Dark Chocolate Mango Cookies

1 c butter

1 c white sugar

1 ¼ c packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

10 drops orange oil

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. hot water

½ tsp. salt

4 c all-purpose flour

1 (11.5 oz.) pkg Dark Chocolate Chips (or use less if the chips are a larger size). *I am using semi-sweet for the dinner exchange because I know some people don’t like dark chocolate*

10 dried mango pieces soaked and sliced into small strips (Soak in warm water for 20 mins to get the sugar off the outside and to make them pliable)

Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs on at a time. Add vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with a knife. Stir flour, chocolate chips and mangos into batter until just blended. Chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a scoop and drop dough onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not press down. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden (centers will appear somewhat soft but dull not glossy looking). Allow cookies to sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ghiradellli Choclate Crackle Cookies

1 package Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¾ cup powdered sugar (reserve for coating dough)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place brownie mix, flour, eggs and oil in medium bowl.  Stir until blended. Place powdered sugar in separate bowl.  For each cookie, scoop 1 rounded tablespoon dough and place in powdered sugar.  Roll dough gently into balls, coating thoroughly with powdered sugar.  Place 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 11-13 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Hershey's Perfect White Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Premier White Chips

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F.

2 Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in white chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3 Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking; flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c peanut butter
1/3 c shortening (butter flavored)
2 eggs; beaten
1/4 c water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c quick oats

Frosting
2 1/4 c powdered sugar
2 Tbs shortening
3 Tbs peanut butter
3 - 3 1/2 Tbs milk

Combine flour, sugar, soda and salt. Cut in peanut butter and shortening to coarse crumbs. Mix in eggs, water, vanilla, and oats. Spread in a greased 15x10x1 baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Mix all frosting ingredients, then spread evenly on cooled peanut butter bars.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
6 to 8 drops green food color
1 egg
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.

Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 C powdered sugar
½ C peanut butter
1 12-oz. cool whip
Chopped peanuts

Beat cream cheese and sugar; add peanut butter and mix well. Fold in half of the whipped cream. Pour into crust. Top with remaining whipped cream and chopped peanuts; chill.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

3 eggs
1.5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
1.5 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Guittard chocolate chips

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.
Spread the batter into a greased 13x10 inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing:
Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again.
Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Egg Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix:
1 cup Margarine, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar
½ White Sugar
¼ cup Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Sift together and then add:
2 ¼ cup Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
12 oz. Chocolate Chips (I like to double the batch and mix kinds - my favorite is white chocolate and milk chocolate!)
½ cup Coconut or toffee chips (optional)

Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes. Let rest 1 minute on the pan. Transfer to wire rack.

Frozen Fruit Cocktail

3 ½ cups sugar
2 quarts water
6 oz. Frozen orange juice concentrate
6 oz. Frozen lemonade concentrate
1 Watermelon, cut with melon baller
2 Cantaloupes, cut in chunks
2 Green honey dew melons, cut in chunks
3 lbs. Green grapes
3 lbs. Peaches, diced
1 lb. Blueberries, fresh or frozen

In large saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil; stir in the frozen juices and remove from heat.

In large bowl, combine all fruit. Put mixed fruit in freezer bags or containers, leaving ½ inch space on top. Pour hot syrup over top.

Seal and freeze. Use within 6-8 months. Makes about 12 pints.

To serve, thaw partially. Divide into salad bowls and top with Sprite, ginger ale or club soda. You want to eat it when it’s slushy but not completely thawed.

Orange Rolls

My orange and cinnamon rolls are the same bread dough (that I also use for regular rolls or breadsticks too), with separate filling
recipes. This is a great quick bread recipe when you’re short on time!

Dough: (makes 1 cookie sheet, about 17-20 rolls or one pan of breadsticks)
5 1/4 cups flour
2 TB sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 TB melted butter
2 1/2 TB yeast
1 tsp salt

In mixer combine water, yeast, sugar, butter and salt. Allow the yeast to activate. Mix in flour to form a soft dough. I always add 5 1/
4 cups slowly and generally add a little extra - it varies every time - just make sure the dough is not too sticky. Roll the dough out on
a floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Then spread the orange or cinnamon filling on top of dough...

Orange filling:
2 TB orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup white sugar
1-2 TB grated orange rind (opt.)
7 TB softened butter—not melted!

Cinnamon filling:
3 tsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
7 TB softened butter – not melted!
1 TB honey ( opt.)

Roll dough from long side to long side, making a long roll. Cut with dental floss or string about 3/4 inch thick. Put in greased cookie
sheet. Allow to rise 20 minutes. Bake 350 around 20-25 minutes until slightly brown on top. Frost the whole pan of rolls while still
warm.

Frosting:

1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TB sour cream
1/2 block cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar

And add these for orange roll frosting:
2 TB orange juice concentrate
1 TB grated orange rind (optional)

Beat the cream cheese with sour cream and vanilla and, then add all the milk and sugar and beat until smooth. (This is almost more of
a thick glaze than frosting, it will be slightly runny).

