Half Moons (aka Chocolate Covered Chocolate Chip Cookies).

One of my favorite things to use my baking ability for is supporting a good cause. Last night, I did just that. I participated in an event called “Chocolate”, hosted by local public television station, WHYY. Not only has WHYY been around since I was kid, but it was on this very station where I faithfully watched Sesame Street everyday, and still could to this day, if I so desired. A childhood without Sesame Street is like a cake without icing. Or, a cookie without chocolate. Sure, a chocolate chip cookie can be an amazing snack on its own – but have you ever had one dipped in chocolate? I decided to give back to the community by offering up this very thing. I started with my very own dream cookie recipe.

a dough to build a dream on.

I made two varieties – the standard chocolate you see pictured here, and an alternate version with white chocolate chips. I baked them into cookies.

what comes is better than what came before.

Now here’s where I was alone, I took a right, I didn’t know what I would find there. I cut all of the cookies in half while they were still a little warm and let them cool. Next, I took each of the “half moons” and dipped it entirely into melted chocolate. Milk chocolate for the milk chocolate chips….

it’s getting better all the time.

…and white chocolate (colored pink in honor of Valentine’s Day) for the white chocolate chips.

pink, pink, pink, pink moon.

I did some in plain white as well, for the sake of variety. I put them on display and left it up to the people to decide their fate.

The results: two days of baking, cutting and dipping over 400 half moons – all vanished in less than two hours. Cutting them in half way key – a full-sized dipped cookie would have just been too big and too rich. But a half? Now THAT’S the perfect Small Indulgence.

 

Christmas Cookie Recipe: Honey Whiskey Balls.

I thought I was finished baking all my Christmas cookies, but I started thinking hmmm….I already have one that’s green, but you know what would really complete this line up? A red cookie! So I started looking up recipes for “red cookies.” I found a bunch for different types of red velvet cookies and some sounded delicious, but I wasn’t quite sold. Then I remembered this book that I picked up last year:

best. cookie book. ever.

This book is great. It’s filled with classic Christmas cookie recipes, both old and new, and from all over the world. If you want to pick up a copy (and you should), check it out on amazon.com.

Anyway, I started flipping through the pages, looking for something red. I did not find something red, per se, but I did however find something that I could make red – Chocolate Bourbon Balls. So I decided to give these a try. Apparently this cookie has its origins in the 1930′s, and there are many variations out there. So, I decided to throw one more into the mix. So I give you my take on this classic: Honey Whiskey Balls.

strong, but sweet.

Before I share the recipe, I feel the need to mention a few things, mainly that these are somewhat STRONG. Not “get drunk off of one cookie” strong, but you can definitely taste the whiskey. So, if whiskey ain’t your thing, you may want to stick with sugar cookies. The original recipe called for bourbon, but I wanted to try Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey, and the feedback was all positive. Also, I used Merckens red colored chocolate to make them red. I love Merckens and highly recommend it for all your chocolate-y needs. And finally, the original recipe also called for pecans – I used walnuts. It worked out great. With that being said, heeeeerrrrrreeee’s the recipe!

Chocolate Honey Whiskey Balls.

What you’ll need:

2 1/2 cups Vanilla Wafers

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 cup ground walnuts

6 oz Merckens red chocolate wafers

1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

granulated sugar

What you’ll do:

In a food processor, combine the Vanilla wafers, confectioner’s sugar and walnuts until finely ground and set aside.  Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer’s directions (in the microwave or over the stove). Once melted completely, stir in the whiskey and corn syrup. Pour chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until well combined. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, and roll each in granulated sugar until completely covered. It’s best to let these sit for a few days before serving, as they can be…somewhat powerful at first.

And thus, my Christmas Cookie lineup was complete.

cookies in a box!

 

Sweet and Cheesy.

So for three years now, I’ve hosted an annual Christmas Party, affectionately known as the B.Y.O.Ch. (pronounced “bee-yoch”) which stands for “Bring Your Own Cheese.” Needless to say, there is a lot of cheese there, from mild, to spicy, to downright smelly.

a plethora of cheese.

The thing is, cheese is not usually all that sweet. So in addition to cheese itself, the door is open to any cheese-related dish. For me, that means desserts, of course. In the past I’ve made cheesecake, but this year I went with an assortment of cheesy cookies.

There were Cottage Cheese Cookies…

chocolate and cheese.

….Cream Cheese Cookies…

creamy and dreamy.

…and Breakfast Cookies (made with shredded cheddar cheese).

breakfast for dessert.

To top it off, I mixed in these little guys, made from marzipan.

marzipan mice army.

As usual, there was so much leftover, that I have more cheese in my fridge right now than one person should in their entire life. Don’t worry though – it definitely won’t go to waste.

 

Hipster Christmas Cookies (with Moustaches).

