Energy Bites

I am addicted to these healthy no-bake cookies from Pinterest. Make them if you dare. You will love them!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 1 cup toasted coconut flakes, COOLED (I just toast for a few minutes in oven until golden brown at 325 degrees)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like dark!)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Method:

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed.

Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds
• other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, etc.)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I recently went to Utah for two weeks during the kids Fall break and among many things I enjoyed an extensive food tour of all my favorite places: JCW's (twice), Zupa's, Cafe Rio, Chuck-A-Rama (that was for my Grandparents), Pei Wei's, and a yummy tapa restaurant, Eva's, in Salt Lake. I also helped myself to peach cobbler, BYU mint brownies, BYU ice cream, Costco cake, more brownies, and Smart Cookies laying around the house. So of course I came home feeling a little heavy and recommitted to eating more healthy. I am proud to say I did so for 3 days! Then the unexpected happened. It snowed. And really is anyone expected to diet while it's snowing? I think not. You're suppose to stay inside, watch the snow fall, and bake delicious food. In this case, being October, I felt a pumpkin dessert was the perfect reward to my 3 days of eating animal crackers instead of all the fall desserts I wanted. I collected this recipe from a favorite site, www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

4. Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Lemon Drop Cookies

My childhood friend, Melissa, made these years ago when we had a Girl's Dinner Group. They are very lite and lemony. A perfect summer cookie!

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup light sour cream

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. In another bowl, mix together flour, bakin gpowder, baking soda, and salt. One-third at a time, and beating well after each addition, add flour misture to egg mixture, alternating with sour cream. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 9-10 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Frost with lemon frosting.

Lemon Frosting

6 Tbsp butter

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Melt butter. Stir in sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add more lemon juice if needed to create a good spreading consistency.

Whole Wheat Snickerdoodles

A cold rainy day seemed like the perfect time to try this recipe using whole wheat flour from www.jensyummyfun.blogspot.com. I have to admit they have a "healthy" taste to them, but I really liked it, and so must of the neighbors. I gave them a bag full and the kids came knocking on the door for more!

1/2 C shortening
1/2 C butter (soft)
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C white flour

You can mix up the flour ratio. I did 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white.

Cream eggs, butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cream of tartar blend until smooth then add flour gradually until well blended. Roll into balls and roll into a bowl of cinnamon-sugar. Bake 350 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Pudding Cookies

These cookies are easy to make and very easy to eat. They are moist and soft like a brownie with an extra delicious chocolate pudding flavor. During the holidays I replaced the vanilla with peppermint extract and put a white chocolate peppermint Hershey Kiss in the center of each after they had cooled.

• 3 1/3 C flour


• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1 1/2 C butter (softened)


• 1 C packed brown sugar


• 1/2 C sugar


• 1 large package chocolate pudding


• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla


• 3 eggs


• 3 C chocolate chips - I like to use the semi-sweet chocolate chunks, but you could also use white chips, Andes mint chips, or peanut butter chips


• 1 1/2 C nuts (optional)

Mix flour and soda then set aside. Combine butter, sugars, pudding, and vanilla. Mix until creamy. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture gradually. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookies sheet.

It's a Sugar Cookie Revolution!

My family LOVES sugar cookies. The problem - they love to eat them - and that's about it. I feel like the Little Red Hen whenever I make them. I combine the ingredients, I chill the dough, I cut the cookies out, I bake the cookies, I decorate the cookies, I do all the dishes and clean up. I don't really even eat them. I myself am not a huge fan of sugar cookies, but I think that it's because by the time I'm done with them I don't want anything to do with them anymore! This Valentines Day, however, I surprised my family with a fun Valentines Day Mystery dinner including these delicious sugar cookies bars that were a breeze to make. 1 pan. No chilling. No waiting. I actually might be a converted sugar cookie lover! Thank you to http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test). Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
Food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk! Spread over cooled cookie bars.

Our fun Mystery Dinner Menu

S'mores

I tried this recipe this weekend when we had company for dinner. Everyone liked them and it was the perfect sweet treat for our game night. Check out http://www.lovintheoven.com/ for more great cookie recipes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

I am a better person for having had these in my mouth. They remind me of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. They are easy to make and very easy to eat!

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, penaut butter and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring occasionally. spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust. Chill for about 4 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is cmpletely set, then chill until ready to serve.

Chewy Gingersnaps with Cream Cheese dip

This is a Lion House cookie recipe and passes my criteria for a soft Gingersnap. I love them so much I have made a couple batches already this season.

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large mising bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; beat until combined. Beat in egg and molasses. Beat in as much of the white and whole wheat flours as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine the granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes or until tops of cookies are cracked (cookies are best if slightly underbaked!!) Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.


GINGERSNAP DIP

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsps pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinn., 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice)
1 carton (8 oz ) frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and spices. Beat in whipped topping until blended. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with cookies.

Sell Your House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whenever I make cookies I pull out my Aunt Marilyn's recipes. She is a fabulous cook, and baker especially when it comes to cookies! I made about 75 of these today for the faculty at Ethan's elementary for Parent/Teacher conferences. Unfortunately, I didn't think about taking a picture of them until I took all the "good looking" ones to the school.

2 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 pkg chocolate chips (I like to use a combination of dark choc. chunks, milk choc. chips and white chips - or butterscotch chips)
1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine flour, soda, salt, and set aside. Combine butter, shortening, sugars, and vanilla; cream until fluffy. Add egg and egg yolks, beat well. Gradually add all but 1/2 cup dry ingredients. Mix rolled oats with remaining flour and stir into batter. Stir in chips and nuts. Bake on greased baking sheet 10-12 minutes, 375 degrees.

Optional: dip in melted chocolate

Moist Sugar Cookies

Moist Sugar Cookies

(these are very easy! We made them for FHE and the kids loved helping make them especially sprinkling on the colored sugar.)

1/2 C. butter or margarine

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 C. cooking oil

1/2 C. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

2 C. flour

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. Stir until well blended. Keeping the drops small, drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie shetts. Dip the bottom of a glass in granulated sugar, and press cookies slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool on wire rack.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Sour Cream Drop Cookies

Chocolate Sour Cream Drop Cookies

This is my Grandma Morris' recipe. Everything Grandma Morris makes is delicious! Even when I make her recipes it's never as good as when she makes it.

Cream:

1/2 C. butter

1 C. Brown Sugar

Add:

1 Egg

1 t. vanilla

2 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, melted, cooled

Alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream:

2 C. flour

1/2 t. soda

1/4 t. salt

3/4 C. sour cream

Mix together and drop from teaspoon on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Frost with chocolate or white frosting. For the holidays I added some crushed peppermints to the top.