MERRY MERINGUES (about 5 dozen)
2 egg whites, room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
3 TBL crushed peppermint candy

Preheat oven to 250° (NOT 350°). Lightly grease 2 or more baking sheets. Usin a mixer, beat the whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Add the salt & cream of tartar & continue beating until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, 1 TBL at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff. Fold in the vanilla, chocolate chips, nuts & candy.
Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1/2" apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 40 minutes. Remove to cake racks to cool.~~

Not a cookie but good & I make it at Christmas:
CHOCOLATE NUT TOFFEE (about 12-15 pieces
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 stick butter (8 TBL)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips

Spread the nuts in the bottom of a well-greased 8" baking pan. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the sugar & boil the mixture for 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour immediately over the nuts; let stand a few minutes. Spread chocolate chips on top. Cover with a bread board to keep in the heat. When the chocolate has softened, spread evenly. Refrigerate. When cool, break into pieecs.~~

TOFFEE COOKIE DIAMONDS (2 dozen)
1/2 lb butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
Six 1 1/2 oz chocolate bars (or use white chocolate)
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 15x10" jellyroll pan with foil; grease the foil.
Cream together the butter, brown sugar & yolk. Add the flour & stir until mixed. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until brown. Immediately top with the candy bars. When melted, spread the bars with a spatular & top with pecans. Cut on the diagonal into diamond shapes.~~ (You could use walnuts in this, too.)

Ann

I have been making these ever since our son was a little fellow. Great for kids since you no matter how many times you roll and reroll the dough, it never toughens.

Sugar Cookies
3c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c butter or margarine
pinch of salt
Mix all together like piecrust dough cutting the butter into the dry ingredients.
Then add:
1 c sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla.
Chill dough. Preheat oven to 375°, roll and cut cookies. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes.
I always double this recipe and then frost and decorate.
RL`

CARAMEL BARS

32 caramels
1/2-cup evaporated milk
1-cup sifted flour
1/2-teaspoon baking soda
1/4-teaspoon salt
3/4-cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
3/4-cup butter
12-ounce pacage chocolate chips
1/2-cup coarsely chopped nuts

Combine caramels and evaporated milk in large microwaveable bowl. Heat about 3 minutes on high; check and stir. Heat until caramels are melted; set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees; lightly butter an 11x7-1/2x1-1/2 pan. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir in brown sugar and oats. Blend butter or margarine with two knives or pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Press half of the oat mixture in bottom of prepared greased pan and press down. Bake 10 or 15 minutes until light brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips and drizzle with caramel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown. Cool 30 or 45 minutes, then refrigerate. Cut into bars.

Aunt Lucy's Nut Tassies

2 small pkgs Cream Cheese
1/2 lb butter
2 cups flour
3 eggs
2 cups lt brown sugar
pinch salt
3 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
crushed pecans or walnuts

Beat butter and cream cheese til thoroughly combined.

Stir in flour

Use mini muffin pan and press a rounded tsp of pastry into each.(makes about 48)(into bottom and up the sides)

Beat 3 eggs with a fork

Add brown sugar and salt

Last, add melted butter and vanilla

pour filling into pastry cups and sprinkle each with a tsp of crushed pecans or walnuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Melting Moment Cookies

1 cup unsifted flour
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 confectioners sugar

In bowl stir together first 3 ingredients. In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat butter until smooth. Beat in flour mixture and vanilla until well blended. Refrigerate 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with lightly floured fork. Bake in 375° F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Food Processor Method:
In bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, stir together flour, corn starch and confectioners sugar. Cut cold butter into 1-inch chunks. Add to flour mixture. Add vanilla. Process 15 seconds or until well blended and mixture forms a ball around blade. Continue as in basic recipe.

Chocolate Melting Moments:
Follow basic recipe. Sift 1/4 cup cocoa and 1/4 tsp. salt with dry ingredients. If desired, place a nut on top of each cookie before baking.
(from C&H confect. sugar box)

Some peanut butter and chocolate fudge, some chex mix, and a little white trash and I'll be set.

Annie

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars):

Lightly grease and flour two cookie sheets. Shake off excess flour.
Grate and set aside; 2 cups (about 2/3 lb.) unblanched almonds
Beat until stiff peaks are formed; 3 egg whites
Add gradually, beating constantly; 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
Beat egg white-sugar mixture for 5 min. with an electric mixer at med. speed. Blend in; 1 tsp. grated lemon peel and 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Set aside 1/2 cup of this meringue mix and fold almonds into remaining meringue mixture. Gently pat or roll out 3/8 inch thick on board sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with more confectioners' sugar. Cut out cookies with star-shaped cookie cutter dipped in conf.sugar. Carefully place stars on cookie sheets. Drop 1/2 tsp. of the reserved meringue onto each cookie, drawing meringue out onto points of the star.
Bake at 325°F. about 20 minutes. With a spatula, immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. About 3 dozen cookies.

First, a story. I made these last weekend to give to our elderly (90+) neighbors who gave us a batch of cheese enchiladas a few weeks prior. The man can't wear his false teeth so cookies can't be too hard or have nuts. I chose this one because it is easy to chew. My husband gave them to him yesterday, and his first response was "tell your wife not to give us any more chocolate, I can't eat much of it". [When you're 90+, you can say anything, LOL!] Then he opened the lid to get a closer look, removed a cookie and took a bite. His next words were "Oh, this is great! Forget what I just told you tell your wife, don't tell her anything!". :-)

Chocolate no-bake Drop Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk

Cook this mixture in a large saucepan on medium for 3 to 4 minutes after it comes to a boil.

Add:
3 cups oats, quick or old-fashioned [note from me: I used quick oats]
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir well and drop onto waxed paper. If they are needed soon, refrigerate until firm.

It pays off to rinse the pan thoroughly as soon as possible after emptying it. Oats stick.

[another note from me: Next time I'll try it with 1/2 cup peanut butter!]

Enjoy!
Jen