Milk chocolate chip cookies (with finely ground macadamia nuts mixed in)

Instead of traditional chocolate chip cookies with semisweet chocolate chips, I opted for milk chocolate chips and I added some finely ground macadamia nuts for a unique, salty, flavor twist.  

I melted the butter to speed up the process.  I probably won’t do so next time and will use softened butter.  These cookies spread out a little more than I prefer.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.   After scooping out the dough, chill them at least a few hours at least a few hours.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts, finely ground
Added a few mini m&ms to some. 
Go Bills!

Directions- in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.   If dough seems a little dry, add a tbs or two of water.   Mix in chips and ground nuts.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet, like below, because these do spread a bit.  

Bake 10 to 14 minutes, no longer. 

Store in covered container.

XL brown buttter Peanut blossoms

Today’s treat – brown butter peanut blossoms.  I know they are very popular this time of year, so I whipped up a batch this morning.   I added some finely ground peanuts, and rolled the doughs in sugar before baking. And of course, topped with  hershey kisses!  

These are also in honor of my college roommate, Christine, who’s birthday is today and loves peanut butter treats!

I recommend chilling the butter for a bit in fridge after browning, scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount, preheat your team before baking and only bake 8 to 9 minutes.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbs water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup peanuts, finely ground
  • Extra sugar
  • Hershey kisses

Directions – in a pan, heat butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally,  until brown specks form.  Pour into bowl and place in fridge at least an hour.   When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degreesm. In a combine butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, water and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop our 1/4 cups dough and roll tops in sugar.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies in a row of 2, then a row of one. 

Bake 8 to 9 minutes, no longer.  Press an unwrapped hershey kisses. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!  Go Bills!

Frosted Chocolate pop tarts bars

I loved pop tarts as a kid, specifically the chocolate frosted ones.   I saw that Taylor Swift made a homemade version of pop tarts,  so I thought, “why not”?  It was funny, my chocoholic husband asked for a brown sugar version.  Those will be on the way soon.

Remember to scoop your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Also freeze the uncooked bars for 30 minutes before baking to keep the fudge filling in place.  And, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.

  • Fudge filling list
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, combine chips and cocoa. heat cream to a boil.  Pour over chips.   Add butter, stir until melted.  Mix in vanilla.  Set aside. 

  • Bar ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions – line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.   in a bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Press half of dough every into prepared pan.  Spread fudge filling on top.   Evenly press remaining dough on top of filling.  Freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool completely

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

Directions- in a bowl,combine powdered sugar, cocoa, water and vanilla.  Blend in melted chips.  Frost cooled bars.  Store in covered container.

Sugar Cookie Brownie Bars/Brownie Sugar Cookies bars (frosted and topped with M&Ms)

To kick off NFL week 14, I decided to mix a brownie mix, with a sugar cookie mix, add some eggs, melted butter and vanilla and bring this concoction into work.  Not sure whether to call them sugar cookie brown bars or Brownie sugar cookie bars.  And I frosted them with vanilla frosting and tossed some m&ms on top.

I did not realize it was national cookie day, but these treats should suffice.

You can use whatever cookie mix flavor you want and if you find a blondie or chocolate chip bar mix, you can certainly swap out the brownie mix.  

Remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 brownie mix
  • 1 cookie mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions- preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 pan with baking spray.  Set aside.   In a bowl, combine mixes, blend in eggs, butter and vanilla. Spread evenly into pan.  Bake 22 to 28 minutes.  (Toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs).  I don’t recommend baking these longer than 28 minutes.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar.  Add heavy cream, one tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.  Blend in vanilla.  Frost bars.  Toss some m&ms on top. 

Store in covered container

NFL Sunday, week 13 – Chocolate chocolate chip cake with crushed oreo frosting

If you love chocolate, this cake is for you.  It uses a chocolate cake mix (I used dark chocolate fudge, but any one is fine), and a handful of other ingredients.   The frosting is a buttercream with finely ground oreos. If you don’t have black cocoa, regular unsweetened baking cocoa is fine.  I think I will make a golden oreo version of this with a white cake mix another time.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 1 box chocolate instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
  • 1/2 cup black cocoa
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bundt cake pan with baking spray.  Set aside. In a bowl, blend cake mix, pudding mix and cocoa.  Blend in eggs, oil, greek yogurt and milk.  Fold in chips.   Batter will be thick.  Spread evenly into prepared bundt pan.  Bake 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Remove from oven.   Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Then pop cake onto a plate and cool completely.

I felt i left this cake in a minute too long, so I found a syrup recipe to help moisten it up.  This is used before you frost it.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa.  Whisk constantly over medium heat just until it boils.  Remove from stove.  Pour in a pan and cool completely.   Brush on cooled cake.

