Double Batch

Mint Chocolate Cookies

June 26, 2011 by Dianna

Remember that BIG cookie project I mentioned in the last post? Well, here’s the scoop: my sweet sister-in-law, Becky, got married last weekend. Oh, she looked beautiful.
That’s her with my other awesome sister-in-law, Annie. I love having sisters.

It was an incredible, lovely, delicious celebration.

Speaking of delicious, doesn’t this little guy look sweet enough to eat? Seriously, how can he possibly be 6 months already?

Becky had a great idea to incorporate cookies into the candy table, so I started baking. The end result was four different varieties, yielding…37 dozen cookies.

Yes, 37 dozen.

Two of those varieties, peanut butter and snickerdoodle, have already been shared on the blog.

Check out this creative assortment:

See that large jar in the back with the chocolate cookie? Well, that’s today’s featured recipe.

Regrettably, in my haste to make and store all of these sweet treats, I somehow missed photographing this cookie. Remember…37 dozen.

The original recipe calls for white chocolate chips instead of anything mint. And, they’re good that way. Really good. Becky, however, requested mint, and what the bride wants, the bride definitely gets.

After looking at three grocery stores for mint chips (are they just a holiday thing?), I gave up and settled for chopping up Andes mints. It worked out perfectly though because the mint flavor was throughout more of the cookie. I also added in some semi sweet chocolate chips so the cookie didn’t have such a flat appearance.

So, you’ve got options. If mint is your thing, try them Becky’s way. If mint in a cookie sounds like a horrible baking mistake to you, try it with white, peanut butter, or chocolate chips. Even toffee bits would probably be good.

Oh, and one more thing, this recipe doesn’t have eggs, so eat up as much dough as you’d like. Although, when has a little raw egg stopped you from sampling cookie dough?

Mint Chocolate Cookies
printer friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup dutch-process cocoa
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temp
½ cup white sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
⅓ cup milk
1 cup chopped Andes Mints
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside.

Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Chill dough for 15 minutes.

Drop the dough in heaping tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets and transfer to cooling rack.

Posted in Chocolate, Cookies | 1 Comment »

Perfectly Soft Snickerdoodles

June 15, 2011 by Dianna

Snickerdoodles and I do not get along.

Over the years I’ve fed way too many snickerdoodles to the garbage disposal. The cinnamon sweet flavor has always been right on. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that too often, even after following a recipe perfectly, the finished product looks more like a flattened frisbee than the delicious cookie it should be. And, even if the taste is perfect, there’s no way I’m delivering, giving or sharing flattened frisbees with anyone other than the garbage disposal…and maybe my husband.

Seriously, what’s my problem with snickerdoodles?

I’ve tried recipes with a butter, shortening or margarine. I’ve refrigerated the dough, just hoping it would keep the dough from spreading flat. No luck. And there’s nothing more frustrating than tossing your cookies (literally!), especially when they need to be delivered to someone!

Well, it took more than a few failures, but I have found a foolproof recipe. Not only are they foolproof, these snickerdoodles are awesome. Unlike any other recipe I’ve come across, the recipe calls for baking soda and cream of tartar. I kind of think both ingredients are there so that failures like me can bake cookies that are not flattened frisbees.

I just finished up a HUGE cookie baking project (more on that later) and these cookies were part of it. I cranked out ten and a half dozen snickerdoodles, and I’m happy to report that the only thing fed to my garbage disposal was egg shells. Now that’s how it should be every time!

Snickerdoodles
adapted from Lion House Desserts

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1 cup butter, softened
2 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ tablespoons water
6 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon*
3 tablespoons sugar*

Heat oven to 350. Mix together the 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Combine butter and 2 ½ cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and water. Beat until fluffy.

Add the flour, cream of tartar baking soda and salt.

Drop cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls into the cinnamon sugar mixture and coat well. Place dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes.

*The ratio of cinnamon to sugar is really to your liking. The combination I use is pretty heavy on the cinnamon, but I like it that way. If you want cookies that are lighter in color, just add more sugar.

Printed from Double Batch.

Posted in Cookies | 6 Comments »

Hello Dolly Bars

June 3, 2011 by Dianna

Not much to say about these, except that they’re sweet, rich and addictive. Just one square doesn’t seem like enough. You’ll want more, I promise.

Oh, and since I rarely use butterscotch chips and had some extra caramel laying around, I chopped that up instead and tossed it in.

That’s the beauty of bars like this. Just throw in whatever you like (or whatever happens to be in your pantry) and you’re pretty much guaranteed a success…in about 30 minutes!

Hello Dolly Bars
printer friendly recipe

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into large pieces
1½ cups graham crackers crumbs (about 8 graham crackers, pulsed in a food processor)
1½ cups chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips (I used caramel pieces instead)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (just under half a small can)

Heat oven to 350. Melt the butter in microwave and then add the graham cracker crumbs. Mix and then press evenly into the bottom of 8×8 baking pan.

Layer coconut, pecans, butterscotch and chocolate chips on top of graham cracker base. Pour sweetened condensed milk over whole mixture.

Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is light brown.

Let cool in pan for at least half an hour, cut into bars and serve.

Posted in Bars & Brownies, Chocolate | 1 Comment »

Dark Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

May 25, 2011 by Dianna

Chocolate added to an already delicious rice krispies treat? Yes please.

Rice Krispies treats are one of those “I could eat the whole pan” treats for me. I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure I could finish off a 9 x13 of them. Adding chocolate made it even more difficult to forebear and sample, instead of inhale.

This recipe is made in a square pan, which will result in an impressive thick treat. I was serving up these chocolate wonders to twelve of my favorite teenagers, so I simply doubled the batch and made it in a 9 x 13 pan. But if you’d like something not quite so tall, just use the bigger pan and the single batch recipe.

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats
adapted from Martha Stewart

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Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

1 bag (10 ½ ounces) mini marshmallows

¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (spooned and leveled)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups rice krispies

2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, melted

In a large saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and cocoa. Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal. Stir until well coated. If you spray your spoon or scraper with cooking spray your ‘sticky’ problems will decrease immensely!

Press the mixture into an 8 or 9 inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Let cool. Cut, serve and enjoy!

Posted in Cereal Inspired, Chocolate | Leave a Comment »

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 19, 2011 by Dianna

I’ve already shared my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with you, but it probably comes as no surprise that I have another one I like just as much.

I think it’s kind of like having a favorite child.

It’s o.k. to have 3 or 4 (or more) favorites, right?

This recipe really does create the perfect, classic chocolate chip cookie. It varies just a bit from traditional baking by using melted butter, but doing so really makes all the difference. Just make sure you give your butter a little time to cool down a bit after melting. Hot butter will not make for the perfect cookie.

One tip for cookie baking is to bake them just until you start to see the edges brown. After removing from the oven, allow the cookies to finish off baking on the warm tray for about 5 minutes. You’ll get soft, perfectly baked cookies every time!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
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Ingredients:
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoon (1½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 or 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl and beater as needed.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chips until incorporated.

Drop cookie dough (about 2 tablespoonfuls each) onto baking sheets. Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 14-16 minutes

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Posted in Chocolate, Cookies | 2 Comments »

More than a double batch

May 13, 2011 by Dianna

In fact, friends, it was a batch time SIX.

At my sweet husband’s request I baked up LOT of our favorite brownie recipe for a little event.

Have you made these yet???

The recipe ended up going something like this:

9 cubes of butter

13 1/2 cups sugar

18 eggs

6 cups dutch process cocoa

…and it goes on.

If ever I had reason for an industrial sized KitchenAid, it was today!

If you’re one of the local readers who are sending your menfolk off to the father/son campout tonight, well, I hope they enjoy.

As for me and the little one, we’re pretty satisfied with the lingering baked brownie aroma and quite content to be relaxing at home.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Homemade Oreos

May 11, 2011 by Dianna

Growing up, somewhere in the chaos of teaching full time and being fiercely dedicated to her family, my mom always (and I mean ALWAYS) kept the cookie jar full with homemade treats. There were no circus animal cookies, Chips Ahoy or iced oatmeal cookies for us. Man, I always wanted those iced oatmeal cookies.

As a child we also regularly took a very long road trip to eastern Nevada (anybody out there ever been to Ely?) to visit our grandparents. Don’t even get me started on what a barren stretch of Highway 50 that is.

In a concerted effort to make traveling special and just a little more bearable, my mom spoiled us…with store bought treats.

We got Oreos.

Sometimes we even got double stuffed Oreos.

To this day, every time I eat an Oreo, I think of that wicked drive across the loneliest road in America. There were times that it took a lot of those chocolate sandwich wonders to get me through the boredom. Oh, where were portable DVD players in those days?

There are few grocery store cookies better than an Oreo. Dunk them in milk and you’ve got a little bit of Nabisco heaven. You can crush them and make a pie crust or sprinkle them on top of ice cream. They’re even good IN cookies. Remember THIS post?

With such an affinity for Oreos, I simply had to make a homemade version. I have to say, they do not disappoint. Simple deliciousness. Don’t expect an exact replication of what you’ll buy at the store, but do plan on being completely satisfied.

Oh, and definitely plan on having a glass of cold milk close by.

Homemade Oreos
The order of assembly for these cookies may seem a little backwards. I haven’t tried it the ‘traditional’ way of dough-making yet. But, this method definitely works!
printer friendly version

For the chocolate wafers:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (you can add up to ½ cup more if you want a sweeter cookie)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
¼ cup (½ stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
¼ cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 375.

In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar.

While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies, put the frosting in a large ziploc bag and cut off a 1/2 inch tip from the corner. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling onto the bottom side of one cookie.

Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Posted in Chocolate, Cookies | Leave a Comment »

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

May 5, 2011 by Dianna

I was hanging out at my friend Julie’s house the other day as she unpacked her groceries from Costco. Along with gallons of milk (she’s got 5 boys), dried fruit and a bunch of other stuff that will be devoured in no time, out came a couple racks of ribs.

