The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Got an order placed for chocolate chip cookies and I thought, how hard can that be, there are recipes everywhere! That's the problem, there are recipes EVERYWHERE!! Where to start? I stumbled upon this website: Perfect! There are sooooo many tips, maybe too many tips, but they were helpful. I feel like they turned out pretty good! A little bit of crunch on the edges, chewy in the center, sweet and buttery! Hope you enjoy them as well!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes approx 3 dozen

2 3/4 c (14.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 c (4 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 c (4 oz) Crisco (plain or butter flavored, I prefer plain)
1 c (6.5 oz) light brown sugar
1 c minus 2 T (6.5 oz) white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c (10 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (Hershey's brand is best)

Variations- replace chocolate chips with:
Lemon White Chocolate- 1 T citric acid, 1 T lemon extract, 1 1/2 c white chocolate chips
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut- 3/4 c white chocolate chips, 3/4 c chopped macadamia nuts
White Chocolate Craisin- 3/4 c white chocolate chips,  3/4 c craisins
M&M- 1 c mini M&Ms or 1 1/2 c regular M&Ms
Milk Chocolate Toffee- 1 1/2 c milk chocolate toffee bits

1. In a small bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda until the ingredients are (1)evenly distributed.  Set aside.

2. Using a wire whisk attachment of a stand mixer,  (2)cream the butter and shortening on high until light and fluffy 1-3 minutes.

3. Add both sugars and beat on high 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated.

4. Switch to a paddle attachment.  (3)Add the chocolate chips and mix gently. 

5. Add the flour mixture and mix until (4)just incorporated. 

6. Touch test the dough.  It should feel slightly sticky, but not much should stick to your finger.  If it is very sticky add flour 2T (.5 oz) at a time.  If it is firm or dry, you have added too much flour and I don’t know a good way to reverse this.

7. Using your (6)hands, roll the dough into balls 1.5 inches tall (for bigger cookies see instructions above).  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. 

8. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.  You can hold the dough up to two days in the refrigerator or up to six months in the (7)freezer.

9. (8)15-20 minutes before baking, position the oven rack to the second highest setting. Preheat the oven to 375. 

10. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bake (9)8-10 minutes.  They are ready to come out of the oven when they are domed and puffy, show a few signs of browning and look a bit underdone. 

11. Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for (10)2 minutes.  Remove them to a cooling rack so they will cool evenly.  Wait ten minutes, then serve your Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie!

 

Chocolate Cake for Sale

 I've stated a little side business of selling baked goods. This is one of my FAVORITE chocolate cake recipes! My husband made it for my birthday last year then I took it to work and it was a big hit! I've also made it into cupcakes. If you would like one for yourself just let me know! Since this is a decorated cake it is $20. I cannot make the 3 tier due to not having a good way to transport - the picture is just to let you see what it looks like on the inside! Too super Yummy!!

 

Cheesecake Brownies

 I have a friend that loves brownies. She said the ultimate combo would be a brownie with cheesecake, so of course I had to make them! They turned out pretty good! The brownie is very moist - maybe a little more cakey then brownie but still awesome. A little ice cream and it's to die for! Make sure you store in an airtight container, does not need to be refrigerated.

PS - this is a lightened up version - bonus!

Cook Time: 40 min

Serves: 16 (2-inch) square brownies

Ingredients

• Cooking spray

Cheesecake topping:

• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Brownie Layer:

• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1-inch. Spray with cooking spray.

Cheesecake topping: In a medium bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar and the vanilla until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until well blended. Set aside.

Brownie layer: Put the chocolate, butter, and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat at 75 percent power for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave again until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds longer. (Alternatively, put the chocolate, butter, and oil in a small heatproof bowl. Bring a small saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, not touching, the water, and stir occasionally, until melted and smooth.)

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl.
Combine the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg whites, and vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated and the batter is thick and glossy. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir just until it disappears.

Reserve 1/2 cup brownie batter and set aside. Scrape the remaining brownie batter into the prepared pan. Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly over top. Drop the reserved brownie batter in large dollops over the topping. Draw the handle of a wooden spoon through the two batters to create a swirled effect.
Bake until the top is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift brownies out of the pan by the foil and peel off the foil. Spray a knife with cooking spray and cut into 2-inch squares.


Nutritional per serving: 1 brownie. Calories 200; Total Fat 10g; (Sat Fat 4 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 1 g); Protein 4 g; Carb 27 g; Fiber 1 g; Cholesterol 30 mg; Sodium 180 mg

Pre-baking, the swirls are so pretty!

Post-baking, the top does crack a little but its still pretty!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

The end all be all of desserts! I have made this for friends and co-workers and every time I make it I get soooooo many compliments! And once again it's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! 

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ready In: 3 Hours Servings: 12

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls (if you can find the sheets that works the best!)

3/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, room temperature honey

Directions:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.	Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3.	Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Dot the mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares (can place in refrigerator to speed up the process).

Sweet Heart Cupcakes

Gotta love cupcakes on Valentine's Day. This little recipe is easy and yummy, plus people are surprised when they bite in. There are so many different toppings you could add; M&M's, pick candy corn, candy hearts; my favorite was the decorated oreos. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 40 Minutes Servings: 24

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix 1 1/4 cups water 1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites 8 drops red food coloring 2 drops raspberry candy oil

Directions:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
2.	Beat the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and egg whites together on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium for 2 minutes, until smooth. Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with white batter; set aside.
3.	Stir 4 drops of red food coloring into the remaining bowl of batter to make the batter pink, stir in the raspberry oil. Pour 1/2 of pink batter into a resealable plastic bag and set aside.
4.	Mix more food coloring into the remaining bowl of pink batter until it is an orange/red color and pour the batter into a resealable plastic bag. Cut a corner off the bag, stick the open tip into the center of each cup of white batter and squeeze in about two tablespoons of red batter.
5.	Cut the corner off the bag with the pink batter, stick the open tip into the center of the red batter and squeeze about 1 tablespoon pink batter into each cup.
6.	Bake the layered cupcakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. Top with your favorite frosting and decorate.

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband loves these cookies! After our bananas start to get a little brown he refuses to eat them so I pop them in the freezer. After I have about 4-5 I make a batch of these cookies. I use whole wheat flour and dark chocolate because I think they're a little better for you that way! :)  

Try them - I think you'll love them too!

 

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. mashed banana (2 very ripe and one slightly browned)
1 3/4 c. oatmeal (quick oats)
1 1/2 c. flour (I like whole wheat)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. all spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Chocolate chips (I like dark!!)

Preheat over to 350*F

Cream together shortening and sugar, add egg & banana, stir in oats. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add to wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips until combined. Use cookie scoop and drop onto ungreased cookie and bake for 8-10 min. Enjoy!

Santa's Suicide a.k.a. Slutty Brownies

Brownie batter poured over Oreos sitting on chocolate chip cookie dough - yes - it IS that good!! Get the recipe here: Slutty Brownies

PS - I did have to bake mine about 10-15min longer then it said - it is going to be doughy which is the AWESOME part!!  :-)