Here's a variation of the Texas & Chocolate sheet cakes: the cinnamon makes it "Mexican". I found this in the Houston Chronicle in the early '80s & have made it since, & always get raves for it (though some people think it is brownies because it's so thin.) Great for a crowd potluck. This recipe is so easy - I can make & frost it in 50 minutes. I don't even clean the saucepan from the cake melting - just leave it for the frosting. I have always used the unsweetened chocolate -haven't tried the cocoa. Notice that the cake ingredients don't need to be sifted. It's even better the second day - the flavors have time to mellow. MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter 1/2 c. vegetable oil 2 squares unsweetened chocolate OR 4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa 1 c. water 2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. sour milk (place 1/2 tsp. vinegar in 1/2 c. milk) 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, oil, chocolate and water in a saucepan and heat until chocolate is melted. Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, milk, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla in large bowl; then combine with first mixture. Pour into a greased 12x18-inch cake pan (I use a 12x15-inch cushionaire-type jelly roll pan). Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Bake on middle rack. Five minutes before cake is done, prepare: MEXICAN CHOCOLATE ICING: 1 stick butter 2 squares unsweetened chocolate 6 Tbsp. milk 1 (1 lb.) pkg. confectioners' sugar, sifted 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 c. chopped pecans Combine butter, chocolate and milk in a saucepan and heat until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from heat, add confectioners' sugar, vanilla and pecans; beat. Ice cake while still warm. Frosting is not stiff.

I copied this recipe too as my kids love seeing those "cookie cakes" at the bakery, but we never buy them. Thanks Sheliajoyce! Last time i made cookies, I didn't feel like making individual ones, so I made a double batch and spread the dough into a 9X13 pan (lasagna pan). I had to cook about 10-12 minutes longer for the center to be done. Tasted like cookies, but texture of brownies. My husband who is not normally huge on sweets-LOVED them!

