Great Online Cookie Exchange Extravaganza 2019!!!

Welcome to the Great Online Cookie Exchange and thanks to the awesome Jz for once again organizing it!!!!

No-bake Orange Juice Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) vanilla wafer cookies
• 3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
 not diluted

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Toast 1 cup of chopped nuts
2. Chop wafer cookies until fine in a food processor or smash in plastic bag with rolling pin
3. Mix wafer crumbs, orange juice, powdered sugar, butter, and chopped nuts together.
4. Shape the mixture into walnut-size balls
5. Gently press in finely chopped nuts.
6. Layer cookie balls between sheets of waxed paper in covered container in refrigerator

How to Toast Nuts

Stovetop:

• Heat heavy bottomed pan over medium heat and add nuts
• Spread nuts evenly over the pan surface and let them sit for 30 seconds or so, then stir
•  Keep stirring approx 3-4 minutes or until the nuts become fragrant
•  Remove from heat
•  Spread out and plate and set aside to cool

Microwave

•  Spread chopped nuts on a plate
•  Microwave in 30 second increments until toasted, tossing between stops
•  Usually takes about 1 1/2 minutes total.
•  Set aside to cool

Note:

• Be very careful not to burn the nuts either way you choose to toast them.
• These cookies are very sweet with an intense orange flavor

Participating Blogs...be sure to visit for some awesome treats!

Baker

blossom

greengirl

Hermione

Jz

Lindy

little monkey

messymimi

Mrs. Fever

olivia

Ronnie

Ryan

Sassy

selkie  (blog here, recipe here)
Morningstar

Just remember, the 10th of December lasts a whole 24 hours…and goes across international date lines!  So if there's nothing posted when you first visit, don't grumble., just try visiting later. 

Never Be Ashamed!

 

I would change "destroyed" to "try to destroy" as you are still here!

Great Online Cookie Exchange Extravaganza 2018

Thanks to Jz for again organizing the Great Online Cookie Exchange!

Hot Fudge Pie

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 c all purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
4. Sift together cocoa powder, salt and flour
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until well combined.
6. Grease 8 inch pie pan with butter or cooking spray, pour mixture into pie pan.
7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until center is set.

Notes

• Hand mix to make it gooey. If you use an electric mixer, it will have more of a brownie or cake texture, rather than “gooey”.
• To soften the butter:
• Shred cold stick with cheese shredder (my preferred method as I always forget to put my butter out to soften)
• Sit at room temperature for a few hours
• Place in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds (DO NOT MELT)

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I would love any feedback you care to send.

Participating Blogs...be sure to go visit for some awesome recipes!

Baker

Bogey and Bacall

Cat (ME !)

DelFonte

Fondles

greengirl

Hermione

Jz

Katie

Kelly

Lindy

messymimi

Mrs. Fever

Olivia

ronnie

Ryan

Sassy

Just remember, the 5th of December lasts a whole 24 hours…and goes across international date lines!  So if there's nothing posted when you first visit, don't grumble...just try visiting later.

Great Online Cookie Exchange Extravaganza 2017

Thanks to Jz for organizing the Great Online Cookie Exchange!

 

Praline Cookies
Yield Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. In a large bowl, whip the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy
3. Blend in egg
4. Add the vanilla extract and beat well
5. Mix in flour
6. Drop by tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet
7. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes
8. Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute; then remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

• To soften the butter:
• Sit at room temperature for a few hours
• Place in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds (DO NOT MELT)
• Shred cold stick with cheese shredder

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I would love any feedback you care to send.

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Participating Blogs...be sure to go visit for some awesome recipes!

Baker

Bleue

blossom

Bogey and Bacall

Cat (ME!)

collaredmom

DelFonte

Ella

Greengirl

Jz

Katie

Kelly

Lindy

Mrs. Fever

Ms Dixie Wrecked

nilla

Olivia

ronnie

Ryan

Sassy

selkie (recipe here)

Just remember, the 7th of December lasts a whole 24 hours…and goes across international date lines!  So if there's nothing posted when you first visit, don't grumble., just try visiting later. 

