Wednesday, September 7, 2011

"What's in the cookie jar??" Wednesday


Milk's Favorite Cookie! :-)


It's that time of year again!
 Time to keep the cookie jar filled.

Filled with sweet treats 
for after school snacks and school lunch boxes.


 I'd like to get some more cookies in my repertoire this fall.
Maybe try out a new cookie recipe every other week or so?


My first endeavorer -


Very yummy!
The filling tastes JUST like the filling in a real Oreo Cookie. :-)


The recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen.


Don't these look like they are just begging
to be dunked in a glass of cold milk?? :-)


Homemade Oreos
makes 30 cookies

for cookies -
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 large egg

for filling-
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add butter and mix until combined. Add egg and mix until dough forms. Form dough into small balls, place on parchment lined cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingers.  Bake at 375 for 9 minutes.  Let cool 3 minutes on cookie sheets and then remove to racks to cool completely.

Combine butter and shortening in mixer until creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla until combined.  Turn mixer to high and continue to beat 2 or 3 until fluffy.  Fill a freezer baggie with filling and snip off the end.  Pipe the filling onto half the cookies.  Place the other cookies on top and press lightly.  Pour some milk and enjoy!


:::Crazy Cooking Challenge:::


A few weeks ago Tina, from Moms Crazy Cooking Blog,
contacted me and asked if I would like to participate in the very first ever

Photobucket

I thought it sounded like fun,
and I agreed to join in.

The details were as follows -
to be part of the challenge, each month the participants are to 
(1) find a "new to them" recipe in blog land, 
not a recipe from a famous person or website, just a regular 'ol blogger ;-)
(2) prepare it, and 
(3) blog about it.
 Then Tina links up all of the recipes together,
every one (the participants and all of the participants readers) vote for their favorite, 
and a winner is declared.

The recipes for September are all to be macaroni and cheese recipes! Yum!


As I started to explore blog land for a new mac and cheese recipe to try,
I immediately thought of one of my favorite cooking blogs,
so I checked to see if she had a good looking mac and cheese recipe.
Sure enough, she had one that looked delicious and I decided to try it for the challenge.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
7 servings

2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 1/4 cups cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers

Cook macaroni until al dente and drain.  Place cream cheese in microwave for 30 seconds; set aside.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and seasonings until smooth.  Add milk and continue whisking.  Add broth and continue to whisk until sauce thickens.  Add 2 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and the warm cream cheese.  Stir until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.  Add the macaroni to the sauce and pour into a 9X9 inch baking pan.  In a food processor, grind the crackers into crumbs.  Top the macaroni with the remaining cheese and the cracker crumbs.  Bake uncovered at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Enjoy!

was...


w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l!

Very rich and creamy 
and just really de-lish!

I hope you try it out.  
I have made many of Jamie's recipes and they've all been winners. :-)

All of the other participants are linked up below.  I hope you enjoy visiting many of them!  Don't forget to vote for the one you like best!
Thank you Tina for the opportunity to be part of the