I love brownies. I love the box kind more than anything! If I make some of those on a Friday evening for a treat, I will eat the entire thing within 24 hours. I'm not kidding. I walk by and take a little bite here, take another bite there. And before I know it, I've eaten the entire pan. So, naturally these cookies looked awesome to me when I saw the recipe! It used nothing but the finest of ingredients: boxed cake mix, cream cheese and butter! What more could you ask for? Such a great snack. I can't wait to go eat another one...
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box moist chocolate cake mix
confectioners' sugar, for dusting
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the egg. then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm (you have to roll the batter into balls later).
Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and roll them in confectioners sugar. This is a little messy. I used my small Pampered Chef scoop to make things easier. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes (mine took a little longer...I think my oven needs to be calibrated!). Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Honey and Butter)
I love baking. Some people can cook, but they don't bake. Baking takes more time and precise measuring. I love baking because you can do it when you wake up, in the middle of the afternoon, or at midnight. It fills the house with a smell that is pure happiness. I wanted to make something for my brother's birthday. I knew he wouldn't like Pinkalicous cupcakes, so I decided to ask him what he wanted. Anything...name it and I'll make it. He said chocolate cake. Done. Now begins the search for the perfect recipe! I searched out a few and then decided to go with one of my favorites, Joy the Baker. And how could I go wrong when she calls it "The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever". Yes, I knew this would be smashing. This is the best chocolate cake I have ever had. And I'm very proud that I baked it!
For the cake:
1-1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
2-1/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1-1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, sifted
For the glaze:
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled (plus more if needed)
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan and set aside.
To make the cake batter: Put brewed coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and let come to room temperature (I let mine sit for almost an hour).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, mix together sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk on low speed for about 1 minute. Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract and mix on low again for another minute.
Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the cooled cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. *The batter will be very loose*. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack. (I made my cake the day before and glazed it the day-of.)
To make the icing: Chop the chocolate into small pieces, put them in a heatproof bowl (or a double boiler), and set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Be sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the boiling water. Remove the bowl from the heat when all of the chocolate bits have melted.
Melt the butter in a separate pan or the microwave. Whisk the melted butter into the melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated. Sift in half of the powdered sugar. Add the sour cream and whisk to combine. Sift in the remaining powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thick and shiny. Lastly, add the coffee and whisk to create a glossy glaze.
Pour the glaze over the Bundt cake, covering it completely. Leave at room temperature until ready to serve.
The glaze was WONDERFUL! For those that are not coffee lovers, don't worry. You don't taste the coffee one bit. Coffee brings out the chocolate's natural flavors, so its a great pairing. Its not at all coffee-tasting.
Happy Birthday Chaz!
Enjoy!
(adapted from Joy the Baker)
Its Sunday afternoon and time to bake! I had everything on hand for these so I though, Why Not? The last time I was at Sam's I bought a big bag of walnuts. I keep nuts in the freezer to extend their shelf life. Nuts have oil in them, and the oil can turn the nuts bad quicker in the pantry. I love keeping walnuts and pecans on hand at all times. Nuts are pretty interchangeable in recipes, so use what you have on hand.
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub an 8-inch square baking pan with butter.
With a mixer, beat butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in 1/2 cup each chocolate chips and walnuts (I added them all...OOPS) Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and walnuts (all of mine when IN the batter).
Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clan, 40-45 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into squares. Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.
Enjoy!
(adapted from MarthaStewart.com)
I ran across this recipe the other day while visiting one of my favorite food blogs, Girl Gone Gourmet. She really has some great recipes, and this was no exception. I saw the picture and knew I had to make these. Perfect timing too, because I had just bought two more cans of the quick-cooking oats from Walgreens when they were on sale. I ended up paying $.50 a can after coupons! You can do more with oatmeal then just cooking a good breakfast. Although, the Cranberry Vanilla Oatmeal I made a couple of weeks ago was really good! This recipe stood out because I had everything on hand including the chocolate chunks from another Publix B1G1 sale before the holidays. I've stayed in my jammies all day, and curling up in my chair with a glass of milk, these cookies and my laptop was my ideal Saturday afternoon!
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another large bowl cream the butter and two sugars until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and eggs and continue to mix until the ingredients are well combined. With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients along with the milk. Mix until a stiff dough forms and then fold in the chocolate and nuts.
Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto greased cookie sheets and space about an inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges. Allow to cool on the pan slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Enjoy!
