Back to Baking, Sort Of

Ahh the no bake cookie. These yummy little chocolate bites take me back to my childhood. My mom didn't bake very much, but I do remember her making these cookies from time to time. I also remember my sister and me inhaling them as soon as they had set and sometimes before! Last night my best friend was over and I thought we needed a little chocolate dessert. Well I didn't want to spend my whole night in the kitchen standing by the hot oven waiting on cookies to bake so then I remembered these and how fast they are to make. It was actually the first time I've ever made them on my own. The important thing to remember about this recipe is to have all your ingredients measured out and ready to mix together or you could end up with a big ol' mess. These are not pretty cookies, but they sure are delicious. And yes, I still inhaled a couple as soon as they had set. Some things never change I guess. ; )

No Bake Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Source: All Recipes

So I skipped dinner tonight

It's been a while since I've baked anything. Actually, I guess it was before Christmas. Needless to say, I was having baking withdrawals. I've been eating so much better and really making conscious decisions about the foods I eat. I've also been working out 4 days a week. So I decided I deserved a reward. I figured I would bake some cookies tonight to eat for dessert. But as soon as I got home from work, I was itching to bake. So I got started right away. By the time all the cookies were done, I had eaten 3, warm out of the oven and didn't want any dinner. So I just skipped it altogether But I think I'm ok with that. My great-grandmother (Maw Maw) always told me to eat the best first, and that's exactly what I did tonight. (Maw Maw was one smart lady ; ) ) These cookies are some of the best chocolate cookies I've ever had. They have a very chewy texture which I think makes a perfect cookie. I got the idea to make these tonight from Kayte of Kayte's Kitchen. I am sure glad I decided to make these!


Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa (I used Hershey's regular cocoa)
2 cups white chocolate chips (I used 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Add white chocolate chips and stir to distribute evenly.
For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.
For bars: Pat dough into a greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares when cooled

More Holiday Baking

As if my holiday baking list wasn't long enough already, it got even longer yesterday. My sister-in-law called to see if I would be willing to help her do some baskets for a couple people. I said I would, but in my mind I was thinking "how in the world am I going to get this all done??" I still had some last minute Christmas shopping to do last night, I have several gifts that need to be wrapped, not to mention we still have guests staying with us. But I'm a trooper and the kind of person that hardly ever says no, so I figured I would find a way to do it. After I got home from my last minute shopping, which wasn't quite the nightmare I invisioned, I got right to baking. My contributions to the baskets are mini pumpkin bread loaves and these cranberry, white chocolate chip, oatmeal cookies that I saw on Annie's Eats. Well, three hours later my mini loaves were done and I had cookies, cookies everywhere! Seriously, this recipe makes a lot of cookies, but they are so delicious. If I hadn't needed so many cookies I probably would have frozen half the dough. These might just be my new favorite cookie!

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

3 eggs, well beaten

1 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 ½ cup flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, dried cranberries and vanilla and let stand for 1 hour, covered with plastic wrap.Cream together butter and sugars. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and soda to sugar mixture. Mix well. Blend in egg-cranberry mixture and oatmeal. Dough will be stiff. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet or roll in small balls and flatten slightly on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until

lightly browned.

Source: Unknown

It's the Holiday Season!

The holiday baking has begun. Yes, I am getting started very late this year. I've been so busy running around trying to get my house ready for guests, Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, holiday partying, etc etc. I just realized a couple days ago, I have so much baking to do!! I'm running out of time and fast! So anyway, I did a little bit of it tonight. As soon as I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, I knew I wanted to give these a try. I made the dough on Tuesday, covered it and put it in the fridge until I had time to roll it out tonight. I let it sit out for about an hour before working with it. These turned out so great! I used a frosting recipe I've used before and made a few different colors with food coloring. The decorating was made easier with this decorating set that my friend Elly sent me for Christmas. I love it and I love this recipe!

Ella’s White Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Directions:
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. Yields ~40 cookies.

Source: a family friend of Annie's (Donna)

FROSTING

1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 stick real butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon cream or whole milk

Cream butter, milk and vanilla together.
Slowly add powdered sugar to butter until desired consistency. If
you'd
like, add liquid food coloring for festive cookies
When cookies are cooled, slather this heavenly frosting. For more
texture and color, press the top of the cookie in sprinkles, colored
sugar
or just eat plain!

Source: Joelen from Joelen's Culinary Adventures 
(I believe this came from a co-worker of hers)

M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not all chocolate chip cookies are created equal. Some are crunchy, some are chewy and some are soft and gooey. I normally make the Best, Big, Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, aka BBFCCCC, which has more of a bite to it and is very chewy. But I don't discriminate when it comes to chocolate chip cookies, well, any cookie for that matter, so I decided I wanted to try a new recipe this weekend. I had heard good things about Michelle's chocolate chip cookies so I thought I might just try those. So last night I got in the kitchen and whipped these up. I added M&M minis to mine, just because I have a ton of Halloween candy leftover that I need to get rid of. These turned out really good. They were a lot different from the BBFCCCC that I usually make. Very soft and chewy!


Chelle’s Soft & Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Source: Sugar & Spice)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Microwave butter for 30 seconds, stir and set aside. Do not worry if it is not completely melted.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and beat until combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture, beating just until combined (do NOT overmix!). Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes.

