Italian Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups butter, (melted and cooled about 10 minutes)

5 cups flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp.vanilla

1 T. pure lemon extract

Icing:

2 cups confectioner's sugar

3-4 T. milk

Sprinkles

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add the melted butter and whisk to blend. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture, the vanilla, and the lemon extract. Knead the dough (or mix it with a wooden spoon) until shiny (about 2 minutes). Cover the bowl with waxed paper and let the dough stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350*. Form the dough into tablespoon-size balls and set them on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake on the center oven rack until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes.

For the icing: in a small bowl, combine the sugar and milk. Stir until smooth. When the cookies are completely cool, brush the tops with the icing and immediately apply the sprinkles before the icing sets.

~I found this recipe in a Family Fun magazine. However, I did change a few things. These cookies turned out awesome!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There was a story about a recipe from Neiman Marcus that floated around on-line years ago. It explained how a mother and daughter ended up paying $250.00 for the recipe by mistake. So out of frustration they wanted to pass it around for everyone to enjoy, since they paid so much for it. Well, turns out, that story wasn't true. But years ago I made the recipe, and it's by far the best chocolate chip cookie that I've ever made or tasted. Those that have had my cookies, agree :) I've never made any other kind of chocolate chip cookie since.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup butter (I always use unsalted)

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. sugar

2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended to a fine powder

12 oz. bag chocolate chips--I always use milk chocolate chips

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

4 oz. Hersheys candy bar, ground up...I use the blender for this too. Also, I freeze the candy bars first, and find it works much easier that way.

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Set aside. Grind up the Hershey's candy bars and set aside as well.

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, and Hershey candy bars. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes @ 375*.

Pizza Burgers

If any of you ate at A & W as a kid, you might remember the awesome pizza burgers they had :) Well, to me this recipe is almost identical to those. They are SO tasty!

Mix 1 1/2 lbs. hamburger, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. To this mixture add 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup CHOPPED black olives, 1/4 cup pizza sauce, and 1 1/2 T dried basil.

Cook on the grill and top cooked burgers with more pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, olives, and basil. Also, I always make sure to toast the buns as well.

Sour Cream Strawberry Muffins

1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling on muffin tops
2 lg. eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. light sour cream

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups fresh cut-up strawberries

In bowl cream together the butter and 3/4 c. sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and beat in the vanilla and sour cream. Into another bowl sift together the flours, baking soda, and the salt. Stir the mixture into the butter mixture until combined well and fold in the strawberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin tins, that have been sprayed with non-stick coating, then top with additional sugar. Bake @ 375* for 25-30 minutes or until just golden and tester comes out clean.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 2/3 cups unbleached flour
2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 T.baking powder
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups skim milk

1 tsp.vanilla
2 eggs
6 T. canola oil
2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping: 2 T. firmly packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, mixed together.

Preheat oven to 375*. Combine first 7 ingredients. Mix milk, vanilla, eggs, and oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Add blueberries. Sprinkle topping over the top. Pour into a 9X12 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick coating. bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Fudgy Brownie Torte

My daughter Jeven (who's 11) found this recipe, and last night we made it (well, she mostly did everything, I just helped a little). It was DELICIOUS and so of course I have to share. Ooooh, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It's so good :)

Fudgy Brownie Torte

Ingredients:
1/2 cup PLUS 2 tsp. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Cooking & Baking sticks
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream

Preparation:Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line bottom with waxed paper and spray again; set aside. Melt 1/2 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Cooking & Baking sticks, 1 cup chocolate chips and cocoa in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, then stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Stir in flour just until blended. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely. Meanwhile, bring cream just to the boiling point in 1-quart saucepan. Remove from heat, then stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons Stir until melted. Let cool to thicken, stirring occasionally. Place rack with cake on waxed paper, then spread chocolate mixture on cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Garnish, if desired, with raspberries.

Hope you like this as much as we did. By the way, GREAT JOB Jeven! You are quite a little chef :)