Cookie Dough...Cookies

Surprises are the best, aren't they?

Fresh flowers on the coffee table. Dinner ready when you get home from work. An impromptu ice cream date on a random Tuesday night.

A new book waiting for you on the kitchen counter...The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing.

Wait a minute. Seriously? That's a surprise someone would want?

Friends, in my husband's world, there is no better surprise than a lengthy, detailed book on the topic of genetics, developmental biology, and the like. His brain contemplates mutations on the M8 gene of fruit fly at the same intensity that my brain ponders how to perfect my next pie crust.

Don't ask me to explain it, but it works.

With this in mind, I set out last week to surprise Adam with the Oxford's latest edition of Modern Science Writing. But I couldn't let the surprise stop there. I had to add some sweet lovin' into the mix.

Enter Cookie Dough Cookies.

That's right: They're cookies that taste like unbaked cookie dough. Again, don't ask me to explain. They're simply amazing.

Did I mention that they're vegan? They are. And that almost makes them healthy, right?

I set a little plate of these suckers right next to his new science-y book, and when he got home from work I watched the joy wash over over his face.

I'm not sure which he enjoyed more, but it was definitely a close race.

Cookie Dough Cookies

Makes 32 cookies

(inspired by Katie's Cookie Dough Ball Recipe at Chocolate-Covered Katie)

This recipe is based on the widely-acclaimed "Dough Ball" recipe that swept the blog world last year. The variations are endless. I've made them with sprinkles for a Funfetti version, and peanut butter for a PB version. You could white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, coconut, or mini M & Ms for your mix-ins.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (these cookies aren't too sweet; if you prefer a sweeter cookie, consider experimenting and increasing the sugar amount)
• 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup crunchy almond butter
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk of your choosing)
• 2 - 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• For your mix-ins: For a chocolate-chipper version, use 1 cup mini chocolate chips (or full-size chocolate chips, coarsely chopped); Or, use rainbow sprinkles for a Funfetti version.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 and coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Beat in margarine, milk, and vanilla until well-combined. Stir in mix-ins.

3) Scoop dough by even tablespoon-fuls onto the cookie sheet. Do not flatten! Leave them in their cute little rounded shapes. Bake for 7 - 8 minutes--I like mine to stay slightly gooey in the middle (they are cookie dough cookies!).

Summer Reflections...and Blueberry Pie

My summer has been completely typical of the average 27 year old female. Nothing unusual at all.

Among the highlights and lessons learned....

• I judged a teenage pie-eating contest (Lesson Learned: One's love for food and cooking does not necessarily translate into a passion for competitive eating.)

• I almost got kicked out of a Planetarium show by an angry Physicist (Lesson Learned: When you warn your students about the importance of following rules--like not texting during a Planetarium show--make sure you follow your own rules.)

• I observed a sunset funeral for a bat...who was killed by one of the students...inside the office (Lesson Learned: A sunset service is the only way to go.)

• I was serenaded daily to the tune of "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang, and "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-a-Lot (Lesson Learned: When driving a 15 passenger van of teenagers is part of the job, listening to their iPod playlists also becomes part of the job.)

Needless to say, living, eating, and working with with 22 teenagers for 6 weeks makes for an eventful and joyful summer.

The summer camp portion of my job has concluded for this year though. And while I'm sad to see the kids go, I'm looking forward to enjoying the non-work pleasures of summer: evening walks, Dairy Queen treats, yard work with Adam, Team Trivia with friends, and eating dinner on the porch.

Did I mention blueberry pie?

Because a juicy Blueberry Pie with a cinnamon-y crumb topping is definitely on my list of summer pleasures.

I baked this blue beauty on Saturday afternoon, basking in the glow of all the summer that still lays ahead.

Blueberry Crumb Pie

(recipe from Allrecipes.com)

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie shell (I used my favorite recipe for Perfect Pie Dough)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 5 - 6 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 6 TBSP butter

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press pie shell into a 9 inch pie pan; set aside in the refrigerator.

2) In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Stir until blueberries are fully-coated. Pour into the pie shell.

3) In the same bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, and cinnamon for the crumb topping. Cut in the butter and mix with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Pour evenly over the blueberries.

