By Staff
No-bake cookie tops list
By Lisa Tindell – news reporter
Cookies are wonderful treats no matter what your age. I love cookies - at least some kinds. Everyone has their own favorites but a lot of people like the basics.
I can remember my mother baking cookies at home when I was a child. She wasn't much of a cookie maker, so there were just a few kinds that she made and made well.
One of my favorites is peanut butter cookies. I remember being in the kitchen as a child and having my special duty when it came to making those cookies. It was my job to dip a fork in sugar and make those neat little criss-cross marks on the top of the cookie.
Somehow, I don't remember how much trouble it is to make peanut butter cookies. It's not the process that's the problem, it's the waiting. You have to mix up the batter and refrigerate it - for two or more hours. Who can wait that long?
At any rate, I'm sharing a couple of good cookie recipes with you this week. I realize that I had promised to start sharing Thanksgiving recipes with you, but this is heavy on my mind this week for some reason. And, when you think about it, having a few cookies around at Thanksgiving isn't a bad idea. If some of your guests have a hard time staying out of your way while you're preparing the meal, hand them a cookie and tell them to go play while you finish cooking.
After a brief poll of a few of my friends and co-workers, I've come up with a short list of some really good cookies.
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.
Another cookie that came to the top of the list is the popular oatmeal cookie. There are some variations on this one, however. Some people like nuts in their cookies while others like raisins added in.
A few folks just like a plain cookie. I've found a recipe that is a basic recipe that allows for the addition of nuts and/or raisins.
If you don't like raisins, try adding some dried cranberries to the mix. It makes a festive looking cookie and is pretty tasty too.
The recipe that follows would do well with addition of up to a cup of raisins or up to a cup of finely chopped nuts.
Basic Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups rolled oats
Combine all ingredients in order given. Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight to get a thick consistency. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Let stand 1 minute before removing from baking sheet.
Last but certainly not least is a recipe for a cookie that isn't baked. From the feedback I got from the folks I asked about cookies, everyone had this on their list of favorites.
Since it is boiled on the stove instead of baked in the oven, it's more like a fudge candy than it is a cookie. But I'll keep calling it a cookie and enjoy it every time I get the chance.
One tip when making this cookie: spread butter or spray non-stick cooking spray around the top inch of the boiler you are using to make the cookies. This will prevent boil over and a big mess on your stovetop.
Boiled Cookies
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine milk, sugar, cocoa and butter. Stir and bring to boil over medium heat. Let boil for 1 1/2 minutes, do not stir. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Stir until oatmeal is evenly distributed. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Cool. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.
My mouth is actually watering as I write this for you. I can remember having these on our lunch plates back, many years ago, when I was going to school. Those lunchroom ladies sure knew what they were doing.
I hope that you'll enjoy these cookie recipes and have a few of them around for your Thanksgiving guests to enjoy.
Remember to get those Thanksgiving recipes and ideas in so that I can share them with the readers. I'll be happy to give you credit for your recipe or idea when it is published.
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing some ideas for main dishes as well as side dishes. I plan to include some out-of-theordinary recipe ideas.
You can drop your information by the office at 407 St. Nicholas Ave., or email it to me at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.
Until next week, happy cooking!