Bird Nest Cookies

You may have already seen this elsewhere, but I had to share it.  Afterall, Easter is nearly here - and my family makes these every year.  I wanted to share our little tradition with you.

The cookies are adorable, and they are super easy - with just three ingredients in the ingredient list.  I can literally make these in 15 minutes - which is the largest reason as to why I choose these to make every year!!

All you need to do is melt your butterscotch chips in a double boiler, or microwave.  Mix in the chow mein noodles.  Using a spoon, or your hand, make little 'nests' with the noodles on a baking sheet.  Stick 3 mini Cadbury eggs of the same color in each nest.  

If you want them to stick better, use a little melted butterscotch as glue - dip a little of the surface of the eggs in it, and stick them in the nest.

Bird Nest Cookies

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Ingredients:

• 12oz bag of chow mein noodles
• 2.5 cups butterscotch chips, melted
• 1 bag mini Cadbury eggs

Instructions:
Mix the melted butterscotch chips together with the chow mein noodles. Using a spoon, or your hands, make little nests with the mixture on a baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or wax paper.  Press 3 little eggs of the same color in each nest.  Let cool completely before serving.




Shared with these great blog parties!

Read More

Praline Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Coming up with new recipes is a favorite pastime for me.  Seriously.  I have a notebook on my nightstand for those 'ah-ha' moments that come to me as I'm laying in bed at night.  
I don't eat to live - I live to eat.
These cookies was one of those 'ah-ha' moments, although they didn't come at night like most of mine do.  This one came as I was looking through my baking cabinet - craving something sweet, but not wanting to go to the grocery store either.  
I pulled out some toffee chips, pecans, chocolate chips, brown sugar - and I thought, 'Hey why not put a praline spin on a cookie? Oooh...with chocolate....and toffee!'

Sometimes these little cooking adventures work out, and sometimes they don't.  This one though - worked out very much.  Does that make sense?  I don't really care.  I want another cookie.

Praline Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1.5 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 (11.5oz) bag of toffee baking bits
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time; stir in the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt - stir into the creamed mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chips, toffee bits, and pecans.  Drop by tablespoon fulls onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven.  Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Check out all the blog parties that I link up with!

Read More

Speckled Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are like at the top of the cookie list.  I mean - they have chocolate.  Need I say more??
Now these cookies have chocolate for sure - but they have a little more umph to them as a traditional chocolate chip cookie.  I'm talking oreo pudding, caramel ice cream topping, 60% cacao chocolate, and milk chocolate.  Yes, I'm completely serious.  

Maybe you should go grab a napkin to wipe the drool from your chin before I continue.  Don't worry, I'll wait for you.

Back now?  Ok, good.  Here's the recipe.

Speckled Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Ingredients:

• 4.5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1.5 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 (4.2oz) packs of Oreo instant pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 11.5 oz bag Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate
• jar caramel ice cream topping

Instructions:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour & baking soda.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  

Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.  

Stir in the eggs and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  

Finally, stir in the caramel ice cream topping, milk chocolate chips & 60% cacao chips. 

Dollop the cookie dough on a lightly greased baking sheet - large rounds, about golf ball size.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Edges should be golden brown.

Read More

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Yes, I have been absent from cooking for quite a while.  I was hospitalized with colitis for about a week, and felt pretty icky afterwards.  While I was in the hospital, some other minor things were found & I will have to get surgery to fix them.  But, I'll be just fine.  It's definitely nothing major, just things I need to get taken care of.  
I have eaten so much broth & jell-o during this whole ordeal that I will be rather happy if I ever see either again.  EVER.  Ugh.  

These pumpkin whoopie pies are actually the first thing that I have baked since being back home, and they sure didn't disappoint.  Whoopie Pies kind of intimidated me for a while, and I never gave the recipes a second glance.  I'm glad I did though because they really aren't hard what so ever.  Seriously, they are so easy to make - so grab your easy buttons & let's go.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Instructions:
For the cookies:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1.5 cups pure pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:


Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease your baking sheets.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, & pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.  Beat butter & sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.  Add eggs, pumpkin, & vanilla extract & beat well.  Stir in flour mixture until well combined.

Drop by heaping teaspoons on a baking sheet, and press down lightly with the back of the spoon creating a flat appearance.  Bake for 10-13 minutes, until springy to the touch.  Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

For the filling - beat the cream cheese, butter, & vanilla extract together until fluffy.  Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar until creamy.

Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of another cookie to make a sandwich.  Repeat with remaining cookies & filling.  Store in refrigerator.

Check out all the awesome blog parties that I link with!

Read More

Witch Hats

It's another day in the 13 Days of Halloween!

Here's another easy one for you - Witch Hats!  They are made of just 3 ingredients.

All you do to make this clever treat is turn the fudge stripe cookies upside down.  Squeeze the orange cookie icing around the hole of the cookie, and then plop a Hershey's kiss on top.  Serve, and watch the smiles start forming.

Check out all the awesome blog parties I link with!!

Read More

Nutter Butter Ghosts

This is such an EASY & QUICK idea for Halloween.  You really have no excuse not to make it, right?  It's also my husband's personal favorite.
All you need are Nutter Butter cookies, mini chocolate chips, & either vanilla flavored candy coating (almond bark) or white chocolate.  Melt the your coating in the microwave or a double boiler & dip the nutter butters in them.  Lay them on a piece of wax paper & place 3 mini chocolate chips on it.  2 for the eyes, and one for the mouth.
Let the coating set & they're ready to eat.

Read More

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Cookie Dough Buttercream (Crazy Cooking Challenge)

It's time for another Crazy Cooking Challenge, and this months assignment is chocolate chip cookies.  So, I had a little scavenger hunt of bloggyland, and came across a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches stuffed with Cookie Dough Buttercream from Baking Junkie, and my search came to a complete halt.  These were it!

These cookies were beyond amazing.  Addictive even.  Definitely addictive.
You know you want some.  Mine are all gone (sniff sniff) and I want some more already.

                                     



Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Cookie Dough Buttercream

Add this recipe to ZipList!

Ingredients:
For the Cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (the original recipe called for milk chocolate chips)

For the Frosting:

• 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
• ¼ + ⅛  cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3-4 Tbsp milk
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt, then add dry ingredients to dough. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into small, ½ inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then place on wire rack to cool completely.

While cookies are baking and cooling start making the frosting. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add powdered sugar in increments until smooth. Add in the flour and salt, then add the milk and vanilla.

Once cookies have cooled begin making the sandwiches. Place a spoonful (as much or as little as you want) on the flat side of one cookie, and sandwich it with the flat side of another cookie. Repeat until all cookies are gone. Coat sides with mini chocolate chips if desired.

Check out all the rockstar blog parties that I link with!!!

Read More