NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Secret Recipe)

(Makes 112 cookies. Recipe may be halved)
2 cups butter
24 oz. chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

Instructions:Directions
Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the
butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour,
oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey
Bar,and nuts.Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie
sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees

---

Apple Butter Cookies

1/4 cup (60 ml) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup (225 ml) packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 ml) quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) apple butter
1 cup (225 ml) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking powder
1/2 teaspooon salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) nuts, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins

Instructions:In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in egg, oats, and apple butter.
Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture along with the milk; beat until blended.
Stir in nuts and raisins.
Chill well and drop by tspfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees (175 C.) for 15 minutes.

---

Oatmeal-Banana Cookies

4 dozen cookies

3/4 cup (175 ml) shortening
1 tsp (5 ml). cinnamon
1 cup (225 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml). vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1-3/4 cups (425 ml) oatmeal
1-1/2 cups (350 ml) flour
1 cup (225 ml) mashed bananas
1/2 tsp (2 ml). baking soda
1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins or nuts

Instructions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 C.).
Combine all ingredients, beat until thouroughly blended.
Drop by rounded tspfuls about 1-1/2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Comments
This recipe is my mom's. She makes these cookies alot. Just wanted to share the love she puts in them with you all. She is the best just like her cookies.

---

Banana Snack Bars

2 egg whites
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 cups banana puree*
3 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla butter nut extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda


Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they become thick. Do not use a plastic bowl for this.
3. Add the sugar to the egg whites and continue to beat until the mixture forms soft peaks.
4. Add the brown sugar, molasses, banana puree, shortening, milk and vanilla butter nut flavoring to the mixture, beating after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
6. While beating the wet mixture, slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients.
7. Lightly grease a 9x14-inch pan with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray. Be sure to coat the sides as well as the bottom of the pan. Dump about 3 tablespoons of sugar into the pan, then tilt and shake the pan so that a light layer of sugar coats the entire bottom of the pan, and about halfway up the sides. Pour out the excess sugar.
8. Pour the batter into the pan, and spread it evenly around the inside of the pan. Sprinkle a light coating of sugar -- about two tablespoons -- over the entire top surface of the batter. Gently shake the pan from side-to-side to evenly distribute the sugar over the batter. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and turn it out onto a cooling rack. When cake has cooled, place it onto a sheet of wax paper on a cutting board and slice across the cake 6 times, creating 7 even slices. Next cut the cake lengthwise twice, into thirds, creating a total of 21 snack bars. When the bars have completely cooled, store them in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container.

*Puree whole bananas (approximately 3) in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size – 1 bar
Servings – 21
Total fat (per serving) – 1.8g
Calories (per serving) – 118

---

Ginger Snaps

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water

Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the sugars, molasses, shortening, butter, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
4. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and beat while adding the water. Continue to mix until ingredients are incorporated.
5. Measure a heaping teaspoon of dough at time. Roll the dough into a sphere between the palms of your hands then press the dough onto the cookie. Flatten to about 1/8-inch thick.
6. Bake cookies for 10-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown and cookies are crispy when cool. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 120 (10 dozen) cookies.

---

Nilla Wafers

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon water


Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream together sugars, shortening, egg, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add the the flour and baking powder. Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue mixing until dough forms a ball.
4. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls and flatten slightly onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are light brown. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 50-56 cookies.

---

Peanut Butter Big Cookies

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup Peter Pan peanut butter
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and salt together in large bowl until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking soda. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture while beating.
4. Roll 3 tablespoon-size portions of the dough into a ball in your hands and press to 1/2-inch flat on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, or the cookies will not be chewy and you may negatively impact the full enjoyment potential of the product. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 14 to 16 cookies.

---

Cream Cheese and Fruit Squares

Serves/Makes:Makes 24 nice sized squares

1/2 lb (.2 kg). butter
2 cups (475 ml) flour
8 oz (224 grm). cream cheese
3/4 tsp (4 ml) salt
Raspberry Jam and Damson Plum Jam (use your favorite jam)

Instructions:Cut the softened butter into small pieces and mix with the flour until well blended.
Add the cream cheese and salt; mix thoroughly.
Refrigrate until dough is firm.
Roll out the dough and cut into 2 inch to 3 inch squares (depending on how big you want them).
Place a tsp or so of the jam or marmalade in the center of each square.
Fold the corners to the center and press together.
Bake at 400 degrees (200 C.) until lightly browned.

Comments
My favorite fillings are Orange Marmalade, three fruit marmalade, or my very favorite of all when I have time to make it or find it in specialty gourmet shops is Peach Almond Perserves.

---

Coconut Candy Bar Cookies

Serves/Makes:12 large or 18 smaller bars

2 cups (475 ml) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp (2 ml) cream of tartar
1/4 lb (.1 kg). shredded coconut
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
Chocolate Dipping Sauces

Instructions:Mix sugar, cream of tartar and water; put this mixture in a large saucepan and stir until it boils, continue to stir and only stop stirring and until it foms a nice soft ball when dropped into icy water.
Take off the stove and beat until it whitens, then add the shredded coconut and continue beating until it becomes thick.
Pour into a buttered pan and when it is cool, slice into bars.
Dip into Chocolate Dipping sauce. (We use semi-sweet chocolate chips melted for the dark chocolate ones and we use White Chocolate Almond bark to dip for the white ones).

Comments
For pretty spring or Spring bars, use white almond bark to dip and have it tinted to your favorite pastel colors!
For Easter, tint the white almond bark, and while the bark is still warm, press a colorful jelly bean of your choice onto the top and use some green tinted coconut as a decorative grass around the jelly bean (egg). A wonderful treat for your Easter Celebrations!

---

Apple Walnut Cookies

1 tart apple
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, softened
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable shortening
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
2 large eggs (I use Jumbo eggs)
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 tsp (10 ml) to 5 tsp (25 ml) ground cinnamon, to taste
1/2 cup (125 ml) walnuts, chopped
2-1/2 cups (600 ml) all-purpose flour

Instructions:Preheat oven to 375 degrees (200 C.).
Dice apple into small cubes and place on a baking tray.
Bake the fruit cubes for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until just soft.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, baking soda, brown sugar, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
Add the flour, apple bits and walnuts to the cookie dough and thoroughly combine.
Drop cookies onto ungreased baking sheets by the heaping tspful.
Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.
Do not over bake, as they are best when a bit soft.
Let cool on the tray before storing.

Comments:
As a different tone to the cookies, try omitting the cinammon and using apple pie spice!

---