Welcome!

Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Cookie a Day Project

For those of you who follow SFFS on Facebook, you will recognize this. I decided to bring it over here as well. I'm about a week behind so there will be a flurry of posts to catch up, then I will post one a day after that. Call me a loser...call me a slow thinker....but you have to try some of these cookies. Some are old favorites...some are some newbies....but ALL have been tested by me and my family. And we've got the extra pounds to prove it!!

Let's go!!

Cookie # 1  is:

Butterfinger Cookies


 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 ¼ cup chunky peanut butter
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
½ baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounce each), chopped

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars, Add egg whites; beat well. Blend in peanut butter and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in candy bars. Shape into 1 ½ inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to wire cooking rack.

Makes about 4 dozen





Cookie # 2 is: 

Lace Crisp Cookies



Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup corn syrup
½ cup shortening (I use butter flavored)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar

Mix flour and nuts. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat corn syrup, shortening and brown sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gradually stir in flour/nut mixture. Drop by SMALL teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart. These little cookies REALLY spread thin while baking so leave plenty of room between cookies. Usually I get about 6 cookies per baking sheet. Bake about 5 – 6 minutes. Cool 3 minutes then remove from baking sheet to a wire cooling rack. Store sealed.

Drizzle with or dip in melted chocolate....OR

....while cookies are still fairly warm you can wrap them around the handle of a wooden spoon and let them cool. Then fill with pastry cream or sweetened whip cream.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies



Cookie # 3 is:

Meringue Fruit Drops


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

3 egg whites
½ salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Craisins
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract

Beat egg whites with salt until stiff. FOLD in all other ingredients. Drop onto lined baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes. Do not overbake.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.



Cookie # 4 is:

Dorothy's Toffee Chip Cookies


Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper

Cream together:
1 cup butter – softened
1 cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat in 2 eggs

Add:
2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 bag toffee chips

Drop by small teaspoonfuls and bake for 8 to 10 minutes depending on desired softness/crunchiness. These cookies  spread while baking so don’t crowd the pan. I usually get about 12 cookies per pan.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies



Cookie # 5 is: 

Palmiers


Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper

8 ounces frozen puff pastry (2 sheets per package)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)
Vanilla glaze

Thaw puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator. The pastry should already be 1/8 inch thick – if not, roll it out to that thickness. If it cracks while rolling it out, you can seal it back together with a little water and your finger.

Sprinkle sugar on your counter like you would flour for rolling out pie dough. Lay one sheet of puff pastry and sprinkle the top with 1 cup sugar (and cinnamon, if desired).

Take the two long sides of the pastry and fold them in towards each other halfway to the center and press down lightly. Then take the folded edges and fold them in to meet in the center. Then fold again like closing a book. It should look like a “U” shape.

Cut into 3/8 inch slices with a sharp knife and place on prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle with a light coating of sugar and place in the oven for 6 – 7 minutes.

Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet.

Pull cookies out, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 3 -5 minutes or until center is done and edges are golden. Transfer to wire racks and drizzle with vanilla glaze.

Vanilla Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Few drops of milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth and drizzle (or my preferred method - dunking) over cookies.

Makes about 3 – 4 dozen cookies



Cookie # 6 is: 

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper

2 (18.25 ounce) packages Devil’s Food cake mixes
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

In a mixing bowl, combine the cakes mixes, oil and eggs. Mix well. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Do not flatten. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets then remove to wire racks. Cookies will flatten as they cool.

Filling:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread on the bottom of half of the cookies and top with remaining cookies.
Store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 40 sandwich cookies



Cookie # 7 is:

Frosted Orange Cranberry Cookies




Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg

Combine sugars and butter until smooth then add orange peel, orange juice and egg. Mix until well combined.


Add:
2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups Craisins
½ cup pecans (optional)

Bake 12 – 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes before dipping.


Orange Dipping Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon grated orange peel
2 – 3 tablespoons orange juice

Combine in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Frost cookies with about a teaspoon of glaze and let harden.

Makes  3 dozen cookies