Flourless Deep Chocolate Cookies

I've had a chocolate craving late. My children are thrilled. This latest inspiration came to me via Pinterest. The cookie called to me. First in a whisper, then in a bloody loud shout. I went to the pantry to see if I had all the required ingredients: confectioner's sugar, powdered cocoa powder, vanilla. That's all. And then the egg whites in the fridge I knew I had as I had just been to the grocery store. I love that this recipe is adapted from King Arthur flour and yet there isn't a trace of the stuff in them!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In the bowl of your mixer add
2 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Add all your ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop place them on to a greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
Due to their lack of fat these cookies do stick. I found that they even stuck to the Silpat a tad.
Bake in oven 10 -12 minutes.

Options
The recipe as it stands is fat free. The recipe as I prefer it isn't!
I added 3/4 cup of peanut butter and chocolate chips. I would like to make the next batch using mint chips. My kids want to use white chocolate chips. If you like nuts you could add them as well.
If you add these add another 2 minutes to the cooking time. Let the cookies cool when you remove them from the oven. They will be gooey but chewy.  I actually liked them better the next day!

Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallow Pops

Holiday baking is fun but it can be very time consuming. I was just introduced to these wonderful treats and was amazed at how pretty they were and yet how remarkably simple to make. These are a perfect treat for those of us who want to create a "wow" presentation but lack the time to do so.

These simple marshmallow pops require just a few ingredients and take just moments to create.

You'll need marshmallows, chocolate (baking or chips) and peppermint pieces (either from a candy cane or store bought) and lollipop sticks.

Directions:

Over a double boiler (you can make yourself by placing a metal mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water) slowly let the chocolate melt. Keep stirring. When chocolate has melted reduce the heat to low.

Insert sticks into marshmallows -This can be done while the chocolate is melting. Carefully dip the marshmallow into the chocolate, wiping off excess with a small spatula or knife. While chocolate is still warm dip the chocolate into the candy cane bits. Place on wax paper, parchment paper and repeat until all the marshmallows have been covered.

Place in the fridge or freezer to help the chocolate harden.

To serve, display on a pretty plate or platter or stick the lollipops into a foam shape (covered if desired) to create a candy topiary.

Warm Chocolate Hazelnut Bread...

My kids love Nutella... They could eat it by the spoonful and the way it disappears I think they just might! As delicious as it is, it is not the healthiest thing in the world. I know the commercials claim it's as nutritious as peanut butter but I've compared labels. It's really not. And the sugar content is outrageous.

So I thought I might try to make something the kids would enjoy that was a bit healthier. I think I've done it!

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of ground up (consistency of coarse sand) hazelnuts
2 cups of flour, unbleached
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbs of good quality cocoa powder
1 cup of lowfat milk

Directions:

In a mixer fitted with a paddle whip together eggs and sugar and slowly add canola oil. When light and fluffy add baking powder and vanilla. Mix well. Add almonds and cocoa powder, mix well and add flour, one cup at a time, alternating with the milk. When all is well blended transfer to a greased (I use Pam) loaf pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes in an oven preheated to 375.

Let cool before serving.

If bread is out and room temperature zap it in the microwave a few seconds to warm it back up!

(Chocolate Chip Loaded) Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

It's fall in New England! Although it is August and an Indian Summer looms right around the corner I am taking pleasure, extreme pleasure, in the fact that I can have all the windows open, wear jeans and long sleeves! The dry summer has led some of the trees to start turning prematurely... I can hear them rustling beyond. Suddenly I have this great craving, this great urge to have all things pumpkin. Rumor has it that Starbucks will introduce its first Pumpkin Spiced Latte of the season in just over a week... I swoon at the thought of this ... while visions of pumpkin bread dance through my head!

And then, as my youngest was eating his breakfast, I started to rifle through the pantry. I was pulling various ingredients and putting them on the counter... I had pumpkin puree and brown sugar and flour and chocolate chips and vanilla and baking powder... and then I sat down to my children's laptop and Googled "pumpkin biscotti." I scoured through recipes and came up with something that was partially my own and partially several others'...

I've had a few pieces already. I can attest to you that this stuff is good. Damned good. I'll to hit the treadmill a little harder today!

