Want a great batch of homemade cookies the kids will absolutely love? Do you have a craving for some great chocolate chip cookies? Then look no farther then the Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix. I picked this up for like $5 for a double batch box at BJ’s Warehouse Club.

Ghirardelli triple chocolate cookie mix review

The kids wanted to bake some cookies and the middle one always loves chocolate chip cookies (he can’t have peanut butter cookies which are also a family favorite due to a peanut allergy). We saw the Ghirardelli cookie mix on sale for just under $5 and decided to give it a try.

Here are the Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven and ready to eat - yummy!

It didn’t take long to bake the cookies and the kids couldn’t wait to devour them. The cookies left the whole house smelling great for hours afterwards. You just have to give them a try.

Homemade garlic balls - don't they look delicious?

My mother made these garlic balls for every occasion, birthday, get-togethers and holidays. She also made these as a side dish for dinner. My kids absolutely love this garlic balls recipe.

Mom’s garlic balls

Ingredients:

1 bag of dough

1/4 – 1/2 cup of olive oil

1 TBL garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 TBL oregano

Directions:

Use a ball of Italian dough and let it raise for at least a half an hour.  Get flour on your counter to sprinkle all over the dough so it’s no longer sticky. Pull the dough with one hand and cut with the other.  In this recipe you don’t play with the dough.  You get a greased cookie sheet and put them on there and let them raise for 10 to 15 minutes.  Then put them in the oven at 325° for about 10 minutes.  Don’t let them get brown.

These garlic balls are easy to make and super tasty!

In the meantime get a big bowl and put in it olive oil, garlic powder, salt and oregano.  Do this to your own taste and when the balls come out you toss them while hot in the bowl of oil.  Mix with a spoon gently being sure to cover and saturate.  Then add Parmesan cheese to taste.  Serve and enjoy.  These garlic balls are great served with chicken parmesan and my super delicious vodka riggies.

This is a recipe that is both a family favorite and a tradition.  My husband originally got it from an elderly and very sweet lady at his church.  Through the years we have played with it a little here and there by changing a few of the ingredients and the respective amounts of each and have come out with what might just be the best rum cake recipe you will ever come across! Just try it and you will see!

Dave’s Rum Cake

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or almonds

4 large eggs (I have to say this because in one of my other recipes someone asked me what size eggs to add and it is a legitimate question because when you go to the grocery store there are small, medium, large, extra large and even jumbo eggs.  For this recipe and for all the others will assume large sized eggs).

1 package of yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the real vanilla not the imitation as there is a big difference in flavor and taste).

1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix

1/4 Cup of olive or vegetable oil

1 Cup of dark rum (some recipes call for rum syrup – to make a really good rum cake there is no substitute for the real thing and you can add more than a cup depending on how strong of a rum flavor you want to have).

1/2 Cup of water

1/2 Cup of sugar

1/2 Cup of brown sugar

Mix the cake ingredients together (sans the nuts, butter, water, sugars and half of the rum – these will be used for the delicious frosting).  If you or a member of your family are allergic to nuts you do not have to include the chopped walnuts or almonds in this recipe.  Else placed the nuts sporadically across the bottom of the pan.  Be sure and cover the bottom of the pan equally – else one slice will get all the nuts and other one won’t).  Next fill-in with the mixed ingredients. 

You can also opt to change the consistency of your rum cake by putting the nuts in with the mixed ingredients so instead of them being on the bottom of the cake they’re mixed throughout the cake.  And if you really like nuts this way you can add more to the recipe.

Bake the ingredients at 350° 55 to 60 minutes.  Now keep in mind everyone of them is a little bit different so this may differ a little with your oven.  For instance, this rum cake recipe may come out better at 325° or maybe even at 375°.  You may also have to extend or reduce the baking time a little bit.  But, as a general rule used 350° for 55 to 60 minutes.  Then let cool.

Invert the cake onto serving plate you’ll be using.  Then take the ingredients that you have not used (the sans ingrediants I listed above) and mix them together to make the frosting or glaze some people refer to it as.  You will melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in water and the sugars.  Boil for about 5 or  minutes and stir well  The remove from the heat source and add the rum.  Pour frosting or glaze all over the top of the rum cake.  Be sure and do this uniformly and evenly so it looks good.  Let cool. Serve and enjoy!

