Pineapple Bars

1 tube of sugar cookie mix, room temp.
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 to 3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Press the cookie mix evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish sprayed with non-stick.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until the cookie is lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and evenly spread the crushed pineapple over the cookie.  Top with cheese.  Turn the oven to broil and place the dish back into the oven.  Watch carefully while the cheese melts and has a very light brown coloring.  Cool and cut into squares.  Makes 2-3 dozen depending on their size.

Comments:  I love pineapple and cheese so decided to create something new that could be eaten like a cookie.  I took these to 3 of my food testers, one being my 100 year old neighbor.  They loved them and wanted more so I made another batch just for them making everyone happy.  I haven't tried this yet but I think this would be good with a little coconut and maybe even a few crushed nuts.  So simple yet so delicious!

Colorful Coconut Macaroons

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz.)
1 pkg shredded coconut (14 oz.)

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 pkg mini M & Ms (10 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix milk, coconut and flour until well blended.  Fold in M & Ms.  Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 4 dozen.

Comment:  This can be done using different colors of M&Ms for different holidays.  Example - Green & Red for Christmas, orange for Halloween, etc.  I made some of these using my mini-muffin tin and some by dropping them onto a cookie sheet.  The cookie sheet made the best.  The texture was much better.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 coconut cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter, nuts and chips.  Add eggs until well blended.  Mix in cake mix.  Make into walnut size balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  The cookies will still be very soft until completely cooled.  Makes about 3 dozen depending on size.

Comment:  The cake mix cookies can be made with any flavor of cake mix.  I normally just pick the flavor I want and add ingredients such as nuts, chips, etc.  You can even add dried fruit to say a pineapple cake mix.  Or use a pineapple cake mix and add coconut.  Just Think With Your Taste Buds and come up with your favorite cookies using this simple recipe.

White Chip Pudding Cookies

1 cup vegetable oil

¹⁄₄ cup sugar 

³⁄₄ cup brown sugar,  firmly packed

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 (3 ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix 

2 large eggs 

1teaspoon baking soda 

2 ¹⁄₄ cups self rising flour 

1cup white chocolate chips (more or less to taste)

1cup nuts (optional)

Mix flour and baking soda and set aside.  Then combine butter, sugars, vanilla, and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually add flour mixture.  Then stir in chips (batter will be stiff).  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.  (it works well to roll dough in ball and slightly flatten).  Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Comments:  These cookies are delicious!  I made a batch to take to the nursing home and believe me they didn't last long.  The nurses all raved about them.

Blueberry Cookies

1 pkg (7 oz.) Blueberry Muffin Mix
3/4 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix muffin mix and butter until well blended.  Shape into balls about the size of a large walnut.  Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press down with a fork.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until bottoms just start to brown.  Makes 9-12 cookies depending on size.

Again I was trying to come up with something different to take to my friend for my Sunday visit.  I thought about making muffins but thought those might be a bit messy since she has to eat everything while sitting up in bed.  Then it hit me that if I added nothing but butter to the muffin mix that I just might be able to make cookies.  YES!!!! It worked and they are delicious.  I took some to a couple of my food testers and they both loved them.  They agreed they had never even heard of blueberry cookies and were shocked when I told them what they were made from.  Next I'm going to make Apple Cinnamon Muffin Cookies. 

If you use a larger package you will have to increase the amount of melted butter.  I started off with 1/2 stick of butter but it wasn't quite enough so I took it up to 3/4 of a stick.  Experiment with the amount of butter when using a larger package of muffin mix by increasing it until you have a texture that will easily roll into balls.  With these cookies you not only taste the blueberry but also butter making a beautiful combination.

Nut Meg Cookies

1 pkg Sugar Cookie Mix
1 stick + 2 Tbsp. melted butter, cooled
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix until they form a soft dough. Pinch off and roll into balls about the size of a walnut. Press out using a fork. Bake 7-9 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Martha:  I make cookies every week to take to a friend who is in a nursing home. Lately I've tried to make extra to share with the nurses and a couple of the residents I've met there. Sometimes I just don't have time to make from scratch so I buy a mix. When I bought a package of sugar cookie mix I wanted to do something that would make them a little special. I spotted some leftover nuts that I had chopped up for another dish and then I spotted the nutmeg. Boy did I come up with a delicious combination! I took some of the cookies to a couple of my 'food testers' and they loved them. Before visiting my friend I stopped at the nurse station and gave them a plate full. I didn't tell them about the nutmeg and ask if they could tell me the secret ingredient. Only one guessed correctly. Everyone begged for the recipe and were shocked when I told them how simple the cookies were to make. Great for the upcoming holidays.

