Back To School Giant Cookie

Evin just started kindergarten and I made this for him for his very first ever day of school. It was a big hit.

Back to School Giant Cookie
(adapted from a recipe from How Does She found on Pintrist)

2 sticks butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
Mix, then add-
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp water
Mix, then add-

1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
½ bag chocolate chips
(or 3/4 of the bag, or the whole thing. You know you want to!)
-Dough will be very sticky!-
plop onto pizza pan
Spread out evenly onto a round pizza pan, then put pizza pan on a large cookie sheet so as to catch any dough that might fall off to the bottom of your oven making a mess (based on experience).
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes and check every so often to make sure it doesn’t get over cooked. In some ovens it may even take 25 minutes or so. Just keep an eye on it.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

An easy and delicious cookie recipe. From Our Best Bites.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Based on PB cookie recipe from BHG

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips (honestly, I don’t measure- I just toss ‘em in!)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add egg and vanilla until combined. Mix dry ingredients together in a smaller bowl (flour, baking soda and baking powder) and add to dough in a few additions, mixing until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and mix to combine. Drop into 1″ balls on an ungreased (or parchment/silicone lined) baking sheet. Gently press a crisscross pattern into top of cookie with a fork. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool for a couple of minutes on baking sheets and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This was delicious and soooooooooooooo super easy. I made it for Brent's birthday this year and it was a hit. The recipe is from Keebler.

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
from: Keebler

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened*
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 Keebler® Ready Crust® Chocolate Pie Crust

Chocolate Glaze
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 squares (1 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Directions

1. In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk.

2. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla, mixing until just combined.

3. Arrange raspberries in crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over berries. Bake at 350°F about 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for 1 hour.

4. In small saucepan combine cream and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Pour over cheesecake. Cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

5. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator.

*NOTE: Soften cream cheese in microwave at high for 15 to 20 seconds.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (71 Toes)

I got this recipe from the blog, 71 toes. So delicious. It is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe so far, but I'm still on the hunt for THE perfect recipe. This one is great. But, it makes a TON. (bake what you want then scoop the rest on the pan and instead of baking them, freeze them. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. When you want some cookies, pull out what you want, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then bake as directed.)

Rita's Chocolate Chip Cookies (from 71 Toes)

2 c. butter flavored Crisco

1 c. butter

6 eggs

2 3/4 c sugar

2 3/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking soda

3 Tbsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix well and add 8 cups flour, then 3 cups chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Makes a ton.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Oat Cookies

LOVE these. They don't have a strong coconutty flavor, just a great texture from the coconut. It is from The Enlightened Homemaker.

Chocolate chip coconut oat cookies

1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until all incorporated. Add in chocolate chips and stir. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. (or eat the dough straight)

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

This is from the Our Best Bites new cookbook, Savoring The Seasons With Our Best Bites, it's a great cookbook, I love it. I made them for the first time this weekend, and they are so scrumptious. VERY decadent. Brent even liked them a lot and he is not a fan of chocolate and peanut butter together.

No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars

25 chocolate sandwich cookies (i.e. Oreos)
1 c. plus 4 TBSP butter, divided
1 1/2 c. plus 3 TBSP creamy peanut butter, divided
1 lb. (about 3 1/2 c.) powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chip ( but I used milk chocolate when I made them and they still tasted fabulous)

1. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil that extends over edges of pan. Set aside.
2. Process whole cookies in a food processor, or put them in a zip lock baggie and crush them with a rolling pin until you have crumbs. Melt 4 TBSP butter and stir into the crumbs until combined. Press crumbs evenly into the baking pan, and pop into the fridge while preparing the rest of the dessert.
3. Melt remaining 1 c. butter. Beat 1 1/2 c. peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar until combined. Add graham cracker crumbs and mix until incorporated. Press peanut butter dough evenly into pan on top of cookie crust.
4. Place chocolate chips and remaining 3 TBSP of peanut butter in microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals until nice and smooth, stirring in between intervals. Pour chocolate mixture over peanut butter layer and spread evenly. Refrigerate bars about 2 hours. To serve, lift foil out of pan, and use a large, sharp knife to cut into bars.

Yield: about 32 bars

Homemade Oreos

These are evil, very, very evil. Meaning that, they taste, so, so good, and they are so, so, SO NOT good for you, AND they are super easy to make. Making the evil deliciousness all to tempting. But, they are a crowd pleaser. I got this recipe from my friend Nikki, who I think got it from her sister.

Homemade Oreos

Ingredients: 1 box Devil's Food cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 c. shortening.

