Diana's Breakfast Cookies

These are from the "Life Spice" by Diana Chamness.  My room mate in college Tamara gave the recipe a couple of years ago after we visited her and she made them for us.  We love them so much!

1 1/2 Cups flour (I use whole wheat)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Shortening
1 Egg
1 Cup Mashed Ripe Bananas (I have used pumpkin as well)
1 3/4 Cup Quick Rolled Oats (I have used regular as well)
6 oz pkg of Chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate), raisins, nuts, coconut, dates, anything else you like as long as the dough has room in the batter. (I also only put in the first 3 of the above add ons)
Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl. Drop by tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheet or make into bar cookies.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes (longer for bar cookies, cut while warm).  I made them into bar cookies but they crumbled. I like to freeze the extra dough in a log in wax paper and label for cookies later on when I want them. 
We also nick named these fiber pellets because they are so healthy!

Our Little Flour!

Yep! I spelled that correctly! I ground up some wheat for some healthy cookies. Lilia found the flour and had a lot of fun!

I had these cookies with my friend Tamara when we were visiting for breakfast. Cookies for breakfast is the best! She was one of my roommates in college.  She is a great cook and we enjoy staying with her family when we get the chance.  I put my changes in this color.

DIANA’S BREAKFAST COOKIES by Diana Chamness’ book "Life Spice"


1 ½ C flour (Optional: Use ½ whole wheat)  I use all whole wheat
1 C Sugar  I use brown sugar
½ tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 C Shortening
1 Egg
1 C Mashed ripe bananas  I use 3 frozen bananas defrosted
1 3/4 C Quick Rolled Oats
6 oz. pkg. Chocolate chips, also raisins, nuts, coconut, dates, anything else you like, as long as there’s room in the batter.

Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl. Drop by tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheet or make into bar cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes (longer for bar cookies, cut while warm.)

*We use all whole wheat flour. Have put in walnuts and pecans (we prefer pecans b/c they are sweet enough to provide the sweet without having to add the chocolate chips) and sometimes chocolate chips. Usually use a tsp dropper b/c we like the bite sized cookies. We also don’t measure the bananas, just guesstimate so the moisture content varies with each batch. Moisture might also be effected by the quality of whole wheat we are using. Some turn out very moist and flatten a little to the normal cookie size/shape, but they stick together in storage. Others turn out drier and don’t flatten at all but also never stick together. Baking for the cookies usually takes us about 17 to 20 min for us. While we do just dump all ingredients in together if using a powerful mixer, if doing it by hand or not powerful mixer, I recommend mixing the moist up first and then adding dry ingredients one or two at a time to ensure good mixing and to make it easier to mix.

Which one of these things is not like the other?

Okay, here are the Santa Clause cookies I made for this years cookie party. Way too many! Can you find the Santa Clause that is not like the others?

Just for information there are 32 cookies in a package of Nutter Butters.

I also made these yummy cookies. A friend of mine, Denise taught me how to make these. Ritz crackers (or generic), peanut butter and chocolate bark. I used ghirardelli chocolate and it makes a big difference. I also found piping the peanut butter with a zip lock baggie on to the crackers was easier than spreading it with a knife.

I have enjoyed baking this Christmas season. I am getting ready to make peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses in the middle. I also made Mexican Wedding cookies which is my mother-in-laws recipe and one of my favorites.

I still have one more gift to get and I am done with the shopping. It is really not a gift but more of a tradition with both families. Mixed NUTS with shells. I have fond memories of cracking nuts during Christmas. I have to get some nut crackers though!

Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season with some fun baking and enjoying the friends who eat the food.

Hint: One Santa does not have a red nose!

Santa Cookies

I have made these cookies for the last couple of years. They are fun to make and do not require me to bake. I go to a cookie party every December and I make 12 dozen of these Santa Cookies! I have made other cookies but these always seem to be a hit!

Here is what you need to make the Santa Cookies:

• Nutter Butter Cookies
• White Chocolate or Bark
• White Chocolate Chips
• Red Hots
• Red Sugar
• Chocolate Chips (melt to make the eyes)

Nutter Butter cookies can be used to make ghosts and reindeer as well.

The womens group at church is having a Service Auction. We take a quiz when we get to the event and get play money based on your score. What is on the quiz? Everyday things, how much laundry have you done this week and did you fold it? Did you pray this morning? Did you say I love you to someone in your family? Read your scriptures? Make your bed? Everyone then gets the play money. We then bid on Services or goods that we have all donated. I am donating, some of my jam, canned peaches and cookies. It is always fun to see everyone bid and I like to see the talents others have. I learn a lot about other women at church and have a lot of fun talking and socializing.