Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread

.  Well...

It ain't the prettiest thing you've ever seen.

BUT!  It's downright tasty.  Otherwise I wouldn't have put out the effort to even showcase this recipe on LSM, now would I?  But you may be wondering what happened, huh?  Well basically my impatience got to me and when I tried to take the bread out of the pan [pretty much right after it got taken out of the oven...], the loaf split in two.  Dang it.

However, I will admit, I couldn't resist posting this recipe because of all of the zucchini recipes blowing up my Google Reader as of late [oh, and because my co-worker brought me the biggest zucchini I've ever seen].  So I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon.  I've seen a dozen of good lookin' zucchini recipes but I would bet that this Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread has to be one of the better tasting recipes out there. 

Juuuuuuust kidding to every other blog out there that has posted a zucchini recipe...don't hate me.

But I will stand by this recipe through and through.  It's that scrumptious, easy, and simply kept my fingers grabbing for more.  I first had this bread when I was visiting my aunt and I immediately asked for the recipe.   The bread was way too flavorful and uber moist to pass up. The original didn't have any chocolate chips [so feel free to leave those out] but I couldn't resist.  Who doesn't like a little dose of rich chocolate?!

On a side note, Robbie and I are headed to Idaho this weekend for the Wakasugi Family Reunion [wahoooooo, I seriously can't wait!], so this will be my last post for the week.  Too much work and packing to get done before we head off.  So it looks like I'll have two trips to catch you guys up on when I get back!  Remind me  .

My Notes:

• I actually made a couple of batches of this bread because I had so much zucchini to use but also because I botched the first round [I forgot to put in the canola oil].  However, the bread still turned out really good!  So for a healthier version, you could leave out the canola oil.  But I suggest going with the full fat version ☺
• Like most quick breads, this recipe is the best after a day or so because it gives all of the flavors time to really meld.  Or you can dig in right away.  Your choice.
• The original recipe called for three 5-3/4x3-inch mini loaves, so if you choose to do this just bake the breads for approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)

1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 tsp. banana extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. shredded zucchini

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In a small bowl, beat the egg, bananas, canola oil, banana extract, and vanilla extract.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into 9x5-inch loaf pan.  Bake approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool almost completely before removing from pan to wire rack.  

Yield: 1 loaf

Tried & True Tuesday: Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

.  Hey guys!

I know, we're still doing Tried & True Tuesdays?  And my response?  Heck yes we are, I think I just forgot about them briefly.  But they're back in action.

15,000+ runners and one hot, fun day!

However, before I get into our recipe for the day, I have a little update from this past weekend.  And what a colorful update it is.

Has anyone heard of The Color Run?  Well if you haven't, click that link I've provided just for you.  Basically The Color Run involves a little running [no shock there] and way too much fun!  During the 5k jog, all of the white-wearing participants run through designated 'coloring' zones where volunteers throw colored powder all over the racers.  Hence, The Color Run.  I no doubt had the most absolute best time at this race and it's easily the most unique one I've ever done.  I know The Color Run is happening all through out the country, so regardless if you're a runner or not, SIGN UP!  It's not about how fast you go [a lot of people just walked it], but about how colorful you can get.  So.  Very.  Worth.  It.

Before and After!

Robbie's sister, Kelli, and brother-in-law, Brett, [from The Lauritsen Life], traveled to Omaha for a wedding and to also take part in The Color Run.  Hollyann and I planned on doing the race together but also made the trek to the racing grounds with Kelli and Brett, who met up with a group of their friends.  Seriously, even though it was scorching hot, I know we all had an amazing time.  Sign me up for next year!

Unfortunately I have no story to tie The Color Run to these Blueberry Cheesecake Bars I have for you today.  All I can say is that these are one of my most favorite, easiest bars I've made.  Yes, they call for a boxed cookie mix [gasp!] but it definitely comes in handy when you're in a bind.  Especially during a busy week.  And what's even more great is that you can swap in any type of fruit you have on in hand into these bars.  You can thank me [and Betty Crocker] after you take your first bite of these chewy cookie, fruity filling, and indulgent cheesecake topping bars.

