Tasty Tuesday - Mrs. C's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I looked forward to making cookies at my best friend's house. Her mom used Oleo. I loved the smell of it.  The recipe was an old family recipe. I think those are the best kind! Tried and true!

When Mom Carlyon passed away, she took the recipe with her. 

I've spent some time in the kitchen being a mad scientist to figure out the actual recipe. My family never once complained about being "forced" into taste testing.  My son's baseball team certainly didn't complain about getting the left overs.

Alas... I cracked the code. 

Mom was certainly with me as I made this last batch. 

Time to share. Can you smell them?

Ingredients

3 cup Unsifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking soda

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Regular Crisco

3/4 cup Granulated sugar

3/4 cup Brown Sugar; firmly packed

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

2 large Eggs – room temp

1 cup Walnuts or pecans; chopped (I smash mine into a rough powder)

1-2 cups Chocolate chips 2 cups chopped Dates

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, sugars, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat until creamy.

Beat in eggs.

Gradually add flour mixture; blending well.

Stir in Nestle Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Morsesl, dates and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonsfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. I like to actually roll the dough into balls. I also used parchment paper lined cookie sheets. If the dough isn't firm, chill it in the fridge for a 30 min.

Bakes at 375 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate, Cheesecake and Bailey's!

 

I love cheesecake and chocolate. For St. Patty's Day, I found a sexy cheesecake recipe using Bailey's Irish Cream, is made with a chocolate crust and a has creamy chocolate filling. It's from Ali Martin, over at Gimme Some Oven. 

This decadent dessert is time consuming to make, but if you're like me you'll find the time spent is relaxing. Pop on some good tunes and let's get baking!

Chocolate-Irish Cream Cheesecake

•  prep time: 15 MINUTES
 
•  cook time: 70 MINUTES
 
•  total time: 85 MINUTES
 
•  yield: 12 -16 SLICES 

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker (or chocolate cookie) crumbs
• 1/3 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, melted

CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup Bailey’s (or other Irish cream liqueur)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS (OPTIONAL):

• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
• 4 ounces dark chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

1. * Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9-inch well-greased springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
2. * In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and flour. Beat at medium speed until blended and smooth. (Try not to over-mix!) Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed until blended. Pour filling over baked crust.
3. * Optional: To prevent cracking in the cheesecake, I’m a big fan of water baths! Just fill a 9×13 (or whatever size) glass pan halfway with water, and place it on the bottom rack while the oven preheats, and then while the cheesecake cooks.
4. * Place the cheesecake in the oven on the shelf above the water bath, and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees, and continue baking for 60 minutes.
5. * With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill for a few hours before serving.
6. * Optional: To prepare the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a bowl. Then heat the cream (or half and half) in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it is almost boiling.
7.  Remove from heat, and pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 30 seconds. Then stir until the chocolate chips have melted and are mixed in well. Pour over the top of the cheesecake, and sprinkle with chocolate chips or chocolate shavings if you’d like.

Oh, Sweet Ambrosia (Salad)

 I'm busy putting up Christmas decorations so I'm offering the gang turkey sandwiches and Ambrosia Salad for eats today. It's sweet and light. No Black Friday Shopping for me, I'm a shop local & Small Business kind of gal. This will be a great dish to nibble on after a day on my feet. If there are any leftovers that is. 

The salad is Mom's recipe. Like her, I share it often. 

Enjoy!

aMBROSIA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped

topping, thawed

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 (8 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained

1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks,

drained

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges,

drained

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries,

drained (optional)

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, stir together the whipped topping and yogurt. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold remaining ingredients into whipped topping. Chill before serving.

Tasty Tuesday - Ignite the Flames of My Desire

It's always fun when a writer includes food in a story. A bunch of us have tossed around the idea of putting together a cookbook full of recipes featured in our stories. Here's a little excerpt from Handcuffs and Silk. Hunter and Steph are enjoying dinner on their blind date.

*************************

Available on AMAZON

A hostess quickly found them a discreet table. Hunter pulled the chair out for Steph. When he sat down, she reached across the table and with a beautiful smile, gave his arm a squeeze. A simple gesture causing his senses to wake. Images of placing food on that delicate tongue excited him. 

“I’m new in town. What’s the best on the menu?” 

“Well, you’re in the right place. If you like beef, they have the best filet mignon with a mushroom and wine sauce. Oh, and get the garlic and thyme-roasted asparagus to go with it. To die for.” 

“Sounds superb!” He smiled. “I’m sure you have something in mind for dessert.” 

“Ignite-the-Flames-of-My-Desire Bananas Foster.” 

“What?”  

“That’s the name of the dessert.” Steph’s laugh rolled over him like a warm wave. “It’s rich with rum, creamy, and spicy with cinnamon. The waiter actually sets it on fire.” 

