White & Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

This is what Christmas day looked like in our part of Texas. 

 If we ever do get snow in our town it normally doesn't stick so it's not really snow, but this year we got at least 4-6 inches of the white stuff. Before I got sick I used to love the snow, but the freezing temperatures are too much for me now so I only got a handful of pictures. Our goats {Annabelle & Princess} who have been sporting their thick winter coats looked like little cotton balls because they are so fluffy!! Nala, our huge potbelly pig hasn't come out of her house since the temperatures have dropped and I doubt we'll see her until New Years. 

Christmas was a simple celebration this year. Our family really isn't one to go all out for the holidays like the families you see in the Christmas movies, but it suits us. I ended up getting a flash for my camera, many White Barn Nutmeg and Spice candles & wallflowers from Bath & Body Works which smell AMAZING, and a new laptop which I was going to buy myself, but my mom got it for me. I've decided that I might keep my old laptop for my photography and use my new one mainly for school. 

Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

  Black Friday has always been something that puzzled me. I mean, you camp out in front of your favorite stores to push 'n shove other people to get the best deals only hours after being thankful for everything you have. I participated in Black Friday for the first time except I skipped the chance of getting trampled by shopping online. Later on my mom and I went Black Friday shopping to stores that most people forget about like Home Depot and the Pet Store {where I got a hamster} before going to Ulta and Dick's which were still crowded at 3pm.

  On Saturday our new living room furniture and 2 dressers for my room arrived early which meant all weekend I was organizing my room, choosing what clothes and books to donate, and completely forgot about my blog. Since the night before Thanksgiving I haven't really cooked except dinners which weren't anything to blog about and made zero desserts. I thought about sharing another recipe for sugared nuts that I made for Thanksgiving that were a favorite, but I remember how good these cookies were and thought I should share this recipe first. These cookies are similar my peanut butter crinkle cookies because you roll the dough balls in sugar before cooking and they have the same soft center yet slightly crunchy edges.

Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies {Healthy}

   I made spaghetti squash for the first time Friday night and it was a hit! It's so easy because all you have to do is pop it in the oven for 1 hour before shredding it into "pasta" so we will be eating it more often. We participated in Bountiful Baskets this past weekend and ended up getting some squash (acorn and carnival) so I'm thinking about making a soup or even try making squash risotto which might help me use some my overflowing plants of rosemary that I actually have kept alive for a few weeks!{I kill plants & fish. I can hand raise kittens that are 48 hours old, but I've killed every plant and fish I have ever had, well actually my last few goldfish fish turned into cannibals. Oops}.

   Late Saturday night, I made another batch of my Sunday Morning Muffins for my mom's class at church for Sunday. I've made these muffins several times, but this was the only time every muffin came out looking like the the one below without the cream cheese oozing out. Instead of making the streusel topping, I just divided a small packet (the little restaurant size packets) between the 12 muffins for a little crunch. 

  I can across this cookie recipe a while back on foodgawker when I had a few ripe bananas, but I didn't want to make another banana bread recipe {seeing as I have 5 quick bread/muffins recipes using bananas} and I have made this recipe twice since. These cookies have no flour, no sugar, no oil if you use applesauce like I did, and vegan (depending on what type of chocolate you use). And unlike most cookie recipes where you end up with a few dozen cookies in your kitchen this only makes 18 small, 2-bite cookies. 

Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

  I originally posted this recipe last year before Christmas, but I decided to re-post it with better pictures and content.These cookies were a hit seeing as  I made 2 or 3 batches for the holidays and another batch for a family friend's birthday. Peanut butter has always been a staple in our house, but for some reason I never made peanut butter cookies. I'm not sure why though since I have tried many other cookie recipes, but I decided to try a recipe from Everyday Home Cook.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies & Camera Lens..

A lot happened this weekend:

• I graduated.
• I opened a bank account 
• I finally got an iPhone since my phone finally gave out
• I found an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe that I like. I'm picky and even though I don't like many pre made store bought foods, I like the oatmeal dough from the store since it has a stronger cinnamon taste compared to other recipes I've tried. 
• I met my cousin's little girl, Stacy Ember who will most likely go by Ember when the family came out for Sunday dinner. 