You see, Julie has got this Mother’s Day thing down. She buys what she wants to eat for Mother’s Day and then lets her husband and boys do the work. Everybody wins. It’s what she likes and saves her husband time in deciding what to make, gathering ingredients and cooking. Just one of the reasons I think she’s a genius.

So, here’s my question: what do YOU want for dessert on Sunday?

If you’re tempted by the rich combination of peanut butter and chocolate, let me suggest you hit print immediately and leave this winning recipe out for your husband to conquer. If you’re feeling extra generous, you could even pick up any needed ingredients for your grateful baker. Let him off easy, though and don’t expect any of the fancy piping. But if he really loved you…

Happy early Mother’s Day readers! If you need any other dessert inspirations for your spouse or children to whip up for you, check the index for lots of ideas!

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours
printer friendly recipe

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)

For decorating:
1 ½ – 2 batches peanut butter frosting (click on the link)
miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped

For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on cake plate or other serving plate. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.

Posted in Cakes, Frostings | 2 Comments »

Asian Chicken Salad

May 4, 2011 by Dianna

Consider yourselves lucky. I almost didn’t get a picture of this one. It went fast and was a huge hit.

This Asian chicken salad is a family favorite. My sister actually made the one pictured for the baby shower a few weeks ago. Thanks, by the way, Kristina for helping me out there.

This salad is perfect for a party, a hot summer day when you’re not going to turn on the oven, or just some time when the last thing you want to do is throw a complicated meal together.

Make salad instead! And, if your short on time, just pick up a rotisserie chicken and put your kids to work shredding while you do the rest of the prep.

Asian Chicken Salad
printer friendly recipe

1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodle mix, Oriental flavor
½ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup bottled red wine vinaigrette
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 red pepper, cut in long strips

Heat oven to 350. Break up the ramen noodles and place them and the almonds on a baking sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the noodles and almonds turn light brown.

Pour the red wine vinaigrette into a measuring cup and stir in the packed of seasoning from the ramen soup. Set aside.

Place slaw mix, chicken, cilantro, and green onions in a large serving bowl. Toss to combine.

Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

Posted in Dinner | 1 Comment »

Ice Cream Roll

April 19, 2011 by Dianna

What are you making for dessert on Sunday? It IS Easter you know.

Of all the Sundays, you need a sweet creation to celebrate. Allow me to persuade you to try a little something of the ice cream and cake variety, won’t you?

There are a number of things I love about this recipe, aside from the fact that it’s DElicous: it takes few ingredients, it’s easy and fast to put together, and it’s impressive in presentation with that ice cream and cake all rolled up together. It’s also not super heavy; so after eating all of that ham and potatoes (or whatever you have on Easter) you can still find room to end the meal with this sweetness.

The flavor possibilities are only limited to the flavors of ice cream in your grocer’s freezer. I usually go with vanilla, but if I’m making a double batch, I’ll also do a chocolate. I’ve done mint chip, rocky road, cookies and cream, and strawberry as well. After slicing, you can top with berries, chocolate sauce or whipped cream. Again, lots of possibilities!

If the ice cream roll isn’t your thing, here are a few other suggestions for your Easter dessert:

Cheesecake – read the post and you’ll understand how good it is. It’s the best I’ve ever had, for sure.
Easter Basket Cupcakes – I’ll be making these for family and friends in the next couple of days. It’s tradition. They’d make great little favors next to each plate for your guests.
Carrot Cake – keeping with the bunny theme of Easter, of course.
Lemon Truffle Pie – this creation just looks like spring with that layer of yellowy lemon.

p.s. This recipe will also make your mom feel incredibly loved when you make it with her favorite ice cream flavor for Mother’s Day in a few weeks!

Ice Cream Roll
from my mom’s recipe archives

printer friendly recipe

4 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
more granulated sugar

1.5 or 1.75 quarts ice cream

Heat oven to 400. Grease jelly roll pan (10×15) and then line with waxed paper cut to fit the pan. (I’ve tried parchment, it doesn’t work nearly as well.)

Beat the eggs until foamy in a large bowl. Gradually add the sugar and beat until thick and creamy. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to egg mixture. Lightly fold until no dry flour shows. Turn the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly into the corners. Bake about 10-12 minutes or until the center ‘springs’ back. Do not allow it to brown.

Loosen the cake around the sides of the pan. Turn the cake upside down onto a clean dishtowel that has been dusted with granulated sugar. If there are any crisp cake edges, cut them off with a serrated knife.

Starting at one short end, gently roll up the cake with it still attached to the towel. Allow the cake to cool while wrapped. (It cools quickly.)

Once cooled, unroll the cake and spread ice cream evenly onto the surface. I like to let the ice cream soften just a bit and then mix it up in my KitchenAid. It makes spreading a lot easier.

Reroll the cake, wrap in foil and freeze until ready to serve. When you’re ready to serve, cut into generous slices, add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

Posted in Cakes, Frozen Treats | 7 Comments »

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