Scraps Cookies

   Alright, so these cookies definitely have many names. The can be called Garbage Cookies or Everything but the kitchen sink, as well as a 'nicer' and 'cleaner' name, Scrap Cookies. They get their name from there ingredients, which really can be anything. I mean, this is the cookie where you can put in any leftover ingredients from previous baking jobs, and it will still taste fabulous! There is definitely no set recipe for this past the actual dough preparation, so go ahead and be creative!


   I originally received this recipe through a client of mine. Over the summer I catered for the first leg of her daughters Bat Mitzpha, and she provided the recipes. I also prepared lemon bars, carmelita bars, and my favorite, M&M cookies. All were fabulous, and the job ended well! Now these recipes sit in my notebook, waiting to again be picked up and shared to the goodness of the world. Hang on people, you will see them soon!

These are the ingredients I blended into my batter. As you can see, I have: pretzels, oats, coconut, craisins, assorted nuts, and chocolate chips. You can also add in Rice Krispies cereal for a bit of crunch, or a specific nut if you only like certain kinds. And each of these ingredients are easily removable as well, especially since not everyone always like whats in a certain cookie. It's also easy to mix in any other items you can find laying around the kitchen, waiting to be used, so be creative! Oooh you can even make a Candy Scraps cookie with little candy pieces  I might have to try that for Halloween, so be on the lookout for a recipe!

Then, after you combine the ingredients with the dough, drop them onto an un-greased baking sheet. You can roll them into balls if you like, these are one of the cookies that actually holds their shape while baking. Either way, these cookies will come out fluffy and full of flavor once out of the oven. Mmmmm, they are best right out of the oven, when everything is still gooey and falling apart! Yum!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Shortening (or Margarine)

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

2 cups Oatmeal

1 cup Coconut, shredded

1/4 cup Assorted Nuts

12 oz bag Chocolate Chips

1 cup Craisins

1/4 cup Pretzels

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the shortening, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, mix up the remaining ingredients. Then combine with the dough and mix until everything is well incorporated.

4. Drop balls of prepared dough onto an un-greased baking pan, then cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges have a golden brown color. Cool and enjoy!

Try this recipe? Tell me how it went down below in the comments!

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

   Well, the start of the school year also signifies the start of me selling again! Some kids sell drugs or test answers, but I sell all the things I bake! At the beginning of the year I am usually just baking on Sundays, then selling throughout the week. But, when business picks up, I can be baking anywhere from 1-3 times a week. Sounds exhausting to some, but I love doing it! And after High School I am hoping to pursue a career in baking and pastries, maybe even catering!

   Oh yeah, more exciting news! I was offered by the owner of Never Enough Ballroom to cater for on the weekends! On Saturdays they offer free dance classes, which you can read more about on their website here. It is truly a fun thing to do, and is fun for the whole family as well! I am definitely thinking about taking that offer, good for experience!

Anyways, for this week in school I decided to start with something simple, something that will get business booming the way it was last year. Chocolate chip cookies! I mean, who doesn't love them? And they are also really super quick and easy as well, so I won't be spending too much time on something if people end up not liking them. If they don't, more for my family! This recipe I found here on the allrecipes.com website!

Note: I ran out of chocolate chips, so I cut up some bakers chocolate, which is why my cookies are so speckled.

First things first, get all your ingredients! I will have a list below of all the things you need, but you may already have them in the kitchen! Then you will want to combine the butter with both sugars. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and well incorporate them. Don't forget the vanilla! And the baking soda too, as well as the salt. Can't make good cookies if you are missing the ingredients!

The flour and chocolate chips might be important to. Well, might be! Actually, no, they are very important and you can't make good chocolate chip cookies without the flour and chocolate chips! Mix mix mix, get it all blended together nicely. I might be crazy, but mixing everything together is my favorite part! The flour might be a little tricky, so I usually mix in the flour 1 cup at a time. Just a helpful tip!

Then just drop them on that cookie sheet! The website says you don't need to grease the pan, but you definitely need to! Oh, and my pan isn't dirty, Macy just burned it trying to make garlic bread. But that is for another day! I spray my hands with Pam and roll the dough into little balls too, people won't buy if your food doesn't look good! I mean, you don't have to do that, it is all based on your preference. 

Then stick that pan in the oven and you are a free agent for all of 10 minutes! Woohoo!! Better than no time I guess! This is the time I use to clean up, then just sit down and relax as the cookie smell makes itself known around the house. Mmm the smell reminds me of holiday baking. So many good memories there! I absolutely love baking, but the holidays are the best, that is when you get to make all the tasty treats with peppermint. Pumpkin too! I actually have a pumpkin bread mix, I would say watch out for that one since it is coming soon! Ding Ding that is the timer, better get them out before those burn too!

Don't they look beautiful?

Recipe:                                  *Makes about 4 dozen*

1 cup Butter, soft

1 cup White sugar

1 cup Brown sugar, packed

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

3 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Hot Water

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 cups Chocolate Chips (and kind is fine)

1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ and grease a cookie sheet.

2. Combine butter and both sugars. Beat in each egg, one at a time, until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla.

3. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water, then add to the batter along with the salt. Stir in the flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts (optional).

4. Drop dough by the spoonful onto your cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are nicely browned. Cool and enjoy!

Try this recipe? Tell me how it went down below in the comments!