Cookies & Candies

Almond Fudge Truffles(Another Grandma Irvin recipe I haven't tried)

½ cup cocoa
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
½ cup softened cream cheese
½ tsp. almond extract

Combine and mix until smooth in food processor, blender or use electric mixer.
Drop by rounded tsp. in 2 tsp. cocoa powder. Roll in balls until covered with cocoa powder. Refrigerate until firm – 1 to 2 hours. Put in foil candy cups. Makes 24 truffles.

Apple Cookies
I got this recipe from my friend Teri--a great fall cookie for after all that apple picking!

1 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 egg
1/3 C. strong coffee
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. soda
2 C. flour
1 C. Dice apples
1 C. raisens

Frosting:
3 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. butter
1 t. vanilla
1/4 C. strong coffee

Cookie: Mix and drop dough balls on cookie sheet. Bake for 350 degree for 10 minLet cookies cool then add frostingFrosting: mix together powdered sugar, butter, and vanialla, then add the coffee.

Bailey's Truffles

Rob's recipe for his bailey's truffles. YUM! Thatis all I can say!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=456427


Candy Cane Cookies
Grandma Irvin made these every Christmas! A fun christmas sugar type cookie!

Mix thoroughly: 1 cup shortening (1/2 butter) 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar 1 egg 1-1/2 tsp. almond extract 1 tsp vanilla Sift together and stir in: 2-1/2 cups flour 1 tsp. salt Divide dough into halves. Blend into one half of the dough ½ tsp. red food coloring. Roll 1 tsp. of each color dough into a strip 4 inches long. Place strips side by side, press lightly together and twist like a rope. Place on ungreased cookie sheet – shape like a candy cane. Bake about 9 minutes until lightly browned. Remove while warm and sprinkle with ½ cup crushed peppermint candy and ½ cup sugar.




Candied Orange Peel
Another G'ma Irvin recipe. I have not tried this or the grapefruit peel--I guess these would be a good way of not wasting ANY of your fruit!
Quarter and remove peel from 6 oranges. Place in pan with 2 tsp. salt and cover with water. Boil for 30 minutes, drain, discard water. Repeat 2 – 3 times. Cut peel in narrow strips. Make syrup of 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water. Add orange peel and boil gently until syrup is practically all absorbed. Drain (if necessary) and roll in granulated sugar to thoroughly cover and coat. Spread on waxed paper to dry, turning over several times.
Candied Grapefruit Peel
Remove peel from 2 grapefruit in wide strips. Place in pan with 2 tsp. salt and cover with water. Boil for 15 minutes, discard water. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Cut peel in narrow strips. Make syrup of ½ cup light corn syrup, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Boil peel gently until most of the syrup is absorbed – around 40 minutes. Drain, roll in granulated sugar and lay on waxed paper to dry, turning over several times - 48 hours.

Chai Spice Cookies
This was too good! A much better alternative than the traditional gingerbread men cookies!
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/chai-spice-girls/


Chocolate Nut CookiesAnother Grandma Irvin recipe

Combine:2 c. brown sugar3/4 c. shortening (can be part margarine) Add:2 eggs and beat mixture Combine:4 c. flour½ tsp. salt1 tsp. soda½ tsp. baking powder¾ cup cocoa – (or 4 oz. melted chocolate) Add to first mixture alternately with:1 c. milk1 tsp. vanillaBeat well Add:1 c. chopped nuts Drop by tsp. on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes.


Cowboy CookiesThis is a Grandma Irvin recipe. One I remember growing up with. A very Hearty cookie!

2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
Combine and blend together dry ingredients

In large bowl blend:
1 c. shortening (I use butter/margerine)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar

Then add:
2 eggs

Beat until light & fluffy. Add flour mixture and mix well.

Then add:
2 c. rolled oats (Grandma doesn’t use instant oats, but Aunt Sally does – it makes cookies 1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips a little less dense)
1 tsp. vanilla

Dough is crumbly. Drop by tsp. on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.


Date-filled Oatmeal CookiesGrandma Irvin made these cookies every Christmas. They are like little pies! These were my favorite!

Cream 1 cup shortening and 1 cup white or brown sugar.

Sift 2-1/2 cups flour with ½ tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Add 2-1/2 cups rolled oats.

Add alternately with ½ cup water to first mixture and blend well.