“Hmmm... sensual.” 

“Bananas, creamy, spicy, fire? Sensual? Sure.” She giggled then clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, shit!”  

“What?” 

“I never giggle. Why, I haven’t done that in years. I can’t believe it!”

“Maybe it’s the company you keep.” Hunter couldn’t help but chuckle. 

************************************

Bananas Foster
1/4 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 firm bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Makes 4 servings.

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

Light it up! 
When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. If you have an electric stove, add a match to the skillet, however, you might want to remove the skillet first, to an open area so the flames do not shoot up and hit something. (Keep a large metal lid on hand to cover the dish in case your flambé gets out of hand). When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately; the warm sauce will quickly melt the ice cream. I had a hard time photographing this because the ice-cream melted so quickly.

On a last note:, when dealing with fire, I highly
suggest practicing before serving to master the art of working with
fire.

Handcuffs & Silk, a 1 Night Stand story 

Stephanie "Stiff" Johnson, is a tough Las Vegas cop who many men find too intimidating to date. Steph begins to wonder if something is wrong with her so she turns to Madame Eve to find a man who could be the yin to her yang, even if it's just for one night.

Hunter Morgan left behind years of living as a sub to a female Domme in New York. Upon return to his hometown, he questions whether he wants to continue with the "lifestyle" or find something different. Turning to 1 Night Stand, he hopes to sample his options.

A simple one-night stand opens a whole new sensuous world to both.

Sweet Failure - #PotatoPancakes

 In Jessica Peterson's book Southern Charmer, the hero quickly gains the attention of his neighbor by feeding her breakfast. (Being shirtless while cooking certainly helps.)  Elijah Jackson inspired me to cooks some special breakfasts for my honey. In the book, Eli uses simple ingredients and old fashioned recipes.

Flyboy has certainly enjoyed my recent cooking habits. Especially on Fridays when I don't have to go into the office and our youngest is in school. *wink, wink*

Anyways...I've mastered cheesy grits and any dish made with eggs and fresh veggies. My gram would be proud. I thought I'd venture to a new recipe. Sweet Potato Pancakes.

The picture looks yummy.

I chose a recipe from a favorite cookbook, Taste of Home Ultimate Skillet Cookbook. 

Get the cookbook HERE

Shredded apples and sweet potato are added to the flour and egg mixture. 

A little weird shaped but still a pretty sight in a well-loved cast iron pan.

I admit it was a a lot of work and I certainly don't have the right technique for making hashbrowns or potato pancakes. They tasted yummy and Flyboy enjoyed them. Even the teenager gobbled down cold leftovers.

The first few...several... ah...most were a bit well done.

#TastyTuesday - Minnesota Sticky Buns

 Mom and Dad just got back from being with family in Minnesota. Of course we talked about the food and now the guys are craving Aunt Rosemary's stick buns. 

Yum! Can you smell the caramel and cinnamon?

Mom gave me the recipe and at big family gatherings the rolls are still the highlight (and the most requested breakfast item). The Minnesota family tradition continues.

Gram tells the kids they have to share.

While on our family vacation last summer, Mom made the rolls for our growing family. This was the first time with our new daughter-in-law and significant other. As usual, there were no leftovers.

Mom and Dad have been married for 64 years, still find romance in the kitchen.

Overnight Caramel Rolls

Ingredients:

2 loaves frozen bread dough (cut into 24 pieces) or frozen rolls (24 little rolls)

1 pkg (cook-type) butterscotch pudding

4 Tbsp milk

3/4 c brown sugar

1 stick butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan. Cut loaf of bread dough into 12 pieces, place in pan.

Mix butterscotch pudding, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until dissolved. Pour over dough. Set on counter overnight.

 

In the morning, back at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.

Love is A Puffy Apple Pancake

Today's word is LOVE. While I was doing my morning yoga, LOVE was the word that came into my mind. Being September, the word APPLE also comes to mind.

Sunday at Grams was about food, family, fun and love. I hope to install such a traditional tine in our family. So let's see what we can make with love and apples.

I'm a bit of a messy cook.

 

Today's breakfast is Puffy Apple Oven Pancake. A perfect dish served in a cast iron pan on a rainy fall morn.

Over medium heat, cook apples in butter until they turn golden.

Add the batter and place in the oven at 420 for 20 min.

The result is a lovely puffy pastry.

I think my guys liked the dish. 

This is a cookbook I often go to. It's filled with family friendly meal ideas and fun little stories.
If you enjoy reading cookbooks, this is a good one! 

Williams-Sonoma Family Meals: Creating Traditions in the Kitchen 

#TastyTuesday - Dessert for Breakfast? Hell Yeah!

Apple a day keeps the doctor away, especially when it's in a dish you can eat any time of the day!

