Pumpkin Cookies

My hubby loves pumpkin cookies. If I send him to the grocery store he almost always comes home with a box of pumpkin cookies. I really have never been a fan.  I thought it might be a good idea to learn how to make these since he loves them so much.  I have been making them for a few years now and he LOVES them.  Funny thing though, when I made this batch he walked in and said "I think I am over Pumpkin Cookies."  I thought to myself  "you've got to be kidding me, I learned to make these for you."  I really had nothing to worry about.  He changed his mind the second he ate one, and then two...

3 Cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 Cups sugar
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour
1 pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together and drop onto a cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  This makes about 5 dozen. Enjoy!

Cake Pops/Balls

This is my debut post! Can you believe it, Megan? A while back, in April, I threw a baby shower for my good friend. The only party favor I could come up with were cake balls. It was actually a funny/sad story and I can't take full credit for the cake balls. I deal with chronic migraines and while I'm pregnant (I was 12 or 14 weeks along at the time) they get worse -- turns out the day of the shower I ended up in the emergency department early in the morning because of one of my horrible migraines. I felt horrible because I knew I wouldn't be able to get everything done in time without my husbands help. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, he ended up cutting up the cake, shaping the balls, and freezing them (he also helped out with a bunch of other things including watching our daughter -- super husband to the rescue).

Things you'll need:

Cake mix
9x13 inch cake pan
16 ounce ready made frosting (I used store bought pillsbury vanilla frosting)
Wax Paper
2 Baking Sheets
32 ounces (2 Lbs) candy coating (i used dark chocolate) and used vanilla for the decorating
microwave safe bowl
squeeze bottle
sucker sticks
styrofoam block

Here are the directions for the cake balls:

Step 1: bake the cake in the 9x13 in pan (I used a store bought pillsbury plus chocolate cake). I make the cake the night before so that it can cool completely.

Step 2: Cut the cake into eighths and crumble (take 2 pieces and rub them together like you would sand paper) into a large bowl. Make sure there are no large pieces.

Step 3: Add 3/4 of the container of frosting -- you will not need the entire container of frosting. Mix the frosting in with the crumbled cake.

Step 4: Once the frosting is mixed into the crumbled up cake it's time to make the balls. Roll them into 1-1/2 inch balls and place on wax paper on the baking sheet. Once you've finished rolling the balls refrigerate them overnight or freeze them for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Once the balls are cooled it's time to dip them in the melted candy coating (follow the directions for melting them on the candy coating bag). Take a few of the balls of the refrigerator at a time to keep the other ones cool. Place one ball in the coating at a time spooning the candy coating on the areas that aren't covered. Before I dip the call in the candy coating I place the sucker stick in the coating first and then into the cake ball. Avoid stirring the ball in the candy coating mix. Spoon it on and then when you bring the cake ball out roll the stick on the edge of the bowl and allow excess coating to fall back in the bowl.

Step 6: Once the ball is coated place the stick in the styrofoam block to allow it to cool. Decorate however you desire.

Easy breezy Oreo Cookies

My sister found this recipe. She had a friend make it for her and she fell in love. She then gave the recipe to my mom and me. My mom made them for me and YUMMY! I love these cookies and could they be any easier to make. I think NOT! I suggest you run out to the store and have some Devil's food cake on hand for the next time you need to make some delicious cookies.


1 box Devil's Food Cake
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

In a large mixing bowl add cake mix, oil, and 1 egg. Mix well then add second egg and mix well. The consistency resembles a tootsie roll. Roll in a small ball, place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. Cool then Frost with Vanilla Frosting. Enjoy!

Layered Cookie Bars

I haven't made these a lot but I do love them. I got this recipe 5 years ago off of the internet. The first time I made these was for my daughters baby blessing. We had a ton of people coming so I basically made every treat I could find. This one was actually one of my favorites. Plus it is so EASY! Who doesn't like easy? I have tweaked it just a titch. It calls for Vanilla Wafers, which I never have on hand so I did graham crackers, and there isn't any butterscotch chips in the original. Other than that it is the same. I really HATE nuts in treats but I like them in this. If you are like me you can omit them if you want.


3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups graham crackers
6 T Cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips chunks
1 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup HEATH or Score bar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in 13x9x2-inch baking pan in oven. Combine crumbs, cocoa and sugar; sprinkle over butter.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly on top of crumb mixture. Top with chocolate chips and toffee bits, then nuts; press down firmly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Chill, if desired. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature. About 18-24 bars. Enjoy!

Texas Sheet Cake

Okay, so I have a confession to make. I don't just love Texas Sheet Cake. I am more a brownie out of the Betty Crocker Box kind of gal. But there is one thing I do love. The batter to Texas Sheet Cake. I know, there are some of you that are going to call the Salmonella police on me, but it is a fact. I LOVE almost any kind of batter, dough, or uncooked sweet thing there is. Texas Sheet Cake takes the cake though. (Pun intended.) I could eat the entire amount of batter in one sitting. No, I haven't done this but I could.