4) Bake pie for 40 minutes, or until edges of crust and top are lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream :)

I'll Take S'More Cupcakes, Please

S'mores make my heart dance, my tastebuds smile, and my hideously off-key voice sing. They're truly the edible essence of summer.

I'll be honest: marshmallows on their own don't do much for me. I don't like them jumbo or miniature, bunny-shaped or Halloween-themed, or even melted with my Rice Krispies.

But when those pillowy clouds of sugar are sandwiched between two sweet honey grahams and some milk chocolatey Hershey's goodness...Whew! Hellooooo, Marshmallow...

For Memorial Day weekend, I was eager to bring a summer-theme dessert to share at the family picnic. Although last year's blue ribbon winning S'More Bar Cookies were hard to beat, I was looking for something new to celebrate the arrival of summer.

Enter S'More Cupcakes.

I'll take s'more of those scrumptious cupcakes, please.

They're messy, they're gooey, and the tops are drizzled with more chocolate. Did I mention the rich chocolate buttercream?

Enough said. Let's get baking.

S'More Cupcakes

Nothing says summer like roasted marshmallows. When a bonfire isn't handy though, and you forgot to sharpen your marshmallow-roasting sticks, make these cupcakes for the potluck picnic instead.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• Your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, for 12 cupcakes (I used this fabulous recipe)
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, divided
• Mini marshmallows (about 6 per cupcake)
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tsp. milk

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

• 10 TBSP butter, softened
• 2 TBSP shortening
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3 - 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 - 5 TBSP milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Prepare chocolate cupcake batter (for 12 cupcakes). Stir in 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup mini milk chocolate chips. Bake cupcakes as directed and cool completely.

2) To prepare frosting: Cream butter and shortening together until light and fluffy. Beat in cocoa powder until well-blended. Beat in powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, adding a little milk after each sugar addition. Add vanilla extract and mix frosting until thoroughly combined (add more sugar or milk to reach desired consistency).

3) To prepare chocolate drizzle: Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 tsp. milk together in the microwave (or over a double-boiler).

4) To assemble: Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe frosting high onto cupcakes. Place about 5 - 6 mini marshmallows around the cupcake. Drizzle with semi-sweet chocolate drizzle and sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs.

Homemade Oreos in the House

These little sandwich cookies will blow your Oreo-loving mind.

Seriously.

The cream filling is indistinguishable from the stuff you'll find in their prepackaged counterparts. The chocolatey cookies will remind you of a softer version of their crispy, store-bought twins.

And don't even get me started on their cute, bite-size nature. Bite size = more cookies per serving.

Friends, let's just say these Oreo taste-alike treats are pretty darn delicious. Adam even went so far as to say they're the best cookies that have come out of the Hungry Spoon kitchen.

Really? The man's mother is practically a professional baker. How can I compete with that?

Apparently I just did :)

In addition to their fabulous tasty-factor, these cookies have so much potential for creativity. The cream filling can be dyed to color-coordinate with a party theme. Try adding mint extract and sneaking an Andes mint into the cream filling of each cookie sandwich. Or, add more filling, and roll the edges of each cookie in sprinkles.

Infinite possibilities!

One caveat to keep in mind: The dough is sticky and can be hard to manage! Keep the dough you're not working with in the refrigerator. The next time I make them (tonight?), I may actually experiment with freezing the dough.

Ultimately, just remember the moral of today's story: Once you go homemade Oreo, you may never go back.

Homemade Oreos

(recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar)

These classic little cookies will take you straight back to your childhood--be sure to enjoy with a tall glass of milk. And remember: the dough is very sticky. You may want to freeze it prior to using.

Cookie Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 - 2/3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Cream Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 - 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 - 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Cream the shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until well-combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours (or, try freezing it? I'm going to experiment with this step).

2) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut another piece of parchment paper about the size of the cookie sheet you will be using. Divide the dough into 4 large chunks. Place 3 chunks back in the refrigerator, and place the remaining dough piece on the parchment paper. Cover dough with another piece of parchment paper, and use a rolling pin (on top of the parchment) to roll the dough into a disc about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.

3) Use a 1 - 1/2 inch cookie cutter (or, I used the rim of a shot glass!) to cut the cookies. Use a thin spatula (or careful hands) to place cookies on another piece of parchment paper. Be careful! Again, the dough is sticky and can be tricky to work with :)

4) Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool briefly on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.

