**Toffee Almond Sandies**

You are going to LOVE these! These are my go-to when we're craving something besides Chocolate! I know, that doesn't seem possible, but sometimes around here it is possible... My mom and I used to spend alot of time making these cookies, as they were one of our favorites.

This recipe makes a large batch of cookies. I use a small cookie scoop and it makes around 12 dozen. I also tried a medium(#40) cookie scoop this time and they were nice too. With the medium cookie scoop you will get about 6 dozen cookies. These cookies are beautiful on a plate! The perfect neighbor treat... that is... if you can get them out of your house before they're gone!

1 cup butter ( no substitutes), softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped almonds

1 package (6-8 oz) English toffee bits

Additional sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add oil, eggs and extract; mix well. Combine flours, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in almonds and toffee bits. Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheets; flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Now when I used the small scoop I baked them for 10-12 minutes and when I used the medium scoop I baked the 12-14 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheets directly onto wire racks. Let cool and store in airtight containers...

Happy Cooking

Teauna

**Streusel Scones**

Ah--- Scones! These scones are very moist and remind me of coffee cake. Except they are quick and easy, unlike most coffee cakes. These take staple ingredients, so they're always a good option! I like that they are not too sweet, but certainly sweet enough. They are a great early morning breakfast. My kids love them with hot chocolate!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup water

Topping:

1/4 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp. butter or margarine melted

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Combine the first five ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Add the margarine and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives to make a coarse meal.

In another bowl combine the buttermilk and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together gently, just until blended.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead a few times, and divide into two equal-sized balls. Pat each ball into a 6-inch circle, slightly mounded, and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the topping until crumbly. Spread the topping over the top of the two 6-inch circles and gently pat in.

With a floured knife, cut each 6-inch circle into 8 wedges, wiggling the knife slightly to separate the wedges from each other. When the scones are done, you will be able to easily pull them apart. the sides will be sraight and soft.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 16 wedges!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

An Awesome Giveaway on www.browneyedbaker.com!

I love this BLOG!!! She has amazing recipes and GREAT ideas! So I wanted to include all my awesome followers in on her giveaway for a Super Peel Pizza Peel! I have never used anything like this, but I would love to win it and try it out! It looks awesome!
Go to http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/01/25/giveaway-super-peel-pizza-peel/comment-page-5/#comment-14933 to enter for your chance to win! Hurry because there is a deadline!

:-)

Teauna

**SAMOAS** directly from your kitchen!!!

So, this is the time that I have to say, these smell good, they look good, and they came sooooo close to tasting good, but I couldn't do it.... as I'm on a diet and have sworn off sugar! What was I thinking when I made these then? Well, they looked like they may be a challenge and I have company coming over that certainly hasn't sworn off sugar and they would LoVe these cookies! I have certainly got rave reviews from the "Samoa thief" in my house... she says they taste just like the real thing! So now it's your turn to decide!

I found this recipe on a cooking blog quite awhile ago and have adapted it a little to my liking. So thanks to http://www.wordstoeatby.blogspot.com/, we can all have Girl Scout Cookies in our kitchen's YEAR ROUND! I love the sound of this... it's like music to my ears.

For the cookies:

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

3 1/4 cup four

Set your oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until it becomes light in color and very soft and fluffy. It reminded me of cool whip...

Fold in flour by hand. Dough will be very soft. But is suprisingly easy to work with. Place a handful of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. Use floured palm of your hand to press out dough 3/8" thick. DON'T ADD ALOT OF FLOUR. Cut out dough with fluted round cutter dipped in flour. Keep the scraps and re-roll them and cut them. If your don't add alot of flour, you will have an easier time and the re-rolled cookies will be just as tender as the ones first-rolled out :-) You will want to use a thin metal spatula to move dough from the counter to the pan. I placed 32 cookies on each cookie sheet. They don't spread so the spacing is minimal.

Place both pans in oven, one on each rack. Bake 8 minutes, rotate pans, then bake another 8 minutes. Take out and place on cooling racks.

For the Topping:

4 c. sweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 pkg (14 oz) caramels

3 T milk

4 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on cookie sheet and toast 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove and stir every 5 minutes to prevent burning. Set aside.

Unwrap caramels and put into a large microwave-safe bowl. Add milk and cook on high 2-3 minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds until caramel melts and incorporates into milk. Add coconut and stir to combine.

Top each cooled cookie with a teaspoon of mixture.

Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Pour into a ziploc bag and seal the bag. Clip a corner off the bag and you have an instant decorating bag! Drizzle chocolate over each cookie! Let rest so the chocolate sets up.... then eat!!!!

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking

Teauna

"Philly" Pound Cake

One of my favorites!!! This recipe is one that my mom has always kept around and used since I was little...and I often crave it. It is a versatile treat that can be served in so many ways and it also freezes very well. I always double the recipe and freeze some loaves to pull out later when I'm in a pinch. Absolutely perfect for when you have unexpected company..:-)

Try this:

One of my favorite things to do is cut it in slices then cubes, then layer with rinsed & sliced strawberries, vanilla pudding, and cool whip in a pretty bowl and serve for dessert. So easy and soooo good!

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

3/4 c margarine

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Combine softened cream cheese, margarine, sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Add eggs; mix at low speed until blended. Gradually add flour sifted with baking powder, mixing at low speed until blended. Pour into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

* I use the small aluminum pans because they are easier to use, they cook more thorough and they are handier to freeze. I cooked them for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Just watch them and take them out of the oven when the top of them springs back when touched. When I doubled the batch, it made 7 small loaves...

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

The BEST Baked Beans EVER!!!

