Chocolate anyone??

 

Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3.5 dozen

Note: This recipe is from my mom.  You can substitute chocolate pudding and white chocolate chips or make up your own combinations.  Chocolate-chocolate, chocolate-butterscotch, vanilla-chocolate… the list is long.  I usually eliminate nuts from any recipe, and this recipe doubles well.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter

1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg instant vanilla  pudding

1 – 12oz. pkg. chocolate chips

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 357 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg and beat until smooth.  Add vanilla, baking soda, and flour.  Mix until ‘just’ mixed.  Add pudding, chocolate chips and nuts.  Mix together.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet.  Remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack and cool completely before storing.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate

… is always a good combination!

 

 

Peanut Butter Finger Bars

Yield: 20 servings

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DRIZZLE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbls. peanut butter

3 to 5 tsp. milk

 

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars.  Add peanut butter and blend together.  Add egg and beat until mixed.  Add flour, oatmeal, baking soda, vanilla and salt.  Mix well.  Spread mixture into a 13x9 inch pan.  Press evenly.  Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Immediately after taking bars out of the oven, sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips over the top.  Let stand 5 minutes, then spread evenly to coat bars. 

In a small bowl, mix together the Drizzle Ingredients.  Drizzle over chocolate frosting.  Cool completely and cut into bars.  These bars freeze quite well.

Mardi Gras King Cupcakes

 

The lemon and nutmeg flavor of these cupcakes reminds me of the King Cake made for last  year’s Mardi Gras.  The cupcakes are quicker and easier for a busy mom, though!

The recipe is at King Arthur Flour…. Mardi Gras King Cupcakes.

 

Peach Wow!

 

The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook by Ree Drummand has 5 star after 5 star recipe.  I’ve tried over a handful and my family has raved and ahhed over each.  With a couple lugs of peaches in the frig, I made plans to try her Peach Crisp.  It did NOT disappoint.  I recommend you try it today!

Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce

Peach Pie

Yes, it’s that time of year.  The peach trucks roll into the biggest towns nearby and I dutifully trek to town and stand in line for my lug … or two of sweetness.  I’m hoping to capture a lug or two tomorrow, in fact.  While we’ll eat quite a few with cream or just plain, our favorite dessert is Grandma Golden Acres’ Peach Pie.  A Peach Pie any other way just isn’t the same.

Grandma Golden Acres’ Peach Pie
Unbaked 10 inch pie shell – you can use the Never Fail  Pie Crust recipe I just posted or use your favorite recipe.  You can use a smaller pie crust, but you should decrease the cream/sauce or you will have leftover – I’ve been known to eat this alone.  Fill the bottom with peaches; heaping is what I prefer.  You’ll need about 5 or 6 large peaches (if your peaches are smaller, you’ll need 7 or 8).  Pour the following sauce, well mixed, over the peaches:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Top the pie with a second crust & crimp the edges.  Cut slits in the top if you haven’t already done something else decorative.  I always place the pie plate on a large baking sheet or pizza pan to prevent spills from reaching the oven.  I’d also recommend placing thin strips of aluminum foil around the crimped edge to prevent it from burning.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 50 minutes.  Remove the aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or Cool Whip!

Egg Yolk Cookies

This is the recipe to have after you’ve made a home-made Angel Food cake!  They’re crisp and flavorful with a nice yellow/orange tint to the batter.

Egg Yolk Cookies

Ingredients:
12 egg yolks
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
2 –3 tsp. lemon & orange flavoring
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream sugars with butter.  Add slightly beaten egg yolks.
3. Sift dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture.
4. Add flavoring.  *I added 2 tsp. pure lemon extract … I didn’t have orange extract available.
5. Use a small cookie scoop to drop little balls onto the cookie sheet and then flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.

6. Bake 7-10 minutes.

Shrove Tuesday – King Cake

I found the recipe for King Cake at the King Arthur Flour Company website.  I haven’t ever made a special cake for Shrove Tuesday, not for lack of wishing and wanting!  This is the year my wish was made reality.  Food coloring are generally avoided in our household, mostly due to my sensitivity, but I just couldn’t resist making the cake ‘as it should be’ … colorful and completely festive.

