Brownie Cookies

This is one of my favorite cookies - very soft, full of chocolate. I love them.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
12-15 large marshmallows

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Stir in milk. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes - do not overbake. While they are baking, slice marshmallows in half. When the 9 minutes is up, quickly pull the cookies out and place one half of the marshmallow on top of each cookie, placing the uncut side face up. Put in the oven for 2-3 more minutes to melt the marshmallow. Remove and quickly smash the marshmallow slightly with the back of a spoon. When cooled, frost with chocolate frosting. I don't have a recipe, but I usually use about 3/4 a cube of butter, slightly melted. Then I add about 1/4 cup of cocoa, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Stir together good and then add more powdered sugar and milk until you reach the consistency you want. You want a very spreadable frosting - not too stiff or the marshmallow will smear everywhere.

Beef Stroganoff

I got this recipe from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook years ago. I've tweaked it some over the years, and it is one of my family's favorites. It really comes together fast--probably less than 30 minutes, start to finish. Plus, except for the fresh mushrooms, it uses basic ingredients that I always have on hand. (I stock up on petite sirloin steaks when they go on sale and keep a stash in my freezer.)

1 pound beef tenderloin steak or sirloin steak (I always use petite sirloin--they're cheap, and they work great)
2 heaping Tablespoons flour
12 ounces sour cream (I usually use fat free with great results)
2 heaping teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules
1-2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Hot cooked egg noodles

Thinly slice steak across the grain into bite-size strips. (I usually rub the steak with seasoned meat tenderizer, salt and pepper.) Combine flour and sour cream. Stir in bouillon granules, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside. In a large skillet saute onions for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and steak. Cook until steak is done. It is best to cook to medium or medium well--the steak will cook more later. Add sour cream mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat till bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Serve over hot egg noodles.

Sour Cream Banana Bars

I made these last night and they are almost gone. We did take a couple to the neighbor's house...but, it was mostly us. Well, me. If you like banana bread, you'll probably like these too.


Sour Cream Banana Bars:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add sour cream and eggs and blend. Add vanilla to mashed bananas. Sift together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture, alternating with mashed bananas. Spread onto a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool, then frost.

Browned Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, browned
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Brown butter in sauce pan until light golden color. Stir in remaining ingredients. Stir and heat. Spread onto banana bars.