Tag Archives: love

Black cocoa fudge cake

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Thick.  Dark chocolate.  Fudge.  Cake.  With chocolate ganache.  Not much else to say, really.  If you love chocolate, you will love this cake.

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

And I recommend making the ganache while the cake is baking so it can thicken up for when you are ready to frost the cake.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter,  melted
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup black cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a round 8″ cake pan with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and warm warmed.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.  Bake 25 to 32 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat heavy cream 2 to 3 minutes (make sure bowl is big enough so cream doesn’t boil over and make a mess in yiur microwave).  Add chips and stir until chips and heavy cream are fully blended.  Let it firm up while the cake bakes and cools.  Frost cake.

Thanks for stopping by!

Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies

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Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies

These are the queen of stuffed cookies. An Oreo baked inside a chocolate chip cookie. And they are a request of one of my goddaughters, Sara, for her birthday party. Rob may or may not have taste tested one, so he can vouch for me at the family party tomorrow 🙂

The original Oreo is the best!

The trick to this is to not use too much dough to surround the Oreo. Use 1 1/2 tbs on top and 1 1/2 tbs on the bottom of each Oreo. That way they are nice and puffy and perfect looking.

The Queen of stuffed cookies

Couple of other tips – I also like to use cornstarch to keep the cookies from spreading too much… Spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup… Chill the cookies at least for a few hours.. And preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

Staggered cookies
  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3 /4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1,tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • Oreos!

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs., fold in dry ingredients. Blend in chips. Scoop out 11/2 tbs of dough (I used a cookie scoop), slightly flatten, place an Oreo on top. Scoop out another 11/2 tbs dough, slightly flatten., place on top of Oreo. Mold dough around to completely cover cookie. Chill a few hours in fridge. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. On a cookie sheet that’s been lined with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper, stagger cookies. (See pic above)

Bake 10 to 13 minutes, or until you see a few golden patches on top and bottoms of cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today., remember to be kind to others, and yourself too. We are all battling something.

Peanut butter cookies topped with melted Hershey kisses

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In honor of the Reese’s peanut butter cup

These are an ode to likely the greatest candy in the history of humankind – the Reese’s peanut butter Cup. I have taken a peanut butter cookie, which indeed is tremendous, and plopped melted Hershey kisses on top. These are for my goddaughter Lyndsey’s birthday party. Again, Rob may, or may not, have taste tested a cookie.

Well, well, well. The cookie monster at it again!

Couple of notes – spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup… Chill the cookies if you have time…and preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions – cream Crisco, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter. Add eggs. Blend in dry ingredients. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and roll into mounds. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. On a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners, stagger cookies., bake 10 to 13 minutes, or until bottoms are light golden. Cool completely.

Staggered cookies

To make the topping – in a microwave safe bowl, microwave 45 unwrapped Hershey kisses in 25 second increments until you can stir smooth. Blend in 1 tbs vegetable oil. Spoon on top of cookies. Let set. Store in covered container.

Tres belle!

Thank you for stopping by today. Wishing you an easy day filled with peace, love and hope.

Hostess cupcake-like Whoopie pies

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Hostess cupcake whoopie pies

Dear friends, I was a baking fiend today. I made a small yellow cake with chocolate frosting for my mother in law. Then, I made XL cupcakes with various frostings, and then, I made these hostess cupcake-like whoopie pies. And I used cake mixes for all of them! But the frosting, fillings and squiggles are all homemade. Rob wanted hostess cupcakes, but those are such a disaster for me, who can not decorate at all, I went whoopie pie instead. Still has the fluff filling, chocolate frosting and squiggle. I would say with less mess, but not really. I ended up with chocolate cake batter on the elbow of my Josh Allen Bills hoodie. Now, I am sitting on the deck with Gracie and Rob, still with chocolate on my elbow. Listening to the birds.. And I swear one sounds like he is singing “Derek Jeter”

A reminder to take your butter put an hour or so for the fluff filling and squiggle so it softens up. Also preheat your oven for 20 minutes for baking so you get the right temp.

  • Whoopie pie ingredients
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup oil

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. combine ingredients and mix well. Dough is thick. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Scoop out either 1 1/2 tbs of dough or 3 tbs (I did both sizes). Stagger on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes for smaller cookies, 7 to 9 for larger ones. Cool completely.

  • Filling ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

Directions – combine fluff and butter. Blend in powdered sugar. Add vanilla. If mixture is too thick, add a little milk.

  • Chocolate frosting ingredients
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
  • 2 -3 cups powdered sugar
  • Milk

Directions – combine butter and cocoa. Add powdered sugar. Blend in enough milk to get the consistency you want.

  • Squiggle ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

Directions – combine butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla, then enough milk to get the consistency you want for your squiggle! Scoop into a sandwich baggie and cut out a small corner. Now put the whole thing together

Lay cookie flatside up
Cover with filling
Top with another cookie, flatside down
Frost
Add your squiggle, or in my case, a blob!

Store in covered container.

Remember to be kind because everyone is battling through something. Also know that you matter and you are loved.

Red Velvet Milk Chocolate Chip cookies

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Red velvet milk chocolate chip cookies topped with melted milk chocolate

I have made a lot, and I mean a lot, of chocolate chip cookie recipes lately. I have over 30 varieties in my recipe box, which helps me make them differently each time. But tonight, I wanted to mix it up. So, I thought I would try out a red velvet chocolate chip cookie recipe. A very large cookie, with milk chocolate chips… and top – powdered sugar and melted milk chocolate.

