Fall Color Cookies

I  was just having a little fun in the kitchen today.  It was like playing with Play-Doh!  Such a colorful way to celebrate fall, and so easy and fun to make.

 

 

First make this easy sugar cookie recipe  -- no chilling and easy rolling out dough..

No Fail Sugar Cookie Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract (almond is wonderful too)

1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix well.

Roll to desired thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake on un greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or just before they begin to turn brown around the edges. I like to roll them at least 1/4 to 1/3 inch-thick; they just taste so good thick. Also be sure to check them at 8 minutes with the first pan.  You might need more time,  but just to be sure, check them early

Then color the cookie dough in desired colors. 

 

Then pretend you are in preschool and "smoosh" the dough together, and then make sure you roll the dough with a rolling pin to compact the dough.  If you don't do this, the cookies tend to fall apart after baking.

 

Make sure you roll out the cookies nice and thick.

 

Happy fall to all my readers of Red Couch Recipes.



Cranberry Swiss Chicken

 

 

Dear Readers it is that time of year again, when I am so motivated to cook things in my oven. How about you?   Last night was a crazy kind of night because I had two meals going on.  For the family,, I was making this yummy, filling Cranberry Swiss Chicken.  It has sweet, crunchy, and creamy all combined to make it so delicious and so easy to put together on a busy evening.    I was also making  Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (a family favorite) , and some potato rolls for a sweet neighbor who has been ill again, now with pneumonia  When he punctured his lungs recently, I brought him Bonnie's Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup and Jacqueline's Focaccia.  The other day he told one of my children that it was worth getting his lung punctured so that he could get the soup and bread!!  So cute!  I thought such nice compliments should be rewarded with more food, don't you?

 

I found this recipe on Pinterest that originates from the blog Jam Hands, and was adapted from an All-Recipes recipe, and of course I adapted it just a little bit too.
 

 Cranberry Swiss Chicken

Makes 4 servings
 

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (thaw before using)

 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup stuffing mix ( I just used Betty Crocker )

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup slivered almonds.

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken breasts in 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish, and sprinkle with cheese.  In a medium mixing bowl, stir together chicken soup, broth, and pepper.  Once mixed well, pour over chicken.  Place stuffing mix over chicken breasts, then add cranberries and drizzle butter over top.  Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes.  At the half hour mark, add the slivered almonds on top of the casserole.  Enjoy!

The Ultimate Samoa Cookies



 

 

Welcome Dear Readers and Friends of Red Couch Recipes.  Today I have 'cookied" up a really yummy treat for you.  You will love it I am sure!  Although they have the same name, they do not even resemble the "other" famous Samoa cookies.  They do take a little bit of fussing, but they are one amazing cookie!

 

There is this little bakery shop about 1-1/2 hours away from me that has some delectable sweets and the cutest name:  "The Sweet Tooth Fairy."  They have achieved a bit of notoriety with their cupcakes on "Cupcake Wars."  They are also known for their cake bites, but it is their cookies that we clamor for!  Most of all we are in love with their Samoa cookies.  But alas at times they don't even  have any available...sigh!

  

So today I bring to you my copycat version that even brought a hug from one of my children when they ate their Samoa.  I caution you.  These are really rich cookies, and for most of us a half a cookie will suffice. 

 

The recipe is comprised of a sugar cookie base, salted caramel frosting, and toppings and a bottoming.  Bottomings is a word, isn't it?

STEP 1;  MAKE COOKIES
 

No Fail Sugar Cookie Recipe  --My favorite sugar cookie recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix well.

Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or just before they begin to turn brown around the edges. I like to roll them at least 1/4 to 1/3 inch-thick; they just taste so good thick. Also be sure to check them at 8 minutes with the first pan.  You might need more time,  but just to be sure, check them early. Remove from baking pan and let sit on cookie sheet a few minutes, then remove to cooling rack.  Notes:  I like these cookies to be soft, thick, and to have no brown on the bottom.  I roll out my dough between to wooden, square dowels to get consistently thick dough.

 

 

 

 STEP 2:  MAKE FROSTING
 

Salted Caramel Frosting Recipe

I knew that their frosting was a salted caramel recipe, and I found and adapted this cheater version that tastes so good.  I adapted this from Sally's Baking Addiction Blog.

 

1/2 cup ( 1 stick salted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-3 cups powdered sugar -- I used three. 

    

                         Add brown sugar, and half and half to a medium mixing bowl.  Then add salt and confectioner's sugar, little by little to achieve desired consistency.   

 STEP 3:  APPLY  MELTED MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS TO BOTTOM

  

 

 

Just a thin layer will do.  Then allow chocolate to dry.

 

STEP 5:  MAKE AND ADD TOASTED COCONUT

Take about 3 cups of coconut, reserve one cup.  Place 2 cups on a baking sheet and place pan in a  350 degree oven.  Bake until light brown, checking frequently and bringing the darker coconut from the edges into the center.  I put my baking sheet on the second highest rack in my oven, and this took around 15 minutes.  Then add the non-toasted coconut to the toasted coconut and mix together.   Note:  I looked up how to do this on the Internet and their directions just didn't work for me, so I gave you mine.

STEP 6:  ADD FROSTING AND TOPPINGS

Toppings List:
Salted Caramel Frosting (Recipe Included)
 3 cups Sweetened Coconut
Milk Chocolate Chips -- I used a  12-ounce bag
1 Bag (11 ounces) of pre-wrapped Caramels -- I almost used the whole bag.

Frost each cookie with the Salted Caramel Frosting

Then add the melted caramels.  I melt mine in the microwave and sometimes add a tad bit of water.  After removing from the microwave, stir well and then drizzle caramel over each cookie.

Then drizzle add melted chocolate chips  I used a pastry tube for this.

I took  these to the bake sale at my daughter's swim team meet on Friday night.

Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes.