Happy Valentine’s Day!  Mini chip/mini m&m cutout cookies

Since it is Valentine’s Day, I wanted to use my heart shaped cutouts.  Instead of a traditional sugar cookie cutout, I opted for mini chip/mini m&m cutouts.  Full size chips can not be used here.  They  would make the dough impossible to use cookie cutters on.

This yellow multi shape cookie cutter is an old classic!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, this dough does not need chilling. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs water
  • tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 cups flour
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup mini m&ms

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, eggs, water and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and m&ms. Sprinkle flour on  your countertop.  Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut with cookie cutters.  line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 to 9 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Cookie love!

Frost with buttercream frosting or melted chocolate chips. 

Store in covered container.  Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a day filled with peace, joy and love. 

A Friday treat (not friday football.  Football and I are on a break right now)

Usually, on Fridays during football season, I bring in a Friday football treat.  But this post contains just  a Friday treat because football and I are taking a break. 

I did have something cool happen today though and it was football related.  Our midday show had Damar Hamlin on as a guest and I told one of our hosts, Joe, to tell Damar I love him.  He did and Damar replied “shout out to Christine.”  Made my day.

This is a simple chocolate cookie cake with a sweet chocolate frosting.  Both are easy.  And I sprinkled some mini m&ms on top.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from your containers into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. 

  • Cookie cake ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Directions- spray a ten inch springform pan (or cake pan) with baking spray, then line with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Press evenly into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven. Now make the frosting.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
This is what happens when the cookie cake is cut before the frosting sets

Directions – in a saucepan, combine butter, milk and sugar over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.   Let mixture come to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add chips.  Let stand a minute or two.  Store smooth.  Pour over cookie cake (even if it is warm).  Let frosting set as cookie cake cools  completely.  Cut and store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Wishing you a day of peace, joy and love (also wishing for Josh Allen to win NFL MVP tonight)

M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

What better way to spend part of a Monday than baking large chocolate chip cookies?  Very few that I can think of.

I tossed in some mini m&ms too.  You can add different flavors of chips or nuts if you want too.  I used my quarter cup cookie scoop and chilled the individual doughs over night to keep them puffy. Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Do not pour into your measuring cup.  Packed in flour could lead to a dry cookie. 

  • 8 tbs butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1  cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, sugar and brown sugar.   Add eggs, vanilla and water.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheets.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer. 

This is what I mean by staggering cookies

Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Remember to be kind!  Wishing you a day of peace, love and joy

Football friday #20 – Divisional Playoff weekend – oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Not sure if you have heard, but we have a little game set for Orchard Park, NY Sunday night – Bills – Ravens.  Last game of the weekend.  I am excited.  Should be a good one! 

To celebrate, I am bringing in oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for football friday.  These are very easy to make.  Instead of butter or crisco, these use vegetable oil (i am sure another oil would be fine too). 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend chilling the individual doughs for a few hours before baking to help them stay puffy.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 2 1/2 cups oats (i used instant)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, blend oats and dry ingredients.  Mix in oil, eggs and vanilla.  Fold in chips.  You may need to mix the dough with your hands to help it come together.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

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

Victory Monday treat #2 – stuffed peanut butter cookies

The number two treat for our wildcard victory – peanut butter treats stuffed with reese’s trees (I have a LOT left over!  Also, I was proud of myself for resisting my urge to buy Reese’s hearts or Reese’s eggs at BJs yesterday).

I recommend scooping your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend chilling the individual mounds of dough for a few hours (I did not for these today). 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • Reese’s trees, unwrapped

Directions – in a bowl, cream crisco, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Divide in half.  Place a tree in between two halves and seal edges.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger on sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Victory Monday NFL Wildcard weekend treats # 1 – large puffy chocolate chip cookies

Not one, not two, but three victory Monday treats for the Bills win over the Broncos.  My best friend from college and her daughters (my goddaughters) came down for lunch and watched the game with Rob and I.  I have to day i was fairly well behaved.  My swearing was kept to a minimum.   So this treat – large puffy chocolate chip cookies.

