Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar

 3 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter (melted and cooled slightly)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 TBL vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper.  Lightly spray bottom with cooking spray.  (Just easier to lift out and cut into squares)

Combine flour, soda, salt and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, melted butter.  Add eggs one at a time stirring between each addition.  Add vanilla.  

Add dry ingredients a little at a time until incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  

Once dough is thoroughly mixed, press into prepared baking pan.  Bake 25 minutes.  

Remove from oven when edges are golden brown and center appears set but till soft.  Cool completely to room temperature and then cut into squares.

No-Fail Chocolate Chip Cookies

This has been our go to chocolate chip cookie recipe for awhile now and I think the corn-starch is what makes them consistently work out every time. Will asked me when I was going to make "real cookies" one day after Randy had made no bake cookies and I found out these chocolate chip cookies are what Will refers to as the "real" kind of cookie. We usually double the recipe and keep most of them frozen as cookie dough balls so we can quickly bake cookies when we need them. 2 1/2 cubes butter 1 1/4 c dark brown sugar 1 c granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 3 2/3 c flour 2 T. corn starch (I use about 3/4 that amount so I do 3 T. when I double it) 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 c milk chocolate chips (I usually skip this part because I rarely have these on hand because we eat them all before they make it into cookies) Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill the dough before baking (I skip this part most of the time). Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes . I found the recipe at barefootinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/02/ive-never-been-good-at-baking-chocolate.html?m=1

Celest's Sugar Cookies

These are really soft and taste like the lofthouse cookies. I use to make them with Kathryn Bitner and they were Celeste Parkinson's recipe. The cookies are still good if you frost then freeze them for later. I usually just make a half batch and that is plenty for us and some friends.

2 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
6-7 cups flour (I have never used the full 7 cups, just watch the dough so it doesn't get too crumbly)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda

Cream and combine eggs, sugar, and shortening.
Add milk and vanilla and incorporate well.
Add dry ingredients and roll out about 1/2' in thickness on to floured surface and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350 for 7 minutes for smaller cookies and 10-12 for larger ones. You want them to be very soft when done, they will continue to cook after removed from the oven. Jason likes a crunchier cookie, so I usually make a batch that I cook longer for him.
Cool and frost.

No Bake Cookies

2 c sugar 1/4 c cocoa 1/2 c milk 1/2 c butter or margarine (1 stick) Combine above ingredients in a large sauce pan and stir while at a ROLLING boil for 1 min Remove from heat and add: 1 tsp vanilla 1 pinch salt 1/2 c peanut butter 3 c quick oats Mix well and quickly spoon out into blobs on a sheet of wax paper and let cool 1 hr our until hardened. We like to put them in the floppy mini muffin tin for uniform and easy to serve portions.

Soft Gingersnaps

Ingredients:2 cups flour
2 tsp ginger
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 tsp soada
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 molasses
Directions:Mix all together and roll in to balls.   Roll the balls in sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes.   Don't overcook.

Dipped Gingersnaps

Description:I haven't made these yet, but tasted them and I remember they were yummy too.
Ingredients:2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon

White candy coating:
2 pkg white chips
1/4 cup shortening
Directions:In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil, mix well, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.   Stir in molasses.   Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.   Gradually add to creamed mixture.   Shape in to 1/2 to 3/4 inch balls and roll in sugar.   Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.   Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.   Melt chips and shortening over low heat until smooth, remove from heat.   Dip cookies in halfway.   Place on wax paper to harden.

Ginger Bread Man Mix

Description:This is the recipe Shauna's friend Amy uses when making houses with her preschool kids so it must be a good one.   :)
Ingredients:½ c butter at room temp.
¾ c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ molasses
4 ½ c flour
1 ¼ tsp soda
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
½ tsp all spice
Directions:Cream butter and sugar.   Beat them for 2 min or until light and fluffy.   Add eggs one at a time.   Beat in molasses then set aside.   Combine all dry ingredients and slowly add to wet.   Finish adding by hand.   Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten.   Refrigerate 30 min to 2 hours then roll out with flour and cut into shapes.   Bake at 350 for 10 –  15 min (easy to over cook).  

Frosting to make into a house

6 egg whites –  beat to soft peaks
Slowly add 1 tsp cream of tartar
Add a 2lb bag of powedered sugar and beat until stiff

Pumpkin Cookies

Description:super simple yummy cookies!!
Ingredients:1   15oz can of pumpkin
1 box of spice cake mix
chocolate chips (as many as you want)

(I usually can't find the 15 ounce can of pumpkin, so I get the giant size and use two cake mixes, it makes alot but the neighbors like them)
Directions:Mix it all together, bake at 350 for 20 minutes. (the official recipe says to bake for 16 minutes, but that is just too gooey for me. At 20 minutes they are still soft and slightly sticky, just right!)