 

Mixing the dough ingredients…

 

While the dough rises, I mixed up the cream cheese filling:

 

Preparing the dough … I formed the rectangle by hand:

 

I was distracted, so there is no picture of the filling being placed on the dough.  Fold the dough over the filling and transfer to a baking sheet:

 

While the dough rests and rises (about 1 hour), I colored the sugar.  The green and yellow turned out nice … can you tell the other is purple??

 

After baking, let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack:

 

After completely cool, frost the cake and decorate with colored sugar:

The purple looks better on the cake than on the blue plate.

 

 

Cake was enjoyed by all!

Peppermint Sticks

... or Candy Cane Cookies ... whichever is easier for your kids!

We opted for Peppermint Sticks, except that they are not peppermint flavored, they're just mint!  Doesn't really matter, mint is a preference and I didn't have peppermint extract on hand.

Peppermint Sticks
Yield:  Approx. 4 dozen

1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
1 cup confectioners' sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. green food coloring (my preference ... but red is great, too)
1/2 tsp. peppermint or mint extract

Mix butter, confectioners' sugar, and egg in a large bowl.  Blend in the flour and salt.  Divide the dough in half, placing half in a smaller mixing bowl.  Blend food coloring and extract into the half in the bowl.  Cover both halves with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour (I completely skipped this step without problem).

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Take 1 tsp. colored dough and shape into a 4 inch long rope (we used 1 1/2 tsp for the sticks).  Repeat with white dough.   Roll on a lightly floured surface for smooth, even ropes.  Place the ropes side by side and press together lightly.  Twist!  Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  To create candy canes, curve the top of each cookie down to form a handle or J.  Bake 11 minutes or until set and lightly browned.  Carefully remove cookies to a cooling rack.

Angelina and Dash roll the ropes while Graham watches their progress

Pre-baked 'sticks'

Our Mint Sticks - YUM!

Gingerbread House

Last year, Angelina made a gingerbread wreath (from a kit).  The gingerbread, frosting and candies must have been a couple years old because they tasted horrible!  Definitely NOT edible ... although my kids would have tried if I hadn't been afraid of teeth breaking.  However, she had a great time with the kit and it was a fun decoration on our table.

While in town yesterday, I saw a kit for a gingerbread house and, on a whim, I purchased it for Angelina. 

This kit is newer and says that the gingerbread house is edible ... if eaten within two weeks.  The kids plan to eat it after we return from Grandma and Grandpa Golden Acres' farm.  We'll see how good it tastes after that long!

Chock full of sugar ... a kid's dream concoction!

Birthday cake...

... it's a little silly, but I'm making myself a birthday cake.  I saw a tantalizing picture of this cake

 in the catalog for this company and couldn't resist trying to make the blend of chocolate cake and mint ice cream.  I was going to make homemade fudge, but I purchased a jar ... just in case I got LAZY!  I'm going to use the jar of fudge. 

Ingredients:
Chocolate cake mix (plus eggs, oil & water)
Fudge - one jar
Peppermint Stick ice cream (from Schwans) or substitue Chocolate Chip Mint or your favorite minty flavor

Putting 'it' together:
The cake was baked last night, I let it cool on the counter overnight (you wouldn't need to wait that long!).

This morning, I leveled the cake by cutting off the rounded top with a serrated knife... I didn't want a leaning torte! .  I also cut the cake into thirds (lenthwise), so each section is a little over 4 inches wide and 9 inches long.  While preparing the cake and fudge, set the ice cream on the counter to thaw a bit.

Warm the fudge in the microwave until it is spreadable.  Spread 1/3 on the top of each cake section.  ** I didn't refrigerate at this point, but it would be a good step to add.  Then, your ice cream will not melt slightly like mine!

Spread ice cream over two sections - about 1/2 inch thick.  Stack the layers; the cake with only fudge goes on top.  Wrap the torte in plastic wrap and freeze for at least one hour.  If you want to make it 'pretty', sprinkle crushed peppermint cany over the top.  Slice as thick as needed and ENJOY!!

