Archive for the ‘DESSERTS’ Category
Peanut Butter Cookies III
This recipe is from an extensive cookbook titled Favorite Recipes, compiled by the active and retired employees of Michigan Bell in 1981. These are excellent cookies, and moist. Very well liked by the entire family. Highly recommended.
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a mixing bowl, add the flour and baking soda, whisk together and set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, white sugar, egg, and salt, and mix together.
- Add the peanut butter and mix in.
- Add the flour and mix in.
- Roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add spoon or two of sugar to a small bowl, dip the tines of a fork into the sugar and press down the ball of dough slightly, dip the tines again into the sugar and press crosswise on the dough to make a crisscross pattern. Repeat with all the balls.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until set slightly browned on the edges and starting to crack on the top. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- After the cookies are completely cooled, place on a serving tray. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Oatmeal Mint Chocolate Cookies
I adapted several recipes and came up with this, and they are excellent cookies.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (2 sticks / 1 block)
- 1 ¾ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats, (or old fashioned oats)
- 1 bag Andes Crème de Menthe candies, (8.5 oz / 241 g)
Instructions
- Place the Andes mint chocolate candies in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Remove from the fridge, remove each candy from its foil wrapper, break in half and put in a bowl. When all the candies are unwrapped and broke, place the bowl back in the fridge until needed. Don't worry about measuring, just use the entire 241 g / 8.5 oz bag of candies.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking sheet with butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and cream together. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix together.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix together until well combined.
- Add the oats and broken candies and mix together until mixed throughout the cookie dough.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe comes from a Quaker Oats container lid and was given to me to copy by my brother in law, Jon. This comes highly recommended, and I look forward to making these.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened, (2 sticks / 1 block)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick cooking rolled oats, or old fashioned
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a baking sheet and line with parchment if desired for easier cleanup, or just leave it ungreased.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and both sugars and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well to combine.
- Add the flour mixture and mix together well using a large sturdy spoon.
- Mix in the oats and raisins until mixed in well.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and remove to wire rack to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
For Bar Cookies
- Spread cookie dough evenly in an ungreased 9x13 inch metal baking pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool, cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Blonde Fruitcake
I found this recipe online and it sounded good because it is not a dark or heavy fruitcake, this is a light, aka blonde, blonde. I made it on 11 Oct 2020, and it is very good, best fruitcake I have ever eaten! Highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 3 cups pecans, chopped
- 454 grams candied pineapple, chopped, (16 oz / 1 lb)
- 113 grams candied red cherries, halved, (4 oz)
- 113 grams candied green cherries, halved, (4 oz)
- 113 grams candied chopped mixed fruit, (4 oz)
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, (2 sticks / 1 block)
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep the fruit and nuts. Chop the pecans, slice the cherries, and chop the pineapple. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the fruit and nuts with the 3 tablespoons of flour and toss to coat, set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 120° C (250° F). Generously grease a bundt or ring pan with butter, then flour the pan.
- In a mixing bowl, add the 1¾ cups flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together, then set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together with an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, beat in with the mixer. Remove the mixer as we are done with that.
- Using a spoon, mix in the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the fruit and nuts, using a heavy spoon, mix together. Easiest way is push spoon down the side to the middle of the bottom and slowly lift up, then rotate the bowl and repeat until the fruit and nuts are evenly coated with the batter.
- Spoon batter into your prepared bundt or ring pan and spread out evenly, smoothing the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 2½ hours and the top will become golden brown. Test for doneness when a toothpick (I used a wood skewer) comes out clean. This cake was perfect at 2½ hours. Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then turn out the cake onto a rack and allow to cool completely.
- When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar for a nice touch.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
I will have to price this in Thailand if I can find the candied fruit, I will say it is a fair cost based on number of servings.
Variant: 1. Use walnuts in place of pecans.
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe is from an extensive cookbook titled Favorite Recipes, compiled by the active and retired employees of Michigan Bell in 1981. These are excellent cookies, easy to make and this recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened, (1 block / 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup oatmeal
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper, for easy cleanup, or just leave the baking sheets bare and ungreased.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together then set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, add the butter and sugars. Cream together until smooth.
- Add the eggs and peanut butter. Mix together until combined and smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and mix together, then add the oatmeal and mix until combined.
- Scoop out dough and roll into balls about 1 inch diameter and place evenly on a baking sheet. Use a fork and flatten each ball in a crisscross pattern.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve as a dessert or snack, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
I adapted several recipes and came up with this, and they are excellent cookies.
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (2 sticks / 1 block)
- 1 ¾ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats, (or old fashioned oats)
- 2 ½ cups dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and cream together. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix together.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix together until well combined.
- Add the oats and cranberries and mix together until mixed throughout the dough.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake each sheet for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Ting-a-Lings II
This is a variant of Ting-a-Lings I, which I normally make, and from what I have researched, this may be the original way to prepare them, with the cornflakes and butterscotch additions.