Enjoy ☺  .

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

Cookie Base:

1 pouch (1 lb. 15oz.) Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

Cheesecake Topping:

3 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

3 eggs

Fruit Filling:

1 jar (12 oz.) blueberry preserves

1-1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, beat cookie mix, butter, and egg with electric mixer on low speed until soft dough forms.  Press dough into bottom of pan.
2. Bake 15 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Add heavy whipping cream and eggs; beat on low speed until well blended.
3. Spread blueberry preserves over cooled crust.  Sprinkle with blueberries.  Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over blueberries, spreading gently to cover.
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set.  Let bars cool for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Serving: 2 dozen bars

The One and Only: Scotcharoos

.  Oh hey.  Yes, I'm alive.  Barely.

Telling from the lack of posts the last couple of weeks, you can most likely guess that the CWS and Tasty Bites kept both Robbie and I fairly busy.  Fairly may be an understatement though.

But regardless, the crazy crowds, too many cheese curds, and ample family time are things that I wouldn't have traded for anything.  It was a crazy time but I think we all had too much fun.  And you can bet I'd do it all over again!  Pictures to come...

Unfortunately I had to miss the last couple of Foamer softball games [the cheese curd trailer was a-callin'!] and I'm also missing tonight's game because Robbie and I are heading to the Olympic Swim Trials here in Omaha.  I wish I could say I was a bit sad I'm missing out on softball, but Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte won't wait around.  Sorry, Foamers!

But I did want to leave you with the treat I made for the last softball game I went to and let me tell you.  I'm proud.   A little addition to this classic, nostalgic goodie is what takes it over the edge.  And fortunate for you, I'm sharing ☺

I actually got this recipe from my softball BFF's mom, who used to make these Scotcharoo Bars every once in a while for weekend games.  And until I got the recipe, I never could quite put my finger on what made these things so dang addicting.

You may have heard these bars called many things: Special K Bars, Rice Krispy Treats, etc.  But in the end, they're all one in the same.  Except for this recipe.  And being involed in sports my entire life, you can bet I've had my fair share of different versions of Rice Krispy Treats.  And this one is easily, most definitely, my absolute favorite.  And in the spirit of getting you to make these simple bars, I won't fill you in on the secret ingredient.  Looks like you'll have to make them for yourself, my dears!  .

Ingredients:

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 c. rice crispy cereal

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

2 c. butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Spray 13x9-inch pan with non stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat together light corn syrup and sugar until boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in rice crispy cereal and then gently pat into prepared pan (the harder you press, the thinner your bars will be).  
4. In a microwave safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butterscotch chips and stir until smooth.  Evenly spread mixture over the top of the rice crispy bars.  Let cool until topping is set.  

Yield: 2 dozen bars

Dark Chocolate Lava Cookies

.  Sad day.  Sad, sad day.

Okay, not that sad.  But I bet you can guess what I'm referring to since it's Thursday.  

Sad to say, but The Foamers experienced our first loss last week.  I know, I know.  We're still trying to work through it.  But all good things must come to an end, right?

But I'm fairly certain drinks at the bar after the game cured all woes.  So don't feel sorry for our team.  We rebound rather quickly ☺

Oh, and these gooey, fudgy, outrageously chocolatey cookies helped a bit, too.

So what is there to say about these cookies except that they may be one of the most unique cookies I've made to date.  Truly.  First, they're flourless.  And butterless.  HUH?!  I know.  How in the world could they be even remotely good?  Well they done one better than that.  They were PHENOMENAL!

In some magical fashion, these cookies were gooey goodness 24/7.  See these pictures here?  These are after a night of sitting AND absolutely no microwave action.  Yet look at all of that melted deliciousness?!  I still have yet to figure out how they stay this way but you won't hear any complainig from me.  The cookies actually remind me of an episode of the Food Networks's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, when Rocco Dispirito featured a double chocolate cookie from a New York bakery.  To his wonder [and the bakers amusement], Rocco could never figure out their secret.  So...I won't even try.