This is before freezing ... but doesn't it look yummy anyway??  I may or may not add crushed peppemints.  Maybe I'll just add another scoop of ice cream to the top of each slice.

** UPDATE:  Make sure to cool the layers of fudge topped cake in the frig before topping with ice cream.  My ice cream melted - pretty much all of it - even though I thought my fudge was cooled and the completed cake was taken to the freezer immediately.  It still tasted wonderful because the peppermint ice cream soaked into the cake layers, but it didn't look as pretty.

Gotta Try This ... Cookie Cake

I've been reading the King Arthur Flour cooking blog and this entry was too interesting to resist trying!  The tester used King Arthur mixes, but I've used a 'from scratch' chocolate chip cookie dough and local brand name cake mix (Butter Pecan flavor - although I think almost any flavor would work).  This would make a great birthday cake.

Family Rating: ***** ... and that's without ice cream!

Cookie Cake
Yield:  20 svgs.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (ingredients below)
Butter Pecan flavored Cake mix batter (3 eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/3 cups water)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough* Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1 cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet)**

Directions: 
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Mix flour, salt & soda together.  Set aside.  Cream butter, sugar, water, egg and vanilla in another bowl for 3 minutes.  Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Mix chocolate chips into the dough.
3. Lightly spray a 13x9 inch pan (it's important that the pan be as least 2 inches deep) with cooking spray.  Spread the Chocolate Chip Cookie dough in the pan. 

4.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges start to brown lightly.  The middle should NOT be completely baked.  Remove from oven and set aside (if there's time!).
5.  While the cookie bottom is baking, mix the cake batter according to directions on the box.
6.  Pour the cake batter over the partially baked cookie dough.  Spread evenly.

7.  Bake for an additional 30-38 minutes.  Keep an eye on the browning ... if it browns too quickly, place a foil tent over the pan.
8. The cake is done when a tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
9. Eat and thoroughly enjoy!  It won't last long ...

Note:  The KA blog recommends serving with a scoop of ice cream and chocolate syrup.  I was out of ice cream and didn't need the chocolate syrup.  STILL tasted yummy and the kids didn't talk a bit while eating their treat.

*I actually had to search through my cookbooks for an appropriate recipe.  I usually don't make 'plain' chocolate chip cookies; I prefer an Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Recipe or a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Recipe.  Additionally, the two recipes I mentioned are huge!  I didn't feel like baking cookies on top of making the cookie cake, so I looked for a smaller recipe, too.

**You could substitute regular sized semi-sweet chocolate chips, but the minis are really nice and distribute the chocolate throughout the batter in a more pleasing way.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Last week, Angelina and I mixed up a quick batch of Peanut Butter Blossoms.  I use my smallest cookie scoop (it's about 1 Tbls. in size) to scoop the batter onto a plate. 

Angelina rolled the scoops into balls and then rolled them in sugar and placed them on cookie sheets.  Using my large Doughmakers cookie sheets, it only takes two trips to the oven to get about 3.5 dozen cookies (if I'd have used convection, it would have been one step baking for a single batch!).  I prefer Hershey's kisses for the chocolate top; the kisses are placed right after taking the cookies out of the oven.

After cooling completely, the Peanut Butter Blossom cookies are stored between layers of waxed paper in the freezer.  I have a small collection of Christmas tins, but they are still in storage ... so, these cookies will be frozen in Tupperware containers.  They can be stored at room temp. for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Holiday Goodies still on the list:

• Divinity
• Cashew Brittle
• Pizzelles
• Turtle Cookies
• Suzie's Favorite Sugar Cookies
• Creme de Menthe Brownies
• Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
• Jam Thumbprints
• New This Year (my experimental recipe): Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

 Note:  I keep a master list of what I've frozen.  However, I try NOT to remember all the goodies going into the freezer until it's really time for them to be used!

Chocolate Frosted Maple Cookies

Okay, I obviously lean toward chocolate and desserts on this blog; this post adds another in that column. Maybe I should have called it Domestic Family Desserts!