Ingredients:

3 Cups flour
1 1/2 Cups packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 (ok 3/4!) Cup white chocolate chips
1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 Cup of pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a mixing bowl beat together eggs, sugar and butter.
Beat in vanilla and pumpkin.
Add baking powder and flour. Mix well.
Fold in chocolate chips.


Grease and flour baking sheet. Or use a Silpat.

Drop dough by spoonfuls on to cookie sheet to create 3 equally sized logs, about 3 to 4 inches wide.
Bake for 30 minutes
Reduce heat to 300 degrees.
Bake for 30 minutes.


Remove from oven and very carefully cut the dough into slices, about 3/4 inch wide.
Place cookies on baking sheet. (I took out a clean one.)
Bake 10 minutes.

Cool a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Peanut butter... Fluff... Chocolate... Cupcakes... Oh My!

Don't you just want to take a bite?!!!

Alexander wanted to make cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes. He wanted vanilla frosting. I wanted peanut butter frosting. And then I had to wonder what a Fluffernuter-Peanut butter frosting would taste like! Damn it was good!

Cupcakes. From a box. Doctored up. Taste like home made but without the work.

1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix
3 eggs

1 Cup of buttermilk

1/3 Cup of butter, soft

Beat eggs, buttermilk and butter and cake mix until well mixed. Line 12 cupcake tins (we don't kid around with puny cupcakes here!) with cupcakes liners and fill with batter. Place in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Peanutbutter-Fluffernutter Frosting

(I eyeballed all portions)

1 cup of Fluffernutter
1 cup of peanut butter
2 tbs butter

1 cup of confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a mixer add all ingredients and beat on high until well blended and fluffy.

This makes enough to cover all 12 of my monster cupcakes!

Granola a L'Orange et Chocolat

I just finished reading Molly Wisenberg's A Homemade Life, which is, by the way, fantastic and I wanted to keep reading and reading even though the book was over... anyhow she talks about her blog, Orangette, (listed on my side bar) and the treat that inspired her title, and the whole chocolate and orange combination. Since reading about it I have been craving this wonderful combination like nobody's business... I have this fabulous chocolate and marmalade shortbread tart recipe that is absolutely to die for. But I wanted something that was a little bit healthier. And this recipe has just oats, a little bit of canola oil, marmalade and semi sweet chocolate chips. So, a wee bit healthier indeed. Unless you happen to eat the entire tray in one sitting, like I nearly did.




Ingredients:

1 container oats (not quick cook) 18 oz
1 Jar good quality orange marmalade with rind
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup of hazelnuts, chopped in food processor


Preheat oven to 275 degrees
In a large mixing bowl add oil to oats, mix in nuts and chocolate chips.

In a small saucepan heat orange marmalade until it reaches a liquid state. Remove from heat.
Pour over oat mixture and mix until all is well blended.

Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Apply  thin layer of the granola mixture on to the cookie sheet. If you have a smaller cookie sheet, you may want to use two cookie sheets. Bake for an hour.

I like my granola a little crunchier and so I turn up the heat after an hour and bake at 300 for another 15 minutes or so.

Let cool completely to harden. Try not to eat too much!

I am now reading this and loving it!

I fought the Chocolate Cupcake and LOST!

 

I heard it calling my name... I walked away...

and then it called ... louder and louder and it started taunting me...

Each time I tried to resist and walk away... I try to be a lover not a fighter...

But then they all got together, en masse...

So I was neither lover nor fighter,
just a great big biter!

Ingredients:
For the cupcake part

1 1/2 Cup of flour
1 1/2 Cup of sugar
6 oz yogurt or sour cream
1  1/2 Cup milk
2 eggs

1 Cup of oil

3/4 Cup of cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
4 cubes of unsweetened chocolate (Baker's)

2 cups of confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla

1/3 Cup of milk

Rainbow sprinkles, optional!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Line cupcake tins with 20 - 24 liners

In a large mixing bowl mix together eggs, oil, milk, yogurt (sour cream) and vanilla
Slowly beat in baking powder, sugar, flour and cocoa

Pour batter in to cupcake liners, about 3/4 full

Bake for about 25 minutes. Insert toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Do not over-bake.

