As of Monday - Valentine's Day even! I have 100 fans (blow the horns!) who 'like' my Recipes & Recollections fan page at Facebook.
What a charge!!!
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
100 and counting....
Just gotta share a HAPPY DANCE!!!
As of Monday - Valentine's Day even! I have 100 fans (blow the horns!) who 'like' my Recipes & Recollections fan page at Facebook.
What a charge!!!
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
As of Monday - Valentine's Day even! I have 100 fans (blow the horns!) who 'like' my Recipes & Recollections fan page at Facebook.
What a charge!!!
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Black Forest Chocolate Cookies
I added this recipe to my cookbook - Recipes & Recollections from The Better Baker - before I ever made them because I was at a friend's home when her son was taking these cookies out of the oven.
OH MY! They melted in my mouth and had such a great flavor!
So...I decided to make them to give away for Valentine's Day. (Especially since my monthly newspaper column this month talks a little bit about the health benefits of dark chocolate!)
The dough sets in the fridge for atleast 6 hrs...mine was there for days before I baked them. It's nice to have it ready so when you find a spot of free time, you can start your oven and bake away.
BLACK FOREST CHOCOLATE COOKIES
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 ozs dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped (I used special dark choco chips)
10 Tb. butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 lg. eggs
1-1/4 c. white sugar
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tb. pure vanilla extract
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. dried cherries
In medium bowl, place flour, baking powder, and salt; blend; set aside. In large metal bowl, combine dark chocolate and butter. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and mixture is smooth. (I did this step in the microwave on medium power - check and stir often). Set aside to cool.
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugars on high speed (using whisk attachment if you have one). Beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla; beat just until combined. Scrape down bowl and beat again for 10 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined; do not overmix.
Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and dried cherries. The dough will look very loose, but will set up in the refrigerator. Cover; refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonsful onto prepared baking sheets, about 1" apart. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the baking time, until tops are set and begin to show a few cracks. Remove from oven and cool slightly before removing from pans.
Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: 2 - 3 dozen nice-sized cookies.
(I ended up with about 4 dozen?) I also used 1 c. of flour so they wouldn't be so flat, so if you use the required amount of flour, your cookies will be flatter.
(That really only matters if you're a texture kind of person).
Please don't let the length of this recipe intimidate you. They're not difficult at all and very delicious! Especially warm....
I enjoyed a couple of these cookies while typing up this post...MMM! *-*
I wanted to add this picture to today's post too..I bought both the heart-shaped covered pretzels for $1. at my local Dollar General, and also a pack of 12 of these adorable <3-shaped bags for a $1. I filled them with goodies (including heart shaped pretzels!) to give to my family for Valentine's Day.
You don't have to be extravagant in your gift giving....
As author Gary Chapman tells us "People have always said it's the thought that counts...it's not the thought left in your head that counts, it's the gift that comes out of the thought in your head that counts!
Personally - I'd rather get a cheapie gift...filled with thought...than something expensive that has no thought put into it.
Enjoy a wonderful pre-Valentine's Day weekend showered in love & hugs!
OH MY! They melted in my mouth and had such a great flavor!
So...I decided to make them to give away for Valentine's Day. (Especially since my monthly newspaper column this month talks a little bit about the health benefits of dark chocolate!)
(I found these adorable ziploc bags to 'present' the cookies in
at my local $$ store - I think they're so cute!)
The dough sets in the fridge for atleast 6 hrs...mine was there for days before I baked them. It's nice to have it ready so when you find a spot of free time, you can start your oven and bake away.
Oh my - look at that smooooooooooth dark chocolate -
this was before adding it to the dough.
BLACK FOREST CHOCOLATE COOKIES
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 ozs dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped (I used special dark choco chips)
10 Tb. butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 lg. eggs
1-1/4 c. white sugar
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tb. pure vanilla extract
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. dried cherries
In medium bowl, place flour, baking powder, and salt; blend; set aside. In large metal bowl, combine dark chocolate and butter. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and mixture is smooth. (I did this step in the microwave on medium power - check and stir often). Set aside to cool.
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugars on high speed (using whisk attachment if you have one). Beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla; beat just until combined. Scrape down bowl and beat again for 10 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined; do not overmix.
Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and dried cherries. The dough will look very loose, but will set up in the refrigerator. Cover; refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonsful onto prepared baking sheets, about 1" apart. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the baking time, until tops are set and begin to show a few cracks. Remove from oven and cool slightly before removing from pans.
Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: 2 - 3 dozen nice-sized cookies.
(I ended up with about 4 dozen?) I also used 1 c. of flour so they wouldn't be so flat, so if you use the required amount of flour, your cookies will be flatter.
(That really only matters if you're a texture kind of person).
Please don't let the length of this recipe intimidate you. They're not difficult at all and very delicious! Especially warm....
I enjoyed a couple of these cookies while typing up this post...MMM! *-*
I wanted to add this picture to today's post too..I bought both the heart-shaped covered pretzels for $1. at my local Dollar General, and also a pack of 12 of these adorable <3-shaped bags for a $1. I filled them with goodies (including heart shaped pretzels!) to give to my family for Valentine's Day.
You don't have to be extravagant in your gift giving....
As author Gary Chapman tells us "People have always said it's the thought that counts...it's not the thought left in your head that counts, it's the gift that comes out of the thought in your head that counts!
Enjoy a wonderful pre-Valentine's Day weekend showered in love & hugs!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Strawberry Lemonade Cookies with pink lemonade frosting
When I saw this post by Tiffany at Eat at Home I knew I would have to try this simple recipe. She created this recipe herself. Kudos to her! Check out her pictures at the link.
I wanted to do lots of baking to give away for Valentine's Day and these sounded divine.
I wasn't disappointed! I baked them when we were snowed in, several days before I was going to give them away, so I froze them, then thawed and frosted them.
Just lovely and 'sunshine-y' don't you think?
STRAWBERRY LEMONADE COOKIES
1 (18 ozs) strawberry cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tb. water
1/2 c. pink lemonade mix (dry)
Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with mixer until blended. Drop by teaspoons onto baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. (I used my medium Pampered Chef scoop and baked them a tad bit longer for a larger cookie)
Frosting:
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tb. powdered pink lemonade mix
3 Tb. soft butter
1 - 3 Tb. milk
Stir powdered sugar and lemonade mix together in small bowl. Stir in the butter; add milk gradually, until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Spread cooled cookies. Decorate if desired.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Now...check out this simple, yet adorable, Valentine gift idea at Cooking with Libby . Betcha can't make just one!
TOOO cute!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Valentine Pretzel Rod 'Pops'
What great fun I've had preparing these! I think they are just so cute and a simple snack to give someone to let them know you care. Perfect treat for Valentine's Day!
The day after I sent an order to Current for the pretzel molds, I found them in the Wilton aisle at WalMart...at a much reduced price. Go figure! So I bought them there too - it was a different pattern...now I have options.
One set of molds is a stack of flowers - the other has L-O-V-E and X-O-X-O's....too fun!
They also sell bags to fit the long pretzel too, and that just adds more special-ness to the whole thing. Presentation is such an important aspect you know! Mine were purchased separately from the molds.
I probably should have placed more of the pretzel end into the candy as some of my rods went almost to the end of the bag, which made it a little tricky to wrap the twisty tie around them...so be aware of that if you decide to make these.
I used these candy discs, and also melted some vanilla chips for some too. (The packaged pretzel bags are at the top of the picture below)
Get yourself a bag of pretzel rods and you're ready to go...let the fun begin!
The day after I sent an order to Current for the pretzel molds, I found them in the Wilton aisle at WalMart...at a much reduced price. Go figure! So I bought them there too - it was a different pattern...now I have options.
One set of molds is a stack of flowers - the other has L-O-V-E and X-O-X-O's....too fun!
They also sell bags to fit the long pretzel too, and that just adds more special-ness to the whole thing. Presentation is such an important aspect you know! Mine were purchased separately from the molds.
I used these candy discs, and also melted some vanilla chips for some too. (The packaged pretzel bags are at the top of the picture below)
Get yourself a bag of pretzel rods and you're ready to go...let the fun begin!
MMM huh?
(the flower is velvet)
And I think very cute! (I used a toothpick to fill in the L O V E and X O X O with contrasting color - not a very professional job, but I'm pleased with them). They'd be nice for any holiday...always special to give of your time and the work of your hands away!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S WEEK!!
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