6. Drop by rounded spoonful (I used a Pampered Chef cookie scoop that holds approximately 2 tablespoons) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges are just brown and middle is not quite set yet. Cool on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

7. Before adding more dough to warm cookie sheets, place sheet in freezer for 5-7 minutes to cool.

Store in an airtight container. Recipe yielded 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

The Cure for a Bad Week

This week has been just awful. I don't know if it's the full moon or what, but nothing has gone right this week. Work has been crazy; difficult customers, annoying co-workers and it's been insanely busy. To top it off, I burned my meatloaf tonight. Note to self: don't forget to put liquid in the crock pot next time. It's times like these a girl just needs some chocolate therapy. I didn't feel much like baking tonight after my meatloaf disaster, but I wanted some chocolate so I pulled out the mixer. I knew exactly what I wanted too; chocolate chocolate chip cookies. After I got busy in the kitchen, I sort of forgot about my bad week. And when I tasted these cookies, all was right with the world. Sometimes the secret to happiness is a little baking and chocolate.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Mix dry ingredients and stir into sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape into balls and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.

Adapted from this recipe.

I'm noticing a trend

As I was looking through my blog I noticed that all the baking I do is on nights when my husband is working late. I never feel like cooking when it's just me, but yet I always want to bake. I don't know why that is. Maybe it's because I'm bored or maybe I have too much time on my hands to look at recipes online. Whatever the reason, that's just what I do. Well tonight was no different. After I ate my dinner and the dogs and I were just sitting here staring at each other, I decided I had to get up and bake something. As usual when I start to bake I have no real idea what I'm going to make. I saw this recipe and thought it would be something a little different that my usual peanut butter cookies or brownies. After reading all the reviews of this recipe online I finally decided to just half-heartedly take the reviewers' advice. This is easily the most success I've had with oatmeal cookies. They really did turn out chewy on the inside and slightly crunchy on the edges. I ate way too many too. I guess it's a really good thing my husband doesn't work late very often or I would be baking and eating a lot more sweets!



Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(I made some alterations based on recipe reviews as well as what I had on hand.)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I added about 1 1/2 cups)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I added about 3/4 tsp)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt (I added 1/2 tsp)
  
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats (I added 2 1/2 cups)
  
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (Omitted)
  
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

(I baked these for about 15 min)



Original Source: All Recipes

Where have you been all my life?

Nutella, one of my new food loves. I can't believe I had never had it up until a couple months ago. I've tried it on a couple things so far; toast, strawberries, cookies, a spoon. ; ) But I figured it had to be good baked into things too so I started searching for a recipe to make with my beautiful Nutella. I came across this recipe and gave it a try tonight. All I can say is that it didn't disappoint. They turned out fluffy, chocolaty and hazelnutty just like I'd hoped they would.


Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/4	cups flour
1	teaspoon baking soda
1	cup butter
3/4	cup brown sugar
1/4	cup white sugar
2/3	cup nutella (1/3 cup for cookies 1/3 cup for dizzle)
2	eggs
1	teaspoon vanilla
1	cup hazelnuts (measured ground and toasted)
2	cups chocolate chips
	teaspoons milk (2-3 tsp) Cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, 1/3 cup nutella and vanilla. In seperate bowl whisk to combine flour and baking soda and toasted hazlenuts(grind the hazelnuts and toast them in a frying pan on medium low heat stirring constanly about 10 minutes, cool). Add flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar. Add chocolate chips, careful not to over mix. Measure one tablespoon of dough (flaten just a little) on a ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for one minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Once cooled make drizzle for the top. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup nutella with 2-3 tsp of milk over simmering water (double boiler). I used a plastic ziplock bag and poked a hole in one corner with a toothpick, Squeeze a zig zag design on top. Cool completely. Can be stored in a air tight container, with wax paper between layers and frozen. * I baked for about 12 min and also didn't do the hazelnut drizzle on top. I read that it didn't set up well so decided not to do that step. I also omitted the hazelnuts since my husband doesn't like nuts in cookies. I think they would have made the cookies even better though. Original Source: Recipe Zaar

The Name Says It All

Ok, this isn't a new recipe. In fact I've probably made these a dozen times. But when I decided to bake my favorite chocolate chip cookies tonight, I realized they aren't in my blog! Well now they are. These truly are the only chocolate chip cookies that I have been able to make successfully every single time I make them. The name describes them perfectly!

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

* I bake mine at 350 for 15-17 min. I found at 325 it took at least 20-22 min. Also I only use a cup and a half chocolate chips.

Original Source: All Recipes

Quick Dinner and Dessert!

I never know what to do with pork chops but I had some in the freezer so I figured I better use them up. I wanted to do something easy that didn't require any breading. So I just made a simple sauce to go over some pan cooked thin, boneless chops. It was the perfect combination of sweet and savory. And the best part is they were done in about 15 min! We had them with some roasted potatoes and green beans.

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

4 thin cut, boneless pork chops
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Spray a pan with non stick spray. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops. Cook 4 min on each side or until done. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey. Remove pork chops from the pan and set aside. Pour the vinegar and honey mixture in the pan and whisk to combine the pork chop drippings with the sauce. Let simmer a couple minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the pork chops back to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chops when serving.

*I got the idea for this simple recipe from Cooking Light.

I also whipped up some simple, but delicious peanut butter cookies tonight. This recipe only requires one bowl, no mixer, and they are done in about 12 min. My mom used to make these all the time for us when we were kids. They are my favorite easy cookie recipe!



Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a bowl. Roll cookies into 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down with a fork to flatten. Bake for 10-12 min or until edges are brown.

*If the dough looks too runny, just add a bit more sugar. The dough should be stiff.