Lacey Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies.

• 2 cups quick rolled oats
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 egg

Mix oats, brown sugar and baking powder in a bowl.

Melt butter and add to oats mixture. Add the egg (beaten) and mix well.

Drop by teaspoons on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for about 8-10 minutes.

Tips - These cookies spread (a lot) so don't place them close together or you will end up with one big cookie instead of many.

Wait about a minute - but not much more than that - before taking the cookies or they will break. I line the cookie sheet with parchment paper as it makes it easier to pull the cookies from the pan.

Neiman Marcus cookies

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups nuts - chopped

Put oatmeal in a blender and blend until it becomes dust or like flour.

Cream the butter with the sugars.

Add the eggs and vanilla.

Add the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (I don't like chocolate that much so i don't put the whole bag - but that's what the $300 Neiman Marcus cookies recipe was supposed to call for)

Make small balls and place in a cookie sheet to bake for about 10 minutes at 375°

I don't know if the story is real or not or if they are really Neiman Marcus recipe - to be honest i don't really care, These cookies are YUMMY!!!!

Best No-Bake Cookies

I had to admit I didn't believe Paul when he said these cookies were delicious. I don't like chocolate or peanut butter and had tried no-bake cookies before that, well, didn't deserve to be called cookies.  But these are AMAZING!!!! I almost had to be forcefully removed from the kitchen cause i was not giving them time to cool. YUM

• 2 cups sugar (you can also use 2 cups of Stevia or 1 cup Stevia and 1 cup sugar)
• 1/2 cup milk (low fat works just fine)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups of quick cooking oats

In a pot melt the butter. While on the fire, add the sugar/Stevia, cocoa and milk and cook for a minute - mixing so it won't stick.  Add the peanut butter to mixture while it is still hot and mix till the peanut butter melts.

Take it off the fire and add a teaspoon of vanilla and the 3 cups of oats. Mix quickly as it will start to thicken.

Put tablespoons of the mixture on waxed paper to cool.

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat the butter, add 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Blend in the egg and vanilla.

Add one teaspoon of cinnamon and the flour, mixing it well.  (the cinnamon in the dough is the what makes these cookies the best)

Form into a ball, cover with plastic and chill for about 1 hour.  (we don't always have the time - or patience - for this part)

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Mix the 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a bowl. Form the dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. 

Place the balls about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 or 11 minutes (till the edges start to take a golden color)

Remove from pan to cool.

Enjoy!

Baklava

This is a delicious and easy recipe but time consuming so I don't make it too often. But we normally have it for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• 1 package phyllo dough (16 oz)
• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup butter (or margarine) melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 Tbp honey
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Thaw the phyllo dough and cut the sheets in half (crosswise - to have rectangles about 13x9"). It is important to cover the sheets with a damp dishtowel or the phyllo sheets will dry out and crack.
In a bowl mix the chopped nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
 Butter the bottom of a a 13x9 pyrex and put one sheet of phyllo in the pan, immediately brush with the melted butter - use a soft brush or i use 2 or 3 cotton balls (if using cotton balls they have to be replaced more than once).
Keep adding phyllo sheets one at a time, buttering the sheets immediately after.

After about 15 sheets (I never really count them but we need 3 layers of dough) spread half of the nut mixture over the phyllo in the pan.
Repeat the process with another 15 sheets - the first one after spreading the nut is kind of tricky so be careful not to tear the phyllo too much.
Spread the rest of the nut mixture and repeat the process with the rest of the phyllo dough so it ends with phyllo.
Cut the phyllo into diamonds - yes, before cooking. It doesn't need to go all the way to the bottom, just to about the top layer of the nut mixture.
Bake at 350º for about 40 to 45 minutes ot till gold-soft brown
While doing the dough layering, put the white sugar, water and honey to boil, simmer for about 10 minutes (it thickens a bit). Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
While still hot (or warm) pour the syrup over  the pastry.
Finish cutting along the diamond line to allow the syrup to reach every piece.
Cool and enjoy


This recipe freezes well - if you have any leftovers.

Worlds Greatest Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies!!

Total Time: 30 mins
Makes: 2.5 dozen

I actually created this recipe myself using a combo of 4 different cookie recipes!!! Hope you enjoy my masterpiece! -Amanda

You need:
*3/4 c peanut butter
*1/3 c sweeten condensed milk
*1/2 c shortening
*1/3 c white sugar
*1/2 c brown sugar
*1 egg
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*1 1/2 c flour
*1tsp baking soda
*desired amount of chocolate chips

To Do:
*Pre-heat oven to 375.
*Combine all wet ingredients in one bowl.
*Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.
*Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
* place on greased pan and cook for 8 mins exactly

*Let cool and ENJOY!