A Friday treat (not friday football.  Football and I are on a break right now)

Usually, on Fridays during football season, I bring in a Friday football treat.  But this post contains just  a Friday treat because football and I are taking a break. 

I did have something cool happen today though and it was football related.  Our midday show had Damar Hamlin on as a guest and I told one of our hosts, Joe, to tell Damar I love him.  He did and Damar replied “shout out to Christine.”  Made my day.

This is a simple chocolate cookie cake with a sweet chocolate frosting.  Both are easy.  And I sprinkled some mini m&ms on top.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from your containers into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. 

  • Cookie cake ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Directions- spray a ten inch springform pan (or cake pan) with baking spray, then line with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Press evenly into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven. Now make the frosting.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
This is what happens when the cookie cake is cut before the frosting sets

Directions – in a saucepan, combine butter, milk and sugar over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.   Let mixture come to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add chips.  Let stand a minute or two.  Store smooth.  Pour over cookie cake (even if it is warm).  Let frosting set as cookie cake cools  completely.  Cut and store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Wishing you a day of peace, joy and love (also wishing for Josh Allen to win NFL MVP tonight)

Victory Monday treat #2 – stuffed peanut butter cookies

The number two treat for our wildcard victory – peanut butter treats stuffed with reese’s trees (I have a LOT left over!  Also, I was proud of myself for resisting my urge to buy Reese’s hearts or Reese’s eggs at BJs yesterday).

I recommend scooping your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend chilling the individual mounds of dough for a few hours (I did not for these today). 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • Reese’s trees, unwrapped

Directions – in a bowl, cream crisco, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Divide in half.  Place a tree in between two halves and seal edges.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger on sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Cookie dough brownies

Coolie dough brownies

Cookie dough brownies – super simple and super sweet to help get you through a busy holiday season.  I used a brownie mix, but you can certainly use your favorite recipe for a 9×13 pan (or browse my blog for one).

  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie mix, prepared and baked in a 9×13 pan, completely cooled
  • 3/4 cups butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs milk or water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs crisco, butter or vegetable oil

In a  bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add milk and vanilla.  Fold in flour.  Spread evenly over cooled brownies.  In a microwave safe bowl, melted chocolate chips and crisco in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Spread over cookie dough layer.  I actually cut the brownies before the chocolate layer hardened because it was easier.  Store in covered container.

Chocolate Chip cookie-Oreo-Brownie “cake”

Stepping up my treat game this holiday season.  A chocolate chip cookie crust, a layer of oreo and topped with brownies.  Not sure what to call it!

  • Chocolate chip cookie crust
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 3/4 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch cake pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.   in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in flour and baking powder.  Mix in chips. Press into bottom and partway up sides of prepared pan.

Top with a layer of  Oreos!

  • Brownie ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup flour (scooped from flour bag into measuring cup so you get the right amount)

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Blend in cocoa, eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Fold in flour.  Evenly spread over oreo layer. 

Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center basically comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips (i used milk chocolate)..  Gently press into top brownie layer. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Week 9 victory treats part 2 – fudgy brownies

Such a big Bills win was worthy of not one, but 2 treats.  Plus not everyone loves peanut butter, so i present an alternative – fudgy brownies with chocolate chips. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 10 tbs butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  In a microwave safe bowl, melted butter, sugar and cocoa for 45 seconds.  Stir smooth.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour.  Mix in chips.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.  Bake 20 minutes (toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs)  cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Triple chip cake bars

Part of the week 8 celebratory treats for the Bills win over the Seahawks – triple chip cake bars.  I used milk, semisweet and white chocolate chips and a yellow cake mix.  You can use whichever flavor chips and cake mix you want.  Super simple recipe. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix (i used yellow)
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted (5 tbs plus 1 tsp)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×14 pan with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.  Blend in chips.  Moisten hands with water.  Evenly press dough into pan.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes.    Cool completely.   Chill bars a few hours on fridge. 

Football friday #7 (and happy birthday Eric)

Today’s Friday football treats is a request from my coworker, Eric, who’s celebrating a birthday today.   They are a version of Little Debbie brownies, which I  loved as a child.  These even have rainbow chips on top (shout out to Price Rite for having them)

I made these amid a crazy game three of the ALCS between the Yankees and Guardians.  What a nutty last few innings – the Judge and Stanton home runs.  The Noel and Fry home runs.  Rob and I are Yankees fans (but he is more invested than me).  He was quite mad afterwards and broke into hot brownies (which I warned him against).  He mangled them, as you can see below.

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from your containers into measuring cups so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven for 20 minutes so it cycles to the right temp.  If you don’t have milk chocolate chips, you can use all semisweet for the ganache.

  • Brownies ingredients list
  • 2 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed into measuring cup
  • 1 3/4 cups unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 yolks
  • 2 tbs corn syrup
  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degre3s.  Line a 9×13 cake pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, and baking cocoa.  Add eggs, one at a time,  yolks, corn syrup and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mixture will be very thick.  Evenly spread into pan.  Bake 30 to 40 minutes (until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs).  Cool completely.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions – in one microwave safe bowl, heat chips for 1 minutes.  In another microwave safe bowl, heat cream for one minute.  Combine cream and chips.  Stir smooth.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Spread on cooled brownies and sprinkle with rainbow chips or m&ms

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Wishing you a day filled with joy, peace and love.  Also remember to be kind!

Sugar smashed peanut butter cookies

Some friends are coming over and love peanut butter treats, so I wanted to make them some peanut butter cookies.  I ended up frosting these.. but I think next time, melted milk chocolate chips or hershey kisses would be better.

Remember to scoop your flour and powdered sugar from their respective containers so you get the right amount.  If you have time, I recommend chilling the dough so the cookies  spread less.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup crisco
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs water
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Extra sugar

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, peanut butter, sugar, powdered sugar and water.  Add eggs.  Fold in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  roll into balls.   Spray the bottom of a glass with Pam and dip in extra sugar.  Gently smush cookies (I left mine kind of thick).  Chills for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.  Top with melted milk chocolate.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Gameday Week 3 treat # 2 – brownies

These Bills  gameday treats for week 3, a request from Rob- brownies.   I grabbed the wrong size pan (8×8) instead of what my recipe indicated (9×9), so these are thicker and took a bit longer to bake. Oops! 🙂  I will have the directions for the 9×9 pan in this recipe.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also preheat your oven so it cycles to the right temp. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 12 tbs butter
  • 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×9 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.   In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chips in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Add brown sugar and sugar.  Mix in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.  Fold in flour and salt.  Blend in chips.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes (toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs).  Sprinkle warm brownies with powdered sugar.  Cool completely.   Cut and store in covered container. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Go Bills!

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Bills gameday week 3, treat # 1 – cookies and cream cookies.  These are a basic chocolate chip cookie dough  recipe with pieces of oreo, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.  These are very large – 6 cookies, but I shall cut them in half or thirds for tomorrow. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend chilling the individual doughs for a half hour or so to keep them puffy.  Also make sure you preheat your oven so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tso baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup oreos, broken into pieces
  • 1 /2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream sugar, brown sugar and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Mix in oreos and chips.  Divide into 6 even pieces and form into tall mounds.  Chill 30 minutes to an hour.  Line a cookies sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet like below.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake 14 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!   Wishing you a day filled with peace, love and joy

Go Bills!