Lofthouse Copycat Cookies

Have you ever had Lofthouse cookies?  They are the fabulous sugar cookies that have colored frostings (depending on the season) and sprinkles.  They are super soft and super yummy and super addictive! The only down side is they are usually $4 for 8 cookies.  I'm a bit of cheapster and can't fork out that much money....but luckily I usually don't have to.  Here in Ogden, there is the Lofthouse cookie outlet over on 2nd street in the BDO outlet store (if you want specific instructions to get there and I will give them to you) and they sell them for $1.25 a box.  I love going there when I need treats to take to my daughter's school.  Anywho....now that I have done my advertising speal, back to the post.  As you can tell, I really do like these cookies and have been wanting  to make some that could satisfy my cravings for them and I would have to drive clear out of my way for them (which is probably a good thing they are farther away because I would be in lots of trouble and not fit into  my pants even more than I already don't).  Usually with cookies, I am all about the chocolate....okay....with anything I am all about the chocolate.  But these cookies are some of my favorites, even though they don't have chocolate. =)  So now that I have bored you to death, I guess I should give you the recipe huh?  I got the original recipe here and did a few little tweaks to it.  This recipe makes a lot so feel free to cut the recipe in half.

Lofthouse Style Frosted Sugar Cookies

Cookies:
6 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda 
1 t. baking powder 
1 c. butter, at room temperature 
2 c. granulated sugar 
3 eggs 
4 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. sour cream

Frosting:
1 c. butter, room temperature 
1 t. vanilla extract 
1 t. almond extract (optional but I love almond extract in frostings!)
4 c. powdered sugar (you may need more or less, depending on how thick you want the frosting
6 T. heavy cream (you won't need it all, I actually didn't even need any of it and you can use milk too)
Several drops food coloring 
Multi-colored Sprinkles

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar until it is well incorporated.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until well combined.  Slowly ad the dry ingredients.  The dough may be a bit sticky,  so don't fret.  Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can either cover the bowl and do it in that or take the dough out and wrap in plastic wrap.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray your cookie sheets with non stick spray.

Roll out your dough to about 1/4 thickness (I actually do mine a little bit thicker)  If the dough is too sticky to roll out, add some flour and sugar.  I usually have a bag of a flour/sugar mix that I keep on hand for my sugar cookie dough.  I just sprinkle some on the counter and incorporate it into the dough as you are rolling it out.  Then take whatever shape cookie dough cutters you want and cut out your cookies.  I use a cup to get the round ones.  Then back your cookies for about 7 minutes.  You don't want them to over cook because then they will be crunchy and not soft (unless you are weird and like your sugar cookies crunchy ;P )  Once the cookies are done baking, let them cool on a cooling rack.  Once completely cooked, frost away!  And don't forget to let your little munchkins help decorate a few.

Root Beer Cookies

Everyone in my family are HUGE fans of root beer.  I have tried several recipes to try and get the root beer flavor in them.  I've done several cupcake versions and a few cookie versions.  I haven't been completely satisfied with them.  It seems like the root beer flavor always bakes out of it.  But then one day, while visiting one of my favorite blogs, Chef in Training, I found her recipe for root beer cookies.  I figured, what they hey, I'll give them a try.  Boy am I glad I did!  They were super yummy!  My hubby doesn't like white chocolate chips and he even really liked these (enough that he requested I make a batch for him to take to work to share, which he only does with the really good ones =)  )

ROOT BEER COOKIES

3/4 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

1 small box vanilla instant pudding (dry)

2 eggs

2 tsp. Root beer concentrate

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

white chocolate chips (however much you like, but probably around 1 cup)

Cream butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and root beer.  Beat until incorporated.  Add pudding mix, baking soda, and flour until well mixed.  Stir in white chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded tablespoons (or about 1 in big, or use a cookie dough scoop) onto a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  They get a big glass of milk and enjoy!!!

Mini Cookie Cups

One of my favorite foods is chocolate chip cookies.  As many of my friends have noticed, I like to stuff things inside of it, stuff the dough inside other things, eat the dough raw (I know, salmonella and all those other things but it's well worth the risk =)  )  I came across this idea and of course had to try it out =)  It was soooo good!  I made my hubby take a bunch to work so I wouldn't eat them all, and quite a few of his coworkers said these were their new favorites.  I have a few more ideas to do with these that I can't wait to try out so keep an eye out for them =)

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

3 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp.  salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla.  Add in salt, soda, and chocolate chips.  Gradually add in flour.  

Scoop out approximately ½ tbsp. dough and roll it into a ball and place in muffin tin.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately press in the center of the the cookies, just far enough to make a small well, like you would with tarts. 

