Double Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 3 dozen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 4 ounces coarsely chopped good-quality dark or milk chocolate
• 1/2 cup (1 stick or 114g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup M&M's
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F or 160C degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt chocolate with butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in microwave; let cool slightly.
2. Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in M&Ms
3. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 7-9 minutes (cookies should be soft). Let cool on parchment on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. (IF THEY LAST THAT LONG!)

Chocolate Pecan Pie

4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup (light or dark)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell, homemade or frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a double boiler melt chocolate and margarine. Let cool slightly. Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add sugar, corn syrup, chocolate mixture, and vanilla; stir until well blended. Mix in pecans.
Set pie shell on heavy-duty baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until knife inserted midway between center and rim comes out clean.
Cool pie on wire rack to room temperature before cutting.

Cranberry Cream Pie

1 cup fresh orange or tropical juice
1/2 cup sugar
5-6 ounces shortbread cookies
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) roasted almonds
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 8-ounce package frozen cranberries, thawed
1 1/4-ounce packet unflavored gelatin or 1 TBS
2 cups heavy cream

Special Equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Warm the orange juice and sugar in a small pot over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate until just cool, about 30 minutes.

Pulse the cookies and almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse to combine. Press the cookie mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. (I baked about 10 min at 375 until lightly golden and then cooled)

Clean the food processor, then add the cranberries and 1/4 cup of the cooled juice and puree.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining juice and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. Add the pureed cranberries and stir to combine.

Beat the cream in a medium bowl using a whisk or electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture until well combined. Pour the cranberry cream into the crust. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Tip: The Cranberry Cream Pie can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until serving.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 528(63% from fat); FAT 37g (sat 19g); SUGAR 31g; PROTEIN 8g; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; SODIUM 105mg; FIBER 2g; CARBOHYDRATE 46g

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
170 g (3/4C) Margarine
170 g (3/4C) Crisco (Vegetable Shortening)
3/4 c Brown Sugar
1 1/2 C Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Cream margarine & Crisco. Add sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. May take a few minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Add:
3 1/4 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.

Stir in:
3+ C Old Fashioned Oats
2 C Chocolate Chips

Mix until all combined. May need to do by hand if mixer isn't strong enough.
Put dough in refrigerator until chilled.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking pan. Can use a silpat or exopat to avoid sticking -- but don't grease pan.

Bake @ 190-200C (400F) for 3 minutes. Rotate pan and bake another 3 minutes or until just barely light golden on edges. Centers will still look soft. Let rest on pan for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to rack to finish cooling.

If you aren't going to eat all at once, its best to put remainder in freezer. Then bring out as you want to eat them or reheat in microwave for 10 seconds or so.

Buttermilk Cookies

Thanks to Mary Rhomberg and Grandma Sheehan

3/4 C (170g) Margarine
or 85g margarine and 85g Crisco
2 eggs
2 3/4 C Flour + 1/8C (approx 2TBS)
3/4 C Brown Sugar
7/8 C Buttermilk (7 oz)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Cream margarine, sugars and eggs until fluffy. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix in. Add soda and salt. Stir in flour. It will become VERY STICKY!
Chill overnight in fridge.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet with a silpat or baking paper. Bake at 375F (200C) for 7-9 minutes or until top barely springs back and edges are slightly golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to rack to finish cooling. Frost after completely cool.

Browned Butter Icing:
1/4 C Butter (60g)
1/4 C Cream
1 lb Powdered sugar
2 TBS Vanilla

Melt and slightly brown butter in pan on stove. Don't let get too browned or it will taste burnt. Quickly add the cream and stir. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until combined. Frost cookies.

Lime Caprioska

2 oz vodka
1 oz cranberry juice
8 limes wedges
1 tsp brown sugar

Crush sugar into the lime wedges with a spoon. Place the lime wedges in the bottom of an 8 oz. glass. Cover with crushed ice, fill glass with cranberry juice then vodka, and serve.

Buttermilk Coffee Cake

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	35 Min
READY IN	50 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

TOPPING:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
  BATTER:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup chocolate chips (Optional)
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Spread half of the batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. (Sprinkle in chocolate chips.) Carefully spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F 180C for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Fruit Pizza Appetizer

2 Sheets Puff Pastry (I used reduced fat -- but its your choice)

Place one sheet on top of the other. Score a 2 cm rim around the top on, without going through to the bottom layer. Bake as directed on package. Approx 20-30 min at 200C. Remove from oven when golden. Cool on rack.

1/2 Pkg of cream cheese, softened
1-2 tsp of vanilla bean paste
1 tsp. super fine sugar (caster sugar)

Mix together until blended. Let set in fridge or counter to meld flavors.

Toppings (Choose fruits that you like or are in season. The more colorful, the prettier the presentation):
Dice:
Strawberries, blueberries, kiwi (green and gold), mandarin oranges, raspberries

To assemble:
Spread topping over crust -- up to edge. Then sprinkle fruit over the top.
Cut into triangles or squares and serve.

Veggie Pizza Appetizer

2 Sheets Puff Pastry (I used reduced fat -- but its your choice)
Or you can spread out canned crescent rolls and skip the scoring for the rim. Bake according to directions.

Place one sheet on top of the other. Score a 2 cm rim around the top on, without going through to the bottom layer. Bake as directed on package. Approx 20-30 min at 200C. Remove from oven when golden. Cool on rack.

1/2 Pkg of cream cheese, softened
1-2 tsp of powdered salad dressing mix (I used Ranch)

Mix together until blended. Let set in fridge or counter to meld flavors.

Toppings (Choose vegetables that you like or are in season. The more colorful, the prettier the presentation):
Finely dice:
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Red Onions, Red Capsicums (Peppers), Cucumbers

To assemble:
Spread topping over crust -- up to edge. Then sprinkle diced vegetables over the top.
Cut into triangles or squares and serve.

Lemon Madelines

INGREDIENTS:
5 eggs
200g (7oz) caster or superfine sugar
finely grated zest from 1 lemon (orange, lemon, lime)
200g (7oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
180g (6oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Whisk eggs and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy. Then mix in lemon zest. Add the flour, baking powder and butter and fold everything together. Leave the mixture to rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a greased madeline tray and bake for 8-9 minutes or a little longer, depending on the size of the holes in your madeline tray.

Recipe from bill's food, Bill Granger