S'More Bars

1 package (18oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13X9X2- inch baking pan

2. Remove dough from wrapper. Press dough into prepare pan. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake 2-3 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

4. Combine chocolate chips and shortening in small resealable plastic food storage bag and seal. Microwave at HIGH 1 minutes; knead bag lightly. Microwave at HIGH for additional 30 seconds intervals until chips and shortening are completely melted and smooth, kneading bad after each interval. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Drizzle over bars. Refrigerate 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Makes 3 dozen bars.

Banana Bread

This recipe is from my Betty Crocker cook book. It's a rainy day & we had some bananas that are looking pretty ripe, so I thought I'd make up some banana bread.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk - I just used milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour
(I added some cinnamon too)

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.

2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Pour into pan.

3. Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Surprise Cookies

The recipe comes from Martha Stewart. We put the cookies in the freezer & they were really good cold.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 large egg
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

Frosting: (or I used chocolate store bought frosting)
2 c powdered sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/4 c milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

To make the cookie:

Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.

Scoop into heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 9-10 minutes.

Remove from baking sheets and place a marshmallow cut-side down into the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Spread about 1 tablespoon frosting over each marshmallow and spread to cover the marshmallow.

Monster Cookies by Chef Mckensey

Mckensey and I decided to make cookies but not any ordinary cookies but monster cookies. They were really good and full of healthy and nutritious ingredients such as raisins, oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, m&ms . . . . . . .. We had a lot of fun making and eating them! Happy eating!

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup butter-flavor or regular shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups M&MS
1 cup peanuts
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat sugars, peanut butter, butter, shortening, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in oats. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda thoroughly. Stir in candies, peanuts and raisins.

On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart. Flatten to 3/4-inch thickness with bottom of glass. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or just until cookies are set and begin to brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
test

Banana Nut Bread

This recipe is submitted by my MIL, Cindy Spilman. Looks yummy... I think I'll try it out this week! Thanks for the recipe!!


I don't know about you but I think walnuts taste like dirt! Here is a revised recipe with Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts. Yum!

3 ripe bananas, well mashed.
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 chopped macadamias


Preheat the oven to 350 F . Grease a loaf pan. Mix the bananas and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the nuts and blend. Put the batter in the pan and bake for 1 hour (convection oven 50 min.) Remove from the pan to a rack. Serve still warm or cooled, as you like it.