Serving Up {Cookies}: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I feel so fortunate to have stumbled across this recipe many years ago.  The recipe was on the back of the package of craisens,  Generally when I purchase ingredients, I already know what I am going to make with them so it is pretty rare for me to even glance at the recipes on the packaging.  I guess this recipe taught me a lesson.  And a pretty delicious lesson at that.

The combination of sweet white chocolate (I like to use the large chunks of white chocolate) with the tart craisen, all in a chewy oatmeal cookie base - perfection!  Go ahead and just double the recipe - I know that I always do :)

One Year Ago: Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream Shake

Two Years Ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies

                          French Bread

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES     
(recipe from Craisins package)
printable version

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cup old-fashioned oats
1 ½ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 6-ounce package craisins (dried cranberries)
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Serving Up {Brownies}: White Chocolate Brownie Decadence

I interrupt the scheduled post to bring you something that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  Seriously!  This may only be slightly exaggerated, but don't risk it.

I generally try to stay ahead of my posts by 2-3 weeks (I admit that the word "try" is key) so I really am in here typing away, BUMPING ANOTHER RECIPE that was already scheduled, because these brownies are simply worth it.  And you are worth it.  It is 2:00 p.m. and I have had nothing substantial to eat yet and yet I have already eaten two of these brownies - and I am worth it :)

I earmarked this recipe a year ago and had high hopes that they would taste as good as they looked.  Leigh Anne at Your Homebased Mom has rarely posted anything that I haven't really liked.  So over the weekend we were invited to a BBQ and my husband told me that he volunteered me to bring a dessert "so that you can make one of those little recipes that you like to pin" - he knows me so well.  I did exactly that and made two little recipes that I had pinned - one white chocolate brownie (for me) and one chocolate brownie (for hubby).  I was thrilled with how they both turned out but it has been these little white squares of danger that won't give me any rest....they just keep calling my name.  And now you have the recipe and you can make them and you can see exactly what I mean.

One Year Ago: Cilantro Ranch Dressing

WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE DECADENCE     
(recipe from Your Homebased Mom)
printable version

1 cup butter
1/2 cup white chocolate,chopped
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the brownies, melt your white chocolate and butter either in the microwave or a double boiler; watching and stirring often so the white chocolate does not burn.  Once the butter and chocolate are melted, whisk in the eggs and vanilla and then add the sugar.  Add flour last.  Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.   Bake for 25-30 minutes.   Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup white chocolate, chopped
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. whipping cream (or more to make desired consistency)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter and white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, whipping cream and vanilla, using additional whipping cream to reach desired consistency for frosting.   Frost brownies once cooled.

Serving Up {Cookies}: Premier Cheesecake Cranberry Bars

The first time I ate these Cheesecake Cranberry Bars was at my mom's home when I was visiting.  I knew after the first bite that they would be the next "cookie" that I would take to my annual cookie exchange.  As I packaged 12 dozen plates of them, I realized that they were a bit more labor intensive than some of my other choices, but they were worth it.  I was confirmed that they were worth it when a couple of days after the cookie exchange the hostess for that year called me directly to tell me how much she loved them.  This meant a lot coming from this individual as she was a known entertainer and an amazing cook!

If you need a real "knock your socks off" dessert this holiday, this may be just what you are looking for.

PREMIER CHEESECAKE CRANBERRY BARS     
(recipe from Linda W.)
printable version

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
12 oz. pkg. white chocolate chips
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
14 oz. can sweetened condensed. Milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (I prefer Trader Joe's "fresh" sauce sold in the refrigerated section)
2 Tbs. cornstarch

Combine flour, oats and brown sugar in large bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Set aside 2 ½ cups of this mixture to be used as topping. With floured fingers, press remaining mixture into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan.
Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix until smooth. Pour over crust layer.
Combine cranberry sauce and cornstarch and spoon over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved morsel mixture over top of all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set.
Cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate up to one day. Cut into bars.

Serving Up {Cookies}: Todd's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I first tasted these cookies 14 years ago (yes, I still remember the first time I tasted them) and I did not leave the family gathering until I had a guarantee that the recipe would be on it's way.  These cookies have been with me ever since.  They darn near got me a marriage proposal when I mailed them to a friend who took them to work - he was encouraged by a colleague to marry whoever had made these cookies.  Ha!  These cookies also came in handy when on a road trip to visit another friend (who I DID actually get a marriage proposal from and accepted) and I needed three tires replaced at 2 a.m.  I'm not sure what the tow truck driver thought of the two 23 year old girls offering him a plate of cookies at that hour.  These cookies have seen some good times!

But even if you are not in need of a marriage proposal or a tow truck, this is a good recipe to have in your recipe box.  The recipe calls for "chocolate chips and nuts".  Just for the record, every time I have had the "ooh la la" response I have used white chocolate chips and pecans.  But that is not to say that they aren't pretty darn good with milk chocolate morsels.

The key to making these cookies is in the beating of the butter and sugar.  Use a good stand mixer and be patient.  When it says to beat the butter and sugar for five minutes, it means five minutes.  It makes all the difference.  The other key is letting the dough sit overnight before baking them.  I don't know why, but if you bake them without chilling the dough the cookies are flat and unimpressive.  Wait 24 hours and bake the dough after it's chilled and they are soft and chewy and thick and...will you marry me?

TODD'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES     

(recipe from Todd P.)
printable version

1 lb. butter (4 sticks)

2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

2 Tbs. vanilla

6 cups flour

2 tsp. soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

4 cups chocolate chips (white is my preferred with this recipe)

2 cups nuts, optional (pecan chips are perfect)

*This recipe makes a lot - which is how I like to make cookies.  If you don't really need 10 dozen cookies, feel free to cut the recipe in half.

In a large mixer stand bowl, cream together the butter and the brown and white sugar until light and airy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and cream an additional FIVE minutes; scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Sift together the dry ingredients and add gradually to the butter mixture until all is incorporated.  Add chocolate chips and nuts last.

Chill the dough overnight.  When ready to bake, place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Do not over bake!