Neiman Marcus Cookies

I know it has been a while, but I really have not tried many new recipes. We have been very busy lately.

I did try these cookies. I have had the recipe for a very long time in my email and wanted to add to my Homemade gifts some of us are exchanging this week. Four of the six Guinea Pigs in my house liked them alot and I will see what the other two think when they get here. They are easy and smell so good. Here is the recipe for anyone who is looking for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 Cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
• 1 & 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

*We had trouble finding the instant espresso coffee powder, so I used General Foods International Coffee Mocha instead.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds).
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
4. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds.
5. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
6. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 Tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
7. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned aroung the edges (bake a little longer for a crispier cookie).

Enjoy!!

Happy Cooking...thanks for Looking!

Silly String Cake

The name fits, huh?!! I made this pound cake for Halloween to take to my good friend, Patty's house. The cake was just a box of yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding mixed in, but the icing was my favorite part! I used a bag with the writing tip and just went crazy, throwing icing back and forth. It turned out really cute and then I finished it off with little candy pumpkins. It tasted really good, too! I can think of using different colors for Christmas or Birthdays. Cute, huh? Kids love it!!

Have you tried any new recipes lately?

Here is one I found on a fellow Blogger's site. These cookies look delicious!!

http://montrealaise-en-californie.blogspot.com/search/label/cooking

Happy Cooking!

Thanks for Looking!!

Cake Balls

My Aunt Cindy (Marine Mom) made these cake balls at her Church Fall Festival and everyone loved them. People were making their dessert plates before they roasted their hot dogs so they could get some cake balls. They were the talk of the cookout!

Thanks for the recipe, Cindy Lou!!



Happy Cooking...thanks for looking!

Pumpkin Cobbler

You must try this recipe! I found it on a blog and tried it last night for company! It was so easy and so good. The non-pumpkin lovers loved it! Derek said it would be so good with ice cream! We ate half of the cobbler when my Mom realized I did not take a picture, so we fixed it up a bit with her brownies so you could not see the empty half!! It was that good. Click to enlarge all pics if I loaded them right!

TIP: If you like pecans, DO NOT skip putting them on top! They get toasted while the cobbler is cooking and really compliment the dish!

Here is the blog link to the recipe. If you make it, or intend to make it, come back and tell me!

Me and My Pink Mixer

Happy Cooking! Thanks for Looking!

Let's Have a Tea Party

Grandmother Dorothy's Russian Tea

My Husband's Grandmother always had this tea on her stove when we visited for Christmas. We loved it and I always looked forward to not only the yummy tea, but also the smell of it throughout the house.

• 1/2 Gallon Sweet Tea
• 46 oz Apple Juice
• 46 oz Pineapple Juice
• Juice of one Lemon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Powdered Cinnamon
• 3 Cinnamon Sticks
• Sweetened to taste

Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Simmer

My Princesses love Tea Parties!

Happy Cooking.... Thanks for Looking!!

Share some of your favorites! Click on the blog links to the right for other great recipes.

My First Recipe Swap...Let's Eat!

Well, I have a blog about my weekly life as a Mom of Four Sweeties, but I also LOVE to cook! I love to eat healthy, though, so it is a constant struggle with me to find new recipes that are healthy without being boring! I will post some of the healthier recipes I find, but will also be posting "Cheat Night" items I fall in love with because we have "Cheat Nights" (sometimes too often)! I hope you will post your favorites as you find them, or post your "already tested" recipes. My family loves to try new things. They are never bored with my cooking. I do, however, have tough skin when it comes to cooking. I WANT them to be completely honest with me. When the meal is over, I ALWAYS ask "How was it?". I always then follow the first question with the very important and necessary "Would you eat it again?". They know this is the time to be honest. If you do not LOVE it and you do not tell me, you WILL see that same meal again! :)

Moving on to the recipes:

I made some pumpkin cookies last week that are to DIE FOR! I love all things pumpkin!

These cookies are cake-like and so good with the frosting.


Prep time: 10 Minutes


Cooking time: 18 Minutes


Yields: 36 Cookies




Ingredients:

• 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened


• 1 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin


• 1 large egg


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• Glaze (recipe follows)


• Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts (I used chopped pecans)

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking sheets.


2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in larger mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drip by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.


3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.
   

Glaze Directions:

• Combine 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bown until smooth.

Blogger Directions:

1. Make the cookies.
2. Feed them to your family and/or friends.
3. Come back and tell me what you thought about the cookies.
4. Leave me a comment with a link to your great recipes or put it in comments and I will paste it into my next post and link to your blog!

Happy Cooking! Thanks for Looking!

..............until the next great recipe gets a thumbs up from my table approval committee! :)

Two Members of the Committee. They are also the Bowl Lickers! Two very important jobs!