Set cupcakes aside to cool.

Clean out mixing bowl.

Melt chocolate in microwave for about 2 minutes on high. (Stir once or twice after one minute)
When all is melted place in mixing bowl with vanilla, butter, sugar and milk.
Beat on high until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

When cupcakes are cool spread frosting using a butter knife, small frosting spreader or place in pastry bag fitted with a wide tip and squeeze in a circular motion.

Add sprinkles and eat!

Oh My Stars! Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I totally snagged this recipe from the Hershey website and can take no credit for it at all. Then again shortbread is shortbread and everyone knows (who cooks) that all you need is butter, sugar and flour. That's the beauty of this recipe. 3 simple ingredients or 4 as I like to add vanilla and you have a perfect sweet treat. But I needed a dark cookie. So I decided to see what a chocolate shortbread would be like. I like it! I like it! To add some flair I made some very simple designs using white cookie icing. Rustic, primitive would describe it! I can't even take credit for the icing. I used Wilton's white cookie icing. Ready to use. Delish! The only fault I had was that the opening of the bottle was too wide to make any intricate designs. Well, that's what I get for trying to be lazy!

The only thing that took any time was cutting the star shapes out of the dough. The rest was just too simple!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 container Wilton White Cookie Icing or your own icing recipe
  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add cocoa; blend well. Gradually add flour, stirring until smooth.

2. Roll or pat dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of wax paper; with cookie cutters, cut in holiday shapes. Re-roll dough scraps, cutting cookies until dough is used. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or just until firm. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in airtight container. About 4-1/2 dozen (2-inch diameter) cookies.

4. Once the cookies have been cooled place them onto a flat surface and decorate with the icing. Let icing harden completely before placing them in a container or gift package.

Decadent Brownie Balls

So I was tinkering. I tend to tinker. I can never leave anything alone. I made some brownies. I used a small circle cookie cutter to cut them so that they would all be the same size and so they would look a little prettier, more festive if you will, than a regular square. And then I rolled one. I've made brownie balls before and they are quite good. But I wanted to do something to this little ball. And I wondered what it would be like dipped in chocolate. Would it be good? Decadent? Too rich? So I turned all the little circles into balls. And then I made a ganche of sorts. I say of sorts because most recipes call for cream and I had none. I had nothing but 1% milk.

I made a double boiler by placing a metal mixing bowl on top of a pot of boiling water. When the bowl got hot and the water started to steam I turned the heat down and added my bad of chocolate chips. I then added some milk, slowly, a little at a time. I would guess a total of 1/4 of a cup and let it temper (warm) on the melted chocolate and beat it in so the chocolate formed something resembling a rich chocolate putting.

Using a skewer I placed the brownie ball in the chocolate and made sure it was well covered and then placed the chocolate covered brownie on to a cutting board that was covered with wax paper. When there was no more room I set the balls in the fridge to chill. (Freezer is good too, but mine was stuffed!) When the chocolate set and then drizzled some white chocolate over the top to cover up the imperfections and create fun patters.

I melted the white chocolate the same way, though I did not add milk and turn it into a ganache. When the white chocolate melted I poured it into a ziplock bag and made the smallest of incisions on the corner so that I could squeeze the chocolate through. When the chocolate cooled I simply placed the bag in the microwave to soften the chocolate.

I made my simple designs and returned the balls into the fridge to harden again.

These brownie balls are not only pretty, fun and festive but they are delicious, completely decadent!

Ingredients:

* Brownies already made and rolled into balls. I think in this case a boxed mix is more suitable than a brownie made from scratch. I tried both and like the brownie made from the mix better in this recipe.

* 1/4 cup of milk

* 1 bag of chocolate chips

* 1 bag of white chocolate chips

* Ziplock bag

* Wax paper or other nonstick surface

Reread for directions!

