whats Baking!!

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Chocolate Butter Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Combine sugar and butter in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and almond extract; continue beating until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low; beat, gradually adding flour and cocoa and scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each third in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 375°F. Shape dough with floured hands, one-third at a time (keep remaining dough refrigerated), into 1-inch balls. Form balls into desired shapes (balls, squares, logs, etc.) or follow variations as directed below. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. (Surface may crack slightly.) Cool completely. Decorate as desired.

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FUDGE

1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups marshmallow cream
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans,chopped
9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. grease a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan.
2. Mix Sugar, evaporated milk, salt and butter in a medium sized, heavy duty saucepan.
3. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stir contantly. Keep the mixture boiling for about 5 minutes, remove from heat.
4. Mix in the Marshmallow cream, nuts and semi sweet chocolate chips. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour into baking pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

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Wilton's Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk

1. Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer.
2. Add vanilla.
3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all of the sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
4. Add milk and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
5. To frost the cake, thin with 1 tablespoon milk if desired.
6. Keep icing covered until you're ready to decorate. For best results, keep icing bowl in an air tight bowl in refrigerator when not in use.
7. Can refrigerate in air tight container 1 week. Re-whip before using.

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Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk biscuit mix (like bisquick)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (can use pecans)



Directions:
Cream sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in bananas and eggs. Add biscuit mix and pecans. Pour into a greased and floured 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until done. Cool before slicing.

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Cherry Chocolate Covered Cookies

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
11/2 teas. Vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teas. Baking powder

Maraschino cherries
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips



Combine all ingredients except cherries and chocolate chips into a dough.

Roll dough into small balls, press a maraschino cherry into center, and bake 350 for 8 to 10 min.

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small pan, add 2 TLB. Cherry juice. Stir until smooth.

Cover the cherry on each cookie with the melted chocolate.

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Sausalito Cookies (copycat)

1 lb butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 (12 ounce) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream butter, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl.
3. In a seperate bowl, sift all dry ingredients.
4. While the mixer runs on low, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until blended.
5. Fold in the chips and nuts.
6. Form into balls and place 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss Cookies

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 bag Hershey Kisses wrapper removed.
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Cream the butter, butter flavored shortening, and 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. Add eggs and blend. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
Measure out tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Roll cookies in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place one Hershey Kiss in the middle of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) 8-10 minutes until set, but not hard. Do not overbake. Leave on sheets for 2 minutes before removing. Cool, and store in covered container.

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Norwegian Kringla Cookies

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup softened butter
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cardamon
1 tbsp vanilla

1. Cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
3. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk. Mix well.
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
5. Scoop out balls that are about 2 tbsps. Roll into about ¼ inch wide ropes. Shape ropes into figure eights and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 8 -10 minutes or until lightly brown.

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Christmas Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie Dough for Cut out Cookies

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
3 tsp. baking powder

Beat margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and baking powder. Stir with a wooden spoon (or use your hands) until combined to form a soft dough. Roll-out on a floured pastry sheet approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut with your favorite Christmas cookie cutters. Place on un-greased cookie sheet; bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on a cookie rack, frost, and decorate with your favorite sprinkles.

Frosting: powder sugar, margarine, milk, almond and vanilla flavorings. Divide frosting into two different bowls; add green food coloring to one and red to the other.

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Applesauce Cake

1 /34 cups flour plus flour for dusting
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup margarine or butter plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9x12 baking dish.
Sift flour, baking soda, spices and salt 3 times. Set aside.
In large bowl cream butter and sugar until creamy & well blended. Add eggs and mix
until blended. Add applesauce and mix 'til all blended. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing
between additions. Stir in raisins. Place in prepared pan. Bake 50 mins. or until toothpick
inserted comes out clean.

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Italian Love Cake

1 box fudge marble cake mix
2 pounds ricotta cheese
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box (3/4 ounce) instant chocolate pudding
1 cup milk
1 carton (8 ounce) whipped topping Mix cake according to package directions. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 glass pan. In a bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat well. Spoon over top of unbaked cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool. Mix pudding with milk, fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Refrigerate. Serve well chilled.

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Christmas Fudge Pie

1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
12 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
sweetened whipped cream
chocolate syrup
maraschino cherries, with stems removed
mint sprigs

1. Combine chocolate wafer crumbs and 1/3 cup melted butter; firmly press on.
2. bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan or pie plate.
3. Bake at 350*F. for 6-8 minutes.
4. Cream 1/2 cup softened butter; gradually add brown sugar with the electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the melted chocolate, instant coffee granules, vanilla, flour and chopped pecans. Pour into prepared.
5. crust.
6. Bake at 375*F. for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire.
7. rack.
8. Before serving, pipe sweetened whipped cream on each piece and drizzle.
9. with chocolate syrup. Garnish with cherries and/or mint if desired. Enjoy!