Recipe for Making Love

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 Laughing eyes
• 4 Well-shaped legs
• 4 Loving arms
• 2 Firm milk containers
• 2 Nuts
• 1 Fur-lined mixing bowl
• 1 Firm banana

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Look into laughing eyes.
2. Spread well-shaped legs with loving arms.
3. Squeeze and massage milk containers very gently.
4. Gently add firm banana to mixing bowl, working in and out until well creamed. For best results, continue to knead milk containers
5. As heat rises, plunge banana deep into mixing bowl and cover with nuts, leave to soak (preferably NOT overnight).
6. The cake is done when banana is soft. If banana doesn't soften, repeat steps 3-5 or change mixing bowls.

NOTES: 

• If you are in an unfamiliar kitchen, wash utensils carefully before and after use.
• Do not lick mixing bowl after use. 
• If cake rises, leave town. ASAP

Divinity

I haven’t shared many recipes this year.  I remembered, as I was making it today, that I had mentioned to several people that I was going to try and make this for Christmas and they asked if I could share it. So here it is…

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in heavy saucepan. Cook to hard ball stage (260 F / 127 C ) stirring only until sugar dissolves.
2. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
3. While beating at high speed, gradually stream syrup over egg whites.
4. Add vanilla and beat until candy holds its shape (4-5 minutes).
5. Quickly drop from teaspoon onto waxed or parchment paper.

Notes

• Makes about 48 pieces – depending on size.
• When the syrup mixture gets to approximately 200 F, start beating the egg whites otherwise, they lose the best form
• Adding the syrup to the egg whites causes them the expand to about 5 times their bulk so make sure you are beating them in a large deep bowl (I use a 5 quart bowl)
• When I say quickly, I do mean quickly…these set up super fast
• Make sure all children and pets are away from the kitchen before starting as this syrup can cause severe burns.
• This is one of those recipes that you cannot interrupt…once you start, you must keep going.
• DO NOT try to make this on rainy, high humidity or overcast days…it will not set up properly. I thought this was an old wives tale…Hahaha…learned the hard way.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.  As always, if you try the recipe, I would love any feedback you would care to give.

Hope you enjoy!

Great Online Cookie Exchange 2016-Updated!

Thanks to Jz for organizing the Great Online Cookie Exchange!



If you’re like me, you love raw cookie dough. Now you can have that wonderful cookie dough with no guilt. LOL  This is also great for those who are concerned about eating raw eggs.
 
No Bake Cookie Dough Bars
Quick, easy to make and NO oven required!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper
2. Heat flour to 160 degrees
3. In a large bowl, whip the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy
4. Add the vanilla extract and beat again
5. Add half the flour and beat just until combined
6. Mix in sweetened condensed milk
7. Add remaining flour and mix until incorporated
8. Fold in mini dark chocolate chips and walnuts
9. Scrape dough into prepared pan and press mixture evenly into pan
10. Melt dark chocolate chips and drizzle over bars
11. Refrigerate overnight until firm
12. Cut into squares

Notes

• I heat the flour in the microwave but that could be done in the oven
• Especially since these are uncooked, I make sure I use butter and pure vanilla extract
• I use my stand mixer to whip the butter and brown sugar but have used a hand mixer.
• I lightly oil my hands to spread dough in the pan but you could use a spatula.
• Allow the parchment paper to hang over the edges of the pan so it’s easier to lift the dough out of the pan after it sets up.
• Store in refrigerator in airtight container.
• You can use whatever chips you like (semisweet, peanut butter, M&Ms, white chocolate) with or without nuts.
• This makes about 16 bars but can be cut smaller or larger.
• Easily doubled.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Raw flour can contain bacteria and there have been recent outbreaks of E Coli that were found to be in the flour of raw cookie dough.  By heating the flour to temps above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, most germs will be killed.

I microwave my flour on high for about 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 15 seconds to ensure it is heated evenly and all the germs are killed.  After 1 ½ minutes, I pile all the flour together in the middle of the bowl and check it with a candy thermometer. You probably don’t have to do this but if you are going to serve these to any children, pregnant women or people with a compromised immune system, it is probably a good idea.

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I would love any feedback you care to send.

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Participating Blogs...be sure to go visit for some awesome recipes!
abby
Ashly
Bleue
collared mom
David
DelFonte
Ella
greengirl
His slut
Jz
Katie
Kelly
Lilli
Lindy
Mrs. Fever
Ms. Constance
nilla
olivia
ronnie
Ryan
Sassy

Just remember, the 7th of December lasts a whole 24 hours…and goes across international date lines!  So if there's nothing posted when you first visit, don't grumble., just try visiting later. 

Thank You so Very Much!!!

