Chocolate Cookies with Mint Frosting

Another Sunday, another baking adventure! This time, I made cookies just with the things I had on hand. These were really easy, and since I didn't have mint kisses like it says in The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch, I looked up a different recipe for mint frosting. They are sweet and tasty and soft! Winners all around.

Chocolate Cookies
1.25 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter (margarine is fine too)
6oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 egg

Combine flour and baking soda. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and water and heat on low until the butter melts. Add the chocolate, and stir until it is melted. Pour into a mixing bowl and let stand until cool. Beat egg into the chocolate mixture and slowly add flour mixture until well combined. Cover and chill for at least an hour or until you're ready and it's easy to handle. (Note: If you chill if overnight you will need to let the dough sit for about half an hour before molding into balls.) Shape into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 8 minutes (6 minutes in my oven). Allow to cool before frosting.

Mint Frosting
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
dash salt
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk or cream (whatever you have)
green food coloring

Cream butter, peppermint and salt together. Slowly add the first cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk and beat well. Add second cup of sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add a few drops of green food coloring and frost the cooled cookies with an icing bag or a knife.

Edited to update: Oh. Oh. I cannot stop eating these cookies. They are so delish and so little and the frosting is damn tasty. I gave some to our landlord for Christmas when I dropped off the rent today. He gave me a calendar. Haha. But really. These are so effing tasty.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake with Raspberry Filling

Another update, finally! Mike finally got a day off work, and I was in a baking mood, so I let him choose. And he picked this cake, from chaos in the kitchen. I had a hard time with the recipe-- chaos in the kitchen had batter recipe for three layers, but filling for one layer, but frosting for three... so whatever you want to do is up to you. I only made two layers (after all, I only had two cake pans!). But it turned out really tasty (even if the frosting was a little messy. I am not good at frosting cakes). Actually it was shockingly good. It was really chocolatey, but not too sweet, and the raspberry added a sweet little treat in the middle! Mike ate almost the whole thing in a week, and Kaitlin tried it and reaffirmed her claim that I will be doing the baking for her wedding (whenever that is!). So here it is... dum da dum!!!

Chocolate Cake
3oz semi-sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
1.5 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2.5 cups flour
1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1.25 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil (I used olive)
1.5 cups buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Grease three cake pans and line the bottoms with rounds of wax paper and parchment paper, then re-grease. Chop up the chocolate, put in a bowl, and pour the hot coffee over. Let the mixture stand, stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. In another bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In YET ANOTHER bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer. Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate/coffee mixture. Beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium until just combined. Divide the batter between the pans. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Stick the pans in the middle of the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean-- about 40 minutes with my oven. Cool the layers completely on racks.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons chopped butter

Chop the chocolate. In a pot or saucepan, bring cream, sugar and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add the butter, and whisk until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable. If it gets hard you can heat it up again a little bit 'til you can spread it.

Raspberry Filling
1 10oz bag frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Thaw raspberries and puree in a blender. Strain to remove the seeds (I didn't and it was fine). Heat the puree, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil, stirring constantly, until thick. Cool completely before spreading it over the cake.

This cake took ALL DAY. Not kidding. All the cooling and baking and setting took me all day! It was crazy, but so worth it.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

These were so easy and good, and you can cut them with cookie cutters and decorate them with icing :-D I got the recipe over at Too Much Food.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (I used margarine)
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup dark unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger (I also didn't have any fresh ginger, so I just used 1/2 a teaspoon of ground ginger.)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses, and (the first 1/2 teaspoon of ground) grated ginger; mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Halve dough; flatten into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Transfer disks, one at a time, to a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to make shapes; place 1 inch apart on sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Bake for approximately 6-8 minutes (that's with my crazy oven, so adjust your times accordingly). Wait ti they're cool and then decorate them with a little tube of icing.

ALSO: Beware the Cake-mate tube icing they sell in Wal-mart! IT DOESN'T COME WITH A TIP! Luckily Kaitlin had some Pampered Chef icing tips which I taped to the tube. If you don't have those you're screwed with the decorating. Get something with a tip.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Yes that's right. I know this looks like awesome. And it is. It's a great recession-proof meal, honestly, and it takes almost no measuring. This is a simple and filling dish and it is one of Mike's favorites, so I made it for him one night. So here is what I did:

Shepherd's Pie

1 pound ground beef
1 bag corn (I used a bag o' Steamfresh sweet corn)
Mashed potato (I used Potato Buds)
Garlic powder
Parsley
Salt & Pepper

Brown the meat in a pan. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Dump it in the bottom of a glass dish like the one shown. Make the corn. Dump that in on top. Season it slightly. Make the potatoes, add some garlic powder. Spread them on top and shake some parsley on the top (or use fresh, like I did). Voila. Shepherd's pie. Dig in.

Seriously, it's good, and it really sticks to your ribs. Gaze upon the layers of nutritious foodage.

Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Strawberries

Okay, so I was planning to have this Body Shop party, and when I found this recipe at Tami's Kitchen Table Talk, it was like fate. I was definitely going to make them and have them at the party.

But then everyone got busy and as it turns out, I had to cancel the party. So I had all these strawberries and cheesecake filling lying around, and I decided "to hell with it, I'll just make them anyway." And so I did.

Did you know that cheesecake filling only comes in tubs of individual "serving sizes" and enormous tubs?! That's right, so I have half a tub o' cheesecake filling just sitting around. Blarg.

