Polka Dot Cookies

(Chocolate cookies with green chips as polka dots)

2 cups (12 oz) Semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups (12 oz) Mint chips

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees
* In top of double boiler over low heat, melt semisweet chips and butter, stirring constantly until smooth. (OR microwave semisweet chips and butter in a small microproof bowl at medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute initially, then at 30 second intervals until smooth) Set aside to cool.
* In small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
* In large bowl beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light. Blend in melted chocolate, then dry ingredients. Stir in green mint chips and chill for 10-15 minutes or until stiff. Drop by well rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes; cookies will be soft in centers but will harden as they cool.

Easy Cake Truffles

What you will need: 1 Box of Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, Ingredients to prepare Cake Mix (eggs, oil, etc.), 1 can of Chocolate Fudge Frosting, 2 bags of semi-sweet Chocolate Chips. What you will do: Prepare cake mix, and bake as directed. After cake has cooled, crumble entire cake into bowl. Add entire can of frosting, and mix well. Place mixture in refrigerator until firm (may take a few hours). Once mixture has firmed up and cooled, use melon baller or a spoon (then roll with hands) to scoop out balls. Melt Chocolate Chips in separate bowl in the microwave. Dip cake balls into melted chocolate, then set on waxed paper to dry. While still wet, sprinkle with coconut, sprinkles, etc. Once they are dry, they are done-enjoy!! *Can use different kinds of cake mixes and frostings. Great activity for the entire family!

Trifle Dessert

This dessert is really yummy and looks beautiful in this trifle bowl:



Make 2 boxes of chocolate pudding and let set in fridge for about 15 minutes; meanwhile, crush graham crackers and get 1 large bowl of whipped topping out to thaw.

Layer graham cracker crumbs in bottom of bowl then spoon in layer of pudding; top with whip topping and repeat. Make layers as thin/thick as desired.

I mixed Reeses Peanut Butter Cup chunks into the top pudding layer then topped the bowl off with that and graham cracker crumbs for extra yummyness.

Belgian Waffles

(Some of the amounts are strange, because I split the original recipe in thirds)

2 cups white flour
2/3 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. sugar
2 1/3 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 stick of margarine or butter (melted prior to addition)
OPTIONAL: vanilla extract

Cinnamon Rolls

2 T. dry yeast
(dissolve in warm water with 1 tsp. SUGAR)
1/2 C. warm water
1 C. hot milk
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs (beaten well)
1/2 C. margarine (melted)
4-5 C. flour

* Mix milk, sugar, salt, eggs, margarine, water.
* Stir in flour until dough is easy to handle.
* Place in bowl to let rise until double in size.
* Shape into rolls and let rise 30 minutes.
* Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

* I like to sprinkle brown sugar on the dough, along with the cinnamon and sugar, before rolling up. I also like to put the frosting on the cinnamon rolls as soon as I take them out of the oven; it makes the frosting spread nicely and keeps the rolls from drying out as quickly. Yum, yum!

Yummy tip for quick breads

When making quick breads (like banana bread and zucchini bread), sprinkle your pan with cinnamon and sugar after spraying!

Zucchini Bread

3 beaten eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 t. cinnamon
3 c. grated zucchini
3 t. vanilla
1/2 c. nuts (chopped)

* Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil and sugar. Beat altogether until foamy. Mix and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add last the zucchini, vanilla, and nuts.
* Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.
* Yield: 2 loaves