Favorite Ingredient Friday blends into Homemaker Monday ~ Cookie Edition & Bonus Honey Baked Ham glaze

Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy Homemaker Mondays is hosted by Jen at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven Making a Happy Home Monday is hosted by LL at As for me and my house... and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL RAISIN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
aka KITCHEN SINK COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Jumbo eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cups minced walnuts
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup golden raisins

• Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and espresso powder.
• Cream butter and peanut butter together.
• Add the sugars and cream again.
• Add the vanilla and eggs and cream until smooth.
• Gradually add flour mixture until well blended.
• Add oatmeal until well blended.
  
• Add nuts and combine well.
• Add chocolate chips and combine again.
• Add raisins and mix well.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
  
• Press down slightly.
• Bake 12-15 minutes.

My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me and I would wait out on the steps for her arrive just to see them. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!

HOLIDAY WREATHS
(these are better when they are made a few days ahead)
30 large marshmallows (or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon green food color
3 1/2 cups cornflakes
Red Hots

• Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler. Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
• Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
• Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
  
• Decorate with red hots.
• Let cool.
  
• If your house is warm - chill in refrigerator until set.
  

CRUMB COOKIES
(This is a large recipe and is great for using up all those holiday crumbs)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1 pound crumbs (cookies, cake and/or crackers)
1/4 cup milk
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground gloves
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup ground nuts
2 cups chopped golden raisins

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and cloves. Set aside.
  
• Cream butter.
  
• Add sugars and cream again.
  
• Add eggs and cream yet again.
• Add molasses and beat until fluffy.
• Add crumbs and blend well.
• Add milk, raisins and nuts and blend well.
• Gradually add flour mixture.
• Chill dough for at least an hour.
• Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll in a bowl of fine sugar.
• Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and press down gently.
• Bake 15-20 minutes.

and just for Janet:

OLD FASHIONED RUM BALLS
1/4 cup dark or golden rum (I also use spiced sometimes)
3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (I use my mini food processor)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely ground walnuts
4 cups powdered sugar

• Melt the butter
• Mix in sugar, cookie crumbs, nuts and rum.
  
• Chill until firm.
  
• Roll into balls.
  
• Roll in coconut, more nuts, colored sugar or leave plain.
• You can also change the flavor by adding 1/4 cup cocoa.
  

HONEY BAKED HAM GLAZE

1 cup honey
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup pineapple apricot preserves
3 ounces orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
7-10 pound ham, spiral cut

• In a small food processor combine all the ingredients and pulse until smooth.
• Heat in a small saucepan until translucent.
• Let cool to lukewarm.
• Place ham in a shallow roasting pan.
• Pour glaze over ham making sure to allow glaze to run in between spiral layers.
  
• Cover and allow to sit 48 hours in refrigerator.
• Bring to room temperature before baking.
• Wrap tightly with foil.
• Bake at 200 degrees for 6-7 hours until done.
• Unwrap and baste once an hour making sure to get glaze between the layers.
• Unwrap, increase heat to 450 degrees and bake another 15 minutes for a crisp skin.