Anyway, the berries were a success. They look absolutely adorable. Kaitlin proclaimed that I should make them for her wedding and Mike just shoved them into his face, which is his way of saying he likes it. Ahahaha. And the great thing about it is, it's SUPER easy. I didn't even bother that much with measurements-- I just grabbed two cartons of strawberries, two bars of chocolate and the ginormous tub o' cheesecake. So here's the recipe (and my own pictures this time!)

Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Strawberries:

Strawberries
Baking chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
Philadelphia cheesecake filling

Wash the strawberries, then cut their tops off. Carefully cut out the centers and set aside. Take a plastic baggie and reinforce the corners with masking tape. Cut off the corner and hold it shut while you fill the baggie with some cheesecake filling. Fill each strawberry, using the baggie like a pastry bag. Set on a baking sheet covered in wax paper and set in the fridge for a while to set. Then melt the chocolate in a double boiler and dip each strawberry in about 3/4 of the way, and set on the wax paper. Drizzle the rest of the chocolate over the strawberries, then put them in the fridge again.

And voila. They look super fancy and everything.

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

So, I'm FINALLY updating again. I'm sorry it's been so long, but I have just been swamped with school and things. I promise to update more frequently.

This recipe that I made recently was just fantastic. It got rave reviews from everyone I shared it with, and Amanda even asked for the recipe. I got this from sophistimom.

Pumpkin Cookies:

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup orange juice
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
(I didn't have the nutmeg on hand, so I made them without it and they still tasted great.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees Celsius). Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with orange juice. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in egg, vanilla, and ginger. Mix in pumpkin. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture. Drain raisins and add to the batter, mixing just enough to incorporate. Drop by two tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, allowing a one-inch space between each cookie. Bake until set and only slightly golden brown around the edges, about 15-18 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely--it doesn't take very long-- and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon heavy cream
(The original recipe says milk can be used in place of the cream. I used milk and, while the frosting tasted the same, it was kind of runny, so I'd recommend the cream.)

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and cream. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.

And that's it. It's super easy, takes almost no time at all and they're really tasty. I love fall baking :-D

Watermelon Sorbet

So I'm finally updating again, after a week or so of sitting on my duff.

Yesterday I created a delicious, refreshing watermelon sorbet with fresh melon and lime juice from a bottle. And let me tell you-- it was so tasty, it's gone. Seriously, Mike and I ate the entire container in two days. You just keep wanting more. I found this lovely recipe on Use Real Butter. Everyone should make it. And definitely add the vodka-- you can't taste it and it's just a tiny bit, but it keeps the sorbet from getting too hard!



Now doesn't that look tasty?

Watermelon Sorbet

3 cups watermelon juice (purée about 3 pounds of watermelon flesh with seeds removed)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp lime juice
1-2 tbsp vodka

Heat 1/2 cup of the watermelon juice with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir it into the remaining watermelon juice. Mix in the lime juice and the vodka. Chill thoroughly, then freeze the mixture in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

So yesterday I was home alone after a crazy afternoon of running back and forth to various offices on campus, asking for any campus employment. It was pretty frustrating-- everyone wanted to offer me work-study, which I'm not eligible for. And no jobs to be found.

So I decided to bake. I thought about what I had, which wasn't anything fancy. Chocolate chips, flour, vanilla, sugar, peanut butter... hey! It was this idea that led me to Smitten Kitchen, where I found this awesome recipe.
I adapted it a little based on what I had-- and of course, played around with the baking times since our old gas oven is a little finicky. The first batch got a little scorched because I flattened them and baked them for 10 minutes. The second batch I forgot to flatten and baked for 8 minutes and they were good, but kind of cakey. But the third batch was perfect-- flattened AND good time. And they're crunchy, but they melt in your mouth. We had friends over last night and they were complimented all around.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture gradually and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place a tablespoon of sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 8 minutes minutes. Do not overbake.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Om nom nom!

Dijon Pork Chops

First entry in the new recipe blog (and a worthy one at that): Dijon Pork Chops!

This recipe comes from my mom. The pork chops are baked, and they come out so tender and tangy. The mustard is a really nice touch, and the chives really give it some zest. So here they are, served with garlic baby peas and mushrooms. (Side note: The peas and shrooms were those Bird's Eye Steamfresh kind. I love those Steamfresh vegetables-- they're ready in five minutes and they don't even taste like they're frozen!)


Mike inhaled two chops and two servings of peas, so I'm going to go ahead and say it was a hit. I always thought they were delicious, but you know I need guinea pigs.

Baked Pork Chops Dijon:

6 loin pork chops, cut 3/4" thick
6 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. minced chives
1 tsp. dry tarragon
black pepper (to taste)

Arrange chops in a foil-lined rimmed baking pan. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, chives and tarragon. Season to taste with pepper.

Spread 1 Tbs. of the sauce over each chop. Bake on upper rack at 475 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn and spread each chop with 1 more Tbs. of the sauce; bake until no longer pink in the center when cut (8-10 more minutes).
Makes 6 servings.

Secondly, we went to The Italian Oven today in the mall, and I ordered the mushroom penne. I expected sort of a bland pseudo-Italian dish, but my God was I wrong! It was a heavenly garlic wonderland with thick noodles and tender mushrooms, and the most delicious, garlicky olive oil coating. Thus inspired, I ran straight home and decided to make my own garlic olive oil. I took the decorative bottles from my cousin's bridal shower and crushed two cloves of garlic, then covered them with oil.

Isn't it pretty? It's sitting in the bathroom closet (cool, dry place) to steep. I can't wait to use it in a recipe! You can never have too much garlic-- that's what I say.