If you don't like nutmeg, use cloves, pie spices or any other favorite spice but don't use more than about 1/4 tsp. so you don't overpower it with taste.

PP&J Cookies

This recipe is so simple that kids can even do it.  The ingredients are simple - peanut butter cookies and jelly, preserves or jam.  Yep that's it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Simply make up your favorite recipe for peanut butter cookies (you can even use refrigerated rolls or store mix).  Form your cookie dough into 1" balls.  Spray the tins of a mini muffin pan.  Place the cookie dough balls into the bottom of the tins.  Press down to cover the bottom of the tins and a little up the side.  Press a dent in the center (this can be done with your finger if you don't have long nails but it needs to be round.  Just be careful and don't go all the way through.  Next, add about 1/2 tsp. of your favorite jam, preserves or jelly to each dent.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes.  Using a large spoon, carefully run around around the edge of your cookie to loosen and lift out.  Place on a rack to cool completely.

These turned out so delicious!  You can actually do this with just about any cookie - chocolate (not with chips), sugar, etc.  You can use any flavor jelly/jam/preserves - whatever happens to be your favorite or your child's favorite or do some of both.  You can also do as I did and fill some of them with chocolate chips.  My food testers all loved these.  One said she simply couldn't quit eating them and ended up eating all 7 that I brought her.  This is a fun recipe to do with the kids, especially for the holidays.

Hot Chocolate-Marshmallow Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Chocolate Flavored Hazelnut Spread
3 Tbsp. baking cocoa
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together everything but the marshmallows.  Shape into 1" balls.  Place 2 mini marshmallows into each ball covering them completely.  Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake 12 - 14 minutes.  Cookies will spread out, crack and the marshmallows will seep out. 

Comment:  This is yet another cookie made with a cake mix.  I actually found this recipe on the Pillsbury site and it used a roll of their chocolate chip cookie mix.  It only made about a dozen so I decided to make the change to the cake mix adding the eggs and oil.  I also added the chocolate chips since that is the flavor they used.  The other ingredients are the same.  I was a bit taken back by the chili powder and almost decided to leave it out but thought what the heck.  I'm glad I didn't.  I really believe that the combination between it and the cinnamon are what give these cookies the real hot chocolate taste.  I'm not a chocolate lover but did taste of these and they are good and none of my food testers declined trying them.

Butterfinger Cookies

1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large Butterfinger candy bar (or 6 minis)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, eggs and oil until dry is completely dissolved into a dough.  Chop Butterfinger into tiny pieces, mix into dough.  Drop in small balls onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.  Don't over bake.  Remove from pan and cool.

Comments:  I found this recipe in an older cookbook.  It is so simple to make that I wasn't sure how the cookies would end up tasting.  I've used cake mixes for cookie bars before and they always seem to have a 'cake' texture.  Not these cookies!  They actually break, crumble, crunch, and taste like cookies.  This is so simple that the kids can make them with little supervision.  I want to give this recipe a try using Heath bars next.

Peanut Butter Crisps (Old cookbook recipe)

4 cups corn flakes or
  1 cup corn flake crumbs
1 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 1/3 cups flour
salted Spanish peanuts

If using corn flakes, crush into fine crumbs.  Blend butter and peanut butter; blend in sugars.  Add egg and vanilla;  beat well.  Stir in flour, mixing thoroughly.  Shape dough into small balls; roll in corn flake crumbs.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Press 1 peanut into each ball.  Bake in moderate oven 350 degrees about 15 minutes.  Yields about 4 dozen 2" cookies.

Comment:  OK, I don't know how old this little cookbook is.  It was put out by the Oklahoma Peanut Commission and it looks rather old.  I did make some changes.  I used the corn flakes that had to be crushed which gave me about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.  I melted my butter (2 sticks) with my peanut butter in the microwave, blending them completely.  I added the sugars and vanilla which cooled the butter off enough to add the egg.  I then mixed the flour with the corn crushed flakes and 1 cup of salted nuts, poured the butter mixture into the dry mix and stirred well.  I shaped the balls into golf ball size and pressed them down as thin as the peanuts would allow.  This method not only made these cookies quicker to make but it gave you the crunch of the crumbs throughout the cookie plus the added crunch of the peanuts.  Boy are these good!  Not super sweet, just perfect.

