Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. buttermilk (do not omit this)
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in 2 cups of the flour, the baking soda, and the salt. Mix well. Add butter milk and mix some more. Add remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips and drop by spoonfuls or cookie scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake 375* for 10 minutes. Do not overbake!

My thoughts: These are blue-ribbon-winners-at-the-county-fair chocolate chip cookies. The buttermilk keeps them soft. (I don't like crunchy cookies.) If you're tempted to toss in all the flour at once---don't. It doesn't mix right and there is something about putting the buttermilk in between the additions of flour.

Serve it with: Cold milk...what else??!!!

Shared with me by: My Mother-in-Law

Lemon Bars

Makes 16 bar cookies

Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter -room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Combine ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan and leaving some dough around the edges just a bit higher. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the filling.

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. flour
6 Tbsp. real lemon juice

Topping:
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Pour over warm crust. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes. When cool sprinkle with powdered sugar.

My thoughts: Tangy, sweet, perfect for a summer dessert! Best served chilled.

Serve it with: Iced Tea!

Shared with me by: A distant cousin Janeen.

Magic Bars

Makes 24 very rich bar cookies

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I think this is one cellophane package crushed fine)
1/2 cup butter (this is equal to 1 cube or 1/4 pound of butter)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk!)

Melt butter in the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan in a 35o* oven. This takes just a few minutes so don't leave it unattended or you'll have burnt butter. Pour graham cracker crumbs over melted butter. Mix with a fork to distribute the butter to all crumbs. Spread it over the bottom of the pan and press down lightly to form a crust. Evenly sprinkle butterscotch and chocolate chips over crust. Sprinkle coconut and walnuts over the chips. Pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk over all as evenly as you can. Bake at 350* for 23-25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Cook completely before cutting into desired number of bar cookies.

My thoughts: These are very rich and delicious. They are very simple to make but they tend to be a little on the expensive side to make. They are worth it though.

Serve it with: A cup of strong black coffee!

Shared with me by: My mama. She made these for my brother and me once in a while. My brother doesn't like walnuts so she put the walnuts on my half.