This rum cake recipe is excellent for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Some people prefer to serve this rum cake without the frosting or glaze (sans frosting ingredients above) and preferinstead to add the full amount of rum into the mix prior to baking for a stronger taste.  I, myself, prefer it just the way it is above.  Try it yourself and see…

I got this recipe from my mother who in turn got it from a good friend of hers.  It was her personal favorite and I have been making this very same banana bread recipe for 13 years now.  Ever since I have looked to make banana bread has been the one recipe I turn to every time.  This recipe makes two loaves and I usually add nuts to one and the other one I leave without the nuts due to the fact that I have a son with nut allergies.  I personally prefer walnuts in my banana bread, but you can make it either way to your own taste desires.

Best Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

3 bananas

1 tablespoon of water

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of Crisco (I use butter sometimes instead)

2 eggs

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of nuts

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

Mash the bananas, water, sugar and other ingredients listed above.  Let this mixture stand for 15 minutes (be sure to use brown bananas as that will give better flavor to the banana bread).

Doesn't the banana bread from this recipe look delicious?

Then bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes at 350°.  Be sure and turn on your own like to watch when they’re ready because every oven is old different and some cook faster than others and if you don’t watch it you could burn the outside or the underside of the banana bread very easily.  Let cool then slice and serve.  You can also dress it up a little by garnishing it with a little confectionary sugar.

Here is the banana bread garnished with confectionary sugar.

This banana bread is great in the morning with coffee, at lunchtime, dinnertime or as a quick snack.  Kids love this recipe.  It is also a big hit at Christmas time and the holidays!

I don’t know if my mom actually made this recipe up or if she got it from her mother.  All I know is – I love it! She made this cherry crunch pie recipe a lot.  It’s easy to make and it’s definitely been a family favorite for years.  Both kids and adults will love this pie recipe.

Mom’s Cherry Crunch Pie

Ingredients:

1 jar of pitted cherries in water (16 oz.)

1 box of yellow cake mix

1/2 cup of crushed walnuts

5 tablespoons of butter

Directions:

Butter the pie plate or spray it.  Put the whole jar of pitted cherries in with a squirt of lemon juice.  Next add dry cake mix in a bowl.  Mix with a fork and add the 5 tablespoons of hot melted butter and 1/2 cup crushed walnuts.  Mix the ingredients in the bowl with a fork and then pour over the cherries in the pie plate.  Be sure and start in the middle and then go outdoors towards the edges as you fill the pie plate.  Bake for 30 minutes at 300° in the oven.

Doesn't it look delicious? It tastes far better then it looks - Wait until you try it!

This is such a delicious recipe that when I’m in the mood to make this cherry crunch pie I almost can’t wait for it to finish baking.  I serve it with a little Cool Whip on top of each slice.  This could also be a great idea for a delicious dessert to top off a wonderful Valentine’s Day meal – husbands love this!  As they say the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach and it doesn’t get much better than my Mom’s Cherry crunch pie.  Enjoy.

This recipe came from my father-in-law, Philip Maillie, who loved to cook and bake.  He took great pride in his Scotch scones and loved making them for the grandchildren.  I just have to say they are the best and very addicting to say the least. 

I used to look forward to him making them and now I will pass this great recipe on to you.  On a sad note, Philip Maillie (Pop-pop) passed away earlier this year, but his great cooking skills and love for the kitchen will live on through great and timeless recipes like this one.  Just try this recipe and you will see what I mean – the best Scotch scones ever!

Pop-pop’s Scotch Scones

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup raisins (use golden raisins only)

4 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamin (the sugar and cinnamon are to garnish on top)

Directions:

Plump the raisins by boiling them in water until soft.  Mix the dry ingredients to form biscuit like dough.  Add the buttermilk and raisins (be sure anddrain the raisins well first).  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to 1/2 inch thickness.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and then cut the dough into a diamond or triangle shape and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°.  Let cool and then sere and enjoy.

Pop-pops scotch scones in the mini scone tray

My father-in-law made this even easier for me as he bought me a scone pan just for this purpose.  I can put the dough into the individual mini scone pan and form mini scones.  This scone pan not only makes it quicker and easier but also makes them that much more impressive looking.

These are the scones and the recipe that all my girlfriends ask me to make and have for them whenever they come over for brunch.  Also my kids absolutely go crazy for them as well – hence the name Pop-pop’s Scotch Scones.   Just one taste and you will see these are the best tasting scones you will find anywhere!

Pop-pop's amazing scotch scones ready to serve and eat - Don't they look absolutely delicious?

These scones and a good cup of coffee or tea and you will feel as if you just brought Starbucks or Carribou Cafe into your kitchen!  They are absolutely amazing in every way!

