Ganache and mini m&m topped brownies for ALCS Game 3

Today, I present brownies, topped with ganache and mini m&ms for my coworker friend Eric’s birthday and game 3 of the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners.

What is ganache,  you ask?  Why a combo of chocolate chips and heavy cream heated and then poured over brownies that are completely cooled.  And frankly, m&ms make everything better, so that’s why I added them.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from their containers into your measuring cup so you get the right amounts.   Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.  And, I made the ganache while the brownies were baking so it thickened up a little more.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1/4 heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat cream for 1 minute.  In another microwave safe bowl, heat  chips 1 minute.  Pour hot cream over chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes.   Stir until smooth and set aside.

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

 directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and cocoa.  Blend in eggs, yolks, vanilla and corn syrup.  Stin in dry ingredients.   Batter will be thick.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.   Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely.   Top with ganache.   Sprinkle with m&ms.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today

Chocolate chocolate chip cookies with mini marshmallow bits

For our ALDS Doubleheader on EsPN radio today, I made chocolate chocolate chip cookies with mini marshmallow bits.

Tigers-Mariners 330 pm eastern.

Blue Jays-Yankees 730 eastern

Remember to scoop your flour from you flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, chill your individual doughs a few hours to prevent spreading and preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2, cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tps vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour (scooped from flour container into measuring cup)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini marshmallow bits

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Mix in chips and marshmallow bits.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on it. 

Bake 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Chocolate frosted peanut butter sugar cookies

Another variation of a sugar cookie,  this time with peanut butter.  And chocolate frosting instead of melted milk chocolate.  These are nice and thick and sweet!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend chilling the individual doughs for a few hours so they spread less.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2  cup plus 2 tbs sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs greek yogurt
  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • Extra sugar

Direction – in a bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, vegetable oil, and powdered sugar.  Mix in cream of tartar, salt and baking soda.  Add egg, vanilla and Greek yogurt.   Blend in flour.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Roll into a ball.  Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with cooking spray and slightly flatten dough ball.  Sprinkle with extra sugar.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients list
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 tbs greek yogurt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbs unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, mix butter, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar and cocoa.   Add heavy cream and vanilla.   Frost cookies.  Store in covered container in fridge to firm up. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

M&M sugar cookies (made with brown sugar because I ran out of granulated sugar)

I wanted to make m&m sugar cookies and frost them.   All well and good, but i did not realize I was out of granulated sugar.   That has NEVER happened to me.  Not sure how I let that happen.   So I just subbed in brown sugar entirely for the granulated sugar.  And, I went and bought 2 huge bags of granulated sugar for future baking.

So I am only bringing in half of these tomorrow, with vanilla frosting.  The other half I will bake in a few days and frost them with chocolate frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount (same goes for the powdered sugar).  chill your individual doughs and form them even taller before baking to keep them puffy. And preheat your oven before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 powdered sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tbs water
  • 2 tbs vanilla
  • 5 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and water.  Blend in dry ingredients.   (It was a little humid the day i made these, so I added an extra cup of flour.  Your call if you want to do that).  Blend in m&ms.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet, form mounds a little taller.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes.  Bottoms with be lightly golden, tops might be a little gushy, but will be fine.   Cool completely.   

  • Frosting ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla.

Directions- in a bowl, blend all ingredients well.  Frost cooled cookies.   Store in covered container.

Thank you for stopping by today!

Brown sugar brownies

Stunningly, I am out of sugar.  I have no idea how that happened.  I am usually so on top of things.  But, when I went to bake brownies for Rob, I had no granulated sugar, so i had to use  brown sugar instead.  These are easy to make,  and fudgy and soft.  I will rectify the grave sugar error tomorrow and buy a huge bag from BJs.

Remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.  I used an 8×11 Corning ware pan, so these bake in about 22 minutes.  If you use an 8×8 or 9×9, they will take longer.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into your measuring cup
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup flour

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 8×11 pan with baking sprat and set aside.  Place butter, brown sugar and chocolate chips in  a microwave safe bowl.  Place in microwave for 1 minutes.  Stir until chips are completely melted.  You may have to continue to heat in additional 15 second increments to completely melt mixture. Add 2 eggs and vanilla.  Blend in flour.   Evenly spread into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container. 

Chocolate chip bars

I wanted to bring in a second treat for tomorrow because not everyone likes peanut butter.  So I made chocolate chips bars.  These are super easy and soft and delicious!

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

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled 10 minutes
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into cup
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line an 8×8 pan with tin foil and spray with pam.  Set aside.  In a bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, yolk and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in 1 cup chips.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.   Sprinkle remaining chips on top and gently press into dough.  Bake 30 minutes, no longer. 

Cool completely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Week 3 victory treats – Little debbie cosmic brownie cookies

Another win in the books for the Bills.  One worthy of not one, but two victory treats.  These are a cookie version of little debbie cosmic brownies, one of my all time favorite treats as a kid.   instead of a ganache like topping, I went with a fudge frosting topping.   Not sure if love this frosting.  I may try a different chocolate frosting next time.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill your dough for a few hours and preheat your oven before baking so it gets to the right temperature.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs  unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies. 

Bake 11 to 16 minutes.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1 1/3 cups  chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup of butter
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1  powdered sugar

In a pot, over low-medium heat, combine ingredients, heat and stir until butter is melted.  Put in fridge until it is a spreadable consistency.  Frost cookies. Top w m&ms. 

Store in covered container

Week 3 victory treats – vanilla little debbie cookies

The other treat for the Bills win over the Dolphins – a vanilla version of little debbie brownie cookies.  I made my own white chocolate cocoa powder and used that.  I probably could have bought white chocolate cocoa at the grocery store,  but didn’t feel like going out again, so I made my own.

White chocolate cocoa ingredients

  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup instant milk powder
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Directions – in a food processor, chop up white chips for about a minute.  Add remaining ingredients and run food processor until a fine powder forms. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.. also, chill the dough for a few hours.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs white chocolate cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions- in a bowl, cream crisco, butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stagger cookies on prepared sheets. 

Bake 12 to 16 minutes.  Cool completely

These came out a lot larger than I planned!
  • White chocolate frosting ingredients
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, cream butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla.  Blend in melted white chocolate.   Frost cookies.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Oreo brookies

Our selection committee list yesterday was all about best desserts.   One of our callers mentioned oreo brookies, which are a layer of tollhouse bars, a layer of oreos and a layer of  brownies.  They also have a pg-13 name, but i won’t go into it here.

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.

Someone was a little eager and cut these while they were still hot!
  • Chocolate chip layer
  • 7 tbs butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with pam.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in chips.  Press into prepared pan.

Layer with oreos

  • Brownie layer ingredients
  • 6 tbs butter
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tbs unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Extra chips

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat 1 cup chocolaye chips and butter in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Set aside.  In another bowl, mix eggs, vanilla and sugar.  Add chocolate mixture.   Blend in dry ingredients.   Drop by spoonfuls on top of oreo layer and spread evenly. 

Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.  Bake 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Cool completely. 

Store in covered container.

Week 2 victory Monday treats

To celebrate the Bills week 2 win over the jets, I present carrot cake cookies.  The exception to these is that instead of grating carrots (which, is not fun), I used carrot baby food.  My mother in law gave me a carrot cake recipe, so it is based on that.

And the special ingredient- mini chocolate chips!!!!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the individual doughs before baking.   preheat your oven before baking and only bake these 10 minutes. You can always pop them in the fridge after they are cooled and frosted to firm them up

  • Ingredients list
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packead into measuring cup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 8 oz carrot baby food
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice or nutmeg
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in egg, vanilla and carrot baby food.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Mix in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Freeze and hour or chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger mounds of dough on sheet. 

Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, blend butter and cream cheese.   Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.  Frost cooled cookies. 

Store in covered container.