Lemon Bars

Recipe from Stake RS Women's Conference, Feb. 23, 2013

2 cups flour

½ cup powdered sugar

1 cup cold butter 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray (Pyrex dish works best). Mix above ingredients with a pastry cutter until well blended and pulling together. Press into pan and bake for 25minutes until slightly golden brown.   Do not bake on convect.  While the crust is cooking make the lemon layer:

4 eggs

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups sugar

2 lemons zest and juice 

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with salt with a fork. Mix in rest of ingredients. Pour over hot crust and bake for another 25 minutes.  Cool and dust with powdered sugar.  Cut into 24 bars.

Famous Mint Brownies

Recipe from Stake RS Women's Conference, Feb. 23, 2013

Whisk together:
1 ½  c. melted butter
¾  c. cocoa powder

Then add:
3 c. sugar 
6 eggs beaten 
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
¾ tsp. salt

Mix well and then add by hand:

2 ¼  c. sifted flour 

Do not over mix.

Pour into large (10x15- inch) baking tray sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 350° for 25-28 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes and then place in freezer for 20 minutes.

While brownies are in the freezer make first layer of topping.

Mint frosting:
¾  c. butter softened 
3 Tbsp. milk 
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. peppermint extract 
Green food coloring

Mix thoroughly.  Evenly frost brownies and put back in freezer for 20 minutes. Make chocolate Ganache top layer.

Chocolate Ganache Topping:
¾  c. butter 
2 ¼ c. good semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Melt and whisk together.  Melt them together in a Pyrex measuring bowl in the microwave for one minute.  Be careful not to overheat.  It won’t look melted but once whisked it is.  Drizzle warm chocolate over brownies and spread smooth with a spatula.   Put back in freezer for another 20 minutes.

To cut, slice about ½ inch in from the edges so that every brownie is exactly square and smooth.  The edges are the best part so set those out for your kids to try.  Makes 4 dozen, 2-inch brownies or 8 dozen triangle brownies (the squares cut in half on the diagonal.)   They are better if they are chilled until serving. 

You can see the step by step process for the mint brownies and lemon bars on the blog: Make It Do, http://www.make-it-do.com/

Coconut Macaroons

This is the recipe for the yummy macaroons from Stake RS Women's Conference. From the kitchen of: Jennifer Merkley (5th Ward).

2 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 t. pure vanilla extract

2 (14 oz.) bags shredded, sweetened coconut

Heat oven to 300°.  Whisk egg whites and salt until frothy, about 2 minutes.  Add condensed milk and vanilla to egg whites; blend.  Fold in coconut with rubber spatula until well combined.  Line baking sheets with parchment liners.  Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop form macaroons in 1¼ inch mounds about 1-inch apart.  Bake 20 minutes until golden brown.  Transfer baking sheets to cooling racks with cookies still on.  Remove macaroons when cool.  Store in airtight container.  Makes about 4 dozen.

 

Chocolate Cookies

simpleandsavy.blogspot.com

recipe adapted from: americanprofile.com

These are brownie like cookies that can be adapted to the occasion. They are great with white chocolate chips, 

chocolate chips or with mint chips for the holidays!  Chocolate is always a crowd pleaser.

1/2 cup butter softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate, white or mint chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars in a bowl. Add egg. and vanilla. Mix well. Add cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until evenly distributed. Mix in flour. Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Drop dough by teaspoons on to a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 min. until cookies look set in the center.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Nutritional facts per cookie: 90 calories, 5g fat, 1g protein, 11g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 60mg sodium.

Almond Cookies

from: Shawna Wilde (4th Ward) -Stake R.S. Secretary

Here are the cookies I took to the reception/party celebrating a family in our Ward who went to the temple.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sliced almonds

 1 cup powdered sugar   )

3-4 tsp. milk                  )  for frosting

1/4 tsp. almond extract   )

Cream butter, sugar and egg together.  Add almond extract.  Add dry ingredients and mix until flour is incorporated.  Divide dough into four equal pieces.  Form each piece into a l4" long snake, and then pat it into a 14"x3" rectangle on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  

You'll be able to fit 2 rectangles on each cookie sheet.  Smoth the tops with a drinking glass dipped in flour. 

Brush the rectangles with milk, sprinkle with sliced almonds, and bake at 325 for 12-14 minutes or until barely browned.  While still hot, use a pizza cutter to cut into diagonal slices 1" wide.  Cool.  Drizzle with a frosting made with 1 cup powdered sugar, 3-4 tsp. milk, and 1/4 tsp. almond extract.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Food Storage

 Submitted by: Laurie Lorenzon- 6th Ward PL Leader

This is an excellent way to help your family enjoy eating whole grains. 

  Is there anyone who doesn't love cookies?

Connnie Murphy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Pound butter

2 C Sugar

2 C Brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4 C Flour **

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

4 C oatmeal

3 C nuts

2 (12 oz) pkgs chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars, add eggs, beating well.  Add vanilla.  Sift together: flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; add to butter/sugar/egg mixture. Add oatmeal, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Scoop spoonfuls of dough on to cookie sheets and

bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Do not overbake.

Makes: 60 large cookies

Note: **I usually use whole wheat flour for at least half of the flour.  For each cup of whole wheat flour you substitute, add 1 extra teaspoon of baking powder.

 Note:  I always use whole wheat for the entire amount of flour.

*Note from Christi: I made 2 c. whole wheat flour, 2 c. white flour. I didn't add the extra baking powder and it worked great! These are very moist cookies. My family loved them!

Also, this is a large batch of  cookies! You may want to freeze some for later (they freeze well) or make 1/2 the batch.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

If you have ever been to the British Isles you have came to love these buttery little cookies. They may not be specifically Irish but they will take you away with their European flare!

 The ones pictured have a little nontraditional green sugar sprinkles for the Irish/St. Patrick's Day, "wearing of the green". Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Scotch Shortbread

from: Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

3/4 c. margarine or butter, softened

1/4 c. sugar

2 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and mix until the dough begins to form a ball. (It takes a few minutes.) If dough is crumbly, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional butter or margarine, softened.)

Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into small shapes with cookie cutters. Or you can cut them into squares or rectangles with a pizza cutter, and prick with a fork like they do in the British Isles. Place about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until edges begin to slightly turn golden brown, about 15-20 min. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. 

Makes: about 2 dozen, 1- 1 1/2 inch cookies

Ginger Cookies

Served at the Stake R.S. Luncheon- Sat. Feb. 26, 2011

From the kitchen of: Leslie Lorimer- 4th Ward

1 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. allspice

Optional: Melted white chocolate for dipping or drizzling. (These cookies are great plain. We served them plain at the R.S. luncheon.)
Or add white chocolate chips to the batter instead of dipping them.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Cream sugar, butter, shortening & eggs.
Add molasses.
Sift spices, salt, baking soda and flour together. Add to creamed mixture and mix.
Roll into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake until tops of cookies crack (8-10 minutes).
Melt white chocolate and dip 1/2 cooled ginger cookie in the chocolate.
Let cool on wax paper or silicone baking sheet until chocolate is firm.

Makes 50- 2 1/2" cookies


**These cookies freeze well. They can be made ahead and served for large gatherings like R.S. luncheons! :)