(30) Blondie Bars

Yummy yum yum yum!! I was going to make chocolate chip cookies, but got lazy, so I made these instead. Good choice! I didn't have to dirty my mixer (although my arm was tired from stirring!) and these were pretty quick to put together.

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Blondie Bars

Yield: 36 bars

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

2) Stir in eggs, oil, and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in chocolate morsels until blended. Spread into a greased 13x9" pan.

3) Bake 45-50 minutes until lightly golden brown and edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely; cut into bars.

(120) Pretzel Turtles

These are absolutely the cutest things ever! And they are SO GOOD. One of my favorite candy bars is "Take Five" and this is very much like that (minus the peanut butter part). YUM. So easy, so good. Did I mention they are good?! :)

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Pretzel Turtles

Yield: 20 pieces

20 mini pretzel twists
20 chocolate covered caramels (aka: Rolos)
20 pecan halves

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2) Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.
3) Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Nutritional Information per piece:
Calories 78, Fat 1.9g, Sodium 263mg, Carbs 14.1g, Fiber .6g, Protein 1.6g

(119) Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

This was another win from the December Cooking Light! These are little bites of chocolaty goodness!! Can't go wrong with chocolate, nuts, and Nutella

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

With a double shot of chocolate and hazelnut flavors, kids and adults will rave over these filled cookies. The espresso powder is optional, but it intensifies the chocolate flavor.


Yield: 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2009

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 104 ; FAT 6.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g); CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 11mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.9g; SODIUM 46mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 0.6mg

(118) Chocolate Baklava

We forgot to cut it before we baked, but it still came out of the pan just fine! What a neat twist on baklava! The Nutella in the middle is AMAZING. Delish!

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Chocolate Baklava

Layered phyllo dough and Nutella—the creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread—form the base of this nutty pastry dish that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2009

3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
24 (14 x 9–inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230° (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Combine hazelnuts and next 5 ingredients (through salt). Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut -chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup). Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.

4. Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 238 ; FAT 13.4g (sat 4.3g,mono 5.6g,poly 2g); CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.8g; SODIUM 148mg; PROTEIN 4g; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 1.3mg

(117) Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Last Christmas my neighbor (Tonya) made these cookies for the cookie swap. I couldn't stay away!! I had to make them this year. This recipe below includes the recipe for a cream cheese frosting. Tonya just used regular white frosting from a can. We made both ways this year and I have to say, I'm a fan of the white frosting, but you have your choice! Enjoy!

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Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Source: My neighbor Tonya

2 packages (18 1/4 oz each) devil's food cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil

1-8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup softened butter
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
food coloring, optional

1) In a mixing bowl, beat cake mixes, eggs, and oil (batter should be stiff). Roll into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

2) In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth. if desired, tint with food coloring.

3) Spread icing on bottom half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

(31) Coca-Cola Cake

Oh lord have mercy. I really do not bake, but somehow I've become the birthday fairy at work. This week we had 3 birthdays - so I got to roll them into one cake! HOLLA! Ok, so I really did make 3 cakes, but only one turned out! One of the birthday girls requested a Coca-Cola Cake. Never heard of it, never made one, but how hard can it be, right?! *snort*

At first I tried this recipe. I do not recommend it. Not at all. I certainly lived up to my reputation of Messiest Chef Mommy!! *sigh* So the 1st cake never made it to the oven. The 2nd cake cracked coming out of the pan. /EPIC FAIL/

The third cake was the winner. I will say that I wasn't quite sure if I should refrigerate this or not? The 1st cake said to, the 2nd recipe said nothing about it. So I figured I'd be safe and put it in the fridge. Yeah, the frosting was like a ROCK! I will say that it got gobbled up at work, so I must have done something right (that or my office has lost all of their tastebuds, which is entirely possible considering our line of work!).

Has anybody out there made this cake (or something similar!?). Can you confirm if it should be refrigerated or not?? Thank you!!

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Coca Cola Cake

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup Coke
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Icing
1/2 cup margarine or butter
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons Coke
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
1 cup nuts

1) Mix first 8 ingredients, then heat next 3 and add gradually into first mixtures.
2) Grease 13X9X2 inch cake pan and cover bottom with 2 cups miniature marshmallows.
3) Pour batter over that. Bake at 350 degrees (preheated oven) for 35-45 minutes.
4) Pour icing over warm cake.
5) For icing: Heat margarine, cocoa, Coke and vanilla. Pour over the powdered sugar and mix. Add nuts then add frosting to the cake.
6) Cool before serving.

(20) Mocha Coffee Basque

This was like hopped up hot chocolate. VERY rich but VERY delicious!!

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Mocha Coffee Basque

1 ounce chocolate (one square)
4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
1 cup evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
salt (just a few grains)
vanilla extract, to taste (you'll only need a few drops)

1. Melt chocolate over hot water.
2. Add condensed milk.
3. Add coffee slowly, stirring constantly.
4. Add evaporated milk, salt and cinnamon; heat almost to the boiling point, whisking all the time.
5. Add vanilla and serve while hot.

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

A proper review of this pie would go something like "quick and easy and prepared with all of the ingredients you might have on hand. This pie is creamy, rich, and impressive." But I think I like my simplified review better.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!

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Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe source: JIF Peanut Butter

1 prepared chocolate cookie crust
1 cup JIF peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature (we used reduced fat)
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups (a 12 oz container) non-dairy whipped topping (ie: coolwhip - we used light)
1- 11.75 oz jar hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

1) In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Gently fold in 3 cups whipped topping. Spoon mixture into the pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.

2) Reserving 2 tablespoons of hot fudge, place remaining hot fudge into microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Spread hot fudge over pie to cover the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.

3) Place the 2 Tbs. hot fudge in a small baggie and knead for a few seconds. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle over pie. Do the same with 2 Tbs. peanut butter going in the opposite direction of the hot fudge.

Chinese New Year Cookies

Chinese New Year Cookies

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Every Christmas, these cookies appear in my mom's kitchen. I'm not quite sure where they got their name and origin, but they are SUPER easy to make and everyone loves them!!

This year I made them for our neighborhood cookie swap. I made 10 dozen in about 20 minutes! That's my kind of "baking"!!

PS: They don't need to be refrigerated once they are set.

Ingredients:
6 oz butterscotch chips
6 oz chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
3 oz chow mein noodles
7.25 oz salted peanuts (cocktail, not roasted)

Directions:
1) Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together.
2) Mix in noodles and peanuts.
3) Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
4) Chill in refrigerator until set.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen cookies