Printable Recipe
~3 dozen cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 package Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
2 2/3 cups flour

Cream together butter and sugars. Add baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs. Stir until mixed. Add Andes Baking Chips and then flour. Chill for approximately 1 hour (I don't do this). Drop by spoonful onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 for ~8-10 minutes.

Holly's Note:
This recipe is found on the back of the bag of Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips. It was pretty good. I think that next time, I'd add some regular chocolate chips too.

Printable Recipe
~4 to 5 dozen cookies

2 ¼ c. shortening
3 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 t. vanilla
¾ c. molasses
6 c. flour
6 t. baking soda
3 t. cinnamon
2 T. ginger
1 ½ t salt

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, molasses and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll into balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 for about 9-10 minutes.

Holly's Note:
These are delicious.

Printable Recipe
Makes about 12 muffins

2 cups flour
8-10 bacon strips, cooked and diced
3 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup maple syrup

Combine flour, bacon, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, oil and syrup. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 16-20 minutes or until done.

Holly's Note:
I like more flavoring, so I don't drain the bacon too well (I know, I know) and I add a bit of maple extract too. This recipe originally came from a Quick Cooking magazine.

Printable Recipe

Mix:
4 cups Corn Chex
4 cups Honey Grahams
2 cups coconut
1 small package slivered almonds

In a saucepan, combine:

1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
3/4 cup butter

Boil for 2 minutes, pour over Chex mixture. Mix together and enjoy.

Printable Recipe

~26 Pecan Shortbread Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 to 3/4 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup vanilla chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Chop cookies until they are crumbs. Mix with softened butter until mixture comes together. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle pecans and chips over crust. Sprinkle coconut on top of nut/chip mixture. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over everything.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Serve with a glass of milk. Rich and delicious.

Holly's Note:
I found the original recipe in a magazine. I modified some of the measurements because the original recipe was incredibly rich. These are very "moreish" as my British husband would say. You keep wanting "more".

Printable Recipe

1 c. sugar
1 c. white karo syrup
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. rice krispies
1 6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1 6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together. Combine sugar and karo, stir until it boils. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add rice krispies. Pat ½ of mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread chocolate mixture over the top. Cover with remainder of rice krispie mixture.

Holly’s Note:
I have such fun memories of our family camping trips and they ALWAYS included scotcheroos for snacks. I have no idea where the name came from.

1 recipe Cocoa Brownies
1 recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 recipe Homemade Chocolate Frosting

Prepare brownies as directed. Spread in a greased 9 x 9 pan.
Prepare cookies as directed. Drop dough by teaspoonful into brownie batter. Press down gently. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Mix frosting ingredients together, spread over cooled brownies.

Holly's Note:
These are very rich!
I found the original recipe in a Betty Crocker magazine. It called for a boxed brownie mix and a boxed cookie mix. I don't buy boxed mixes because I think my homemade ones are better, so I modified the recipe to use my own.

The first time I made these I used a glaze-type frosting with butter and unsweetened chocolate and powdered sugar. I think they're better with the buttercream-type frosting, and even good without frosting at all. I bake one tray of cookies in addition to the brownies and then just freeze the rest of the dough for later.

Printable Recipe
16-24 bars, depending on how you cut it

2 cups zucchini, grated
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Add the dry ingredients. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350.

Holly's Note:
I had a zucchini on hand and needed to use it, so when I saw the original recipe at Divine Domesticity, I knew I had to try it. I peeled the zucchini, mostly so I could disguise it. I knew if my kids saw anything green in chocolate chip bars, they wouldn't eat it. The zucchini was really wet, so I added a bit more flour to the mix.

The original recipe said to refrigerate them. We didn't make it that far! My youngest sniffed them (he does that to everything) and wouldn't touch them. My oldest and his best friend thought they were terrific. I did too!

Printable Recipe

2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 package unsweetened Kool-Aid

Bring sugar and water to a full boil.

Remove from heat and stir in Kool-Aid. Chill. Pour over crushed ice.

