Cherry Bars

3 Cups All Purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Cups butter, room temp
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1/2 Cups brown sugar

4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1/4 Cup powdered sugar, to sprinkle on top

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl.
Cream butter and sugars with mixer.
Add eggs and extracts, mix well.
Add dry to wet, mix well.
Reserve 1 cup of the batter, spread the rest into a well greased 11x17 sheet pan. You'll need to push it around to make it cover the pan.
Spoon the pie filling over the crust.
Add sporadic drops of reserved dough to the top.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until dough turns golden brown.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.
Cut into squares.

Source: Happier Than a Pig in Mud

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies

5 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups butter, room temp

1/2 cup shortening, room temp

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

16 oz peanut butter 

4 oz (1 stick) butter, room temp

1/4 cup honey

Optional Home Addition: 1 (10 oz) bag Mini Reese's Pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix together 16 oz. peanut butter, 1 stick butter and 1/4 cup honey, then set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. 

In a standing mixer or large bowl, cream the 1 1/2 cups of butter, the shortening and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each one, then add the vanilla and the peanut butter mixture. Add the flour mixture by the cupful and beat at low speed until fully mixed.

Add  Reese's Pieces now, if desired.

Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. I used a 2 inch scoop to make these cookies, so they're a good size, but not huge. Place about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet. Very important!! BAKE FOR 11 MINUTES ONLY! Any more than that, and they'll be overdone. The cookies will still be pale, maybe just a touch golden brown on the bottom edges. As long as your oven is running at the correct temp, this is all the time the cookies need. Remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a cooling rack using a spatula. Even though they’ll look doughy and soft, they’ll set up perfectly, I promise! Let cool completely (yeah, right!) and then store in an airtight container.

Lunch Lady Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 TBSP light brown sugar

1/2 tsp oil

1 large egg

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp almond extract a little bit less than 1/8 tsp

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugars.

Beat in oil, egg and extracts.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.

Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Be sure to scrape the sides of the mixer at least once to make sure all of the flour is incorporated.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Space cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes. They don't really brown, so take them out when you see the slightest hint of golden around the bottom edges.

Let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Source: Living Well Kitchen

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup melted butter

1 ½ c peanut butter

1 ½  c sugar

½ c brown sugar

1 ½ tea. Salt

1 Tab. Vanilla

4 eggs

2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix melted butter and peanut butter together until smooth. You can soften the peanut butter in the microwave for @30 seconds first to make this easier. Add in sugar and the brown sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and blend thoroughly between addition. Add salt and vanilla. Add eggs in, one at a time, blending into the mixture. Add in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, blending with each addition.

Pour batter onto a greased sheetpan and smooth until even. It will be thick.

Bake 30 minutes. Let pan sit on counter to cool. Meanwhile, make the icing.

Icing

1 c confectioners sugar

¼ c peanut butter

1 tea. Vanilla

2 ½-3 Tab. Milk

Heat on stove until melted. Spread over warm bars.

Lunch Lady Chocolate Bars

1 cup butter melted

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup butter softened

1/4 cup milk I use 2%

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand-mixer, add the melted butter and cocoa powder. Using the paddle attachment, blend until smooth.

Add the flour and sugar. Beat together then add eggs and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Don't over mix. (Batter will be thick)

Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove brownies from oven and let stand 15 minutes before frosting. You want the brownies still warm when you frost them.

FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Beat together all the frosting ingredients until smooth. Pour and spread over warm brownies. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Source: Life in the Lofthouse

Almond Cookies

1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup almonds, chopped
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 Tab. Honey
3 1/4 cups flour

Mix all ingredients. Shape into balls and flash freeze on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Store in freezer bags in the quantity you desire.

To Bake: When you’d like to have fresh homemade cookies from the freezer, just set your bag of freezer cookies onto the counter for a few minutes.

Bake 350F about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Homemade Oatmeal Cookies

These can be made into Oatmeal Raisin, Oatmeal Walnut or Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. Although I often make two or three batches at a time and freeze them, I find you have to mix them one batch at a time.


2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups softened butter or margarine
3 eggs
1 tbs vanilla
6 cups old fashion oatmeal
5 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs baking soda
1/4-1/2 Tab. each of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, if desired
3 cups raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts (or other nuts), or a combination.

Preheat Oven to 375F degrees.
In large mixing bowl add sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla, and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until well blended.
Next add in oatmeal, flour, baking soda and spices. Mix well.
Lastly stir in mix-ins.
Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes on 375F. Recipe yields six dozen cookies.

To Freeze: After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.

To Eat From Frozen: When you want to eat some, take them out and let it sit at room temperature o(warm it in the oven for a few minutes.) (Or if you  just want a few, you can microwave in 10 second intervals.

Source: Large Family Table

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | Large Family Size & Freezer Friendly

4 cups softened butter
5 cups peanut butter
5 eggs
1 Tab vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
10 cups flour
1 Tab baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups chocolate chips

Mix butter, peanut butter, and sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Mix dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Add in chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
Form into balls and flash freeze on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Store in freezer bags in the quantity you desire. Makes approximately 14-15 dozen.

To Bake: When you’d like to have fresh homemade cookies from the freezer, just set your bag of freezer cookies onto the counter for a few minutes. Spray your baking pans with non-stick spray and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the desired amount of cookies on baking sheet and bake up to 14 minutes.

Source: Large Family Table