Save & Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

INGREDIENTS

Serves 30
2 cups butter, melted
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups chocolate chips


PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until evenly combined and light in color.
3. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
4. Add the flour and baking soda, folding the mixture until it forms a smooth dough.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly combined.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop 6 balls of dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes, then serve!
7. To save cookie dough for later use, scoop the dough into balls and place them side-by-side on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
8. Wrap the tray with cling wrap, then freeze for up to one month.
9. To bake the frozen dough balls, remove desired number from the tray and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 375°F/190°C.
10. Enjoy now and later!

Chocolate Cupcake In An Orange Cup

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 12
For the cupcake:
3 oranges
Chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup orange juice
For the icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon orange zest, plus more for garnish
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar


PREPARATION

1. Cut orange in half. With a paring knife, carefully cut along the entire edge. With a spoon, scoop out the “meat” and set aside in a bowl. Repeat for all oranges. This will yield 6 empty orange halves.
2. Juice the orange, reserve for the cake mix.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350°F/175°C. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and freshly squeezed orange juice. Mix until the batter has no lumps.
4. Place the orange cups into a muffin tin and fill with 1/4 cup of the chocolate batter.
5. Bake 25 minutes.
6. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, vanilla extract and orange zest until nice and smooth. Add butter and mix on medium high for a couple of minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix until the frosting is uniformly smooth. Put icing into a piping bag.
7. Let cupcakes cool down. Top the cakes with icing. Sprinkle extra orange zest on top for garnish.

Cookies & Cream Puffs

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 15-20
25 chocolate sandwich cookies
2 egg yolks
2 cups half & half
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
4 eggs


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Using a knife, separate the cream from the cookies, and place them in two separate bowls.
Crush cookies in a blender or a food processor until fine. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, combine egg yolks, half & half, sugar, and cornstarch. Turn the heat up to medium-high, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
Once the mixture starts to thicken, add in half of the cookie cream, stirring until smooth.
Transfer the cream mixture into a bowl, covering the top with plastic wrap and pressing the wrap down onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.
Chill.
In a pot, combine the water and butter, bringing it to a boil. Add the flour and ½ cup of the crushed cookie mixture, stirring until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove from heat.
Add in the eggs one a time, stirring until the dough becomes a paste. Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a large round tip.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe 1-inch mounds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry has risen considerably and the insides are dry.
Transfer the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag with a small tip. Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of each cream puff and fill each puff with the pastry cream.
Microwave the remaining cookie cream for 30 seconds, stirring until smooth.
Dip the top of each filled cream puff into the cookie cream, dripping off any excess.
Sprinkle any remaining cookies crumbs on top of each cream puff.
Serve!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 12
Cheesecake:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon mint extract
4 drops green food coloring
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Brownie:
½ cup flour
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup dark cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs


PREPARATION

1.Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C

2.For the cheesecake, in a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

3.Add sugar, egg, mint extract, and food coloring, and beat until smooth. 

4.Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

5.For the brownie, in a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until combined.

6.Add the butter and eggs, and beat until smooth.

7.To assemble, fill each cup of a standard, lined muffin tin half full of brownie, then half full of cheesecake mixture. 

8.Bake 25 - 30 min.

9.Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Cups

INGREDIENTS

Yields: 30
Raspberry Cream:
1 cup of raspberries
1/3 cup of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 cup of heavy cream
4 ounce of cream cheese
Chocolate Cups:
1 cup of white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon of magenta food gel
Mini cupcake liners
2 cups of dark chocolate chips
Raspberries
Mint leaves


PREPARATION

1. Blend together raspberries, powdered sugar and lemon juice until you have a smooth puree.
2. Strain the puree into a large mixing bowl. Discard the seeds.
3. Add the heavy cream and cream cheese. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. In a small mixing bowl, melt the white chocolate chips. Stir in the magenta food gel and pour into a small sealable plastic bag.
5. Lay out your mini cupcake liners on a wire rack. Take your plastic bag of magenta colored chocolate and snip one edge. Drizzle the chocolate over the mini cupcake liners, design to your preference. Set aside while you prepare the dark chocolate.
6. In a small mixing bowl, melt the dark chocolate. Pour a spoonful of dark chocolate into the mini cupcake liner. Rotate the cupcake liner so the dark chocolate coats everything, flip over so excess chocolate drips out. Repeat with remaining cupcake liners.
7. Set chocolate. Once hardened, peel off the cupcake liner. Fill each chocolate cup with the raspberry cream. Top with a fresh raspberry and garnish with some mint leaves.
8. Enjoy!

