It does not get easier than this. Seriously.

These turtles are all over the place around Christmas, and I actually bought the ingredients before Christmas last year but never got around to making them. I finally decided to get everything out, though, and I cannot figure out why it took me so long.

The most complicated part of making these is unwrapping the Rolos. And I read somewhere (after I had already purchased a bag of wrapped caramels) that you can just buy the rolls of Rolos that are at the check-out lane and you won’t have to spend any time unwrapping them at all! Genius!

You can use almost any shape of pretzels for this. I used small twists, but I’ve seen them made on the specialty holiday shaped pretzels, rings, the waffle looking squares that some brands have. Just lay out some pretzels and top each one with a caramel. Melt them in the oven for a few short minutes and then press a pecan half on top. Wait for them to harden. Or stick them in the freezer for a few minutes if you are impatient and need your pans free to make a batch of cookies or something.

The last step might actually be the hardest one of all– Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

Rolo Turtles

Pretzels
Rolos
Pecan Halves

Place pretzels in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place an unwrapped rolo on top of each pretzel. Bake at 250 degrees for 4-5 minutes (no longer), and remove from the oven. The rolos will be in the same shape coming out of the oven as they went in. Carefully press a pecan half onto each melted rolo. Placing the pan of turtles in the freezer for several minutes will help the rolos firm up enough for storage.

I made these cookies to take to my dentist’s office on Monday. That seems like a strange statement, and a lot of people thought it was when I told them what I was doing with these cookies, but it makes sense, I swear. A few cleanings ago, I was telling my hygienist about these cookies and she was just raving about how good they sounded and let me know that it was actually okay for people to bring in goodies, despite it being a dentist’s office.

So I resolved that I would make cookies for them at some point. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I had a cleaning scheduled and I COMPLETELY forgot about it. Luckily I live close to the office, so when I got a phone call 10 minutes after the appointment was supposed to start, I was able to quickly get over there. She made a couple of comments about how she thought maybe I was busy making cookies. Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for all the employees of my dentist, I needed a cavity filled on Monday. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to make good on my promise.

I decided to make a peanut butter cookie, but knew I didn’t want to make just a classic peanut butter cookie. I plugged “peanut butter cookies” into Google and started scrolling. Originally I had been thinking that I would find something with chocolate chips, but this chocolate peanut butter cookie caught my attention and I was sold.

They received rave reviews from everyone I shared them with, and a lot of recipe requests, but I’m not completely sold on them. I think they need some chocolate chips.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Amanda’s Cookin’

1/2 cup shortening (or butter flavored shortening)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.

First of all, I should probably apologize that the first recipe that I am posting in the new year is cookies. If you are working hard on your new resolutions, way to go! If you really just need a cookie, well HERE you go! I don’t believe in any sort of diet that does not allow for chocolate so I don’t feel too bad for sharing cookies. When I put these into the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder, I came out with 3 Points+ per cookie. I don’t know about you, but I can save three points for a cookie!

In any case, these cookies are kind of odd for me to share. I made them for Thanksgiving and have been sitting on the recipe ever since for one simple reason– I can’t decide whether or not I liked them. That seems like a strange thing to say about a chocolate chip cookie stuffed with a Hershey kiss, but there was just something about them that kept me from saying, “Oh these are awesome!”

To be fair, I only had a few of them. I had one when they came out of the oven (because you can’t share cookies with others without first tasting them and making sure you didn’t swap salt for sugar or something!) and then I ate the cookies that I set aside for picture taking purposes. The rest of them were eaten by my family at Thanksgiving dinner and the leftovers were polished off by my coworkers the following weekend. I certainly didn’t hear any complaints from any of them!

I would probably try these cookies again, but I would think about using a different cookie recipe to wrap around the kisses. If you make them, or have made them before, I’d love to hear what you think!

Surprise Kiss Cookies
Source: Tasty Kitchen

1 Cup Softened Margarine
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips Or Mini M&ms
1 9oz. Bag Hershey Kisses

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter/margarine, sugars, and vanilla until well blended.
3. Add the flour and blend until smooth.
4. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
5. Mold a scant tablespoon of cookie dough around each unwrapped kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls.
6. Place into un-greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.
8. Cool slightly, move from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

2011 was a very sparse year here on Jenn Cooks. I posted a grand total of 8 recipes, and most of those in the last couple of months. It’s been a weird year for me, as I think a lot of people would say about 2011. I continued to bookmark many recipes that I’d like to try, but mostly relied on old favorites as the time went by. I do enjoy cooking, baking, and sharing those goods with others so I hope to do better in this regard in 2012.

