lighter (and not-so lighter) snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are the first cookies that I remember making when I was growing up.

This recipe cuts out some of the fat and thus calories that most other recipes for this cookie have.

The result is a more cake-like cookies, and they didn’t spread very much, but it is still had that good cinnamony chewiness I love.

Then because I had some leftover cream cheese frosting from some other cookies, I decided to try this:

Mini Snickerdoodle Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies!

At this point you pretty much loose out on any healthified properties, but man were they tasty.

(I have this theory that I could eat a brick if it was slathered with cream cheese frosting.)

Try it out, with, or without the frosting.

Lighter Snickerdoodles

from bettycrocker.com

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/2 package (8 ounce size) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 egg

2 egg whites

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Heat over to 400 degrees

2. Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, cream cheese, and eggs in large bowl.

3. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt and mix into the other mixture.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Mix the 1/4 sugar with the cinnamon. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar.

6. Place on greased cookie sheets and flatten each ball with the bottom of a drinking glass.

7. Bake for 6-8 minutes. (Don’t overbake!)

8. Remove to wire racks to cool.

9. Eat and enjoy!

well hello, dolly

I made a few of my favorite cookies for Cali’s baptism. As I tested each kind I thought to myself, “This is my favorite cookie.” I came to the realization that my favorite cookie is probably whatever cookie I am putting in my mouth.

This one is an easy bar cookie that goes by the name Hello Dolly Bars or 7 Layer Bars or Magic Layer bars or a few other names and with varying ingredients. It’s gooey, chewy, and scrumptious.

And it’s pretty much 100% bad for you indulgent. Just wanted to throw in that disclaimer.

Hello Dolly Bars

(recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook)

1/3 butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans (okay to leave out)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free)

Mix butter and graham crackers.

Press into a 9x13 inch pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, and coconut.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Cut into bars when cool.

Makes 20 bars.

healthier peanut butter cookies

Peanut butter cookies were one treat I could pass up as a child. I wish I was still that way now.

This was actually my first time making peanut butter cookies because of the peanut allergy in our house, but I really, really wanted some cookies.

I found this much lower-fat version with some whole wheat flour in there in my Eating Well Dessert Cookbook.

I thought they were very yummy.

They are best right out of the oven when they are still soft, but they were still good when they cooled down and went mostly crisp.

It did make a lot of cookies though, (4 dozen) so I will probably half the recipe next time.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (from Eating Well Dessert Cookbook)

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose white flour

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped peanuts (i left this out)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, oil, eggs and vanilla; add 5 teaspoons water and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. In a small bowl, stir together white and whole-wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients in to the brown-sugar mixture just until combined.

3. Roll the dough between your palms into 1-inch-balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten the cookies with a fork, (I think peanut butter cookies without the identifying criss-cross should be illegal as Cali has been given them at school before with bad results) Sprinkle with peanuts, pressing them lightly into the dough with your fingers

4. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. (Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days)

95 calories per cookie; 2 grams protein, 3 grams fat (0 grams saturated), 15 grams carbohydrates; 65 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol

apple crisp

this is just a really good recipe for

Apple Crisp

(from The Essential Mormon Cookbook)

3 large apples (Golden Delicious or Rome Beauty)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup rolled oats

Ice cream or whipped cream, if desired

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Arrange in buttered 9-inch-round baking dish. Combine brown sugar and flour. Cut butter into mixture as for pastry. Stir in rolled oats. Spoon topping over apples, pressing down lightly. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes. Sere warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Makes 4 servings. (Those are some pretty generous servings. I would say 6 servings)

Healthy Banana Drop Cookies

These cookies are not going to win any awards for beauty, or taste for that matter. But, if you are on a diet, or want to give your kids something healthy these are good cookies. I enjoyed them, and the kids would eat them if they were hungry, but Scott was done with them after his first cookie.

I made them to take on vacation so I would have something to eat while everyone else ate the more fattening (fun) food. I might experiment with the recipe to see if adding some baking soda or something would make them bake up a bit bigger. They pretty much just stayed exactly the same glob of dough on the pan, only baked.

Healthy Banana Drop Cookies

(recipe from food.com formerly known as recipezaar.com)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

5 tbls. softened margarine

1 cup mashed bananas

1/4 cup orange juice

(I also added 1/2 cup of raisins)

---Process oats in food processor or blender until finely ground.