5) To prepare the filling, cream the shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, and mix the powdered sugar in slowly. Filling should be thick and pliable.

6) To prepare your sandwich cookies, spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie, and top with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Family Tradition

Bunny Cakes have made an annual appearance on my family's Easter table for as long as I can remember.

Every Easter, my mom, my sister, and I would make a Bunny Cake for each of our neighbors, plus the grandparents, as well as our own table. My sister and I would walk to each neighbor's house, most likely leaving a trail of green coconut and jelly beans behind us (I'm also assuming I had chocolate around my mouth--it was a semi-permanent look for me as a kid).

Bunny Cakes were frosted with only two distinct flavors at our house: Pink Frosting or Coconut Pecan. I was always a Coconut-Pecan girl, myself.

Ah, memories.

For the past few years, I've maintained the title of "Keeper of the Bunny Cake" for the family. I've upgraded from the Funfetti boxed mixes we used as a kid, to now making a classic vanilla cake recipe (known as the Dinette Cake) from Betty Crocker's old-school cookbook. For frosting, I use a basic buttercream with almond extract. In the words of Ina, How easy is that?

I asked Adam yesterday if I should make Bunny Cakes for all of our neighbors this year. He looked up from the pile of frosting-coated, coconut-caked dishes he was washing, and I knew it would be another year before Bunny Cakes made an appearance in our kitchen :)

Bunny Cakes

(Dinette Cake recipe from Betty Crocker)

While I went with a classic white bunny for this year's cake, why not get creative with your Easter dessert centerpiece? Use strawberry, lemon, or even caramel frosting. Coat your bunny with coconut--or coat your bunny with chopped, toasted pecans. The sky is the limit in bunny decorating.

Dinette Cake Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Other Bunny Cake Ingredients:

• 1 recipe for your favorite frosting
• jelly beans
• coconut, tinted with green food coloring
• large marshmallows
• optional: chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch circular cake pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake ingredients. Add milk, shortening, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 - 60 seconds. Beat on medium-high speed for an additional 2 minutes.

3) Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 3o minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

4) To assemble the bunny body: Cut the cake into two equal halves. Generously frost one side of one of the cake halves. Sandwich the two cake halves together, frosting side in, and set the "cake sandwich" up (flat side down) on your serving platter. Frost the outside of the cake generously.

5) To make the bunny face: On one end of the cake, attach three large marshmallows in the shape of an upside down triangle. Cover generously with frosting. Affix two chocolate chips with frosting for the eyes, and a pink jelly bean for the nose. Cut ears out of paper. Attach one large marshmallow to the opposite end of the bunny for a tail.

6) Sprinkle green coconut and jelly beans around the bunny for serving.

Yogurt Coffee Cake

When I got out of town for a few days, I have fairly accurate picture of what goes on in the house while I'm gone.

Single Man Mayem ensues.

Let me explain:

Netflix viewing is surely restricted to episodes of Entourage, Family Guy, and various manly action-thriller movies that involve explosions, guns, and large sums of money.

Internet news is limited to ESPN--hockey scores specifically.

Shaving? Who needs it.

And food? I could right a book on the diet of bachelors. I have no doubt there are a lot of fried potatoes, beer, and chocolate chip cookies on the menu.

Last week, I traveled out of town for the annual state Social Work conference. Prior to leaving, I did my wifely duty of preparing several dishes for Adam to eat in my absence. Although the man does at least 50% of the cooking in our house (if not more), I know that when I'm gone and Single Man Mahem occurs, his cooking skills go out the window...right along with his desire to tune into Grey's Anatomy with me.

For breakfast, I created a variation on his mom's fantastic coffee cake recipe. This delightful breakfast ring is moist and sweet--almost like pound cake for breakfast. I made a huge bowl of nutty crumb topping to layer in the middle and cover the top. I could eat that crumb topping straight out of the bowl if someone let me.

Did I need to tell you that the cake stand was empty when I returned home?

Yogurt Coffee Cake

(recipe adapted from Adam's mom, Kathy)

This is one of my go-to company-is-coming breakfasts. Apparently, it's now also the breakfast I make for Adam when I go out of town. I need to start making it for me!

