Granma Pressley's World Best Cookies (Ranger Cookies)

Worlds best cookie? Well, I haven't eaten nearly enough cookies to decide if this is actually the worlds best or not.  I can tell you that it's pretty darn good.

Believe it or not, cookies can be made (and made well) without chocolate.  I know!  I was shocked too!

I was surfing Facebook one day when one of my friends posted this recipe.  It was her grandmothers recipe and she gave me permission to put it on my blog.  I'm so glad she did because I shared some with my neighbors (because this recipe makes a ton of cookies) and they all raved about them!  I find myself going back and then back again.  They are so buttery, the center is chewy but the edges are crispy.  All the flavors are really subtle but they work so well together.

The cookie itself is very light feeling, which is probably why I think I can just eat them continuously.  Make no mistake, they aren't diet food AT ALL!, but the texture is right on. And it helps if you tell yourself that oatmeal is good for you. ;)

Grandma Pressley's Worlds Best Cookie (Ranger Cookies)

Recipe from grandma Pressley via Cindy C. (Thanks for sharing your family recipe with me)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º
2. Cream the butter and both sugar's together in the bowl of your stand mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and incorporate.
4. Add the oil and mix.
5. Add the oats, cornflakes, coconut and pecans and mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
7. Form balls about the size of a walnut and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Flatten the balls using a fork dipped in water.
9. Bake for 12 minutes.
10. Makes about 18 dozen cookies.

Creamy New Orleans Pralines

It's that time of year again!  Time for candy making.  Well at least it is in my house.  It's finally cool enough that it's actually a pleasure to work around a hot stove. I've been busy collecting ideas for this fall/winter so if you have any you'd like to see on here, please leave a comment.

I've never actually made Pralines before so when I saw this one on Facebook that included buttermilk it piqued my interest. Don't worry, you can't taste buttermilk at all. I think it's more for color purposes then anything else. In fact, the sugar concoction doesn't taste like much at all in my opinion and in fact is just used as a basis to hold the pecans together.  The pecans are the star of the show here so if you're not a pecan fan, this recipe isn't for you.

I thought the recipe was really good.  I'd like to try a classic praline recipe as well to see what the differences are but overall I'm really happy I made these. Great fall dessert that is pretty quick coming together and dries fast so they can be ready to transport soon after making.

Creamy New Orleans Pralines

From Sonja Jones-Natt via Facebook

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 quart (4 cups) pecans, whole or halves

Cooking Directions

1. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper and spray the wax paper with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a very large pot, combine the sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Add the baking soda (it will foam considerably) and cook until it reaches soft ball stage or 235º.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and the pecans. beat until the color changes and the candy thickens. It will be thick but not so thick that you can't pour it off the spoon.
5. Drop by teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheet and work quickly because it will harden fast.