Gluten-free cookies for the boys!

Blend in a mixer: 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup butter, softened 3 eggs 1 ½ cup peanut butter, room temperature 2 tsp. baking soda 1 Tbs. vanilla Add and mix: 4 ½ cups quick cooking oatmeal 1 cup m&m’s 1 cup chocolate chips Drop on ungreased cookie sheet Bake 350* about 10 minutes

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1/2 C. Butter

1 2/3 C. Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 Squares unsweetened Cocoa

2 C Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. Milk

Cream butter, sugar & vanilla. Then add eggs. Then cocoa. Then alternate between flour, baking powder, salt mixture and milk. Chill for 3 hours. Dough will be sticky, don't add flour. Put canola oil on your hands, roll the dough into 1" balls, roll the balls in powdered sugar. Bake for 10 minutes on 350.

Cream Cheese Cake

Crust:

2/3 C melted butter

1 1/4 C graham cracker crumbs

Filling:

12 oz softened cream cheese

1 3/4 C milk

1 small package of instant vanilla pudding

Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve cold. This is a favorite from my childhood, and is the only kind of "Cheese Cake" that I like! Mom, thanks for the recipe!

(Cathy Knight)

Johnny's Cookies

1 C butter
3/4 C brown sugar, packed tight and mounded on top
3/4 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix the above ingredients until foamy, about 2 minutes. Then mix in:
3 C flour (John sometimes adds 3 1/2 C)
1 tsp. baking soda
Then hand stir in 1 bag of chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Take them out before they look done. If you see any browning take them out. If your oven is accurate 8 minutes is perfect. I bought an oven thermometer last week (since our oven is not around 25 degrees off) and baked the cookies exactly on 350 for exactly 8 minutes.
The 2 tricks are getting the flour right and pulling the cookies out earlier than you think.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbs. red food coloring
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. (I put the batter in a gallon size plastic bag and cut the corner to fill the muffin tins. ET) Bake in oven for about 20-22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 C sifted confectioner' sugar

Frosting: In a a large bowl beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Add red shiny sprinkles for extra fun!

Peppermint Brownies

BROWNIES:
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz)
2 cubes butter (1 cup)
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 C flour
pinch of salt
1/2 t peppermint extract

FROSTING:
3 C powdered sugar
6 T softened butter
3 T heavy cream or evaporated milk
1 1/2 t peppermint extract
red food coloring
peppermint sticks/candy canes

FOR BROWNIES:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and butter and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in sugar, eggs, flour, salt, extract and nuts. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test. Let cool completely before frosting.

FOR FROSTING:
Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Should be fairly thick. Frost brownies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes/peppermint sticks/starlight candies.
(Linda Tippets)


GLAZE:
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
4 T butter
Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat. Let Stand until cool. Drizzle over crushed candy canes. Refrigerate until chocolate firms

Peanut Butter Bars

3 1/2 C Powdered sugar
3 C Peanut butter
1 bag Chocolate Chips
1 cube Butter
3 C Rice Krispies

Cream sugar, peanut butter and butter. Add rice krispies and press into 9x13 pan. Slowly melt chocolate chips in bag using microwave, checking every 20 minutes. (don't use Ghirardelli, the bag explodes) Cut corner of bag and spread over mixture in pan. Refrigerate until set.

(Linda Tippets)

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer

1/2 C butter
1/4 C Sugar
5 Tbls. Cocoa
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg
2 C. Graham Wafer crumbs (Cathy uses 1 C)
1 C. Coconut (can leave this out)
1/2 C Well chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) (can leave these out)

Place softened butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg in a double boiler (or very low heat in a regular pot). Stir well until butter has melted and mixture resembles a thick custard (can use a whisk). Separately combine graham wafer crumbs, coconut, and nuts, blending well. Add his to the first mixture. Pack evenly in a 9" pan and put in fridge. Cool for an hour. Ice with middle layer.

Middle Layer

3/8 C Milk (6 Tbls)
1/4 C Vanilla instant pudding
1/2 C Butter (melted)
4 C Icing sugar (can sift if you want)

Combine milk with vanilla pudding (can use a whisk). Cream in 1/2 C of melted butter (gradually with a whisk). Blend in icing sugar. Spread over the chocolate bottom layer and let harden in the fridge about an hour.

Top Layer

Melt 5 squares of semi-sweet chocolate and 1 Tbls. Butter in a double boiler (or a very low heat in a regular pot). When completely melted spread over the icing layer. Leave in the fridge again until the chocolate hardens thoroughly, then cut into squares. Best when served cold.

(Julie Keyes of Victoria, BC)

Paper Bag Apple Pie

1 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 C Oil
2 Tbl. Milk


4 C Apples, sliced
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 Tbl. Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Mix: first 5 ingredients well by hand with fork. Place in a 9" glass pie plate.

Filling: Apples, sugar, flour, nutmeg & cinnamon

Topping: 1/2 C Flour, 1/2 C Butter, 1/2 C sugar. Pour over apples.

Fold brown paper bag-bake at 350 for 1.5 hours. Don't peek!

(Sharon Richards)

Chocolate Oatmeal No-bake Cookies

2 C Sugar
1/4 C Cocoa
1/2 C Milk
1/2 C Butter

Combine in sauce pan and bring to boil for 1 minute. Take off heat then mix in the following:

1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C Peanut butter
3 C Oatmeal