Cake Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 - 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups flour

Streusel Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 TBSP cold butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• about 2 TBSP milk
• splash of vanilla

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9 " tube pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for the cake. Add eggs and beat well. Fold in the sour cream and vanilla. Sift together remaining dry ingredients for the cake and fold into the batter.

3) To prepare the streusel, combine the brown sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in butter and "stir" with a fork until crumbly. Stir in nuts.

4) Pour half of cake batter in the tube pan. Sprinkle with half the crumb topping. Pour remaining batter on top and sprinkle with remaining crumb topping. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a lightly browned a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5) Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl, adding more sugar or liquid to reach desired consistency (as needed). Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Company-is-Coming Breakfast

The March 2011 Daring Baker's Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria's Collection and Jamie of Life's a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged the Daring Bakers to bake a Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

The next time you have company visiting overnight, you MUST make this Coffee Cake. Seriously. It's going to be a new company-is-coming breakfast requirement at your house. It definitely is at mine.

Once again, the Daring Bakers put my baking skills to the test with a delightful treat I'd never heard of, much less attempted in the kitchen. This breakfast ring is essentially a yeast coffee cake, filled with chocolate and nuts.

It tastes like a chocolate-loaded pastry straight off the rack at Panera. Only ten times better.

And honestly, it wasn't near as difficult as I expected (far easier and less awkward to work with than the Stollen). The best part? Definitely the ooey gooey chocolate in the middle, which firms up beautifully once the bread has cooled.

We've all got our company-is-coming breakfast treats. Growing up, my mom always made Cinnamon-Sugar Monkey Bread for breakfast visitors. I hadn't found my own visitor breakfast niche yet...until I baked this baby last week.

Consider my niche found.

Yeasted Meringue-Chocolate Coffee Cake
(recipe from Jamie at Life's a Feast)

Dough Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 - 1/8 tsp. yeast
• 1/4 + 2 TBSP milk
• 2 TBSP water
• 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 large egg

Meringue Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping:

• More semi-sweet chocolate chips! (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup?)
  

Directions:
1) In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Set aside.

2) In a small saucepan, combine the milk, water, and butter and heat until just warmed and the butter is melted.

3) Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture with your mixer on low speed. Mix until well-combined. Increase mixer speed and beat for about 2 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour and beat for another 2 minutes.

4) Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic (add more flour as neeeded).

5) Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray and turn to coat. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest in a warm place, undisturbed, for an hour (it should double in size).

6) Meanwhile, prepare your filling: Combine the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.

7) Once the dough has doubled in size, prepare your meringue: Beat the egg whites and salt together on high speed until light and foamy. Add the vanilla, and start adding the sugar 1 TBSP at a time. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.

8) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Punch dough down and roll into a rectangle (about 20 x 10 inches). Spread the meringue over the rectangle, leaving a 1 - 2 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar on top, then the nuts, and then the chocolate chips.

9) Roll the rectangle up, jelly-roll style, from the long end. Transfer the rolled log (funny terminology, isn't it?) onto the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down. Pull the two ends together to form a wreath/ring shape, and pinch the edges together to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut slits around the ring, a few inches apart from each other.

10) Cover the coffee cake ring with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for about 60 minutes to rise.

11) Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden and risen.

12) Once the coffee cake has cooled, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Spread or drizzle over the top of the coffee cake and allow to cool and solidify before serving.

PB Cup Blizzard...Non-Dairy, Dark Chocolate Style

It's no secret that chocolate + peanut butter is one of my weaknesses in life.

Faced with a jar of natural nut butter and a side of chocolate, I'm utterly defenseless. Any sense of restraint or self-control I once had goes out the window.

Give me a spoon, and let's get this job done.

Fortunately, many of you share my addiction. When I saw Kat's recipe for a homemade Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard this weekend, I was instantly hooked. So hooked in fact, that I went in the kitchen and made these tasty little treats the very same night.

I must warn you though: These treats are most definitely for the dark chocolate lovers out there, such as myself. They're apparently not designed for someone who requires super-sweet, milk chocolate. I realized this when Adam took a bite and scrunched up his nose. "What kind of chocolate did you use?"

It's called cocoa powder, buddy. It doesn't come in the form of a Hershey bar, a brownie, or a chip.

Oh, husbands.