1._______________________________________________________ Kitchen Delight Chocolate Chip Cookies Posted by: Patty_WV (My Page) on Wed, Nov 13, 02 at 11:57 Kitchen Delight Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup shortening,or 3/4 cup butter,1 cup packed light brown sugar,1/2 sugar,1 tsp.vanilla,2 eggs,2 1/4 cups flour,1 tsp.baking soda,1 tsp.salt,2 cups chocolate chips,1 cup chopped nuts(opt) Cream shortening or butter,brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.Add eggs and beat well. Combine flour,baking soda,and salt.Add to creamed mixture. Stir in chips and nuts.Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 6 dozen Note:I use the butter flavor Crisco for shortening. My aunt gave me this recipe shortly after I got married 27 years ago.It came from a bag of chocolate chips.It's the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I ever use. 2.__________________________________________________________ Decadent Brownies Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Sat, Nov 16, 02 at 13:42 Patty, Now that I know I am posting the recipes to the right thread, I have a few more that you can add to the one above. Ann. Home Cookin 4.8 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Decadent Brownies ================= 1 Cup butter, 20 Ounces chocolate, 1-1/2 Cups sugar, Pinch of salt, 4 eggs, 1 Cup flour, vanilla to taste, 1 Cup toasted pecans Melt chocolate and butter in microwave bowl Beat in sugar and salt, Beat in eggs, add vanilla, Mix in flour, Mix in pecans. Pour into rectangle cake pan that has been lined with tin foil and rubbed with butter. Bake in oven at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Do not over bake Should still be soft in the middle Put into freezer immediately for 1 hour or until cold. Cut into 8 bars and wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze 3.__________________________________________________________ Best Oatmeal Cookies Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Sat, Nov 16, 02 at 13:42 Home Cookin 4.8 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Source: from newspapper many years ago Best Oatmeal Cookies ==================== 1 Cup butter 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 2/3 cup flour, 3/4 Teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, dash nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups rolled oats Preheat oven to 350 Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla Combined flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture. Add rolled oats. Roll into small balls (golf ball size) and flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Cookie should not get brown. Cool on wire rack 4.__________________________________________________________ Graham Cracker Chewies Recipe from the Nantucket Open House Cookbook. Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Sun, Aug 24, 03 at 19:43 Here are a couple of recipes that have become very popular on the Cooking/Recipe forum that you can add to the Archive. Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Graham Cracker Chewies ====================== These are amazingly good and simple to make. They are a nice alternative to brownies. Recipe from the Nantucket Open House Cookbook. Crust 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour Topping 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs beaten, . Preheat oven to 350 Prepare the crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and flour in a mixing bowl until moist and crumbly. Press the mixture firmly and evenly in the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Prepare topping: Stir all the ingredients together until blended. Spread the topping over the baked crust and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into 16 squares. Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table 5.__________________________________________________________ Silly Toffee Squares Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Sun, Aug 24, 03 at 19:43 Source: Patty Silly Toffee Squares 1/2 flour, 3/4 cup rice krispies cereal, 1/4 tsp baking soda, pinch salt, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter melted, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 c butter, 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate chips semi sweet, 1 1/4 cup Rice Krispies cereal, caramel layer. Chill and cut into squares. Combine first 6 ingredients and press into 8" square pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes In heavy saucepan combine condensed milk, 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. (this burns easily so watch carefully) Remove from heat and pour over baked crust. Melt chocolate chips over low heat. Stir in remaining cereal until well coated. Using two forks spread over caramel layer. Chill and cut into squares. 6._______________________________________________________ PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES Posted by: chery2 on Sat, Nov 15, 03 I may be a slow learner, but I finally caught on to the fact that using sweetened condensed milk in a recipe covers the duties of lots of ingredients. You gotta love recipes of no more than 4 ingredients that turn out GREAT. For instance... PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES 3/4 c. pb, 1 can scm, 2 1/2 c. flour, 1 t. vnla, Mix all ingredients. Roll into 1-in. balls. Shake in bag w/ gran. sugar. Flatten on cookie sheet by making a cris-cross pattern w/ fork. Bake @ 350 for 6-8 minutes. [At first I didn't like these. They looked like little biscuits and didn't flatten during baking. But DH said they're the best ever. SIL likes them w/ a choc. chip in the middle; also likes that they're bite size. 7.________________________________________________________ MACAROONS Posted by: chery2 on Sat, Nov 15, 03 1 bag or can of sweetened coconut [about 13 oz], 1 can scm, 1 t. van [careful! changes shade of cookies], You can add other ingredients: baking chips, crushed mint, whatever. Recipe on back of coc. bag. Makes a ton of little ones. 350 for 8 minutes. chery-va 8._________________________________________________________ Lebkuchen Bars Posted by: Roselin32 on Sat, Nov 15, 03 RECIPE: Lebkuchen Bars Posted by Roselin32 on Wed, Oct 22, 03 A Christmas favorite in our home. 1 tsp cinnamon, l teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 1/2 c unsifted flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 c ground almonds, 1 tsp grated lemon rind, 2 eggs, 3/4 c sugar, 3/4 c honey, 1/2 c milk, Almond Glaze, 1 c confectioner's sugar, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp rum, 1-2T water, Sift together spices, salt, flour, and baking powder. Stir in the almonds and lemon rind. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and sugar until a ribbon forms when the beater is removed. Stir in the honey and milk. Gradually stir in the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Spread the batter in an 11x17" greased jelly roll pan. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for12-15 minutes until the cake is done. While still warm turn the cake out onto a rack. Mix the confectioner's sugar, almond extrac, rum and water. Beat until it is smooth and of a glaze consistency, adding more water if necessary. Spread on warm cake. Cut into bars while still warm. Yields: 2-3 dozen. RL`

Ann you are evil!!! I just worked the last 10 days like a dog to drop 5 pounds, and then you tempt me with these delectable cookies. Would you mind if I skip trying them until I lose a few more pounds before I cheat. But I do plan to try them! Darlene