But regardless, it shouldn't take much convincing for you to try these out.  Short ingredient list.  Simple to make.  Easy to stuff your face with.  Good combo, I would say!

Wish The Foamers good luck tonight!  I think we might start needing it  .

My Notes:

• Before I started baking, I read a lot of the comments on the post I got this recipe from to see what kinds of things people had to say about these.  And am I glad I did!  There was a TON of great tips on correct ways to make meringue, which is essentially what you're making with the egg whites and powdered sugar.  But the one tip I highly recommend is making sure your egg whites are at room temperature, otherwise you won't be able to stiffen them up.  Also, make sure to NOT use a plastic bowl, always use a metal or glass bowl when making meringue.
• I do recommend clicking on over to Divine Baking to take a look at her picture tutorial of how to make these cookies.  I found them very helpful when determining what consistency I needed, etc. 

Adapted from Divine Baking

Ingredients:

1-1/2 c. dark chocolate chips, divided

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

2-1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.  Melt 1 cup of dark chocolate chips in microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals, until melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Using electric mixer, beat eggs whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1-1/4 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.  On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue.  Add in melted chocolate and remainig 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (dough will become extremely stiff).
4. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.  Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball.  Roll in powdered sugar, coating thickly.  Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 10 minutes or until  puffed and tops are cracked.  Let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Yield: 18 cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

That's a straight up 1:1 ratio of cupcake to frosting.  Just how I like it.

.  Hi, hi!

How's everything going out there?!  Things have been quite calm around our neck of the woods, not too much going on aside from work and...work.  Robbie and I have both managed to fit in a little golf here and there though [actually, mine was completely work related], I've continued with pilates classes [oh yeah, completely in love with those!], and the puppies most recently got their summer haircuts [more like butt cuts, I'm not very happy them].  But all in all, nothing too crazy to report.

The one thing I can't wait to tell you about though are these cupcakes.  These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.  YUM.  Do any of you remember the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake I made quite a while back?  Or better yet, did any of you actually make the cake?!  Well if you did or didn't, all I will say is that it is one crazy good cake and these cupcakes follow right in that path.  The cake and cupcake are extremely similar: a rather dense cake with the wonderful flavors of that nostalgic oatmeal.  Oh, and little chunks of sweet, rich chocolate studded throughout.  But wait, one more thing.  These luscious cupcakes are topped with a thick, crunchy cinnamon, brown sugar, and chocolate chip frosting.  Holy lordy.  Here's a napkin for your drool.

Aside from the flavors of this decadent cupcake, how stinkin' cute are they?!  Too cute, I know.  I don't say this too often but I was rather proud of their presentation, don't they look like little cookies topped with ice cream!?  Well if they didn't, they probably do now.  But regardless. Cute, right?  Glad we agree.    .

My Notes:

• I doubled the ingredients from the original recipe since it only made a dozen cupcakes and I needed these for work.  But just halve the ingredients below if you're looking for a smaller batch.
• The cupcakes don't rise incredibly much, so be sure to fill the liners 3/4 full.
• For the frosting, I added in about 2 teaspoons of milk.  But the amount depends on the consistency of your frosting and what you're actually looking for.

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

2 large eggs

1-1/2 c. loosely packed brown sugar

4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. old fashioned oats

2-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsp. milk

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (tossed in flour)

Cinnamon Sugar Chocolate Chip Frosting:

2 c. unsalted butter, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. loosely packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. milk (if needed)

2/3 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with liners; set aside.
2. For cupcakes, whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl until combined and no lumps remain.  Add in vanilla extract and butter, whisking until smooth.  Add in flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and stir until combined.  Add in milk and stir until smooth.  Gently fold in chocolate chips.  Fill liners about 3/4 full and bake 15 to 17 minutes or until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched.  Let cool completely before frosting.
3. For frosting, beat butter in large bowl until completely smooth and creamy.  With mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly.  Gradually increase mixer speed and add brown sugar and vanilla extract, beating for 2 to 3 minutes.  If frosting is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.  Fold in mini chocolate chips.  Frost cupcakes as desired.