 Let the cookies cool 15 minutes in the muffin tin before removing.  While they're cooling, make your filling 

8 ounces softened Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (ore regular sized or even sprinkles)

 Place cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla into a medium bowl, mixing until well combined. Place dollops of cream cheese filling into center of cookie cups and top with mini chocolate chips.

To make this a nice festive treat, put food coloring in the cream cheese or use different colored sprinkles.  This would be a great treat for the upcoming holidays.  It's bite size, so the perfect treat (unless you're like me and bite size just means you need to have more bites =P ).

 Print Recipe

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken and Fried Rice

I have been looking for a good sweet and sour recipe. I posted one earlier that was pretty good, but it didn't have the breading.  My hubby wanted to have the breaded kind.  Then I found this and I have made it several times.  It's a hit!  This is definitely a regular now.  I have also been looking for a good friend rice recipe and lucky for me, the blog Life in a Lofthouse, had both the fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.  Score!!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Courtesy of Life in the Lofthouse

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup  oil

The sweet and sour sauce: (I actually doubled mine so I could have extra sauce for my rice)

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Cube your chicken Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your  oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 Tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

Try adding some diced ham, or green onion. Yum!

Brocolli Cheese Soup

Once the cold weather sets in, my favorite thing to do is make soups!  Which bugs my hubby because he isn't a soup person (he is a meat and potatoes type person)  But oh well, every once in awhile I have to cook a meal that is for ME and not everyone else and they just have to deal with it.  You get what you get and you don't throw a fit! =)  I love broccoli and cheese soup but the canned stuff has way too much salt for me.  So when I found a recipe that didn't have any canned stuff I had to try.  I think this is a keeper!

3 tbsp. oil

1/3 of a yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp. flour

2 1/2 c. chicken stock or broth

3/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets

2 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded, plus extra for garnish (you can sub yellow cheddar if you want)

1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

seasonings to taste (I used some roasted garlic and herb seasonings)

In a large saucepan, heat oil.  Add onions and saute.  Add garlic and salt and pepper.  Cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add flour to pan and stir until the moisture is soaked up, and cook for 1 minute.

Add stock a little at a time, mixing to incorporate all ingredients and work out any lumps.  Add milk.  Bring mixture to a simmer and add broccoli.  Simmer over medium heat until soup has thickened slightly, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and break up chunks by putting some in a blender or food processor.  Do as much or as little as you want, depending on how chunky you like it.  Return soup to heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.  The stir in cheese.  Stir until all the cheese is melted and thickened.  Ladle into bread bowls and garnish with extra cheese if desired.

Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

This Sunday I was home from church with a sick little baby girl so I had some extra quiet time while everyone else was away.  So I decided to make a treat....okay....so it's not any different from when I have a houseful...I still make treats.  But I guess I just got a little bored since the baby was sleeping.  I wanted something simple, and something that I had all the ingredients on hand since it was Sunday.  So I figured this would be good.  And kid-friendly =)

Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

(Recipe from Chef in Training)

• 6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal
• 20 Regular Oreos chopped
• 5 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, pour measured Rice Krispie Cereal.
3. Chop and mash Oreos. You can do this by putting them in a ziplock bag to help keep the mess under control. You want the Oreos to be a variety of sizes from chunky to finely crushed.
4. Add Oreos to Rice Krispy cereal and stir to combine.
5. In a medium sauce pan, heat butter and marshmallows together over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they melt together.
6. Pour melted marshmallows over cereal and oreos and use a spatula sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to quickly combine all the ingredients.
7. As soon as all the cereal is combined, spread mixture into the prepared 9×13″ dish. Use the spatula to press the mixture around the dish, and flatten as needed.
8. Let sit until completely cooled.
9. Drizzle with melted chocolate or sprinkles if you want.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bread

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bread

Fall is my favorite time of year!  This last week we got a little teaser of fall with some nice cool, rainy weather.  It get me all in the mood for hoodies, jeans and pumpkin flavored stuff. (not to mention that hoodies would be more comfortable to wear now that I don't fit into any of my clothes......a few more weeks to go until our newest addition gets here!)  I have had this recipe saved for awhile and have just been waiting for a good time to make.  So I figured now was as good as ever.  I love how this combined pumpkin and cream cheese....two things that are perfect together!  It's like eating pumpkin bread and cheesecake in one bite =)

INGREDIENTS

• FILLING:
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• BREAD:
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup chocoalte chips (optional, but oh so yummy!!!)

DIRECTIONS

• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg and milk; set aside.

•  In a large bowl, beat the sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

• Pour half of the batter into three greased and floured 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Spoon filling over batter. 

• Cover filling completely with remaining batter.

• Bake at 350° for 65-70 minutes (for larger loaves, if using mini-loaf pans like I like to, the cook time is closer to 30 minutes, but use the toothpick method) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap in foil; refrigerate until serving. Yield: 3 loaves (16 slices each).