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Turtle Cookies

2 1/2 c powdered sugar 
1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla
24 rolos
1/4 c pecans

sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine sugar, cocoa, corn starch, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 egg whites until slightly foamy. Whisk in egg and vanilla.

Gradually add egg mixture into dry mixture until well blended. 

Using a cookie scoop, drop dough balls onto the parchment lined cookie sheets. Push rolo into the top of the dough ball and wrap dough completely around it. (Balls should be very small, with thin layer of dough around the chocolate.)

Top dough balls with a crack of sea salt and pecans {whole or chopped, your preference}.

Bake 12 minutes and serve warm {can microwave 15 seconds, if needed}.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
36 miniature peanut butter cups unwrapped

Small colored sprinkles (balls work best)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, then dry ingredients. 

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place in cups of a miniature muffin pan.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown and still puffy. Remove from the oven and press a peanut butter cup in the middle of each cookie. Once the chocolate starts to melt on the top, add a pinch of sprinkles. Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pans; then allow the chocolate to firm up completely.

 

Sprinkle Cups

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ t vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (if desired)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup red sprinkles
1/4 cup green sprinkles

Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 - 3 tablespoons milk

Additional sprinkles for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray mini muffin pans with baking spray and set aside.

Beat the butter about a minute, then add powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg and extract, then flour.

Divide the dough into two portions. Stir green sprinkles into one half and mix red sprinkles into the other half (or just add both colors to all cookies).

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Then, press the balls into the prepared mini muffin pan. Press each dough ball with your thumb.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Remove from the oven and press the centers with the rounded side of a measuring teaspoon. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then remove to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, frosting: Beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add as much milk as needed to create a smooth frosting.

Use a piping bag with a large star tip to frost the cooled cookies. Top with additional sprinkles. 

 

Peanut Butter Ball Cookies

Cookie dough: 

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Flling

• 1 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

In a medium bowl, prepare the filling by combining the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Scoop into small balls about 1-inch in diameter. Put in the freezer until ready to use. (The balls do not need to be frozen, just cold and firm.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the cookie dough. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and beat until combined.

To prepare the cookies, roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball, then flatten into a circle. Wrap the dough around one of the chilled peanut butter balls. Pinch the edges together to seal, then roll in the palms of your hands to form a ball. These should be small and only a thin layer of cookie dough. (Otherwise you get huge cookies with not much filling.)

Bake until the cookies are golden on the bottom, about 13-15 minutes. Serve warm for a gooey inside. (But they are just as good at room temperature.) Pack and store in an airtight container.

Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2/3 cup any flavor fruit jelly or jam

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Chop the walnuts so they are almost a powder. 

Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter, sugar, and egg yolk.

Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.

Shape dough into balls. (These should be about 1.5” in diameter.) Roll in egg white, then walnuts. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven. With thumb, dent each cookie. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint. Bake for another 8 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel Crumble

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
16 caramels
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into an 8x4-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes or until set.

In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels with the milk. Stir in the remaining flour until smooth. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and chocolate chips. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Mom's Chicken Satay

1 pkg boneless chicken breasts

Marinade
2 cloves garlic 
2T soy sauce 
2 t sesame oil 
2 t lime juice 
1 t ground cumin

Mix first 5 ingredients. Slice breasts into thin strips, marinate. Make the sauce. 

Sauce
1/2 c peanut butter 
1/4 c green onion 
2 cloves garlic 
1 T honey 
2 t soy sauce 
1 t curry 
1 t cumin 
1 t ground coriander
1 c water 

Combine all but water in saucepan and cook over medium heat; add water slowly -- should take  3–5 min. 

Grill the chicken.  Serve with sauce. 

 

Sloppy Janes

1 t onion powder
2 lbs lean ground beef
¼ c Worcestershire sauce
1 c ketchup
¼ c vinegar
¼ c lemon juice
2 T brown sugar
Buns for serving

Brown the beef in a large saucepan. Drain the fat. Add everything else but the buns to the pan. Add ½ c hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for an hour. Serve with hot buns. 

(This can also be made by browning the beef and then dumping everything in a crockpot and cooking 4 hours on low.) 

Ham and Swiss Sticky Buns

9 oz deli ham finely chopped
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 (16.3 oz) cans refrigerated jumbo biscuits
Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together the first 2 ingredients.

Sprinkle brown sugar into a 12 inch square on a clean surface. Arrange biscuits in 4 rows on sugar covering sugar completely. Pinch biscuits together to form a square. Roll dough to a 12 to 16 inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick), pinching dough together as needed. Spread ham and cheese mixture over dough. Roll up tightly, starting at one long side, pressing brown sugar into dough as you roll. Pinch ends to seal. Cut into 16 slices using a serrated knife. Fit each slice into cups of a lightly greased 24 cup muffin pan (dough will extend over tops of cups).

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 mins or until golden and centers are completely cooked. Cool on a wire rack for 10 mins. Drizzle with syrup.

Shrimp Sauce

¾ c chili sauce

2-4 T lemon juice

1-2 T horseradish

2 t Worcestershire

½ t onion powder

Tabasco to taste