French Toast Four Ways

Servings: 2-3 for each recipe (8-12 altogether)
First things first, you’ll want to make an egg wash for all the toasts

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. Vanilla
1 tbsp. Cinnamon

PREPARATION

1. Wisk all ingredients together in medium-large bowl to create egg wash





INGREDIENTS

4 slices sandwich bread
2 cups blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
2 tbsp. lemon juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar
Confectioners sugar (for garnish)

PREPARATION

1. Mix berries, sugar, and lemon juice in medium pan over low heat crushing and stirring 2. berries until they form a thick sauce
3. Dunk bread in egg wash,
4. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat and cook bread for 2-3 minutes
5. Lay out slices and spread compote in between each slice then on top
6. Garnish with confectioners sugar



INGREDIENTS

4 slices bread
3/4 cup half-and-half
4 graham crackers, crushed
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. melted Chocolate, or chocolate-hazelnut spread ;)
2 tbsp. marshmallow fluff
Mini marshmallows, for garnish
Mini chocolate chips, for garnish
Chocolate syrup, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Crush graham crackers into crumbs
2. Dunk bread in egg wash,
3. Cover in crumbs until covered
4. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat and cook bread for 2-3 minutes or until crumbs are crispy and bread is more solid
5. Once you flip them over once spread fluff on one slice and melted chocolate on the other
6. Press slices together and stack
7. Garnish with mini marshmallows and chocolate syrup



INGREDIENTS

4 oz cream cheese, warmed up for spreading
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 ½ cups diced strawberries, divided
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Maple syrup, for serving

PREPARATION

1. In medium bowl mix cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice and heavy cream (optional)
2. Take 2 slices of bread and spread mixture on both
3. Press sliced strawberries on both slices & press together
2. Dunk in egg wash
4. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat and cook bread for 2-3 minutes or until crumbs are crispy and bread is more solid
5. Stack and garnish with strawberries and confectioners sugar
6. Add maple syrup to preference



INGREDIENTS

4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. butter
¼ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. Cinnamon
2 tbsp. Brown sugar
1 tbsp. granulated sugar (for garnish)

PREPARATION

1. In medium bowl mix cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and heavy cream
2. Dunk 2 slices of bread in egg wash
3. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat and cook bread for 2-3 minutes or until crumbs are crispy and bread is more solid

Chocolate Banoffee Biscuit Balls

RECIPE:
1 400g Package Digestives - or substitute Graham Crackers
1 Banana
1 Can Dulce De Leche/Toffee*
Chocolate for coating



*”Toffee”/Dulce De Leche can be purchase already prepared - or can be made at home through a process of heating Sweetened Condensed Milk - Recipes/instructions can be found online.

Crush Digestive Biscuits in a large plastic bag. Pour into a large bowl and add Banana and about half the can of Dulce De Leche. Use a fork to mash and incorporate the banana and toffee into the biscuit crumbs. Add additional Toffee as needed - just enough to coat all the biscuit crumbs without it becoming too sticky.

Form the mixture into 1 inch balls and freeze for 15 minutes until firm.

Microwave chocolate for 60 Seconds - stopping after 30 seconds to check and stir.

Remove balls from freezer and dip into the melted chocolate. Set on wax paper and sprinkle with additional biscuit crumbs (optional). Allow chocolate coating to harden (chill in fridge to speed up this process) and drizzle with additional toffee just before serving. Enjoy!

Cracker Candy

Here's what you need:
1 tube of saltines (~ 40 crackers +)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (either salted or unsalted; do not use margarine)
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar (I prefer light)
1 bag chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet)
1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans (or toasted chopped almonds)


Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line cookie sheet with foil & spray with non-stick cooking spray. Line crackers end to end on sheet, breaking crackers to fit the end if necessary. In a saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Once melted, add brown sugar and turn heat to medium. Continue stirring until boiling – then boil for 3 minutes (set timer). Pour over crackers, spread evenly working quickly. Put sheet into oven – bake for 5 minutes. Remove – pour chocolate chips over top – place a sheet of foil over and let melt for ~3 minutes. Spread melted chocolate over the top evenly. Add nuts to top – replace foil and refrigerate until set
(can be frozen)

Gooey Brownie Mud Hen Bars

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

- 1 Box Brownie Mix + Corresponding Ingredients (eggs/oil/water)
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Pecans
- 1/2 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips



Prepare Brownie Mix according to directions on the box.
To a medium mixing bowl add two egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes). Carefully fold in Brown Sugar until incorporated.