In the meantime, I hope you are sending 2011 on its way in the manner you best see fit! Have fun and be safe, I want to see everyone around to enjoy 2012!

March

Seven Layer Bars

May

Crockpot Sloppy Joes

October

Cake Batter Bars

November

White Bean Chicken Chili
Caramel Apple Cookies
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

December

Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these cookies aaaages ago, but I misplaced the recipe about as soon as I did. This is not really a good excuse for not posting them as I obtained the oatmeal cookie recipe from my mother, and theoretically could have asked for it again at any time in the intervening, oh, 8 months or so. No matter, I have finally asked for it again, she provided it, so here we are.

These are a very soft oatmeal cookie. You could use semi-sweet chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips… But I had bought a bag of dark chocolate chips at the grocery store and was stumped about how to use them. I, of course, took the question to facebook and the overwhelming response was “Oatmeal Cookies.” Now, I know there are a lot of oatmeal cookie recipes out there, but as soon as I decided that I was going to make them, I knew these were the only ones that would do.

I took them to work, and to roller derby practice, and they received rave reviews all around. So next time I buy a bag of dark chocolate chips when they are on sale, I know exactly what I’ll be making with them.

Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Mom’s recipe box

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cup flour
2 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Cream together the first 3 ingredients, then stir in the following three ingredients. Add the flour and oatmeal, one cup at a time, alternating each one. Stir in the cinnamon, followed by the chocolate chips. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Note: When I first made these, I was really nervous because the dough was a whole lot “stickier” than a traditional cookie dough. They turned out perfectly though!

Or as one of my friends called them, “Inception Cookies.” Cause they are cookies within a cookie. See?

Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies blew up all over the blogosphere awhile back when Jenny at Picky Palate posted the original giant cookie way back in January. Having been on Weight Watchers for quite some time at that point, and not really being able to justify what was essentially three cookies in one, I never made them.

Recently, however, she posted a new version of the cookie… with MINI oreos. I was sold! They were a little time consuming, as any stuffed cookie tends to be, but not particularly difficult. I had some trouble with the dough sticking to my fingers, but a damp paper towel to wipe them off every couple of cookies was good enough to solve that problem.

Jenny recommends using a melon baller to place a scoop of cookie dough on top and bottom of the oreo, but this was NOT working for me. What I did was use my usual cookie scoop and then just pushed the oreo into the center of the dough. Then I pinched the dough closed around it and rolled into a ball.

As usual, these cookies received rave reviews from everyone I shared them with… in this case, a couple of my coworkers and a roller derby viewing party!

Mini Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Picky Palate

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips!)
1 bag mini Oreo cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a melon baller, or teaspoon, take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of a mini Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake cookies 8-10 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

It is no secret that I am not a fan of pork. Please do not try and feed me a pork chop. I don’t want to be ungrateful or rude, but I really don’t want to eat it. There is one exception to my nose-wrinkling (potentially unwarranted, I will admit) distaste for pork — barbecue pulled pork sandwiches. Mmm yummy.

I’d never made it myself before, but I’d heard that it was super simple in the crock pot. I was browsing Pinterest a couple of weeks ago when I saw a picture of 4 ingredients with the caption “Easiest and Best Pulled Pork Sandwiches Ever.” Alright, you got me. I was a little nervous because I’d never cooked pork before (see earlier note of dislike), but I needn’t have worried because it really was super simple. Even if you include my agonizing in the grocery store over what to buy. “The recipe said pork butt! Nothing here is labeled pork butt! Tenderloin? Shoulder roast? Boston something? WHAT DO I BUY?” Ahem. (I bought what was on sale, haha!)

I got my pork home, patted it down with Lawry’s seasoned salt and finagled it into my slightly-smaller-around-than-my-chunk-of-pork slow cooker. Poured some Diet Pepsi and BBQ sauce over the top and walked away. Several hours later, I came back and pulled the pork out to shred. The recipe suggested putting it back in the juices, which I did for a little while because I wasn’t ready to eat it yet, but that’s not really the way I like my pulled pork. I like mine extra saucy, not pulled from the juices with a little BBQ sauce poured on your sandwich. So when I was ready to eat, I removed it and kept only the tiniest bit of juices and instead mixed up the whole batch with some of the Sweet Baby Rays that was left. Served up on a kaiser bun with some potato salad on the side, delicious!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Source: Sweet and Savory Food

Pork butt
1 can Diet Pepsi
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce
Lawry’s Seasoning Salt

Generally coat pork butt with Lawry’s seasoning salt, don’t be afraid to cover it all! Place in crock pot and pour in soda and barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. If you have a larger piece of meat, it will probably take longer. After 4 hours or so, take two forks and shred the meat into bite size chunks. Let it sit in the juice to soak up all that flavor. It can stay on warm in crock pot while serving, and can easily be reheated the next day. Serve on a kaiser roll and add more barbecue sauce if needed.

