Hi everyone!! I know it has been a long time since my last post, but I will be back to adding more delicious recipes very soon. I hope you will enjoy the ones so far and more to come!!

                                              Double Doozie Cookies with M & M candies

 I love cookies from the Great American Cookie Company. So I used trial and error and finally figured out the trick. These are almost identical. This recipe is for the M and M kind, but any cookie will work. The secret is the filling. Yummy!!

• 2 sticks salted butter, slightly softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup Mini M&M’s, plus an extra 1/2 cup for tops
• Frosting:
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until smooth and combined, about a minute.  Add egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix on medium low until fully combined.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture until completely mixed in.  Using a wooden spoon, fold in chocolate chips and 2/3 cup Mini M&Ms.

3.  Refrigerate dough for at least an hour.

4.  Preheat oven to 350.  Scoop dough with a small cookie scoop onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until edges are just turning golden brown, about ten minutes.  HALFWAY THROUGH BAKING, remove baking sheet from oven and press a few M&Ms into the top of each cookie, if you want a more authentic, colorful look.

5.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a minute, then remove to racks to cool completely.

6.  Make your frosting:  In the bowl of a mixer, combine shortening and powdered sugar on low speed until just combined.  Add water and vanilla extract, and beat on high for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Pipe or spread frosting on the flat side of a cookie and top with another.

Notes:

Makes about 3 dozen Double Doozies

Summer Squash Casserole

   This is a great side dish. Summer squash can also be substituted for butternut squash or zucchini. With summer coming up and gardening just around the corner, a great way to use the veggies.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small onions, chopped
•  2 to 2 1/2 lb. squash cubed
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed (optional)

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 (8 ounce) packagecoarsely shredded mozzarella cheese

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions in the hot oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in squash and garlic; season with salt. Cook squash mixture, stirring occasionally, until squash is slightly tender, about 10 minutes. Add water if mixture gets too dry. Transfer squash mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
3. Lightly whisk eggs in a bowl; stir in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, basil, and black pepper. Pour egg mixture over squash mixture; top with mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender and mozzarella cheese is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

                                            Maple walnut blondies with maple nut sauce

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ounce cream cheese (2 tablespoons), softened
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.In a bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and walnuts. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. 
   In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and brown sugar with a mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until combined. Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread into the 8x8 pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until center passes the toothpick test. I like mine a little on the gooey side. Remember right out of the oven they may seem gooey but once they cool they set up more.
3. 
   Serve warm with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.
4. 
   For the Maple Butter Sauce: In a small bowl add the butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and maple syrup. Blend with a mixer until smooth. I like warming the sauce and pouring over warm brownie and cold vanilla ice cream. Very rich dessert.
5. 
   When ready to serve, heat the maple butter sauce for about 30 seconds in the microwave and pour over warmed blondie and ice cream.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondie Brownie

This is a rich dessert, and if you like the cookies, you will love these brownies.  i like them just slightly warm with a cup of coffee!!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound, plus 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and rough chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1/2 pound of the butter and the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until a smooth batter is formed. While the machine is running, add the eggs and vanilla extract, until incorporated into the batter.

Sift together 3 cups flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until a dough is formed. Very gently, by turning the mixer on and then off, fold the chips and nuts into the dough.

Once the dough is all blended, grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan (I used a 9x13 pan, and still felt they were sufficiently thick) with the remaining butter and dust with the 1 tablespoon of flour. Pour the batter into the pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until set yet still moist.

Blueberry Cream cheese Crumb Cake

     This cake is so good with a hot cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or with anything, even ice cold milk.!!!

Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup coarse granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter cut into pieces

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounce  cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon all purpose flour 

Cake Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup good-quality margarine

1/2 cup soft brown sugar, tightly packed

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla essence

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (or more) blueberry filling

Preheat oven to 150C (original is 180C).

Grease and line the bottom of an 8x8-inch pan with baking paper 

Streusel Topping:

Mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon in one bowl. Cut in the butter using a fork, a  bread knife or the tips of your fingers  until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cover and place mixture in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

Cream Cheese Filling:

Place cream cheese in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar, egg, vanilla and flour and beat until well incorporated. Set aside.

Cake Batter:

Whisk or sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the margarine until smooth and creamy. Add in sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and eat until just combined. 

Assemble:

Spread the cake batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan and up the sides (the mixture is quite thick so this shouldn't be too  difficult). Pour the cream cheese filling on top of the cake batter. Spread or dollop generous spoonfuls of the blueberry filling on top of the cream cheese filling. Scatter the streusel topping on top.

Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes. Test using a toothpick- poke it into the center of the cake. Wait for 5 minutes and pull it out, if it comes out clean it is ready. Remove from oven and let cool.

Serve warm or at room temperature. It's good enough on its own, but you can always have it with  ice cream. 

                                         
                                                      Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole    

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 cups instant rice
• 1 (10.75 ounce) cancondensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) cancondensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/4 cups water
  
  
  1. Cook broccoli and rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and 1 1/4 cups water. Gradually stir in cheese until melted. Be careful that the cheese doesn't burn.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir celery and onion until soft.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, rice, soup and cheese mixture, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly brown.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• 1 (16 ounce) packageprocessed American cheese, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste