Heather's Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

Yikes, this is hard! Thinking about all of you makes me sad that you're all so far away :o(

Heather Heather Heather... where do I start? Again, we were at Ohio State together--GO BUCKS! Heather is my hero because she has always been thoughtful of others, even though she had three girls under 3 and a husband trying to finish up school, interview for residency, take boards, etc. I have lots of wonderful memories with Heather, but probably my favorite is the night after Book Club when we sat under the tree in her front yard and just talked and talked... until her husband finally came out looking for her :o) Heather is so honest and optimistic... I LOVE MY FRIENDS! Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
mini chocolate chips
a few candy canes, smashed

Cream butters and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, soda, powder, and salt. Don't over mix. Add chocolate chips to your liking. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. When fresh out of the oven, sprinkle with crushed candy canes for a festive look and let cool on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Elisa's Christmas Popcorn

Elisa was one of my very first neighbors as a newlywed! We lived in the same 4-plex just south of BYU campus, and we had our first babies just 5 months apart. So we spent TONS of time together and have lots of fun memories :o) It's been over 5 years since we've seen each other, but Elisa is still one of the happiest, most grateful, easy-going people I've ever known! She's still a great example to me...

Christmas Popcorn
1 lb. white chocolate
3 bags popped popcorn
1 peppermint candy cane (crushed)

Melt chocolate (go by package directions). Stir in the crushed candy cane. Pour over the popped popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Let it dry on a cookie sheet--YUM!

Elisa's Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies
Elisa says: "We have the tradition of making Gingerbread Men around Christmas time. Here is the recipe. You add more flour until it is barely sticky and then roll it out and do the cut out shapes!"

4 C flour
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C shortening or margarine
2 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C molasses

Cream together margarine, sugar and eggs. Mix together remaining ingredients. Mix everything together. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Elisa's Caramels

Caramels
2 C sugar
1 1/3 C Karo
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 C cream
3/4 C evaporated milk
4 T butter

Bring sugar, syrup, 1 C cream, and salt to boiling point, stirring occasionally. Add remaining cream and evaporated milk gradually so candy does not cease to boil. Cook until candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees (soft ball stage). Add butter and continue stirring constantly until mixture forms a hard ball under cold water. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour mixture into buttered pan. When cool, cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

*Cooling takes several hours or overnight. Place in refrigerator for faster results.

Mrs. Fields' Chocolate Chip Cookies (Lindsay)

Lindsay and I go way back... actually, Lindsay and Jeremy go way back, so therefore she and I do too :o) They worked together at Subway in high school, and then Lindsay ended up marrying Jeremy's mission companion (they were comps twice) and that's when I come into the picture. I saw them the night she and Jake got engaged! We've been friends ever since--and our husbands are both interns this year so we share that burden as well :o) Thanks, Linds!

Top Secret Recipes' Mrs. Fields' Chocolate Chip Cookies
Be careful not to cook these too long. I know it becomes tempting to keep cooking these because they don’t seem to be done after 10 minutes, but they will continue to cook for awhile after you take them out of the oven, and when cool, will be nice and chewy.

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 twelve-ounce bags semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.
With your fingers, place golf ball-sized dough portions 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown. Makes two dozen cookies.

Lisa's Pfeffernuesse

I know Lisa from Columbus--our husbands were in the same graduating class of medical school at Ohio State. Something I will always remember about Lisa is that during the white coat ceremony (which takes place right before med school starts), when the announcer called out her husband's name, he had to explain that Joe couldn't be there because he was in the hospital with his wife, who was having their first baby! What a way to start out med school :o)

Pfeffernuesse

Lisa says: "While "pfeffer" generally means "pepper" in German today, in the old days the term was used to refer to spices."

3/4 cup light molasses

1/2 cup butter

2 beaten eggs

4 1/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

In saucepan, combine molasses and butter. Cook and stir over medium low heat until butter melts. Cool to room temperature. Stir in eggs.

Sift together: flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add to molasses mixture, mix well. You probably will not need all the dry mixture--be careful of how dry the dough becomes. You don't want it to crumble, the dough should form into a soft, somewhat sticky ball. Chill overnight.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (they will expand in the oven). Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 for 12 minutes--be careful not to overbake; they are dark so you can't tell if they are burning, they should be a softball shaped cookie. Cool and roll in confectioner's sugar.

Yields 42 cookies.

Laura's Butterscotch Bars

Laura is my friend in my ward here in Maryland. Thankfully, when the Primary president got released last month, Laura was called to take her place--and not me!!! I still haven't quite recovered yet... Thanks for the great recipes, Laura!

