PATTY’S MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES:  Preheat oven to 400.  Mix 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla.  Mix until well blended.  Add 1 cup finely chopped pecans.  Mix until well blended.  Add 2 cups flour, if batter is still not stiff enough to make balls, add another 1/4 cup flour.  Spray cookie sheet.  Roll into balls and then flatten.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Immediately after removing from oven, place cookies into a bowl of powdered sugar and flip over to coat both sides.  Place on a napkin and cool completely.  Makes 2 dozen.  This recipe was given to me from my stepmother Patty.  She is a wonderful cook and taught me a lot as a child about cooking.  Thanks Patty.

LORI’S GRANDMA COOKIE BARS:

This is a very tasty treat you can’t really explain the taste, you just have to make some and try them.  Preheat oven to 350.  Combine 1/3 cup oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg white, 1 tsp vanilla.  Mix thoroughly.  Add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda.  Mix thoroughly.  Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/3 cup butterscotch chips. Mix thoroughly.  Add 1 1/2 cups oats.  Mix thoroughly.  Spray a small baking dish (can be square, rectangular or round).  Put dough in pan (I used a spatula because the dough was kind of thick and wet).  Press dough into pan with hands until evenly spread out in pan.  Bake for 15 minutes and rotate.  Cook and additional 15 minutes.  If toothpick comes out clean, cookie bars are done, if not cook additional 5 minute intervals until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes and cut into bars or squares.  You can use any kind of chips, and any kind of nuts.

CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIE CAKE

RECIPE: 1 bag of Chocolate Chips, 3/4 cups sugar, 3/4 cups brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup butter (2 sticks),1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups flour, (1 cup of any chopped nuts optional).  Mix sugars, eggs, butter (softened) vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Add flour and mix thoroughly.  Add chocolate chips and nuts.  Spray pizza pan with cooking or baking spray.  Preheat oven 350.  Bake approx 20 min.  I always use the smell factor for when to check.  Also, check by pressing on top, if it flattens, it is not done.  Or, check by using a toothpick.  If the toothpick comes back clean with no cookie on it, the cookie is done.  Place on a cooling rack.  While warming take a large spatula and easily raise the cookie all the way around.  That way as it cools, it will not stick.  You can decorate with frosting if you choose or eat as is.  I sometimes use a pizza cutter to cut the cake.  Eat and Enjoy!!

HALLOWEEN GHOST COOKIES
   Fast, fun and easy cookies for you and a child to do as a snack project together.  My little one took some for her classmates to school last year for Halloween.  Recipe is:  Bag of “Nutter Butter Cookies”, Bag of Chocolate chips, White Baking Chocolate.  Place wax paper on counter top or kitchen table.  Place half the package of chocolate into microwavable glass bowl.  Heat for 120 seconds.  Stir, replace for 30 seconds, stir and replace for additional 30 second intervals until chocolate is smooth and creamy.  Place bowl on heating plate and put cookies into chocolate, one or two at a time.  Flip cookie around in chocolate with a fork.  Once cookie is fully coated with chocolate, pick up cookie with fork and tap fork against bowl to remove excess chocolate.  Place cookie on wax paper.  After you have put about three cookies on the peice of wax paper, place two chocolate chips on top of cookie to look like ghost eyes.  Let cookies dry – chocolate will harden upon sitting.  Serve and enjoy.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

******Can dip pretzels into the left over chocolate and place on waxed paper******