Caramel Corn Cookies

This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens 2010 Christmas Cookies magazine.  I know, I know who can think of Christmas cookies during the first week of June??  But a lot of these cookies are just good chocolatey yummy cookies.  No chocolate on these, however, they are supposed to match the taste of rich, buttery caramel corn.  I disagree...but they are very good.  So I'm going to share them here.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup miniature round caramel bits or butterscotch flavor pieces
1/2 cup chopped honey-roasted peanuts
Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the cookie sheet; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine shortening and butter.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg, honey and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer. 

Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the carmel bits and peanuts.

Place coarse sugar in a small bowl.  Shape dough into 1 1/4 balls.  Roll balls in coarse sugar to coat.  Place balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops are golden and edges are firm,  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.  Make about 48 cookies.
To store:  Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover.  Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Recipe:
2 cups sifted flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup reduced- calorie mayonnaise
1 1/3 cups cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Ready your cupcake pans with liners.  Onto a piece of wax paper, sift the flour cocoa baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Reduce the speed to low and blend in the mayonnaise.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture into the egg mixture, 1/3 at a time, alternating with the water and beginning and ending with the flour.

Fill your cupcake pans 2/3 full

and bake approx. 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

I made a chocolate cream cheese frosting.

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
(and then I added 4 squares unsweetened melted chocolate)

With a electric mixer, beat on high cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Stir in sour cream, vanilla and chocolate.

Next I drizzled the tops with some melted Peanut Butter chips sprinkled them with crushed chocolate cookies.

My daughter was a little freaked out when she found out these cupcakes had mayonnaise in them, but it made them very moist.  :)

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Caramel Crunch Bars

I found this recipe on the back of the bag of Kraft Caramel Bits.  They are tiny caramel balls ready for melting in any recipe.  No more unwrapping caramels!  This recipe is super easy and very yummy.  I have made it a few times now and the only thing I changed was the graham cracker layer.  The recipe called for a layer of graham crackers lining the bottom of the pan, but the first time I made it I didn't like the way the crackers cut.  So after that I made a graham cracker crust layer first and then followed the recipe exactly.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 honey graham crackers
1 pkg. (11 oz.) Kraft caramel bits
 2 Tbsp. milk
 1/2 cup Cocktail peanuts
1/2  cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 coarsely crushed pretzels
 4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate melted


Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.  grease the foil.  Place grahams on bottom of pan cutting to fit if necessary.

(Like I said above, I made a graham cracker crust instead of the graham crackers along the bottom.)

Microwave caramel bits and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2minutes or until caramel bits are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 seconds.  Pour over graham layer.

Top with peanuts.

Then add the marshmallows and pretzels.

Drizzle with melted chocolate.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Use foil handles to remove from pan before cutting into bars to serve.

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Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

I received this recipe from a coworker of mine more than 20 years ago.  It's one of my family favorites.

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Rice Pudding

One of my husband's favorite desserts is rice pudding. It doesn't really do much for me, but he loves it, so occasionally I will make it for him. I found this recipe in the Martha Stewart magazine. I think she also has it posted on her web site. It's quick and easy.

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