Rocks - in -the Road cookies

I am not the world's greatest chocolate fan but I do love a moist warm brownie. Go figure. When I was a little girl making my Mom and Dad's chocolate chip cookies at home, I would always make the first batch without the chocolate chips just for me. I do love cookies however, so I thought a brownie tasting cookie would be great. I am still working with the scouts so when I serve these to the scouts they have to have an outdoorsy name. These cookies are quite flat and when I added the white chips (and later white and chocolate chips for everyone else) they looked like bumps so I called them Rocks-in-the-Road Cookies.

Rocks-in-the-Road Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extgract
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt in another bowl. Slowly add to other ingredients. Mix well. Add chips until well distributed. Scoop with a small ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. These cookies spread so place cookie balls at least 2 inches apart. Bake at 350º F for 8 minutes. The center will still be doughy. After removing cookie sheet from oven, leave cookies on sheet to finish cooking for 2 minutes. Carefully remove from pan and let cool completely. Avoid eating them all while the chips are still warm and melted. Save some for others.

Valentine Cookies

 The best part of making these cookies is making them with family and friends. The real recipe should say add 5-10 grandchildren and parents who can be nice and patient. One rule of making cookies at grandma and papa's house is that you have to make at least one plate of cookies to take to someone in your neighborhood who might need a special visit or treat.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

6 cups flour

3 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup shortening

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

4 large eggs

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (opt.)

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (opt.)

Blend as for pie crust: flour, sugar, salt, shortening, baking powder, soda. Mix in remaining ingredients until soft dough. Roll out on floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut in desiredshapes. Bake 400° for 8 minutes. These cookies do not need to brown to be done.

Frosting:

2 pounds powdered sugar

1/4 c butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring

dash salt

1/2 - 3/4 cup milk

food coloring

Sour Cream Frosting:

1 cup butter (room temperature)

6 Tablespoons sour cream

6 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

6-8 cups powdered sugar

Boy Scout Trail Mix cookies

I work with our local Boy Scout Troop and I like to take treats to their Court of Honor. But it can't be just any old thing, it has to have meaning. Food is a powerful learning tool. So I needed a cookie that would have something to do with a Scouting activity and I thought about hiking. Every time I go hiking I take trail mix of some kind so I decided to add a little flour, sugar and eggs to it and here is the resultant cookie.

Boy Scout Trail Mix Cookies

6 eggs

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups white sugar

2 cups brown sugar, packed

4 teaspoons vanilla

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons soda

4 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup coconut (if coconut is dry add up to 1/4 cup water)

2 cups cranberries

2 cups pecans, chunked

1 package white chocolate chips

1 cup dried pineapple, chunked (opt.)

1/2 dried apricots, chunked (opt.) 

Cream eggs, sugars, butter and shortening. Add 1 cup flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt and soda. Mix well. Add remaining flour and oatmeal. Mix well. Add coconut, Mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by spoonfull (or ice cream scoop) onto cookie sheet. These cookies spread so I only put 8 on a tray instead of 12 and I did use parchment paper for easier removal. Bake @ 350ºF for 11 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden (centers will still be blond). Remove from oven and allow to finish cooking on pan for at least 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Yield 5 dozen large cookies.

Hamp and Jean's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hamp and Jean's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies and has a favorite recipe. My parents really perfected their cookies. They are a little cakey and not chewy at all. My children say they are unlike any other cookie they have ever eaten. But I was raised on them so I of course think they are the best.

Recipe:

3 eggs

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1 small package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts, opt

Cream eggs, sugars and shortening. Add 1 cup flour, soda, salt, baking powder, vanilla and mix well. Add remaining flour. Mix again. Add chips and nuts. Mix until combined.

Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet. For uniform cookies and easy scooping, use an ice cream scoop.

Bake for 10 minutes @ 375ºF. Cool on a rack.