Pudding Mix Cookies

Makes 3 dozen

4 1/2 cups of flour
2 t. baking soda
2 C. butter
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup of M'n M's

Preheat the oven to 350. Cream together the wet ingredients and beat in the pudding mix. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Mix together the dry ingredients and then blend in the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips and m'n'm's . Drop spoonfuls on the cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for 10-13 mins. Enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Brownies

Brownie:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Mix butter, cocoa and sugar; beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift flour with salt and stir in. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-50 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Mint Frosting:

6 Tbs butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1-3 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring

Beat butter and sugar. Add enough milk to make a smooth but thick frosting. Add extracts and food coloring to make light green. Spread over cooled brownies. Chill until firm.

Chocolate Topping:

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with 4 Tbs butter. Spread over chilled frosting layer. Chill until set.

Carrot Cake

Lion House Cookbook

1 cup sugar
½ cup oil (I use applesauce)
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups grated carrots
1 cup unsifted flour (I use whole wheat flour)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup each ground coconut, nuts and raisins (I use ½ cup each)

Combine sugar and oil. Add eggs. Mix well. Add grated carrots. Slowly stir in sifted dry ingredients. Add ground coconut, nuts and raisins. Pour batter into lightly greased and floured 9x9 inch square cake pan. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes, or until tests done. Eat cake as is or you can frost with a cream cheese frosting.

Coconut Brownies

1 box brownie mix
sweetened flaked coconut
mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies or just use 2/3 cup oil and 3 eggs. Spread evenly. Bake 16-18 minutes or until brownie is set.

Layer coconut and chocolate chunks over brownie base. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over coconut and chocolate chunks.

Bake 20-23 minutes or until edges of coconut are deep golden brown and almonds are lightly toasted. Cool completely on cooling rack. Cut into bars.

Chocolate Filled Cupcakes

Filling: add the following ingredients in a medium bowl, mix well and set aside
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
dash salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Cake dough: add the following ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with whisk.
1 ½ cup flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp salt

Then add the following ingredients and blend well:
1 cup warm water
1 TBL vinegar
1 stick melted margarine

Line muffin tin with about 18 cupcake liners. Fill ½ full with cake dough. Top with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Bake 15-18 mins at 350°.

One Jar Homemade Apple Filling

Double Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup Vegetable Shortening
6-8 Tbls. water

Stir flour and salt. Blend in shortening with a fork until size of small peas. Sprinkle 2 Tbls. water and continue to blend. Repeat until all is moistened. Divide into 2 balls. Spread plastic wrap on table the size you will be rolling dough out.

Place dough on plastic wrap and flatten. Add another layer of plastic wrap over top of dough. Use rolling pin to roll out dough between wrap layers into a circle slightly larger than the pie tin. Take one layer of wrap off and place dough into pie tin. Remove 2nd layer of wrap.

Now add pie filling from jar. Repeat rolling out process for 2nd layer of dough. Place on top of pie and join top and bottom layers. Use a knife to cut a few holes in top of dough to let steam vent. You can do a cute pattern such as an apple. Place pie on cookie sheet so it doesn't drip in your oven.

Bake 425 for 10 min, then turn down oven to 375 for 45 min. Enjoy!
Note: This Apple Pie Filling Jar will make one 8" pie.

Frozen Fruit Salad

1 cup sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1 yogurt (any flavor, I use strawberry-banana or raspberry)
1 small Cool Whip, thawed
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 banana, cut lenthwise then crosswise
1-2 cups frozen berries

Cream sugar and cream cheese. Stir in yogurt and cool whip. Add remaining ingredients. Freeze in 9x13 pan. Serve frozen, but let sit for 5 minutes for easier cutting.

White Chocolate Chex Mix

6 cups corn chex
6 cups cheerios
3 cups pretzels
1 lb peanut m&m's OR 1 lb plain m&m's and 1 1/2 cup peanuts (or desired nut)
1.5 lb. white chocolate dipping bar (I use the cheap almond bark)

Stir all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Melt chocolate in microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Pour chocolate over mixture, stir until evenly coated. Then spread out onto 2 cookie sheets in thin layers until set. Break up into pieces and store in bag or container, and try not to eat too much at once :)

Monster Cookies

(From Brian Cheney)
Since this makes so many cookies, there is also the equivalent of 1/3 of the recipe given.

12 eggs - 3
1 lb butter - 1 1/3 cubes
2 lb brown sugar (4 2/3 cups) - 1 1/2 c.
3 lbs peanut butter (6 cups) - 2 c.
4 cups white sugar - 1 1/3 c.
18 cups oatmeal - 6 c.
1 Tbsp. vanilla - 1 tsp.
1 lb chocolate chips - 1 c.
8 tsp baking soda - 2 2/3 tsp.
1 lb M&Ms - 1 c.

Mix in large bowl in order given. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake.

I usually make half of the recipe. It makes a lot of cookies. There is no flour in these cookies.

Fruit Pizza

1 pkgs. cream cheese
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. powder sugar (or to taste)
Pizza pan

Assorted fruit suggestions: Kiwi, strawberries, mandarin oranges, bananas, black or blue berries, raspberries.

Spread cookie dough over pizza pan. Cook the crust as directed on wrapper. In a bowl, microwave cream cheese until soft. Add vanilla and sugar. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled cookie. Cut and lay fruit in circles. Serve immediately.