Dark Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

My life has been a crazy blur these past few weeks.  Big changes at work (positive, exciting changes I should add), track meets, school activities, last minute tax preparation...you get the picture.  What better way to relax on an activity-free Saturday than with a cookie that you mix and cook right in the skillet.  Spoon a scoop of ice cream on top, pass out some spoons, and dig in.  Talk about a yummy treat to indulge in after a long busy week.  Go ahead, you deserve it!

Recipe adapted from: Sophistimom

Printer Friendly Version


What you need:
1 stick 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chocolate chunks


How to make it:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in an 8 inch cast iron skillet set over medium-low heat. Next, stir in sugars and vanilla and remove from heat. Let the mixture rest until the pan is warm, but no longer very hot, (about 5 minutes).
2. Crack an egg onto the butter and sugar mixture, and use a fork to whisk it well into the mixture. Place flour, baking soda, and salt on top, and very carefully stir into the mixture until smooth and well-mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until starting to turn golden on the top and around the edges, but soft in the center. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Earlier this week I baked these cookies for a cookie swap I was invited to by a large group of woman from my husband's company.  It was my very first cookie swap and it was SO MUCH FUN!  We had a wonderful white chicken chili prepared by the host and had a fabulous time eating cookies and chatting.  To top it off at the end of the night we filled our bags full of each others cookies to bring home and I can't wait to get my copy of all the recipes that the host is in the process of compiling.  For the swap I decided to try a new cookie.  This one caught my eye because it was minty and green, a perfect cookie for a Christmas get together.  These cookies were so moist, minty and chocolatey, I have decided to make them for my neighbors and am including the recipe in with my Christmas cards!

PRINTABLE VERSION
The Ingredients:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
8 drops green food coloring
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color, and egg until soft dough forms.  Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.
2.  Using a small cookie scoop drop dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.  Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
4.  Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 36 cookies  

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rocky Road Brownies

Little Jaxon and I went grocery shopping yesterday at Wal-mart and before I knew it we were strolling down the Halloween Candy Aisle.  Isn't it funny how those shopping carts seem to have magnets on them and just steer themselves? I grabbed some Halloween fruit snacks and that is when the package of Hershey's miniatures caught my eye.  Actually, the bag I saw was flipped over and the recipe on the back is what I noticed.  "EASY ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES".  Needless to say, miniature marshmallows, pecan pieces  and brownie mix found their way onto my shopping list.  I don't even know words to describe how sinfully delicious these brownies are.

PRINTABLE VERSION

the stuff to get:

11 oz bag of Hershey's Miniatures

2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup chopped nuts

1 package (13 x 9 size) brownie mix

how to make them:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut each Hershey's miniatures Chocolate Bars into about 8 pieces.  Stir together marshmallows, chocolate bar pieces and nuts; set aside.

2.  prepare brownie mix according to directions.  Bake brownies 2 minutes LESS than recommended baking time; take pan out of oven and sprinkle marshmallow mixture over brownie surface.  Continue baking 3 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned.  COOL COMPLETELY in pan on wire rack.  Using wet knife, cut into squares.  Makes 3 dozen.

the chocolate bars. YUM!

cut each bar into 8 pieces

add marshmallows

add pecan pieces

bake and enjoy!

Rocky Road Brownies

Nutella Pizza

If you're friends with me on Facebook, or you follow my blogs, you know all about my recent obsession with Nutella.  To quote Julie Powell, "Yum!"  It really is quite ridiculous because I do find myself eating it on everything.  Toast, homemade breads, on strawberries, with bananas....just right off the spoon.  Did I actually admit to that?  Actually, as I am reading what I am typing it sounds like I might be going a little overboard with my Nutella consumption and it possibly may be one of the contributing factors to my jeans being just a little too tight here lately.  Hmmmm.....

Now that you know all the background info, I am sure you can ONLY imagine the pure joy I felt when I ran across the idea for Nutella Pizza.  Thank you, THANK YOU Katerina, from Diethood , for posting this fabulous recipe!

It really is so simple to make and it will be gone before you know it.....

PRINTABLE VERSION
the basics:
your favorite pizza dough
1/2 cup of Nutella (or as much as you want!)
white chocolate chips
hazelnuts (I used almonds because that's what I had in my pantry)

making it:
1.  prepare your pizza dough and spread it as thin as you possibly can.
2.  put it on your baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes (or what your pizza dough instructions recommend)
3.  When the crust is baked, take it out of the oven and spread the Nutella over the crust and top with nuts and chocolate chips.
4.  Place back in the oven and bake for 5 more minutes.  (if you want the chips to melt, then crush them before placing them on the pizza)
5.  After five minutes take back out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

There you have it, Chocolate Pizza.  Try it, you'll love it!!

Nutella Pizza

S'mores Brownies

Heaven is the best word I can think of to describe these brownies....

I was entering a picture into a S'mores contest when I stumbled across a picture of some S'mores Brownies. After looking at all the pictures everyone had posted of their deliciously delicious creations I had no choice but to run to the store and pick up everything I needed to satisfy my sudden craving for S'mores. These are so easy and so delicious that they did not even last one night at our house.

PRINT THIS RECIPE
This is what I did:
I took about 7 graham crackers and broke them into squares to line the pan completely.

Then, I mixed together my box of brownie mix and poured that mixture on top of my graham crackers.

Then you bake the brownies according to the directions on the box, which is usually at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

When the brownies are done removed from oven and top with miniature marshmallows and place back in the oven just long enough to toast the top of the mallows.  This only takes a few seconds so be sure not to walk away and forget about them!

Slice and enjoy this amazingly delicious treat.  I promise, you won't be disappointed.

S'mores Brownies

Cocoa Banana Bars

cocoa banana bars...yum!

these were more cake-like than i expected them to be. however, i waited for them to completely cool and they sliced very nicely into beautifully shaped bars. the kids loved their after school snack so much, they kept sneaking into the kitchen for seconds...and thirds....

PRINTABLE VERSION
what you need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
chopped walnuts (optional)

how to make them:
1.Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2.Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the mashed banana, set aside.
3.Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate large bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour the banana mixture into the well and stir just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
4.Remove half of the batter from the bowl. Mix the cocoa powder into the batter remaining in the bowl and stir well. Spread the cocoa batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the remaining batter on top and use a knife to swirl the batter into a marbled design.
5.Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into 24 pieces.

Enjoy!

Cocoa Banana Bars

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Makes 24 slices Prep 10 minutes
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 12 minutes

What you need:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
4 egg yolks

How to make it:

1. Heat oven to 325. Coat two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray; dust with flour and shake out excess. Set aside.

2. Stir together flour and salt; set aside. In small bowl, stir together eggs, egg yolks and vanilla; set aside.

3. Mix butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 6 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in egg mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack.

Per slice: 330 calories; 17 g fat; 4 g protein, 42 g carbs; 1 g fiber; 65 mg sodium; 99 mg cholesterol

Hey…at least it has fiber!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake