Dangerous Cookies

There is a fight in our house: soft cookies or crispy cookies. My hubby likes his chocolate chip cookies crispy. I love them soft and chewy! I stumbled across this recipe and these cookies are delicious. I found them maybe two weeks ago and I’ve made them three times! I’m baking some today for a dinner party tonight. I had a friend over yesterday and she loved them so much, she asked me for the recipe today. There are some secrets that help make these cookies, soft, thick and chewy! Recipe and Photo from Back for Seconds! Check out her site for more delicious recipes.  Here are her tips for making these cookies perfect. Tip #1: Add 2 TBS of canola(or vegetable) oil to the batter. This simple addition kept these cookies soft and fresh for over a week!! Tip #2: to a great chocolate chip cookie is to add 2 TBS of cornstarch to the dough. It makes the cookies fluffy and soft! Tip #3: I added 2 types of chips, which sounds so simple but it really made a big difference in the flavor. Mini semi sweet chips and milk chocolate chips are the perfect combination and they fill every bite with oozy, melty, chocolate goodness! I will have to make sure to buy two different types of chocolate chips-I have not tried this tip because I only used what I had on hand. So if you don’t have two types of chocolate chips-one will do just fine. Tip #4: Let the dough chill for about an hour. This helps ensure that the cookie doesn’t spread too much while baking. I usually don’t chill my dough because that gives me more opportunity to eat and have no cookies to bake! 😉 And finally, tip #5: When scooping the dough onto the cookie sheet, pile the dough high! I just used a regular spoon and heaped large spoonfuls of dough onto the tray, making sure they were tall! This helps create a nice thick cookie! Enjoy!! Tell me, which do you like better, soft or crispy chocolate chip cookies?

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep time 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 25 minutes
Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 1/4 cups flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions

Step 1
In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, oil, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined. Add in the baking soda and cornstarch and half of the flour and mix well. Pour in the remaining flour and mix only until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and cover and chill for one hour.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350
Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets, making sure the piles of dough are nice and tall. *If using a cookie scoop, scoop one ball of dough right on top of another one. This is what makes the cookies thick!
Bake 7-8 minutes for medium sized cookies or 10 minutes for large cookies. Pull them from the oven when the edges are slightly golden and the centers look just barely done. After 2 minutes remove cookies from sheets onto cooling racks.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Read more at http://backforsecondsblog.com/2013/09/how-to-make-soft-thick-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/#z5SZT2BEK2qOM8bE.99

White Texas Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

We had some friends over for dinner this past weekend. We cooked Italian food. When our family cooks Italian food we go all out. We made Focaccia al Formaggio (cheese bread), Limoncello Pasta and White Texas Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting. Since it’s always good and we always want to have dessert first, I thought I’d share the White Texas Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting with you first. I’ll share the rest of the meal with you this week. Good things come to those who wait. 🙂

Just the other day my husband told me he wants me to find a great recipe for cake. And I believe I’ve found it! It was a hit this weekend. I’m sad I didn’t make it at the beginning of the weekend, so I’d have longer to enjoy it before Monday. But sadly Monday is here and I need to ignore it calling my name from the kitchen. The yummy, fluffiness of the white cake mixed with the chocolate fudge frosting. . . hmm delicious. The recipe has almond extract and next time I make it, I think I’d put half the amount required. it was a little too powerful in my opinion. I’d also make a little less of the frosting, it was too rich for me. This cake is easy to make but you defiantly can not be interrupted while making it. Enjoy!! Pictures and recipe courtesy of Tasty Kitchen. See this recipe pose on Tasty Kitchen’s website. 

Ingredients:

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 cup Butter, Cubed
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs, Beaten
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
• ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 1 cup Sugar
• ½ cups Unsweetened Cocoa, Sifted
• ½ cups Milk
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or spray a 9X13 rectangular baking dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and bring to slight boil. Once the milk has been brought to a boil, add the cubed butter. Stir with a rubber spatula until butter has completely melted. Then remove pan from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar and eggs and mix to combine. Then slowly pour in the warm milk liquid while beating the mixture. Make sure you pour it in very slowly so the eggs don’t turn into scrambled eggs. Once the milk has been added, the mixture should be smooth. Then add the sour cream, salt, baking powder, almond extract, and baking soda.

Once the mixture is well blended pour it into the baking dish and smooth the top. Place pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, but start the frosting about 20 minutes in.

For the frosting: In a large saucepan on medium high heat, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder. Then whisk in the milk, butter, and corn syrup. Continue to stir until all ingredients are well blended. Remove pan from heat. Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time stirring after each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is added, add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the frosting on top. Allow the cake to cool and the frosting to completely set before serving.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies and anyone who knows me, knows that is an understatement. So when I saw this recipe for Chocolate Sugar Cookies I was beyond excited. I also couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before. I was sadly disappointed-I didn’t like them. But I was also thankful because I don’t want to add anymore to my waistline. My husband liked them but he thinks next time I should add chocolate chips-they aren’t sweet enough on their own or with frosting. My brother liked them better than regular sugar cookies-I told him he was crazy. My only complaints is this recipe made A TON of dough. And I didn’t realize the recipe calls for after you chill the dough and after you roll out and cut them then you put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. I was a little annoyed – with Sweet Baby I don’t have all day to make cookies like these. So I was sadly disappointed by this recipe but thought I’d share because my brother liked them so much. I hope you enjoy and if you have any other suggestions to the recipe I’d love to hear them. Recipe and Photo is from Brown Eyed Baker. Check her out, she’s got a ton more yummy recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, cold
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt; set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and again beat to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture, and beat until just combined, giving it a final mix by hand with a rubber spatula.

3. Divide the dough in two and shape each half into a round disk about 2 inches high. Wrap both in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes (or up to 1 day).

4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper (it’s non-stick and eliminates the need for extra flour) to a ¼-inch thickness. Transfer the parchment and dough onto a cutting board or baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerate and cut out your shapes and place on the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between them. Gather up any excess dough, re-roll and repeat process until all of the dough has been used.

7. Place the baking sheets with the cut-out cookies into the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.

8. Bake until the cookie edges are set, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Cookies can also be frozen – I wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed in a ziploc bag.

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

My hubby loves pie. He complains I don’t make them nearly enough. I made him pecan pie for Thanksgiving. He loved it! Here is my recipe for Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie from Emeril Lagasse. 

Prep Time: 15 min                Inactive Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 1 hr                     Level: Intermediate                 Serving: 1 Pie

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups pecan
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• caramel sauce, for garnish, recipe follows
• confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread the pecan pieces and the chocolate chips evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Pour the filling over the pecans. Bake until the filling sets, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Cut into individual servings and serve with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. 

 

Carmel Sauce:

• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs to 1/4 cup whole milk.

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Add the cream (be careful; it will bubble up), whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add 2 tbs of the milk, then add up to 2 more tablespoons, until the desired consistency is reached. Let cool until just warm before serving. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.