This is a recipe I came across in a brochure called 'Pure Facts'. The recipe wasn't even named and it made an extremely small batch. So I've tweaked and doubled to come up with a recipe that produces more and lets us eat a little longer on the sweet treats.

Chocolate Frosted Maple Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen 2.5-3" cookies

Ingredients for cookie batter:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. maple extract
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Ingredients for chocolate frosting:
1/2 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet
6 Tbls. milk
2 Tbls. butter
2 cups powdered sugar

Cookie Directions:
1. Combine brown sugar and softened butter in a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla extract, maple extract, and eggs. Beat well.
3. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
4. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour to make it easier to handle. (I've skipped this step quite often ... impatient, I guess ... but no ill effects)
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Drop by cookie scoop (we prefer the large cookie scoop - 2 Tbls. size) onto the cookie sheet. Press lightly. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until slightly browned at the edges. *NOTE: if you decrease the cookie size, you'll need to decrease the baking time.
7. Immediately remove the cookies and allow them to cool on a rack.

Frosting Directions:
1. Place chocolate chips, milk and butter in a small saucepan and melt chips over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Add more if needed for spreading consistency.
2. Frost the cooled cookies**. Allow frosting to set before storing them. The cookies do freeze well.

** A quick way to frost is to hold the cookie upside down and dip it in the frosting. There is plenty of frosting for 2 dozen large cookies when frosting in this manner.

Sour Cream Sourdough Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup King Arthur sourdough starter (I'm sure any sourdough starter will work)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and sourdough starter. Beat until smooth, then stir in sour cream.
2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Mix until blended.
3. Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan (I used cooking spray with flour).
4. Spread half the batter in the pan. Spread the filling over the top, then top with remaining batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This is one of the lightest coffee cakes I have ever made. I'm going to try it out in a 13"x9" pan with the filling sprinkled over the top. If it works, I'll make it for our upcoming homeschool book sale's breakfast menu.

I've always wondered, do coffee cakes count for breakfast or dessert ... maybe it just depends upon when you eat it!

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

This is the yummy cake I made in the Mini-Cooking Session #2. This cake can be frozen whole or in pieces; whichever better suits your needs. I prefer to freeze it in pieces (that way I can go sneak one from the freezer without the kids knowing!). My husband's favorite flavor combination is chocolate and peanut butter, so he won't turn down any offer of this dessert and gives it a 5 star rating.

If you are experimenting with your main course, this dessert is a great "complaint preventer' because you can announce 'this dessert' will be served to whoever finishes up their main course without complaint. Most kids (especially mine) and husbands find that main courses taste better with this cake as the dessert. Yes, I am speaking from experience.

For fun, you can top it with a half (or a whole) mini peanut butter cup. Of course, if it's after supper you may want to forgo the extra sugar for the kids - my kids don't like to sleep after eating peanut butter cups, they'd rather run around the race-track they've made on our home's main floor. I also think shaved chocolate would look and taste great on top.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Yield: Approximately 16 servings

Chocolate Cake:
1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
1 ½ Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa powder
1 1/3 cup Milk
½ cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Frosting:
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
½ cup Butter, softened
2 cups Powdered Sugar
¼ cup Milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the cake ingredients and beat together until smooth. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in the cake batter. Bake for 40 minutes. Cake is done when center springs back at the touch and sides are just starting to pull away from the pan edge. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Blend the peanut butter and butter. Add milk and vanilla; mix together. Add the powdered sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy. If the frosting seems too thick for your taste, add a bit more milk. Spread the frosting on thickly.

For Freezing: To freeze without cutting, flash freeze to set the frosting. Then, cover with plastic wrap and foil. Label and freeze the cake. Thaw completely to serve. To freeze in pieces, set the frosting in the frig. When set, cut into pieces (the size is your choice) and place in a covered container.

TIP: Some cakes, and especially brownies, are more easily cut with a plastic knife. I save a plastic knife in my baking drawer just for these occasions.

