Oven baked S'mores

We no longer need to go Camping to enjoy a s'mores treat!!! My mom found this recipe on Facebook, and I've made it a few times. It's quick, easy, delicious, and a perfect little treat for any special occasion.

7 graham crackers, finely crushed
12 large marsh mellows cut in half
1/4 cup powder sugar
6 TBS melted butter
4 Bars of milk chocolate candy (Break 2 of the bars into their rectangles
Mini Cupcake Pan

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place graham crackers in large resealable plastic bag, finely crush, then pour into a mixing bowl.  Add powder sugar and melted butter.
3. Using a spoon, place a scoop of graham cracker mixture into mini cupcake pan (DO NOT PUT CUPCAKE LINERS IN THE PAN)
4. Using a small icecream scooper, a ball scoop, a clean golf ball, or a spoon; press down the crumbs to form a little graham cracker cup.

 5. Bake in the over 4-5 min. or until each cup is bubbling from the butter
6. Take out the cupcake pan, place a rectangle piece of chocolate in each cup and place a marsh mellow on top of the chocolate piece.

 7. Return to oven for 1-2 min. to allow chocolate to melt and marsh mellows to soften. Take out of the oven, let cool, remove from cupcake tin, and place on cooling racks

8. Melt the other two chocolate bars.  Once melted, dip the top of each s'more into the melted chocolate.  Let stand for 40-60 min. to allow chocolate to harden.

ENJOY!!!

Simple and Sweet Sugar Cookies

Tis' the season for sugar cookies, decorations and little extra helpers in the kitchen. 

We came home from church today and it was one of those, "I-feel-like-baking -days". The first thing that came to mind were these sugar cookies. This recipe was given to me by my Auntie Kathy. She is one great cook, and I love all her little treats too. This is a fool proof recipe and I LOVE IT!

Ingredients:

2/3 C. butter, softened (or 1.5 sticks)

3/4 C. Sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. Almond extract

4 Tbsp. milk

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 C. flour - ADD LAST - 

Butter, sugar and egg into a mixing bowl

Cream butter, Sugar and egg

Once creamed, add the extracts, milk and baking powder, then mix again.

Once mixed, add the flour, and mix again.

Place your dough on a floured surface

Roll out and cut.

I had my little helper with me.

Cut, and place on baking sheet. I use parchment paper on mine.
Bake at 350 for about 8 min. 

These are how mine look when I bake them. I like mine SOFT, and so I don't cook them long. Maybe only 8 min. The thicker the cookie, the longer the cooking time...maybe only by a minute though.

Next, let the cookies cool.
Then prepare the frosting/glaze.

In a small bowl mix together:

2 Tbsp butter softened (not melted)

2 C. powdered sugar + 1 tbsp

2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. Almond extract

Here's your final sugar cookie.
Don't go and buy the pre-made sugar cookie dough at the store. Try this first.

Have fun making them...that's what counts.

Recipe courtesy of Kathy Crockett (my food-tastic auntie)

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. EVER.

One thing I love to do is blog surf! I especially love "cooking" blogs. One blog I love to surf is my friend, Melanie Redd. She's a fantastic cook too! http://welcometomelskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

A lot of my recipes have come from her. 

I love cooking other people's food and then tweaking it for taste or whatever. However, there are some recipes that I WILL NEVER CHANGE.

Here's one of those "never change" recipes:

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE. EVER. I mean it, don't take my word for it....go bake some!

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) butter, melted and cooled until warm

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and the egg. Mix well. Add the vanilla. Incorporate the flour mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Put BIG scoops onto a cookie sheet. Space a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-14 minutes. Don't overbake!!  They will appear underdone, but they aren't! They are working their magic to become chewy. Cool for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe courtesy of http://icookstuff.blogspot.com/2009/01/best-chocolate-chip-cookies-period.html