Homemade Thin Mint Cookies

These get rave reviews. They are not exactly like the Girl Scout variety but  they are excellent! I made them good sized but you could make them smaller, Enjoy

3/4 Cup butter, room temperature
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp peppermint extract, or essential oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy and light in color.  Beat in the egg, vanilla, and peppermint on high speed.  Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl.  Whisk in the baking powder and salt until combined.  On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts.  Roll each portion it onto a piece of parchment to about 1/4” thickness.  Stack the pieces, with the parchment in between onto a baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Chilling is mandatory.  Chill up to 2 days - covered with plastic wrap.
Once chilled preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Remove one of the dough sheets from fridge and use a 2” round cutter, cut in circles.  Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet.  Re-roll remaining dough and continue until all dough is used.
Bake for 7-8 minutes.  The cookies will appear soft. Make sure you rotate the cookie sheet halfway through bake time.  Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.

Chop your chocolate.  Put in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Your chocolate will not be melted . Now place this bowl into a larger bowl with warm water being careful not to get even a drop of water in the chocolate..  Stir this until the chocolate is completely melted this will take some time because the chocolate cannot get hot.
When the chocolate is melted stir in your peppermint  a drop or two at a time.  It should taste slightly less minty than you want it to be
Drop a cookie into the melted chocolate and make sure all of it gets covered.  Use a fork to take the
cookie out.  Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to help extra chocolate drip off.  I also slightly scrape the top so the chocolate is not too thick.  Place the cookie on a piece of parchment paper until set.  Let these set overnight so the flavor scan blend and you will have a marvelous cookie the next day.  These store well in the fridge or freezer if they last that long!

Chewey Oatmeal Cookies

These are perfect crispy yet soft in the middle oatmeal cookies.  They are easy andeveryone loves them.

1 Cup butter, softened
1Cup white sugar
1 Cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons maple flavoring

2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats ( I use regular and wizz them in the blender or processor until they are not whole)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
Optional:  chocolate chips, chopped pecans etc.

   Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, maple and beat well.
  In a seperate bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Gradually add to creamed mixture andmix well.  Add the raisins and drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper.

   Bakeat 350 for 9-10 minutes untiledges are lightly brown.  Cool on pan for 1 minute before moving.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Caramel Apple Pie

This pie is a little more work but WOW.  It tastes like a caramel apple on a stick but creamy and more.....well everything.  I love this recipe.

pie crust dough for 1 double crust pie.

6 cups pealed, sliced apples (I prefer Granny Smith)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup regular white sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juicee
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons heavy cream (or 3Tbl milk & 1 Tbl butter)
4 Tablespoons butter
Peel and slice apples.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Add all other ingredients to a skillet heat slowly and mix until combined nicely.  Add apples and and cook for approximately 8 minutes give or take until apples soften just a little.  Put this mixture in bottom crust.  Add top crust  andBake at 450 for 15 minutes - turn oven down to 350 andbake for an additional 45 minutes.  When done let set for 15 minutes before cutting to allow filling to set.

Alternate topping:  Streusel topping
1/2 cup allpurpose flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 toffee bars
Combine flour and sugar.  Mix in butter until coarse crumbs.  Stir in the crushed toffee bars.  Sprinkle over pie  Add top crust. Brush with eaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

My Darling Sydnee (granddaughter) makes these all the time and sometimes Jace (grandson) leaves her one

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4Tbl cocoa
3 1/2 c Auick cooking Oats
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

Put first 4 ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Boil 1 minute.  Stir in Peanut butter and other ingredients.
Drop by spoonfulls on waxed/parchment paper - Cool until set

Caramel Apple Pie

My husband who loves all things Pie says this is the best pie he has ever eaten.  Worth the effort for reviews like that from him

4 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
egg wash (beaten egg and 2 Tablespoons milk)

In a frying or saute pan melt butter, add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt. Add apples and cornstarch cook until apples are starting to get tender and sugar and  juice from apples begins to thicken.

Put in a pie shell. Cover with another crust.  Brush top with egg wash and  Bake at 375
30-45 minutes until top of crust is dark golden color.

Candidas Chocolate Mousse

this stuff has NO sugar but tastes like a candy bar.

1 1/2 bars (lg) dark chocolate cooking chocolate

5 Tablespoons butter

6 eggs seperated

Melt chocolate and butter

Beat egg whites until stiff then beat some more until very,very stiff

beat egg yolks until blended andyellow color.  add to chocolate.

Gently fold in egg whites.

Refrigerate.

Moist and Tender Chicken Breasts

this is so simple but works every time and the chicken is moist and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken beasts of similiar size
Salt
Pepper
1-2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts with a glass, or jar or anything else that will not tear the breast.
Lightly salt and pepper
Heat frying panb to medium high, when it is hot add the butter and coat the pan.  Add the chicken and cook for about 1 minute to brown, slightly. Turn the chicken and turn the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for ten minutes. Do not lift the lid.
After 10 minutes turn off the heat and allow to sit covered in the pan for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and check for doneness.  ( thermometer at 165)