Ed & Irene and The Peanut Butter, M&M, and Marshmallow Cookies

Ed and Irene are my step-grandparents and are two of the hardest working people I have ever met. They are the owners of the famous Gadawski's restaurant (if you have never been then you DEFINITELY need to go... like now!!!). Ed is 91 and still bartenders during the day. Irene is 85 and only within the last few years has "stopped working". She still comes down to help out in the kitchen or helps out from upstairs too. Besides being hardworking, they are kind and caring and are all about family. It is always fun to get together with the Gadawskis!!! I hope these cookies find them well and that they know that the came from my heart!!!


Peanut Butter M&M Marshmallow Cookies
adapted from: Sweet Treats & More

1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbl. milk
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. M&M's
3/4 c. mini marshmallows


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat shortening until smooth. Beat in the peanut butter and both sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and milk and beat until smooth. Slowly add dry ingredients. Gently stir in M&M's and marshmallows. Place rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

***Change***
1. I used butter instead of Crisco.

Jilly-Bean (& Blake) and the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Much like the star of the previous post Jill, aka Jilly-Bean, aka Carney, was a roommate from college. Jill lived across the hall from our suite during our sophomore year. Then she saw how much fun we were and she quickly decided to live with us for the next two years. Jill (and Julie) were the “chemistry nerds” in our suite and they could often be found out in the quad-room studying for organic chemistry. I can still picture the molecules (or whatever they were called) drawn on the board. When she wasn’t being a science nerd then you could find her: eating (and never gaining a pound), playing euchre, in a history class, cuddling with me (as both of our boyfriends were not at school with us), watching Billy Madison, golfing, at study group, or enjoying a beverage or two (possibly the different colored Hawaiian Punches). Since college Jill has moved down South and is now married to a wonderful man named Blake. I’ve only met Blake once but in that short amount of time I could tell how much they loved each other and how happy he makes her, so that makes him a wonderful man in my book. Jill also just finished her Master’s Degree while working and still finding time to kick some ass on the golf course. I can’t even begin to explain how much I miss her. I hate how the warm weather and the year round golf (and probably Blake too) have captured her heart so that she will probably never move back here. But I know that she is happy and that’s really all that matters. So I hope these cookies reach her (and Blake) and remind her of all the fun times we had and hope much I love her!!!!!


Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

***No Changes***

The Kennedy Family & The White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers

Jessica Kennedy, aka Jess, aka Kipp, aka Kipper, is one of my roommates from college, well kinda. Let me explain, it was not like Jess didn’t leagally reside in out suite, it was just that she was hardly ever there. Jess is your quintessential over-achiever! If I can remember correctly she was: in one of the singing groups, played soccer, played broomball, a building rep for something, double-majored, and volunteered for tons of other things that I am sure I’m forgetting. She’s pretty freakin’ amazing!!! After college Jess remained in Rochester where she met her husband Mike. Although I do not know Mike as well as I’d like to, I do know that he is a great guy, husband, and father. Jess and Mike have a son Carter who is absolutely adorable and one of Ella’s (my niece) favorite friends!!! They are really a wonderful family and hopefully Ella and I can see more of them this summer! So Jess take a minute to stop the 5,000 things you are doing and enjoy a few cookies!!!


White Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunchers
Makes 3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients
2 Sticks Softened Butter
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Real Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, Slightly Crushed Up
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Bag White Chocolate Chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl combine the flour, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the white chips until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough and place onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden brown.
2. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

*** No changes***

Jenn & Paul & The Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Pretzel Cookies

Jenn, or Jenny as Ella gets to luckily call her, is a friend all the way from elementary school. I actually calculated it and we have known each other for 20 FREAKIN’ years. That’s right, we’re old, the only nice thing is…… SHE’S OLDER!!!!!! Jenn, aka Jenny, aka Dr. Glose, is not only my optometrist she is my: psychiatrist, life coach, general physician, go-to-babysitter, confidant, problem solver, partner in crime, and seriously one of my best friends. I tell her this all the time and genuinely mean it; I don’t know what I’d do without her!!! Now, I can’t leave out Paul, nor would I want to. I met Paul in high school when Jenn and I went into music for less (that was the store right?) to check him out. We even had a nickname for him “blue cd” - because of his blue eyes. Since meeting Paul he has become a close friend and someone I know I can trust for some good advice, some good laughs, and definitely some good food. Now I am not exactly sure of these cookies but Jenn isn’t much of a sweets person so I tried to pick something that was salty/sweet, here’s hoping they turn out ok. And here’s hoping they both know how much they mean to me!!!
 
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Pretzel Cookies
Makes 24 cookies
 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 cup of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup of tightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup of granulated sugar 1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup broken up pretzel pieces
Preztel Salt or Sea Salt
 
Directions: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). On low speed, slowly add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Beat to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat just until there are no more streaks of flour. Stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and preztels. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out well rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Leave about 2 inches between each ball. Bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer crispier cookies increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing.

*** I did not change any part of this recipe***