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)

M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

What better way to spend part of a Monday than baking large chocolate chip cookies?  Very few that I can think of.

I tossed in some mini m&ms too.  You can add different flavors of chips or nuts if you want too.  I used my quarter cup cookie scoop and chilled the individual doughs over night to keep them puffy. Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Do not pour into your measuring cup.  Packed in flour could lead to a dry cookie. 

  • 8 tbs butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1  cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, sugar and brown sugar.   Add eggs, vanilla and water.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheets.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer. 

This is what I mean by staggering cookies

Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Remember to be kind!  Wishing you a day of peace, love and joy

Football friday #20 – Divisional Playoff weekend – oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Not sure if you have heard, but we have a little game set for Orchard Park, NY Sunday night – Bills – Ravens.  Last game of the weekend.  I am excited.  Should be a good one! 

To celebrate, I am bringing in oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for football friday.  These are very easy to make.  Instead of butter or crisco, these use vegetable oil (i am sure another oil would be fine too). 

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 few hours before baking to help them stay puffy.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 2 1/2 cups oats (i used instant)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, blend oats and dry ingredients.  Mix in oil, eggs and vanilla.  Fold in chips.  You may need to mix the dough with your hands to help it come together.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Remember to be kind!  Go Bills!

Black cocoa snowball cookies

I got a new container of black cocoa today and wanted to put some of it to use, so I made some black cocoa snowballs with mini chocolate chips.  Always good to heat up the oven on a very chilly day!

You can also use regular unsweetened baking cocoa or special dark cocoa if you want.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from their containers into your measuring cups so you get the right amount.  Also, make sure your oven is preheated before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1/4 cup black cocoa
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs water
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients (this may take a while.  Dough will be crumbly).  Add water.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Scoop out 2 tbs of dough.  Chill.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.   Stagger doughs on sheet, like this.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  Sprinkle hot cookies with powdered sugar.  the powdered sugar melts into the cookie and makes them even sweeter!

Cool completely.   Sprinkle with more powdered sugar.  Store in covered container.

Football friday # 16 – Fudge stuffed snowball cookies

I made some fudge last night and thought I would use some of it to stuff in  snowball cookies (still plenty of fudge left over. ).  The cookies spread a little more than I prefer, but I was in a bit of a hurry and didn’t have time to chill or freeze the dough. 🙂

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend freezing or chilling the dough in the fridge for a few hours to try to keep the cookies puffy.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 4 tbs sugar
  • 6 tbs powdered sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • Fudge, cut into small cubes
  • Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar and powdered sugar.  Blend in flour.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and divide in half.  Flatten each half.  Put a cube of fudge in between 2 halves and seal cookie.  Chill or freeze a few hours.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  I popped mine in the fridge to firm them up.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping  by today! Go Bills!

Football Friday week 15 – stuffed chocolate snowball cookies

What could make a chocolate cookie better?  An oreo inside!

A rather simple treat for football friday 15 – chocolate snowball cookies stuffed with a hershey kiss or an oreo!   I used a sugar cookie mix to make thing easier.

Another big matchup for my Bills Sunday – at Detroit.   Should be a great one! 

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from their respective containers into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend freezing the individual stuffed doughs for a half hour to keep them from spreading.  Also, don’t bake any longer than 10 minutes.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 sugar cookie mix
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 -2 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Hershey kisses or other candy
  • Oreos

Directions – in a bowl, combine sugar  cookie mix, flour and baking cocoa.  Stir in egg, butter and water.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and form around each kiss.  (You will need more dough to cover oreo).  Freeze individual doughs for 30 minutes, at least.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes, no longer.  Immediately sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I wish you a happy day, filled with love, joy and peace.

football friday week 14- Easy Monster cookies stuffed with Reese’s pumpkins

Monster cookies stuffed with Reese’s pumpkins

I can NOT believe it is week 14 already!  Wow.  Football season goes so fast.  One day it’s the preseason opener and in no time at all, the regular season is almost over.   I needed something quick, so I used the Betty Crocker monster cookies recipe and stuffed them with Reese’s pumpkins.  Another day I will post a complete homemade version. 

I am glad the Bills night games are done.  Those are a killer to stay up for and get up early the next morning!  But last week, with Josh’s hat trick of touchdowns (throwing, running and receiving), it was worth it.

These are easy.  I do chill the dough to keep them from spreading too much.  Remember to preheat your oven  before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 peanut butter cookie mix
  • 1 chocolate chip cookie mix
  • 11/2 cups oats (old fashioned or instant)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups m&ms
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • Peanut butter cups

Directions- In a bowl, combine cookies mixes and oats.  Blend in butter and eggs (I used a gand mixer).   Fold in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and evenly form around Reese’s pumpkins.   Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thank you for stopping by!

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. 

Frosted chocolate chip cake bars (week 2 victory treat part 2)

For part 2 of the week 2 Bills victory treats, I present frosted chocolate chip cake bars.  You can use any flavor cake mix (I used French vanilla), any kind of chips (I used traditional semisweet), and any kind of frosting (I used vanilla).

  • Bars ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • Extra chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips.   You may want to wet your hands for this next part – gently, evenly press dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle extra chips on tip.   Bake 15 to 18 minutes (toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs).  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (scooped from powdered sugar container into cup)
  • Milk or heavy cream

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and vanilla.  Blend in powdered sugar and enough milk or heavy cream to get the consistency you want.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day!  Go Bills!

Golden oreo stuffed cake mix cookies

Need a quick treat?  This is one recipe to try.  I used golden oreos, but you can use any candy you want too.  I added sprinkles to the dough, which is optional, of course.  You can also make these unstuffed. I estimate this recipe makes 12 to 15 cookies.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cake mix
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs water
  • Golden oreos

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, vegetable oil, egg and water.   You may need to use your hands (like when making meatballs) to get dough to come together.  Add sprinkles, if using.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and form around oreos.   Stagger cookies on prepared sheets.  Bake 9 to 10 min.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.