Bird Seed Energy Bars

Bird Seed Energy Bars!
(Original recipe found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/156785/bird-seed-energy-bars/)

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup wheat bran (or wheat germ)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal (or ground flaxseed)

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup honey
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
• Lightly grease a 9x14 inch ovenproof baking dish.
• Mix the rolled oats, brown sugar, wheat bran, cinnamon, flour, and flax seed meal together in a large bowl. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, canola oil, vanilla, and salt until evenly blended., and stir into the oat mixture. 
• Stir in the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips. 
• Use your hands to mix the ingredients, and press the mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 
• Cool completely in the baking dish before cutting into 2 inch bars.

Lavender Lemon Tea Cookies - Lexie's

1 cup sugar

Grated zest of one lemon

3 tsp lavender

1 cup (2sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg

3 Tbs lemon juice (squeeze into separate bowl then measure out)

1 Tbs vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups flour

Cream together sugar and lemon zest. Add lavender, rubbing between palms to crush. Cream in butter. Add egg, mix. Add lemon juice and vanilla, mix. 

Combine dry ingredients. Mix with wet ingredients. Divide dough into logs, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 12 hours. 

Cook at 350 F until edges are browned. (8-10 mins)

Peanut Butter Cookies - Dad's

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and roll out in a long roll, cut off in small slices and press down with fork. Bake in oven for 8 min at 388 F. 

Snickerdoodles

(makes about 5 dozen 2 inch cookies)

1 cup shortening or butter at room temp

1 ½ cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 ¾ cups flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp salt

For the topping:

 ¼ cup sugar

pinch of nutmeg

1.     Preheat 375 F.

2.     In med bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 ½ cups sugar. Stir in the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, then roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg. Place them onto an uprepared cookie sheet, two inches apart.

3.     Bake for 8 to 10 min in the preheated oven. Edges should be slightly brown. Remove from sheets to cool on wire racks.

Bake 8-10 min. Until lightly browned but still soft. 

Oatmeal Scotchies - Dad's

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract or grated peal of 1 orange

3 cup oatmeal

1 2/3 cup butterscotch flavored morsels

Bake at 375 F.

Combine: flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 7 and 8 minutes for chewy cookies, 9-10 mins for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 mins. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Dad's

¾ cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

¼ water

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

3 cups oats

1 cup raisins

½ cup coconut

Bake at 350 F. 

Grandma Songer's Cookies

Makes 3 ½ dozen

In one bowl:

Sift together and set aside

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

In second bowl:

Cream Well

1 cup butter

¾ cup sugar

stir in one unbeaten egg

2 Tablespoons milk

Combine dry and wet ingredients, 1/3 at a time

chill until firm

Roll out ¼ inch thick

Bake at 350 F for 9-12 mins. 

Chocolate-Mint Wafer

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
Confectioners sugar for rolling
1/4 cup heavy cream
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 to 3 drops peppermint oil (or 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract)

1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and continue mixing until well combined. Whisk together.
2. Combine cocoa powder and flour in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet. Divide the dough in half, shape into small disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 350 F. Line pan with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on clean surface covered with confectioners sugar. Roll to 1/8 inch. Cut our cookies (2 inches round) Bake 1/2 inch apart for 12 min.
4. Bring cream to a boil in small saucepan over med-high heat. Very finely chop chocolate chips, and add to hot cream. stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add peppermint, let cool slightly about 10 to 15 mins.
5. Transfer ganache to a pastry bag. Pipe out a quarter-size amounts about 1 teaspoon each onto center of wafers. Top with the remaining wafers. Chill in fridge until firm, about 10 mins.
6. Melt the remaining chocolate in a double boiler over med. heat. Let cool slightly, Dip one side of cookie sandwich to coat. Remove excess chocolate by scraping the cookie against side of bowl. Return to fridge for 10 mins.

Raspberry Ribbon Cookies - Lexie's

Serves: 5 ½ dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 Tbls milk

2 Tbls vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

2 2/3 cups flour

6 Tbls raspberry jam (remove seeds)

Glaze (recipe below)

1.     Beat butter and sugar. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract until well blended.

2.     Gradually add 1 ½ cups flour. Beat together. Refrigerate in strips until firm.

3.     Preheat oven to 375 F.

4.     Place strips 2 inches apart with ¼ groove in center.

5.     Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon 1 Tbls jam into each groove. Return to oven; bake 5 – 7 mins longer or until strips are light golden brown. Cool strips for 15 mins on cookie sheet.

6.     Prepare glaze. Drizzle strips with glaze; let stand 5 mins to set. Cut cookies strips at 45 degree angle. Into 1-inch slices.

Glaze: Combine ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbls milk and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl. Stir until smooth. 

Peanut Butter Kisses - Lexie's

Serves: 3 dozen cookies

1 ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup Crisco

3 Tbls milk

1 Tbls vanilla

1 egg

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

Granulated Sugar

48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

1.     Heat oven to 375 F.

2.     Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat until well blended. Add egg and blend.

3.     Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mixture; blend.

4.     Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 F for 6 minutes. Press chocolate kisses into center of each cookie. Return to oven. Bake 3 mins. Cool 2 mins on baking sheet. Remove cookies from pan to cool correctly. 

Ginger Snaps (aka Gingies) - Sylvia's

¾ cup Crisco

1 egg

¾ cup sugar

4 Tbls Dark molasses

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves

Cream together Crisco and sugar. Blend in egg and molasses. Mix dry separately. Then mix in with moist ingredients. Roll dough into three logs. Seal in wax paper. Let chill for several hours. Roll into walnut size balls. Roll ball in white sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 F. 

White Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies - Strongbow's

      3.5 pounds white sugar

        3.5 pounds brown sugar

4 pounds butter

24 eggs

¼ cup vanilla

2 Tbls baking soda

6 pounds white chocolate chops

5 pounds pecans

7.5 pounds flour

Cream sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and soda. Pour in chips and nuts at lowest speed. Add flour at same speed. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Hershey's

Dry ingredients:

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet mixture. Finally add chocolate chips or nuts. Roll into small balls and cook at 375 F for 8-10 minutes.