To the tune of “Sister Christian”:

Hipster Christmas cookies you’re too cool

Making other cookies look like tools, ironically.

haven’t you ever seen a tree with a moustache before?

 

My friend asked me last week if I could make some Hipster Christmas cookies. There were no real requirements, other than it had to have a moustache. “Yeah, I think I can do, that!” I responded. I thought for a bit, and then suddenly visions of moustached Christmas trees danced in my head. They were dancing to music you probably haven’t heard of, of course.

wash it down with a PBR.

 

I got some Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutters, made some sugar-cookie dough and dyed it green, cut the shapes, and baked. For the ‘stache, I used black fondant. I could not find a moustache cookie cutter in any store and didn’t have time to order anything online, so I had to create my own stencil. It worked great, and now hipsters around the world can celebrate Christmas, ironically.

In other news, I was just looking up the definition of “hipster” and turns out the term was coined in the 1940′s and originally refered to “characters who like hot jazz.” So the hipster is really not so new after all.

 

 

Eat Dessert and Adopt a Pet.

This weekend, I’m participating in a bake sale to benefit Furrever Friends Rescue and Volunteers, Inc, which is a wonderful organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless pets. This particular cause is very dear to me, as I grew up in a family where all of our pets were shelter animals and I adopted my own pet (Gandalf the Gray) almost 10 years ago from a shelter.

10 years old, and still crazy as a kitten.

Anyway, if you are in the Philly area over the weekend, swing on down to the PetSmart in Deptford, NJ , and sample some delicious baked goods, all for a great cause. And, heck, why not adopt a pet while you’re at it!

And just to further entice you, here’s a glimpse of my donations.

Chocolate Chip Cookies….

the cookie next door.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies….

The exotic.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies…

the party cookie.

and Marzipan Mice.

the cheerleader.

The sale will be going on today from 10am to 9pm, and tomorrow 10am to 5pm. If you love animals and baked goods (and who doesn’t) then come on down!

 

Everybody’s Baking for the Weekend.

So this past weekend was an extra busy one in the kitchen! Not only did I have many things to bake, but I’m getting ready to go on my big European Vacation, so I was cleaning and putting everything away. There’s nothing  worse than coming home from a trip to a messy house – I’ve done it, and it just makes life a lot more stressful. When I come home, I just want to unpack, and relax – not clean up the mess I left for myself before I left for the trip.

Anyway, back to baking. So, this weekend, I started off with Chocolate Pixie Cakes. These were chocolate cake, with buttercream, covered in white chocolate, and drizzled with milk chocolate.

extreme makeover – chocolate edition.

Next up, were Red Velvet Pixie Cakes. These were red velvet cake, with buttercream, covered in white chocolate, and drizzled with pink chocolate.

wedding day perfect.

And last, but not even close to least – cinnamon chip cookies. I used my top secret chocolate chip cookie recipe (which you can find on the blog, here), but replaced the chocolate chips with cinnamon chips.

cookie confidential.

And now, I’m off to another continent, to visit castles, eat pastries, and ponder what I’m going to with my life.

Au revoir!

 

Recipe Sunday: Reese’s Pieces Cookie Cake.

I used to eat Reese’s Pieces for lunch. Yep, that’s right – the same girl who now counts every calorie, reads the ingredients on everything, and runs 6 miles every other day, used to sit down at her desk at work for lunch with a bag of Reese’s Pieces and a smoothie/milk shake/other type of frothy fattening drink and eat half the bag. And I wondered why I felt sick all the time.

lunch of champions.

Anyway, I still love these little pieces of chocolate and peanut butter heaven, but I rarely eat them these days, since the major diet overhaul of 2010, which included a huge cutback on candy. But last week, I was out shopping, and there they were, just sitting there, as always, mixed in with all the other candy I never get to enjoy anymore…and before I knew what happened, I grabbed the bag, and threw it in the cart, and headed straight for the checkout before I could change my mind. The problem then became that I was eating them. And because I still count calories, it was torture - 51 Reese’s Pieces sounds like a lot, but it’s really hardly making a dent. I had to do something, quick. It was my friend’s birthday, and he loves cookies, so I was going to make him a cookie cake anyway, and as I assembled the ingredients on the table, there they were again, right in front of me. It was an “Aha!” moment – I’ll make a Reese’s Pieces Cookie Cake and decorate it with Peanut Butter Buttercream! so that’s exactly what I did.

And now, I’ll share the recipe with you.

reese’s make a birthday happier.

Reese’s Pieces Cookie Cake.

What you’ll need:

5 oz. shortening

8 oz.   sugar

.25 oz.  salt

3 oz. (about 2)  eggs

.25 oz.  vanilla

10 oz.  flour

.25 oz.  baking soda

7 oz. Reese’s Pieces

What you’ll do:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and vanilla, and add to the shortening/sugar.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Fold that mixture into the other ingredients until evenly mixed. Fold in the Reese’s Pieces. You will be very tempted to eat the dough – do so at your own risk. I have built up a tolerance for raw dough/batter over the years, so I enjoy it freely with no consequences. I’m still not sure if this is a good thing.

just when you thought cookie dough couldn’t get any better.

