Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:

For crust:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

For topping:

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

First make the crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.

Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface.

Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan.

Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars and serve.

Chewy Lemon Drop Cookies

chewy lemon drop cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

zest of 3 lemons

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t. of lemon extract

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons lemon juice

about 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour and salt.  Set aside.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, lemon zest,extract, sugar, and corn syrup. Mix until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.

3. In a small cup, combine the lemon juice baking soda. With the mixer on low, add in flour mixture and lemon juice mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula and mix the dough by hand a few times to ensure an even distribution of the ingredients.

4. Roll the dough into balls, one inch in diameter. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets , and then toss in powdered sugar to coat.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened (2 sticks)

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed

½ cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups flour

1t. baking soda

½ t. salt

1 ½ t. apple pie spice

3 cups rolled oats

1 bag chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans ( if you want)

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla with a hand held mixer or your kitchenaid until well blended.

In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, apple pie spice.

Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined.

Fold in rolled oats, nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Cool 2 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 4-5 dozen depending on size of cookie

Nimitzkies

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup crisco

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 t. raspberry extract

2 t. lemon extract

2 1/2c. all purpose flour

1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix first 4 ingredients until light and fluffy.

Then add flour ,soda and salt and mix again until well combined.

Drop by rounded teaspoons.

Flatten slightly and add your favorite sprinkles

Bake 6-9 min depending on if you like soft or crunchy cookies.

Take out at 6-7 min for soft.

Take out at 8-9 for crunchy..

Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel Bits and Walnuts

Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel Bits and Walnuts

1 stick butter

1 stick of margarine or 1/2 cup butter shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 bag of milk chocolate chips

1/2 bag of caramel bits

1/4 pound chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Put parchment paper down on your cookie sheets (this eliminates greasing the sheet)

Cream together room temperature butter, margarine and both sugars until creamy and fluffy.

Add the eggs beat for a minute until mixed in well.

Add the dry ingredients (flour,salt and baking soda) which have been sifted together.

Mix together until smooth.

Add milk choc. chips, caramel bits and walnuts.

Mix until these are distributed evenly throughout the batter.

Use a spoon to measure and drop on your cookie sheet.

Space about an inch or more apart.

Bake for 8-9 minutes at the 350 degree temp.

When removed from oven immediately place cookies on wire rack, unless you like crispy throughout cookies.

In that case let them cool on your cookie sheet.

My lil sis Adriana sent me the basic recipe, I tweaked it a little and this is what I got..

Enjoy!!