(adapted from GirlGoneGourmet.com)
I love coconut. I love sugar. I love Rice Krispies. So...it goes without saying that I would love this recipe! When I was at Walgreens the other night I noticed that they had a lot of their baking items on clearance. Corn Starch $.50, 7-oz. bags coconut $1.00, Nabisco cookie pie crusts $.62. So I stocked up on these. The pie crust will be used this weekend when I make peanut butter pies. So much for New Year's Dieting Resolutions! These cookies are made with whipped egg whites so they are light and crispy when baked. The coconut gives it the perfect sweetness and the Rice Krispies give it a great crunch. I know you're supposed to wait until they cool, but I ate several of them warm out of the oven! They tasted great even before they firmed up. These would look really pretty on the table at a shower or luncheon. Sweet perfection.
*See Update below: I added chocolate chips the second time I made these!
3 large egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/4 cup cornstarch
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (this is a must). Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until thick and foamy. Sprinkle in the confectioners' sugar and, once incorporated, beat at high speed until firm and glossy, about 3-5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss together the coconut, rice cereal and cornstarch. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the egg mixture until combined (this will be sticky).
Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture about 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until firm and dry to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
**Update: January 9, 2010
I made this again today and they turned out even better than the first time. Why did I make them AGAIN? Well, they were just that good! And so easy, I remembered the recipe off the top of my head and didn't even have to dig through my folder. I chopped some Nestle Chocolate Chunks and added them to the second half of the batter. Tastes just like an Almond Joy or Mounds. YUMMY! If you store your coconut in the freezer like I do, be sure to let it come to room temperature before you mix. Also, the egg whites whip better if they are at room temperature. I mixed my Rice Krispies and coconut and put them in the 200 degree oven while it was preheating. This took the chill off the coconut. I also made them a tad bigger the second time. I used rounded tablespoons. (I actually used the Large Scoop from Pampered Chef again...Man, I love that thing!) This recipe was easier the second-go-around. This recipe is definitely on my "hot" list!!
Enjoy!
(recipe from RachaelRayMag.com)
These little cookies look so delicious! I have not made these yet, but I will be making these as soon as I get a chance. I may even make them for the girls' Christmas party at school this Friday. These cookies use several of the ingredients I have on hand from the last few weeks' grocery store sales (i.e. cream cheese, flaked coconut, and kisses). The photo is what drew me to this recipe. I love coconut and chocolate! And check out the reviews from the link at the bottom. Yummy!
(Photo: Taste of Home)
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons almond extract (I'm using vanilla)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups flaked coconut, divided
48 milk chocolate kisses
course sugar
In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in egg yolk and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in 3 cups coconut. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in the remaining coconut. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie; sprinkle with course sugar. Cool on pan for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is softened. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Be sure to post a comment if you try these. I will update if I get around to making these for the party Friday!
**Update: I did end up making these for Ella's party Friday. They were not a favorite for the kids. However, all of the adults thought they were delicious! Next time I would love to make them with Almond Hershey's Kisses to taste like an Almond Joy! I didn't get a picture because I was up half the night baking them. I didn't coat them in raw sugar like the above picture did, but I did coat them with more coconut, so they had the same texture.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Taste of Home)
The first time I made these, I was pregnant with my first daughter. I could not get enough granola bars. I bought Nature Valley, Special K, Fiber One, I loved them all! I came across this recipe in the Rachael Ray Magazine one month and decided to give it a try. Couldn't be easier. Most of the main ingredients you can get for a good price this week. Publix has granola and raisins B1G1. I stockpiled the chocolate chips a few weeks ago. And with the Target coupon for Kellogg's cereal, you can get a good deal on the Rice Krispies. If you've never made homemade granola bars, you ought to give this recipe a shot. Quick and delicious. Wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap and you've got a Grab-n-Go breakfast!
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter1/2 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup honey2 cups granola1 cup Rice Krispies1/2 cup raisins1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chipsIn a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the honey and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.Add the granola, rice cereal, and raisins to the saucepan and fold the ingredients to evenly coat with the sauce. Transfer the granola mixture to a 9 X 13-inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly to evenly fill. Gently press the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola. Let the granola mixture set in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes, then cup into 2 1/4-by 3-inch bars.**The Quaker granola that is on sale at Publix is more like granola clusters. So, I put 2 cups in a zippy bag and crushed it up a little bit.These are great for breakfast or pack them in the kids' lunchboxes for school. Want to make co-workers happy? Wrap some up, tie with cute ribbon and bring as a "Happy"!Enjoy!(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
