Old-Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies and Frosting

 

My best friend growing up ERIN and her MOM would make these all the time.  I always got to help eat and make the cookies and I love them!  These cookies are very soft and freeze really well also. 

 

Old-Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sour cream

4 1/2 c. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream, and cream well.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add creamed mixture and blend well.  Chill for 1 hour.

Roll our on lightly floured surface, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut as desired.  Baked on greased cookie sheet at 350 for 8 to 9 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Bake until LIGHT golden brown-no more than 10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk OR LESS
food coloring (if desired)
For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time (YOU DO NOT WANT TO MUCH, I usually just add 3 TBSP) and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk!

Vanilla Pudding

I tried this recipe from Sisterscafe and it was excellent! I loved every bite of it and it is nice served warm, warm the soul!

Submitted by Erin ~ www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com

1/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 T. margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat; stir in margarine and vanilla. Pour into dessert dishes. Cool slightly and serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 4 servings.

Yummy and Easy Brownies

These seriously are the perfect brownies in my opinion. They are fudgy and delicious so easy to make. You only use one bowl and a wooden spoon! We had these twice this weekend. cream again instead. He actually made them himself and his teacher told him that it was her favorite dessert:) He was thrilled!

Perfect One Bowl Brownies

submitted by Melanie from Sisters Cafe

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

4 eggs

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips (although I never measure--I just sprinkle them on top)

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl melt butter in microwave, then stir in oil, sugar and cocoa. With a wooden spoon stir in the remainder of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Spread into a 9x13 pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. If your toothpick comes out clean you have cooked them too long! DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Glazed Poppy seed Bundt Cake

I have a serious obsession with desserts and this is one of my FAVORITES and it is super easy. This cake is moist and light and the buttery glaze is delicious without being too heavy. My husband LOVES this cake and can eat half of the cake!

1 yellow cake mix

1 (5.1 oz) Large box of instant vanilla pudding

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 cup pineapple or orange juice (I use pineapple)

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

Mix yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and poppy seeds. Add juice, oil, and sour cream and mix. Add 4 eggs one at a time, mix well. Grease I use cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (don't over bake).When the cake is about 10 minutes from being done start the glaze

Glaze:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Bring ingredients to a boil and keep bubbling until ready to pour over cake. Then pour the glaze overtop of cake, Give it a few minutes to soak in and then turn it out onto a cake plate. Optional: dust top of cake with powdered sugar.

Nutter Butters

These are fun to make for any holiday!

1 package Nutter Butter Cookies
1 14oz bags of white chocolate candy coating
1/4 cup red candy coating
Blue colored sugar (instructions below)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
To melt the candy coating, empty contents of the bag into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals stirring between until the chocolate is melted consistently. Place the Nutter Butters into the coating, covering them completely. Use a fork to "fish" the cookies from the coating shaking the fork back and forth lightly to remove any extra. Place the cookies on the parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with blue colored sugar. Cool completely until coating hardens.
Melt red candy coating using the same method as above. Transfer to a plastic bag. Using scissors, cut the very tip off the sandwich bag. The smaller your cut, the smalled the drizzle. Use the sandwich bag to pipe the red coating back and forth over the cookie until you reach the desired look. When the drizzle has hardened (you can put them in the freezer to speed up the process) brake off any extra chocolate with your fingers.
Colored Sugar

Blue Colored Sugar:

This is so simple. All you have to do is put some sugar (1/4 cup) into a sandwich bag. For good measure it is best to double bag the sugar. Then place some food coloring into the bag w/ the sugar and squish it around and shake it until the color is blended with the sugar. Add more food coloring until you reach the desired color.

Banana Cake

This is my husband’s favorite desert and it seems every time I get bananas there are a few that do not get eatin’ so here it is..A great recipe to use with those bananas that are left over!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 1/8 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Caramel Popcorn

My Husbands Mom and my sister in law make this occasionally and we love to eat it! It is sticky and yummy, and fun for ANY party

1 can sweet condensed milk

1 cube of butter

1 ½ cups of brown sugar

1 cup karo syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Cook until kind of hangs together, but not quite the soft ball stage (put in really cold water to see if ball forms) usually 6-7 minutes of boiling. Pour into popped popcorn and mix well.

Add tsp. vanilla after it has cooked

Add tsp. vanilla after it has cooked

Makes around 6 quarts or big Tupperware

No Bake Cookies

 

Yummy dessert and one of my favorite recipes, and it is quick under 5 minutes to fix!

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Sugar
• 8 tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1/2 cup Peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1/2 cup Nuts, if desired chopped
• 1/2 cup Coconut, if desired
• 3 cups Quick Oats

Preparation

In large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk and cocoa. Heat, stirring frequently until boiling. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat and cool 1 minute. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla & salt and mix well. Add oatmeal (and nuts/coconut if desired). Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool until it hardens.

Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. They are so soft, chewy and DELICIOUS!

3 1/2 cubes real butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. brown sugar packed
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla
6 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bag small chocolate chips (1 lb.)
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips. Scoop with small ice cream scoop. Bake at 325 for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake!

Nothing Bundt’ Cake

 

This is our own version of Nothing Bundt’ Cake. I love that place, they have the best moist cakes. In the middle I put some decorations like a flower or something, sorry I will take a picture next time I make it with decoration!

Love, this recipe

Chocolate batter
1 chocolate cake mix (darker chocolate version preferred)
1 small package chocolate fudge instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 t vanilla
Combine all ingredients. This makes a rich, delicious and thick brownie like batter.
Grease and flour a standard size bundt pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. In my convection I started checking at 40 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/8 cup vegetable shortening (this helps the frosting to harden)
1 t vanilla
1 tsp salt
3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
Blend on high until you get the desired consistency. You want it thick. To frost, spoon frosting into a gallon freezer bag. Snip off the corner (start small and test it until you get the desired thickness). Frost cake in back and forth zig-zag pattern. Last but not least, add a silk flower.
**Note: I thought this cake was especially good served COLD. Place in refrigerator for a couple hours before serving. It is extra moist and the cream cheese frosting is to die for!