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

.  Wow, things have been mighty slow around LSM.  Sorry.  For some reason I haven't felt much like blogging lately.  I think I tired myself out a bit prior to Easter, so maybe a break was just what I needed.  And you know, with this nice weather we've been having, I haven't really wanted to sit indoors typing away on the computer.  You know whatta I mean?

I've debated with myself how much I should actually be blogging.  Sometimes there are recipes I've tried that I can't wait to share with you all, so I crank out the posts.  But other times, I feel like I'm putting out posts only because I feel like I need to and not because I want to.  But I am constantly reminding myself that blogging is strictly a hobby and not my job.  I don't get any money from blogging, I do it because I love writing, I love browsing through the incredible recipes from fellow bloggers, and because I thoroughly enjoy sharing recipes with all of you.  Simple yet true.

So to the point, I shouldn't feel guilty for not posting every single day, right?  Right.  Great, that's settled.

Aside from the pity party I just had, I do have a classic recipe to share today.  And the only way I can really describe the cookie nostalgia is to take you back to those elementary school days.  You know, the times when everyone looked forward to recess or competed for the flashiest lunch box or who had the best snacks.  You remember those days.  Well, one thing that always stuck in my mind from my childhood days was the cookies.  Ooo, those cafeteria cookies.  The chewy, soft, cookies that, for one reason or another, I could only find in the cafeteria.  I don't know what they did to them, but they were downright addicting.  A bit similar to Chewy Keebler cookies but bigger and better.  Does everyone know what I'm talking about?  I hope so.  Because these are it. 

So if you're looking for a wonderfully classic peanut butter and chocolate combo, you should look no further.  These cookies will take you right back to the good ol' days when all we had to worry about was our spelling test the next day.  Well...at least I worried.  But regardless, these will getcha  .

From The Idea Room

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 to 1 tbsp. milk

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.  Beat until combined.  Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.  Beat in flour.  Add milk, just enough to make dough moist and creamy.  Stir in chocolate chips just until incorporated.  If necessary, cover and chill dough for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Heat oven to 375F and spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Drop cookies by scant teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet.  Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.  Transfer to wire rack to let cool. 

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

TWD Baking with Julia: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

.  TWD?  Baking with Julia?  Did you miss something here?

No, no, nothing has slipped by you.  I've actually been waiting for over one year to make this announcement.  Over one year for this very post.

You all know that I'm part of a couple monthly challenges, both SRC and ICC [the Secret Recipe Club and the Improve Cooking Challenge, for you newbies].  But since the day I started blogging, one group was always out of my grasp.  Yes, the infamous Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) club.  For those of you who don't know of Dorie Greenspan, well, she's basically THE baker woman and a well known cookbook author.  So much so that there is an entire blog and following dedicated to honoring her work [obv the group I speak of now!].  You can read the entire TWD history for the full story, but the group is based around recreating recipes from Dorie's books or from books written by her and other authors.  The first book adventure, Baking: From My Home to Yours [by Dorie], began in 2008 and officially wrapped up in December 2011.  That's FOUR YEARS people!  Fortunately I started blogging when the group only had one year left [ha!], but here I am now.  An official TWD member!

So beginning in February 2012, the TWD club commenced, this time making recipes from Baking with Julia, written by Dorie and Julia Child.  There's basically only one major rule to the group: every month, two recipes are chosen from the book and members are encouraged to post about both of them, however, only one monthly post is required.  The actual recipes are posted on the blogs of the hosts for the month, where you can also find the links to other members' posts.  That's it!  Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted into the group until about a week or so before the first post, so I opted to skip that one [it was White Bread, in case you're curious!].

Consequently, I was left with Chocolate Truffle Tartlets.  Left?  Ha, that makes it sound like it was a chore.  Hmm?  No.  When you get something this dang good, it's anything but an obligation.  Dorie and Julia completely outdid themselves with this one.  And I can guarantee I will be saying that, oh, every TWD post ☺

So to be frank, these tartlets are pretty fancy pants.  They look fancy, taste fancy, and the name 'tartlets' just screams  fancy!