--- Combine first six ingredients

---Use a pastry cutter to cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles crumbs

---Add banana and orange juice and mix well

--- Chill 20 minutes in the freezer

--- Drop teaspoon sized cookies on well greased baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes

I can’t believe that I haven’t posted this recipe yet. This is one of my favorite things to throw together for a Sunday evening or an FHE treat. It only has a few ingredients that are basically always on hand, and it tastes divine.

They are similar to blondies or a snickerdoodle with a wonderful almond flavor. My family doesn’t like the slivered almonds on top so we leave them off.

It is good warm or cold. We had it last night for an FHE treat warm with cherry chip ice cream on top. My tastebuds were singing.

Warning: this is not a healthy recipe. I did make it with 1/2 of the flour whole wheat in a pretty futile attempt to healthify it, and actually forgot I had until I was putting all the ingredients away last night. I also made it with a stick of “I can’t believe it’s not butter.” Butter is the best for this one. No margarine. I’m serious.

Almond Cake

from my sister in-law Tiffany

2 slightly beaten eggs

1/2 cup melted butter (please use butter)

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp almond extract

Mix all ingredients together and pour in a pie plate. Sprinkle with sliced or slivered almonds. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Check with toothpick.

lighten-up key lime pie

I haven't been posting to many light recipes lately, but here is a winner that is a perfect cool and refreshing summertime treat.

This pie is VERY fast and EASY to throw together, especially if you start with a store-bought graham cracker crust. It contains the magical ingredients of Cool Whip and Jello which are certainly mysterious substances, but I love them just the same.

Was it good? Yes. Everyone had to have seconds of this one. It was refreshing, light, and deliciously creamy. It held its shape well for cutting also so it is good for serving to other people. (You can serve your family globs of pie moosh, but not company)

On a related note: I have a recipe we LOVE for a frozen pink lemonade pie, but I don't have a good picture of it. I will have to make one soon so I can eat it, I mean post it.

5 minute Key lime Pie

recipe from Keebler Ready Crusts

1/4 cup water

1 package (4 serving size) sugar-free lime gelatin

2 containers (6 oz) fat-free key lime pie yogurt

1 tub (8 oz) frozen reduced-fat Cool Whip, thawed

1 graham cracker crust, reduced fat

1. In a microwave-safe measuring cup heat water on high for 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes or until boiling. Whisk in gelatin until dissolved.

2. In a large bowl whisk together gelatin mixture and yogurt. Fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread in crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set.

3 Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator.

Yeild: 8 servings

fruit cocktail cake

I loved this cake as a child. It's the first from-scratch cake I can remember making. Its a pudding-y cake with chunks of fruit in it. I have been looking for a reason to make it for a long time, and the other day my reason came. I was down to my last cans of fruit cocktail in my pantry.

Here's my big disappointment. No one else in my family would eat it.

Oh well, I still like it, but probably won't make it because I don't enjoy eating an entire cake by myself.

Okay, so I do enjoy eating an entire cake by myself, but I regret it soon afterwards.

I'm stressing the point that this is a super-moist-spongy cake. Cali thought it was too mushy.

This is really more of a grown-up cake and I think this would be great to serve at a brunch. Its wonderful warm with some whipped cream.

Here's the thing: I was posting this recipe and got to this point and couldn't find the actual recipe I used. (It was on a little scrap of a label.) I got this recipe from recipezaar because it looks approximately the same and had good reviews. If you try it and it doesn't turn out, let me know.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

1 (16 ounce) can Fruit Cocktail

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar (I reduced it to 2/3 cup)

1 beaten egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tblsp. canola oil

Grease a two quart casserole dish.

Mix all ingredients (included the juice or syrup from the fruit cocktail) in a medium bowl.

Pour into casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

super yummy chocolate chip cookies

These cookies were VERY GOOD. I had to give most of them away as fast as I could because I couldn't stop eating them. The recipe was called "Simply the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!" I am not sure I am ready to crown these the "best ever" because they were more than just chocolate chips in them, but they would be right up there in a oatmeal cookie category.

They spread really thin and had a crispy, chewy, crunchy texture if that makes any sense. I used cherry chips instead of butterscotch along with chocolate chips and they ended up having a cherry cordial taste. Mmmm.

They were best right out of the oven (trust me, I HAD to eat those that broke taking them off the pan) and the next day.

ENJOY!

