Corn Flake Cookies :)

Last night I made these cookies, and may have eaten a few along the way, along with some dough.  Who doesn't love cookie dough?  YUM.  I almost like it more then eating cookies.  I just ate a cookie now even, thinking, it has Corn Flakes and Oatmeal, just like breakfast  :)

CORN FLAKE COOKIES
1 1/2 c. Crisco shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/3 c. oatmeal
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 c. Corn Flakes
chocolate chips or coconut or BOTH, if desired.

Mix all ingredients together.  Stir in the corn flakes at the end.  If you want you can add chocolate chips or coconut or both.  I always make myself a pan first of some without chocolate chips, because I think they are good without.  Then add the chips for the rest of the batch. 
Bake @ 350 for about 10 minutes, until light golden brown.  Let sit a minute before removing to the cooling rack.

Peanut Butter Fudge :)

I hope all of you Mom's out there had a great day celebrating with your kids and your loved ones.  I had a very nice day and some good food at Zorbaz on Ottertail Lake as well.  I made a batch of this for my mom yesterday (and may have kept some for myself!).  It is so good!

Peanut Butter Fudge
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. mini marshmellows

Butter a 9 inch cake pan and set aside.
In a saucepan combine sugars, milk and butter.  Stir and cook over medium heat, and cook until it comes to a low rolling boil.  Continue cooking until the soft/medium ball stage, about 240 degrees on the candy thermometer.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and marshmellows.  Stir until marshmellows are all melted.  Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate until set.  Keep refrigerated.

A cookie straight from Martha Stewart.....Glazed Citrus Doodles

ANOTHER rainy, gray, cool day here in Northwestern Minnesota - ugh - I so want the sun to come out.  I am having a hard time being motivated atl all.  I simply want to eat cookies and snuggle on the couch with the warm, fuzzy blankie!  I got my son moved out of his campus housing and have successfully washed and put away all of his stuff - it took 4 straight days of laundry but its done!  Now he is off to his summer job, his sister is off to hers and my hubby is tucked away at work too.  I hope you whip these up and enjoy them too!  and P.S.  I am SOOOOOOOOO missing my rhubarb patch right now :(

Glazed Citrus Doodles
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. grated orange zest, plus 3 tbsp. orange juice
4 tsp. lemon zest, plus 3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a seperate bowl beat butter, sugar, 1 tbsp. orange zest, and 2 tsp. lemon zest together.  Until pale and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Add flour - beat to combine.  Roll dough into 1" balls and bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are lightly brown.  Cool.  Whisk together 1 tbsp. orange zest, 2 tsp. lemon zest, the lemon and orange juices, with the powdered sugar.  Spread over the cooled cookies!  and as always ENJOY!

Overnight Pull apart cinnamon Loaf :)

Hey, I cannot tell a lie, this is straight from the pages of the April 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, I was reading it last night (I know I am a bit behind, but I usually am!).  I always ear mark the pages I cannot live without and then tear them out the next morning before recycling the rest of the magazine.   That way I don't have the bulk of saving all of the magazines.  I three-hole punch the pages I love and keep them in a 3-ring binder which is chock full of paint colors I want to try, decorating ideas and of course recipes. 
Today, My daughter Heather is graduating with her AA degree from M-State Fergus Falls, I am very proud of her and this accomplishment as she has never had an easy time with school, and she did this while working a 3/4 time job to boot, good for you Heather Nicole, Mom loves you! 

Overnight Pull-Apart Cinnamon Loaf
3/4 c. milk
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 tbsp. sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 recipe of your favorite cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar glaze!

In a small saucepan heat milk until just warm.  Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the yeast.  Stir until yeast is dissolved.  Let stand 5 minutes or until foamy.  With a mixer beater 1/4 c. melted butter, 2 tbsp. sugar, egg and salt into the yeast mixture until combined.  Add half the flour and beat for 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining flour.  Shape into a ball.  Transfer to an oiled bowl.  Cover and regrigerate overnight. 
Butter a loaf pan and set aside.  Roll your dough into a rectangle.  Brush with 1/4 c. melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Cut dough into 5    12 x 4" strips.  Stack the strips and then cut six 4 x 2" pieces.  Loosly stagger into the prepared pan.  let rise in a warm place 45 minutes or until nearly doubled in size.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool  in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a serving plate.  Drizzle with frosting or glaze.  Sprinkle with chopped almonds or pistachios if desired!

Moving Again......

Well, It's now official!  My hubby has accepted a new position as the principal of the Morris Elementary School and therefore, its a good thing we have just been renting this past year, so we don't have a house to sell!  My mind is reeling, I am obsessed with checking the house listings, only to see nothing new since I checked this morning or last night.......this feeling of being in limbo is hard for me.  So to ease my stress today I made these Turtle bars!  Try them yourself, they are good  :)

TURTLE BARS
3/4 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 c. pecans, chopped

Topping: 
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350.  Line a 9 x 13 pan with tin foil.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Remove and stir in the sugar and vanilla.  Stir in the flour and sale.  Press the dough into the bottom of hte pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the pecans over the baked layer and bake 10 more minutes. 
Topping:  Melt the butter and stir in the sugar.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Pour this over the crust and pecans and bake 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.  Cool.  Cut into bars!