies is a feat in and of its self. Anywho... I found about half a box of white raisins. They are the only one's I buy... Easier to hide in my kids food. They don't really like raisins either. I guess they get that from me.

So, I decided that I would make some cookies. I needed to use these raisins as they are old. (Do raisins get old?) I don't know. I just know I've had them for a while.

I used my trusty Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook to find a recipe. It is my version of their recipe. I know I can't follow the rules all the time... But this recipe... mmmm so yummy. My oldest who hates raisins the most... didn't even taste or realize he was eating raisins. That is saying a lot... Without further Adu...

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg*

1/8 tsp ginger*

2 eggs (room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups white raisins

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and the spices cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Beat till combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs and vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the rolled oats and raisins.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375F oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. cool cookies on a wire rack. Makes about 48 - 54.

*Those are my changes to the recipe... Such a Wonderful Flavor!

Verdict:

These have been such a hit!

No Bake Fudgey Rocky Road Cookies

No Bake Fudgey Rocky Road Cookies

Since today is a rainy/snowy day, I wanted to make hot chocolate... And then I remembered... I had a recipe for some No Bake Cookies. I thought to my self, that would be GREAT with hot cocoa, and a nice treat for Family Home Evening tonight. So, I pulled together all of my ingredients to make sure I had everything. Then all of a sudden... TADA!!! It's done... That simple, that easy. :)

Ingredients

1/2 bag of mini marshmallows

6 cups granola

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/3 cup peanut butter or sunflower butter

4 cups sugar

2 sticks of margarine or butter

1 cup milk

2/3 cup cocoa

4 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup peanuts or sunflowers (optional)

set out foil or wax paper on your table or large surface (i.e. countertops). Set aside measured, peanut butter/sunflower butter, vanilla extract, granola, mini marshmallows and oats.

In a large sauce pot combine over medium heat sugar, butter, milk and cocoa. constantly stirring mixture until comes to a rolling boil.

Remove from heat and add in the peanut/sunflower butter, vanilla, granola, mini marshmallows, and oats, the Peanuts/sunflowers if desired.

Stirring quickly incorporating all items. Once incorporated drop by heaping spoonfuls on to prepared surface... foil or wax paper. Cool and store in a cool, dry place.

Makes A TON of cookies. :) this is a double recipe, depending on how big you make your cookies, will depend on yield. Should make at least 4 dozen cookies.

Verdict! these cookies are the BOM Diggity! I know I'm lame, anywho, This is a yummy treat. I tried to make this so those with kids who are allergic to peanuts could still make this yummy treat. Substituting the sunflower butter and sunflower seads.. If you make homemade granola then this is good to use that too. You can substitute quick cooking oats for the granola if you don't have granola. I just thought the crunch of the granola would be delish in this dish. :) Let me know what you think.. :)

Brownie cake cookies

Ok, so I have lots of chocolate cake mixes, which I got on sale a while ago. I thought I'd make lots of chocolate cake for my kids, but they haven't been wanting to eat chocolate cake. So, they have just been sitting in my pantry taking up space. A friend of mine suggested making cake mix cookies. I looked at her dumb founded. I'd never heard of that. But I was intrigued. So, she gave me her recipe. It sounded easy enough she said it's easy just remember 1,2, 3. Well, I glanced at the recipe, then after I added all the ingredients and measured properly, At least I thought I had. I looked again at the recipe and realized that I added water instead of oil. UGH... rookie mistake... Ok, So, then i added about 1/4 cup oil to the already mixed mix. So I'll try to remember 1,2,3,4. So, here is what I did. The picture is the cookies, with powdered sugar on them.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup oil

1 chocolate cake mix

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix til blended together. The mix will seem like brownie mix. (hence the Brownie in the name). Then drop by spoonful onto PAM'd cookie sheet. Bake 9 min. Then remove from oven. Let cool 1-2 min. Then place on wax paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. EAT and Enjoy!

The Verdict:

My kids said they are AWESOME! They are pretty cool, easy and fun to make. :)