Banana Cookies

Warning: These are VERY addictive!!!!
1 C butter at room temperature
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 C mashed banana
1/2 C buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 C flour (more to stiffen)
about half a bag of milk chocolate chips

cream butter and sugar together. add eggs. Mix in banana and buttermilk and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients add enough flour so that it is more like a soft dough. Hand mix in chocolate chips.
Bake 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting
1/2 C melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon milk
2 C powdered sugar
(I usually don't make as much frosting)

Buttermilk Substitutions (for 1 cup buttermilk)
-1 C milk + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
-1 C milk + 1 3/4 tablespoon cream of tartar
-same amount of plain yogurt or sour cream (which is what i do)

If you double this it makes A LOT of cookies. I usually do a little less chocolate chips than it says just because it is too chocolaty for me. And if you puree 2-3 bananas that should be about a cup of banana. If there is a little more that is OK, it might just take an extra little bit of flour. The cookies don't brown unless they are over done too. If the edges look slightly brown and the middle is set then they are done.

Vanishing oatmeal Cookies

Off of Quaker Oats lid, we love them! (especially as cookie bars)
2 sticks butter softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats (old fashioned or quick)
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350. Beat the sugars and butter until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat. Add in the combined dry ingredients. stir in oats and raisins by hand.
Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. OR bake in a 9 X 13 ungreased metal baking pan for 30-35 minutes

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I got this one off the back of my Del Monte Raisins, and LOVE IT! I did add a little more flour than what is called for because they weren't holding well and it worked better with more flour. Also a side note, the cookies look like they aren't done when they are so just follow the time it says. And yesterday I bought some dried cranberries at the commissary and I ate one and they were more tart than I was expecting. ( I usually get the Ocean Spray but tried a different brand, bad idea. ) So instead of just raisins I added a cup of the cranberries and a big handful of raisins and almonds and it was great! Anyways, my point you can add anything and it is pretty good.

1 1/4 C Flour (i added the 1/4 so if you want to try it first without it just do the 1 C)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter (1 stick) softened
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 egg
2 TBS milk
1/2 tsp vanilla (i did 1 tsp. and 1/2 tsp pure almond extract and it went great with the cranberries)
2 1/4 C Oats (again i added the 1/4)
1 C raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl combine sugars, butter, milk, egg, and vanilla; beat well. You want it to become light and fluffy and smooth. I went for about 3-4 minutes. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins and mix well.
Drop by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes (I like to go for 10) until a light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack.

My Favorite Cookie

I had these over the break and they are my new favorite cookies! My dad got it as a gift in a jar it looked really cute but the cookies are the best part. So here is the recipe for it and it is for putting it in the jar so some ingredients are split up for the layering.
Cranberry Hootycreeks

• 5/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts and it tasted just as good)

1. Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.
2. Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

There is a good picture of how it looks but I can't get it to up load so here is the site