Reminders – 1) spoon you flour from your flour container into you measuring cups so you get the correct amount. 2) chill the mounds of dough for at least a few hours. 3) preheat your oven to 375 degrees for at least 20 minutes. 4) take the cookies out after about 15 minutes. They Will seem a little gushy, but will continue to cook on the cookie sheet as they cook down. And if they wind up too brown on the bottom, you can slather them with melted chocolate!

Too dark cookie bottoms? Cover with melted chocolate! No one will know!
  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbs red food color
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and food color. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Chill mounds of dough for at least a couple of hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

Look at all that melted chocolate

Remember to be kind. We are all gping through something. Life can be really hard some times. Give other people a break. Give yourself a break. Take a few deep breaths and remember How much you matter and are loved.

White chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies

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White chocolate macadamia nut cookies

This recipe is courtesy pf a request I received on Twitter. White chocolate chip cookies with macadamia nuts. You can, of course, sub in another type of nut, or leave them out. I also “frosted” the bottoms of the cookies with melted milk chocolate. You’re welcome.

Reminders – 1) spoon your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup, so you get the correct amount. If you pour the flour directly into the cup, you get too much of it and the result can be a dry cookie. A grave offense, if you ask me. 2) chill your cookie dough at least an hour. It keeps the cookies from spreading too much. 3) preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Ovens cycle through different temps and usually 20 minutes is enough time to get to the right temp

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips and nuts. Divide dough into 16 pieces and form mounds.

A cookie mound

Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on the sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes. (Light golden spots on top). Cool completely. Optional -in a microwave safe container, combine 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 tbs oil. Microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Frost bottoms of cookies. Let set, upside down, until chocolate has hardened. Store in covered container.

Frosted with melted chocolate

Remember to be kind. These are really tough times for a lot of people. You never know what people might be going through. You would want to be shown the same grace and kindness. Sending love your way.

King Sized Peanut Butter Cookies

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Peanut butter!

I needed a little something extra to bring into work tomorrow, along with my small batch of ganache-topped fudge brownies, so I thought peanut butter cookies would be a good option. I didn’t want to spend all day baking, so I opted to make only 8! And they are quite large. Instead of topping them with melted milk chocolate, I sprinkled them with sugar.

Reminders 1) spoon your flour from your flour container into your measuring cup, 2) chill the mounds of dough for a few hours before baking So the cookies don’t spread, 3) preheat your oven to 400 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temperature.

😋
  • Ingredients
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Extra sugar

Directions – cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. I actually used my hands to completely make sure the dough was blended together. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each in sugar. Store in fridge for a few hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for 20 minutes. On a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners, stagger cookies. Bake 10 to 13 minutes (there will be light golden patches on top and bottoms will be a light golden color). Cool completely and store in covered container.

I think Gracie had some of this cookie!

Remember to be kind. It honestly isn’t that hard. Cut people a break. We never know what is happening with other people. This is a hard time for everyone. We are all doing the best we can, each day. That includes being kind to yourself. You are loved and you matter. Wishing you peace, love and joy today. ❤

Chocolate chip cookies, honoring hockey

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Chocolate Chip Cookies honoring hockey!

Dear friends, I present yet another chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have dozens (yes, that is with an “s”) in my arsenal because that is the number one request of my husband for a treat. And it is not in me to make the same recipe each time, so I mix it up. These cookies are thick and soft and filled with mini chocolate chips. I used mini chocolate chips because they are what I could get to. Gracie was sleeping in front of the cabinet where I keep the 72 ounce bag of Nestle Chocolate chips, so instead of disturbing her, I opted for another type of chip. Worked out just fine. As you can see, the cookies look, well, like hockey pucks. They do NOT taste like them. 🙂 A few reminders – scoop your flour from your container into your measuring cup so you get the right amount./ If you pour the flour directly in, you can get to much and wind up with a dry cookie. These cookies need to be put in the freezer for an hour or two so they can keep their nice shape. And, preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so the oven is the right temerature. (an old trick from the kind LG repairman, Stanley).

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (I ran out of patience, as usual, and used a cheese grater to speed up the process)
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups plus 3 tbs flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Chip cookies are like seeing or talking to old friends – they just make your day!

Directions – Cream butter, Crisco, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough. Freeze dough for at least an hour or two. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger frozen cookies on sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Go Sabres!

Happy 3rd anniversary gotcha day, Gracie (and a good life lesson)

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Her first day in her new home, 2/24/18

Today is the 3 year anniversary of our “gotcha day” with Gracie. She leaped off of the Rescue Road trips truck and into our lives. Ran right by me, to Rob, jumped on him and gave him a kiss! The funny thing about her is she wasn’t our first choice. The labs4rescue group, that we dealt with, wants you to apply for as many dogs as possible (up to 5) because they’re trying to find them forever homes as quickly as they can. As soon as one is adopted, the group gets three more to find homes for.

Honestly, Gracie was our third choice, and a late addition as I perused the website on Superbowl Sunday one final time. The lady who was in charge of Gracie called Rob 10 minutes after our application was submitted. She called first, so we accepted. I had no idea she was in New Orleans, where she was abandoned in a field, and would not have a chance to meet her before adopting her. We decided to get adopt her.

Three weeks later, we got her,almost six months to the day our beloved Charlie crossed over the rainbow bridge. I was honestly surprised how emotional the gotcha day was for me. I also forgot how tiring a young pup is! I don’t think this little, skinny 6 month old yellow lab had even been in a house before ours and I assume experienced very little love until the Animal Rescue Foundation of New Orleans found her. We trained her and worked with her and got the perfect dog for us.

What she taught me is that sometimes you might not get your plan a or first choice, but your plan b,c,d,etc is still the right one for you and you can be just as happy with. Wishing you love, peace, and kindness. ❤

She has not been this small in a long time☺
Sweet girl
She is a bit bigger now!