Thumbprint Cookies

Tuesday = Thumbprint Cookies! This is day #4 in my cookie week, and these are definitely flavorful They remind me of a sugar cookie, with the cookie being not so over powering. You get your real strong flavor from the flavor of jam that you use. In this case I used Apricot...which was pretty tasty.

Ingredients:
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup jam (any type)


Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, and beat until completely combined. With mixer on low, add flour, and mix just until incorporated.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Place on baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart.

Moisten thumb with water, and gently press the center of each ball, making an indentation about 1/2 inch wide and inch deep. In microwave or on stove, heat jam until liquefied; spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indentation. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. If storing, place in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

WOW - - Is all I can describe this dish as... Definitely do not be scared of the mixture of the chicken cheese and ham. This sauce sounds a little weird when looking at the ingredients but do not change a thing! This sauce was so fabulous! I hope you all enjoy!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices of ham, thinly sliced
4 slices Swiss cheese
2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 T. butter

Sauce
1/2 c canned cream of chicken soup
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c. milk
1 T Dijon mustard
1 c mushrooms, sliced
1 t minced garlic
1 t salt
½ t black pepper
2 T. fresh chopped flat leaf parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)


- Combine bread crumbs with grated Parmesan. Mix to combine.
- Place each chicken breast on a cutting board between pieces of wax paper. Use a skillet to pound the chicken breast until it is 1/2-1/4" think.
- Arrange a slice of ham and Swiss cheese on top of each one. Roll each chicken breast tightly and secure with a toothpick.



- Coat with melted butter and roll in bread crumbs.
- Place in baking dish.



To Bake:
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 375

.

- In a bowl combine sauce ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Heat in sauce pan and pour over chicken just before serving (or serve in a gravy boat on the side).



Original Recipe from: Freeze Happy

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Day #3 in the cookie thon - and today's cookie is Mint Choc Chip for Monday. These are super chocolate flavored, definitely curbs that sweet tooth. I baked mine for the full 12 minutes and they were still super fluffy in the middle. Also using the small ice cream scoop, this batch makes 3 dozen. ENJOY.

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flower
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Add sugars and beat for 3 to 5 minutes. This is crucial, the sugar crystals puncture tiny holes in the butter making it fluffy, ultimately resulting in a soft and fluffy cookies.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined. Add in the salt, extracts and baking soda, beat in.



Add in the cocoa powder and beat in (if you're not confident is your stills to beat in cocoa powder without covering yourself with cocoa powder shrapnel spewing from the bowl, feel free to use a spatula).
Once combined, beat in the flour ½ cup at a time. Once combined, stir and fold on chocolate chips.


Cover bowl in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Using a small sized cookie scoop, or a tablespoon, make small balls of dough and place 1 ½ inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Snickerdoodles

Well here we are on the 2nd day in our cookie thon and it's Sunday, know what that means? Snickerdoodles! These are so soft and irresistible!
This recipe can make 3 dozen if you use a small ice cream scooper. These cookies actually spread quite a bit and you will end up with HUGE cookies if you use a regular ice cream scoop.

20 min | 10 min prep
SERVES 24

* 1 cup butter
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 2 3/4 cups flour
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Chill dough, and chill an un-greased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

6. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.

7. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.

8. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.

9. Place on chilled un-greased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

So this is the beginning of my week long cookie thon! To start it off with a recipe from Saturday, we have SUGAR COOKIES!! These are so fluffy and tasty. The lemon is hint and not over powering at all. Most people think of sugar cookies as hard and crisp, but these are so fluffy and melt in your mouth. But it still definitely makes me think of the holidays and Christmas morning. It's only August and I can't wait for the biggest baking season to begin! Stay tuned!!

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract (or 2 tsp lemon juice)
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup granulated for rolling cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or tin foil and spray lightly with Pam.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy (about 3-5

minutes).

Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon extract.

Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about

1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden and set.

Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. As soon as the cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container to keep them nice and soft. Makes around 20 cookies.

Original recipe from: (Sweetcakes Bakeshop)

Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe belonged to my Great Great Grandmother Williams. I was handed down her cookbook that she typed on a type writer and drew cute little pictures in.

Ingredients:

1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C Crunchy Peanut butter
1/2 C White sugar
1/2 C Dark Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 1/4 C all purpose Flour
3/4 teas. Baking Soda
1/2 teas. Baking Powder
1/4 teas. Salt

First blend together your "wet" ingredients, sugars, shortening, peanut butter and egg.

Then slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture until well blended.





After you have all the ingredients mixed together, let them sit in the fridge for an hour or so, to harden up enough to roll them into balls for baking.

So my adorable assistant helped me put the "x" marks on the top of these yummy cookies.








And after they have cooled off a little below piping hot temperatures, have a nice glass of milk with 2...3...4...maybe 5 of these babies.

Grown up Mac & Cheese

Alright, this does not get anymore comfort food and close to being a kid again, and then you throw bacon into the mixture and it makes it perfect!!

• Did you know the #1 cheese recipe in America is "Macaroni and Cheese"
  

Ingredients:

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon

Vegetable oil

Salt

2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1½ cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces Smoked cheese, grated (I used Hoffman's hickory smoked cheese)

3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

Italian bread crumbs (enough to sprinkle over the top)

Saute the bacon until almost fully cooked, do not crisp the bacon. Also in a separate pot, boil the pasta according to package directions, about 7-8 minutes.



Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth.



Remove milk mixture from the heat and add in cheese. Stir consistently until cheese is distributed.



Mix the creamy cheese mixture and bacon in with the pasta, then pour into a 8x9" casserole pan.



Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the pasta. And place in a pre-heated oven (400F)



Pull out of the oven when the topping is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. And enjoy!

Grandma Sally's Burnt Hand Cookies

This recipe is my grandmother Sally's and it has been a holiday tradition in my family since ever I can remember. So quick and easy as well.

Make sure you have enough counter space. Lay out your wax paper (about 2-3 ft worth) on the counter for the cookies to cool on. Also have 2 spoons per person dipped in butter (helps the cookies not to stick)

Mix together in a Large bowl & set aside:

* 5 1/2 C Speacial K Cereal

* 3/4 C raisins

Bring to a boil only & then remove from the burner:

* 1 C Brown Sugar

* 1/2 C Granulated White Sugar

* 1 C white Karo Syrup

QUCKLY add to the mixture: 1 12oz Jar of chunky peanut butter and 2 tsp Vanilla.



Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl of Special K mixture.



Once the peanut butter mixture has been evenly distributed through the Special K mixture, take your buttered up spoons and form ball cookies on the wax paper. Let dry for as long as you can keep from eating them, and then enjoy :-)