Pizzelles!

When you mention pizzelles, you more than likely will get a favorable response. Everyone seems to love these traditional Italian cookies. Well, except me. Yes. I admit it. I do not like them. Don't you dare say I'm not a true Italian because I don't like them! I am just not an anise flavor lover!

My Dad, on the other hand, LOVES these so I make them for him. He did me a favor this morning and to show my appreciation, I made him a batch of his favorite cookies. Let me say that I don't particularly like making them. They are time consuming since you can only make two at a time and they make my house smell like anise...all day long! However, the look on my Dad's face when I told him they were for him, was well worth the time and smell.

The recipe below is for what I call a half batch of pizzelles. It makes about 5 dozen...which may seem like a lot but they go fast on a cookie tray at Christmas...so I double it at Christmas time.

Pizzelles

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

2 Tbsp. pure anise extract

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat your pizzelle iron according the the manufacturer's instructions.

2. Beat eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until they are fluffy. Add in the melted butter and anise extract.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

4. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, a little at at time. The dough will be thick and sticky.

5.Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the heated iron. Close and cook for about 90 seconds until lightly browned, or until steam stops coming out of the pizzelle iron. Remove carefully from iron and set on paper towel to cool.

6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They also freeze well.

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Philly Cheesecake Brownies!

If you haven't ever had or made Philly Cheesecake Brownies, you have to try these. They are so easy and offer up the "Wow" factor. I found this recipe years ago on a box of brownie mix and cut it out. I love cream cheese so I knew this was a must try. I don't know why but I kept it in my recipe box for years before making it. I now regret that decision. I can't believe I deprived myself of these yummy brownies for all those years! Anyway, the recipe is below and as you can see in the picture, I also sprinkle chocolate chips on it if I have them in my cupboard. You could probably stir them in if you like but I like picking them off the top when I eat the little square of deliciousness!

Philly Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

1 pkg of brownie mix (I used the basic Betty Crocker mix.)
1 pkg (8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package. Pour into greased 13 x 9 in baking pan.
2. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, mixing until well blended. Ad egg and vanilla and also mix until well blended.
3. Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie mixture; cut through batter with knife several times for marbled effect.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned.

Cool and cut into squares. Makes 24.

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Outrageous Cookie Bars!

One of the girls at work brought these in a few years ago. They were so good that I knew I had to get the recipe. They even have coconut in them and as a general rule, I avoid coconut. I actually like the flavor of coconut but I don't like the texture. I don't like the sound it makes when you bite it and I definitately don't like how you can't seem to bite through it. I know. I'm odd. I've never denied it and now you have proof.

Many of you probably already have this recipe. It seems to be a holiday favorite on cookie trays. I guess I never noticed it before since I usually avoid all cookies with coconut in them. After these cool, I cut them into squares and put them in decorative cupcake papers. It just adds a special touch to the cookie tray.

I made these a couple of weeks ago for one of Curtis's bosses at work as a thank you for letting us park at his house for Allison's Open House at school. There is seriously not enough parking at the school. We are told to park down the road at a grocery store and they shuttle us back and forth. Fortunately his boss lives several houses down from the school so he lets us park there. I wanted to make sure he knows we appreciate our own private parking space and what better way to do that but with home baked goodies?

Outrageous Cookie Bars

Makes 48 bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed Milk
1 (14-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Melt butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan in the oven. Remove the pan from oven and sprinkle with the graham cracker crumbs over butter. Stir the two together well and press it onto bottom of the pan.
3. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the crumbs evenly
4. Next sprinkle with the crust with the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown.
6.Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

The picture below shows you how I packaged them up for delivery. I had purchased some take-out containers from work a couple of years ago for a bake sale I did. I still had some in my stash and it worked perfectly for 2 layers of 9. I matched the ribbon to the holiday papers and ended up with a festive thank you. As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of money to show someone they are appreciated.

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