SIMPLY THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES EVER!

recipe #162306 from recipezaar.com

Makes about 4 dozen

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup corn flakes, crushed to 1/2 cup

3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips (I was out so I used cherry chips)

1. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.

2. Cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and milk.

3. Gradually mix in the flour mixture.

4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining ingredients.

5. Drop onto cookie sheets by teaspoonful.

6. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like your cookies.

7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing. (I missed this step and it would have helped)

eat your beans cookies

Yes, these cookies have a can of garbonzo beans (aka chickpeas) in them.

And yes, they are pretty darn tasty.

Kimi who will turn her nose up at cakes, candybars, and other desserts with or without chocolate ate a lot of these and even wanted them for breakfast. I almost said yes.

Only 87 calories per cookie.

I took this from Trainer Mama's blog because she rocks.

I also added 1 tsp. cinnamon.

It makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies

adapted from Deceptively Delicious

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar free applesauce
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients and bake between 11-13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

After a day refrigerate to store. That is, if there are any left after a day.

87 calories per cookie

carrot cupcakes (healthified)

Let me begin by saying I will not every proclaim a dessert to be healthy, just that some desserts can be made in a way that you can save yourself a few hundred calories.

And life without dessert is meaningless.

I made these cupcakes out of the "Eating Well: Desserts" cookbook. It said they were perfect for a children's party so I trusted that children wouldn't mind eating them.

I have one word: YUM. They were so moist and and chewy with the right amount of spice and chunks of fruit. I LOVED them. Everyone else enjoyed them too.

The frosting was a bit different. It is basically just cream cheese and marshmallow fluff whipped together. Even though it was marshmallow fluff, it wasn't overly sweet. It complimented the sweetness of the cupcakes very well, but I think it was best to make and serve the same day. The next day the frosting wasn't quite the same, but that didn't stop me from eating it.

It calls for cake flour which I don't keep on hand. If you are the same way an acceptable substitute is to replace 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of constarch for every cup of flour.

There are only 195 calories per cupcake (including the frosting).

Carrot Cupcakes

makes one dozen cupcakes

cupcakes

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (if you don't have cake flour see my tip above)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 large egg white

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup grated carrots

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or lightly oil or coat the cups with nonstick spray.

2. In a food processor, combine prunes with 1/4 cup hot water and process until smooth; set aside. Drain pineapple in a strainer set over a small bowl, pressing firmly to extract most of the juice. (I just spun my pineapple in the good old salad spinner) Set the pineapple aside and reserve the juice for another use. (such as drinking it)

3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, sugar, oil, and the prune puree. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until blended. Stir in carrots and the reserved pineapple.

4. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. (mine got pretty full but I kept to the 12 cupcakes) Bake cupcakes for 25-30 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (I used fat-free)

1/2 cup marshmallow creme, such as Fluff

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (I used bottled)

2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans (left out so kids would eat)

In a bowl, beat cream cheese, marshmallow creme and lemon juice with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread each cupcake with frosting and sprinkle with pecans (or in my case, sprinkles).

apricot fool

I normally only will post what I have tried, but I saw this recipe while looking for a cake to make for Ian's birthday in my "Eating Well Dessert Cookbook" and saw this.

I couldn't resist posting an apricot fool on April fool's. Too bad I didn't see it sooner so I could actually make it today.

If you aren't familiar with a "fool," (when you are talking food, I am all too familiar with it's other definition) it is an English dessert made by mixing whipped cream and pureed fruit. This recipe substitutes yogurt for most of the cream to cut out most of the fat.

If I get around to making this (so many recipes, so little time) I will post a picture.

Apricot Fool

1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 pound dried apricots (about 2 cups)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup fresh orange juice plus 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

(the recipe called for this or Amaretto, I'll be going with juice)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and set it over a bowl. Spoon yogurt and let it drain in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until reduced to 1 cup.

2. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, combine apricots, granulated sugar and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer until apricots are tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 12 apricot halves, chop coarsely and set aside. Transfer the remaining apricots and the cooking liquid to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cool but not cold.

3. In a bowl, stir together the cooled apricot puree, drained yogurt, chopped apricots, confectioner's sugar, orange juiced plus almond extract, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip cream until stiff. Fold into the apricot mixture. Spoon into a serving bowl or individual dishes or parfait glasses. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. (The recipe can be prepared ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days)

4. Preheat oven to 350. Spread almonds in a pie pan and toast for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Let cool. Sprinkle the almonds over the fool and serve.

