Gale Gand's Deep Chocolate Shortbread

I must be on a chocolate kick, because, it seems that the last few things that I have posted about is chocolate. Well, I guess you really can't go wrong with it. I found this recipe on the Splenda site and figured that if it is from Gale Gand, then it must be ok. I love shortbread and the thought of making it a little healthier, I couldn't pass it up. The verdict? It is good. I made this yesterday and tried one right after it came out of the oven, and thought..this really is not good. But, today, it is so much better! I'm glad that I didn't just trash it!

Gale Gand's Deep Chocolate Shortbread

From: Splenda

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup Splenda

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 3/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp AP flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place the butter, Splenda, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix, using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, until the mixture is light and creamy. Add cocoa powder and all of the flour. Mix until just blended.

Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball. Place the ball of dough on the parchment lined pan. Roll the dough into a rectangle approx. 6 1/2 inches wide by 11 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Pierce the surface of the dough with a fork all over. This allows the air to escape during baking preventing air pockets from forming.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes baking. Remove shortbread from oven immediately cut into 24 fingers or rectangles while shortbread is still warm. If allowed to cool, the shortbread will not slice well.

World Peace Cookies

Why, oh, why have I not made these before now? That is what I keep asking myself! These cookies are that good! Megan has raved about these, Maria made these not too long ago and loved them too. So, I asked myself, why haven't I made them? I am still kicking myself in the back end for not making them before now. I do have a confession about them though, I didn't let the dough chill. And you know what? They still turned out great! I will be making these over and over again!

World Peace Cookies
From: BFMHTY
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel.

Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

Mississippi Mud Cake

This cake is what I will normally turn to when I need a quick dessert to take somewhere. This cake is really rich, so only a little piece is all you will need to satisfy that craving. I made this recipe before, but in cupcake form and it turned out just as good! I really don't think that you can go wrong with chocolate, pecans and marshmallows. Don't have time to make your marshmallows? no worries, store bought will do just as good here!

Mississippi Mud Cake:

1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecan
4 cups miniature marshmallows

Chocolate Frosting:
1 (16oz.) package powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

Combine butter and coca in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter melts.

Remove from heat; transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and eggs; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add flour, salt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes for the cake. Remove from oven and sprinkle marshmallows over hot cake. If making the cake, immediately spread frosting over marshmallows.

To make the chocolate frosting:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until smooth, adding an additional tablespoon of milk if frosting is too stiff.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

My family is a family full of muffin lovers, especially warm right out of the oven with a little bit of butter that is melting....ok, let me get back to this muffin.

This is from BFMHTY by Dorie. Love them. Nice and chocolaty, moist and dense. This is one great muffin!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins
From:BFMHTY

6 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet

Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; or do this in a microwave. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't worry about being thorough-a few lumps are better than over mixing the batter. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Jam Exchange

A few weeks ago Steph from Steph Chows announced that she was having a jam exchange. I have participated in exchanges like this before and loved it. What's not to love? You get to be in the kitchen making some concoction, mail it off and you get some back in return.

Today my package came from my secret partner...Diana from A little bit of Spain Iowa. I didn't even know of her until now! If you haven't visited her, you should! And now, here is what she sent me!!

Look how cute the labels are!! Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Diana sent me 2 jars of this! Strawberry Honey Jam with a hint of chamomile!! I cannot wait until she perfects this recipe and shares it with us! Not that I am not just completely impressed with this jam, but she also sent me a jar of this.....

Did you see what this is???? Homemade Apple Pectin!!! I didn't even know there was such a thing! I am now ready to get to making some more jam using it!

Thank you Diana for a great package! And thanks to Steph Chows for putting this together!

Zucchini Bread

This is just your average zucchini bread, nothing special. But, that shouldn't scare you away from it. This bread is sweet, moist, and full of spices. This loaf makes 2 regular size loaves or I ended up getting 1 regular loaf and 4 mini's. Just enough to share with a friend, or stick in the freezer for a later time!

Zucchini Bread
From: Southern Living

3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 large)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in zucchini and pecans.

Spoon into two lightly greased 8 1/2-4 1/2 inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

School here starts next week, and I can honestly say that I am ready for it. I like the routine of everyday, just being structured. And that also means that I have more time in the kitchen. I have slacked this summer, but hey, you have "life" that has to be lived.

I have seen these blondies floating around the blogosphere. Ingrid made them, and then Donna made them, you see, they both twisted my arm to make these. I am really glad that they did! These are perfect for an after school snack, for the lunch boxes, or really just any time of the day!

Snickerdoodle Blondies
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool slightly. While still warm, cut into bars with a sharp knife.