C is for Cookie

by Shirley Raye Redmond

October is National Cookie Month, so I thought I take this opportunity to share a favorite no-bake cookie recipe with you.  My family calls it Hopscotch, but you may have eaten something similar called chow mein noodle cookies.

You will need:

2 cups (12 oz pkg.) butterscotch chips
1-cup peanut butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups chow mein noodles

Melt the butterscotch chips on low in the microwave. Stir in the peanut butter. In a larger bowl toss marshmallows with chow mein noodles. Pour the butterscotch mixture over this and mix thoroughly.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Chill until set.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite cookie? If it’s a no-bake cookie, all the better! 

And don’t forget to leave a comment on today’s post to get your name in the drawing for an ebook copy of Solve by Christmas, an historical holiday mystery by Amber Schamel.

Traditional New Mexican Biscochitos

The official State cookie of my home state of New Mexico is Biscochitos, a delightful cookie featuring a blend of anise, cinnamon, and sugar. Here is a recipe passed down from my mother.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 1/4 cups of shortening

4 cups of flour

1-2 eggs

2 tsp anise seeds

1 tsp anise extract

2 tsps baking powder

Up to 1/4 cup of brandy or sweet wine - enough to mix to proper consistency for rolling and cutting

Blend shortening and sugar. Add in egg and mix for about 10 minutes. Add flour and baking powder and spices, mixing until you have a stiff dough.

Roll to desired thickness and cut in shapes. A fleur-de-lis is traditional. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick you roll the cookies, until just browning on the edges.

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo de mi familia en Neuvo Mexico para todos!

About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Book Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http:// lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/

 Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173

Epic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alright, this isn't my usual delve into history, but these cookies are too good not to share. Of course, I can't make them taste as good as my husband does, but if I could, I would no longer have an excuse to let him do the honors. ;)

• 4 1/2 cups flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 cups soft butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 Packages vanilla instant pudding mix (The secret ingredient that makes them perfect.)

• 3-4 cups chocolate chips, - My hubby did make them with bacon and maple syrup once, but I personally like to stick to chocolate. ;)

1) Sift together the flour and baking powder, set aside.
2) Mix the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth
3) Mix the pudding mix into the butter mixture, until smooth
4) Mix in the flour mixture.  Do Not overmix.  (Unless you want stiff cookies... which you don't.)
5) Add the chocolate chips (or whatever).  You will need to mix these in by hand, to avoid overmixing.
6) Form into ~1" balls & tap down.
7) Bake @350 f. for 10 minutes.

8) Try (and fail) not to eat too many.

Makes ~6 dozen. (Unless we're are cooking for a group, we like to put portions into small ziploc bags and freeze them for those late night cravings, because there is nothing better then warm chocolate chip cookies. We flatten the bags so they thaw quickly.)

What are your favorite cookies?

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