Neiman Marcus Cookies

Whether it's true or not, there's a funny story behind these cookies. Well, funny for me, not the woman it happened to...  You can find it all over the internet, but to save a little time I just copied and pasted from Snopes.com. 

My daughter & I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because our family are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and they said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not." Well, I said, would you let me buy the recipe? With a cute smile, she said, "Yes." I asked how much, and she responded, "Two fifty." I said with approval, just add it to my tab. 

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00." Boy, was I upset!! I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them the waitress said it was "two fifty," and I did not realize she meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill and they said they were sorry, but because all the recipes were this expensive so not just everyone could duplicate any of our bakery recipes....the bill would stand. I waited, thinking of how I could get even or even try and get any of my money back. 

I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00 and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun." I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus for nothing. She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this." I said, "I'm sorry but this is the only way I feel I could get even," and I will. So, here it is, and please pass it to someone else or run a few copies.... I paid for it; now you can have it for free.  

When mom and I make it we like to leave out the walnuts.  We aren't big nut fans.  This time, we even tried dipping them in chocolate.  My dad loved it!  

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071083

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ounces Hershey bar, grated
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a mixing bowl cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.

Mix in flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Stir in chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.

Roll into balls and bake 10 minutes.

Powered by Recipage

Healthy Banana (chocolate chip) Cookies

Block schedule...90 minute periods...4 periods per day.  Just my luck, both study halls land on the same day! Back to back!  Oh yeah, three hours of What should I do now?

What did I do?  Well after finishing an English project, typing a scholarship essay, finishing a scholarship application, and doing a blog post, I decided to make some PB2 Oatmeal Bites.  All that work made me hungry!

So I strolled down to the foods room.  The teacher is super nice and lets me come in and experiment. She must not know how dangerous that is...shhhh, don't tell her! 

After the snack I was all ready to roll up my sleeves and do some baking!  The Menu: Healthy Banana (chocolate chip) Cookies and an Egg Wrap

A couple days ago I found this recipe on Pinterest for Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.  There's a catch.  They have no sugar, just bananas.  The lady promised "you will NOT miss the sugar in these cookies at all!"  I just had to try it for myself... 

The first batch was good.  I did alter the original recipe a little bit. They were more cake-y than cookie-y.  A good thing for breakfast! And giving up sweets I had to leave out the chocolate chips.  That probably would have made them more like a cookie.  Overall though, not bad. Next time I may add a little cinnamon, honey, or a second banana. But seriously, try them for yourself!  They were much better than I was expecting!

Start by creaming your butter.  

Add in the banana and vanilla.  You're supposed to mash the banana, but I'm to lazy to do that.  I just sliced it and threw it in.  Turned out fine!

When that's all combined stir in the flour and baking powder...

...until a dough forms.  Then if your adding chocolate chips or raisins or something stir them in now by hand.  

Roll into balls and place on your cookie sheet.  Sample some if you must, it's pretty good!  Shhh...I won't tell :)

Bake 10 minutes or until done.  Cool on a cooling rack.

So one batch makes about 14 cookies, depending on how much dough you eat. I gave away 5, ate 1 out of oven, 1 before gymnastics....let's just say I woke up with 2 left.  Whoops!  Hey, they're healthy right?

Healthy Banana (Chocolate Chip) Cookies

6071078

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 large banana, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, raisins, etc. (optional)

Instructions

Cream butter or margarine.

Stir in banana and vanilla.

Add flour and baking powder. Stir until combined.

Roll into balls and and place on cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Bake 10 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.

Powered by Recipage

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

We survived the first four days of Lent!  Yay!  What is it then, 36 to go? Is it bad that I'm already counting down the days to Easter?  Sugar addictions... don't start!

My parents gave up chocolate (shocker!) so dad can't have chocolate chip cookies in his lunch. No cookies just isn't an option!  Not in this household! So mom and I reached way, way back in the cupboard and found the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. 

Can't tell you the last time we made these.  A little dusty, but boy did they hit the spot!  Look how beautifully she rolled them out.  I think she's hired!

Almost as good as chocolate chip....almost...

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients 

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions

Cream together shortening, brown sugar, and sugar.

Add eggs and almond extract. Beat well.

Stir in oatmeal, flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract.

Roll into balls.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake 12 minutes.

Cool completely on wire rack.

Powered by Recipage

Molasses Cookies

As a kid, these cookies really confused me.  They tasted just like a gingerbread...but were in a circle.  And they were decorated with sugar...not icing.  Someone got lazy and didn't wanna cut out gingerbread men?

Not the case.  While they can satisfy a gingerbread craving with half the work, Molasses Cookies are not the same as Gingerbread Men.  

Mom and I usually don't make them, but in a close second place behind pitzzelles, these are my Grandma's second favorite cookies.  So we decided to whip up a batch this year.  What a daughter won't do for her mother.  

Molasses Cookies

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071082

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 4 tablespoons molasses
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Mix all ingredients well. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll dough into balls and roll in white sugar.

Press down with fork and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Powered by Recipage

Gingerbread Men

You could argue the best part of Christmas baking is decorating gingerbread men.  I take that back.  Taste-testing the dough and/or baked creations is the best.  Gingerbread come in at a close second.  

This year a teacher ordered a batch of gingerbread men, so they had to look gorgeous... Well how did I do?  I was pretty proud of myself!  Not a difficult design, but they all turned out decent and uniform.  

Halfway through I was ready to chop off my hand!  (If it was like the gingerbread's arms I would have taken a big bite!)  One batch makes 2-3 dozen...and each cookie has 4 swirls, 2 eyes, a mouth, a bow tie, and two buttons.  Let me tell you that's a lot of decorating! But it was worth it.  Look how beautiful, they belong on a big tray at some expensive Christmas party...

Okay, maybe I'm dreaming a bit...  One day.  One day someone rich or famous will order my gingerbread men for their Christmas party.  But until then I guess I'll just have to keep making them for myself.  

This is really the only gingerbread recipe I'll use.  It's soft and chewy, not too sweet but still has all the flavors of gingerbread.  I'm surprised there were enough cookies left to take a picture!  Or the ones in the photo aren't missing an arm or a leg!

Gingerbread Men

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071081

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Decorating icing and assorted candies

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla and lemon peel.

In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves. Gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm.

Cool on wire rack and decorate.

Powered by Recipage

Snicker Doodles

If you haven't guessed it already, I absolutely love Christmas! Not because I get presents and go shopping (well...those are pretty great too) but mostly because I get to give everyone gifts. Really. I look forward to it all year.

But since I have so many teachers it's hard to get them something they'll use that's not too expensive. Last year I may have given my teachers the best gift yet.  Everyone gives baked goods or little homemade treats. But unbaked goods? Now we're talkin!

Yep that's exactly what I did!  I gave each of my teachers a box of cookie dough balls. They loved it too! Why? Because who wants more sweets over the holidays? Since these were unbaked they could be saved for later.

Just one thing...make sure you include baking instructions...

Snicker Doodles

:Ingredients:

1 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups flour

Cinnamon Sugar

:Directions:

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the first six ingredients.

Stir in flour, adding more if batter is too sticky.

Roll balls in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake at 350* for 8 to 10 minutes.

Copyright © 2014, Grace George. Simple and Sweet Creations. All Rights Reserved.

Click for printable recipe.