Ginger Snap Cookies (Aunt Lu)

This recipe came from my mom's recipe box. She writes, "makes alot - keeps well, but has a tendency to vanish."

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp ginger
• 4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup (I use butter)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses (blackstrap molasse will be too strong and bitter or dilute with golden syrup. Try fancy molasses or unsulphured molasses)

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar.

Add eggs, molasses and dry ingredients.

If you have time, chill the dough before baking.  This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much)

Form tsp of dough in a ball (Consider using a small cookie dough scoop. This would be 2 tsp. so a bigger cookie)

Roll in sugar (I usually form 5 - 6 dough balls at one time)

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degree F for 8 - 10 minutes. 

Cookies spread and crack as they bake.

DO NOT OVERBAKE

Optional: you might consider dipping half the cookie in melted white chocolate. Then decorate with cryallized ginger. Here is another recipe for the dipping mixture. NOTE: I haven't tried this but it looks pretty cool.

• In a small bowl, melt 1 cup of vanilla melting wavers in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between until completely melted.
• Dip 1/4 of the cookie, and place on a wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles immediatley and allow to set and harden.

Coconut Cookies

This recipe is from my Mom's recipe box. I've made a few modifications.

 Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup oatmeal (whole oats blended)
1 cup unsweetened coconut

 Directions:
1. Blend the butter and sugars together
2. Add the egg and vanilla, blend
3. Stir the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
4. Add the wet and dry ingredients together and blend.
5. Shape into small balls.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes in 350 degree oven

ENJOY these taste treats!!!!!

Monster Cookies a.k.a. Wisconsin Whoppers

 Recipe from: The Sunday Cook by Grace Howaniec
              "A two-fisted high-energy cookie designed for hiking, skiing and all manner of

outdoor           exercise. Made with lots of old-fashioned oats, peanut butter, apricot bits and chocolate chip, this is a cookie for cookie-lovers. I like to you Jif brand of peanut butter for best results. These are flourless cookies.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chunky style peanut butter
6 cups old-fashioned oats
2 tsps. baking soda
1 1/2 diced dried apricots or craisins (dried cranberries)
4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2  tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Soften butter on paper plate in microwave on defrost or 30 percent power for 30 seconds.
2. With heavy-duty mixer, cream butter in large mixing bowl until light colored, about 1 minutes. Gradually beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar; scrape down sides of bowl. Cream until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat 1 minute more after final addition. Add peanut butter; beat until blended, 1 minute. Add oats and baking soda, beating only until blended, about 30 seconds; set aside.
4. Dice apricots by hand with sharp knife or processor bowl of food processor using off/pulse button until diced in 1/4 inch pieces. (If using craisins, add whole to cookies.) Add to creamed mixture
5. Cut squares of chocolate in half with sharp knife. Process in food processor until finely chopped, about 1 minute. Blend into cookie mixture. Add chocolate chips and vanilla.
6. Using a 1/4 cup metal measuring cup or a number 20 stainless steal scoop, fill with cookie dough, pressing lightly into cup or scoop; tap edge of cup to release dough onto lightly-greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies to 3 inches in diameter with bottom of glass tumbler that is dipped frequently in water. Place cookies 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes. Remove to cool on wire rack

Makes about 24 cookies

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from: Beth Dailey, via Internet - Neiman-Marcus

Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1 hour
1 hour 30 minutes

I shared these with Claire's basketball team, post game. These are my favorite chocolate chip cookies and go to recipe. They taste great with a buttery Chardonnay and are even good for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended, measure oatmeal & blend to a fine powder
4 ounces Hershey chocolate bar, grated

12 ounce package chocolate chip
1 1/2 cups nuts (your choice), chopped (this is optional)

Directions:
Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.
Mix the dry ingredients together and then add to the liquid ingredients.
Add chocolate chips, grated Hershey bar and nuts. Mix together.
Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Make for 10 - 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Yield: 60 cookies