Oreo's

I had NO idea that you could make something like Oreo's at home.  I also had no idea that it would be easiest thing in the world to make.  This might be dangerous.  While, I don't think these taste quite the same, they are quite similar to Oreo's.  I like that I know what is in them and that I can make them myself.  They taste a lot more like Oreo's once you start dunking them in milk!  Dunk away, my friends!

Ingredients

For the chocolate wafers:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1 large egg

For the filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.  Line to jelly roll pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. In a food processor, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. Add butter and egg and continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Place 1t. size balls on sheets.  Spacing them about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
5. To make the filling, Mix butter and shortening with mixer at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
6. Place filling in pastry bag, or Ziploc bag with corner snipped off.  Squeeze filling onto half of the cookies.  Top each cookie with another cookie of equal size.
7. Dunk cookies in a large glass of milk.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

These are well liked in our house and are SO easy to make.  I do have another chocolate cookie recipe that I like better, but it takes A LOT more work, so these are the go to, straight off of the Reese's Peanut Butter Chip package!

Ingredients

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
10 oz package peanut butter chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
3. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture.
5. Finally, fold in the peanut butter chips.
6. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.  I used my 2t. cookie scoop and it made a TON of cookies.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
8. Let cool on pan for a few minutes to set up well, then transfer to wire racks.

S'mores Bars

Okay, so the picture didn't turn our great, but the bars are all gone, so this is what you get. It looks a little more like a mound of S'mores, but whatever - they tasted GREAT! These seemed like a perfect dessert for trick or treating night. My husband was so upset when they were all gone. I guess I'll be making these again!

Ingredients

10 oz. bag (6 c.) mini marshmallows

12 oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips

5 T. butter

12 oz box (8 c.) Golden Graham cereal

1 t. vanilla

Directions

1. Place package of chocolate chips in the freezer to chill.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan, set aside.
3. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
4. Once butter is melted, add in 5 cups of marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted.  Don't worry about making sure they are all melted!
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Remove from heat and add cereal, stirring to coat.
7. Once cereal is coated, remove chocolate chips from freezer and add to cereal mixture. Also add in the remaining cup of marshmallows. Gently stir until evenly distributed.
8. Press cereal mixture into prepared baking pan.
9. Once cooled, cut into squares and enjoy!

S'mores Cookies

I found this recipe online and thought we'd try it out for birthday treats for Aiden to take to preschool. They are so good, that I don't want to send them with him, but it's better to share than to eat that many cookies, I suppose. This recipe is going into my recipe box. Need I say more?

Ingredients

• 2 1/8 c. all-purpose flour (~ 10 1/2 ounces) 
• 1/2 t. salt 
• 1/2 t. baking soda 
• 12 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
• 2 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly 
• 1 c. brown sugar  (7 ounces) 
• 1/2 c. sugar (3 1/2 ounces) 
• 1 egg 
• 1 egg yolk 
• 2 t. vanilla extract 
• 1 - 2 c. chocolate chips or chunks (semi or bittersweet)
• 1/2 bag of mini marshmallows
• 1 box graham crackers
• 3 Hersey bars broken into the pieces

Directions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions.  Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
3. By hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.
4. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
5. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows. 
7. Place about 1 1/2 T. of dough on graham crackers squares. Press down slightly with fingertips.
8. Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.
9. Bake for 7-10 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges.  Do NOT over bake!
10. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Crispy Log

Another item out of our freezer meals cookbook. I guess I didn't realize that you could freeze rice crispy bar type food without it getting soggy or something, but guess what, you can! These are actually a bit TOO chocolatey for me, but Brandon loved them. If you love chocolate try this....

Ingredients

10 oz package of marshmallows

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. peanut butter

5 1/2 c. Rice Krispies cereal

1 1/3 v. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Line a 10x15 jellyroll pan with waxed paper, or silicone baking mat.  Grease paper with butter and set aside.
2. In a pot, melt marshmallows, butter, and peanut butter over medium-low heat until well blended.
3. Stir in cereal until well coated.
4. Spread into prepared pan, pressing it flat using another sheet of buttered waxed paper, or silicone mat.
5. In small pan, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips until completely melted.  Spread over cereal mixture
6. Roll up jellyroll style, starting with long side, peeling waxed paper away while rolling.  Place seam side down on serving plate and refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
7. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and freeze.
8. Thaw, slice, serve, and enjoy.

Scotcharoos

Well, I needed another gluten free recipe when someone suggested making just plain old rice crispy bars. Of course, from that, I thought I should make scotcharoos. I haven't made these in forever, and boy are they Delicious! And yes, this bar was eaten while it was still warm...who could resist?

Ingredients

1 c. light corn syrup

1c. sugar

1c. peanut butter

6 c. crispy rice cereal

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil.  Remove from heat.
2. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well until all peanut butter has been melted.
3. Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
4. Press mixture into 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
5. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.
6. Spread evenly over cereal mixture.
7. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Boston Cream Cupcakes

I've made these once before, but I had some cake mix and decided that I should make them again. They are super tasty. While these are yellow cake with chocolate frosting, you can make them with whatever cake, frosting, and pudding that you would like. Yummmmm!

