Artesano Chocolate French Toast

These were super yummy. Tasted like brownies, but french toast style. We all loved them.

Artesano Chocolate French Toast

10-12 slices Artesano style bread

2/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp butter

In small bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla. Gradually whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients until smooth. 

In large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Dip bread into chocolate mixture and then fry in heated pan. About 3-4 minutes per side or until toasted. Serve with berries, syrup, powdered sugar, or any other topping of your choice. 

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

 I think I may have found a new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have made it at least six times now since I found it last fall, and they are devoured each time! I even made them for my Aunt and cousin who were visiting last week and they loved them and needed the recipe, too.

*I do not add the walnuts

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

submitted by Michelle

from allrecipes.com

Ingredients 

1 cup butter, softened 

1 cup white sugar 

 1 cup packed brown sugar 

 2 eggs 

 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

 1 teaspoon baking soda 

 2 teaspoons hot water 

 ½ teaspoon salt 

 3 cups all-purpose flour 

 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Gather your ingredients, making sure your butter is softened, and your eggs are room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. 

Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla. 

Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. 

Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts (*I do not add walnuts). 

Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. 

Bake in the preheated oven until edges are nicely browned, about 10 minutes. 

Cool on the baking sheets briefly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Store in an airtight container or serve immediately and enjoy!

Christmas Eggs

I made these Eggs for the past 2 Christmas' and we love them! I found the recipe right before Christmas 2010, and had to try them. It is definitely a tradition we will be keeping for Christmas morning breakfast!

CHRISTMAS EGGS
submitted by Michelle
(from Sisters Cafe)

12 Eggs
1 pint whipping cream
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350
Butter a muffin tin. Crack one egg in each muffin hole. Then open your carton of cream and pour maybe a couple of teaspoons on each egg. Keep pouring and try to give each egg an equal amount until the cream carton is empty. Sprinkle a pinch of Kosher salt on each egg and then pop into the preheated oven. Bake for about 12--15 minutes, depending on how soft you like the yolks. Don't bake too long or the come out hard and nasty (not that I would know or anything....). Spoon out the eggs and make sure you spoon the cream at the bottom onto the egg. So yummy!

Monkey Bread

I have been making this monkey bread for Christmas morning for a few years now. It has become a tradition that we all love. It is so simple and easy, and you can even do some of the prep work the night before. Which is what I did this past Christmas morning since we had 9am church.

Monkey Bread

submitted by Michelle

(from Kraftfoods.com)

3 cans (7.5oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

4oz. (half of 8oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp of milk

Cut each biscuit into quarters. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add biscuit pieces in batches; toss to coat. Place half the biscuit pieces in greased 12 cup fluted tube pan; drizzle with half the melted butter. Repeat. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon-sugar. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool 5 min. invert onto serving plate. Remove pan. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in small bowl with mixer until well blended.  Add 1 Tbsp milk. Beat until well blended. Blend in enough  of the remaining milk until glaze is of desired consistency. Drizzle over warm bread. 

Enjoy!

Gooey Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake Bars

I made these for my sons birthday last month. Totally yummy and ooey-gooey! FYI: Have a glass of milk handy when eating though.

Gooey Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake Bars

submitted by Michelle

(recipe from Picky Palate)

14 Oreo Cookies, broken into bite size pieces
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 Devils Food Cake Mix

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with tin foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place cake mix, butter and egg into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Use your hands, it works much quicker  Press into prepared baking pan. Top with broken pieces of cookies.

3. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cookies and top with chocolate chips. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven.

4.  After 5 minutes of cooling, run a plastic knife around edges to loosen, this makes it much easier to remove from foil.  Let cool completely, remove foil from pan, then cut into squares.  I cut off all of the edges before cutting into squares (makes for neater squares), but do whatever you’d like!!

Candy-Cane Oreo Mint Brownies

Oh wow!!! Were these ever good!!! I found these baking chips at Wal-Mart, and they were so much easier then trying to chop up candy-canes!!! My husband LOVED them, and he isn't too crazy about the whole mint/chocolate mix thing. So so GOOD!!!!!





Candy-Cane Oreo Mint Brownies
submitted by Camille
(from I heart Naptime w/ Chocolate Sundaes)

~ One box of your favorite brownies
~ 1 pkg Oreo's (I used their festive Christmas ones, but regular can work fine too)
~ 1 Package Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Make brownie batter according to package directions. Then you will put about a spoonful of brownie batter into each cupcake holder. Next lay an Oreo on top. After that cover the entire Oreo with batter. The batter should be almost hitting the top. Then you will bake them for about 25-30 min (whenever a tooth pick comes clean). Just make sure not to brown them! Allow brownies to cool.

After the brownies cooled, I then melted about a half cup of the baking chips in the microwave and and then drizzled it over each brownie cup. Then I sprinkled some more baking chips on top of each one. Then let the drizzle cool before eating.

Pumpkin Waffles and Buttermilk Syrup

I love waffles!! I am not a big breakfast eater, but waffles are one of my FAVES!! And this buttermilk syrup?! Well, it was just to DIE FOR!!!! Oh so yummy!! This would make a great Christmas morning breakfast, I think! Enjoy!!



Pumpkin Waffles
submitted by Camille
(from Today's Mama, Portland Mama)

2 C flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Mix ingredients together, then add:

4 egg yolks (save egg whites)
1 C pumpkin
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 C milk
3/4 C melted butter

Beat 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into batter.
Cook in waffle iron

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Bring first five ingredients to a boil. Add baking soda. Boil 10 seconds and remove from heat immediately to avoid boil over. (I just stood by it and kept stirring it and let it boil about 5 minutes. It made the flavors REALLY blend together!!!!!)