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Candy Bar Pie

1 prepared pie shell in a 9" pie plate
Bake ; at 450 for 5-7 minutes
then ; cool completely.
Reduce ; the oven temperature to 325.
5 Snicker's candy bars ; (2.07 oz. each)
1/2 cup sugar
4 pkgs. ; (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 Tablsp. heavy cream
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
Cut ; candy bars in half lengthwise,then into 1/4 in. pieces

-= Instructions =-
Place these in the bottom of the crust.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cream
cheese until well blended,
then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Add sour cream and the peanut butter,
blending until smooth and creamy.
Pour over candy in crust.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until center is set.
When pie is cooled completely, heat the
heavy cream in a saucepan until hot,
remove from heat and stir in chips until melted and smooth.
Spread over top of the pie.
Refrigerate 2-3 hours before serving.

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Chocolate Nut Brownies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Shortening
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Baking cocoa
1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Chopped nuts, divided
Directions:
In a mixing bowl bowl, beat shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla just until smooth. Combine dry ingredients; stir into batter. Fold in half the nuts. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

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Chocolate Pound Cake

3 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups softened butter or margarine
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
4 ounces grated chocolate
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar

1. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in one bowl.
2. In another bowl, beat butter until fluffy, gradually adding in the sugar.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Alternate between adding in the flour mixture and the milk, beginning with the flour.
5. Blend in the grated chocolate and vanilla extract.
6. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake in preheated 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, inverting the pan onto a rack (or a glass coke bottle). Before serving, dust with confectioner's sugar. Can garnish with berries and mint sprigs.

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Eggnog Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.

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Great Chocolate Chip Cookies from David Lebovitz's Great Book of Chocolate
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

Adjust the oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees . Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon (5cm) balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches (10cm) apart, on each of the baking sheets.
Bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Christmas Almond Shortbread
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 drops green food color
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

In large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, almond extract and food color until light and fluffy. Stir in flour until smooth. Divide into 2 parts. Refrigerate, covered, for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
On a lightly sugared cloth, roll out dough one part at a time, 1/2-inch thick. Using 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased sheet. With end of round spoon, make an indentation in center of each. Bake 25 to 30 minutes

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Crunchy Orange Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
***STREUSEL TOPPING***
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Directions:
In large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. In small bowl, combine egg, oil, orange juice and orange peel; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.

Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle heaping tablespoonsfuls on each muffin.

Bake at 375F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

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Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
1 Egg
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. Red food coloring

Mix together butter, sugar, egg, and extracts thoroughly. Stir in sifted flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Blend red food coloring into one half of the dough. Cover the two pieces of dough and refrigerate for 4 hours. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. For each cookie, roll 1 teaspoon of dough from each half back and forth on lightly floured surface into 4" rope. Place 1 red and 1 white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and curve down top of rope to form handle of cane. Bake 9 minutes. Watch closely, as they have a tendanacy to brown quickly.

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Sour Cream Pudding Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 package (4 oz size) instant lemon flavor pudding
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs



Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend at medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes.

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Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 Tbls. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla

(1.) In a heavy small saucepan combine brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to boiling
over medium heat; reduce heat. Simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until
slightly thickened and bubbly.
(2.) Carefully stir in whipping cream and butter. Cook and stir until butter is melted. Remove
from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool sauce completely. Can be served at room temp.
(3.) Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in moisture proof plastic freezer container
for up to 3 months.
To Serve: thaw sauce overnight in fridge. Makes 1 cup.

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Blueberry Muffins with Streusel

3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup plus 1 tbsp milk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 cups frozen blueberries

Streusel Topping
6 tbsp cold butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
Combine the ingredients of the streusel topping in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until ingredients are completely combined. They will appear crumbly.
Preparing the muffins
Add the butter to the bowl of your mixer and cream for about 20 seconds.
Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and cream together for 1 minute. Be sure to scrap the sides and bottom of your bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix for 1 minute after each egg.
Add the milk and mix for 20 seconds.
Add the flour and mix until combined about 1 minute.
Fold in the blueberries.
Pour batter into your prepared muffin tins.
Sprinkle streusel topping over muffins.
Bake at 375 degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

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Cinnamon Apple Loaf

2 Cups All-purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
3 Medium Tart Apples, peeled and chopped
2 Large Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Pecans, crushed
1/2 Cup Canola Oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan, set
aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and
salt; set aside.

In a separate (large) mixing bowl, combine apples, eggs, sugar, pecans
and oil; mix well. Combine the wet and dry ingredients; mix just until
blended, but do not over mix or beat the batter. Pour into the prepared
loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 - 80 minutes or until a toothpick tests done.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.

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Butter Pecan Turtle Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate morsels

Directions:
Beat the first measure of butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add first measure of brown sugar, beating well. Gradually add flour, mixing well. Press mixture into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.

Combine remaining butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour mixture over crust.

Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 18 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with chocolate morsels. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes; swirl chocolate gently with a knife to create a marbled effect. Cool on a wire rack.

Cut into squares.