SANDRA'S BANANA-OAT-CRAISIN COOKIES

A newly created incredible cookie that's a synch to prepare and is now my husband's favorite.

What a great method in which to use the ever-infamous ripe bananas,

especially when you have a 'banana lover' in house like my hubby is

so we always have a never-ending supply!

Yields: Appx. 4 doz.

Prep: 20 Mins.

Bake: 14 to 16 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Wet:

3/4 cup shortening (I use Crisco), room temp

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 medium-size ripe bananas, fully mashed (1 cup mashed)

1 teaspoon bourbon-vanilla extract (or regular)

Dry (sift):

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Additions:

1-3/4 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup craisins (or raisins), chopped to your desired fineness

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350F. Place aside a baking sheet topped with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together shortening and both sugars; beating until light and airy.  Add the egg, mashed bananas and bourbon-vanilla/regular; mix to combine.

Place a sieve over the mixing bowl; add the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Sift over wet ingredients. Turn on mixer to #3 just until all ingredients are combined (do not over mix).

Add the oatmeal and raisins; turn on mixer just to incorporate.  Scrape bowl using a spatula to ensure all ingredients are fully combined.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let cookie dough rest 15 minutes.

Use a mini-scoop (2-teaspoon measure) to drop cookie dough mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes (turning half way), just until edges began to brown.  Cool cookies 1 minute on lined baking sheet, then completely on a wire rack. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S RASPBERRY-LACED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS

I created this decadent
dessert using fresh raspberries
recently picked in our yard...

Servings: 16 Bars

Prep: 20 Mins.

Bake: 33 to 35 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup vegetable shortening

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

--1/2 cup Fresh Raspberry Puree recipe (This puree is quick and easy to prepare beforehand, and sufficiently cools while preparing the cookie bar recipe)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a glass 9”x13” baking dish, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer at medium speed, beat butter, shortening, granulated surar and brown sugar for 3 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla, and beat for 2 minutes.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.  Reduce speed to low, and gradually add in sifted ingredients one half at a time, until fully incorporate; stop periodically to scrape down sides of bowl.

Using a spoon, fold in semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until fully incorporated.

Evenly spread half of the dough mixture in prepared baking dish.

Drizzle half of the raspberry puree using a teaspoon over first layer of dough.

Evenly spread the remaining half of dough mixture over the raspberry puree layer.

Finally, drizzle remaining raspberry puree over the second dough mixture layer.

Bake for 33 to 35 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch; turning half way through baking to ensure even cooking.

Cool completely, run a knife around the edge, then slice into 16 equal rectangles. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S GLAZED MAPLE RAISIN OATMEAL COOKIE BITES

Heavenly maple cookie bites

that pair nicely with an

ice cold glass of milk...

Yields: (38 Bites)

Prep: 15 Minutes

Bake: 10 to 12 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cookie bites:

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup raisins

¼ cup quality maple syrup

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoon quality maple syrup

1 tablespoon water

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar using a hand mixer until smooth, then beat in egg and vanilla. Using a spoon, stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Fold in oats, raisins, and maple syrup until fully incorporated.

Drop dough in rounded teaspoonfuls 1” apart onto prepared cookie sheets (I use a miniature scoop and drag it up the side of the bowl to ensure uniform bites).

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and centers are set.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, sift, and then whisk 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar with maple syrup and water until a smooth glaze has formed, (adding more or less maple syrup/water for proper consistency).  Spoon glaze into the bottom corner of a ziploc bag, and snip the tip.  Glaze the cooled cookies using a back and forth motion. Let glaze set. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S CHRISTMAS SNICKERDOODLES

Children would love to help 
you make these festive cookies...

Yields: 5 Doz.
Prep: 20 Mins. |
Bake: 10 to 12 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine-grain kosher salt

--Red, green, and yellow decorating sugar; each mixed with a pinch of cinnamon

METHOD:

Mix each of the three colored sugars into separate, small bowls; add cinnamon, and toss to combine. Set aside. (Or, 1/2 cup granulated white sugar with 3 tsp ground cinnamon.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat liner.

With a hand mixer, blend together the butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and mix to incorporate. Sift into another medium bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, until incorporated.

Roll the dough into 1” balls, and alternately coat the outside of each with the different colored cinnamon/sugars (see photograph above); or plain cinnamon sugar.

Place cookies onto a baking sheet spaced 1” apart, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes; remove to a cooling rack, and repeat until dough is gone. Store in an airtight container. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S TENDER GINGERSNAP COOKIES

These are great to make ice cream sandwiches with – children love helping, 
including just eating them by dipping these Gingersnaps 
in an ice cold glass of milk...

Yields: (3 doz.)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Chill Dough: 1/2 hr. |
Bake: 10 to 12 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
--1/2 cup granulated sugar, mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for rolling cookies in)

METHOD

In a medium bowl, with a hand mixer beat together the melted butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Add molasses and vanilla, and beat to combine. Sift through a sieve into the bowl the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and allspice; blend with a wooden spoon into the molasses mixture. Place dough, covered with plastic wrap, in the freezer to chill for a 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat liner; set aside.

Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

Remove chilled dough from freezer, and roll into walnut sized balls, and then roll them in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet, and slightly flatten them with a smooth-bottom glass.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until tops are beginning to form cracks. Cool on wire racks. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip: I store my cookies in an airtight container with an unflavored cracker (I use a chunk of pilot bread or a club cracker), which keeps them moist so they don’t dry out and become hard.

SANDRA'S BANANA and MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

These cookies have a softer cake
type of texture and are my absolute
favorite cookie of all time...

Yields: (About 4 Dozen)
Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake: 12 to 14 Mins.
Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp.
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup  granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temp.
1 cup of mashed bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk chocolate chips

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350. Set aside a baking sheet lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, with a hand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, and egg, and mashed bananas, beating just until incorporated. Through a sieve, sift the flour, baking soda, and spices into the bowl with the butter and banana mixture, blending with a spoon just until combined, and then fold in the milk chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoon dollops onto prepared baking sheets about 1” apart. Bake in batches; each for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a couple minutes so they don’t break apart when transferring, and then remove cookies with a spatula to wire rack to cool completely.