Kat's recipe made 5 - 6 soft mini peanut butter cups. They don't fully solidify, so you might need a spoon if you choose to eat 'em on their own. I whipped up a batch of banana soft serve though, and tossed in 2 peanut butter cups to complete my rockin' blizzard.

Dairy Queen may never see me again.

Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard...The non-dairy, dark chocolate way

(recipe adapted from Kat's at Keep n' The Faith)

These PB cups won't freeze solid--they stay a little soft, which is a-okay since you're tossing them into a bowl of whipped banana goodness. I apologize for not having a picture of the Blizzard itself--I gobbled that baby up before I had time to snap a pic!

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP unsweetened almond milk
• 1 - 1/2 TBSP honey
• 3 - 1/2 TBSP cocoa powder
• natural peanut butter
• 1 recipe banana soft serve

Directions:

Melt the honey and milk together. Stir in cocoa powder until desired consistency and flavor is reached (you can add more cocoa powder if you like!). Spoon a small amount of chocolate mixture into the bottom of 5 mini muffin cup liners.* Place a tiny dollop of natural nut butter on top. Spoon the remainder of the chocolate on top of the nut butter. Freeze over night (if you can wait). Enjoy plain, or stir into your banana soft serve for a blizzard-like treat!

*Alternately, if you'd like your PB cups to solidify more, you can stir some nut butter right into the chocolate mixture and THEN poor the mixed version into the muffin cup liners.

Creamsicle Cupcakes

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Citrus treats should be enjoyed year-round...not just during the heat of summer, alongside a glass of lemonade.

For this reason, Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes will be included in the cupcake assortment featured at Liz's baby shower this weekend. These cupcakes are loaded with orange juice, orange extract, and even a little orange peel. I went with a lemon theme for the frosting, altering my simple buttercream recipe by using lemon juice instead of milk, and adding a dash of lemon extract.

Need a little more sweetness? A hint of decadence? Drizzle some melted white chocolate across the tops. More white chocolate only makes things better. I promise.

With that being said, I'm off to spend the better part of today preparing for tomorrow's baby-loving festival. May there be lots of games, plenty of tea sandwiches, and a bowl full of that delicious punch with a block sherbet floating on top.

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

(adapted from a recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

If lemon isn't your thing, create an Orange Buttercream frosting by substituting orange juice and extract for the lemon juice and extract.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp. orange extract
• 1 - 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, dusted with about 1/2 TBSP flour

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 - 1/2 confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 - 3 TBSP lemon juice
• extra milk, if needed

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

2) Combine oil, sugar, milk, juice, and extracts in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest. Beat for 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in white chocolate chips. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 23 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

3) To prepare frosting: Beat the butter and shortening for about 1 - 2 minutes. Add sugar, extract, and lemon juice and continue mixing. Add additional milk if needed for the consistency. Beat for 3 - 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Blondies

Since yesterday's post highlighted a dinner recipe that we made twice in one week, I figured I should follow it up with a dessert recipe I made twice in one week.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Blondies.

Oh yes I did.

When I saw these Nutella-laden treats on Lindsey's blog last week, my destiny was set. I had a lonely jar of unopened Nutella sitting in my kitchen, just begging to be used. As an added bonus, this recipe is a super-easy, one-bowl creation.

And as if there wasn't enough buttery, chocolate-hazelnut goodness in these little bars, I added a handful of chocolate chips for good measure.

The first batch went to one of Adam's lab-mates to celebrate her 27th birthday (27 is a good year, right? I'm only four weeks in myself, but I'm already loving it). Their rave reviews inspired me to bake a second batch for my kids at work. I've learned the cookies are a wonderful motivator and mood-enhancer for high school students.

If you, too, are rocking the lonely, unopened jar of Nutella situation right now, tonight's recipe just may be the solution to your woes.

Nutella Swirl Blondies

(recipe from Lindsey at Gingerbread Bagels)

The original recipe doesn't have chocolate chips, but I'm all about adding unnecessary chocolate to already delicious recipes. I'm planning on experimenting with the addition of peanut butter to this recipe as well...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup Nutella (approximately)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2) Use an electric mixer to combine the brown sugar, butter, and vanilla--beat until well-combined. Beat in egg. Mix in dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3) Spread batter evenly in prepared baking dish. Place small spoonfuls of Nutella (about 1 tsp. drops) on top of the batter. Use a knife to cut through the batter in different directions, producing a swirly pattern with the Nutella. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

Panna Cotta...The Fancy Lady's Dessert

The 2011 Daring Bakers' Challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada de Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

Have you tried Panna Cotta before?