Ingredients
- 280 grams almond bark, (10 oz)
- 225 grams butterscotch chips, (8 oz)
- 2 cups corn flakes
- 1 1/4 cups whole almonds, roasted and salted
- 1 1/4 cups dried apricots, sliced into 4-5 pieces each
Instructions
- Setup a double boiler on medium heat, add the almond bark and the butterscotch chips. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- While the chocolate and butterscotch is melting, measure out the corn flakes, almonds, and apricots (after you have sliced them), and place them in a large mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula and toss them together.
- When the chocolate and butterscotch is fully melted and mixed together until smooth, remove from heat, no need to let this sit as we are not worrying about anything melting into the chocolate mixture.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of other ingredients.
- Use the rubber spatula again and toss everything together. What works really well is using the spatula with one hand and a large spoon with the other hand. Toss until everything is coated with chocolate.
- Drop by tablespoons on the prepared baking sheets. Set the sheets aside to cool.
- When the candies are cooled and solid, remove from the parchment and place on a serving tray. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use almond bark only, or milk chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips, or any combination that equals no more than 10 oz / 280 g. 2. For the almonds, just keep that amount to 1 1/4 cups and consider using roasted peanuts, cashews, mixed nuts, or trail mix. 3. For a Christmas theme, use vanilla almond bark and lightly sprinkle each candy with red and green candy sprinkles.
Ting-a-Lings I
I remember my grandmother and my mother making these, so after reading through several recipes on the internet, this is what I put together. Lots of variables to make this your own signature candy.
Ingredients
- 500 grams almond bark, (1 lb)
- 2 cups chow mein noodles
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 3/4 cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Setup a double boiler on medium heat, add the almond bark or a combination of bark and chocolate chips. Line two baking sheets with parchment. (I had half a bag of chips on hand so I used those with the almond bark.)
- While the chocolate is melting, measure out the noodles, marshmallows, and peanuts and place them in a large mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula and toss them together. (I used trail mix in place of the peanuts.)
- When the chocolate is fully melted and smooth, remove from heat and let sit about 5 minutes to let it cool just a bit.
- Pour the chocolate into the chow mein noodles.
- Use the rubber spatula again and toss everything together. What works really well is using the spatula with one hand and a large spoon with the other hand. Toss until everything is coated with chocolate.
- Drop by tablespoons on the prepared baking sheets. Set the sheets aside to cool.
- When the candies are cooled and solid, remove from the parchment and place on a serving tray. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
For pricing in Thailand, I have never seen US made "chow mein noodles" as they are different than Chinese noodles which is a type of ramen. So a good alternative, and the original way ting-a-lings were made, is with corn flakes. With the corn flake alternative, this would be low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use almond bark only, or milk chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips, or any combination (I used 8 oz almond bark and 8 oz milk chocolate chips). 2. For the roasted peanuts, just keep that amount to 1 3/4 cups and consider using roasted almonds, cashews, mixed nuts, or trail mix (the trail mix I used was walnuts, dried apples, cranberries, and raisins). 3. For a Christmas theme, use vanilla almond bark and lightly sprinkle each candy with red and green candy sprinkles.
Adapted from several similar recipes.
Trail Mix Cookies
These are excellent cookies, highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (2 sticks / 1 block)
- 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats, or old fashioned oats
- 2 1/2 cups trail mix, your favorite type
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together. Mix in the eggs one at a time then mix in the vanilla.
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture, mix together until well combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix again until well combined.
- Add the oats and trail mix, and mix together until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Drop by heaping tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. If your trail mix does not contain chocolate chips, reduce the amount of trail mix to 2 cups and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
Trail Mix Bark
This is a straightforward recipe with just two ingredients, your favorite trail mix and almond bark. The trail mix I am using is just a combination of chopped walnuts, dried apple and cranberries, and raisins.
Ingredients
- 750-1000 grams almond bark, (1 1/2 - 2 lbs)
- 500 grams trail mix, your favorite kind, (1 lb / about 4 cups)
- candy sprinkles, optional, just to add some color
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Setup a double boiler, add the bark.
- While the bark is melting, open the bag of trail mix (I used a 1 lb / 500 g bag and it measured out to just over 4 cups) and place on a plate or shallow bowl so you can grab handfuls of this. The mix I used is just chopped walnuts, dried apple and cranberries, and raisins.
- Heat until the bark is all melted and smooth.
- Pour the bark onto the parchment. Gently shake the pan around while tilting it to spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle trail mix evenly over the bark. Use the bottom of a drinking glass, or I just used the bottom of the measuring cup I used, and justly tap down the mix, you are just making sure everything is in the bark.
- Top with sprinkles if desired to add bit of color.
- Allow the bark to cool and it will set up. Break bark up into large chunks. Enjoy as a snack or a dessert.
- I made this again on 6 Aug 2020, and used vanilla almond bark. Perfect.
Notes
I will price this when I get home, for now I will say Fair cost per serving. A lot depends on the type of trail mix used as well.
Variants: 1. Use vanilla or chocolate almond bark. 2. Use any type of trail mix you prefer, just keep the weight to 500 g / 1 lb.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