Holly's Note:
I found the original recipe at Cookin' With Friends. We have a Sno-Cone Maker and I love the idea of making my own syrup.

1 recipe Good White Bread
3/4 c. sugar
1 T. cocoa
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, divided
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. water
Chocolate pieces: semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, mini Hershey's kisses, or your favorite chocolate.

Mix granulated sugar, cocoa and cinnamon, set aside. Mix together 1/4 cup butter, brown sugar and water in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth when stirred.

Pour mixture into 12-cup fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pinch off pieces of bread dough; form into balls, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, placing 3 pieces of chocolate inside each ball.

Dip each ball in remaining 1/4 cup melted butter; roll in cocoa-sugar mixture. Place balls in prepared pan.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 20 minutes in pan; invert onto serving plate.

Holly's Note:
I found the original recipe at Hershey's, and modified it to use my own bread recipe.

Printable Recipe

2-1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 c. milk
3 T. sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Alternately add milk and flour mixture in three stages, mixing well with each addition.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over cake.

Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.

Holly's Note:
I found this at One Food Crazed Maniac. Thanks Kami! This sounds absolutely delicious. As soon as I try it, I'll post a picture and an amended note.

Printable Recipe

2 1/2 c. milk
2 3/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. half and half
1 1/2 t. vanilla
6 c. whipping cream

Scald milk until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat and add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Stir in half and half, vanilla and whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Freeze as directed in your ice cream maker.

Variations:
For chocolate chip: add chocolate chips immediately after removing the dasher. For mint: add 2 t. peppermint extract when you add the vanilla. For green mint: add 1/2 t. green food coloring when you add the vanilla.

Holly's Note:
This recipe came from the owner's guide to our Rival Electric Ice Cream Maker. It makes 4 quarts.

Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Add egg, milk and butter. Stir until just moistened. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Sprinkle a little cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until done.

Makes 12 muffins.

Printable recipe


2 1/2 cups flour (all purpose)
2 cups sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
1 1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 cup butter (softened)
2 t. vanilla
4 egg whites

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add buttermilk, butter, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds.  Scrape the bowl and beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Scraping the bowl occasionally.  Add egg whites, and beat for 2 minutes more.

Pour into greased and floured pans (2 nine-inch square/round pans or one 9x13 pan) and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  I did 24 cupcakes and baked them for about 20 minutes.

Holly's Note:
The original recipe came from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  My husband and I thought the cupcakes were a bit heavy, not light and fluffy. My son loved them and couldn't get enough.  I think that next time I will change the order for mixing and do it more traditionally:  cream the butter and sugar first, add the egg whites one at a time, etc.

Printable Recipe
~1 large pizza or 6 small

1 cup warm water
1 T. yeast
2 T. oil
2 T. sugar
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
2 1/3 to 3 cups flour
Pizza sauce to taste
Cheddar cheese to taste
Mozzarella cheese to taste
Your choice of toppings

Stir sugar into water, add yeast and proof for 10 minutes. Stir in salt, seasoning and oil. Add about 2 cups flour and mix, forming a small ball. Add flour as needed and knead until smooth and elastic--about 10 minutes. (I put it in my mixer with a dough hook.)

Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled--about 45 minutes.

Roll it out and top with sauce, cheeses and toppings. It will make 1 normal size pizza or about 6 smaller ones. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Holly's Note:
My boys like making their own individual pizzas. You can also do calzones instead of pizzas. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

Printable Recipe

Day 1: Receive the start or make your own (see the bottom of this post for a starter recipe) Do not refrigerate the bag. Just leave it out on your counter.
Day 2-5: Mush the bag
Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk to the bag; mush to mix
Day 7-9: Mush the bag

Day 10: Bake! Mush the bag, then pour the batter into a glass or plastic bowl.
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk and mix with a wooden spoon.
Fill 3 gallon-sized Ziploc bags with 1 cup batter each and give the bags to three friends with a copy of this recipe. Or freeze them for later.

To the remaining batter in the bowl, add the following:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
nuts are optional

Mix it together with a wooden spoon. Grease two loaf pans and coat the pans with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Divide the batter between the loaf pans and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Cool in pans for ~10 minutes before removing.