I recently discovered something.  The type of flour used in baked goods can make a huge difference.  I usually any  store brand.  I read some flours can make a difference, so I bought a huge bag from BJs of King Arthur Flour. And let me tell you, it made a difference.  Nice puffy cookies.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend chilling the individual mounds of dough for a few hours.  I did not chill these though.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a pan, over low-medium heat, brown butter, stirring occasionally.  Cool 5 minutes.  In a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients, then chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Cook 9 to 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Store in covered container. 

Mini m&m/ mini chip cutout cookies for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Bills are on a bye this week, so I am busy baking on a stress free Sunday (for Bills Mafia) with Cowboys/Commanders on in the background.  We had been watching Patriots/Dolphins, but I got frustrated watching Miami do what it wanted, so NFC East game, it is

This is a different cutout recipe.   I used a mix of mini chocolate chips and mini M&Ms.  You can do all chips or all M&Ms, but do not use regular size versions… Too hard to use cookie cutters with those!  And speaking of cookie cutters, I used these today for Thanksgiving!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also cut out the cookies then chilled them before baking them, to help them keep their shape better.  Also, remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs water or milk
  • 4 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup mini m&ms
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, milk/water and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and m&ms.   On a floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness, between 1/4 and 1/2 inch.  Cut out cookies.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger on sheet.  Bake 9 to 10 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely. 

You can frost these or make them into sandwich cookies (either chocolate or vanilla would work).  I am making these into sandwiches because the turkey necks are on the thin side.   Store in covered container.

Victory monday cookies

Since the game ended on the late side, I went with a quick classic for victory Monday cookies – xl chocolate chip cookies. 

What a game it was.  Close, stressful, excitement and terror.  What more could a fan hope for?  A win, of course.  9-2 for the first time since 1992. Go Bills.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag to your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend freezing the cookie dough for 30 to 45 min or chilling them in fridge for a few hours to help them stay puffy.  Also, I used my nonstick baking liners instead of parchment paper and my cookies stayed nice and puffy.  Not sure if that was the difference.  More baking to help determine that.

  • 1/2 cup butter, browned
  • 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp active yeast
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (plus extra)

Directions – In a bowl,  combine browned butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and yeast.  Cut in cold, cubed butter. Combine with bown sugar mixture.  Fold in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Freeze 45 minutes or chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 9 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Pop in fridge a few hours to firm up.  Store in covered container

Thanks for stopping by!   Have a wonderful day! 

Football friday # 11 – XXXL Frosted M&M Sugar Cookies

For Chiefs week, I am going big, well, it is a huge game.  We are 8-2, KC is 9-0.  And let’s face it, all games between my guys and those guys are massive.  Waiting until 4:25 Sunday isn’t great, but I am glad it is not a night game.

Something cool happened today at work.  I got to interview Bills receiver Khalil Shakir for our ESPN Radio pregame show before KC-BUF Sunday.  Shout out to my friend and producer, Ryan, for letting me do the interview.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, I recommend chilling the individual doughs to keep them as puffy as possible.  You don’t have to frost them, but I opted to.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup M&Ms

Directions – cream butter, shortening cream cheese and sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Stir in M&Ms.    Divide dough into 11 equal pieces.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheet.  Bake 15 to 17 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.  Pop in fridge to firm up.  Frost. If desired.  Store in fridge overnight.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Wishing you a wonderful day filled with joy, love and hope!

Go Bills.

Triple chip cake bars

Part of the week 8 celebratory treats for the Bills win over the Seahawks – triple chip cake bars.  I used milk, semisweet and white chocolate chips and a yellow cake mix.  You can use whichever flavor chips and cake mix you want.  Super simple recipe. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix (i used yellow)
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted (5 tbs plus 1 tsp)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×14 pan with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.  Blend in chips.  Moisten hands with water.  Evenly press dough into pan.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes.    Cool completely.   Chill bars a few hours on fridge.