Homemade Oreos

So simple, terribly addicting, but so sinfully good!

1 devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil

Combine ingredients and place small balls of dough on a cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 9-10 min. Move to cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup (half stick) butter, room temperature
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth.

When cookies are cool, spread frosting between two cookies and enjoy! Keep cookies in the fridge until they are gone (they won't last long).

Fresh Peach Pie

I adapted this recipe from one on Allrecipes.com. I love it because it doesn't use any artificial glaze and I love the freshness of the peaches.

1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tsp butter
1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, pitted and mashed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups fresh peaches - pitted, skinned, and sliced

Combine sugar, water, cornstarch, butter or margarine, mashed peaches, and nutmeg in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until clear and thick. Stir in vanilla. Fill pie shell with half of the sliced peaches, then half of the glaze, then the rest of the peaches and glaze. Refrigerate until cold, then serve.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes, but this is one of my absolute favorites. It has an excellent texture and they never turn out flat. I find myself craving this recipe often. My mom acquired it years ago from the "Gabby Gourmet" who did TV spots on the local news channel years ago. It is different than other recipes in that it beats some of the ingredients for a long period of time and also adds cornstarch to the mixture. My mom likes to take them out while they are still a bit doughy, but I like them more well done and golden.

1 c butter
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
3 c flour, stirred and measured
1/4 corn starch
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
coconut (optional)--I like 1 cup

Cream butter and sugars for 4-5 min. Add eggs, beat for another 4-5 min. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Add vanilla. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 min in 350 degree oven. (They may look a bit under baked if you use this time frame, but they will set up nicely-- I personally like to bake mine for 11 or 12 min. or until they are starting to turn a little golden)

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

In honor of Kyle's Birthday today, I am sharing one of his favorite cookie recipes. I made this for him the first time on his birthday, four years ago, before we started dating. I considered whether or not I should bake cookies for this boy that I liked for his birthday or if it would be stupid. With my friend Suzie's encouragement I went for it. I took him a plate full of them to his work on campus at USU and nervously presented it to him. I was a little embarrassed when I saw a couple other large gift bags of presents on his desk from other girls. He was a little embarrassed about that too, ensuring me that they were from co-workers. Needless to say, he loved my cookies and we started dating soon after that.

These cookies are perfect if you are in the mood for lots of chocolate, and they always turn out perfectly.

1 c butter or margarine
1-1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c cocoa
2 c flour
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add soda, salt, and cocoa, mixing well. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly. Add chocolate chips. Drop balls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool slightly, then move to a wire rack.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

These are one of Kyle's favorites, especially with the addition of white chocolate chips.

3/4 c shortening
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 t vanilla
1 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2-3/4 c oats (either quick or old-fashioned)
1 c sweetened dried cranberries
1 c chopped nuts or white chocolate chips (optional)

My Favorite Brownies

This is my very favorite brownie recipe and the same one my mom uses. It has a similar texture as one from a box, but tastes better. My mom swears you have to use melted margarine to make them turn out right, but melted butter seems to work fine for me. The key is to make sure it is melted though. I especially like this recipe with the mint and chocolate frostings layered on top.

Super Easy Brownies

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup cocoa

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup melted margarine

Mix dry ingredients; add eggs, vanilla and butter. Mix well. Pour in a 9x9 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Mint topping

(9x9 inch pan)

1 Cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp milk

½ Tsp mint extract or mint oil to taste

Spread on completely cooled brownies and then place in freezer until stiff so you can spread on the chocolate layer of frosting.

Cocoa Butter Frosting

(9x13 inch pan)

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp milk (approx)