This is a staple at any big event. "Why?", you ask, because it makes a ton. Plus it is pretty tasty. (Even if I don't prefer it) My friend Joy gave me her Grandma's recipe. It is a pretty good one. I have never even seen if my grandma has one. I should look into that. Anyway, people love this one.
2 cups butter
1 cup water
4 T cocoa

In a small pan on medium low heat melt the butter, water, and cocoa. Set aside once melted and mixed well.

In a large mixing bowl add:

2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Stir, then add:

2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Stir then add:

Melted cocoa mixture. make sure it has cooled a little.
Mix all ingredents then pour in a large greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Frosting:

4 T cocoa
1 cube butter
6 T Milk
Melt the cocoa, butter, and milk together over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low for 3 min.
Remove from heat and add:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Pour this over the sheet cake after the cake has cooled. Enjoy!

Smitty's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

My mom made a cookbook a few years back that she gave us all for Christmas. It really is one of my favorite cookbooks of all time. I dare say it is my favorite. There is a standing joke in my family about the title of this cookie. I made these cookies all the time. I introduced my family to this recipe. Which in my world means the recipe gets your name in it. My brother Smitty made these cookies a couple of times. I do have to say that he rocks this cookie. The funny part to me though it that when my mom put it in her amazing cookbook she named them "Smitty's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies." I was a little irritated in a playful way of course. As I looked through the whole cookbook I realized my name did not get to grace a single title. Best part though, one of my good friends got her name in the cookbook. WHATEVER! You know I love you, Mom. I just think this is now a funny story. It is certainly one that I had to put on this blog.

Back to the cookie. These cookies are YUMMY! I love to give these to my neighbors because I know everyone will love them. So try these out because they are scrumdiddleumptious.

Cream together:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal (Measure and then put small amounts in a blender and blend until it is powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients with the creamed mixture and add:
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped up sympathy candy-bar (optional)

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make golf ball size cookies. Place 2 inches apart and bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Makes about 50 cookies. Recipe is very easy to double.
1 cup chopped nuts (optional) Enjoy!

No-Bake Cookies

I don't think these were ever made in my home growing up, but I do remember when they were on the menu for school lunch and I would get so excited. They were called Haystacks in school. I loved them. I would always try to find a way to get more than one. Who knew these cookies were so easy to make. Even in elementary I could have made these just fine.

When I got married Jeron would talk about these cookies that his sisters would make all the time called No-Bake cookies. I thought that it would be some weird cookie if you didn't bake them. Little did I know he was talking about my childhood favorite school treat. It wasn't until our neighbors brought us a plate of cookies a couple of years ago that we put two and two together. Jeron said "these are no bake cookies," at the same time I was saying these are "Haystacks". We had a good laugh about it. Dorks, I know. We were just both so excited that we now could make our old yummy favorite.


2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

In a medium sauce pan combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil. Let it boil for at least one minute. In a mixing bowl add salt, peanut butter, and quick oats. Add vanilla to the cocoa sauce once you remove it from the heat. Add the cocoa sauce to the oats mixture. stir together.

On a sheet of wax paper drop a heaping tablespoon of the cookies onto the paper. It makes about 20-25 cookies. Let them cool. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fingers

My friend Nichole is the one who first introduced me to this recipe. We were at scrapbook night and it as her turn to host. She had made a pan of these yummy treats. When it was time to leave she still had a lot left over. She hurried and dished me up some to take home. She said "If you leave these at my house we will eat the whole pan." I was very happy to take them home. She had sent enough for us all to have one, and Jeron and I got two. Well, lets just say that the kids never knew what they had missed out on. Jeron and I polished off the plate. These things are so yummy that you just keep going back for more. They are trouble. I try to make these only when I know that the will get finished off. Otherwise, I know I will have a really bad stomach ache. Self Control?

3/4 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c peanut butter
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c oatmeal

Cream together butter, and sugars. Add eggs whip in until fluffy. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix in all dry ingredients. Spread in a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 min. After cooled spread with a thin layer of 1 cup whipped peanut butter. Frost with Chocolate frosting.

Put the cup of peanut butter in a bowl and using your electric hand mixer whip it until it is soft and creamy. I was really surprised but it really does get soft.

Frosting:
4 T cocoa
4 T softened butter
3-4 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 c powder sugar

When they are frosted cut into rectangles about 1 1/2"x4". Store in an air tight container. Enjoy!

Frosting

It took me a while to get the frosting just the way that I like it. A cookie is not a cookie with the yummy frosting that goes on them. I do not like to buy frosting with the exception of my delicious rainbow chip frosting. I have added and taken things out over the years to where now I feel it is just perfect.

1/2 c soft butter
1 t. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
4 T. whipping cream or whole milk
pinch of salt

Stir the ingredients with a fork until most of the powdered sugar is mixed in. Then use an electric hand mixer until it is smooth and forms peeks. If it is to runny add a little powdered sugar. If it is to stiff add a little more whipping cream.

To change this up a bit

add:

1/2 tsp. lemon extract
or
1/2 tsp. almond extract
or
3-4 T cocoa powder

You can use this frosting on sugar cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls and so much more.