Serves 6

strawberry jello poke cake

The picture isn't the greatest, but I was supposed to be serving the cake, not photographing it according to my children so I was rushed.

You have probably all had this before, but I decided to put this on here once Scott declared this is his favorite cake, and he wants it for his birthday cake. He normally isn't a cake person but he says this is more moist than any other cakes. It's not my absolute favorite, but as a rule I don't turn down cake.

Its very simple and a relatively light dessert if you substitute some ingredients.

These are directions more than a recipe so feel free to substitute or change up whatever you want.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

1. Bake a yellow cake mix in a 9X13 according to the box.

2. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.

3. Poke holes in the cake with a bamboo skewer.

4. Mix a small package of strawberry jello (sugar-free works great) with 1 cup boiling water.

5. Pour the jello over the cake.

6. Refrigerate cake for at least three hours.

7. Mix a small package of vanilla pudding mix (sugar free w/skim milk) according to directions.

8. Spread pudding onto the cake.

9. Slice or mash about 2 cups of strawberries to put over the pudding.

10. Spread a small container of cool-whip (light) over the top.

11. This is best to be served right away. Any leftovers need refrigeration.

Cheesecake Cupcakes

• 2 - 8oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tb lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Vanilla Wafer cookies

Combine first 5 ingredients and beat until really fluffy. In a cupcake pan with paper liners put a Nilla Wafer and layer on 2 heaping tsp batter on top. Bake at 350 degrees 10 - 12 minutes. Cool then top with topping of your choice. (fresh fruit or pie filling) Refrigerate. Yields 24 delicious, easy to serve mini cheesecakes.

cheesecake sopapillas

I first ate these a few weeks ago and knew I must try making them. I consider myself to be a crescent roll snob and don't really like to ever cook with canned crescent rolls. Imagine my surprise when I found out that that is what these are made from. It reminds me of a cream cheese danish only 10 times yummier.

I used a recipe that only called for 1 package of cream cheese, but after a search I found most recipes call for 2 packages and some call for 3. Just decide on how much you want this to be like cheesecake. The other recipes also called for vanilla in the filling which I would probably do next time because I tend to go a little heavy on the vanilla.

I made this when we had some friends over and I made mexican food. I also halved the recipe and it exactly fit a 8x8 pan. I didn't want a bunch of leftovers, but I shouldn't have worried about it. I also used reduced fat crescent rolls and cream cheese. I know it was still rich, but I tried to cut out calories wherever I could. It still turned out fabulous.

Cheesecake Sopapillas

from quick-and-easy-dinner.com

2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls or recipe creations (I used reduced fat)

2 cups sugar, divided

1 package of cream cheese (8 ounce) ( I used neufchatel)

1 stick of butter (I did use real butter)

sprinkle of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350. Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature.

2.Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Press a roll of crescent dough into the bottom of the pan, pinching the seams together. (This is were recipe creations would be nice, but my grocery store didn't sell it.)

3.With a hand mixer. ( I used a fork and my own hand-baby sleeping.) Combine cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until soft.

4. Spread the mixture over the dough.

5. Take the second can of dough and put it over the top. Don't worry if they don't go all the way to the edges.

6. Mix the butter with the sugar. Spread it over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

( I just mixed butter with some cinnamon sugar and spread it over the top.)

7. Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy it warm or cold.

whole wheat oatmeal cake

Whole wheat and oatmeal for dessert? Definitely.

I have seen oatmeal cakes in nearly every ward and/or favorites cookbook I've ever looked at so I've been wanting to try it. I found an old "cooking with wheat" cookbook at a thrift store and it is a treasure. I picked this recipe out of there. While I wouldn't exactly call it healthy, (look at the butter and sugars) it is better for you than a lot of other desserts.

It was a dense, moist, spicy cake. Sometime I will try the broiled icing on top, (its supposed to be like the pecan frosting on a german chocolate cake) but this time we just had a cream cheese frosting on it or whipped topping.

My only changes were that I couldn't find my nutmeg at first so I added a tsp of pumpkin pie spice. I then found the nutmeg and and added a tsp of that for good measure. I LOVE nutmeg.

I also added raisins which I thought were a good too.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cake

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup oatmeal (old fashioned)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and let stand 20 minutes.

Combine butter, sugars, vanilla, and eggs.