Grandma Williams was the only member of her family to be born in the United States. Her parents and siblings were from Lund, Sweden. As the youngest of her grandchildren, I managed to spend some quality time with her and she shared many of her favorite Swedish dishes with me. 

Gram said apples were good any time of the day. We'd make apple crisp or strudel at night to have with dinner, eat again heated up with ice cream before bed, then again with cream for breakfast.

SWEDISH APPLE CRISP

8 apples 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 c. water 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. white sugar 1/2 c. butter Pare and slice apples. Place apples and brown sugar in 8x12 pan. Add water and sprinkle with cinnamon. For topping, sift flour and white sugar together. Cut in butter with pastry cutter. Mix and sprinkle over top of apples. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve crisp side up with whipped cream.

Tasty Tuesday - St. Patty's Day Treats

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

 I thought I'd list my favorite St. Patty treats 

1.  Shamrock Cookies.

2. Chocolate-Irish Cream Cheesecake. Get the recipe. 

3. Irish Black Bun Shamrock Cookies Get the recipe.  

4. Irish Chocolate Ice Cream (You add a cup of Irish whiskey to chocolate ice cream.  Yeah, baby!)

5. Shamrock Milkshake Cupcakes.

6. Black & White Irish Cream Cupcakes.  Get the recipe.  

7. Chocolate Stout Shake.  (Chocolate stout beer + choc. fudge + vanilla bean ice cream + milk = YUMMY!)

8. Toffee-Coffee Brownies.  Get the recipe. 

9.  St. Patty Cupcakes with green M&Ms

10. Dublin Eggnog.  (Eggnog + double-strength coffee + 6oz of Irish whiskey= wide awake fun)

11. Green beer.  I don't usually drink beer but thought I'd better put it on my list any ways.

12.  Rainbow Cupcakes. This recipe is so cool.  Check it out. 

13. Toffee Shortbread.  Ah... buttery shortbread, a layer of toffee with chocolate topping.  Sigh.  A favorite sweet among families in Ireland.  Get the recipe. 

If you've been paying attention, you'll notice McDonald's shamrock shake is not on my list.  I'm trying to watch my calorie intake. Wait a gosh darn minute... I've already had two.  Oops. My bad... so spank me.

I'll leave you with this thought... what better way to burn calories than to get all hot over a sexy Irishman!  Here ya go! 

Check out this FREE St.Patty's Day story

Mimi Cates is an artist who lives over the coffee shop she owns. Content with her life, she won't allow herself to become to close with her sexy, wanderlust neighbor, despite what her heart tells her.

Irishman, Robbie Mac Donnell never wanted to stay in one place very long. His job as a scientist allowed him to travel the world without ever making permanent ties to anyone. However, when he finds the perfect person and the perfect place to settle down, he's not sure if she'll believe him.

In honor of St. Patty's Day

Love Knot is 

FREE 

on Smashwords.

#TastyTuesday - Death by Chocolate

What's better than chocolate and whipping cream? Having fun with your honey in the kitchen and putting two favorite ingredients into a dessert!


Ingredients
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee

Directions
1.Prepare brownies according to package directions. Let cool.
2.Mix pudding according to package directions.
3.In a glass punch bowl, layer in the following order: 1/2 of the brownie, crumbled; 1/2 of the pudding; 1 toffee bar, crushed; 1/2 of the whipped topping.
4.Repeat layers in the same order. Save the last toffee bar to crumble and sprinkle on top before serving.
5.Refrigerate. Best if made the day before you serve it.

#TastyTuesday - Super Easy & Quick Banana Bread

When you are cleaning the kitchen don't throw those brown bananas away!

I found a super easy banana bread recipe.

Heat oven to 350'. Grease 9"x5" loaf pan.
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Jiffy or any baking mix
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

While cleaning the kitchen this morning, I found several bananas left over from last weekend's camping trip. Ewe! I don't like throwing food away and this is a great recipe to use. It's simple and my family loves it. For fun I add a little nutmeg and brown sugar on the top before placing it into the oven.

I like to use farm fresh eggs. Visit your local Farmers' Market or watch for signs along country roads. They run about $2 a dozen.

#TastyTuesday - Banana Bread

Grandma always said, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

When you are cleaning the kitchen don't throw those brown bananas away!

I found a super easy banana bread recipe.

Heat oven to 350'. Grease 9"x5" loaf pan.
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups Jiffy or any baking mix
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

While cleaning the kitchen this morning, I found several bananas left over from last weekend's camping trip. Ewe! I don't like throwing food away and this is a great recipe to use. It's simple and my family loves it. For fun I add a little nutmeg and brown sugar on the top before placing it into the oven.

I like to use farm fresh eggs. They run $2-$3 a dozen.

Visit your local Farmers' Market or watch for signs along country roads.
A farm near me has a large wood sign by the road advertising "Chicken Butt Nuggets".