So I have to tell you that I am NOT normally a fan of baked beans. But after Mom started making these, I now LoVe them... However, I'm still not too sure of other recipes. This recipe doubles great! And they also freeze well!

1/2 lb hamburger

1/2 lb bacon

1 can kidney beans

1 can small butter beans

1 can pork n beans

1/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c ketchup

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp dry mustard

Brown the hamburger and drain. Cook the bacon til crisp, drain on paper towel and set aside. Place beans (do not drain cans of beans), sugars, ketchup, onion, and dry mustard in a crock pot or heavy pot... Then add hamburger and bacon. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hrs or until warmed thru! If you are cooking them in your crockpot, you will want to take the lid off 20 minutes before serving so some of the liquid will cook off...

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking

Teauna

Yummy Bacon & Cheese Breakfast Muffins

When I send Mike to Wyoming, I like to make sure that he has "easy-to-eat" healthy meals that will keep him full and give him energy throughout his work day. He is in cold cold temperatures and it amazes me how much more a body needs to stay warm. These are a great snack for anyone that needs a quick snack.

Yummy Bacon & Cheese Breakfast Muffins

Printable Recipe

1/2 pound bacon (10-12 slices)

Vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain, reserve drippings. If necessary, add oil to drippings to measure 1/3 cup. ( I like to use just vegetable oil and no drippings simply for the fat content) In small bowl, combine 1/3 cup drippings, egg and milk; set aside. Crumble bacon; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Make well in center. Add drippings-egg mixture all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fold in bacon, and cheese. Spoon into buttered or paper-lined 2 1/2 inch muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Make a dozen muffins...

** I purchased some silicone muffin cup liners and they are so wonderful! They sure aid in the clean-up process also... If you have a chance to try them, do so!

Happy Cooking

Teauna

**Peanut Butter Bars for a Crowd**

How many times have you had to take treats to school for your kids? Or maybe even a pot luck meal? Well here is your recipe. This recipe is good for 2 FULL cookies sheets of peanut butter bars... and the fudge frosting is to die for!

There is quite a bit of time in preparing these because you have to bake each sheet separately and then the fudge frosting is cooked also. But I will guarantee you it'll be so so so worth it when you are able to take a bite!

For the bars:

Cream together:
2 1/4 c butter
2 1/4 c sugar
2 1/4 c brown sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c peanut butter

Add:
4 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 c oatmeal
2 1/4 tsp baking soda

FYI: I mixed this in my 5 qt kitchenaid and it was doing it's best to overflow, so just as a warning... you will need a large bowl to mix this.

Divide the dough between the 2 lightly greased cookie sheets and spread evenly. Bake at 325 degrees approximately 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Bake only one pan at a time. Take out of oven and cook on wire rack.

For Frosting:
In a large saucepan, add:
3 c brown sugar
1/2 c cocoa
1/2 c butter
1 can evaporated milk

Mix this well and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes.

Stir in:
2 Tablespoons vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar

Whisk until smooth with a wire whisk. Pour equally over 2 pans and quickly spread and cool. This sets up quickly so the faster you get it spread, the better it will look....

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is, perhaps, one of the best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes I have baked... Such beautiful cookies that are crisp on the outside and so ooey and gooey on the inside. I have to admit that I have this thing that I will only use Nestle Toll House Chocolate chips... as I am a chocolate chip cookie snob. I should be ashamed to admit this, but... no.

I remember one night after just being married, I had a horrible dream that the grocery stores had all closed off their Nestle Toll House chocolate chip isle with huge pieces of wood and tons of nails! A TRUE NIGHTMARE it was! I ran to the store that morning and I think I spent a good $50 on chocolate chips so I would be prepared if this ever happened. So crazy I know, but this just proves to you what a C.C. Cookie snob I am! :-) (I'm really not kidding..)

This recipe will be one of the tops on our list now... I hope you enjoy it too!

1 3/4 cups butter, softened (do not use margarine!)

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

5 1/2 Tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

6 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 pkg semi-sweet MINI NESTLE TOLL HOUSE CHOC. CHIPS :-)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, water, and vanilla and mix until nice and creamy. Add flour, salt and baking soda to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfulls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. This recipe made 6 dozen 3 1/2 inch cookies.

*I used a small cookie scoop but heaped it over. You could surely make smaller cookies, just cook them for less time. Small cookie scoop cookies should be done at 8 minutes or so...

Happy Cooking

Teauna

**German Pancakes**

My family absolutely loves the whole concept of "Breakfast for Dinner".... I always find it strange how excited they get when I tell them we're having breakfast! And they eat and eat and eat like there's no tomorrow! I have an allergy to eggs so I'm no longer able to enjoy German pancakes but they're soooo easy and so worth making just to watch everyone enjoy them so much. And this is also a wonderful way to use my crazy supply of eggs (thank you chickens!). We love watching them rise and there have never been any two that turn out the same. The kids call these "mountain pancakes" because that's what they resemble when they come out of the oven before they settle. * I don't always make the syrup but it is wonderful if you have an extra minute to throw it together! *

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Buttermilk Syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the butter into an ungreased 13x9x2 baking dish; add the batter. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the first five syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Yields: 8 servings & about 2 cups syrup...

**Ritz Chicken**

Alright... I know, I know! This is not a good picture. But I was in such a hurry to get it out of the oven and in containers for Mike to take to work with him, that this was the best I could do! This is a really easy way to make some AWESOME chicken!!! Because the chicken is dipped in butter, it cooks up to be so tender!

First, thaw 4 lg boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Then crush a pkg of ritz crackers and melt a cube of butter or margarine in another dish. Coat the chicken breasts with the melted butter then roll in crushed crackers. Place in a well-greased 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with Lawry's seasoning salt.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour...

YuMmY!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna