SOFT BUTTERSCOTCH CHIP COOKIES

These cookies STAY soft and are totally addicting beyond delicious!!! Everyone asks for this recipe!!!

This is NOT a crispy cookie, it has

the texture of a blondie/brownie?

2  1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup regular sugar
2 eggs
1 teasoon vanilla
1 box of BUTTERSCOTCH instant pudding (3.4 oz.)
1 1/2 cups BUTTERSCOTCH chips

In a bowl, whisk/stir together the flour and baking soda, set aside. (Important, don't leave out this step).

With an electric mixer, cream the room temperature butter + brown sugar + regular sugar on med-high speed for about a minute. Sprinkle in the instant pudding mix powder while your mixer is running, then  beat until batter is well blended.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed.

Add the flour + baking soda mixture (half cup at a time) beating well in between each addition. Add the butterscotch chips.

Roll the batter into tablespoon size balls and then roll the balls in sugar.

Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet at 350F for 10-12 minutes (don't over-bake).I find that 11 minutes is about perfect. Move the baked cookies to a cooling rack. 

When the cookies are completely cooled, store them in an air-tight container.

ENJOY !!!

FREEZER CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

 This is a GREAT recipe. It's super easy to make (2 bowls and a spoon) and the muffins come out moist and super chocolate-y. 

We are "empty nesters", so a whole batch is too much for us. I make up this batter and put it into paper cupcake liners and freeze them (before baking), so I can bake them a few at a time. 

In the 1st bowl, stir together:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetend cocoa powder
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

In the 2nd bowl, whisk together till smooth:
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix the "wet bowl" into the "dry bowl" and stir (with a spoon) just until well combined (don't overmix).

Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full and freeze them. If you want to eat them right away, bake them in a pre-heated 350F oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.

Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes, then cover the HOT muffins with some plastic wrap and let them cool to room temperature. The plastic wrap will force moisture back into the muffins.

If you want to freeze them for future baking, just fill the paper cupcake liners and stick them in the freezer. To bake them, take them out of the freezer while your oven is pre-heating, then bake them at 350F for 25 minutes...they are the perfect "chocolate fix" !!!

ENJOY !!!

CHURROS

I love this recipe for several reasons. They are sweet and light as air; they are quick and super-easy to make AND they cost only pennies. Finally (as if you needed one more reason to try this recipe) serve them with a chocolate dipping sauce or whipped cream and they are great for company.

Click on this Picture

Set up a frying station, with about 2" of vegetable oil in a frying pan and bring it to 375°.  I like to use my electric frying pan because I can just set the temperature and forget it. 

Mix 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and put it in a pie plate (you will roll the hot churros in the cinnamon sugar right after they come out of the fryer). Then set them on a baking rack to cool.

Now, for the batter:

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, bring the milk, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.  Once it reaches a boil, add the flour all at once and STIR FAST until the dough clumps into a ball and comes away from the side of the pan; this will happens very fast (about 30 seconds).

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and put the dough in your stand mixer (fitted with a paddle blade, not the whisk attachment).

Start up your mixer on medium speed and let it beat the dough for about 2 minutes, this helps cool it down a little.

While the mixer is running, add the first egg. It will seem like it doesn't want to mix in with the dough, but IT WILL...just keep beating it. Repeat for the rest of the eggs. After all 4 eggs are mixed in well, add the vanilla. The final batter will be very thick and sticky, but smooth.

Place the batter in a frosting bag that is fitted with your largest (star shaped) frosting tip.  I use a Wilton 1M.

Your oil should be good and hot by now, so pipe out 4" strips of the batter directly into the hot oil.  I use the tip of my finger to "pinch off" the dough. Fry a few at a time but don't over crowd because they puff up as they cook.

Fry for about a minute on each side or until they turn golden.  Drain on paper towels and roll in cinnamon sugar while they are still hot.  Serve warm.

Picky-picky husband loves smaller churros, so I make 

some little 2" churros for him.

These churros are the real deal!!