Apple Sauce Drop Cookies - 1955 Cookbook

2 cups flour (all purpose)
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup sweetened applesauce (I used unsweetened)
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg to butter and applesauce.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Fold in raisins and nuts.  Drop by teaspoonful
on cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.


Comments:  This recipe came form RCA's The Arts of Grilling, Baking, Barbecuing dating 1955.  As you can see I used unsweetened applesauce.  I also added nuts to all of my batter and added the raisins to only half.  Some people like raisins and some don't so this worked perfectly.  As for changes to this recipe, it is so perfect and the only thing I might change is to leave out the spices and maybe add chocolate chips and no raisins.  In other words - the basic recipe is perfect for making this type of change.  The cookies come out more cake like than cookie but I personally like soft cookies.  They can be thinned out by simply wetting your fingers with water and pressing them down just a bit.

Cereal Cookies

1 lb. butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
4 cups corn flakes
Nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl (I used popcorn bowl) with an electric mixer beat butter and both sugars until creamy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  In another bowl whisk together soda, salt and flour.  Add flour to butter mixture and beat until smooth.  Add oatmeal and corn flakes.  This is best done using your hands.  Add and mix in nuts, chips, raisins, if using.  Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet and press down lightly to flatten some.  Bake 12-14 minutes depending on the size of your cookies.  Allow to cook but only lightly brown so they will keep their chewy texture.  Makes about 5 dozen large cookies.

Comments:  I found a recipe for some cookies like these only to lose it 2 days later when I planned to make.  I scanned some of my cookbooks trying to find it and couldn't so I went to the internet.  I remembered the recipe used 2 cups of butter, brown sugar, oatmeal and corn flakes.  The recipe above is the only one I found that included those ingredients.  But when I found it, there was one problem.  No directions other than the oven temp and time.  I had to wing it from there.  So the above directions are the way I made these cookies.  I did use almond slivers for my nuts which worked beautifully.  I started to add coconut (my favorite) but am glad I didn't.  The cereal gives a texture that makes you think you're eating coconut.  These cookies are very rich and sweet but so delicious.  And you can cut the review in half.


Comments from Carol:  These cookies are so good, they have surpassed any other cookie recipe in our book.  The taste of butter, oatmeal, almonds, and the slight crunch (that makes you think of coconut even though there is none) - all of this comes together in the perfect cookie.  My mother wants to scrap all of her tried and true recipes for church luncheons and make this her new "niche" dish!

Strawberry Bars

1 pkg. dry yellow cake mix
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 pint whole)
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish with non-stick spray.  In a large bowl combine cake mix, butter and 1 egg.  Mix with a fork until crumbly.  Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake 10 minutes. 

Evenly lay strawberries over partially cooked cake mix.  In a large bowl combine cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar and vanilla.  Pour over strawberries and carefully spread out evenly.  Bake 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with vanilla wafers and bake another 5 minutes.  After cooled, cut into bars.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Comments:  This was originally a recipe using peaches but a friend picked up some strawberries on her way back from the beach so I decided to give this a try using them instead of the peaches.  The only other change was the addition of the crushed wafers.  In the original you withheld 1/2 cup of the cake mix for topping but I used the whole mix as my crust and topped it with the wafers.  This dish could be made with the peaches, blueberries, and just about any fruit you might like.  It's easy to make and so good to eat.  This would be delicious served hot with a scope of ice cream.  As you can see form the picture, this can also be made in smaller serving dishes.  When I made the smaller size I found no need to change the cooking times. 

Comment from Carol:  We loved this dessert!  I was regretting how short strawberry season is when I tasted this but then I thought it will probably be great with peaches too!

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Red Velvet Woopies

1 pkg. Pillsbury Red Velvet Cookies
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. finely chopped nuts

Bake cookies according to package directions.  While cooking, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and nuts.  After cookies have cooked and cooled, spread 6 with cream cheese mix.  Top each with remaining cookies.

Comments:  I bought the package of Red Velvet cookies because they were on sale.  I'm not normally a prepackaged cookie maker but this was a sale I couldn't pass up.  When I started to make them I thought about Red Velvet cake and how I could incorporate an icing.  I actually thought about just sprinkling the nuts into the softened cream cheese but ended up adding just a little sugar.  After tasting one of these goodies, I could have gone either way.  These cookies turned out delicious!  And they are just in time for Valentine's Day.