I will forewarn, these take a couple of steps, but I was quite caught off guard by how easy they were to make.  And the product?  Rich decadence.  Pure bliss.  I swear.

Let's start from the outside: a chocolate crust.  Uh, yum?  Yes sirree.  The crust itself is flakey and well, chocolatey.  Not an outrageous chocolate flavor though.  No, there's enough chocolatey-ness in the filling to complement this subtly sweet and buttery crust.  But I know you are all curious as to what make these tartlets so special.  And yes, you guessed it.  It's that filling!  Not only do you get to sink your chompers into a chocolate truffle middle, a seriously soft and creamy filling, but you'll also get to indulge in chunks of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and bits of biscotti.  Okay, kind of random combination if you ask me, but BOY [or girl], does it work!  How could all of that together not be good, anyway?  Answer?  It can't.

To be honest, I was a tad intimidated to attempt this recipe.  I'd never made tartlets before, so I had no clue what to expect.  But the directions were spot on and I can't really think of any hitches I experienced?  The only thing I can recall is that the crust can have a tendency to be crumbly, so just be patient with it.  Otherwise, you should be golden!

For my first TWD post, I think things went rather well!  I even sent 'sneak peak' pictures to my mom because I was so excited [and shocked!] that the tartlets turned out.  So head on over to Spike, Jaime, or Jessica's blog to find the recipe for Chocolate Truffle Tartlets and experience these heavenly rounds for yourself!  .

Double Fudge Biscotti

.  Well all I know is that I would love to wake up to THAT on Valentine's Day.  Robbie, you better get bakin.'

Just kidding guys, I would never make Robbie do something for me, but if he wanted to out of the goodness of his heart and because I'm so special to him...well then, I guess I would't argue.  No pressure.

But I'm guessing many of you are like Robbie and I, and realizing the clock is quickly winding down to the big V-day [it almost sounds more of like a sentence than a holidy, huh?].  And what's that?  You haven't thought of a gift yet?!  Shame, shame on you.  Juuust kidding, again.  Robbie and I are the worst when it comes to Valentine's Day, it's definitely a holiday we both kind of blow off.  We treat each other like it's Valentine's Day everyday, right sweetie?  Gag.

Anywho, for those of you in a bit of bind, I would highly recommend you whip up a batch of these utterly beautiful treats for those special people in your life.  Not only are they crunchy chocolatey sticks of goodness, filled with hunks of semisweet and white chocolate, but they truly make a gorgeous gift.  I actually made these a couple of weeks ago for a friend of mine at work, wrapped them in some cellophane with a pretty white ribbon and voila!  I looked like good ol' Martha Stewart, if I do say so myself.

I can see myself now, sipping on my coffee come Valentine's Day morning, Double Fudge Biscotti in hand.  Pure bliss.  Oh, and for those of you who aren't coffee drinkers [we may need to have a chat...], these are wonderful by themselves.  They're very rich, so even though they're classified as a breakfast item, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to call these dessert.  Yeah, you'll see what I mean once you make them.  So go make them!  .

Adapted from A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:
Biscotti:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1-3/4 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 c. white chocolate chips

Drizzle:
4 oz. each semisweet and white chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line two small or one large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla extract and blend well.  Fold in cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour to make a thick batter.  Fold in semisweet and white chocolate chips.  Let dough stand for 15 minutes to thicken and firm up.
3. Spread dough into two logs on prepared baking sheet(s).  Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until set and logs are firm to the touch.  Remove biscotti from oven and let cool 15 to 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.  Using a long serrated knife, slice logs on a diagonal into 1/2-inch thick pieces.  Return biscotti to baking sheet, standing upright, and bake 30 to 40 minutes to dry and crisp biscotti.  Let cool completely on baking sheets.
4. To finish, melt semisweet and white chocolate and drizzle over each piece of biscotti.  Let harden before serving.

Yield: 3 dozen biscotti

Tried & True Tuesday: Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

.  Geesh.  These Tuesdays are coming around mighty fast these days.  And I'm quickly winding down the number of old pictures I have for recipes I've tried in the past.  Hmm...what to do, what to do.

