Soft Ginger Snaps

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened--but, I like the oil better)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
granulated sugar for coating

In large mixing bowl beat oil, sugar, eggs and molasses together well. Sift dry ingredients and stir into butter mixture until blended. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Form into balls (I think it works better to make them kind of small). roll each ball in granulated sugar and bake on ungreased baking sheet for 6-8 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will be puffy when removed from oven, but wil flatten as they cool. Tops will look cracked. Cool on rack.

{Syd's Notes} I've never been a fan of ginger snaps but then I had these ones! Yummy! So soft and very good. 

{Source} Co-worker of my dad's?

{Picture} Said co-worker's blog?

Rice Pudding

3 1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1 cinnamon stick 

1/2 c. medium grain rice {not instant}

Bring first three ingredients to a boil, turn down heat and add rice. Put lid on pan and simmer for about 40 minutes.

In separate bowl, mix

2 egg yolks

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together and after 40 minutes, add to milk mixture.

Increase heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn off heat and allow to cool.

{syd's notes} I'm a huge fan of rice pudding and this is by far the best recipe I've ever had!

{source} Laura N.

Oreo Cheesecake Balls

Crush one package of oreo cookies. Mix with an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, and some vanilla extract. (I just added some, I didn't measure.) Mix in your mixer and it should be quite thick, and there wont be any white from the cream cheese, then roll into balls and put on wax paper. Stick them in the fridge for about an hour, just so they will stay in form. Next dip in dipping chocolate or almond bark. Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

1 C sugar
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C butter, softened
4 eggs
4 (1-ounce) squares baking chocolate
2 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Cream together sugars and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well blended; set aside. In a small bowl, microwave baking chocolate for 1 minute. Stir and continue to heat at 10- second intervals just until melted. Add melted chocolate to the sugar and butter mixture. Add vanilla. In a separate bow, stir together flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Spread batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 325 for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes with a few fudgy crumbs. When brownies are cool, frost with Mint Frosting and refrigerate for an hour. Drizzle chocolate glaze over frosting before serving.

Mint Frosting
1/2 C butter, softened
1/4 C milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
5 drops green food coloring
4 cups powdered sugar
Mix butter, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring together. Add powdered sugar and mix well.

Chocolate Glaze
3 T butter
1/2 C chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
Microwave butter and chocolate cips together on high power for one minutes. Add vanilla and stir. Randomly drizze glaze over frosted brownies.

{syd's notes} The best brownie recipe out there! Seriously. Throw your other recipes away, you won't want to make another one after you try this one. The frosting is always perfect. Delicious!

Homemade Ice Cream

6 oz. Hershey's Syrup

4 c. whole milk

1 c. whipping cream

1/2 pkg oreos crushed

1/2 pkg instant vanilla pudding

1/2 pkg instant chocolate pudding

1 pint half and half

1 can sweet and condensed milk

Mix all the ingredients in the ice cream maker. Add the oreos in last so they will be crunchy.

{syd's notes}- Can I just say delicious! By looking at the ingredients how could it be anything but? I used a "fat free" can of sweetened condensed milk and I think next time I'll try the sugar free pudding mixes just to cut a few calories out. We stirred in some crushed MINT oreos right before serving and it was divine.
{source} Sarah B.
{picture} Jen C.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Cookie

1 box Devils Food Cake Mix

3/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

Mix well and roll into balls and bake for 8 minutes at 350. Let cool completely before trying to add frosting or else the frosting will just melt out!

Frosting

1 8oz cream cheese softened

1 stick butter softened

3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Food coloring (optional of course)

Mix cream cheese and butter together. Add in powdered sugar until you get desired consistency.

Match up 2 cookies that are the same size. Add some frosting in the middle. This batch I rolled cookies in sprinkles for a little extra flare.

{syd's notes} the picture shows ones I made around Halloween time. Don't overcook the cookie or they will crumble. I prefer to take them out a little undercooked and leave them on the cookie sheet to finish cooking. Let cool completely or the frosting will just melt out. I usually double the recipe and I'm always glad I did!

Best Ever Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix and then add:
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oatmeal

Pour into jelly roll pan/large cookie sheet and cook 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown in 350 oven.

Let cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting (homemade of course)

{syd's notes} These are the best ever! I love that it makes a huge pan- perfect to share with others and still leaves plenty for us to eat.

{source} my mom who got it from the school lunch lady

Angel Lush with Pineapple

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple in Juice, undrained

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1 prepared round angel food cake (10 oz.)

10 fresh strawberries

MIX dry pudding mix and pineapple in medium bowl. Gently stir in whipped topping.

CUT cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom cake layer on serving plate; top with one-third of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers two times.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with strawberries just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator. {syd's notes} I love angel food cake and this is a great way to change it up a bit. Jared even liked it and he doesn't like pineapple that well. I would double the filling next time I make it. {picture} www.jello.com

CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIE TORTE:

1 bag mini semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs

FROSTING:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 /3 cup reserved mini choco chips

Preheat oven to 350. line 15x10x1-inch pan with waxed paper or foil; spray with cooking spray. Reserve 1 cup of the chocolate chips for frosting and garnish. Melt butter and remaining 1 cup chocolate chips in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla, salt and eggs. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 18 to 23 min. Cool 10 minutes; turn upside down onto wire rack. Carefully remove waxed paper. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour. Make frosting. cut cake crosswise into 4 10x3 3/4-inch pieces. Trim off stiff edges of cake if necessary. Place 1 piece on serving plate; spread about 3/4 cup frosting over top. Repeat 2 times. Top with remaining cake piece. Frost sides and top with remaining frosting. garnish with reserved 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator. Frosting directions: Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Stir in chocolate chips.

{syd's notes} I made this for book club and it was a huge success! Super easy and very delicious.

{source and picture} Steph. P.

Caramel Bars

3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 bag of caramels
3 TBSP. butter
3 TBSP. cream
1 cup (or however much you like) chocolate chips

Combine the butter, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and baking soda and mix well. Put 3/4 of the mixture in a 9x13 pan, pressing evenly over the bottom of pan. bake for 10 minutes at 350. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the caramels, butter and cream and heat, stirring, until caramels are melted. Pour the caramel mixture over the crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Top with remaining butter-oatmeal mixture. Bake 15 minutes more. Cool and cut into bars.
**Secret to making these REALLY good. Always use Kraft caramels, and DOUBLE the crust recipe.

{syd's notes} I've had these requested, they are THAT good! I prefer them chilled and a day old.

{source and picture} Steph. P.