Shortbread Cookies with Orange Essense and Chocolate Chips

I love the combination of orange and chocolate. And I love shortbread. The way it breaks apart in your mouth and crumbles and melts and the sugar and butter and orange and chocolate dance around on your tongue... It's perfection!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• zest from 1 orange
  
• 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier
  
• 1 (heaping!) cup of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
  
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the Grand Marnier. Add the orange peel. Add flour to the to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Monkey In the Middle Cupcakes

This one is a fun one for the kiddos.

Another easy-peasy recipe that takes almost no time to make, no time to bake and will please the kids to no end! The secret treat is the mini peanut butter cup hidden in the middle of each cupcake. An unexpected burst of peanut buttery surprise! (Note: for those with peanut allergies Hershey's Kisses are a very good substitute.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 package of yellow or white cake mix
2 - 3 over-ripe medium bananas
1 cup of sour cream, I use light
1/2 cup of milk, I use 1%
3 eggs
4 Tbs of cocoa powder
18 mini peanut butter cups
18 cupcake liners

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT cocoa powder and peanut butter cups Mix well until well blended
Divide batter in half and pour into another mixing bowl
In one mixing bowl add the cocoa powder and mix well

Line muffin tins with cupcake liners
Place peanut butter cup in the center of each liner
Add a large spoonful of the banana batter, then a large spoonful of the chocolate batter
Repeat until all cupcake liners are filled 3/4 to the top

Place in oven for 20 - 30 minutes. I have found that on the regular setting I needed 30 minutes, but in convection they were done in 20 minutes.

Let cool a good 20 minutes before offering to the kiddos!

fill the batter half and half...

there's the fun surprise!


up close... yum!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Swirl Cake

Lore has it that Lucy Van Pelt made this every year before her brother Linus went off to pay tribute to the Great Pumpkin. You never saw it, but Linus kept a slice or two hidden in his blanket to snack on when it got dark, cold and lonely out there.

Ok, I totally made that up, but Lucy and Linus totally should have! Because this cake rocks and I urge you all to make this at home!

The best thing about this wonderfully moist, pumkinny, chocolaty delicious cake is that is couldn't be easier to make! You'll need:

1 package white or yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 oz) Pumpkin Spice pudding mix (New and Seasonal!)
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1/2 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup of water
3 large eggs
3/4 cups chocolate chips
1/8 cup of chocolate syrup
2 Tbs cocoa powder

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl EXCEPT the chocolate syrup and the cocoa powder. With an electric mixer beat on medium until all the ingredients are well mixed.*

Divide the batter in half and pour half into another mixing bowl. In that mixing bowl add the chocolate syrup and cocoa powder. With the electric mixer, beat until all is well blended.

You can use any pan you want to: loaf, bundt, springform or tube pan.

Grease pan very well and pour the batters in alternating, one at a time so that you can create a swirled effect. The pumpkin batter is a bit thicker, so I used a spatula to help spread it in a swirly pattern. I repeated these steps until the pan was filled (quite high!).

Put the cake in to a preheated oven of 350 degrees. The baking could take anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour depending on the type of pan you use. The loaf pan required 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake. The best thing is to keep checking. If you have a wooden skewer use it as you would a toothpick. Insert into the center of the cake and it should come out clean!

Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before service.

* I totally forgot to add the chocolate chips into the batter, so they were added after the fact in layers. One layer of chips was placed in the middle of the cake and the other on top. It was not what I had planned, but it was tasty indeed!

The 3 basic items for this recipe!

Pumpkin Jell-O Pudding looks Mmm Good!

Rice Krispie Treats for the Indecisive!

Because I have to mess with everything... because my kitchen is my science lab... because I can never leave well enough alone... because I like to play with my food... because I could not make up my mind today I made the most incredibly amazing Rice Krispie Treats! Do you like marshmallow and peanut butter a la Fluffernutter? Do you like marshmallow and chocolate a la Mallomars? Do you like peanut butter and chocolate a la Reese's? Or do you like them all, like me?!

I promised the kids we'd make Rice Krispie treats. I had a box in the basement. The other day Cocoa Puffs were on sale at Shaw's. Something like 2 bucks a box. I saw the box and I knew exactly what would become of the chocolaty corn puffy cereal things (that my kids are normally not allowed to eat!)