I like my pulled pork really saucy, so I discarded most of the juices and mixed it all up with some of the remaining BBQ sauce.

Stop. Before you do anything else, go get your grocery list and add two things to it: Kraft caramels, and apple cider mix. You probably have all the other ingredients on hand already, and you are going to want to make these cookies as soon as possible. It didn’t take me long to get these cookies from bookmarked to baked, and I’m so glad I did.

I may or may not have eaten these cookies for breakfast with a steaming glass of hot chocolate every day until they were gone. I shared them with a couple of my coworkers, and the derby girls, and they received rave reviews all around. Accompanied by a few threats of bodily harm if I was not forthcoming with the recipe.

They were easier than you’d expect a stuffed cookie to be (I’d never made anything like that before) and not particularly time consuming. They were delicious and smelled heavenly! I will definitely be adding these to the make-again list. And I probably won’t wait all that long to do it!

Make them. Make them now.

Caramel Apple Cookies
Source: Scrambled Henfruit

1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour
1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (Don’t skip the parchment– you’ll be glad it’s there if some of the caramel leaks!) In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
With your mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.

Refrigerate for about an hour. When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels.

Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut. (I used a rounded cookie scoop-full. My scoop holds about a Tablespoon.) Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Please don’t over-bake! Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they’ll pop right off.
Store in an airtight container.

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for a really long time now. Last week though, I was looking through my bookmarks again and decided that I was finally going to make it. So I added the ingredients to my grocery list (all four of them), and stuck them all in the crockpot on Sunday morning before I left for roller derby practice.

It couldn’t have been easier to make. Rinse four cans of white beans, toss in 2 cups of salsa and cube up some cheese… sink the chicken breasts in the mixture in the crock pot, turn it on low and walk away. 7-8 hours later, I came back and pulled the chicken out. It just fell apart. I didn’t have to work to shred it at all, I just looked at it, maybe poked it with the fork a little bit and it was done.

I have to be honest though. I just wasn’t crazy about this as a chili. It was alright, but I didn’t want to curl up with that whole bowl of it and eat it as is. It did, however, make an AWESOME taco filling! The next day, I swung by the grocery store again and picked up some soft tortillas, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream and put this chili in the bottom. It was delicious!

White Bean Chicken Chili
Source: Pink Parsley

4 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
8 ounces Pepper jack cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cups salsa

Combine the beans, cheese, and salsa in a crockpot. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture, and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken breasts, shred with a fork, and return to crockpot. Stir to combine, and serve with desired garnishes.

I made these cake batter bars! I came across them on Pinterest and immediately decided that I needed to make them so I bought a box of Funfetti cake mix on my next trip to the grocery store. We had a family dinner this afternoon, and my job is usually to make the dessert, so I figured this was a good time to try them out.

It did not go without a hitch. I made them in the morning before I left for roller derby practice. I got started a little late so I had to pull them out of the oven and walk out the door. They had puffed up more than I expected, but looked fine. But when I came home from derby, the middle had sunk away from the edges. They looked pretty scary, but I packed them up and took them to Sunday dinner anyway.

Despite being pretty funky looking around the edges (and no, I won’t be sharing that picture on the internet), they cut up nicely. They were soft and gooey and quite delicious! The sprinkles were still crunchy which I thought was weird, and I thought they tasted more like a sugar cookie than cake batter, but that’s okay. I’d make them again… and try not to screw them up the next time. Someone told me that I over mixed them, so I’ll keep that in mind. If you make them, let me know what you think!

Cake Batter Bars
Source: Lovin From the Oven

1 1/4 cup funfetti cake mix
3/4 cup AP flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 heaping tablespoons sprinkles of your choice (I used stars)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch pan.
Cream both sugars, butter, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk.
Gradually mix in flour, cake mix, and baking soda until just mixed. Stir in sprinkles.
Spread batter evenly into greased pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until top is lightly browned and middle still jiggles slightly. Cool completely before cutting.