Not only had I never tried Panna Cotta prior to this month's Daring Baker's Challenge, but I wasn't even sure what it was. To be honest, I always assumed it was somehow related to Pannetone.

Unlike the massive culinary flop I produced for last month's Daring Bakers' Challenge, this cooking adventure went much smoother. And, I discovered that I love Panna Cotta. It reminds me of a smooth, honey-infused ice cream, which makes perfect sense since the Italian translation is literally "cooked cream."

I boiled my favorite aspects of this dessert down to three simple points:

1) It's super easy: With only 6 main ingredients, plus fruit for garnish, this recipe was a snap to make.

2) It's ridiculously elegant: Nothing says fancy-schmancy like dessert served in a wine glass.

3) It tastes fabulous: We all know I'm an ice cream fanatic, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Panna Cotta tastes like the sister food of my favorite cold, creamy treat.

The cookies were a fun addition to this recipe, and really round out the presentation nicely, although they were pretty butter-intense (but hey, what's a little butter between friends?)

Eat up, dear friends! Now you have something new to share at your next dinner party :)

Panna Cotta with Nestle Florentine Cookies

This dessert would fit perfectly at the end of an elegant dinner party, or a summer cook-out on your back porch.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 TBSP unflavored gelatin
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• For garnish: strawberries and Nestle Florentine Cookies

Directions:

1) Pour cold milk into a bowl. Sprinkle gelatin in a thin, even layer on top of the milk and set aside for about 5 - 10 minutes.

2) Pour milk into a saucepan and heat gently on medium heat for about 5 minutes--the mixture should be hot but NOT boiling. Add the cream, honey, vanilla and sugar and continue heating and stirring for about 5 - 10 minutes until the sugar and honey have completely dissolved and the mixture is hot (but NOT boiling). Remove from heat.

3) Pour the mixture into wine glasses or ramekins and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Garnish with strawberries if desired, and Florentine Cookies.

Gingerbread Scones

Moms can be pretty great, right?

They mail you homemade treats when you're miles away. They listen to you ramble about your everyday, endless worries. They might even walk your dog when your day is too long and you don't see home 'til after dark.

For these reasons, among a million others, today's post is for both of my moms. My mother-in-law Kathy, with a heart of gold and the baking skills of Ina Garten, and my own Mom who is always at the ready to lend her ear--and a helping hand--when I need it the most.

I set out to bake some treats for my mom last night, and, of course, I turned to one of Kathy's perfect recipes: Gingerbread Scones.

I know what you're thinking: Christmas is long-gone and we're closer to Spring than we are to Winter. Gingerbread should packed away with the tree ornaments and the Santa Clause hand soap.

But I beg to differ. See, it's a rainy, gloomy day here. My heart is craving sweet, warm comfort to wrap up for mom, and I knew this recipe would do just the trick. Scones have such a lovely texture--they're dense and cakey--somewhere between a muffin, a biscuit, and a cookie. They pair perfectly with your morning cup of coffee or a glass of almond milk.

My results didn't turn out quite as perfect as Kathy's, but my heart was in the right place :)

To both my Moms: Thank you.

Gingerbread Scones

(recipe from Kathy)

I added a simple confectioner's sugar glaze and some toasted pecans to the tops of these gingery scones...per Adam's suggestion :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, separated
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar glazed
• Chopped, toasted pecans

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

2) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.

3) In a small bowl, combine the molasses, milk, and egg yolk. Gently stir into the flour mixture--GENTLY! Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 6 to 7 times. Pat dough into an 8 inch circle and cut into 8 wedges.

4) Whisk the egg white until frothy. Brush onto tops of wedges and sprinkle with extra sugar.

Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until bottoms are browned.

4) To prepare confectioner's sugar glaze--mix powdered sugar (oops! I didn't measure) with a splash of vanilla extract and milk. Continue adding sugar or milk until glaze reaches desired consistency. Drizzle on scones and sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans.