Cooking : Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies I

Ingredients
3 cups margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together margarine, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to egg mixture, and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Instead of just dropping them onto the cookie sheet, I roll the cookies into balls - it makes them all look very uniform and nice!
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to15 minutes, or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Cooking : Breakfast Crisp

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together brown sugar and margarine. Beat in egg. Stir mixtures together just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of pan comes out clean.

Cooking : Bourbon Balls I

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped raisins
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons flaked coconut
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 1/4 ounces colored candy sprinkles

Directions
Mix the butter and the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in the chopped nuts, raisins, cocoa, coconut and bourbon. Refrigerate mixture until firm, about 1 hour.
Shape mixture into small balls and roll in chocolate sprinkles to coat. Work fast, as they can melt in your hands. Chill on a wax paper lined tray. Keep balls refrigerated in a covered container.

Cooking : Apricot Brandy Pound Cake I

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup apricot brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan.
In a large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding, and eggs until smooth. Mix brandy and flavorings in sour cream, and add to egg mixture. Beat at least 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan, and continue cooling on wire rack.

Cooking : Apple Bundt Cake

Ingredients
2 cups apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt or tube pan. In a medium bowl, combine the diced apples, 1 tablespoon white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups white sugar, oil, orange juice, vanilla and eggs. Beat at high speed until smooth. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in chopped walnuts.
Pour 1/3 of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the apple mixture. Alternate layers of batter and filling, ending with batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.