Gramma Clara's Real Butter Butter Cookies and Jello frosting

I haven't blogged in forever. I miss it, I have promised myself to take the time to get back to it. I made these yummy cookies for our tailgate last night and had to share. These are the yummiest cut out cookies ever. They melt in your mouth and are perfect for every holiday and occasion. We make them every Christmas. You can decorate with sprinkles or add a frosting if you wish. Clara wasn't my Grandma, just a dear family friend that became a Grandma to me. Don't you just love friends like that!?

 

Gramma Clara's Real Butter Butter Cookies

1 cup  butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1) Cream butter & add sugar slowly. Mix until light and fluffy.
2) Add egg and vanilla, then add sifted dry ingredient. I don't every time and they still turn out      delicious.
3) Allow to chill for about an hour. Then roll out to about 1/8" thick and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.
    Add sprinkles now if you don't want to frost them later
4) Bake at 350* for 7 minutes (or until set but not browned)
5) Allow to cool and frost.

Butter frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 pound of powdered sugar

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-4 tablespoons milk

 

1)Cream butter.

2)Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with vanilla and milk. Add as much milk as you need to get the right consistency.

3)Tint in little bowls with food coloring and get frosting!

Jello Frosting

Mix one tub of store bought frosting with one small package of jello. Easy Peasy.

The favor is fabulous and color is perfect.

S'mores Squares

All the flavor of a s'more in a portable mess free square.

S'mores Squares

1/4 c. butter
1 pkg. Marshmallows
1 box Cocoa Puffs (you could use Cocoa Krispies)
1 package Graham crackers (about 8)

In a zip lock bag crush Graham crackers in to bite sized chunks.
Melt butter in large sauce pan, add mashmallows stirring frequently.
When marshmallows are melted add cocoa puffs, mixing thoroughly.
Carefully mix in graham crackers.
Transfer to a greased  9x13 casserole pan.
Allow to set a few minutes and cut in to squares.

Enjoy! ~Shelby

Chewy and Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies apparently came from the back of the Crisco container at one time. All I know is they are  delicious and addicting!

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies


1/2 butter flavored shortening (I love the Crisco sticks!)
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
small bowl of white sugar for rolling.

Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat in the egg.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Mix until blended.

Roll into heaping teaspoon sized balls (I use a cookie scoop) then roll in white sugar. place on baking sheet 2 inches or so apart. Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with a fork.

Bake 10 minutes or until just set and slightly brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Move to racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Ice cream in a bag

As the weather gets warmer we love to make Ice cream in a bag.

 Fast, fun and yummy.

Here's the line up.... EASY PEASY....

ICE CREAM IN A BAG

·         1/2 cup milk

·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

·         6 tablespoons rock salt

Put milk, vanilla and sugar into a pint or quart-sized freezer bag. Seal well.

Fill a large, gallon-sized freezer bag with ice. Add the rock salt. 

Put the smaller bag into the larger bag and seal.

Shake, shake, shake and mix until the ice cream thickens, about 10 minutes. You can also let the kids gently throw the bag back and forth to help mix the ice cream. The bag gets very cold, so you might want to use towels to hold it. Remove smaller bag and rinse off salt. Cut the end off of the small bag and squeeze into a bowl. Add toppings like sprinkles if you wish. Enjoy!!! 


*this is definitely "soft serve" ice cream and it does melt rather quickly... almost didn't make it through the photo! You can serve it in a cup for kids so they can drink the end.

** My kids like to add food coloring! ;)

Makes 1 serving.

 Send the kids, and the dog ;) outside to run around the house a few times while they shake their bags. 

                     

Special K Cookies

I'm sure these came from the back of the Kelloggs box at some point in time, but here is how I got the recipe....

In our old house I had the most wonderful neighbor across the street. Teresa and I had kids the same age and was a SAHM also. We would sit on her front steps day after day and watch the kids play. I miss those days. While we sat we would swap recipes. Her mother is this adorable, tough as nails yet kind hearted German woman. She came here as a child not speaking any English. She is called Oma by all her grandchildren and by my children as well.

Oma got this recipe from her next door neighbor when Teresa was young. This neighbor happened attend the Methodist Church. So, Oma called them Methodist Cookies. They are called that in my house too. What ever you want to call them, they are delicious! Enjoy!

Special K Cookies AKA: Methodist Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo light syrup
1 cup peanut butter
5 cups Special K cereal
1 package chocolate chips
1 package butterscotch chips

1) In a large pot combine sugar and Karo syrup. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved, 1 minute tops.
2) Add peanut butter and stir until melted
3) Add Special K and mix to coat.
4) Push into greased 9x13 pan
5) Melt in double boiler chocolate and butterscotch chips. This can be done in the microwave if you prefer.
6) Spread over Special K mixture.
7) Let set and cut into bars.


Enjoy!! ~Shelby

Excellent, Easy Brownies

Today is suppose to be a These are the days post where I show pictures of the little moments that happened this week.... but my pictures were so few, had no people in them and were not very exciting. I did make these amazing brownies last night, so I thought we'd have brownies instead!!

These are a gooey, sweet, super yummy, super easy brownie. They are not diet friendly but they are worth the splurge! Plus they are as easy as from a box. Seriously.

Excellent, Easy Brownies
2 sticks margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp cocoa

Mix everything together and pour into a pan of your choice depending on how thick or thin you like your brownies.
Bake at 350* for 30-40  minutes.
allow to cool and cut.
devour with a tall glass of cold milk
or serve warm with ice cream!!
I have also made this into a cake as shown here...

Conner's Blues Clues themed 1st birthday. Awwww. How time FLIES!!

Yes.... I solemnly swear to never cut my hair short again. Enjoy! ~Shelby

Snowy Date Bars

This is a super old recipe of my Grandmother's. They are so quick and easy. If you don't like dates I bet you will still like these. They are sweet, a little spicy and bars are the easiest! They are one of my Dad's and my son's favorite Christmas cookie!

Snowy Date Bars~
2 eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. soft butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1c. chopped nuts (I use walnuts or pecans)
1 1/2 c. chopped dates
powdered sugar for rolling

Beat eggs until foamy.
Add brown sugar, vanilla and butter.
Beat until creamy.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
Add nuts and dates mixing well.
Grease and flour a 9x9 pan.
Pour batter in to pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake tested comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly, cut in to bars and roll in powdered sugar.

Candy Cane Cookies

Friday night after dinner the whole family made candy cane cookies. My Mom and a family friend made these every year when I was growing up and I don't think I could do Christmas with out them. They are buttery, smooth and so beautiful on a cookie plate.

Candy Cane Cookies

1/2  c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
2 1/2  c. flour
1 tsp. salt

for red batch add~
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and red food coloring
for white batch add~
1 tsp. almond extract  and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping~ 1/2 c. crushed candy canes
                1/2 c. granulated sugar

Mix butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour and salt. Place in bowl and cover.

Mix another batch of butter, sugar, egg, peppermint and color red. Add flour and salt. add more red if needed. Place in bowl and cover.

Refrigerate for a few hours.

*Shape as desired.* Bake in 375 degree oven 6-7 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and sprinkle with candy cane mixture.

*I totally let go of all my cookie control  this year. These cookies are to be rolled into ropes and twisted together to make candy canes. This is how it has been done since I was a little girl.  Our cookies turned out adorable, festive and delicious. I learned the "right" way.... isn't perfect... but imperfect is.

Maddie made one like this using a spatula...

Which made me think of this using a glass cut bowl...

I love it, and might just make them like this from now on. way easier than canes and they don't break as easily.

 We have such a cute variety of cookies!

Enjoy!~S