Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Bars

4 1 ounce each, unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup butter, (2sticks)
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1, 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cup mini kisses (milk chocolate or semi sweet), (10 oz)
baking pieces, divided
1/2 cup chopped red or green Maraschino cherries (optional)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
few drops red food coloring (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 baking pan.

Place baking chocolate and butter in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, stirring after each minute until mixture is melted. Beat in 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs and vanilla until blended.
Stir in flour; spread batter in prepared pan.
Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1 egg
together. Stir in 1 1/4 cups mini kisses, cherries and almond extract. Add food coloring, if desired.

Drop by spoonfuls over top of chocolate mixture in pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or just until set.
Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup
mini-kisses over top.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Cut into bars. Cover, refrigerate leftover bars.
Makes 3 dozen bars.

Praline Apple Waffle Cookies

1/2 c  Powdered sugar
1/4 ts Cinnamon
1 1/4 c  Firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c  Butter, softened
2  Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 c All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 c  Shredded, peeled apples
1/2 c  Finely chopped pecans
 
Heat waffle iron to medium-low.
In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter until blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking powder, 1 t cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in apples and pecans.

Spray waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto waffle iron. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until cookies are deep golden brown.
Immediately remove from waffle iron; cool 1 minute on wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Topping:

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar and 1/4 t cinnamon; mix well. Dust top slightly warm cookies.
Serve warm or cool. Store in tightly covered container.

Irish Shamrock Cookies

1/2 cup

butter,

softened

1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio

pudding mix

1 1/3 cups baking mix

1

egg

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheet.

Cream together butter or margarine and pudding mix. Blend in the baking mix, egg and sugar and mix well. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough

to 3/8-inch thickness and cut into cookies with a shamrock cookie cutter. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until

lightly browned on the edges. Let cookies cool on rack.

Frost with green colored icing, if desired.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Cup of Everything Cookies

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup crisp rice cereal

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup ground walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 eggs

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and the sugars. Mix in the oil and the flour. Add in oatmeal, crispy rice cereal, coconut, nuts, vanilla, salt, baking soda, eggs and chocolate chips. Mix until well blended.

Drop by teaspoons or tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes.