Best Cut Outs Ever

I got this recipe from one of my favorite people in the world, Taryn. I remember the first time I met her--we had dinner in the back of a bowling alley (or some sketchy building). I knew instantly that we would be friends. Who knew she could also bake up a mean cut out cookie?! This is a good time to whip up some cute little heart cut outs for Valentine's Day.

Taryn's Velvet Cutouts

1 cup butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour

Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Stir in flour. Chill 1-2 hours. Roll about 1/4 inch, then cut into shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

On the slightly crispier side, here is my favorite chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe:

Quick & Easy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or a combination of butterscotch, peanut butter and chocolate)

Mix flour and baking soda and set aside. Cream butter and sugars on medium high speed until well blended, 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add flour a little bit at a time, mixing well. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate. Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees.

Jewel Cookies

This recipe was given to me many years ago by Val, a sweet lady and a wonderful cook. She's old school...her recipe calls for oleo. I have no idea what that is, but I think it means butter. Yummy, wonderful butter. These make a perfect little Valentine's Day cookie, don't you think?

Jewel Cookies

1/2 cup oleo (or butter)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted flour
1 egg white (slightly beaten)
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
Jam
Glaze (see below)

Mix oleo, sugar, yolk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour. Roll into balls. Roll into egg white, then nuts. Press with thumb and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. While cookies are baking, mix 4 tablespoons powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk for glaze. Remove cookies from oven and press with thumb again, fill with jam and drizzle with glaze.

For the slightly more labor-intensive Valentine's version, roll dough into teeny balls, roll in egg yolk and chopped nuts. Then place very close together on cookie sheet and smush the two ends together to form a heart. Bake, jam and glaze.

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Cookie Week: Mom's No Bakes

I feel like every other recipe I post has oatmeal in it. That's because it's good and good for you. Especially when it is combined with chocolate. This is the easiest recipe ever and takes about the same time as whipping up a batch of oatmeal. Lisa, Tricia and I all use it. It came from Mom. What's not to love about that?

Mom's No Bakes

2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Cook this mixture until it boils. Turn heat down, then cook two minutes (this is important). Remove from heat and add 4 tablespoons butter, 2 cups oats, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well and drop on wax paper. Eat when cool.

Cookie Week: Soft Chocolate Chip Oatmeal

A few years ago, I went on a search for a soft chocolate chip cookie recipe. It was very important for me to find one because my trademark recipe is for a crispier version (which I like), but I discovered some of my kids like the soft kind. I never did latch on to the perfect soft recipe and had given up my search........until now!

This was sent to me by Sandie, one of my mom's dearest friends and one of the best cooks I know. This recipe is very quick to put together. It makes a huge batch, great for busy moms, because you can shape and freeze them individually for people to bake at will. Enjoy!

Sandie's Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together:

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar

Add:

4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix in:

4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal-blended to make powder (be sure to measure before putting in blender or food processor)
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda

Add any of the following:  chocolate chips; Hershey bar cut in pieces, raisins, M & Ms, white chocolate chips, chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

These are great frozen in cookie size portions before baking.  Take out as needed.  Thaw on cookie sheet and bake.

Come back later this week for my Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Mom's No Bakes and just in time for Valentine's Day, The Best Cutout Cookies Ever.