m&m cookies.....(a tradition for EVERY holiday)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 9 to 11 minutes, to your liking. Cool on wire racks.

*Our girls love to make these!!!

Julie's Texas Sheet Cake....

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan, melt:

2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.

Add:

2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:

Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

Add:

6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Stir together.Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake. Cut into squares 7 serve.

chocolate delight

Chocolate Delight

first layer:1 c. flour1 c. chopped pecans1 stick butter, melted

second layer:1 large cool whip 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened1 c. powdered sugar

third layer:1 large pkg. instant choc. pudding, 1 large pkg. instant vanilla pudding5 cups milk (whole or 2 percent works best)

topping:cool whip and grated Hershey's bar

Preheat oven to 325. In a 13X9 dish, combine flour, nuts, butter. Use your hands to press mixture out into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely, then chill while preparing 2nd layer.Combine large cool whip, cream cheese, and powdered sugar (beat until smooth). Spread over crust., allow to chill while preparing third layer.Combine puddings and milk. Beat until mixture is thick. Spread over the 2nd layer, then chill until ready to serve. Top with cool whip and grated Hershey's bar when ready to serve.