Butterscotch Bars
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
¾ cup butter or margarine
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 32 crackers)
1 6-oz pkg butterscotch chips
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

Combine eggs, sugar, and butter in saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 2 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add marshmallows, nuts, and graham cracker crumbs. Pat mixture into 9x13 pan. In saucepan, melt butterscotch pieces over very low heat; stir in peanut butter, mix well. Spread over crumb mixture in pan. When set, cut into 1x1” pieces.

Laura's Caramels

Another yummy one...

Caramels
½ lb butter
2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
½ cup flour (mixed with about ½ cup of the condensed milk)
2 tsp vanilla

Measure and set out all ingredients before you start. Have a spatula and a long handled wooden spoon or scraper handy.
Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan/pot (non-stick works best). Add corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 5 minutes. Take pan off burner (don’t turn it off) and stir in 1 ½ cups of the milk, then add the flour/milk mixture. Stir well and return pan to burner. Boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and reaches a medium hard ball (240). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Turn into buttered 9x13 glass pan. Cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces with buttered knife. Wrap in small pieces of wax paper.

Yummy Pretzel Rods

I don't really have a recipe for these--but they are easy and fun to make!

Yummy Pretzel Rods
1 pkg. long, thick pretzel rods
melted white chocolate
melted milk chocolate
melted caramel
Optional toppings: coconut, crushed candy canes, toffee bits, chopped-up M&Ms, chopped peanuts or almonds, whatever tastes good to you!

Dip pretzel rod in one melted liquid, then lay on cookie sheet covered with greased parchment paper. Sprinkle with desired topping(s) and refrigerate till hardened.

One of our favorites is the pretzel rod first dipped in caramel, then let sit till hardened. Then dip into milk chocolate and sprinkle with toffee bits.

Other combinations: white chocolate with candy cane chunks, milk chocolate with white chocolate drizzled on top, etc. etc. etc. The possibilities are endless!

Mildred's Toffee

Brent and Ann, our neighbors in Columbus, gave us a whole tin of this sinful stuff every Christmas and it was always gone way too fast. One time I think Bennett (yeah, let's blame him) got into it and ate most of it, so Jeremy just asked Brent for the recipe so we could make more. Brent not only gave us the recipe, but made a whole new batch for us. Yikes! Not so good for the hips... but worth every second on the treadmill :o)

Mildred's Toffee
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans or almonds, divided
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Spread 1 cup pecans/almonds into a 9-inch circle on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bring sugar, butter, corn syrup and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is golden brown and a candy thermometer registers 290 to 310 degrees (about 15 minutes). Pour sugar mixture over nuts on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with chocolate morsels; let stand 30 seconds. Spread melted morsels evenly over top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts. Chill 1 hour. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Peppermint Bark

I am a sucker for anything mint. If it's mint, I WILL love it (hint hint). I also love anything Paula Deen makes--at least I love watching her make anything. If I actually ate everything she made, I would have a heart attack very soon. But her Peppermint Bark does NOT have any butter in it, and so I will eat it :o) Enjoy! It's a fun one for the kids to help with, too...

Paula Deen's Peppermint Bark
1 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
2 lbs. white chocolate
Peppermint flavoring (optional)
Red food coloring (optional)

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in the microwave in VERY short increments, stirring in between, so you don't burn it. Stir 1 cup candy cane chunks into chocolate, and add peppermint flavoring at this point, if desired.
Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper. Drop 2-3 drops of red food coloring in different places on chocolate mixture; use a toothpick to "marble-ize" for a red-and-white swirled look. Sprinkle remaining candy cane chunks on top, and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm.

Previously on KarensRecipes...

A while back I posted some recipes that are perfect on Christmas plates...

Click here for Heather's Gooey Chex Mix--it has craisins and white chocolate chips and would look so pretty. You could probably just do a huge batch, wrap it in cute cellophane with a ribbon, and pass that out on its own. SO GOOD!

Also, my sister-in law Ashlee requested my recipe for Magical Mint Kisses. When they are straight out of the oven, they are literally to-die-for.... I told you I love anything mint! Click here for that recipe.

I STINK!

So sorry I have completely fallen off the bandwagon this season. I love Fall and all the yummy warm recipes that come with it, but for some reason I just haven't found the time to sit down and put them up. I feel like life is running away from me and I'm just trying to keep up right now--not doing a very good job, I should add.
Anyway, I will try to do a better job. Does anyone even check this, or am I having feelings of guilt over nothing???? Let me know...

Finally....

Summer is winding down! I know it's technically Fall, but that summer heat seems to linger longer every year. So I am willing Fall into existence--I pulled out my Fall decorations, I've got my yummy Cranberry Autumn candle going, and I'm whipping up some Fall recipes. I don't seem to have much time lately, but I promise I will post them, even if it's just one by one. What are your favorite Fall recipes? Feel free to post them as comments, or you can email me and I'll post them for you. I want this to be a communal effort :o)

I'm taking requests...