Thank you to all who came to visit my little corner and leave messages during our LOL Days celebration.  You are very much appreciated!

Thank you to all who made the time to publish a special LOL post.  Found some new blogs and found some I had lost!

Thanks to the lovely Bonnie over at A Spanko Garden who originated this wonderful event and to the very special Hermione of Hermione's Heart who organized and managed it again this year.
 
One thing I noticed was that many of the comments here had something to say about the recipes I’ve shared.  So I’m asking two things:

1. If you have tried any of the recipes I’ve shared, please leave a comment letting others know if you liked or disliked it and if you made any changes/substitutions.
2. Are there any recipes you would to have?

Speaking of recipes, the Great Annual Cookie Exchange is coming! If you want to participate, click the 'cookie exchange' picture on the top right to be taken to Jz’s blog for all the details

Of course, if you have participated before, you know that it doesn’t have to be a cookie recipe.

Skillet Cornbread

Received a Facebook IM from my oldest son requesting some recipes…his message in part reads “Stat Mom... Mother f*cking stat!!! It's an emergency... DIL hasn't been properly Southernized in the past decade and I take full responsibility... please help Mom?”

After I picked myself up off the floor and dried my eyes from laughing so hard, I started searching cookbooks.

Since I haven’t shared a recipe lately and had to write them up for son and DIL, thought I’d share one with all y’all.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ cup flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to bowl and beat briskly until well blended
2. Pour half of mixture into greased 8 or 9 inch skillet
3. Brown over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes
4. Turn and brown the other side
5. Repeat with remaining mixture
6. Cut into wedges
7. Top with pats of butter while hot

Notes

• A lot of times, I used evaporated milk instead of regular milk
• The recipe claims it serves 4 – Ha! That’s only 2 wedges per person and with my guys…not nearly enough! I always had to make a double sometimes triple batch.
• Best served hot
• Usually placed the finished wedges in a warm oven while making the others

Quickie Pad Thai

Hey y’all…I was speaking with Minelle the other day and telling her about this recipe…I thought I had shared it but guess I hadn’t.  Then it struck me…it’s been a while since I shared any recipes.  So here’s a very quick, easy and forgiving recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 packet Ramen noodles
• 1 egg
• ½ cup cooked peas
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon chopped peanuts
• 1 lime wedge
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup pre-shredded coleslaw mix (green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots)

           OR

• ¼ cup sliced carrots
• ¼ cup shredded cabbage
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• ⅛ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Go Chu Jang sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with water and cook the Ramen noodles according to package directions…toss the seasoning packet.
2. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth
3. Strain the noodles, put them back in the pot
4. Add the sauce and toss noodles until they are well coated
5. Heat a frying pan and scramble the egg
6. Add egg to the noodles
7. Add the peas, green onion and chopped peanuts.
8. Toss well.
9. Pour out on plate, top with cabbage, carrots and cilantro
10. Serve with lime wedge.

Notes

• This makes one large serving or two smaller servings if using as a side dish.
• Can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled.
• I use low sodium soy sauce.
• I use creamy peanut butter but you could very easily use crunchy.
• I use frozen peas instead of canned.
• I have used Siracha Sauce rather than Go Chu Jang but use a teaspoon rather than tablespoon.
• I have used Gluten Free Rice Ramen Noodle.
• I have also used Thai Rice noodles when I was out of Ramen Noodles but since they are so much thinner, it does change the texture a bit.
• I have used cashews instead of peanuts which, in my opinion, gives it a richer flavor.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.  As always, if you try the recipe, I would love any feedback you care to give.

Green Pepper Casserole

I was speaking with a friend from blogland today day.  We got to talking about recipes and I told her about this particular recipe and how it came about.  I got tired of making lots of stuffed green peppers and throwing most of the green peppers in the garbage…after the boys ate the stuffing out of them.

It’s been a while since I shared a recipe out here so thought I’d share this one.

Ingredients:

• 1# ground meat (beef or turkey)
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup uncooked long grain rice (I use Minute Rice – if you use a long cooking rice, you will need to increase the cooking time)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 large or 2 small green peppers – chopped
• ½ teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 cups shredded Italian Style Cheese (any combination of Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Fontina & Asiago)
• 2 cups bread – cubed
• 8 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Brown the ground meat, onion, and garlic; breaking up the meat well until it is fully cooked. When I use ground turkey, I add a tablespoon of olive oil or bacon grease since it has a tendency to be a bit dry.
3. Once browned, add water, rice, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer until rice is tender – approximately 15 minutes. (If necessary, add water 1 tablespoon at a time).
4. Stir in green peppers, all spices (except garlic powder), and cheese.
5. Pour into 8 x 11 casserole.
6. Combine melted butter and garlic powder (if used).
7. Add cubed bread to melted butter and toss until all bread is coated.
8. Spread over casserole.
9. Bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes until topping is crispy and golden brown.