Add oatmeal mixture and blend again.

Sift together dry ingredients and blend into oatmeal mixture.

Pour into a greased 9x9 cake pan.

Bake 50 minutes at 350.

Icing for Oatmeal Cake

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 Tbl cream (or undiluted canned milk)

1/2 cup nuts

1 cup coconut

Combine all these ingredients and spread on cake.

Broil in the oven until bubbly.

really simple toffee cookie bars

If you read my last post I talked about turning those "skor" bars into something else. Here are those smashed up bars as a topping for a bar cookie. I was planning on taking them as a dessert somewhere so some fast thinking brought us this dessert.

I must say I am very grateful to have discovered this recipe. The base cookie has so many possibilities. It came together super-fast. It had sort-of a shortbread cookie texture but was still soft. It also was not overly sweet. I am definitely going to try more things on top of the base recipe.

The recipe came from a book called Family Dinner Cookbook by Debbie G. Harman. It is chock-full of delicious home-cooking, and I recommend it.

Toffee Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter (I used a "I can't believe it's not butter" stick)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup toffee pieces

Cream first four ingredients together. Stir in flour and pinch of salt. Press into 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until edges are golden. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, nuts, and toffee pieces. Cool and cut into bars.

(I just sprinkled it will my failed "skor" bars. When I make it again I am going to experiment with sprinkling the toppings on before baking or during the baking to make them stick a little better.)

recipe failure: magic skor bars

I admit that the failure was probably all on my part, not the recipe so I decided to post it and see if anyone would tell me where I went wrong. I got the recipe from one of my go-to cookbooks that has (I thought) foolproof yummy recipes. I got about a dozen good little "skor" bars and the rest ended up like this:
Not so good.

It may have been the fact that I used "I can't believe it's not butter" sticks. I maybe didn't time it all right, but I thought I got it all right. I think it was the vagueness on the cooling time that brought this mess about.

If I had made it right maybe I wouldn't have felt this way, but in the end it seemed like a big waste of butter and chocolate chips.

Because of that I turned them into something else later that afternoon, but that is the story for another recipe post.

Magic Skor Bars

(From Ivory Family "Favorites")

40-48 saltine crackers (1 pack exactly fit my 10x15 pan)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (or less)

1 cup finely chopped pecans (or less)

Line large cookie sheet with saltine crackers. Boil together butter and brown sugar for 4 minutes. Pour butter mixture over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees fro 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake for an additional minute, then spread chocolate evenly on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans. Cool a little, but not too much (this vagueness may have been my downfall) before taking out of the cookie sheet.

My Favorite Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of those treats worth the splurge to me. I just found out about a Lofthouse Cookie outlet that sells the boxes for a dollar a piece. I am seriously thankful I don't live near it.

This recipe makes cookies like the Lofthouse cookies; big, puffy, and soft. It makes me wish I had a cookie cutter for every holiday.

I copied this recipe down years ago into a recipe notebook and can't remember where I got it from.

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

4 cups flour ( I start with 4 cups and work in more until the dough is the right consistency)

1. Combine baking soda and sour cream. Set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each.

4. Blend in vanilla

5. Blend in sour cream mixture

6. Combine baking powder and flour and add to wet ingredients

7. Refrigerate until easy to handle, usually at least an hour.

8. Roll out dough about 1/2 '' thick and cut into shapes.

9. Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. (They are done just before the edges start to turn golden)

This recipe makes a lot, so they are perfect for making as gifts.

microwave caramel corn

This recipe is perfect for making with the family on Sunday nights or for FHE.

Microwave Caramel Corn

(recipe from my friend Kat)

(makes 4 quarts of caramel corn)

1 cup unpopped popcorn

1 stick melted margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Pop popcorn and place in a large brown paper grocery bag. (remove any unpopped kernels so you don't break a tooth.) Set popcorn aside.

Mix margarine, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Stir and cook 2 min. on high in the microwave.

Stir in baking soda. (it will foam up)

Pour caramel over popcorn in brown paper bag. (The recipe doesn't say to, but I stir it up a bit.)

Close bag.

Put in microwave, cook 30 sec. on high.

Remove from microwave and shake.

Optional: Return to microwave and cook another 30 sec. on high. This makes a crunchier, less gooey caramel corn.

Shake again.

Place on waxed paper and spread out to dry. (It doesn't take long.)

Crunch and Munch.