Here is my Mom's original recipe for these sweetheart cookies that she wrote out over 30 years ago!

I suppose they could also be a Valentine’s Day cookie as well.  Being it’s a short bread cookie with red jelly it would be easy to make it very festive.  You would just need to try and make it look like hearts instead of a circular hole with the jelly.  Find a heart shaped plastic or metal object that you could use to press into the cookie dough and make a heart shape impression (you could also use other shaped objects like Christmas trees, smiley faces, etc… to change for the season or occasion).

I also found instead of jelly that using preserves works and tastes better.  You can use strawberry, raspberry or blueberry preserves.  I have done the first two, just be sure for the raspberry preserves that you buy seedless preserves – the seeds may be an added texture that most will find undesireable in a cookie.

Sweetheart cookies with jelly

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 + 1/2 cup flour

dash of salt

jelly – any kind

Directions:

Add all the above ingredients except the jelly in a bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.  Chill the dough for one hour.  Form the dough into small balls with your hands and then place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Make an impression with your thumb or fingers and then fill this hole with the preserves.  If you are going to be using this cookie recipe for Valentine’s Day instead then find a heart shaped object you can press into the dough to leave a heart-shaped hole (as I stated above there is no limit to the types and shapes of impressions you can use. Just find objects shaped like Christmas trees, 4 leaf clovers – St. Patricks Day, a star, etc…).

Bake at 350° until very light brown.  Keep in mind that ovens do vary in their temperatures and cooking times so keep a close eye on the cookies so they don’t get too brown.  Remember they are a short bread cookie so you want them to be light in color and not too hard.  As a general guide I have found you should bake them for about eight minutes or so.  This recipe makes around 30 cookies depending on the size of the balls of cookie dough that you use prior to baking (obviously, you can make the cookies bigger or smaller based on this).  I always double the recipe so there are plenty of these great sweetheart shortbread cookies to go around.

To  add a Valentines Day touch you can always, after baking, place a candy heart (you know the ones that say I love you, will you be my Valentine?, etc.) in the middle of the jelly.  For Christmas use a tree or star shaped object.  Let cool and then serve and enjoy.

Vanilla pudding cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla pudding

1 box vanilla cake mix

Confectionery sugar for garnishing

Cupcake wrappers

Directions:

these are pretty easy to make, basically you just follow the cake mix directions that come on the cake mix box and you also follow the pudding mix directions on the pudding box.  Be sure and mix these in two separate bowls – one for the cake mix and one for the pudding mix.  Then pour the cake batter into the cupcake wrappers in a cupcake tin.

For baking simply follow the directions on the boxes.  When cooled cut out a small circular top from the cupcakes and save the top – you will use this in a second as the lid.  Pour the pudding mix in the whole and top off the cupcake with its hat or the top you just removed earlier.  Then sprinkle the top with confectionery sugar and enjoy. 

Don't they just look wonderful?

These cupcakes look great and taste great too.  As an alternative, instead of confectionery sugar, you can use a chocolate sauce or syrup like Hershey’s and this will give it more of a Boston cream type of effect.  Both ways they taste great.  And I guarantee your kids will love them too.

Mom’s Christmas Ricotta Cake (Casade)

Required ingredients:

2 lbs. Ricotta cheese

Marble cake mix

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 bag of chocolate chips

1 (16 oz.) jar cherries

Instructions:

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Then mix the cake following the directions on the box it came in.  Be sure and poor only one third of the cake mix on the bottom of the baking dish (discard the rest or use in another recipe). 

Put the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and then mix them together with a spoon  – not an electric mixer.  This is your filling.  Spoon the filling over the top of the raw cake batter covering all the top of the batter completely. 

Then bake the casade for one hour and a half on 300°.  When cooled sprinkle the top with confectionery sugar for a decorative and sweet garnish.  Serve and enjoy.

Deep dish pumpkin pie

1 3/4 C flour

1/3 C firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 C sugar

1 C margarine or butter cut into small pieces

1 C chopped nuts

1 (16 oz.) can of pumpkin

1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp all spice (aka Jamaican pepper)

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar and cut up margarine or butter until crumbly.  Stir in the chopped nuts.  Be sure and take out one cup of this resulting mixture which will be used later as the crumbly topping.

Press the remaining mixture firmly on bottom and halfway up the sides of a 12 x 17 dish.  Pour in the remaining ingredients except the other cup of the crumb mixture which you removed earlier.

Top with the remaining crumb mix and bake for 55 minutes.  Let cool, serve and enjoy.