Mid week chocolate chip cookies

Rob alerted me to the fact that I have not baked “in a while” (3 days 😉) and wondered if I could bake a treat. So after we took our nightly walk with Gracie, I whipped up some chocolate chip cookies. Being a little short on time, I used crisco as opposed to butter (I always like to chill my dough when I use butter to try and keep the puffiness in the cookies).

Remember to scoop your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. And, preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. In a bowl, cream crisco, sugar, brown sugar,eggs, vanilla and water. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough. Stagger cookies on cookies sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and cool completely. I stored mine in the fridge to firm them up.

Who’s ready for the next Bills game? This girl! Thanks for stopping by today.

Smores cookies bars

Amidst all the holiday baking with cutout sugar cookies, snickerdoodles and gingerbread men, I went a little outside the box and decided to make smores cookie bars. They are quite simple and are topped with marshmallow buttercream frosting and melted milk chocolate chips. We are going to our friends’ house tonight for a Christmas party and these are what we are bringing.

Remember to preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp. Also, spoon your flour bag from your flour container

  • Bars ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco (original or butter flavor)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour (scooped your flour bag into your measuring up so you get the right amount)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups finely crushed graham crackers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. In a bowl, cream crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and crushed graham cracker. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes (edges just turn golden). Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and fluff. Mix in powdered sugar slowly. Add cream and vanilla. Blend to desired consistency. Frost cooled bars. Top with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I wish you a day filled with peace and love.

Browned butter chocolate chip bars

Tuesday is the annual day of giving, which encourages people to do good. Tuesday is also the start of V Week at ESPN to raise money for cancer research. If you can help, go to v.org to donate.

For part of my effort to put good into the world, I made browned butter chocolate chip bars. Very easy to make. Remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.

Some decided to cut into the bars

To brown your butter, put it in a pan and melt over low heat, keep cooking it until you see light brown specs. Then immediately remove from heat.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, browned and cooled 10 minutes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – line and 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combined browned butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Blend in flour and salt. Fold in chips. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes (no longer). Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today. Remember to put some good out into the world.

You know what would make things better right now?

Does a cookie solve all problems?

That was the question my husband asked me after I got home from work and after the Bills lost by 5 in London and both lineback Matt Milano and defensive lineman Da’Quan Jones left with injuries. And they could both be out a while. Rob’s answer to all this was “chocolate chip cookies.” As soon as he said cookies, Gracie ran in and sat at my feet, like the good pup she is, as if to say “yes, mama, cookies make everything better. I do not agree, but I did make cookies. And yes,chocolate chip ones. Honestly, I am still mad about the loss, but someone will enjoy these damn cookies.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Freeze the dough for an hour or chill for a few hours to prevent spreading. And preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so the oven cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup bread flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter flavor crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form tall cylinders. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies. Bake 14 to 16 minutes. Edges will be golden. Middle may be soft,but remove from oven. Cool completley. Chill in fridge to help cookies firm up. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wish you a day of peace, joy and happiness.

Oreo topped chocolate chip cookies

It is a rainy dreary Friday, so seems like a good time to bake cookies. These are chocolate chip cookies topped with crushed oreos. I made the cookies, formed them into mounds and them rolled the tops in crushed oreos. I chilled them for a few hours, then baked them.

These use a mix of regular all purpose flour and bread flour. Remember to scoop the flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. I also used some cornstarch to keep them from flattening too much.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 10 to 12 oreos, finely crushed

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough. Roll tops in crushed oreos. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, stagger cookies, as shown below.

Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes (the edges will be golden). The middle may be a little gushy, but will firm up as the cookies cool. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today. I wish you a day of peace, love and joy. And, Go Bills!

Oreo stuffed m&m cookies

Our new ESPN Radio lineup debuts tomorrow, and I wanted to bring in something fabulous (or semi-famulous), so I went with m&m chocolate cookies stuffed with oreos.  

Do they need to be stuffed?  No.  But I have a ton of oroes and feel stuffing them in treats is always a wise choice. Plus, who doesn’t love m&ms?

A few notes – remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also chill the stuffed cookies a few hours to prevent spreading.  And, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mini m&ms
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • Oreos

Directions -cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg and yolk. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips and m&ms. Scoop out 2 tbs dough and divide in half. Slightly flatten one half

Top with an Oreo

Flatten other half of dough and place on top.

