Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Cookie:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Big marshmallows, cut in half

Frosting:

1 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons margarine

1/2 cup water

4 tablespoons cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

Cookie:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa.  Cream together remaining ingredients except marshmallows.  Add dry ingredients, mixing well.  Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and press half a marshmallow, cut side down on each cookie.  Return to oven 2 minutes more to partially melt marshmallows.  Cool on pan 2 minutes then remove to cooling rack.  When cookies are cooled, frost.

Frosting: 

Put brown sugar, margarine, water and cocoa in pan and bring to boil.  Remove from heat and cool.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Spread on marshmallow and cookie.

If there is left over frosting, I put it on graham crackers.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Cobbler

This is what happens when I have an extra zucchini just chillin' on the kitchen counter.

One of my co-workers brought this into work and I just had to have the recipe! 
Everyone that takes a bit will think it was made with apples.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zucchini-Cobbler-2/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf
I've made a few changes from allrecipes.com.

Saucepan Ingredients:
8 cups peeled, chopped zucchini (I didn't chop it.  I cut off thin slices to resemble apples for apple crisp.)
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups butter, chilled
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Saucepan Ingredients: In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir zucchini and lemon juice until zucchini is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook one more minute.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease 9x13 dish.

Topping: In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir 1/2 cup of topping into saucepan ingredients.  Add cinnamon to remaining topping.  Press half of remaining topping into bottom of dish.  Spread zucchini mixture over top of crust.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden.  Serve warm or cold.

I felt like the end product was to deep.  Next time I'm going to either cut the recipe in half and still use the 9x13 dish or make a full batch and split it between two 9x13 dishes.

Double Frosted Brownies

This recipe came from http://www.tasteofhome.com/.  It is a very rich dessert.

1 package fudge brownie mix (13x9 inch pan size)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate fudge frosting

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.  (I bought a Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix.  It called for 2 eggs for fudge like brownies or 3 eggs for regular brownies.  Since the Double Frosted Brownies called for fudge frosting, I choose to use 2 eggs for more fudge-ness.)  Spread the batter into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and pudding mix until blended.  Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency.  Frost brownies.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Spread with fudge frosting.  Cut into bars.  Store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Pecan Sandies

This recipe turned out more difficult than it sounds.  I would suggest trying this when you have lots of patients and time!

1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

In food processor, finely chop the pecans. (I bought pecans already chopped so there was no need for a food processor.)  Cream softened butter, confectioners' sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy or about 3 mins.  Add egg yolk and beat until smooth.  Gradually stir in flour and salt until just incorporated.  Then add chopped pecans.  Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  (When I got to this point the dough was way to dry and would not stick together at all so I added more butter until it would stick together.)  Roll each portion into a log about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Wrap each log individually in a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight (I think I refrigerated it only for 1 hour and it came out fine).  When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Slice dough into 1/3 inch thick rounds and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.  HINT (this hint was in the original recipe): rotating the log of dough often to prevent it from becoming flattened as you cut.  Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are light golden but the top is still soft.  Leave cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bars:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 mashed bananas
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, optional
Cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, mixing well. Stir in bananas. Dissolve soda in sour cream. Add flour, salt and cinnamon to batter alternately with sour cream mixture until well blended. Pour into greased 10x15 baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
6 oz. cream cheese (I use 8 oz. because I can't find a 6 oz. cream cheese)
4 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tbsp. milk or cream (I use milk)
2 cups powdered sugar (I use 2 1/2 to 3 cups because I like thicker frosting)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients together with electric mixer.  A mixer will give you a fluffier frosting than mixing by hand.  Spread over cool bars.

Peanut Butter Fudge

My mom used to get a little peanut butter fudge when she went to craft shows.  She no longer goes to craft shows so I decided to find a peanut butter fudge recipe and make it for her.

1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar and milk.  Bring to boil and boil for two minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.  Pour over powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth; pour into a 8x8 inch dish.  Chill until firm and cut into squares.