Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This cookie is an old favorite and probably the first cookie I ever made on my own after I moved away from home. They can be fragile until cooled so handle with care; however, they must be removed from the cookie sheet quickly and carefully as they will stick.

• 1 stick butter
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups uncooked regular oats
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

  Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream together butter, margarine, and sugars.  

 Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat well. 

In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to creamed butter mixture. Mix thoroughly to combine.



Thoroughly mix in oats. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes. These really are better still gooey. You might want to go ahead and pour a glass of milk while the cookies are sill warm. Enjoy!

Buckeyes

Chocolate and peanut butter always make an excellent pairing.  Over the years I have tried out different recipes for this chocolate and peanut butter combination and finally settled on this one.  It makes a nice firm peanut butter bonbon which holds up well when travelling or just transporting them across town.  They make a great finger food as you pop them right in your mouth.  Here's how to get started. 

Buckeyes

Makes about 7 dozen

·         2 (10 oz.) packages peanut butter chips

·         6 ounces cream cheese, softened (I usually use the lighter Neufchatel cheese)

·         14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

·         1 cup peanuts, finely chopped

·         12 ounce package of Wilton® Candy Melts® - dark cocoa

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt peanut butter chips over low heat.

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add sweetened condensed milk as mixer continues beating.

Stir melted peanut butter chips into cream cheese mixture.  Add chopped peanuts.  Mix well. 

Chill for 2 to 3 hours. 

Roll dough into one-inch balls using the palms of your hands.  Follow package instructions to melt Candy Melts®.  Using a wooden toothpick, poke partway into the middle of the ball.  Dip the ball into the melted chocolate a little more than halfway up the sides of it.  Then gently release it onto wax paper.  You may need to gently push it off the toothpick with your fingers.  Leave buckeyes on wax paper until chocolate coating is firm.   

Peel them off of wax paper and store in a sealed plastic container.

The challenge then is to eat only one.

Christmas Fudge

One of my husband's favorite Christmas treats is my Christmas Fudge.  I often double this recipe so there is plenty to go around.  I make it on the stovetop.  It is probably the easiest and quickest Christmas sweet I make.  When you pop a piece in your mouth, the creamy layers peel off and fill with mouth with chocolate goodness.  Are you drooling yet?  I think there's a pan of this in your future.  Enjoy!!   

Christmas Fudge

Makes approximately 2 pounds

·         1 ½ cups granulated sugar

·         2/3 cup evaporated milk

·         2 Tablespoons butter

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         2 cups miniature marshmallows

·         1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

 Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Stir constantly and bring ingredients to a boil over medium heat.  When mixture comes to boil, continue stirring constantly and allow to boil for 4 ½ minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, and vanilla.  Stir quickly for 1 minute until marshmallows are melted and completely mixed into other ingredients.  Stir in nuts, if desired.  Immediately pour into foil-lined 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish.  Place in refrigerator only until firm, then cut into pieces.  Keep in sealed container.

Recipe can be doubled to make a 9 x 13-inch pan of fudge.

Deep Chocolate Brownies

I think most things taste better when they're homemade.  Brownies are one of the few exceptions.  I think out of the box brownies are great, and making homemade brownies seemed like a waste of time until I played around with several recipes and came up with this one.  I think these taste just a good as out of the box ones.  Try them and see what you think.

Deep Chocolate Brownies

·         2/3 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 cup sugar

·         1/3 cup cocoa powder

·         1/4 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 cup vegetable oil

·         2 eggs

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.

In medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Blend together with a fork or slotted spoon.  Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and nuts, if desired.  Mix lightly with fork or slotted spoon just until ingredients are combined.  Do not over mix.  Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.    

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of pan.  Let pan of brownies cool on wire rack before cutting into squares.

Makes 16 brownies.  Recipe can be doubled to make a 9x13x2 inch pan of brownies.