Yahoo--it's summertime! I hope you're enjoying the sun, the water, and the oven-free recipes I put up last month. But summertime also means that my brain is on vacation, and I'm drawing a blank as to what kinds of recipes I should post for July.

So I have decided to take requests... Is there anything you would like to see? Please take a minute and comment back to me on what kinds of recipes you'd like me to compile, or if you have specific recipes you'd like to know more about--that's fine, too. Just let me know! Now that we have reliable internet (cross your fingers for us), I should be able to respond pretty quickly. I will post my answers below, so keep checking back!

Can't wait to hear from you!!!

Meat Marinades

My sister's friend Amber asked for some new marinating ideas. I know what you mean--they get pretty boring. I don't have all the answers, but I have tried a few recipes that have worked for me. Here's a little list:

• Good Seasons Italian dressing--you buy the dry packets and make it up yourself; it's really the only salad dressing we have, we love it so much! Try soaking your chicken in it, too.
• Have you ever tried Sprite or 7up? The carbonation is a great tenderizer--I've heard that Coke works too, but I've never done it.
• Lawry's makes a whole line of good marinades. Just go down the aisle and see what pops out at you--we've had lots of success with the baja lime one.
• My friend Jennie makes an awesome Teriyaki Chicken, this is the marinade she uses: equal parts ketchup, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Make up as much as you need to cover the amount of chicken you have, and you will not be disappointed. I make a lo mein stirfry dish to go with this chicken, and it's amazing. I will try to remember and put it up soon.
• You can always try something new on your own! Experiment by doing something like olive oil and lemon juice, throw in fresh minced garlic and some Parmesan cheese. Sometimes simple is incredible--basting a steak with butter, then a dash of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper right on it while it's grilling is my dad's specialty. Be creative!
  

Those are my only ideas for now. I hope they help! If anyone else has good marinades, please feel free to post them in the comments section...

Peanut Butter Cookies

I've had some requests for cookies--which I know have gained their popularity not by my efforts at all. Jeremy is the baking master in this house... So here are a couple of his famous ones!

Peanut Butter Cookies (from BH&G)
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
Granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beaet till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough till easy to handle.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional granulated sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by making crisscross marks with the tines of a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes or till bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.
***You can also add the Hershey kisses to these, of course.

Magical Mint Kisses

We always put these on the Christmas plates we pass out to our friends during the holidays. They come with this stipulation: if you're not eating them right out of the oven, stick them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds and you're in for a treat! Magical Mint Kisses 1 C butter, softened 2/3 C sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 C all-purpose flour 1/4 C cocoa About 48 Hershey's Mint Kisses Powdered sugar Heat oven to 350. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each Hershey's Mint Kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired. Yield: about 48 cookies.

Grilled vegetables

OK, so Lisa H. asked me to post some good ideas for veggies on the grill. Perfect timing, because recently I went to Target's outdoor section, and they had all their grill stuff on clearance. So I bought a little metal basket-type thing with holes in it for grilling veggies... right up my alley! You don't HAVE to have this little contraption in order to grill veggies, but it's made it a lot easier for me. You can also form a low-lying rectangular box with edges out of foil and put it right on the grill. It's just a little more precarious.
Here's what I did: I just cut up all different-colored peppers, fresh mushrooms, yellow squash, pre-boiled red potatoes, and an onion (red or yellow), tossed them with some olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh-ground pepper, threw them in my little basket and put the basket on the grill next to my chicken. It's that easy! Just turn the veggies a couple times and cook them till they look right to you. You can also toss in some minced garlic and/or parmesan cheese, if that's more of what you're in the mood for. Just experiment and have fun!

Summer Veggie Bake

Here's another idea for using those wonderful, colorful summertime vegetables.... This dish is great with grilled or broiled fish. I'm trying out a new Parmesan Salmon recipe next week and will post it if it's good!

Summer Veggie Bake
2-3 large tomatoes, sliced
2-3 green bell peppers, sliced into rings
1-2 large yellow squash, sliced
1 red onion
3-4 T butter, cut into small pieces
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Spray the inside of an 8x8 or 9x13 glass pan (depending on how much you want to make). Layer it kind of like lasagna--one layer of each vegetable, then sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, butter, and parmesan cheese. Repeat as many times as you need until the dish is full. Then sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top, cover it with foil and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. For the last 10 minutes or so, take off the foil and allow the cheese to brown.
***Feel free to use other large vegetables--whatever you have that will go well together. The point is to keep it colorful and make it taste good. Good luck!