COOKING WITH CLORIS-RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Valentine’s Day is a little more than a week away. Here’s a special treat to surprise your special someone that day. Or any day.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup dried raspberries

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add gradually to butter/sugar mixture. Fold in chips and raspberries. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets.

COOKING WITH CLORIS--TRIPLE CHIP COOKIES

Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies, right? Today Cloris presents us with a recipe for Triple Chip cookies. Enjoy! -- AP

TRIPLE CHIP COOKIES
Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add gradually to butter/sugar mixture. Fold in chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets.

Okay, I’m in cookie heaven. How about the rest of you? We have a very crafty giveaway this week from our special Book Club Friday guest author. Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.-- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS--HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Cloris returns today with another of her favorite Christmas cookie recipes. This time it’s Holiday Shortbread. Enjoy! -- AP

HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Makes approximately 3-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups sifted flour
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
Christmas sprinkles (optional)

Cream butter, gradually adding sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in flour until well blended. Cover with wax paper and chill for several hours. Work with half the dough at a time, keeping remainder chilled. Roll dough out to 1/2” thickness on floured surface and cut out with desired cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets 1” apart. Decorate with Christmas sprinkles if desired. Bake in 300 degree oven for 30 minutes or until cookies turn light brown around the edges. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets.

Optional baking idea: Use a stoneware shortbread cookie mold or pat dough into 9” round cake pans and cut into wedges.

The best part of shortbread? It gets better with age. So make it a few days ahead of time.

Thanks, Cloris! I can taste that shortbread melting in my mouth already! Yum! -- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS--BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN COOKIES

What would Christmas be without Christmas cookies? It’s that time of year. From now until Christmas Cloris will be sharing some of her favorite Christmas cookie recipes. Enjoy! -- AP

BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN COOKIES
makes approximately 3-1/2 - 4 dozen

These cookies will melt in your mouth. The trick is to make sure you remove them from the cookie sheet while they’re still hot.
Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/8 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 scant cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter, sugar, and egg together. Add flour, vanilla, and pecans. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees approximately 8 minutes. Remove from pan with sharp spatula while cookies are still hot.

Thanks, Cloris! Those cookies did melt in my mouth. Then they traveled straight to my hips! But hey, it’s Christmas! Pass the cookies! Readers, do you have a favorite Christmas cookie recipe that you make each year? Post a comment to be entered in our drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- CRANBERRY WALNUT COOKIES

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Today Cloris offers us a recipe for cranberry walnut cookies. -- AP

CRANBERRY COOKIES
(makes 8 dozen)

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 lg. egg
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups chopped cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix the first 4 ingredients together. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture a little at a time until well blended. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Drop by teaspoon full 1” apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and firm. Remove immediately from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.

Don’t these sound delicious! And since Cloris has already given me a sample, I can tell you they taste as good as they sound. Happy baking!  And remember to post a comment to be entered into the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author.-- AP