Turtle Cookies

Cookie Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T.  butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 T. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 c. pecans, finely chopped

Caramel Filling Ingredients
14 soft caramel candies
3 T. heavy cream


Chocolate Drizzle  Ingredients
2 oz. milk chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

Cookie Directions

Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla; mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy.  Place chopped pecans in another bowl.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecans.  Place balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 12 minutes.

Caramel Filling Directions

Microwave caramels and cream together in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about
1 to 2 minutes.  Once cookies are removed from the oven, gently re-press the indentations.  Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel mixture. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Drizzle Directions

Place chocolate and shortening in a small zip-top plastic bag.  Set bag in a bowl of warm water to soften.  Gently knead the chocolate with your fingers until melted and smooth, placing back in the warm water for a minute or two as needed.  Snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag.  Drizzle chocolate over the cooled Turtle Cookies.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Amanda's Notes
Holy cow - these are time consuming cookies, but definitely worth it for special occasions. I'm taking mine to a cookie exchange tomorrow. These might not be bad to make if it was only 1 batch that I made, but I made 4 batches in about 3 hours.

Chocolate Chip- Toffee Scones

Ingredients:

SCONES:

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•  1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet, milk or dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and then chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped toffee bars (takes about 3 Heath bars) (or use toffee bits)
• 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

TOPPING:

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• granulated or coarse white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter two heavy large baking sheets.

For the scones:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips, nuts and toffee bits.
2. In a large, chilled mixing bowl (chill bowl and beaters in freezer for 15 minutes- or in fridge for an hour), whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into dry ingredients; combine well. It will be sticky.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently until a soft dough forms; about 2 minutes. Form dough into 2 balls. Pat each ball out into a circle. Place each on a cookie sheet, and cut pie-like into 8 wedges. Pull each wedge out a little bit to create about 1-inch space between each wedge.

For the topping:

1. Brush the scones with melted butter. Sprinkle each scone with a bit of granulated or coarse white sugar.
3. Bake until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.
5. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Amanda's Notes
This recipe is my fall back for all scones recipes. I change up the chocolate chips and toffee chips for many different things: white chocolate chips and cranberries, peanut butter chips with chopped peanuts, butterscotch chips, lemon extract and white chocolate chips and lemon zest. You name it it's possible with this recipe!

Best PB Cookies ever!

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until blended and smooth. Add the yolk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until the dough is fluffy and light.. Stir in peanut butter. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture. 
3. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.  
4. Roll dough into 1" sized balls. Place on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cookies no longer look moist on the top. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet a few minutes after removing from the oven so that they will continue cooking while they cool.

Amanda's Notes
These are the best peanut butter cookies ever if you like moist cookies. Every other recipe I've tried for PB cookies turn out crispy and brittle, which is not how I like my cookies. Occasionally,  I take these cookies to work - there's never a cookie left on the plate to take home!

7-up Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bisquick (see recipe below to make your own Bisquick)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup 7-up
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough. 
3. Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. 
4. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. 
5. Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking powder 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 cup all-vegetable shortening 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. 
2. Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut in the shortening until the mixture consists of fine crumbs. Store baking mix in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in a cool, dry place for up to one year. 
3. For maximum freshness, keep it in the freezer and thaw before using.

Cheesy Hashbrowns

Hashbrown Ingredients:

• 1 package shredded hashbrowns
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups ( 8oz) shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups corn flakes, coarsely crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Instructions:

1. Heat over to 350 F. Spray 2 quart glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl combine all hashbrown ingredients. Spread into prepared baking dish.
2. In small bowl stir together topping ingredients. Spread topping evenly over hash browns.
3. Bake 45 minutes or until hashbrowns are tender.

Amanda's Notes:
This was so easy it's not funny. People go gaga over it and it makes for a great Christmas breakfast dish. It came off of the back of the Simply Potatoes brand of shredded hashbrowns, but I know my mother-in-law has this same recipe in a cookbook, too. This is a total keeper of a recipe.