You can also make muffins. They're delicious. I make one loaf of bread and do the rest as muffins. Bake as you would regular muffins.


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Amish Friendship Bread Starter, if you don't have one

1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk

Put all three ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and mush it until well blended. Consider this Day 1. Follow the same directions as you would for the bread, as if someone had handed you a starter, rather than making your own! Do not refrigerate the bag. Just leave it out on your counter.

Day 2-5: Mush the bag
Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk to the bag; smoosh to mix
Day 7-9: Mush the bag

On Day 10: Mush the bag, then pour the batter into a glass or plastic bowl.
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk and mix with a wooden spoon.
Fill 3 gallon-sized Ziploc bags with 1 cup batter each and give the bags to three friends with a copy of this recipe. Or freeze them for later. Make your bread as directed.

Holly's Note* (amended):
Normally a friend gives you a starter of Amish Friendship Bread and 10 days later, you make bread and give starters to other people. You can make your own starter though. It's easy.

My family loves Amish Friendship Bread. I, however, am always reluctant to give away the starters. I should just ask people if they want one, but I don't. I freeze them! On day 10, when you divide up the starter into plastic bags, just freeze those bags. When you want to start some bread, just thaw one out and treat it as Day 1.

You can also just take one bag of starter and make bread with it, as is. Just thaw it, dump it in a bowl and follow the recipe for Friendship bread. This is a very forgiving recipe. I've only done one bag for 8 or 9 days, and it turns out just fine.

Printable Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup grated, sweetened coconut
1 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla. Add baking soda, salt and flour. Mix completely. Stir in oats, coconut, nuts and baking chips. Drop by spoonful onto baking sheet. (2 T. size for large cookies, 1 T. size for small cookies.) Bake at 325 for 20 minutes for large cookies and 12-15 minutes for small cookies. Do not over bake. They're crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Holly's Note:
This is the recipe on the back of the Andes Peppermint Chip package. Alan loves these because most cookies that have mint in them, also have chocolate in them and since he can't eat chocolate, he's usually out of luck. I hate coconut and I love these cookies. The dough freezes well too. I can only find the Peppermint Chips around Christmas time, so I have to stock up then!

Printable Recipe


½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
1 ¾ flour
½ t. salt
¼ t. baking soda
½ cup sour cream

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and extracts, mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add, alternating with the sour cream. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Mix together the following glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ t. almond extract
1 ½ T. water

Drizzle over muffins. Serve warm. Makes ~12.

Printable Recipe

1 cup warm water
2 T. oil
1 t. lemon juice
1 ½ t. salt
2 T. sugar
2 T. powdered milk
3 cups flour
2 t. yeast

In bread machine, place everything in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check after 5 minutes, add water or flour if necessary). When cycle is completed, turn dough onto floured surface. Pull it apart and form into 1” size balls.

Dip each ball into:
1/4 cup butter, melted

and then roll in the following mixture:
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Place in a greased casserole dish or bundt pan. Dump any remaining butter or sugar mixture over the top. Let it rise for 15 minutes or so. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. Dump it onto a plate and enjoy.

Holly's Note:
This is the same recipe for Good White Bread. I know that most Monkey Bread recipes call for refrigerator biscuits and they're good too. We prefer using homemade bread. I don't often have refrigerator biscuits on hand anyway!

You can also do these the night before. Just pop the pan in the fridge overnight for a slow, second rise. In the morning, pull it out, let it sit at room temp for about 1/2 an hour and bake.

Picture warm chocolate chip cookies, fresh out of the oven. A neighborhood boy (who is like my third son, and whose mom is my good friend) wanders into the kitchen.

Me: "There's a cookie here and it's calling your name!"
Boy takes a bite of the cookie: "Thank you. Holly, your cookies are the best."
Boy walks towards the door and turns around: "Don't tell my mom I said that, ok?!"

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Want a yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe? Look no further. This one is delicious, and my go-to cookie recipe. Crispy and chewy!