Simple Cream Cheese Cookies

Recipe from my SL friend, Kimbo:

1 Cake mix- any kind you like
1 Egg
1 Stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 Block of cream cheese (8 oz)

Mix it all up, drop and bake at 350 until done to your preference. I do mine about the size of a ping-pong ball. Soooooo yummy and easy!

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Sausage, egg and cheese casserole
(from my sweet cyber-pal & fellow homeschooler, Kelly)

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12 eggs
12 slices bread
2 3/4 c. milk
12-16 ozs. cheddar cheese
1 lb. bulk pork breakfast sausage (I use Bob Evans sage)
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. sage

Brown sausage and set aside. Oh, sometimes I put chopped onion in with it.

Cube bread and put into a bowl.

In another bowl mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper, mustard and sage. Add 3/4 of the cheese. Pour over eggs. Mix in sausage.

Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover and refrigerate over night.

Remove from refrigerater 30 min. before baking so pan isn't so cold (I use a stone, so I always make sure not to forget this step).

Bake at 350*, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes until eggs are set.

YIELD: 12 servings

Farm-style Oatmeal Cookies

These are, bar none, my favorite cookies, and the dough, bar none, is my favorite cookie dough to eat raw! Try it and you'll see why.

Ingredients:
2 cups packed brown sugar (living where we do, I can't get brown sugar, so I substitute with 2 cups regular sugar and 2-3 Tbsp of molasses)
1 cup lard or shortening
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose* or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt


* If using self-rising flour, omit baking soda & salt.

• Heat oven to 375 F (approx. 190 C).
  
• Mix brown sugar, lard/shortening, buttermilk, and vanilla.
  
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
  
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
  
• Place about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper).
  
• Flatten with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in water.
• Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
  
• Immediately remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a rack.
  

MAKES ABOUT 7 DOZEN cookies, which will all be promptly eaten. :)

Thanks to Betty Crocker for the recipe- these are totally yummy!

Something Festive to Try: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts (optional)

Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

(From an online friend, Kristen)

[Editor's Note: After my first trial run with this recipe, 12/1/07-- These puff up, kind of like little muffiny cookies... They are soft and moist and everyone loved them! I may try to put them into muffin cups next time just to see how it turns out that way... but they're delicious as cookies too! :) ]

Oatmeal Bread

(from More with Less) ~via Shannon B. (thanks!)

Makes 2 loaves
Bake at 350 F
30-40 minutes

Combine in a large bowl:
1 c. quick oats
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T salt
2 T butter/margarine

Pour over:
2 c. boiling water

Stir in to combine.

Dissolve:
1 pkg dry yeast (or 1 T) in
1/2 c. warm water

When batter is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast.

Stir in:
5 c. white flour

When dough is stiff enough to handle, turn onto floured board and knead 5-10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down and let rise again. Shape into 2 loaves and place in greased 9x5x3 pans. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes. Cool on rack, brushing loaves with margarine for a soft crust.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins

Thanks to Girl Talk for this recipe - I'm off to make it now!

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar (I used 3/4 cup sugar, but we like ours sweet.)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners.
Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Beat in egg, cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into cream cheese mixture until flour is moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups filling them 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, about 20 minutes.

Gooey Bar

Last night I ate one of the best desserts I've ever had... called, simply, "The Gooey Bar". Here's the recipe:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter -melted
1 egg

Mix these ingredients and spread into pan, pressing into corners. Then combine the following in a separate bowl:

1 pkg cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 box (2 cups) powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Mix these ingredients, spreading over bottom layer. Bake 30-40 minutes @ 350 degrees. (Top will be soft set.) Trust me, this is delicious!