So today as I was melting my butter and marshmallows I kept thinking it needed something more. Some chocolate perhaps! I could drizzle some melted chocolate over the top. But that wasn't what I really wanted. Peanut Butter! Peanut Butter is my bff (best food friend!) and would be the perfect add in to my creation.

I melted and mixed and melted and added and mixed and added and melted some more. And what I had was a treat that my husband declared to be "Dangerous!" I haven't been downstairs for a few minutes. I have no idea what remains of my pan, if anything. They were indeed THAT good!

Ingredients:

4 cups of Rice Krispies
2 Cups (full!) of Cocoa Puffs
approx 1 cup of peanut butter
1 bag of marshmallows
3.5 tbs of butter
2 squares of Baker's semi sweet chocolate, or about 1/4 of a bag of chocolate chips

In a large pot melt butter and add marshmallows. Work the butter and the marshmallows together to blend and melt. This requires some good elbow grease! Add peanut butter and mix well until the butter, peanut butter and marshmallow are one.

Add cereal and mix well.

Place in a well greased brownie pan (I use Pam) and press firmly so that the dessert is even in the pan.

Take chocolate bars (or chips) and melt in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes (at 1 minute intervals) and with a silicone spatula, fork or spoon mix well until the chocolate is completely melted. With your spoon, spatula or fork drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the Rice Krispie treats. If needed, place in freezer for a minute or two so chocolate will harden faster.

Triple Chocolate Chip Espresso Roast Cookies

We had a horrible stormy Sunday. We lounged around in our PJs all day and cooked and baked away in the kitchen. The boys wanted to make chocolate chip cookies. Christopher wanted to use white chips and Alexander wanted to use "black" chips. So we compromised and used both... well three kinds really, as we had partially used bags that I wanted to finish up. This is how we came up with our triple chip recipe!

This soft and chewy cookie was adapted from Martha Stewart's Holiday Cookies, 2006.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened. (I use salted butter and then do not add salt to my cookie recipes)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tbs. espresso (I used Starbucks, regular ground coffee)
2 cups of equal part white chocolate, semi sweet and dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and whisk together butter and sugars until smooth and creamy
2. Add vanilla, eggs and mix until well blended
3. Add baking soda and flour, mix until well blended and add espresso, blend well
4. Stir in chocolate chips



5. Drop heaping spoonfuls of mixture on to baking sheet, about 2 inches apart
6. Bake in oven until the edges turn a lightly golden brown and the centers are still soft, about 10 - 12 minutes. (I found I needed the full 12 minutes)

7. Remove cookies from the oven, let cool then transfer to wire racks to let cool some more.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

I think I first saw these in Family Fun magazine eons ago when Rebecca was in preschool. I have made these fun cookies every Thanksgiving holiday for 5 years now. Older kids can help, but the smaller ones are better off watching as this can get messy!
Ingredients

1 package chocolate chips (I am partial to the yellow package we all know and love!)

1 package Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies (the round ones)

1 package large marshmallows

1 skewer or stick (to dip marshmallows in melted chocolate)

1 squeeze tube of yellow frosting, or prepared yellow frosting in pastry bag

Directions:

Start by melting your chocolate over medium heat in a double boiler.

If you do not have a double boiler you can create one quite easily. Place a medium or large glass or metal mixing bowl in a medium or large saucepan filled halfway with water. (Place the chocolate chips in the bowl)

Stir until melted and reduce the heat to low.

Clear off a large section of your counter top and place some parchment paper or wax paper on a cookie sheet.

Open your marshmallow and cookie packages... place several cookies on a cookie sheet and keep several marshmallows at hand.

Using your stick or skewer dip the marshmallow in to the melted chocolate and make sure that the marshmallow is completely covered. (You may want to use a small knife to help guide the chocolate on and wipe any excess off

Once your marshmallow is fully covered place it on the cookie, chocolate side UP threading the skewer through the hole in the center of the cookie. Carefully set on the cookie sheet and repeat until the sheet is filled.