Shortbread Creations

Shortbread is another of my favorite cookies (I don't think I remembered it for my list, though). I like to purchase the shortbread cookies in bulk. The tins are beautiful and can be used for candy and gifts afterwards. With just a few extra ingredients, these cookies can be dressed up into tasty Christmas cookies that everyone will enjoy. They are even easy for kids to decorate!



Dipped Shortbread
Yield: You decide!

Ingredients can include, but are not limited to the following:
Shortbread cookies
1/4 pkg. Ghirardelli chocolate - either milk chocolate or white chocolate - purchased in approx. 2.5 pound packages
Nuts - pecans, cashews, peanuts
Candy - a variety of sprinkles, crushed candy canes, etc.

Lay out waxed paper to cool the dipped cookies. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute; remove and stir. If the chocolate is not completely smooth, melt for an additional 30 seconds. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate - I try to only dip the front side of the cookies. Place the dipped cookie on the waxed paper. (If you are quick, you may be able to dip all the cookies before sprinkling the toppings. However, I usually dip two cookies and then sprinkle, to make sure the topping will stick.) Next, sprinkle the chocolate dipped portion of the cookie with nuts or candy. Let the chocolate harden.* Move the cookies to tins or plastic containers for freezing or storage.


*Sometimes, I speed the process along by placing the waxed paper on cookie sheets. When the cookie sheet is full, I place it in the frig or freezer to harden the chocolate faster.

This is the package of shortbread cookies I used. The cookies are wrapped in two stacks of about 10 cookies each within the tins. Sometimes there is a little breakage, but not much (besides, we all need a sample!). There are enough cookies in the package to let you try a variety of toppings.

Another decorating option that I've used is to drizzle either chocolate over the cookies. Just melt the chocolate in a quart-size freezer ziploc baggie for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Squish around in the bag until completely melted. Snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out the chocolate; drizzling over the cookies (the cookies have been placed on waxed paper). Let the chocolate harden and then store.

Pecan Rolls

I've been searching for a Pecan Shortbread cookie recipe for some time and have found quite a few (though I haven't had the time to bake any of them!). However, a friend made these Pecan Rolls for a Christmas Cookie exchange, and they do fill my yearning. They are very similar to Pecan Shortbread, but a little sweeter as they are rolled in powdered sugar after baking.

Pecan Rolls
Recipe From : K.G.
Yield: Approximately 3 dozen

1/2 pound butter
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans*

Mix together like pie dough. Roll between hands to make small logs. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Mine are a bit too big, but they still tastest great! I'll work on my technique . . .

Notes: K. G. notes that these are nice because you can put them quite close together while baking because they won't spread (just make sure you don't completely melt the butter, like me, or they will spread more than you want. Her Pecan Rolls were much more log shaped then my fat little logs!!). You can pretty much bake one batch on a cookie sheet at the same time!

* K.G. also suggested purchasing the pecans at Fleet Farm. She said their chopped pecans are more finely chopped than at other stores. I'll admit the pecans on and in her cookies looked beautiful and provided a very nice texture. I plan to add it to my Fleet Farm shopping list. For this recipe, I finely chopped the pecans with my Magic Bullet.

Cookies!!

I've been perusing my cookie magazines, too! The favorite recipes are marked with sticky notes and, of course, drips and dribbles of extract or batter. Some of my magazines are saved from the years before I was married, so they've been around for a while.


So far, I've made one batch of Divinity (yes, I'll be making more), but am trying to decide which other 'staples' I should bake or make for our upcoming celebrations. For sure, I will make another favorite - Cashew Brittle. Sorry, Peanut Brittle just isn't good enough anymore!


At our church's Christmas celebration this past weekend, I purchased some Chocolate Almond Bark prepared with chopped pecans mixed into it. It was VERY good, so I'd like to try to replicate that, too.



My favorite Christmas Cookies or Candies or Goodies are:

1. Divinity
2. Cashew Brittle
3. Frosted Sugar Cookies
4. Creme de Menthe Brownies
5. Turtles
6. Cheesecake (almost any variety!)
7. Pecan Shortbread Cookies (this is a relatively new favorite, so it may move up the list if I find a good recipe)

P.S. This is not a finite list!