Monday, December 15, 2008

Sharing Recipes

A few of you asked for me to share some of my recipes, and rather than emailing you individually, I thought I would just post them on here....

Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound chocolate almond bark
1 stick melted margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
extra small cupcake liners (probably the size of a quarter on the bottom)
Directions: Mix melted butter, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. I usually let this chill for about 30 minutes to an hour. Melt almond bark. pour a little of the almond bark on the bottom, roll the peanut butter mixture into a ball, approximately the size of a big marble, and then pour more chocolate over the top. (This can be very tedious, so I will usually fill 5-6 cups, roll out 5-6 balls at a time, and then fill the top with chocolate.)


Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies & Icing
Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (maybe more, enough to make a good dough)

Directions for cookies: In a large bowl, stir together butter adn brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture. Mix in milk, stirring until a soft dough forms (at this point I often use my clean hands). Cover adn chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 365 degrees. On a foured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch think. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Palce cookies 1-2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated over for 6-7 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Prepare icing.

*Icing Ingredients:
1 cup butter, very soft
1 tsp. pur vanilla extract
3 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
splash of milk
Icing Directions: In a large bowl, stir together butter and vanilla until it becomes smooth and creamy. Gradually stir in sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in a splash of milk, and combine mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate. Spread icing on top of cookies.
*Note: I alter this icing recipe. It is a very soft icing and I prefer mine to harden. So I use less than 1/2 cup butter, and more sugar and milk. That's just my preference.

Turtles
Ingredients:
round pretzels
1 bag of rolos
pecan halves
Directions: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place wax paper on a baking sheet and lay out enough round pretzels to cover the baking sheet. Place unwrapped rolos in the middle of the round pretzels right side up. Bake in oven for 2 minutes. After pulling out of the oven, place a pecan on top and press down. It helps if you hold the side of the pretzels, that way they don't break and not too much chocolate pours out the sides. Cool and enjoy!


Chocolate Caramel Covered Pretzel Sticks
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Kraft caramels
1 bag of pretzel sticks
chocolate almond bark
chopped nuts (I usually use the ice cream topping nuts) - optional

Directions: Remove wrappers from all caramels and place in small saucepan. Melt on very low heat, slowly. It helps to add about a teaspoon of milk. While this is melting, break pretzel sticks in half, and grease baking pans with butter or margarine.
Once the caramel is completely melted, dip pretzel sticks (halves) in caramel, covering about 1/2 to 2/3 of the pretzel. Sometime I have to scrape some of the caramel off if there is too much. Place on greased baking pan to cool. I usually place the caramel covered pretzels in the freezer to cool faster. While they are cooling, melt almond bark in another sauce pan. Dip the pretzels in teh almond bark and place on wax paper to cool. Make sure you sprinkle the nuts on the pretzels before the almond bark hardens, as this will happen fast with the frozen caramel! Cool and enjoy!

24 comments:

jay_say said...

WOW... the good things you accomplish with a snow day. I actually played hookie today and Chad and I went Christmas shopping. We are almost done. I think I will steal and try some of your recipes. Thanks.

Laurel said...

YAY! Thanks for sharing! I might make the pretzels! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing. I will be trying the brown sugar cookies. YUMMY

IronGambit said...

I wanted for you to MAIL me cookies! :)

Sherry said...

Yum! I'm a sugar cookie junkie (especially when they have icing and sugar sprinkles on them). They look delicious!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing. I am starting my baking tonight!

Anonymous said...

YUM.

Unknown said...

The good news for me: I'm allergic to nuts (so half you recipes are off limits for me) *and* my oven isn't working (normally this isn't good news, but it will keep me from baking which means it will keep me from mass consumption)

Unknown said...

Chocolate Caramel Covered Pretzel Sticks and Peanut Butter Cups! Why tempt me like that. I could almost taste them through the screen.

Anonymous said...

THANKS SO MUCH!

Wes said...

I know you've had lots of offers, but if you need my address for tins of cookies, let me know

:-)

Pokey said...

Ummm..I'm a bit lazy over here....can you just Fed Ex me some Turtles???

:P

Mike said...

I'm gonna try those turtles! :) mmmmm

Unknown said...

I'm all for coming over to sample some of those cookies, but I'm not shoveling any snow...

again...

ever!

Carly said...

Wow! I am totally drooling. Thanks for sharing the recipes. I am taking notes.

Marcy said...

OK you are really evil with this :P I'm trying to do my best NOT to eat all cookies in my sight HAHA

Unknown said...

Oh yum! Thanks for sharing!

Ms. V. said...

Looks fabulous!!

Anne said...

These all looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipes.

Unknown said...

Those cookies look good. Thanks for the recipes.

Neesha and Dustin said...

They all look so pretty! Esp the snowflakes! Beautiful and I bet tasty!

N.D. said...

Mmm these look delicioussssss!! CAn't wait to try!

Mendy said...

One word

Evil.

They look yummy!! Thanks for sharing!

Michelle said...

Wow they all sound so great!!

I'm going to try the peanut butter cups because, well i am addicted to all things peanut butter!!!

And chocolate too!!!