Notes:

• Can use all plain Mozzarella Cheese rather than adding any Italian Style if you would prefer.
• Can be doubled – just bake in a larger casserole dish.
• Can be frozen (I freeze into individual servings). To reheat, completely unthaw, add approximately a tablespoon of water per serving, and microwave at 50% power for 1 minute, stir and heat until desired temperature.
• Would not suggest using brown rice in this recipe unless you precook it.

 
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you try the recipe, as always, I would love any feedback you would care to give.

Please Join Us

PSA

Dust off your baking pans, because on Wednesday, December 9th 2015

The Great Online Cookie Exchange Extravaganza returns!

Won't YOU please join us?

It's easy to play along.
Just post a recipe that day for a holiday goodie -- any goodie. 

It doesn't have to be for cookies…or even be sweet.

We do not discriminate against any goodie.

(We are equal opportunity consumers around here.)

  That's pretty much all there is to it.

 

The single catch is that there's only one way to get your name in the official list of participants: You have to contact Jz by Monday, Dec. 7th with both your name and the address of your blog.

  

Even if you don’t want to share a recipe, please come visit as you will find lots of yummy recipes!

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Soft Ginger Cookies

If you remember, Clara from Clara’s Wish, along with another blogger, came to visit in June.  I had made my baked oatmeal and these cookies so they could have some treats when they arrived.  Clara fell in love with both and suggested I post the cookie recipe…so here it is.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses.
5. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.
6. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
7. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
9. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

• These cookies will look as if they still need to bake…don’t be tempted.  Leave them to cool for 5 minutes and test…bet they are soft but firm.
• Rather than using an airtight container, I just use ziplock bags.
• These freeze beautifully.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you try the recipe, as always, I would love any feedback you would care to give.





Hope you enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

It’s been a while since I shared a recipe so thought I would share this one.  I found the original somewhere on the internet but can’t find the link.  This is what I came up with after I tried it a few times. Yes, it is different…go figure.

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Suggested Optional Ingredients (as much or as little as you like)

• Walnuts
• Raisins
• Cranberries
• Almonds
• Blueberries
• Shredded coconut
• Chocolate chips
• Or anything else that sounds good!

Instructions

1. Place paper muffin cups in muffin tin…can be lightly greased. Set aside.
2. Combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, milk, butter and vanilla and whisk thoroughly.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.
5. Stir in any optional ingredients.
6. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
7. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Notes

• Steel cut oats can be substituted
• Do not use instant or quick cook oats
• Sweetened applesauce can be substituted
• Can substitute almond or coconut milk
• If you do not oil the muffin cups, the oatmeal will stick to the paper a bit.
• Will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days...wrap in foil and warm in oven for 10 minutes.
• Freeze well…remove from freezer and place in refrigerator the night before. In the morning, in foil and warm in oven for 10 minutes.
• Can easily be halved or doubled.

Yield 12 ‘Muffins’

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you try the recipe, as always, I would love any feedback you would care to give.

Hope you enjoy!

REMINDER:  Please remember to get your contribution for Queenie's special post (see original post here) no later than the 16th of February.

Update:  Here is a review and pictures from our Katie

What are these like?  Well, I didn't know exactly what to expect.  I made half a recipe yesterday.  I had all the ingredients here at Mom's.  I added 2 of those snack sized boxes of raisins to it all (2- 1 ounce boxes) and spooned them into the muffin tin.  I could not find muffin papers so I just used some Pam and wiped it around.  They were easy to take out of the tin.  Half the recipe filled 10 small (not tiny ones but they were not regular deep ones) cups.  Popped them in the oven.

They came out exactly like you said they would.  Not like a muffin at all.  More like... nice, firm and yet soft and scrumptious oatmeal.  I liked them so much that I had them for breakfast this morning again.  Only this time I had a little Greek yogurt (non fat and plain, with a little of the applesauce next to them.  I will be having them again tomorrow.  Just like that! 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps you decide to make these.