Chewy Flapjacks

This is an English recipe- I enjoyed these yummy treats as a kid. The basic ingredients are the butter, golden syrup, sugar, and oats. You can add optional ingredients such as raisins, chocolate chips or other fruits to spice them up a bit. Sometimes, I like to melt a bar of chocolate over these after they are cooked and allow them to cool-they are delicious with chocolate!

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup golden syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 cups oats

Melt together the butter, golden syrup and sugar. Remove from heat and stir in the oats. Add in any optional ingredients but allow to cool if adding chocolate chips so that they don't melt. Spread into a brownie pan and cook at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Wait 5 minutes and cut into slices but don't transfer to cooling racks for about 30 minutes or they will fall apart!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Taken from allrecipes.com

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Lemon and Raspberry Butterfly Cakes

I took the cupcake recipe from allrecipes.com but I wanted to make these into butterfly cakes so made my own lemon buttercream and added raspberry preserves.

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sour cream

Buttercream

• 1/2 cup butter
• Rind and juice of one lemon
• 4-4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  
• 1/2 cup milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the buttercream:- Mix all of the ingredients together until creamy- add more powdered sugar depending on how you want the consistency of the buttercream.

When cooled, using a sharp knife, cut a circle out of each of the cupcakes and slice this circle in half. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into the center of each cake and then top with the buttercream. Position the halves of the cut circle on top of the cake to resemble a butterfly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to make pretty!

Chocolate Cranberry Orange Cookies

This recipe is a combination of my own and Betty Crocker's. I took her recipe and changed the regular cranberries she called for in hers to chocolate covered cranberries.

Cookies
1	cup granulated sugar
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	teaspoon grated orange peel
2	tablespoons orange juice
1	egg
2 1/2	cups all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon salt
2	cups chocolate covered cranberries, chopped
Frosting
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar
1/2	teaspoon grated orange peel
2	to 3 tablespoons orange juice

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2.	In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, 1 teaspoon orange peel, 2 tablespoons orange juice and the egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
3.	Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4.	In small bowl, stir all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Frost cookies.

Chocolate Strawberry Granola Cookies

This recipe is my own creation. I wanted to make some sort of a cookie with chocolate covered strawberries in and saw strawberry granola at the store so invented this recipe!

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup strawberry granola
2 cups oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate covered strawberries, chopped. (You can vary the amount)

1. Cream butter with the sugar. Add egg, honey, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

2. Add granola, oats, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix well and then add the chopped chocolate covered strawberries.

3. Using a cookie scoop, drop onto greased baking sheets (these cookies spread quite a bit so leave plenty of room).

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light brown and the tops are not wet.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

-Makes 10 generous sized muffins!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Honey Lemon Cookies

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

• 7 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• ICING:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Combine honey, yogurt, lemon peel and lemon extract. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with honey mixture.
2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Brush over the warm cookies; sprinkle with lemon peel.

Key Lime White Chocolate Chippers

Taken from www.recipezaar.com

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

• Cream butter, sugar, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl.
• Add the flour, baking powder, salt, lime juice, and lime zest.
• Fold in the white chocolate chips.
• Roll into walnut sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
  

Ultimate Maple Snickerdoodles

Taken from www.allrecipes.com. I actually went ahead and bought real maple sugar for this recipe and I think it tasted great! I couldn't find it in the stores so had to buy it online.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup maple sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup of white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and maple syrup. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just mixed. In a small dish, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar and the maple sugar. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will be crackly on top and look wet in the middle. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Taken from www.allrecipes.com. I didn't use the walnuts when I made these but they were amazing!

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Uncle Mac's Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Taken from www.allrecipes.com. These cookies were absolutely delicious!!

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on the top. Make a small hole in the top of each cookie using the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill the holes with preserves.
3. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes in preheated oven. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

White Chocolate Cherry and Orange Cookies

These cookies managed to get me a place as a top 5 finalist in the Mrs. Fields 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest.

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
Zest and juice of one medium orange
4 oz white chocolate, melted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
14 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy then add eggs one at a time until well blended. Cream in the melted white chocolate, orange zest, and orange juice until mixed well.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and gradually stir into the mixture. Add the chopped white chocolate and cherries.

Put the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up.

Drop by spoonfuls onto well-greased baking sheets and put each sheet in the freezer for approximately 10 minutes before baking at 375 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on sheets for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Shredded Wheat Nests

I grew up eating these delicious nests every easter!

• 16oz chocolate (I prefer to use Cadbury's)
• 4 tbsp honey
• 6 shredded wheat bars
• Cadbury Mini Eggs

Melt together the chocolate and honey. Crush up the shredded wheat and stir it into the chocolate mixture. Drop spoonfuls into cupcake papers and fashion into a nest shape. Drop in 3 mini eggs to resemble a bird's nest. Enjoy!