6. Cookies & Bars


CHOCOLATE CARMEL BARS - Chastity Bennicoff
( Marc Isaacson asked for these bars a few times so I used to make them every time he came to visit. They are so easy but unwrapping caramels can be a pain. I’m so glad I ran across this again. Yummy).

1 package Kraft Caramels (48)
5 oz. can evaporate
1 package German chocolate cake mix
½ cup melted butter or margarine
1 ¼ c. chocolate chips
1 c. pecans (optional)

Preheat oven 350

Melt 48 caramels with 1/3 c. evaporated milk over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth.

Mix remaining milk (1/3 cup), cake mix and butter. Press half of cake mixture into greased 9x12 in. pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Pour caramel over crust spreading to the edges and sprinkle chocolate with teaspoon of remaining cake mixture (randomly), pressing gently into caramel mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes.


COCONUT MACAROON COOKIES – Donna Rothe
“As of 2003 when we had the B&B, these are Glen’s new favorite cookies”.

2/3 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 cups Coconut, shredded
1 tsp. Vanilla

Blend into bowl condensed Milk, Coconut and Vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 min. Cool on wire rack. To add a bit of pizzaz, drizzle chocolate on top. Yummy.


SECRET KISSES – Donna Rothe
“I make these cookies every Christmas, usually 3 x the recipe. They go fast. One of my family’s favorite”.

1 cup Soft Butter
½ cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
3 cups Flour
1 cup finely chopped nuts (I use Walnuts)
1 pkg. 8 oz. Choc. Kisses
Powder Sugar

Beat Butter, Sugar, Vanilla and Eggs at med speed until nice and fluffy. Add Flour and Nuts. Beat on low speed until well blended. Chill dough (I make the recipe on one day, put in frig and bake the next).

Remove foil from Choc. Kisses. Use about a T of dough. Wrap dough around a Kiss to form a ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 min. or until dough sets, not brown. Remove. While still slightly warm, roll in Powdered Sugar. Yield about 5 doz.


CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – Donna Rothe
(Another Christmas cookie favorite. I’ve made up to 8x the recipe. Goes great with a cold glass of milk).

½ cup White Sugar
½ Light Brown Sugar packed
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ cups Flour
½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 pkg. (6 oz) Semi-Sweet Choc. Chips

Heat over to 375. Mix shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla thoroughly.
Blend dry ingredients; stir in.
Mix in nuts and choc. chips. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 2” apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 8-10 min. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
Makes 4-5 dox. 2” cookies.

To make 3x the recipe:
1 cup Crisco
1 cup Marg
1 ½ cups White Sugar
1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
3 tsp. Vanilla
4 ½ cups Flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
18 oz. Choc. Chips


UM-MA & UM-PA’S SUGAR COOKIES – Donna Rothe
(Made with help from Evan Roman Rothe, 3 yrs. old in 2007. Um-Ma & Um-Pa was what Evan called Grandma Donna & Grandpa Glen when he was little.)

¾ cup Shortening (part Butter)
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 ½ cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

Mix well Shortening, Sugar, Eggs and Vanilla. Blend Flour, Baking Powder and Salt; stir in.
Chill at least 1 hr. Heat over to 400 degrees. Roll 1/8 thick on floured board.
Cut with 3in. cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6-8 min. Yield – About 4 doz.

Icing
1/3 cup Butter
3 cups sifted Powder Sugar
About 3 T cream
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla
Blend Butter and Sugar together. Stir in Cream and Vanilla until smooth.


DREAM BARS - Donna Voye
(From my cousin Alice Isaacson Busch)

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter (softened)

Mix like pie crust. Spread in 9x13 pan and Bake 10 minutes.
13 whole graham crackers (1 pkg,) crushed
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Stir together and pour over cooled crust
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla

Beat for 10 minutes and frost


FROSTED BANANA BARS - Donna Voye

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda.
Pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 15x10x 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or unntil bars are tested done. Cool.

Frosting:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream butter and cream cheese. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat well. Spread over bars. Enjoy!


LEMON BARS - Donna Voye
(An old-fashioned favorite which is on the top of the list for bars!)

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar

Mix well and press into bottom of 9x13 inch pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

While crust is baking mix the following together:
4 beaten eggs
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups sugar

Pour on top of hot crust and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees


PECAN PIE SQUARES - Donna Voye

Crust:
3 cups flour
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
¾ cup butter
¾ tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan 15-1/2x10-1/2 inches. Beat flour, sugar, butter and salt in large bowl on medium speed until crumbly (mixture will be dry). Press firmly in pan. Bake until light brown (about 20 minutes).

Prepare filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups Karo Syrup (light or dark)
2-1/2 cups chopped Pecans (I usually use halves)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbls. butter, melted

Mix all ingredients except pecans until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour over baked layer spreading evenly. Bake until filling is set (about 25 minutes). Cool and cut into squares.


SALTINE CRACKER COOKIES - Donna Voye
(For the last-minute recipe for when one forgets they need to bring something. These are yummy.)