But for time being, I still have a few good ol' recipes up my sleeve.  Treats that have been patiently waiting for their reveal to blogland.  And these Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a perfect example.  A chance in the limelight is just what they deserve.

To me, the name alone of this goodie screams winter, hot chocolate, and fire-snuggling.  Ha, that's a pretty picture, huh?  And these cookies would be a fitting complement, rounding out this scene to a 'T.'

So what is so special about these cookies?  I mean they're just chocolate chip cookies, right?  Just chocolate chip cookies?  Shame on you.  These are anything but a plain old chocolate chip cookie, or POCCC as my dad would like to call them.  These cookies are well...spiced.  Spiced with flavorful cinnamon and dark brown sugar, giving these lovelies a deep, rich, beautiful color.  And jam packed with hearty oatmeal and decadent chunks of chocolate chips.  Gah, pure cookie heaven.  I remember making these while I was in college when Robbie and I had some friends over to watch a football game and they got rave reviews.  Rave, I tell ya  .

My Notes:

• You can use what ever type of chocolate you'd like, though I would probably stick to regular chocolate rather than white.  Just my opinion though.  And you an also experiment with some add ins, such as cherries or cranberries.  Mmm, those would be good.

Adapted from chocolate bar

Ingredients:

1-3/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 c. dark brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2-3/4 c. old fashioned rolled oats

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:

1. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together; set aside.  In a medium-sized bowl, cream butter, dark brown sugar and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until very fluffy.
2. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly until batter is smooth.  Add old fashioned rolled oats and chocolate chips, mixing until just blended.  Chill dough for 1 to 6 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350°F.  Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 13 to 15 minutes.  Let cool on pan before transferring to wire rack.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut-Crunch Donuts

.  So these are a first.  A first baked donut, that is.  And they most definitely will not be the last.

I mean c'mon, read that name.  Look at these pictures.  How could they not be good?  Actually, how could they not be fabulously addicting?  I'm still punching myself for not trying baked donuts sooner.

So where to begin?  First, these are insanely easy.  Yes, there are a couple of assembly steps but I promise that not one of them is difficult.  And by the end of the process, all of the elements come together seamlessly.  In perfect baked spiced donut-chocolate frosting-candied hazelnuts harmony.  Drooling yet?

I actually came across this recipe over at the little epicurean.  Her pictures are absolutely gorgeous, so it didn't take much convincing to bookmark this recipe and get to bakin.'  And what came out of this 'maiden voyage' was pure deliciousness.

I must forewarn you that these donuts are not the yeast donuts many of you are used to.  Rather, these are much more dense and cake-like, though scrumptious nonetheless.  The donuts themselves are wonderfully spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, fabulous complements to the cold winter weather.  And the glaze?  Not your traditional frosting but I was quite surprised at how well the chocolate glaze melded with the donuts and oh yes, the candied hazelnuts.  You probably don't need much explanation there.  But I will say that the chocolate glaze and hazelnut combination is extremely reminiscent of the ever-so-popular Nutella.  As if you need more convincing to try these out.

The only complaint I have about this recipe is that it only makes six donuts.  Six?  Hmm, definitely not enough for our house.  The two of us alone did some damage on these babies.  So next time I will most likely be making two batches.  My waistline may have objections though  .

My Notes:

