Peanut Butter-cup cookies

The ONLY Problem with living at 7,300 ft above sea level is baking. It has always been an issue for me, so usually I add extra flour and pray before I stick cookies in the oven. This recipe was NO exception. I had to barely bake these puppies. I mean like when they would barley brown on top I would pull them out, 'cause if I didn't not even a minute later they were flatter than pancakes. AHH! So frustrating. So all of my 'living at sea level friends' can one of you darlings make this recipe and tell me how it turns out? THANKS a bunch! The cookies still came out really good, it was just a pain to have to " babysit" them while they were in the oven :)



(This picture was taken BEFORE I baked them. I will post one after...when I actually get around to taking it)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 12 oz package small peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 of the bag and it was PLENTY!)

1. Heat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to comine. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorproated. Flod in the peanut butter cups. (I used my hands for that last part)

3. Drop Tablespoon-size mounds of dough 2inches apart onto the preared baking sheets. Bake until light brown on top. 8-10 minutes. Transfer to baking rack to cool. DO NOT OVER BAKE!

I ripped this recipe out of a REAL SIMPLE magazine while waiting for my Dr's appt. Don't worry, I have already asked for forgiveness :0

Dark Chocolate and Mint cookies

There were a lot of people using these "limited edition" mint and dark chocolate chips, so I too decided to give them a try. I was going to make some fancy shmancy cookie but my Hubby asked for the regular chocolate chip recipe, so being the GREAT wife that I am, I did. and they were yummy. The Mint chips almost had a crispy texture, and the flavor wasn't overpowering like I first would have thought. So out the window went the diet (but it was worth it :) Don't mind the flatness of the cookies, we are at 7,000 ft. It's a little hard to get anything to looks as yummy this high.



Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter of stick margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (ya, not in this house :)
1 bag limited edition Dark Chocolate and mint chips

1. heat oven to 375

2. Beat sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts (optional) and chocolate chips

3. Drop dough by rounded tbsp about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet/

4. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned (centers will be soft) Remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack.

EAT!

***You can use this same recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies, just use the regular chocolate chips***

Carmel Popcorn

Ingredients:
6 qt popped corn
1 cup butter
2 Cups brown sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

put butter, sugar, karo and salt in sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Mix with popcorn, cook in oven at 250 for 45 minutes. I put the popcorn in a big metal bowl. You will need to stir the popcorn every 15 minutes while baking.

Place on sprayed wax paper to cool

Recipe from Cindi McNiven

Hard Candy

Keagan was star of the week, and wanted to make suckers to pass out to her class. What possessed me to actually do it, I don't know... usually I try to talk her into something easier :) But... did it with a smile, and here they are.


all wrapped up and ready to give to her classmates





You have to have candy molds to make the suckers... I got these from my Mom ages ago. Glad she kept them from when she was a child.

Here is the hard candy recipe

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup light karo syrup
1/2 tsp food coloring
1/2 tsp oil based flavoring *I got these off ebay a few years ago*

Combine sugar, hot water and karo syrup in heavy saucepan. Place on high heat and stir with wooden spoon until all the sugar crystals are gone. Clip on thermometer, continue cooking WITHOUT stirring, to 290F. Then remove from heat and add coloring and flavoring. Pour immediately into molds. For suckers: place molds on cookies sheet and SPRAY with non-stick spray. (believe me, if you forget this last step you will cry when you try to get them out)

Recipe is from the Internet. can't remember where, sorry