Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

#7

Okay, these cookies were fun.
First of all, when I saw how much cornstarch the recipe called for, I knew the title of the cookie was probably quite appropriate.  They definitely melt away in your mouth.  And they may even melt away in your hand if you aren't careful.  These cookies are fun, but fragile.  Two of them crumbled in my hand because I didn't wait long enough for them to cool after baking.  Just let them cool for 10 min on the baking sheet before moving them and they will be just fine.

This recipe made 22 cookies (well, 20 since 2 melted/crumbled in my hand)
So double the recipe if you want more.  It's easy to eat 2-3 at a time!

Brent isn't a big mint fan at all.
I figured he would try one of these cookies only if I handed him one to try.  And I did.
But I was shocked when he walked back into the kitchen to grab a second one to eat!
Yes!!!!!

Enjoy!

photo and recipe courtesy of CookingClassy

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups (178g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (68g) cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (68g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Frosting

• 2 Tbsp (28g) salted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp half and half
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups (200g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (42g) finely crushed peppermint bits or candy canes

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt, set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and powdered sugar until combined.
3.  Mix in peppermint extract then with mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. 
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until nearly firm, about 1 hour, while preheating oven to 350 degrees during last 15 minutes of chilling.
5. Scoop dough out 1 even tablespoon at a time, shape into a ball then transfer to an ungreased 18 by 13-inch baking sheet, spacing cookies 2-inches apart (keep dough that's wont be baking chilled). 
6. Bake in preheated oven until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly golden brown, about 10 - 13 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter, half and half, peppermint extract and powdered sugar until light and fluffy*. 
8. Working with one cookie at a time spread frosting over cookie and immediately after frosting each cookie add crushed peppermint bits before frosting starts to set, repeat process with all cookies. 
9. Store cookies an in airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• *If frosting is too thick add a little more half and half, if it's too thin add a little more powdered sugar.

My final product

Rocky Road Cookies

#6

My most favorite ice cream flavor is Rocky Road. 

So yes, a Rocky Road cookie recipe made perfect sense to me.

I know that Rocky Road ice cream (and this cookie recipe) has walnuts, but I substituted pecans for walnuts only because I didn't have any walnuts on hand....Still a fantastic cookie!

photo and recipe courtesy of ThisGrandmaIsFun

• 2¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped almonds, plus extra for topping
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping
• ½ cup mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Using a stand or electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the pudding mix, vanilla and eggs until well combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips, almonds and walnuts and stir with a rubber spatula.
5. Measure out dough into two large tablespoons and roll into a ball then drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and just set on the top. Pull cookies out and turn on the broiler. Top cookies with more almonds, walnuts and marshmallows. Place back in the oven until marshmallows are lightly golden on top, about 30-40 seconds. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

My final product
*these are best right out of the oven*

Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies

#5

I am not the biggest fan of butterscotch, but Brent is.  So this cookie was for him.

But I'll admit, it was quite good!  I love the sweet and salty balance.

If you are a butterscotch fan, this cookie is for you!

photo and recipe courtesy of CookiesAndCups

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
• optional – flaked sea salt

---

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then bring it to a boil. Once the butter starts boiling, swirl the pan constantly until the butter passes the foamy phase and becomes a deep amber color. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the butter to cool for 20 minutes.
2. While the butter is cooling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
4. Add the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla into the cooled butter in the saucepan and stir to combine. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Stir using a a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
5. Stir in the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and pretzels.
6. Using a medium (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop, drop the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
7. Allow the cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. If desired sprinkle with a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt on top of the cookies while cooling.

My final product.  

I ate two immediately out of the oven.

I can handle butterscotch in a treat like this!

Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

#4

This cookie is simply delicious!  It tasted like perfection right out of the oven. 

It's excellent at room temperature too, but I recommend warming up the cookie in the microwave for 10-12 seconds before devouring! So good!

Side note: this recipe calls for dried cherries.  I could not find them in the store anywhere. So I just substituted dried cranberries instead. If you make this true to recipe, with the dried cherries, let me know what you think!

photo and recipe courtesy of BakeOrBreak

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cherries (I couldn't find dried cherries so I used dried cranberries)
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line baking sheets.
2. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. Stir in the oats, cherries, and chocolate.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottom edges are lightly browned. Cool on pans for a few minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

NOTES:

These may also be made into bar cookies. Press the dough into a lightly greased 13″x 9″x 2″ baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes.

My final product

Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage and Spinach

We had our first snowfall in Spokane yesterday.  It was magical for this Texas family!

Because of the cooler weather, I've been craving cozy, warm soups...can soups be cozy?

Anyways, this recipe below...tortellini, sausage, and spinach.  Sounds warm and cozy to me.

And it was.  Enjoy!

photo and recipe courtesy of YellowBlissRoad

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground Italian Sausage
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 medium sized onion)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1-32. oz. box of vegetable broth (chicken broth works too)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 9- ounce package refrigerated tortellini
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach (all I had on hand was frozen spinach and that worked just fine, too)

Instructions

Soup

• Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Heat vegetable oil and add diced onion. Saute until onions are soft.
• Crumble Italian Sausage and garlic with the onion. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, vegetable (or chicken) broth, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes, until pasta is tender.
• Serve with shredded Parmesan.
  
  
  My final product.  I served this soup with a side of caesar salad and french bread for dipping
  YUM!
  
  
  
  Here is my tortilla soup cooking on the stove with my sidekick under my feet 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Soft Batch Pumpkin Sugar Cookie

#3

Cookie Challenge

This week I picked a very simple pumpkin sugar cookie. 

The two things I like about this recipe:

1. I got 3 dozen cookies out of this recipe

2. It's a light cookie that goes great with a cup of coffee

(photo and recipe courtesy of SouthernMadeSimple)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 14 Tbs room temp butter (about 1¾ sticks)
• ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
• 3 drops red food coloring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine room temperature butter and sugar with a mixer
2. Slowly incorporate the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, vanilla and food coloring
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon
4. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and combine well
5. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes
6. Preheat oven to 350 F and spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray
7. Using your hands, roll dough into a small 1-inch balls and lightly roll them around in a bowl of sugar to coat
8. Evenly space dough balls apart from each other on cookie sheet and gently press down with a fork or spatula
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes 
10. Allow to cool briefly on pan, then place on cooling rack to prevent the bottom from over cooking on baking sheet
11. Enjoy!

My final product

(Hint: I sprinkled mine with a little brown sugar 

as soon as they came out of the oven, just because)