Seal edges so oreo is completely covered.

Chill dough a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Scatter cookies on sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, you will see a few golden patches on top. Remove from oven. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Triple chip cookies

Today is the first time in a month it hasn’t felt like you are sitting on the bleeping sun when you go outside. So to celebrate, I made triple chip cookies (Rob’s request). The humidity made so many of my cookies a big, flat disaster. I was assured they tasted good, but the fact that they were flat BUGGED me. (Plus the humidity bugged the hell out of me as well). These cookies did flatten a bit, but not as bad as some of the other ones.

Remember to scoop your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount, form your dough into tall mounds and chill them for a few hours, and preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp. (That last tip was a lifesaver from a tech who serviced one of our first ovens. Very valuable advice)

This is a mound of cookie dough
  • Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, cold and shredded with a cheese grater
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
This is how I stagger cookies on a sheet

Directions – in a bowl, cream grated butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop put 1/4 cups of dough and form tall mounds or cylinders. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden and there are golden spots on top. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today. I wish you peace, love and joy. And remember to be kind. Everyone is fighting some sort of battle each day. Being mean helps no one.

Reese’s Pieces- mini M&M peanut butter cookies

After a series of humidity-induced chocolate chip cookies, I wanted to see if I had the same issue with other types of cookies.  So I opted for peanut butter.  I threw in some Reese’s pieces and mini m&ms too.  These stayed nice and puffy.   I figure they will be a hit at work tomorrow.   Unless people don’t like peanut butter.  Then, that’s on them.

Remember to – scoop your flour from your flour bag into you measuring cup so you get the right amount, chill the mounds of dough at least a few hours and preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount)
  • 3/4 cup m&ms
  • 3/4 cup Reese’s pieces
Cookie monster grabbed a hot cookie!

Blend crisco and peanut butter.  Mix in sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Add candies.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill mounds of dough a few hours.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookies sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes (golden brown on bottom).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Remember to be kind!

Browned butter/Reese’s pieces/mini M&M chocolate cookies

It is hot and humid today, so why not fire up the oven? 😁 I used browned butter in these because I wanted to speed up the process, as opposed to waiting for the butter to soften to room temp. Browned butter is pretty easy – put it in a pan and cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until you see brown specks form. Then immediately remove from heat. I also opted to use Reese’s pieces and mini m&ms, but use whatever mix-ins you want.

Some tips – Remember to scoop your flour directly from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Chill the individual mounds of dough for a few hours to help prevent spreading. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes when you are ready to bake so it cycles to the right temp.

  • 3/4 cup butter, browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup Reese’s pieces
  • 1/3 cup mini m&ms
  • Directions – place butter in a pan and cook over low -medium heat until melted and just until brown specks form. Remove from heat and pour into bowl to cool for for 10 to 14 minutes. Add brown sugar and sugar to butter. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in candies. Scoop out 1/4 cups dough. Chill in fridge, or freeze, for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on the sheet, as seen below.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember to be kind. We all need kindness in our lives – in terms of giving and receiving!

Chocolate chip/chocolate chocolate chip cookies

While trying to decide between. A chocolate chip and chocolate chocolate chip cookie, I just decided to combine them and present this monstrosity for the Bills victory cookies. Wow, does my mood change after a win.

I decided to brown the butter with these. You don’t have to, but browned butter can give treats a unique and delicious taste. I recommend chilling this dough. Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup and to preheat your oven to 325 degrees before baking. I baked these for 18 minutes. I have no idea if they are done, but did not want to burn them. I think my ESPN friends will still be happy with them.

Here are some tips to brown butter – cook it in a pan over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you see little brown bits. Remove from heat and cool 5 to 10 minutes.

Cookie monster!
  • Chocolate chip cookie dough
  • 3/4 cup butter, browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine browned butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Stir in chips

  • Chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough
  • 3/4 cup butter browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine browned butter, brown sugar, sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips.

Forming the cookies – scoop out 3 tbs of each dough and mold together, forming a tall mounds of dough. Chill a few hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on it.

This is what I mean by staggering cookies

Bake 15 to 18 minutes (you will see a few golden patches on top). Cool completley. Store in covered container.

Now that’s a cookie!

Thanks for stopping by today!!! Sending you love, peace and joy!