This is from my cousin's Facebook. I took some photos, but the lighting wasn't to good and she was squirmy.

Bountiful Baskets & Carrot Cake Cookies (Whoopie pies)

  Since my mom works at a plant nursery, she is always finding out new things from her fellow co-workers, especially about food. The latest thing she was told about is an organisation called Bountiful Baskets, which is made up of volunteers that buy the best crops from small farms. How it works is, you go online the find out if they have a location near you, you place an order, on Saturday you go, & pick up your food. They meet every week & every two weeks they change their add-ons.

  The first time you participate, you pay a few extra for your main basket of fruits and vegetables (which is about $18 for the first time), then you have  choices to have "add-ons" which you can only get if you purchase a main basket. This past weekend the "add-ons" were 25lb box of tomatoes, 25lb of HUGE carrots,a bag of onions,a bag of oranges & they will usually have a themed add-on like an Italian add-on with things like eggplants, onion, garlic.. Italian themed foods. The add-ons can be anything from $5-20 each, depending on what it is. They also have granola & fresh breads. 

                                                           We spent less than $60 for...

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

A new year means new recipes.
I know I haven't been posting as much as I use to. I have kinda been in a rut lately. Not a baking rut-just a writing rut. Its like as soon as I open a new post, my mind either goes blank or what I have on my mind had nothing to do with this blog.
Cookies are one of the main desserts in our house due to them being easy to make and even easier to eat.
This recipe was on the back of a package of dried cranberries.
This cookie recipe is different from the usual dessert recipes that I make because it contains cranberries and white chocolate chips.

These cookies have a nice chew to them due to the oatmeal and cranberries. The white chocolate gives the cookies a rich,creamy, vanilla-like taste.

Supreme Chocolate Cookies (a.k.a Chocolate Chubbies)

  I first came across this recipe when browsing amazon for some cookbooks. The recipe comes from Sarabeth's Bakery : From My Hands to Yours cookbook and was listed as part of the description. As soon as I saw a picture of these treats, I knew that I had to make these for my dad and aunt- the biggest chocoholics in our family.The picture made me want to lick the computer screen. So I decided to make a sample batch and then make more to give as my aunt's Christmas gift.

  The dough is more like a thick frosting or fudge than cookie dough. I kept re-reading the recipe to make sure that I added all the correct measurement, which I did. If you were really inpatient you could make the cookies right away, but If you chill the batter for at least 4 hours (a tip from divine-baking), the final products will be puffier and set up nicer.

So far I have gotten 2 1/2 dozen cookies out of the batter(I'm saving some to bake for Christmas  and I have enough to make 2 more dozen. So this recipe yields probably about 4 dozen or so.

Chocolate Chubbies

Adapted from: Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands Yours

yields: about 4 dozen small cookies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
9 ounces semisweet//bittersweet chocolate (no more than 62% cacao), chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate {baking squares}, finely chopped
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups superfine sugar*
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips {see notes}
5 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
1 ¼ cups (4 ½ ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts  (optional)

Notes: 

• *If you don't have superfine sugar, just measure out 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar and grind it in a blender or food processor for 60 seconds- superfine sugar dissolves easier in the egg mixture. 
• You can mix the batter by hand, but you will want to whisk vigorously to make sure the sugar dissolves, plus it's a good arm work-out. I place a dish towel under the bowl so it done't slide when I'm whisking. 
• Chocolate Chips: Using milk chocolate chips might make the cookies too sweet so I would stick to semi sweet, dark, or even bittersweet chocolate. Last year I added the chocolate chips, but this year I just used 1/2 bar of Ghirardelli 60% chocolate because these cookies are very rich and I didn't want it to be too chocolatey and overwhelming.
• I also omitted the nuts this year, but they had a good crunch to the fudgy cookies. 
• Size: Since these cookies are so rich I use a small ice cream scoop {cookie scoop} instead of using an ice cream scoop which the recipe originally called for and would make you about 2 dozen large cookies. 
• Freezing Dough: Depending on how much room you have in your freezer, line a pan {or more} with parchment. Scoop out the dough and place on the pan, leaving space between each ball. Freeze for at least 2 hours, before transferring to a baggie with instructions written on it. You will want to add a few minutes to the baking time when baking the frozen dough.

