Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl.

Cream the cooled melted butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and Rice Krispies. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes (or up to 6 hours) to let the dough firm up.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie. (Balls of dough may be placed next to each other on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to zipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Frozen cookies may be placed in the oven directly from the freezer and baked as directed.)

Bake the cookies until golden brown around the edges but still soft on top, 10 to 12 minutes (a minute or two longer for frozen dough). Let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them with a metal spatula to wire rack to cool completely. Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Makes about 32 cookies

**This recipe comes from Lauren Chattman's cookbook called 'Mom's Big Book of Cookies.'**

Thoughts~These cookies will never last 2 to 3 days in my house!!!

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients

1 roll of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough
7 ounces of Kraft Marshmallow Creme
8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
Fruit

Directions

Roll out the cookie dough into your desired shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

While this is cooling, cream together Marshmallow Creme and softened Cream Cheese. Put a generous layer on the sugar cookie. You will have some remaining, but you can use this as a fruit dip.

Cut up any fruit that you like, and put it on top.

Delicious and Refreshing!!

Maple Syrup Cookies

Ingredients

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup maple syrup
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small cup, dissolve baking soda in milk and set aside. Cream egg, shortening and syrup. Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and baking soda mixture; blend well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

**This recipe is from the Amish Friends Cookbook by Wanda E. Brunstetter.**

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana (2 bananas)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans coarsely chopped
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix margarine, sugar, egg and mashed bananas well. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, nuts & raisins.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Yields 4 dozen

**Thoughts~I love how fluffy these cookies are. I expected them to be more chewy, but they really weren't. It's also nice how the scent of cinnamon fills the air as you bake these cookies. Makes the home feel cozy!**

This recipe was given to me by Jeff's Grandma Rose.