Snickerdoodles

 

 Here's another cookie recipe that doesn't require special or expensive ingredients. Yum!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. Makes 2 dozen.

 

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

  When you're on a tight budget, you stop buying snacks like chips and packaged cookies. It's always nice to bake up some goodies so that your hungry pack has something to munch on. These cookies are nice because t you probably have the ingredients in your cabinets; no need to buy expensive ingredients like chocolate chips or nuts

 

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened 
1 cup white sugar 
1 cup packed brown sugar 
2 eggs 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon



In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen

Buckeye Cookies

 Buckeye Cookies

1 box fudge brownie mix (19.5 ounce or family size)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 a bag of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat the brownie mix, butter, cream cheese, and egg. The dough will be a little sticky. Scoop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, making about 24 cookies. Smooth the edges of each to form a round cookie.

In a separate bowl, mix the powdered sugar and the peanut butter until it is completely combined. Form the mixture into about 1 inch balls. Make sure you have one ball for each cookie. Set aside.

Bake for the cookie dough 12 minutes, keeping an eye out to make sure the cookies doesn't over cook or undercook.

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a peanut butter ball lightly into the center of each cookie. The peanut butter mixture will soften slightly, but that is OK. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwavable bowl for 45 seconds. Stir the chocolate and melt for additional 15 seconds or until the chocolate is completely melted. Spoon about 1/2 a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each cookie so it covers the peanut butter ball. Let the chocolate set. Store in an airtight container.

Brownies with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing

I found this on Pinterest and had to try it. Yum!

For the brownie:

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 c. butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. water
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and set aside

In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa and water and bring to boiling while stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate mixture to the flour mixture, beat on medium speed until combined.

Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk & beat for one minute (batter will be thin)

Pour into greased 9 X 13 pan

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes

For the icing:

• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. reduced fat peanut butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Cream together first three ingredients and then gradually add sugar to desired consistency, The milk can be left out for a stiffer icing, or if the milk makes the icing too thin, additional sugar can be added. Spread on cooled brownies.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookie: Girl Scout Do-Si-Do copy-cat recipe

My eldest daughter loved this cookies. She actually liked them better when I used margarine instead of butter and they were a bit softer.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (real butter makes them crisp, like the Do-so-dos)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup quick cooking oats 
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar 
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
2 1/2 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir.

Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.

To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches. Made 17 cookies for me.

Cake Mix Cookies

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Before Christmas Kroger had a sale on cake mix. With coupons I was able to geta bunch of cake mixes for $.14 each. I did want to make plain cake, so I reached Pinterest for more 7nteresting recipes using cake mix. I found this yummy .cookie recipe. It's so versital. Mix and match the cake mix flavors and mix ins. The combination pictured here is butter cake mix with white chocolate and walnuts. The Picky Kid Quad loved them, which surprised me.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 15.25 oz cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup of mix-ins (choclate chips, nuts) (opinional) 

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls on an ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until done.

No Bake Granola Bars

I've been on the look out for a good granola bar recipe. I knew that making our own bars would be cheaper and better for us. How knows what all they put in the ones you buy from the store. After a few fails, I found a no-bake recipe and modified it a little. The results are super yummy and the Picky Kids Quad begged for more.

Quick and Easy Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

 Line an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil leaving a 2-inch overhang. In a large mixing bowl, toss together oats and Rice Krispies, set aside. In a separate microwave safe mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and salt. Heat mixture on HIGH power for 1 minute, remove and stir. Return to microwave and heat on HIGH power 1 minute longer. Remove from microwave, pour in vanilla and whisk mixture for 30 seconds. Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and toss well to evenly coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, firmly press mixture into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 10 - 15 minutes to make it easier to cut. Lift bars from dish using foil overhang and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.



Total: $1.84, $.12 a bar

Compare to Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, which are about $.22 a bar at Walmart.com. (maybe more in stores, I'll check it out.)

Creamsicle Smoothies

 

My family loves these drinks. When all four of the Picky Kids Quad like something, I take note. Creamsicle Shakes are awesome for a snack or with breakfast. We've even made them for dessert. At a serving, it's easy to make room for them in the grocery budget. 

 

Creamsicle Smoothies

1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate, undiluted

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

10-12 ice cubes

In a blender mix all ingredients except the ice cubes until mixed. Add ices cubes two at a time until thickened. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

Total: $.87, $.22 per serving!

Boiled Cookies: A Family Favorite

Theses yummy cookies are known as Chocolate No-Bakes to most of the population, but for some reason my family called them Boiled Cookies when I was growing up. Doesn't sound too appetizing, does it? But they are quite the opposite. Yumo! And they only cost $2.27 a batch to make.

Boiled Cookies (Chocolate No-Bakes)

2 cups sugar                             ($.24, Aldi, $1.89 4lbs)
1 stick of margarine                 ($.19, Aldi, $.75 box)
4TBS  baking cocoa                 ($.28, Kroger, $3.19 canister)
1/2 cup milk                             ($.08, Aldi, $2.49 gallon)
1cup peanut butter                   ($.95, Aldi, $1.89 18oz jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups quick oats                ($.53, Aldi, $2.29 42 oz canister)

In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, margarine, cocoa, and milk; bring to a rolling boil. Boil for one minute and then add peanut butter, vanilla and oats. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool and set up. Makes approximately 44 cookies.

Total cost: $2.27 a batch