Milky Way Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 mini Milky Way candy bars cut into small pieces (about the size of chocolate chips)

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in a large bowl until well-blended.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy.  Beat in flour, salt and baking soda.  Stir in Milky Way pieces.  Chill dough at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Make walnut size balls of dough, press down and place on sheet about 2 1/2 - 3 inches apart.  Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Cool completely.

Comments:  I found this recipe on Pinterest  and it called for crushed Butterfingers.  Well it was Halloween but I didn't have any butter fingers so I chopped up some Milky Way bars.  I'm not a chocolate fan but the caramel from the Milky Way made these cookies so good that I had a hard time saving enough to give to some of my food testers for Halloween.  This did tell me that I could use this recipe with other candies.  If you use candies like butter fingers, crush them.  If you use gooey candies like the Milky Way, cut them into small pieces.  These cookies are simply delicious.

Coconut Pecan Bars

 

Crust:
1 cake mix
1 stick melted butter, cooled
1 egg, slightly beaten

Top:
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Pour cake mix, butter and egg into a bowl.  Mix well.  Press into baking dish.  In a medium size sauce pan on medium high heat combine coconut, nuts, sugar and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until mixture starts to thicken.  Remove from heat.  Cut cream cheese into chunks and add to mixture.  Stir until melted and blended.  Stir in vanilla.  Bake 30 minutes.  Let cool completely.  Cut into bars.  Makes about 24 bars.

Brown Sugar Pecan Bars

1 pound light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Prehet oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Blend in flour. Mix in vanilla and nuts. Spread evenly on a 9 x 13 x 2 pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 45 minutes. Don't overcook. They will fall after cooking. Cool before cutting into squares. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen bars.

Maple Oatmeal Hazelnut Shortbread

 

3/4 cup hazelnuts
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed SPLENDA brand brown sugar blend
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp maple extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour

In food processor, finely grind hazelnuts, set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with SPLENDA until light, beat in maple syrup and maple extract. Stir in oats and flour. Roll into balls using 1 tbsp dough per ball. Roll in nuts to coat. Flatten slightly, place about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled.

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 10 min or until puffed and set. Let cool for 1 minute. Transfer to racks, let cool completely. Makes about 36 cookies.

 

Comment:  This recipe was sent to me by an author friend Bev Irwin who wrote Without Consent, (great mystery).  I don't normally try the recipes that are sent to go with my reviews and posted to my site A Book and A Dish but now and then one will come along that I can't resist.  This was one of them.  As you can see for yourself, they look tasty and believe me they live up to their 'looks.'  They are simple to make and delicious.  For changes - use pecans or walnuts instead of hazelnuts.

Best-Ever Cream Cheese Cookies

1/2 cup butter (room-temperature)
3 oz. regular cream cheese (room-temperature)
1 1/2 cups confestioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg (room temperature)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place butter and cream cheese in bowl and beat for 1 minute.  Beat in sugar and baking powder.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy.  Beat in flour.  Chill for 30 minutes for drop.  Scoop by rounded teaspoon full, press flat and place on parchment paper.  Bake 7 minutes for soft cookies, 10 minutes for crunchy.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then transfer to wire rackis to cool completely.  Makes about 2 dozen depending on size.

Comments:  This recipe came from The Girl Creative and the original recipe does include directions for rolled and cut cookies.  It also gives directions for rolling your cookies in superfine sugar, which I didn't do.  But I have to say that these cookies are so good that I could have sat down and ate at least half of them without stopping.   There is a strong butter/cream cheese taste that can't be beat.  This is also a good recipe for making decorated cookies or maybe adding a pecan to the center of each cookie before cooking. 

Krispy Bar Cookies

3 cups rice krispy cereal
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 can swettened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl combine cereal and butter, mixing well.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Spread cereal evenly in dish.  Top with coconut, chips and nuts.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over dish.  Bake 35 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting.  Makes about 16 squares.

Comments:  This is a fun recipe to play with.  It originally called for 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs but I wanted to give it a try with the cereal.  I also poured half of the cereal mix into 2 8" round cake pans topping one with coconut, chocolate chips and pecans.  The other with coconut, white chocolate chips and chopped peanuts.  Then drizzled each with 1/2 can of the milk each.  Either way you make these they will be a hit.  Think With Your Taste Buds and change up the cereal, nuts and chips.  One mistake I made was getting too impatient before cutting.  They must be completely cooled before cutting to get nice, smooth pieces.