Golden Toffee Blondies...

Oh my goodness...these were great!

ENJOY!

1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
1 3/4 C. light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12 ounce pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C. toffee bits


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 13x9 pan with foil, pressing in corners to fit snugly. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large measuring cup microwave the butter until melted. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the butter with the sugar about one minute.

Add eggs and vanilla until combined and light in color.

Add flour and alt and beat until just combined. fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes. Blondies will be golden brown on the edges and yet still soft in the middle. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire wrack. When completely cool use foil edges to lift blondies out of the pan and cut into squares.

Blonde Brownies...

This is an old recipe of my Mom's. I don't think I have made it for years, so I made a double batch of these this week and I was reminded how good they are! I didn't have anything except mini chocolate chips, so I used them. I think it worked out well. I only used a half of a package.

I may have over baked these by 5 minutes, I got distracted when the timer went off. I doubled the recipe and used a 12x9 cake pan. There is a lot of brown sugar in this recipe...but they are oh, so good!

1 C. sifted flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. nuts, chopped

1/3 C. butter or shortening

1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg. slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

To sifted flour add baking powder, soda and salt. Sift again. Add nuts.

Melt shortening in saucepan, remove from heat. Mix in sugar. (Add 1 tsp. hot water if vegetable shortening is used.)

Cool. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually, mixing well. Spread in greased 9x9x2 inch pan.

Sprinkle chips over top.
Bake 350 degrees 20-25 minutes.

Peppermint Chocolate Bars...

This one of my favorite recipes. I love peppermint..anything. My friend Eileen shared this recipe with me. She was my inspiration to put together a cookbook for my family..and then this blog. Hugs, Eileen!


Melt together over double boiler:
2 oz. semi sweet chocolate
1/2 C. butter

In bowl cream:
2 eggs
1 C. sugar

Add:
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. slivered almonds

Mix together with chocolate mixture and mix well.
Pour into 9 in. square or 8x10 greased and floured pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Frost with mint cream.

Mint Cream:
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. soft butter
2 Tbsp. light cream
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
Beat until smooth.
Drizzle with chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:
Melt over hot water:
2 oz. German chocolate
2 Tbsp. butter

Chill until firm.

Pecan Pie Bars...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 15x10 pan with Pam.

Cookie Crust:

In large bowl at medium speed beat:

2 1/2 C. flour

2 sticks of margarine, cut in pieces

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
Beat until mixture resembles fine crumbs.Press firmly into pan.Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.Mix filling and put on crust and finish baking.

Filling:

4 eggs

1 1/2 C. Karo light or dark syrup( I use light)

1 1/2 C. sugar

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 1 /2 C. pecans, chopped

Beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until well blended.Stir in pecans.Pour over hot crust and spread evenly.Bake 25 minutes or until filling is firm around the edges and slightly firm in the center.
Cool completely.Makes 48.

This was my Mom’s recipe. She made it during the holidays. It is a great substitute for pecan pie.

Picture by Google images.

Snowball Cookies...

2 C. flour

2 C. finely chopped pecans

1/4 C. sugar

1 C. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT powdered sugar.
Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. 3-4 minutes.
Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls.
Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 18-25 minutes or very lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes.
Roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.Makes 3 dozen.

Mini Chocolate Chip Shortbread...

You can make dough ahead time and freeze it. Defrost when ready to use and follow baking instructions.

3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

Roll or scoop dough into walnut sized balls. Place them on unprepared cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches apart.

Flatten cookies slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from sheets to cool on racks.

Meringue Toppers...

This is an old recipe of my Mom's. It's always been a hit whenever I have served it. I make it now with milk chocolate chips and I like it better. That has been only in recent years that I have tried that version. Semi sweet chips is what the original recipe called for. This has to be made with solid Crisco and not butter or margarine. I have tried them both and the cookie part crumbles easily. For thicker meringue, I separate a second egg for my meringue instead of one. I don't usually save that egg yolk. Try this recipe, I think you'll like it. Enjoy!





Sift together:
1 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2.tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream together:
1/2 C. shortening ( Crisco)
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. brown sugar

Add:
1 egg, separated
1 1/2 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Meringue:
egg white
1/2 C. brown sugar

1/2 pkg. (12oz.) chocolate chips. (semi sweet or milk chocolate)

Sift together first four ingredients.
Cream shortening and sugars until creamy.
Add egg yolk,water and vanilla.
Mix well.

Spray lightly with Pam. Pat dough into11x8x2 baking dish. press chocolate chips evenly and firmly, single layer into the dough.

Beat egg white until stiff. If you would like more meringue use a second egg white. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup brown sugar. Spread over chocolate chips.

Bake @375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Chewy Fudge Brownies...

These are a chewy fudge brownie.. They take just about the same time it would take to prepare a box mix..but oh, so much better. I try and have the semi-sweet chocolate bars in my pantry just to have on hand for a last minute dessert. Enjoy!

Melt: see directions below:

4 squares (1oz each) unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces

1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine

Add:

2 C. sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Add:

1 C flour

1 C. chopped nuts, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 11x8 pan with Pam.

In large microwave-safe dish place butter and chocolate and microwave on high for 1-1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

Add sugar, stir with spoon until well blended.

Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.

Add nuts and flour, stir until well blended.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until tooth pick comes out almost clean when inserted in center.

Cool pan on wire wrack

Frost if desired.