2 cups butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Saltine crackers
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Place enough saltine crackers on a greased jelly roll pan (I spray my pan lightly with PAM). Put butter and sugar in saucepan to boil. Boil for two minutes. Add nuts to butter and sugar mixture. Pour hot mixture over crackers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and cut between squares of crackers. If they become hard, reheat in oven so you can cut. Remove while warm. Store in sealed container. Optional: after you take pan out of oven sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top – let melt and spread. Remove from pan.


SNOW-TOPPED MOLASSES COOKIES - Donna Voye

Cream together:
2 cups white sugar
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ cup molasses

Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture:
4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbls. dry ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Shape into ¾ inch balls. Roll in white sugar. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

White Chocolate mixture:
2 bags (12 oz. each) Nestles white chocolate chips
¼ cup Crisco shortening

Melt together. Dip half of cookie into white chocolate. Put on wax paper until chocolate has hardened.


TOFFEE BARS - Donna Voye (from cousin Alice Isaacson Busch who loves to bake bars! This recipe was made many times while I was growing up by Aunt Jeannette and mom, Dee!)

1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 large milk chocolate Hershey Bar, melted
1/2 c chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10" x 15" pan. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolk & vanilla until light and fluffy. Blend in flour & salt. Press evenly in pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately frost with melted chocolate and sprinkle with nuts. (I think they've decreased the total ounces in the large chocolate bars, so you might want to use 1-1/2 bars. It goes on very thin anyway.)


YUMMY ALMOND BARS - Donna Voye (this recipe was given to me by Nate & Anna’s daycare mom, Shelly)

CRUST:
1 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar

FILLING:
8 oz. cream cheese - softenend
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. almond extract

FROSTING:
1 & 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 & 1/2 T. milk
1 t. almond extract

For crust, cream butter, flour and powdered sugar and pat into even layer in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

For filling, beat together filling ingredients and pour over crust WHILE IT IS STILL HOT. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, or until filling is set in the middle. Remove from oven and cool. For frosting, whisk together frosting ingredients and spread evenly over the baked, cooled pan of bars. Cut into bars. FYI - these freeze great! I don't know if that's a good thing or not! I tend to eat them right out of the freezer!


PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – Grandma Loretta Rothe

1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Butter or Marg.
2 ½ cups Flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Baking Soda

Mix well and drop from spoon or put through cookie press on desired shape. Bake 350 degrees until brown. (12-15min.)
Provided by – Karen Rothe Osband


VANILLA BEAN COOKIES – Grandma Loretta Rothe

½ lb. Butter
2 T Powdered Sugar
2 cups Flour
½ lb. ground Almonds
1 Egg

Bake at 325-250 degrees until lightly browned. Dip in Vanilla Bean powder sugar.
Vanilla bean should be in powdered sugar at least 3 mos.)
Provided by - Karen Rothe Osband. The ground Almonds go into the cookie batter. The Vanilla bean 'sticks' are just tossed into the powdered sugar to give it the vanilla flavor - but you take the vanilla bean stick out before you shake the cookies in the powdered sugar.


SOUR CREAM COOKIES – Aunt Lena (Grandpa Joseph Pfister’s sister)

1 Egg
Pinch of Salt
½ cup melted Shortening
1 cup Sour Cream or Milk
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Nutmeg
3 ¼ cup Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
Bake low – 325 degrees for 15 min.
Provided by – Karen Rothe Osband. Aunt Lena was a spinster, very pretty with her hair up in a bun and wore a long dress every time I saw her. The story was her dad found her and the farm hand behind the barn and shamed her. Farm hand left, she mourned him and never married.


BROWNIES – Aunt Estelle Pfister

1 1/3 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
2/3 cup Shortening
3 squares Bitter Choc.
2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs, well beaten
1 cup Chopped nuts
1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat Eggs and add Sugar. Add melted choc and shortening. Add rest of ingredients.
Bake at 350, 30-35min.


SOUR CREAM DREAM DROPS – Grandma Loretta Rothe

¼ cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 cups sifted enriched Flour
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Sour Cream (1/2 pint)
Cinnamon Sugar or Colored Sugars.

Cream together Shortening and Sugar until light and fluffy. Add Egg and beat well. Sift together Flour and Baking Soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with Sour Cream. Mix well.

Drop by rounded tsps. Onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 375 degrees for 15 min.

Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar or brush with beaten Egg White and sprinkle with colored Sugars.
Makes about 5 doz. 2 in. cookies
Provided by – Kathy Riegg


PECAN FINGERS - Noreen Winkler (These cookies are also known as Mexican Wedding Cake or Russian Tea Cakes when you form them into round balls. Our mom called them Pecan Fingers because she shaped them into little sticks, like fingers. Now we make them every year at Christmas and give them to friends. I recently made them for a group of parents from Oaxaca, Mexico and they loved them. No one left without a few to take home. Very easy, and sooo delicious.)

1 C butter
¼ C powdered sugar
¼ t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 T water
2 C flour
2 C pecans, finely chopped

Cream butter. Blend in sugar, salt, vanilla and water. Add flour and pecans. Mix well. Chill if dough is soft. Shape into finger-like logs or roll into 1-inch round balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. The bottom of each cookie should be tan, not brown.

Remove from cookie sheet and roll in powdered sugar. After the cookies cool, roll them in the sugar again. Store them carefully in tins after they are really cool or the sugar will melt and they will stick together.