Nana's Butter Cookies

I have been going through my step mom's recipes

1½ sticks butter at room temperature
1½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg, sugar, and vanilla; then add butter to egg and sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Add to dry ingredients and mix until blended. At this point you may also add ½ cup of coarsely chopped walnuts.

Divide cookie dough into two parts and roll in wax paper. Freeze overnight, or at least 4 hours. With a serrated knife, carefully cut frozen dough into slices about ¼ inch thick. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Rice Crispies

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons light butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 bags (10 oz each) mini-marshmallows
10 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation

Combine butters and cocoa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt butter, whisking until mixture is well combined. Stir in marshmallows, melting them completely. Remove pan from heat and stir in cereal, working quickly before marshmallow mixture sets. Stir in chocolate chips. Coat hands with cooking spray and shape mixture into about 80 walnut-sized balls. Place balls on a baking sheet and let harden for about an hour. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. (Do not refrigerate.)

LAYERED CHOCOLATE BARS

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 c. finely crushed thin pretzels
3/4 c. (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
4 bars (4 oz) Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
2 c. Campfire miniature marshmallows
1 c. Mounds Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans
4 bars (4 oz) Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 Tbsp. shortening

DIRECTONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pretzels and melted butter in
small bowl; press evenly into bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
Place sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened chocolate in
small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 minutes
or until mixture is melted and smooth when stirred. Pour over
pretzel layer in pan. Top with marshmallows, coconut and pecans;
press firmly down onto chocolate layer. Bake 25 to 30 minutes
or until lightly browned; cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Melt semi-sweet chocolate and shortening in small microwave-safe
bowl at HIGH for 1 minute or until melted when stirred; drizzle
over entire top. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until set. Cut into
bars.

Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
Confectioners sugar for topping

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl, cream together
butter and confectioners sugar; then blend in flour
and salt. Press mixture down in a flat buttered cookie
pan. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes. While crust is baking,
in a medium bowl blend together eggs, sugar, lemon
juice and rind. Pour over crust. Raise temperature to
350 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes at 350.
Remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, sprinkle
generously with additional powdered sugar.