The Ingredients are

2 cups flour

2 cups quick rolled oats

1.5 cups brown sugar

1tsp. baking soda

1tsp. salt

1.5 cups melted butter

1 14 ounce pkg Kraft Caramels ( or similar )

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped or dry roasted peanuts.

I always use real butter not margarine, & I prefer the walnuts, but that is up to your taste.

Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, salt and butter. Press 1/2 to 3/4 of mixture into a 11″ x 16″ jelly roll pan.Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Melt caramels with evaporated milk in a double boiler. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over cooked crust. Spread caramel mixture over chips & nuts. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on the top. Bake 15- 20 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. These will be a big hit with everybody – they taste like a candy bar!

Recipe makes 3- 4 dozen cookies. After cooling I like to use the smaller sized spatula either one made by pampered chef, or a similar one to remove cookies from pan. Serve on a pretty cookie plate, or pedestal cake plate.

These cookies are wonderful anytime, but I particularly like them in the fall. I think the carmels make me think of caramel apples which remind me of fall.Nanalulus Linens and Handkerchiefs

Luanne R Oda aka NANALULU www.nanaluluslinensandhandkerchiefs.com

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.On a large sheet of waxed paper combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, and salt; stir together with a fork.  In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, and eggs; stir vigorously until creamy.  Add the milk and vanilla.  Stir until smooth; add the flour mixture, stirring until well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan; pat down smooth.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until very lightly browned at the edges.  Do not over bake; or your bars will be too dry.  Remove from oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into bars.Enjoy!

Orange-Lemon Icing:1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar2 tbsp butter, melted3 tbsp orange juice1 tsp lemon juiceMix the butter, orange juice and lemon juice into the confectioners’ sugar. Use to spread over the warm Coconut Chews. HELLO DOLLYThis is a recipe from a lady I did volunteer work with at the elementary school my oldest daughter attended many years ago. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.1 stick margarine1 cup graham cracker crumbs1 cup coconut1 cup chopped nuts, optional1 cup chocolate chips1 can sweetened condensed milkPreheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt the margarine in a 9-inch square pan. Put the graham cracker crumbs over the melted margarine, then layer the coconut, chopped nuts (if using), and the chocolate chips. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the layers. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

Enjoy!

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS

3 1/2 cups oats1 cup walnuts, chopped1 cup raisins2/3 cup butter, melted1/3 cup honey1 egg, beaten1/2 tsp vanilla1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar1 can cherry pie filling

Spread oats in a jellyroll pan and toast in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, and raisins. Melt butter in saucepan. Add honey, egg, vanilla, salt, brown sugar, and pie filling. Stir into oat mixture. Press firmly into greased jelly roll pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool, cut into squares.

QUICK AND EASY MINT COOKIES

This recipe was passed out at a Christmas Open House at a local flower shop in Southern Indiana years ago. These cookies are very simple and they will remind you of the “Girl Scout” Mint Cookies.Melt 1 pound semisweet chocolate coating. Add 6 drops of oil of peppermint flavoring and mix well to blend. Dip Ritz crackers till well coated and place them on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet to set. Store in an airtight container and keep in a cool place until ready to serve.

LACY OATMEAL WAFER COOKIES

This is a cookie recipe from Sweden. It is known as Havreflarn in Sweden.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1/2 cup butter1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour1/2 cup sugar3/4 cup quick-cooking oats2 tbsp cream

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour, sugar, oats, and cream. Cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir briskly for a few seconds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 4-inches apart onto well greased and lightly floured baking sheets. Place only 5 or 6 cookies on a baking sheet at a time. Bake at 375 degrees five to six minutes until golden brown. Cool wafers for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove carefully from baking sheet with a thin spatula and place over rolling pin until firm. If cookies harden before they can be removed from pan, reheat in oven for a few seconds to soften again. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

APPLESAUCE RAISIN MUFFINS

1 large egg

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins

Beat together the egg, oil and applesauce.  Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon; beat well.  Stir in raisins.  Spoon batter into oiled and floured muffin tins.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm to the touch and browned.  Cool on wire racks.  Delicious topped with cream cheese!

Note:  This is a soft and spicy muffin.  Very good.

Enjoy!

Chocolate chip cookies are staples in most household, no matter how old that household’s occupants are. Often, depending on the daily schedules of the occupants, a house’s chocolate chip cookies could be store bought, made from frozen dough or made from scratch. This article is for people who are looking for an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Easy chocolate chip cookie recipe #1: The pre-packaged cookie

Step One: Go to local store Step Two: Pick out favorite brand of chocolate chip cookies Step Three: Pay for favorite brand of chocolate chip cookies and take them home. Step Four: Once you have returned home, open bag or container of favorite brand of chocolate chip cookies. Step Five: Eat.

Repeat steps as needed.

Easy chocolate chip cookie recipe #2: The frozen cookie dough

Step One: Go to local store Step Two: Pick out favorite brand of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough Step Three: Buy favorite brand of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough as well as any extra ingredients called for on the back of the frozen cookie dough package and take items home. Step Four: Cook favorite brand of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough according to the directions on the back of the package. Step Five: Eat.

Repeat steps as needed.

Easy chocolate chip cookie recipe #3: Cookies from scratch

Ingredients: One teaspoon of salt One teaspoon of baking soda One teaspoon of vanilla flavoring or vanilla extract Three fourths cup of white sugar (granulated) Three fourths cup of brown sugar (packed) One cup (or two sticks) of unsalted butter (softened) Two large eggs Two and one fourth cups flour (all purpose works well)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is pre-heating, mix together one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt and two and one fourth cups of flour together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat together the one cup (or two sticks) of softened unsalted butter together with three fourths cups of white sugar, the three fourths of a cup of brown sugar and the teaspoon of vanilla flavoring (or extract). Beat the ingredients together until they are creamy. Once you have made a creamy mixture add the eggs one at a time and make sure they get beaten in thoroughly before adding in the flour mixture. Slowly add in the flour, salt, baking soda mixture until you have formed a slightly firm and smooth cookie dough. Stir in the chocolate chips (most easy chocolate chip cookie recipes recommend two cups’ worth, but you can add as much or as little as you want). Next, use a teaspoon to drop blobs of cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Make sure the drops are a couple of inches apart and then bake each sheet for nine to ten minutes at a time. Cool the cookies for ten to fifteen minutes after they are taken out of the oven. Enjoy these easy chocolate chip cookie recipes!

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Let’s start with the basics:

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2″ in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4″ thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2″ squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2″ balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here’s hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.