Make date/nut filling by combining ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, 2 cups chopped dates and ½ cup chopped nuts. Cook till thickened and well blended – stir constantly and cool before filling cookies.

Roll dough to ¼” thickness. Cut in rounds. Place 1 tsp. filling on each cookie and cover with another round. Press edges together with tines of a fork and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes



Death by Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are a little pricey to buy all the chocolate – but they are so yummy, especially if you’re a choco-holic! 2 pkg. (16 squares) Bakers semi-sweet baking chocolate ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup butter or margarine 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup flour ¼ tsp. baking powder 2 cups chopped nuts (optional) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coarsely chop 8 squares (1 pkg.) of chocolate pieces; set aside. Microwave remaining 8 squares chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on high 1-2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and baking powder. Stir in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts. Drop by ¼ cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 1-1/2 dozen cookies.

Fudgie Scotch Ring (or decorated Fudgie Christmas wreath)

I honestly don't remember this one--but it's fudge! You can't go wrong!1 – 6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips 1 – 6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips 1 can Borden’s sweetened condensed milk Melt together in double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Stir occasionally until it thickens. Remove from heat. Add: 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts ½ tsp. vanilla Blend well. Chill for at least an hour until mixture is thick. Line bottom of 9” pie tin with 12” square of foil. Spoon chocolate mixture in mounds to form ring. Decorate as desired. Chill and slice to serve.

Melting Moments
Another Grandma Irvin recipe.
Mix 1 cup butter or margarine with ½ cup confectioner’s sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add 1-1/4 cups unsifted flour and ¾ cup cornstarch. Mix well, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Make into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool

Glaze: Mix. 1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, 3 tbsp. orange juice and grated orange rind. Swirl top of cooled cookie in glaze and let dry (better to frost with a knife.)

Oatmeal Bars

These are YUMMY!  Very rich!  I like to put in peanut butter chips and chocolate chips! 

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c milk
2 c quick oats
1 1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375. Coat a 8x8x2 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.

in a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder & salt together. In a large bowl, beat sugar & butter on medium-high speed until fluffy. beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in milk, then flour mixture. stir in oats & 1 c. of chips.

Spread batter into prepared pan. bake for 35 min. or until wooden pick comes out clean. cool completely on a wire rack. microwave remaining chips for 30 seconds; stir until smooth & drizzle over bars. cut into 16 squares.

Peppermint Patsies

Move over peppermint patties--we have a new HOMEMADE patty in town!  This is my FAVORITE christmas cookie!

1 lb confectioners sugar
3 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
1 TBSP peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 cups semisweet choc chips
2 TBSP vegetable shortening

Put wax paper on cookie sheets. In a large bowl mix at medium speed- butter, sugar, extract, vanilla and salt until combined.  Then add milk and mix well

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheets.  Refrigerate 20 minutes.  Use a clean glass with a flat bottom and flatten each ball to 1/4
 thickness.  Refrigerate 30 minutes longer then freeze for 10 minutes

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening.  Stir until smooth.  Let cool for 10  minutes.  Thendip the patsies into the chocolate, turning to coat.  Place patsies on wax paper and freeze for 5 minutes to harden the cookies.


Secrets aka Bon Bons
This is my Grandma Irvin's original recipe. I make a variation of this recipe-I use1/2 C. margerine, 1 Tbsp of vanilla, 3/4 C powdered sugar (Cream these) then add 1 1/2 C. flour and 1/8 tsp salt until you get desired crumbly consistency. I use Hershey kisses and Marschino cherries for the middle. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes. Cool then dip tops in melted Choc chips and decorate.

1 cup soft shortening
½ cup sifted confectioners sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked quick-rolled oats
36 candied cherries
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 Tbsp. milk
Chopped nuts

Sift flour with salt. Mix shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture and mix well. Stir in oats. Dough will be quite stiff. Shape 1 Tbsp. dough around each cherry. Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes at 325 degrees until done. Cool

Melt chocolate with milk over hot water (or in microwave) – mix until smooth. Using tongs or two forks, dip tops or ends of each cookie into chocolate. Then, if desired, roll in chopped nuts. Drain on wire rack. Makes 36 cookies.

Soft Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

These are almost too soft to be a cookie...but what a great way to get some extra vegetables into your kids.

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.