Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Congo Bars

I was searching for a dessert one day on Pinterest and found these bars.  I already have a recipe very similar to this one that I believe are called Blondies.  I've made them numerous times but they were never as good as a chocolate chip cookie.  For whatever reason I decided to give these a try.  To my surprise they tasted very similar to a chocolate chip cookie.  The middle stays gooey and moist and the top has a thin layer of golden brown cookie.  My favorite part is that they are very quick to make!  I needed a snack for life group one Tuesday and hadn't had time Monday night.  I woke up early Tuesday morning before school and quick made a batch.  They were ready to take that evening without me spending forever in the kitchen.  I never know when I'm going to need a quick dessert to take somewhere.  It's nice to have something quick to throw together if needed!  Enjoy!

Picture by Six Sisters Stuff

Congo Bars Recipe:

(Recipe adapted from Bakerella)

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter, softened
2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 package milk chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour and mix until combined. Stir in chips and then pecans.

Coat a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Soft Monster Cookies

I found these cookies on Pinterest and pinned them immediately because I LOVE big soft peanut butter cookies!  I think these cookies are delicious!  Justin says they aren't his favorite.  He prefers these monster cookies instead.  Give them a try and see which ones you prefer!   

Soft Monster Cookies

1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Start by combining the butter, brown and white sugars in a large bowl using a hand/stand mixer or your own brute strength. Add the peanut butter, stir again. Add the egg, stir, vanilla stir.
Measure in the baking soda and flour and stir just until combined. Stir in the oats, m&ms, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
Scoop using a cookie scoop or two teaspoons measuring about 2 tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat or sprayed with cooking spray (just in case). Press down gently as they do not spread on their own.
Bake for 9-10 minutes but no longer. You want these to stay soft. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes then move to a cooling rack.

Taste of Our Home Tuesday: Chewy Good Oatmeal Cookies

We had life group tonight and I made these cookies earlier today to take as a snack.  I left out the macadamia nuts and I substituted Craisins for the dried cherries.  The cookies are very moist and have great flavor!  Enjoy!    

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/3 cups dried cherries
1 cup white baking chips
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped macadamia nuts

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, honey and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pan for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

Taste of Home Tuesday: Big and Buttery Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are interested in a recipe that makes large soft and chewy cookies this is the recipe for you!  Because of their size and the temperature at which they bake, I was afraid these cookies were going to be on the dry and crunchy side but they were amazingly soft.  There is something about refrigerating dough that helps make cookies chewy and soft.  The husband gave me the "ok" saying I could make them whenever I wanted.:)  Enjoy! 

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Shape quarter cupfuls of dough into balls. Place in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed or parchment paper; cover and refrigerate overnight.
To bake, place dough balls 3 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press a shallow indentation in the center of each with your thumb, reshaping sides to smooth any cracks. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; cool. Yield: 2 dozen.

Taste of Home Tuesday: Monster Cookies

This recipe did not come out of the Taste of Home. Justin decided he wanted "big" cookies on Saturday and I had seen these cookies on another blog and thought they would be fun to try. They are my new favorite cookie! We loved them! They would be perfect for Christmas with red and green M&M's!!

 Monster Cookies from Everyday Home Cook

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

4 1/2 cups oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat together butter and sugars.

Add eggs, vanilla extract, and baking soda, and mix well.

Mix in peanut butter until well-blended.

Add oats and stir until combined.

Mix in chocolate chips and M&M’s.

Drop cookies by ice cream scoopful (or normal sized) about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let cookies cool on baking sheets before moving to wire racks.

Makes 2 dozen “monster” cookies, or 4 to 5 dozen regular-sized cookies

Taste of Home Tuesday: Two-Chip Chocolate Chippers

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup stick margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter, margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, pudding mix and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans if desired.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly with a glass. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 5 dozen.

These cookies are tasty!!  The pudding helps keep them moist and chewy!

Taste of Home Tuesday: Snickers Cookies

Ingredients
1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
28 miniature Snickers candy bars

Directions
Cut dough into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Place a candy bar on each slice and wrap dough around it. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Editor's Note: 2 cups of any chocolate chip cookie dough can be substituted for the refrigerated dough. Use 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie.

I made my own chocolate chip cookie dough.  The first several batches I cut the snickers into quarters.  That ended up being too small.  The last several batches I just cut the snickers in half and they turned out much better.  Justin still prefers the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss on the top, but he thought these weren't bad either!

Taste of Home Tuesday: Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
•In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugars, baking powder and
salt. Add the egg substitute, corn syrup and vanilla; mix well.
•Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking
spray. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks.
Yield: 2 dozen.

These cookies are good, they taste like oats and honey.  Instead of using the egg substitute, I put in regular eggs.  Two eggs equals 1/2 cup egg substitute.  A quick easy recipe to use in a pinch!

Taste of Home Tuesday: Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and walnuts. Spread into a greased 8-in. square microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3-1/2 minutes or until bars test done, rotating a quarter turn every minute. Cool before cutting. Yield: about 1-1/2 dozen.

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

I have never "baked" anything in the microwave before.  These bars looked pretty easy so I thought I'd give it a try.  They were VERY quick and tasted OK, one definitely needs a glass of milk with them.  I think I will save the recipe for those times I'm needing something quick, like when Husband remembers late in the evening that he needs a snack for work the next day.:)

Taste of Home Tuesday: Cranberry Oat Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions In a large bowl, combine sugars and oil until blended. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen. These are Justin's favorite! Very tasty!