  • Oreo buttercream frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 to 6 tbs heavy cream
  • 14 oreos, finely crushed (i used a food processor)

Directions – in a bowl cream butter and crisco.   Slowly blend in powdered sugar.   Add vanilla and 4 tbs of heavy cream.  Mix more cream, one tbs at a time, until you get the consistency you want.  Blend in crushed oreos.  Frost cake.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Oreo cheesecake topped with cookies and cream mousse and chocolate ganache

After a rough sunday in Miami, I am making a plea to the football gods for my Bills for week 11 and am doing so with this request from my husband and a copycat of the cheesecake factory oreo dream extreme cheesecake.

This does take some time, but is worth it.  I used neufactel cheese, which is lower fat and lower calorie, so I added some cornstarch to help firm up the cheesecake layer.

  • Flourless Cake  ingredients
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 8 tbs butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees.  in a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and butter in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Add sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Blend in eggs well.  Line a 9″ round pan with parchment paper.  Evenly spread batter into pan.   Bake 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool completely

  • Ganache ingredients list
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat cream for 3 minutes.  Add chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir smooth.   Place in fridge.

  • Cheesecake ingredients
  • 24 oz cream cheese (I used neufactel,  which is softer and lower calorie and lower fat)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs flour
  • 6 tbs cornstarch (if you are using neufactel or low fat cream cheese)
  • 3/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 12 to 16 Oreo cookies

Directions – preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 9 inch springform pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  In a bowl, cream cream cheese, sugar and flour (and cornstarch if you are using a lower fat cheese).  Blend in Greek yogurt and vanilla.  Fold in eggs and yolk.  Pour 1/3 into prepared pan.  Top with 6 to 8 oreos and press down gently.  Top with a other third of batter and gently press 6 to 8 oreos on top.  Top with remaining third of batter.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes (middle jiggles a little and edges are set).  Turn off oven.   Crack oven and leave cheesecake in for an hour.  Transfer to fridge for a few hours.

  • Cookies and cream mousse
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Crushed oreos (8 to 10)

Directions – in a bowl, whip cream amd powdered sugar to stiff peaks.  Blend in crushed oreos.    Put in fridge.

When ready to assemble – beat chilled ganache for a few minutes so it is spreadable.   Place flourless cake on a plate.  Spread a thin layer of ganache on top.  Gently place cheesecake on top of ganache layer.   Smooth oreo mousse on top of cheesecake layer.  Use rest of ganache on top and sides.  Store in fridge.

  • Layer list
  • Flourless cake
  • Thin ganache layer
  • Cheesecake
  • Cookies and cream layer
  • Frost entire thing with rest of ganache

Thanks for stopping by today!

Perfect and Puffy Chocolate Chip cookies for game 5 of the World Series

Today, I present a perfect chocolate chip cookie recipes.  These stay puffy and soft and are, yes, perfect.  The dough does not need chilling.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter,  softened
  • 1/2 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cup)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs water
  • 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a bowl, cream butter, butter crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs, water and vanilla.  Mix in pudding mix.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Blend in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.

Stagger doughs on prepared sheet. 

Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Victory Monday week 8 treats # 2 – white chocolate brownies with 🎃 sprinkles

For all my non chocolate loving coworkers – white chocolate brownies, with Halloween sprinkles and vanilla frosting.   Super simply and easy.

I added  some of my homemade white cocoa powder to these.  You can absolutely leave it out.  

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag so you get the right amount.   Preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 8 tbs butter
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Sprinkles

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and white chips in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.   Add sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in flour and salt.  Mix in sprinkles.  Spread into pan.  Bake 20 to 23 minutes (you will see light golden patches on top).  Cool completely. 

Frost with vanilla frosting if you want.  I combined 2 tbs butter, melted, 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream

Victory Monday week 8 treats – Dark chocolate mini m&m milk chocolate chip cookies

That is a mouthful of a title, I know.  But these are a seriously chocolate cookie – melted dark chocolate chips in the dough and filled with mini m&ms and milk chocolate chips.

To melt the chips – place them in a microwave safe bowl and melt them in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag so you get the right amount.  Also, chill the individual doughs for a few hours before baking, and preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 2 2/3 cups dark chocolate chips (melted)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Mini m&ms
  • Milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in melted chocolate chips.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Mix in m&ms and milk chocolate chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet like below.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Right after removing from oven, gently press more milk chocolate chips on top of cookies.

These will likely be gushy.  Pop them in the fridge to firm them up.  Store in covered container.

Halloween Cutout Sugar cookies

This is the sugar cookierecipe I use for all my holiday cutout cookies – halloween, Thanksgiving,  Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, football ( i know football is not a holiday but if i have cookie cutters for something, it is a holiday for me)   This recipe  is from a friend of my family.  They bring back a lot of wonderful memories of baking with my mom when I was younger.  And these were my dad’s favorite cookies and he loved the dough too!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups crisco
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
A plethora of pumpkins!

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Slowly blend in dry ingredients.    Sprinkle flour on your countertop and roll out dough to desired thickness.   Cut out cookies.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

A gaggle of ghosts
  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 to 3 tbs heavy cream (depending on consistency you want)
  • Food coloring or sprinkles

In a bowl, combine ingredients. Frost cookies and sprinkle with sprinkles.  Store in covered container.