Fudge Crinkles

I made these a few weeks ago and we all loved them! I also loved how easy they were to make. It is definitely one that you can have kids help with, or even do themselves.

Fudge Crinkles
submitted by Michelle
(from Sisters Cafe)


1 box Devils Food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together first 3 ingredients. Dust hands with powdered sugar then roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on greased cookie sheet (or silpat, ungreased of course). Bake 8-10 minutes. Don't over bake! They should puff up during baking and flatten with cooling.

The Perfect Chocolate Mint Cookie

Wholey YUMINESS!!!!! I have been on SUCH a cookie kick lately! And these were my latest recipe I just HAD TO TRY!!!! Seriously, if you like mint with chocolate, you have got to try these!!!! I got more then the 3 dozen that the recipe said it would make, and these cookies didn't last long at all!!!!! We all gobbled them up!



The Perfect Chocolate Mint Cookie
submitted by Camille
(from How Does She blog)

* 3/4 cup butter
* 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons water
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 2 eggs
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 36 Andes Mints (like the flat ones you get at Olive Garden)

1. In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly.
2. At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour. {I usually skip the chilling and they turn out just fine}
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints and divide each in half. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put 1/2 mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then spread the mint on top of the cookie. {Sprinkle if desired} *If you are stacking the cookies, place them in the fridge for 10-15 min for frosting to harden* Eat and enjoy! (Makes 3 dozen)

Chocolate-Candy Cane Cupcakes

Yes, I think I am on a cupcake streak (sp?)!!! So, SO Y.U.M.M.Y.!!!!!! Really, these were oh so very good!!! It called for cool whip for the icing, but, as I am not a big cool whip fan, yet I AM a big cream cheese frosting fan, I made up my own frosting to go with these! Turned out perfectly if I do say so myself : )



Chocolate-Candy Cane Cupcakes
submitted by Camille
(adapted from kraftfoods.com)

4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
6 small (or 3 large) candy canes, crushed, divided

HEAT oven to 350°F. Chop chocolate squares; set aside. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water with mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped chocolate and 2 Tbsp. candy. Spoon into 30 paper-lined 2-1/2-inch muffin cups.

BAKE 20 to 23 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frost with Peppermint-Cream Cheese frosting, and the sprinkle each cupcake with a little bit of the leftover crushed candy-cane. ENJOY!!!!!

Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp peppermint extract (depending on how much of a minty flavor you want)

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, vanilla and peppermint extract. Beat until smooth.

Oatmeal Brownie Bars

This recipe is an old family favorite. I have been making these since I was a young girl. They are always a huge hit! My boys loved helping me make these, too.


Oatmeal Brownie Bars
submitted by Michelle

1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups quick oats
12 oz pkg. chocolate chips
Powdered Sugar

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and mix well. Mix in dry ingredients. Add 1/2 package of chocolate chips. Spread in 9x13 inch greased pan. Sprinkle top with reaming chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool and sprinkle top with powdered sugar. Cut into bars, and enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Ginger Snaps

I have never liked Ginger Snaps, not because of the flavor, but because I have never been a fan of hard/crunchy cookies...well, except for Oreo's, that is : ) So, when I saw these cookies over at The Sister's Cafe, I KNEW i HAD to try them!!! Ohhhhhh...they were sooooo good!!! The entire family LOVED them!! I had these idea's to take some to some of my neighbors, but.....the only tummies they made it too was my little family's tummies : ) Oops!!! So, so good!!!




Soft and Chewy Ginger Snaps
submitted by Camille
(from The Sister's Cafe)

2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. white chocolate chips (optional)

Mix first four ingredients well, then add the remaining ingredients. Roll into balls and roll in sugar. Crystal or raw sugar is the prettiest. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Boy, were these cookies ever good!! Let me give you all a warning though, they are kinda complicated, and require quite a bit of work!!! Read through the whole recipe BEFORE you make them. They are worth it though!! They were soooo good (think girl scout thin mint cookies)!! And look real cute too!!


Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
submitted by Camille
(from My Kitchen Cafe)

Makes 6 dozen (um, not so much - I barely got 3 dozen out of the recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
2 pounds white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used about 8 ounces white chocolate and the rest white almond bark, since that is what I had on hand - it worked great)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.

Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave (don't overheat or the chocolate/almond bark will sieze!). Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, press lightly on the cookie until completely submerged in the chocolate. Pick up the cookie with the fork, let excess chocolate drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours.

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are simply DELICIOUS!!! I am not a big cookie fan (well, other then Oreo's!! LOL!!). I usually only like cookie dough! But, these cookies are seriously Y.U.M.M.Y. The recipe made about 4 dozen, and I know for a fact that I ate more then anyone else!! So, so good!!

White Chip Chocolate Cookies
submitted by Camille

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups (12oz) White Chocolate chips

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips. Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfull onto ungreased baking sheet. In 350 preheated oven, bake for 9-11 minutes, or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Favorite Hot Cocoa

This hot cocoa is very rich!! It so makes me want to sing the "Hot Chocolate" song from Polar Express whenever I drink it!!! Very yummy!! We also like to put some candy canes in it while it is still hot, and then you have a wonderful mint flavor in it!! Sooooo good!!!!

Favorite Hot Cocoa
submitted by Camille

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan; stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. Sit in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL! Remove from heat; add vanilla.