I published my new episode the “Frank” cookies 5/21/20, please check it out https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-pyge9-dd3e82

During the pandemic, I have become a master of the small batch, in terms of treats. I can’t bring anything into work or give to friends, so I just made a very small cake or batch of brownies, and only a few cookies. I went with oatmeal chocolate chip. They are puffy and perfect… And remind me of the cookies they served in the college union at Geneseo. Those cookies were massive and fantastic – chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar. And in my book, being reminded of my alma mater makes me smile. That and the weekly zoom calls with my Geneseo crew – Helen, Christine, Susan, Mark, Jeff and Steve. Life can throw you a lot of curveballs and I feel fortunate I can always rely on my group of friends.

Couple of notes – I used a mix of cake flour and all purpose flour. You can use all AP flour if you want. And if you go all AP, toss in a tbs of cornstarch if you want. I used milk chocolate chips. You can use old fashioned or quick oats. I forgot to take the butter out in time for it to really soften up, so I used a cheese grater, and grated the cold butter right out of the fridge so it could mix easiee with the sugars. I also recommend forming the dough and then chill,it. Lastly, remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking.

• Ingredients
• 1 cup butter
• 11/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 11/2 cups flour
• 1 cup cake flour *
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups oats (old fashioned or quick)
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• *if you don’t have cake flour, you can completely use all purpose flour. You can also make your own cake flour by sifting together 1 tbs cornstarch to 1 cup AP flour.

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and oats. Fold in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and chill for an hour. Preheat oven at 350 for 20 minutes. Stagger cookies on a sheet lined with nonstick baking liners. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. (There will be light golden patches on top). Let cool 10 minutes on sheet. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely. Store in covered container. Makes 12 large cookies.

Anyone else craving chocolate? I find that with winter hanging around far too long (I mean, we had wind chills and snow squalls last Saturday.. But that’s climate change for you), chocolate just seems so appealing, and really has been beckoning me. So I obliged and made THIS chocolate cake. It reminds me of the Linda’s fudge cake from the Cheesecake factory. (I love it when I make something I feel is on par with a famous restaurant, bakery etc). This cake is pretty rich, so I kept it to one layer. You can double it if you want and make a double layer cake, should you choose. Couple of recipe notes – If you don’t have chocolate extract, you can use vanilla. You can omit the chocolate chips, use another flavor, or toss in some walnuts. Once a month, I open a new baking soda to make sure it is fresh (and will work properly in your fecipe) also, scoop your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup.. And remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes to get the right temperature.

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp chocolate extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. combine butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and extract. Stir in dry ingredients. Add water and slowly stir until batter is just blended (don’t overmix). Stir in chips. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. (Toothpick inserted in center comes out with some moist crumbs). Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan, bottom side up, on a cake platter and cool completely.

• Frosting ingredients
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbs sugar

Directions – heat cream to a simmer. Pour over chips. Whisk smooth. Add sugar. Spread over cooled cake. (If you feel frosting is too thin, you can let it sit at room temp for a bit, or add a tbs or two of powdered sugar to thicken it up). Store frosted cake in covered container.

Today, I present browned butter blondies with chocolate chips and m&ms. I went with browned butter because, by the time the request came in, I did not want to wait for the butter to soften. So i needed a recipe that called for melted butter. Browning butter is pretty easy. You melt it in a pan and keep cooking over medium heat (stirring occasionally) until you see little brown bits. Remove from the stovetop, let it cool for 5 minutes and you are all set to bake. It gives a different flavor that I think you will like. I also tossed in m&ms and chocolate chips. Mix up the toss-ins, or keep them plain. I always have a need to add things or at least frost treats!

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup mini m&ms
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line and 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. brown butter in a frypan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you see brown bits. Pour into a bowl and cool,5 minutes. Mix in brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Fold in chips and m&ms. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes (no longer). Let cool. Store in covered container. Microwave them the next day for 12 to 15 seconds to make them taste like they are right out of the oven.

After a barrage of chocolate chip and brownie recipe, I decided to opt for peanut butter today. I wanted to spruce them up a bit, so I added milk chocolate chips and fudge brownie m&m’s. I did not know even know fudge brownie m&ms existed until I recently saw them at walgreens. I find it amazing how many types of m&ms there are. My friend Meme – an m&m afficionado – would know EXACTLY how many. The only ones I would probably pass on are the flavors of coffee and hazelnut. I always wanted to try the carrot cake ones. I wonder if they have cookies n creme…..

Couple of notes on this recipe – I form the dough into 1/4 cup mounds and chill them at least a couple of hours. Remember to scoop the flour from your flour bag/ container into your measuring cup. And preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking to let your oven cycle to the right temp.

• Ingredients
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 11/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup m&ms
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – cream Crisco, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla., fold in dry ingredients. Blend in chips and m&ms. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form into mounds (I used a large ice cream scoop). Chill in a covered container for at least a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stagger dough on cookie sheets lined with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. Bake 10 to 14 minutes (there will be light golden patches on top). Cool 10 minutes on sheet. Remove and store in covered container. Makes 18 large cookies.

I published my new episode cookie talk – dark chocolate brownies, please check it out https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-2wmch-da7be3

Today, for the first time in a while, the treat request was for dark chocolate brownies, with chocolate chips baked in. My mom has been adding chips to brownies for a long time and theyare always a big hit. I never thought about adding chips. I always threw in pieces of candy or oreos. A while back. I baked brownies that contained a mini Oreo inside a chocolate chip cookie. It has been a while,since I have done that. I used dark chocolate chips for the brownies (although you could use semisweet). I opted for semisweet chipa for the mix-in (feel free to use another flavor or nuts or coconut)

Remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking (gives your oven time to cycle through to get to the right temp). Also, use a spoon to,scoop your flour into your measuring cup. And if you don’t have chocolate extract, use vanilla or another flavor (I have almond, mint, and cookies n cream in my collection)

• Ingredients
• 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbs water
• 2 eggs
• 1,tsp chocolate extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with foil and spray with baking spray. In a microwave safe bowl, melt dark chips, sugar, water and butter in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Beat in eggs and extract. Mix in flour and salt. Fold in semisweet chips. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes (toothpick inserted in,center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely. Store in covered container. They should stay fresh 2 to 3 days.

Another day, another chocolate chip cookie request from husband, and recipe. This one uses Crisco. I know shortening weirds some people out, for various reasons. But I give Crisco a break… it’s being baked in a cookie. And a very good cookie at that. And I have found, you don’t necessarily have to chill the dough before baking and you still get a puffy cookie.

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 11/2 cups flour (scooped from a flour bag\container into a measuring cup)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cream Crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Beat in egg,vanilla and water. Fold in dry ingredients. I actually mixed it with my hands at one point because the dough is thick. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cup dough and form it into tall mounds. Chill a few hours, if you want. Preheat oven to 375. Stagger 8 on a cookie sheet – lined with nonstick baking liners. I put 2 on the top row, spaced a few inches from each pther and from the pan’s edges. In the next row, I put one cookie between and below the two on the top row. I continue that process. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden on top. makes about 12 cookies. Store in covered container.