Cowboy Cookies

Hey friends!

Sorry for the long hiatus! I have been so busy with the start of school that I haven't had time to blog! I'm back now, and to make amends, I've got a gem of a cookie for you! I found this recipe in my Texas Blossoms cookbook from the Richardson Woman's Club.

This cookie is truly to die for! They are the perfect blend of a chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie. The are chewy, delicious, and I cannot stop eating them!

Enjoy and Yee-Haw! :)


Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups angel flake coconut
2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla extract. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Stir in flour mixture until just mixed. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans. For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 17 to 20 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Remove to rack to cool.

Yields 3-4 dozen large cookies

**My oven cooks hot, so I only baked mine for 14 minutes and it was plenty!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Hey friends!

This pizza is my take on a California Pizza Kitchen classic. It's great for a night in with your honey!

Here's what you need:



Ingredients:

1 can of pizza dough (I use Pillsbury)
1/4 cup ranch dressing
2 cups shredded chicken mixed with BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack, but you can use whatever you have on hand)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon (optional)


First, roll out the pizza dough on a greased baking sheet.


Mix 2 cups shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken) with BBQ sauce to your liking (I like a lot).


Spread ranch dressing over the dough.


Top with the chicken mixture (and cilantro and bacon, if desired).


Finally, top with the cheese of your choice.

Bake for 13-17 minutes at 400 degrees F (check the dough you're using to make sure you cook it at the right temp for the right time).


Voila! Serve and enjoy! :)

Polka-Dot Cookies

**Warning: These cookies are highly addictive!!**

Hey friends!

Today was my last official day of summer vacation. :( But I'm actually pretty excited to be starting back to school again! I'm teaching first grade this year, and absolutely love my team, my administrators, and my school as a whole, so I couldn't be happier! And, what do I do when I'm happy, I BAKE!

Actually, we each have to bring 2 dozen cookies to school with us tomorrow afternoon, so I decided to make some of these delicious morsels. I'm just going to go ahead and warn you that these cookies are FABULOUS! So fabulous in fact, that I usually only make them once or twice a year, so I don't gain 100 pounds. So far today, I have found 3 different opportunities to justify eating one...but I figure, if it makes me happy, it's good for me! :) Right?!?

So, here's what you need:



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter (or margarine)
1 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups candy-coated chocolate candies (M&M's)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars. Mix in shortening, vanilla, and eggs. Stir together flour, soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mixing well. Stir in candies.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoon-fulls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I use parchment paper to line mine). Bake for 12-16 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.


Before putting the cookies in the oven, I pressed a few extra M&M's into the top to make them look nice.

**I used more M&M's than the recipe calls for in the batter...because who doesn't love chocolate candies?!?


Fresh out of the oven...yum! :)

Summer Lemonade Cookies

Hey friends!

This week, I was in the mood for something sour, but sweet. These cookies definitely hit the spot! They are soft and moist, and reminded me of a lemon cake! Enjoy!



Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine; softened
1 cup sugar, plus sugar for sprinkling cookies
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, divided

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Combine flour and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with 1/3 cup of lemonade concentrate. Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Brush with remaining lemonade concentrate; sprinkle with sugar. Cool. Makes 6 dozen.

**I used more lemonade concentrate in the batter than the recipe calls for (about 1 1/2 cups total). This is what made my cookies so moist! The cooking time did not change, but keep an eye on them if you do add more, just to be safe!