Beat together all ingredients. Makes a stiff batter. Roll into quarter sized balls and place on cookie sheet, flatten cookie dough balls slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes until tops are cracked and cookies feel firmer to the touch. Let cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting sandwiched between two cookies. Makes about 18-20 sandwich cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened, 1/2 c. butter softened, 2 tsp. vanilla, 4 c. powdered sugar.

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in remaining ingredients. You will have leftovers.

Sweetened Whip Cream

This recipe comes in handy. From Our Best Bites.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. powdered sugar

Combine whipping cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl. With an electric hand mixer, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Serve with pie, cake, waffles, whatever your pretty little heart desires!

Banana Cream Pie

This is the best banana cream pie I have ever made. From Our Best Bites.

Banana Cream Pie

1 4-serving size box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding
1 c. cold water
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cookie crusts. You can use anything–graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, shortbread, even Oreo.
Lots of bananas
1 pint whipping cream
1/3 c. powdered sugar
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes. In another bowl, whip 1 c. of whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Slice the bananas (probably 4 small bananas or 2 large bananas) and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Be sure and save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts–you’ll need them later! Set aside. Remove pudding from the fridge and gently dollop the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined. Now divide the mixture between the two pies. Prepare sweetened whipped cream with the remaining whipping cream and 1/3 c. of powdered sugar and spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and allow to chill for several hours. This is actually really important–I tried eating it right away once and the pie wasn’t banana-y at all and the moisture hadn’t absorbed into the crust, so the crust just fell apart.

And there you have it–the best AND the easiest banana cream pie you’ll ever have or need!

Lemon Cheesecake

The most amazing, heavenly cheesecake I have ever made and quite possibly eaten. Yes, I am saying that this cheesecake could rival that found at The Cheesecake Factory. There can be NO cutting corners on this recipe. That is the key to making a heavenly cheesecake, to follow the instructions precisely. From Our Best Bites.

Lemon Cheesecake
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

2 cups packed vanilla creme cookie crumbs (about 24 Golden Oreos)
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest (zest the lemon(s) first and then juice them)
3 cups full-fat sour cream

TOPPING:

1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed strained lemon juice
Optional: 1-2 drops yellow food coloring

Instructions:

Use a food processor, blender, or a heavy-duty Ziploc bag and a rolling pin to crush the cookies into crumbs. Mix with the melted butter and lightly press it into a 9″ springform pan. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand-held electric mixer), beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating completely after each addition. Add the sugar, salt, extracts and beat until smooth. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and sour cream and beat until light, fluffy, and completely combined (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl–sometimes a film of cream cheese will form and then lead to lumpy batter). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

If you’re concerned about the springform pan leaking (and really, I think you should be at least a tiny bit worried), wrap the pan in heavy-duty foil or a turkey roasting bag. Place the pan in a larger roasting or baking pan. Use a pitcher or tea kettle to carefully pour water into the larger pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 35-55 minutes or until the center is firm yet jiggly (like a custard or Jello). Turn off the oven and crack open the door. Let the cheesecake cool until the pan can be comfortably handled (about 1-2 hours) and then remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool completely on a completely flat surface.

Carefully wrap the pan in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).

When ready to serve, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of strained, freshly squeezed lemon juice. Carefully spread it over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Using a sharp knife and wiping it clean after each cut, cut the cheesecake into slices and serve immediately. Makes 10-12 servings (or 8 or so monstrously sized servings).

Mint Brownies

From Our Best Bites, this is well worth making it from scratch! Do not use a box brownie mix for this! I have nothing against box brownie mixes. I love them. But for this recipe, do yourself and those around you a service and make it from scratch with all the butter and melted chocolate. Soooo good.

Mint Brownies
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (4oz)
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 Tbs milk
green food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6 Tbs real butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch. Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.


Chop both unsweetened chocolate and two sticks of butter into chunks and place together in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.


With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes. While egg mixture is beating, measure out flour and combine with baking powder. While mixer is running, slowly add melted chocolate and beat to combine. Turn beater speed to low and add in flour by spoonfuls. Mix just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean.


Cool completely on a metal rack. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, prepare frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients, starting with 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk, and beat until light and fluffy. Add more milk by teaspoonful as needed. Spread frosting evenly over brownies and then place brownies in fridge to chill.


While brownies are chilling prepare chocolate glaze. Place chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully spread on top of the frosting layer. Return pan to fridge to cool. When chocolate has hardened, use edges of foil to remove entire brownie from pan. Cut into squares and serve.