Cookies Bars Miscellaneous

Cherry Kiss Cookies

1 cup real butter, softened (NO margarine)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
Around 5 oz of maraschino cherry liquid (until batter is easy to mix and tasty)
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
50 kisses

Beat butter for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in cherry liquid and almond extract until combined. Beat in flour. Stir in chopped cherries. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour. Shape into balls. Drop on baking sheet (DO NOT PRESS). Bake in preheated 325 oven for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven, add kiss in center, then bake 2-3 minutes more. Cool on wire rack.

Oreo Snowballs

1-18 oz pkg Oreo cookies
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 pkg almond bark

Crush the oreo cookies. Mix with cream cheese (a food processor works best; I crush with rolling pin, then cut up cream cheese and mix with spoon). Roll mixture into small balls. Refrigerate until hard. Dip balls into almond bark using toothpick. Place on waxed paper (on cookie sheet).

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Makes 36)

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour                                                   2 eggs (room temperature)
1tsp baking soda                                                                  1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder                                                             1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt                                                                            1 1/3 & 2 T chopped walnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar                                                 1 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup withe sugar                                                               1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butter, softened                                                            1 cup white chocolate chips
1-3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown and white sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and extracts. Blend in flour mix. Stir in chips and nuts.
3. Chill dough for at least one hour to prevent spreading.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup real salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (or almond) extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (the finer the nut, the less it will crumble when eaten)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into
the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (add 1 T milk if too crumbly),
and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. While still slightly warm, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll
mine in the sugar a second time.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.	Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3.	Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture (I use sandwich bag). Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4.	Bake 8 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Bars

7-Layer Bars (aka Magic Cookie Bars) My sister Nancy's famous recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker

crumbs

1 cup semisweet chocolate

chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened

condensed milk

1 1/3 cups shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2.	*Place butter in 13 x 9 inch pan and melt in oven. Swirl to coat bottom and sides with butter.
3.	Spread crumbs evenly over bottom of pan. Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and nuts over crumbs. Pour condensed milk over nuts. Sprinkle coconut over condensed milk.
4.	Bake until edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool, then cut into squares.

NOTE: You can also spray the pan, then mix the butter and crumbs together to make a stronger crust.

Miscellaneous

Hot Buttered Rum (Makes 25 servings)

1/4 pound butter
1/4 pound brown sugar
1/4 pound confectioners' sugar
1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*1 fluid ounce of rum

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Blend in brown sugar and confectioners' sugar. Remove from heat, and whisk in the ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture into a plastic container, seal, and freeze.

In a coffee mug, measure 1 (or 2) tablespoon(s) Hot Buttered Rum Batter and *1 fluid ounce of rum, then fill cup with boiling water. Stir, and sprinkle top of drink with nutmeg and a dab of whipped cream.

*Note: Can also add to coffee, hot tea, hot cider or hot chocolate instead of rum and boiling water (and probably many other things).