Place cookie sheet in fridge or freezer so that cookies harden. Repeat until desired amount of hat cookies are made

Once all cookies have set and hardened, pipe a small square in the middle of the base of the marshmallow so that it resembles a small belt buckle. Place on serving platter or dish when ready

Really Really Really Chocolate Birthday Cake

If you read my other blog you'll know that Alexander just turned 3, that he loves Wee Woos (fire engines) and that pink is his favorite color. You will also know that I couldn't keep away from a particular piece of chocolate cake. So when Alexander said he wanted chocolate cake I knew which one I would be making. When he asked for a Wee Woo Cake I knew that the Wee Woo would have to be pink. I have done better decorating in the past, however this one, despite our glitch with too runny pink icing (see sides of cake) turned out OK. What mattered most of all was that Alexander was thrilled with it. If you want a Really Really Really chocolaty cake you will love this! I have to say that the cake itself, prepared in a Bundt pan would hold her own without the frosting. The frosting, for those of you who need a little less chocolate, would be delightful on a yellow cake.

I have neither invented nor doctored up these recipes. They are from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn.

The recipe I used is called Darn Good Chocolate Cake.
(It can be found on page 36).
Serves 16
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 45 - 50 Minutes

You'll Need:

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 Package Dark chocolate or Fudge cake mix
1 Package (3.9 oz) chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 Cup of sour cream
1/2 Cup of warm water
1/2 Cup of vegetable oil
1 1/2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Place rack in center oven and preheat to 350 F. Lightly mist desired pan with spray. (I used two 8 inch rounds -- original recipe calls for Bundt pan) Dust with flour and shake out excess. Set aside

2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and blend with an electric mixer for 1 minute on low speed. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed and beat 2 to 3 minutes more. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in chocolate chips, making sure that they are well distributed. Pour into pan(s) and place in oven.

3.Bake the cake until it springs back (32 minutes for the two 8 inch rounds -- 45 to 50 for the Bundt pan). Remove pan from oven and place to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Serve as is, warm or with

Chocolate Pan Frosting

Makes 4 cups, enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake
Preparation time: 10 Minutes

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder -- (I used 5 Tbs)
1/3 Cup of whole milk (I used 2%)
4 Cups of confectioners sugar

1. Place butter in a medium sauce pan and melt over low heat, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder and milk. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring, and remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioner's sugar and mix well until the frosting is thick and smooth.

2. Pour the warm frosting over the top of the cooled cake, spreading it with a spatula so that all of the cake is covered. Work quickly as this hardens! If it does harden simply return it to the pan or quickly soften in the microwave.

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins have all the chocolaty goodness you need when you crave something sweet and yet, despite the decadent chocolate they are healthy and low in fat!



Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes 16 muffins

Line muffin/cupcake tins with liners, if desired or spray with a non-stick cooking spray.


Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 cups of sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup low-fat or no-fat sour cream
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. of fat free or 1% milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of slow cooking oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chip morsels


In a large bowl mash the bananas and add sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. Add milk, sour cream, oil and egg, mix well
Slowly add flour, salt and baking powder, mix well
Add oats and chocolate chips


Using a spoon or small ice cream/cookie scoop fill the muffin cups 3/4 to the top.


Bake for 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

My Very Favorite Fudge Brownies

These are requested everywhere I go. These decadently rich, but not overly sweet chocolate treats are perfect to bring along to a picnic on the beach, a class party or your neighbor's Super Bowl party! (Go... Pats!)

Ingredients:

4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (but salted will do)
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 cup of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
3 tbs. ground coffee or espresso (instant coffee does not yield the same flavor but will do)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter and chocolate in a *double boiler over med heat, or microwave for 2 minutes on high -- be sure to stir so that all is melted
Add sugar, vanilla, eggs, coffee and chocolate chips or chunk
Mix well and pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Do not overbake!

*I do not have a double-boiler. I know, hard to imagine a girl who so loves to cook and who so adores Williams-Sonoma wouldn't have a double boiler, but until I move out of My Crazy Crowded Kitchen, I will use my perfect, fool-proof method.

Fill a medium sized saucepan with water -- about 1/2 way, bring to a boil then place a large metal mixing bowl on to (into really) the pan and place the chocolate and butter in to the mixing bowl. Turn the heat down to low and keep stirring until the butter and chocolate are completely melted.