Thursday, March 18, 2010

Island cookies

Yet another example of all the DIFFERENT cookie recipes.
This one was pretty good.
A fun little cookie with some nuts and coconut added.
I toasted my coconut....
check out this post for a reminder on toasting coconut.

Island Cookies

1 2/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup coconut, toasted if desired
1 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 375*

Combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat butter, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla until creamy.
Beat in egg.
Slowly combine flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips, coconut and nuts.

Place onto cookie sheet with your favorite scoop!
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes.
Allow to cool on cookie rack.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Mint Brownies

Here's a *green* recipe to help you with your
St. Patrick's Day celebrations!
Mint Brownies
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 c. buttermilk***
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup margarine
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 350*
***if you do not have buttermilk, NEVER FEAR! I have a shortcut for that!
***To make buttermilk, measure 1 tbsp lemon juice, and then add enough milk
to make 1 cup total liquid. Let sit for 5 minutes.
This recipe calls for 1/2 cup buttermilk, so I assume you could do 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
and then finish with enough milk to make 1/2 cup liquid.***
(I say assume, because I didn't actually do it. I made the 1 cup total mixture)
In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar.
In a seperate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla.
Combine and set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt margarine and add cocoa and water.
Bring all ingredients to boil.
Once boiling, remove from heat. Set aside.
Combine the buttermilk mixture with the flour and sugar.
SLOWLY add the chocolate mixture...we don't want to cook the eggs!
Pour into a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Until the center is done.

Allow to cool completely!
Mint Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar plus extra if needed.
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops of green food coloring

In a seperate bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with beater until
ingredients are smooth.
Add extra powdered sugar if needed to get the consistancy desired.
Spread on top of COOLED cake.
For chocolate topping:
Melt 6 tbsp margarine and 1 cup milk chocolate chips.
Drizzle across brownies.

Yeah, I got distracted and my chocolate cooled a bit too much...
so it didn't exactly DRIZZLE...but that's ok...right?

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Pudding Cookies


Check me out here



for my guest post!
Thanks Vanessa!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

"Layers of Love" chocolate brownies

This recipe is from the Nestle brand cook book.
They looked intriguing...so I thought I'd take a shot at them!
They were really pretty good...
and all the goodness stuffed in the middle was excellent!
The name could stand to be changed...just a tad bit!
Oh well.
Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup white chips
1/2 cup caramel topping
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350*
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy.
Add 2 eggs, one at a time until mixed well.
Add vanilla.
Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
Reserve 3/4 cup batter.
Spread remaining batter into greased 8 x 8 pan.
Sprinkle with the pecans and white chips.

Drizzle caramel topping over nuts and chips.

Beat the other remaining egg into reserved batter.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread evenly over the caramel goodness!

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool completely before serving.