Homemade Mint Oreos

Lauren A. wanted the recipe to the homemade mint oreos that were on my blog last week.  Here you go Lauren!  Hope you enjoy them and that you're doing well!  These were yummy and really easy to make, I had the cookies made, put together, and everything cleaned up within an hour.   My adaptations are in RED.

The orginial recipe can be found here...

http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/2011/03/shamrock-mint-oreos.html



INGREDIENTS


Cookies:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softenend
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

Filling:
1/2 envelope (1 teaspoon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter instead)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Green food coloring


Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

For the cookies:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg, water and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in the flour and cocoa until well combined; the dough will be very stiff.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, about the size of a walnut. Place the balls on prepared baking sheets and flatten each to about 1/8 inch with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. (I just used my hand to flatten the cookies, and I didn't add any extra sugar.)

Bake cookies for 18 minutes. If cookies begin to look too dark or you smell scorching chocolate, remove baking pans from oven immediately. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:
To make the filling, soften the gelatin in a cup containing 2 tablespoons of cold water, then place the cup in a larger dish of hot water and leave it until the gelatin is completely dissolved and the liquid is transparent. Remove the gelatin from the hot water and let it cool until it's room temperature but hasn't begun to set.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the shortening, then beat in the vanilla and mint extract. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating until mixture is creamy. Beat in the gelatin.If the mixture seems to dry, add a couple teaspoons of hot water and beat until it is the right consistency. Add green food coloring, a few drops at a time, until desired color is achieved.

Sandwich the cookies, placing a small ball of filling on top of a cookie, and flattening it with another cookie top.  (I stored my cookies in the fridge so the icing would stay firm.  I'm not sure if this was because I used butter instead of shortening, or because it's just too hot here in Grenada!)

If you want to make plain Oreos, omit the mint extract and green coloring.

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps
(this is a double recipe)

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 1/3 cup oil
3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Roll into balls. Then roll into white sugar. Bake at 350* for 8-10 min.

Enjoy!

{Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies}

What an awesome Valentine's Day Cookie Exchange party we had here on the island!!
I'm still high from sugar overload but I hope the rest of you will post your amazing recipes on the blog for us to enjoy :)

These should just be called, "death by chocolate cookies"...

Cream together:
1 ½ cups softened butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
Add and beat until fluffy:
2 large room temperature eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla
Add and beat well:
1 large package of Instant Chocolate pudding mix
Combine just till well mixed:
2 cups oats measured and then ground
2 1/3 cups flour
1 T. baking soda
2 cups white chocolate chips

Shape into perfect little balls and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then, enjoy your warm cookies! I even like them better the next day :)

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Hi all! Thanks for letting me contribute to this blog!

I found this delicious recipe online. I love it because it’s a great way to use overly ripe bananas and neither the peanut butter nor banana flavors are overpowering – it’s a perfect balance. They also stay soft for days! I sometimes double the recipe to make more because everyone who has tried them LOVES them...they always ask for more. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup mashed banana (1 sm/med)
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (foil works too).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together sugars and butter. Beat in egg until smooth, then mix in the peanut butter and mashed banana. Working by hand or with a mixer on low speed, blend dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture. Stir in the oats.

Shape dough into tablespoons and place on baking sheet, flattening each slightly with your fingers or a spoon.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies just begin to turn golden around the edges.

Makes approx 20 cookies

Magic Cookie Bars!

(picture courtesy of google images)

Sorry this took me so long to post ladies! Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter of margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 oz.) can EAGLE Brand sweetened condensed milk (or whatever is available!)

2 Cups semisweet chocolate morsels

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees ( 325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.

3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

ENJOY! And don't feel bad if you eat more than 5 in a sitting...i do it all the time :)

homemade Oreo's

These are a favorite around our house and super easy!

CoOkIeS:
1 box of devil's food cake
2 eggs
1/2 C. vegetable oil

Mix together ingredients and use tsp. to place tiny blob on greased cookie sheet. Flatten blob with palm or bottom of cup. Bake @ 350 for about 8 minutes. Cookie will look doughy but let it cool. If cooked for too long they are crunchy.

FrOsTiNg:
8 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
{note: I sometimes half this recipe since it makes a lot - but who doesn't like extra frosting lying around?!}

Beat ingredients together and spread generous amounts of frosting, sandwiched between two cooled cookies!

Bet you can't eat just one :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's a recipe I stumbled across trying to use up wheat flour someone gave me. A little healthier than the buttery Toll House recipe. I thought they turned out delicous. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of the dark chocolate the recipe calls for.

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli chocolate chips or Hershey's special dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in oats, then chocolate chips. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Makes 30 cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies

Snickerdoodles

1 pkg yellow or white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and roll into balls. Dough is pretty sticky and may need to refrigerate for a bit. Roll into cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sugar Cookies

1 pkg white cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c oil

Mix together and roll into balls or flatten and cut into shapes. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1/2 c butter softened
2 eggs
1 c white choc chips

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cups shortening
1/2 cube margarine
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar for coating


Cream shortening, margarine, sugar, and eggs together. Then add the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. mix well. Form into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly (we use the bottom of a cup or something else that is completely flat)
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 min or until the edge is slightly brown.
This makes quite a few cookies, you can freeze the balls of cookie dough you just have to thaw completely before cooking.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. softened butter
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. almond extract

Cream powdered sugar and butter. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract. combine flour, baking soda and cream of tarter and add to mixture. Add cream cheese and thoroughly incorporate it into the dough mixture. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Flour and roll out 1/2" thickness. Bake for 10 minutes.

Frosting
3 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. softened butter
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Mix all ingredients.

Praline Cookies

15 Graham crackers (roughly)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 tsp vanilla (opt)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil and keep it boiling for 1 minute. Meanwhile, lay out graham crackers in greased 9x13 pan. Pour in pecans while the sauce is still hot. Pour mixture over the crackers. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then move the cookies to wax paper or a plate.

SO EASY and SO YUMMY!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

to bring a little "fall" to Grenada - try these!

1 box Spice Cake mix
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 16 oz. can of pumpkin

mix together and bake for 10-12 min @ 375 degrees
so easy and so yummy!