I like you.

I really do….

I like you alot…

I think we can be great friends!

Not just any kind of friends but friends that bake each other delicious treats, like my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. That’s right its a cookie and a cake combined, and if your really nice I’ll even add vanilla ice cream with hot fudge…

How does that sound to you…

Would you like to be my friend?

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

1. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 15 seconds.

2. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg.

3. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.

4., 5., & 6. Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.

7. & 8. Add the chocolate chips and mix for a few seconds until combined.

Scrape the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan.

Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan. Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (the center should still feel quite soft), 18 – 22 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.

Cool for at least 4 hours before turning the cake out of the pan and onto a large plate.

Slice then serve…

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

(adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake – Dam Good Sweet by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel, as seen on Lemonpi)

Ingredients

1 stick butter, unsalted
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 15 seconds.

Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg.

Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.

Add the chocolate chips and mix for a few seconds until combined.

Scrape the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan.

Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan. Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (the center should still feel quite soft), 18 – 22 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.

Cool for at least 4 hours before turning the cake out of the pan and onto a large plate.

Slice then serve…

Enjoy!

I think so many people do not realize how easy it really is to make some delicous Dark Hot Fudge Sauce.  It’s like 1…2…3….. and then your done!

I decide that I wanted to make a special dessert for my kids the other night and part of the recipe called for hot fudge sauce.  Well I defintely didnt want to buy the store bought kinds so I said… “What the heck… I’ll just make my own!”

Let’s just say that you won’t be disappointed at all.  Especially when you find all the wonderful things you can dip in this sauce.

Mmmmmmm I’m drooling just thinking about it!

Enjoy!

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Cool slightly before serving.

Mmmmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmm Good!

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cup into 1/2 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Cool slightly before serving.

Cooled sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  Reheat over low heat, stirring.

Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the kitchn brings us a heaping bowl of tender meatballs in tomato sauce… perfect for a cold day.

Also in the kitchn, a cookbook devoted to grits, no-stir polenta, chewy chocolate (low-fat) cookies, and yummy butternut squash pasties.

• Glorious Grits by Susan McEwen McIntosh: A whole cookbook, including more than 100 recipes in all, simply devoted to the wonderfulness of grits.

• Marcella Hazan’s No-Stir Polenta: That’s right, it can be done without stiring, “Polenta is like risotto, but…”

• The Best Chocolate Chewy Cookies Ever (& Low-Fat Too):  These cookies look to die for, plus there low-fat, gotta try.

• Recipe: Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties:  These Pasties are a vegetarian’s dream snack to munch on.

• Do You Know What A Jibarito Is… It’s a Sandwich In between Fried Plantains…. Yummy!

• Can Chocolate Save Your Life, It Just Might Be Able To.

• What Is The Difference Between a Skillet and Sauté Pan?

• Freezer Burn, yucky stuff… Learn How To Stop It!

• How Long Will Food Last In Your Refrigerator?

Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the kitchn shows us the wide ranges of ice creams that mix-in yummy chocolate bits.

Also in the kitchn, how to eat spicy foods, a dessert version of balsamic vinegar, differences in peppercorns, and a new version of chocolate mousse.

• Can’t Take The Heat? How To Eat Spicy Foods:  Though I may not have this problem I know that some of my readers do, hope this helps!

• Ingredient Spotlight: Saba: This is found in the  balsamic vinegar family, it’s sweet and syrupy perfect to drizzle over fruits and cheeses.

• What’s The Deal With Green, Black, White, and Pink Peppercorns?:  Do you know all of the differences between all of these peppercorns?

• Recipe: Chocolate Mousse with Olive Oil and Sea Salt:  This is a perfect recipe for chocolate mousse if expecting.

I know that chocolate on some days have definitely saved my life in one way or the other!

Apparently chocolate also has the ability to save your life as well.  According to a study done in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine suggests that eating chocolate can prevent death in heart attack survivors.

Scientists found, after conducting a study, with men and women, ages 45 to 70, who ate chocolate two or more times a week were three times less likely to die from heart disease than those who never ate chocolate.  

“Our findings support increasing evidence that chocolate is a rich source of beneficial bioactive compounds,” the researchers wrote.  The results are likely due to cocoa’s antioxidant levels, according to study coauthor Dr. Kenneth Mukamal.

Image: Savor_soaps/Flickr

Have you ever tried chcolate made from camel’s milk before?

If the answer is no, don’t worry you will now have a chance to… due to Dubai’s Al Nassma, the world’s first brand of chocolate made with camels’ milk, plans to expand into new Arab markets, Europe, Japan and the United States.

“We aim to be the Godiva of the Middle East,” Van Almsick said in an interview. “It’s a luxury product, so we will never be in supermarkets. Almsick also stated the different benefits of this chocolate which ranges from camel’s milk, which has more vitamin C than cow’s milk, less fat, less lactose, and more insulin, which makes the chocolate a better option for lactose intolerant and diabetic consumers.”

What do you think of this new chocolate?  Will you be trying some?

• From Top chef Hostess to starring in her own sitcom, Padma Lakshmi plans to take on a new role.  — Daily Variety 

• World’s strangest fast food items, do you have any? — Serious Eats

• Is it possible to over think a recipe? — The Epi-Log

• Recipe to try: Peanut Butter, Banana, and Chocolate Sweet Panini — Peace, Love, and Chocolate

• Mario Batalli sets to grace us with his presence on the big screen in  Bitter Feast. — YumSugar

Source

Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the kitchn asked all of us if when we vacation do we cook and if so what food do we look for to eat.  Definitely good questions to ask.

Also in the kitchn, tips on how to cook at home while moving, setting up a basic home bar, and what to do with that leftover pickle juice, and liquor to have on hand even if you don’t drink.

• 5 Tips To Help You Cook At Home While Moving: These are some of the most handiest things to know when moving and still wanting to function normally.

• Summer Entertaining: How to Build a Basic Bar:  Evaluate your liquor bar and get up to date.

• What Can I Do With Leftover Pickle Juice?: Re-use pickle brine and make some pickle juice.

• Liquor To Have On Hand Even If You Don’t Drink:  Stock up your liquor cabinet anyways.

• Recipe du jour: Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce… Yummy!

• Bobby Flay Cooks Father’s Day Barbecue at the White house with President Obama.

• A delightful new children’s book, Peas!: It’s Not Easy Being Peas-y, by Andrew Cullen.

• Want to learn how to caramelize onions, learn here and add them to you burgers and sandwiches.