Pour Brownie Mix into greased 9x9 inch baking pan. Top Brownie Mix with Pecans, Marshmallows, and Chocolate Chips. Spread Brown Sugar Meringue evenly over brownie layer. Bake in preheated oven at 350˚F (175˚C) for 35 minutes - (f the top starts to brown too quickly - cover loosely with aluminum foil halfway through). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Enjoy!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter M&M Balls

RECIPE: 

- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Some chocolate chips
-Some M&M’s


Mix butter, peanut butter, M&M’s, and powdered sugar until well blended. More or less powdered sugar can be used to make mixture more or less dry. Make 1 inch balls and freeze for about 20 minutes or until firm.

Microwave chocolate chips for 60 seconds, stopping every 15 seconds to check and stir. Tip: Adding some vegetable shortening can make the chocolate thinner and easier work with.

Remove balls from freezer and dip into the chocolate. Place on wax paper, top with M&M’s (optional) and allow to harden. Refrigerate if needed.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake

RECIPE:
Crust-
- 24 chocolate cream cookies
- 1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling-
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 oz heavy whipping cream
Crush cookies into crumbs—either in a food processor, or seal in a bag and hit with a rolling pin. Mix cookie crumbs with butter, and press into a pie dish. Refrigerate for 30 min. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until it forms still peaks when you remove the beaters. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until there are no lumps. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth, and add to the mixture. Fold in the whipped cream, and spoon into the pie crust. Decorate however you want (we used chocolate syrup and piped whipped cream), and freeze for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

No-Bake Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars

RECIPE:

4 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups quick oats
1 cup rice puffs
1/4 cup peanuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Add coconut oil, brown sugar, honey, and peanut butter to sauce pan. Cook on medium high heat until thickened.

Turn off heat and stir in vanilla. Fold in quick oats and rice puffs.

Pour into parchment lined 8x8” pan, flatten slightly and set aside to cool for 5 minutes at room temperature. Sprinkle chocolate chips and press in.

Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before slicin

Marshmallow S'Mores Treats

Here's what you need:
1 box of graham crackers
3 Tbsp. butter
10 oz marshmallows
3 cups melted chocolate

Here's how you make these treats:
Crush all graham crackers into large chunks. Around the size of a quarter works best. Microwave marshmallows and butter together in a large bowl for about two minutes, stopping to stir after one and a half minutes. Marshmallows should still be a little fluffy, but fully combined with the butter. Add graham crackers to marshmallows and mix until crackers are well coated. Place mixture in a large dish and cover with melted chocolate (see directions for melting chocolate chips below).

Melting Chocolate Chips in a Microwave:
Microwave chocolate chips for 60 seconds, stopping after 30 seconds to check and stir. If still not melted, microwave in 15 second increments until melted.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

Here’s the recipe

1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Some chocolate chips


Mix butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until well blended. More or less powdered sugar can be used to make mixture more or less dry. Make 1 inch balls and freeze for about 20 minutes or until firm.

Microwave chocolate chips for 60 seconds, stopping every 15 seconds to check and stir. Adding some vegetable shortening can make the chocolate thinner and easier work with.

Remove balls from freezer and dip most of the way into the chocolate, coating all but a small circle on top. Using a toothpick for this works well but simply dipping it in and pulling it out with a fork also works. Place completed buckeyes on wax paper and allow to harden. Refrigerate if needed.

Baking: Three Layer Smores Cake

I really enjoyed how this smores cake came out that I'm dedicating a whole post (with recipe!) to it.

To remind you, the cake is a chocolate base with white chocolate graham cracker filling, and a toaste marshmallow frosting.

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Baking: Race Car Cake

Another kid's birthday means another attempt at a specialty cake. This time, it was my nephew's birthday who turned 5 years old this year. And what did he want for his birthday cake? A race car. Damn, I knew it was going to be difficult. I scoured the internet for ideas and pieced together some good ones.

Before I started, I tried to find an orange race car to use as the basis for the cake. His favorite color is orange. Once I found that, off to make the cake.

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