Old Soul, Young Heart

Chocolate Chip Cookies Directions: Mix together dry ingredients: 2¼ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Combine and beat until creamy: ½ cup softened butter ½ cup Crisco ¾ cup white sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon water 2 eggs Add dry ingredients Stir in 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes I should probably go back to taking photos of my food instead of just using stock photos. Ahh well. As per usual, I added way more chocolate chips -- perhaps double. I did a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chips for funsies. I also went with 10 minutes because then the cookies are softer after they cool. A classic cookie!

  Easy Strawberry Pie Recipe from: Rose Kehoe Directions: Blend: 1 cup flour 1 stick butter 2 tablespoons sugar Put into a 13x9 pan and bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until light brown Mix: 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons corn starch 1 ½ cups water Cook until clear Add 3 ounce package wild strawberry Jell-O Pour over 3 cups sliced strawberries Mix and pour over baked crust Chill overnight Serve with Cool Whip on top Can use peach Jell-O and peaches, but add ½ teaspoon almond flavoring to fruit. So I had to look up if the butter should be cold, softened, or melted in a pie crust. Softened seemed to be the ticket, so I put it in the micro for 30 seconds. Then to blend it to a sand-like texture, I put in a food processor and that was so much easier than using a stand mixer. Don't judge -- I am new to this! I always feel fancy when I make a pie because it is beyond my capabilities, but this one truly is so easy. Even a novice like me can be successful at it. Be sure to put as much Cool Whip ...

Delicious Cookies Recipe from: Lori Sutton Ingredients: 1 egg 3 ½ cups flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 1 cup oil 1 cup softened butter 1 cup oatmeal 1 cup Rice Krispies 6 ounces chocolate chips 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Directions: Mix and bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Will look light even when done! These are, indeed, delicious. I would describe them as a mix between a sugar cookie and a chocolate chip cookie, with some nice texture from the oatmeal and Rice Krispies. I added more chocolate chips than it called for, because that's what I do. 👍

  Snickerdoodles Recipe from: Lori Leake Directions: Mix together... ½ cup softened butter ½ cup shortening 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs Sift together and stir in... 2 ¾ cups flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt Chill dough Roll into balls and roll into a mixture of... 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Place on ungreased cookie sheets Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown, but still soft A Christmas classic! I'm always amazed when a recipe is so spot on. This made exactly 3 dozen cookies and the amount of sugar/cinnamon to roll them in was perfect. I baked mine for 8 minutes, but probably could've gone slightly less.

Microwave Fudge Ingredients: ¾ cup butter 3 cups sugar 5 ½ oz evaporated milk 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips 6 oz milk chocolate chips 7 oz jar marshmallow creme 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: Microwave the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk on high for 12 minutes, stirring after each 4 minutes Add the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, and vanilla; stir until melted Pour into a well-greased 13x9 pan Cool and cut Freezes well! A very delicious chocolate fudge. I like mine with nuts, so I put walnuts in some of it. You can also swap the chocolate chips for 2 cups of creamy peanut butter for a pb fudge!

EZ Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe from: Pantagraph Ingredients for cake: 1 box yellow cake mix 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding 2/3 cup oil 1 cup water 4 eggs Ingredients for topping: 1 ½ cup sugar 2 tablespoons cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts Directions: Mix cake ingredients and pour into a greased 13x9 pan Pour the topping ingredients onto cake mix Swirl with a knife Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until done I've never made this before and I don't think I've ever tried it myself either. It was good! I had a coworker say it was the best cake she's ever had and it melted in her mouth, so it must've been decent. 😂 And very EZ to make, indeed!

Spiced Pecans Recipe from: Karen Robbins Ingredients: 2 egg whites 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon salt 1 lb pecans Mix together egg whites, sugar, cinnamon, water, and salt. Stir in pecans. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 250° for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Yummo! Christmasy vibes! Super easy! What's not to love?! Could make with almonds or walnuts or any other type of nut. I'm leaving out all my nuts jokes!