Tweaking your basic cookie Recipe

I enjoy baking and chocolate chip cookies are a staple.  Here are some easy to change up your basic recipe to get whole new variations with very little effort!

Basic Recipe:
     Cream in a mixer:
     2 sticks of butter with 
     3/4 cup of brown sugar
     3/4 cup of white sugar
add in    
     2 eggs
     1 t baking soda
     1 t salt
     1 T vanilla (see homemade recipe below!)
      2 1/2 cups flour
      2 cups of chocolate chips 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Variation 1:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
     Substitute 1/2 cup of peanut butter for one of the sticks of butter.  The flavor is amazing!

Variation 2:
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
     Add 1/2 cup of baking cocoa to your cookie mix before adding in the chocolate chips.  

Enjoy!!

Homemade Vanilla Extract
I love everything vanilla....from hand soap, body wash, room fresheners and of course in baked goods.  Real vanilla extract is pricey, even at Sam's or BJ's.  I've made my own for years....it's super easy and very inexpensive!

1.75 L of Vodka  ($12.00)

8 vanilla beans ($9.00)

Cut the beans lengthwise and drop 4 of  them into the bottle and store in a dark place.  After a few days, you'll see the color of the alcohol change to the vanilla extract color that we all know.  After 8 weeks it will be ready for baking!   

Apple Squares

Apple Squares

Living in Western New York, we are so fortunate to be able to pick some of the most delicious apples available!!  We pick a bunch....to enjoy as God made them, for applesauce, and in all sorts of desserts.  Apple Squares are one of my favorites.  It's quick to make, especially if you have an apple peeler/corer machine!  It does the tedious work for you!!

This is a super yummy recipe and it freezes really well, so I usually make a double batch....one for the family to enjoy now and one for the future!  (The second one to put in the freezer doesn't need to be baked ahead of time. However, you can freeze it if it's already baked!)

Crust/Topping
In a bowl combine 3/4 cup of melted butter, 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup rolled oats.
Combine all of the above --Reserve 1 Cup of the mixture--press the rest into a 9x13 pan that you've sprayed with cooking spray.

Filling
6 cups of apples peeled and sliced.  Place on the crust

In a sauce pan, combine 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 t vanilla, 1/2 t cinnamon and 1/4 cup of flour. Cook over medium heat and stir constantly until it comes to a boil.  Pour over the apples.

Spread reserved crust over the apples and bake for 45 minutes.

**When I make the recipe, I double crust and apple portion and make only one batch of sauce...for me, it's sweet enough to cover two pans.  If you have a stronger sweet tooth, you may want to try the recipe as is the first time through.