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put the butter in a wide, heatproof bowl, and melt the butter over the hot water in the saucepan. Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate, stirring often, until melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled slightly but still warm, about 5 minutes

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Whip the eggs in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the eggs are foamy and lightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, then the vanilla. Whip until the eggs are very thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the cooled chocolate, making sure it is completely incorporated.

3. Change to the paddle attachment and reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips, pecans, and walnuts, making sure the chunky ingredients are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be somewhat soft.

** Chill the batter for at least 4 hours or overnight; the batter will resemble fudge once chilled.**

4.Using an inch ice-cream scoop, portion the batter onto the prepared pans, placing the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes if using a cookie scoop (1 1/2'') or 17-20 minutes if using a 2" ice cream scoop. Do not over bake. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Do you like cookies? Yes.
Do you like cheesecake? Yep.
Do you like suprises?
Well if your answers were "yes" then this recipe for Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies is for you.

Actually the recipe is for simple cheesecake thumbprint cookies, but I add some blackberry preserves and mini chocolate chips into some of the cookies to give it something extra.
These cookies are buttery, crumbly, and melt in your mouth. 
The cheesecake filling is rich and creamy.
In some of the cookies, after making the impression, I added some mini chocolate chips before covering it with the cheesecake mix.
In other cookies, (and my personal favorite) I added a tiny bit of blackberry preserves before covering it up with the cheesecake mix. Also with the cheesecake covering the jam, its a surprise when you bite into a seemingly plain cookie and get a sweet bite of jam.

Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

  Its the holiday season and my kitchen aide is getting used like crazy. I made another batch of the best peanut butter cookies for our holiday lunch in for church on Sunday  I decided to make the dough ahead of time and bake off some cookies for us and save the rest to bake off after returning from a children's camp (my mom & I are volunteering for Love for Kids) Saturday afternoon.That way I wouldn't be rushing to make all of the cookies after waking up early and being around thousands of excited kids and then doing some last minute church stuff.

Old picture, flatter cookies. 

I also decided that it would be a good idea to make a simple cookie. Like chocolate chip, just in case some people at church didn't like peanut butter or had allergies.

Meet Porky & Funky Chunky Cookies

I survived my SAT test , but now I have to wait 3 weeks before finding out my scores......
Oh, I got a hedgehog too! Who was named Mad Martigan, but is now called Porky or Hedgie.

 Ive always wanted a hedgie, but my mom would never let me buy one. Rabbits, hamsters, turtles, fish, goats,cats, and even a crawfish from our pond- she would let me have, but never a hedgehog.
   Porky, the hedgehog who I find myself calling him "Hedgie" more, was my cousin's pet, but she recently had to move back here and with her being pregnant and trying to get back on her feet, she didnt't have the time for Porky so he came to live with us. Simple as that. Tigger hates him though. He doesn't even have to see him for him to start hissing. Its funny because Porky "huffs" when he is nervous and scared and Tigger hisses back at him. All you hear in my room at night (hedgehogs are nocturnal) is huffing and hissing.
Porky is prickly, but not sharp. He likes to lick my fingers. He likes both can and dry cat food. He has a fleece blanket that is decorated with puppies that he loves to sleep in/on/&under. He's cool.

  I originally was going to make Spinach Artichoke Dip That I found in a magazine, but for some reason when I was at the grocery store, I didn't feel like making it anymore. I blamed it on taking the SAT-its kinda ruined my saturday. I mean, who wants to get up at 6am on a saturday morning inorder to sit in a room for 4 hours to take a test?. No one thats who. The teachers even were falling alseep.

A few cookies were topped with caramel candies and some with butterscotch chips.