Monkey Bread

I have been wanting to make this forever. But never had the pan! I finally bought a Bundt pan just so I could make it! 
So here we go!

Ingredients

           1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count     biscuits cans, usually can buy 4 cans together in a pack)

   

        1/2

 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

           1/2 

cup raisins, if desired

           1 

cup firmly packed brown sugar

           3/4 

cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (180*C). Lightly grease Bundt pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.

2. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake about 8-10 pieces in bag to coat. Repeat til all pieces are coated in the cinnamon mix.  Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces.

3. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.

4. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm! 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 can(20 oz) sliced pineapples, drained

Maraschino cherries without stems
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
Whipped cream to garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in 8x8 baking dish in oven.
Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter.
Arrange pineapples on brown sugar, cutting one or more slices into pieces if necessary. Place cherry in center of each pineapple.
Beat remaining ingredients except whipped cream, with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scrapping bowl constantly. Pour over pineapple.
Bake 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately turn upside down onto heat proof plate. Let pan remain over cake a few minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake.
Cool 15 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream on top!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Pie

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Pie

I found this recipe on another blog & wanted to share! It looks super yummy! Can't wait to try it!

Ingredients:
1 Keebler chocolate cookie pie crust
1 large box of instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 milk
1 small tub of Cool Whip
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the pudding with the milk. Whisk in the Cool Whip. Unwrap the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (about 10 of the large ones, or about 20 of the minis, or however many you want to put in) and chop them roughly. Fold the chopped candy into the pudding mix. Pour all into the chocolate pie crust. Top with a few more chopped peanut butter cups. Store in the freezer till about 15 minutes before serving.

(This recipe is from: http://whatscookin4milesnorthofnowhere.blogspot.com/search/label/dessert )

Treasure Cookies

Treasure Cookies 

These cookies have become a must bake around here, especially at Christmas time when I tend to bake a lot. What I love about them is they DO NOT use any eggs! A huge bonus for those of us who love to eat cookie dough while baking! :) 

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (shown with white chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder.
2.In large mixing bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth. Add crumb mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts.
3.Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

Let me know how you like them!

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 pkg dark chocolate fudge cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate & mint chips (may be hard to find, they are a limited edition item)
1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

Preheat oven 350 F
Mix cake mix, eggs, butter, brown sugar, & vanilla in large bowl.
Stirring with a spoon until well mixed
Stir in chocolate & mint chips & walnuts
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet
Bake for 12 minutes
Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet
Remove to cooling racks. 

Cream Cheese Fingers

Cream Cheese Fingers

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Confectioners' sugar

Directions
In a small bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans (dough will be crumbly).
Shape tablespoonfuls into 2-in. logs. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Cookie Sandwiches

Chocolate Chip Sandwiches


Chocolate Chip cookie sandwich with Mint Chocolate chip ice cream. 
I used premade cookie dough but you could definitely use homemade ones! And the kids sure did love them! 

Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

8 oz package of cream cheese
1/3 cup peanut butter
9 inch graham cracker crust
1 cup powdered sugar
1 small container of whipped cream topping
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Whip cream cheese till light & fluffy. Beat in sugar & peanut butter. Fold in whipped cream topping & pour into crust. Sprinkle with peanuts if desired & chill :) 

Eclair Cake

Eclair Cake

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix 
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 cups milk
1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting


Directions
In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.
Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.
Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving. 

Royal Coconut Cookies

Royal Coconut Cookies

2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flaked coconut

-Preheat oven 350 degrees.
-Lightly grease a baking sheet.
-Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt together into a bowl.
-Cream butter & the sugar together. Beat in the egg & vanilla.
-Add the flour mixture & beat until smooth, about 2 mins.
-Stir in the oats & flaked coconut.
-Shape dough into 1 inch balls & place on the prepared baking sheets.
-Bake 12-15 minutes. 

Almond Sweets

Almond Sweets

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

Almond Icing
1 cup powder sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1-2 tbsp milk
food coloring for tinting if desired
(In medium bowl stir together the powdered sugar, almond extract, & 1-2 tbsp milk to make icing of spreading consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired)

1. Lightly grease a cookie sheet, set aside
2. Preheat oven 350 degrees
3. In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, & salt. In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, oil & vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in as much flour as possible. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.
4. Drop dough by rounded tsp 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
5. bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack & cool completely.
6. Once cooled, spread almond icing on top. 

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

(I always use the last of the bananas I have when they are turning black & getting mushy. I think those make the best banana bread)

Non-stick spray coating
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 slightly beaten egg whites
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Spray 8x4x2 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl stir together the egg whites, banana, sugar & oil. Add flour mixture all at once to banana mixture. Add Walnuts. Stir until just moistened.

3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Cool the bread in pan or on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap if desired to serve at a later time. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, & butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light & fluffy, scraping bowl occassionally. Beat in vanilla & egg until well blended. On low speed beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt until well combined, scraping bowl occassionally. Stir in oats, raisins & nuts.
2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
3. Bake 7-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on sheet; remove to rack. 

Pretzel Cookies

Pretzel Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

1. cream butter & 1/4 cup sugar together in bowl; add eggs & milk. Beat until smooth.
2. Sift flour & salt together into separate bowl; mix til smooth dough. Wrap in foil; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. preheat oven 375 degrees
4. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, & remaining sugar; sprinkle a little brown sugar mixture onto wooden board. Roll dough out on board to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into strips about 1/2 inches wide. Form into pretzel shapes.
5. Sprinkle pretzel cookies with remaining brown sugar mixture. arrange on greased & floured cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until very lightly browned.