• You can find dried buttermilk powder at most grocery stores, albeit it is a rather old looking container so it may not be easy to spot.  I found a picture of a brand of dried buttermilk powder online, so that was really helpful to me when looking for it [check out the link I included for picture from a blog I found]. 
• Apparently pastry flour is not easy to find, so I had to get my Google on and figure out how to recreate it.  I used directions from JoyofBaking.com that yielded 2 cups of pastry flour  [1-1/3 cups all purpose flour + 1/3 c. cake flour] and then took out the 1/4 cup the recipe calls for (I know, a waste of ingredients, I'm sorry).
• And apparently, again, hazelnuts are not very easy to find either!  So, I kid you not, I sifted through a giant container of mixed nuts to find the hazelnuts I needed.  Now, I don't exactly recommend doing this because it's expensive and annoying.  So if you aren't able to find hazelnuts, I have an out for you.  Target sells the most fabulous Butter Crunch Cashews that are basically the exact same thing you'd be making here.  We had some of these at our house so I chopped up a few and used them to top some of the donuts as well.  They're ridiculously fabulous and pre-made!
• If you use raw hazelnuts with skins on, toast them lightly in a 325F oven for about 7 to 10 minutes.  Rub the toasted hazelnuts between a kitchen towel to remove the skins.  Once cooled, roughly chop them up.

From the little epicurean

Ingredients:

Donuts:

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. pastry flour

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbsp. light brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. dried buttermilk powder

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 tbsp. water

Candied Hazelnuts:

1 large egg white

1 c. hazelnuts, blanched, lightly toasted, and roughly chopped

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Chocolate Glaze:

3/ 4 c. semiseet chocolate chips

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. light corn syrup

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease donut pan.
2. Whisk together all purpose flour, pastry flour, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and dried  buttermilk powder.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil and water.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until batter is smooth and and there are no traces of dry ingredients.
4. Transfer batter to a large piping bag fitted with a large tip or plastic bag with one corner snipped.  Pipe batter into donut pan, filling each cavity about half full.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.  Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
6. For hazelnuts, heat oven to 325F.  Hand whisk egg white until foamy.  Add in chopped hazelnuts and stir to coat evenly.  Sprinkle sugar, salt and cinnamon over nuts.  Spread nuts evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden (if chunks have formed, break into smaller pieces).  Set aside.
7. For glaze, melt chocolate, butter and light corn syrup in bowl in microwave until smooth.  Let the chocolate cool slightly and then dip tops of donuts into mixture.  Sprinkle with candied hazelnuts.

Yield: 6 donuts

Tried & True Tuesday: Banana Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

.  All right.  Busy week at work, so all-time shortest post right here.  Let's go.

I told you I was going banana crazy since, for me, I'm kind of in baking limbo [i.e., between seasons].  But I'm really excited to share this recipe with you because 1) these cookies are beyond fantastic and 2) this is one of the very first cookies I ever made when the baking craze hit me.  And to prove it, I have no picture.  At the time, taking a picture of the cookies [I was about to devour] never crossed my mind, so I'm having to rely on Pillsbury's [beautiful] picture of these Banana Cookies.  Maybe I should do this more often since my own photography seems to be lacking.  Hmm...nah ☺

Anywho, back to these small pieces of banana heaven.  The cookies themselves are super soft and tender, almost fall apart cookies.  And though they could end right there, they don't.  These 'naner cookies are topped with a healthy spread of peanut butter frosting and sprinkled with a few chocolate chips [for good measure and because the peanut butter-banana-chocolate combo is a no brainer].  Mm.  Mm.  Mm.  I vividly remember making these cookies, and wondering how such an easy-to-make recipe could produce such a memorable cookie.  And memorable they are, as I sit here 2+ years later blogging about them  .

Picture and Recipe from Pillsbury

Ingredients:

Banana Cookies:

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. (about 2 medium) mashed bananas

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2-3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter

1 c. powdered sugar

1 to 2 tbsp. milk

Semisweet Chocolate Chips (for sprinkling)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Beat brown sugar, sugar and butter in large bowl until creamy; add bananas, egg and vanilla extract.  Beat until well mixed.  Set aside.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.  Add to banana mixture and mix until soft dough forms.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.  Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on wire racks.
4. For frosting, beat peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar until well mixed.  Add milk until frosting is desired spreading consistency.  Spread about 1 tablespoon onto tops of cookies.  Decorate with chocolate chips.

Yield: 30 cookies

Secret Recipe Club: {Cherry Walnut} Fudge

.  Hey, hey, hey!  Let the count down begin {if it hasn't already}.  Less than one week from Christmas!  And what better time for an SRC post than...NOW!