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix prepared as cupcakes

1 box pudding, whatever flavor desired, I used cheesecake

1 tub frosting

Directions

1.  Make cupcakes and allow them to cool to room temperature.
2. Make pudding, perhaps a little thicker than normal, but whatever you like.
3. Using a pastry bag, or syringe (I used one of the kids medicine syringes) squirt pudding into center of cupcakes.  I was able to put about 2-3 teaspoons of pudding into each cupcake.  Make sure to angle the syringe different directions to make sure you can get a lot of pudding into these.
4. Frost with favorite frosting.
5. Allow cupcakes to meld together over night and then enjoy!

Boston Cream Pie

My Grandma turned 90 today and I thought I had to make some sort of VERY special cake for her. I think I succeeded making this Boston Cream Pie.  I don't have two round cake pans that are the same, so I decided the best method was to make a square Boston Cream Pie.  That really helped make Grandma's birthday even more spectacular.

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

2 c. half-and-half

6 large egg yolks

1/2 c. (3 1/2 ounces) sugar

pinch salt

1/4 c. flour

4 T. cold butter, cut into four pieces

1 1/2 t. vanilla 

Cake

1 1/2cups (7 1/2 ounces) flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

3/4 c. whole milk

6 T. butter

1 1/2 t. vanilla

3 large eggs

1 1/2cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

Glaze

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 T. light corn syrup

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Instructions 

For the Pastry Cream

1. Heat half-and-half in medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar, and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Add flour to yolk mixture and whisk until incorporated. Remove half-and-half from heat and, whisking constantly, slowly add ½ cup to yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, return tempered yolk mixture to half-and-half in saucepan
2. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 8 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium and cook, whisking vigorously, until bubbles burst on surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted and incorporated. Strain pastry cream through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Press lightly greased parchment paper directly on surface and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to 24.

For the Cake:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and cover to keep warm.
2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip eggs and sugar at high speed until light and airy, about 5 minutes. Remove mixer bowl from stand. Add hot milk mixture and whisk by hand until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated.
3. Working quickly, divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until tops are light brown and toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.
4. Transfer cakes to wire rack and cool -completely in pan, about 2 hours. Run small plastic knife around edge of pans, then invert cakes onto wire rack. Carefully remove parchment, then reinvert cakes. 

To Assemble: 

1. Place one cake round on large plate. Whisk pastry cream briefly, then spoon onto center of cake. Using offset spatula, spread evenly to cake edge. Place second layer on pastry cream, bottom side up, making sure layers line up properly. Press lightly on top of cake to level. Refrigerate cake while preparing glaze. 

For the Glaze

1. Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth, 30 seconds. Let stand, whisking occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour glaze onto center of cake. Use offset spatula to spread glaze to edge of cake, letting excess drip decoratively down sides. Chill finished cake 3 hours before slicing. Cake may be made up to 24 hours before serving.

Chocolate Flourless Cake

Brandon chose a chocolate flourless cake for me to make for his birthday this year. It is very rich and feeds a lot of people, so he doesn't get it all too often.



I served it with fresh whipped cream and some raspberries. It was a hit. It's texture is more like cheesecake than regular cake, but it kind-of melts in your mouth. If you love chocolate, this is for you!

Ingredients

8 eggs

2 sticks butter

1 lb high quality bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghirardelli)

1/4 c. Kahlua (hazelnut liqueur would work well also)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.
2. Melt chocolate with butter.  If doing this in the microwave, make sure to use 50% power.  You want the temperature of the chocolate to be about 115 degrees.  Mix in liqueur.
3. Beat eggs with wire whip attachment in mixer at medium speed until volume doubles, about 5 minutes.
4. Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.  DO NOT OVER MIX!
5. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days)
6. 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter.

Mocha Chip Muffins

My husband's birthday is tomorrow, and we will have plenty of time to celebrate with cake in the next week or so, so I decided to try something else baked for his birthday. He loves chocolate and coffee, so how could I go wrong making Mocha Chip Muffins?

They look great and they were very easy to make, even the boys helped out! Best of all, Brandon thought they were great!

Ingredients

3 c. flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

10 Tbs softened butter

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. plain yogurt

3 Tbs. instant espresso powder

1c. semisweet chocolate chips.

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 375 degrees.
2. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside.
3. In small bowl, dissolve espresso powder in yogurt, set aside.
4. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs to butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
6. Beat in 1/3 of dry ingredients then alternate with 1/3 of yogurt.  Continue pattern, until it is all incorporated.
7. Fold in chocolate chips.
8. Spray 16 muffin tins with cooking spray.  Use large cookie scoop to divide batter evenly among cups.
9. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20-23 minutes.
10. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
11. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.