Spray a 10″ round cake pan. Take 2/3 of the dough, and press it evenly into the bottom of the cake pan. It should be about an inch high. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Note that you still have 1/3 of unbaked dough – do with it what you wish! I’m saving it for another project, which I’ll post later this week!

I decorated it with a complimentary Peanut Butter Buttercream – the recipe of which you can find here, under a previous Recipe Sunday for White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes.

 

Punk Rock Flea Market!

Tomorrow (Sunday, May 13th), I’ll be at the Punk Rock Flea Market, selling my book and even some baked goods. If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area, and maybe need a last minute gift for mom, the flea market is THE place to be. Besides my lovely cookbook and delightful assortment of baked goods (including White Chocolate Pixie Cakes, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes), you’ll find tons of options for even the hardest to please hard-core punk-mom. Here are the specifics:

The Punk Rock Flea Market.

when: Saturday, May 13th, 10am to 5pm

where: The Punk Rock Flea Market Dome  (461 N 9th Street – Right Across From The Starlight Ballroom),

misc: $3 Admission Donation.

website: http://www.r5productions.com/event/101883/?utm_source=fb1&utm_medium=shr

enticing photos:

a cookie classic.

many many mini red velvets.

pretty in pink pixies.

So what are you waiting for? Come out and get your treat on – like a real punk.

 

Recipe Sunday: Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies.

Today it rained – a lot. I’m not complaining. It gave me the chance to stay in, relax, and do my favorite thing: bake. Truthfully, I would have baked anyway, but there’s something extra comforting about baking on a cold, rainy day – maybe it’s the warmth of the oven…who knows. But it is, what is, and I bake, therefore I am.

Anyway, this Sunday’s dessert of choice was Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies. My recipe is based on  this one, but I modified and tweaked it over the years, and I feel it’s finally reached cookie enlightenment. The reason I chose these for this Recipe Sunday was two-fold: I was planning on sending a long-distance friend one of my creations, and it had to be something both that he liked, and could be shipped. He loves cookies, and cookies are easily shippable. And so it was written. Hopefully he likes them, and you do, too!!

delivered to your doorstep!!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

What you’ll need:

1 cup minus 1 tbsp butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until fluffy and well-mixed. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla, and add to the butter/sugar, mixing well. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda, and add, mixing until everything is just combined – do not over mix! Fold in the oats, then fold in the cinnamon chips. Spoon into heaping spoonfuls (or use something like this – it really makes it so much easier and they turn out looking much cleaner) onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. I fit about 15 on a sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until the edges are golden-brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

 

Recipe Monday Night: Peanut Butter Chip Cookies/Cookie Cake.

Wanna hear the cutest thing ever? I haven’t blogged in a week, and my mom called because she was worried that something happened to me, due of the lack of posts. It’s nice to be loved.

Anyway, she was right – I haven’t posted in a longer than usual amount of time. But now I’m back, from outer space, and ready to share my latest creation with all of you!

What’s great about this recipe is that it’s multi-functional.  Last week was my friend’s birthday, and I knew he really likes chocolate chip cookies, and I also knew he likes peanut butter, so I opted for a Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Cake. I didn’t want to make the cake too large – sometimes a giant cookie cake can be a bit overwhelming. So I wound up using half the dough for the cake, and briefly considered just eating the other half raw, but then decided (thankfully) against that, so I put the dough in the fridge and made cookies the next day to share with friends. Sharing is caring, people. So without further adieu, I give you one recipe to rule them all – do with it as you see fit.

have your cake...

...and cookies too!

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies/Cookie Cake.

What you’ll need:

5 oz.   shortening

8 oz.   sugar

.25 oz.  salt

3 oz. (about 2)  eggs

.25 oz.  vanilla

10 oz.  flour

.25 oz.  baking soda

8 oz. peanut butter chips

2 oz. butterscotch chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and vanilla, and add to the shortening/sugar.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Fold that mixture into the other ingredients until evenly mixed. Fold in the chips. Divide the dough in half.

For the cake: spray an 8″ round cake pan. Take 1/2 of the dough, and press it evenly into the bottom of the cake pan. It should be no more than 2″ high. Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Note: this makes a pretty thick cookie cake, which I prefer. If you want your cake thinner, use less dough, and bake for less time). I decorated with a simple buttercream You can use whatever you like, however I do recommend using an icing that’s not super sweet, and the cake is giant cookie, thus it’s pretty sweet on it’s own.

For the cookies: take the other half of the dough, scoop into tablespoon-sized balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, at least an inch apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden-brown. Share them with friends!