This December I was given the honored assignment of That Skinny Chick Can Bake by Liz Berg.  First off, what a great blog name, huh?  Absolutely love it.  And to boot, Liz's blog is ah-mazing.  Beautifully designed and filled with outrageous recipes, both savory and sweet.  Since Liz is an avid baker, there was an endless number of possibilities for me to choose from, which is good but also made my decision that much harder.  Thanks, Liz {wink, wink}.  

Some of Liz's sweets that made my 'possibly make' list included Baked Cake Donuts with Chocolate Glaze, Chocolate Truffles and Chocolate Covered Caramels, Cinnamon Roll Danish, and Triple Layer Cocoa Cake {please note my chocolate theme, I was looking for something Christmas-sy, give me a break}.  But don't forget about those savory dishes I mentioned, there's an equal number of them on her blog and all are mouthwatering.  If I cooked, I would have hit some of those up.

But what I finally decided on making was based on a number of things.  I wanted something Christmas-sy, as I mentioned.  But I also wanted to try something out that I could use this coming Friday because my family is coming into town and we're also having some old softball friends over for a little get together.  Party time!  Just kidding, but I wouldn't doubt it getting a little rowdy over here on 56th Street.

So these few things landed me on Liz's Fudge Redux.  Honestly, I don't know what 'redux' means or how you even correctly pronounce it.  And I haven't taken the time to Google it either {yes, I'm that lazy}.  Sorry.  All I do know is that though my fudge expertise is quite limited, this is the best homemade fudge I have ever had.  I will even go out on a limb and say it compares to bakery fudge.  It's that delish.  And Robbie completely agreed after taking two {extra} huge chunks of this stuff.  

The funny thing about this recipe though is how stinkin' easy it was.  Yes, you have to be a little careful in the beginning using the candy thermometer and making sure you reach the right temp, but guys, I'm not good with a candy thermometer AND I don't think I have a great one at that.  But everything still turned out fantastic.  Beyond my expectations.  

The fuge is dense, uber rich, and oh-so-flavorful.  The only thing I changed about the recipe was adding in toasted walnuts and dried cherries.  I wanted a couple of add-ins and this combination just sounded so Christmas-sy to me {Christmas theme?  Check}.  The wonderful nuttiness and crunch from the walnuts complements the tart dried cherries and creamy fudge so perfectly.  I was a little worried that my fudge would turn out crumbly, as can happen a lot to homemade fudge, but Liz has that covered.  In her original post, she explains that the addition of the marshmallow creme prohibits the sugar from recrystallizing {absolutely no clue what that means} but after this recipe, I will blindly follow anything Liz says.

Oh how I love SRC.  Yes, yes, I do.  And thanks so much, Liz, for another fabulous addition to my SRC posts.  I absolutely fell in love with this recipe and many of your others, glad to be your newest follower!  .

My Notes:

• Like most recipes when chocolate is the star, I suggest using the best quality you can find/afford.  For this fudge, I used Ghirardelli Semisweet Chocolate Chips, which is one of my go-to's.
• After I placed the fudge in the pan to set, I did notice a little collection of some juices.  I'm still not positive why this happened, but my only guess is that the juices from the cherries were brought out.  But it didn't effect anything, nothing a little paper towel can't soak up!

Adapted from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Ingredients:

3 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter

2/3 c. evaporated milk

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. chopped dried cherries

1/2 c. toasted chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350°F.  To toast walnuts, place walnuts evenly on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes or until fragrant.  Set aside.  Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang (this will allow you to easily pick the fudge block out of the pan).  Set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan.  Bring to boil (cover with a lid for about 1 minute to make sure sugar is dissolved).

3.  Remove lid.  Insert candy thermometer into liquid.  Continue boiling for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently until thermometer reaches 234°F.  

4.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

5.  Stir in marshmallow creme and vanilla extract until there are no white streaks.

6.  Fold in cherries and walnuts until evenly distributed.

7.  Pour fudge mixture into prepared pan to let set completely.  Use the parchment paper to lift the fudge out of the pan and cut into squares.

Yield: 24 servings