The Chocolate Lady Dishes

It’s time to start thinking about 4 H projects.

I know, I know – we should be working on them all year – but that just doesn’t happen.  Our best time for projects is that magic time in mid-May as school is winding down and before summer winds up.

This year Buddy joins the fun for the first time – which means that I get to teach the basics again.

I started where I did with all the other children – with Baking 101 – Cookies.

He choose these yummy chocolate mint brownie cookies to try first.  He learned how to cream, how to mix the dry ingredients, how to scoop the cookies so they are the same size and how to tell when they are done.

His hardest lesson was to figure out how to keep his sisters and his mama away from the cookie dough because it is just as good as the finished cookies!

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups mint chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the water and vanilla, mixing well.

Beat in the 2 eggs.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture until just blended.

Stir in the mint chocolate chips and nuts (if desired).

Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Do not over bake! Cool 2 minutes before removing from the cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks – if you can wait that long!

These are also wonderful with semi-sweet chocolate chips, or even dark chocolate. I haven’t tried them yet with the chocolate raspberry chips – but I’m sure they would be heavenly!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday.

If you are from the country – or have ever been to the cattle barns at the state fair – you know immediately why this are called Cow Pie Cookies!

Despite their humorous name and unique appearance – these little cookies are really quite tasty!

The oatmeal gives them a soft and chewy texture and even makes them a wee bit healthy!

If you don’t like the appearance and texture of the oatmeal, you can always throw it in the blender before you add it to the cookies – but then they would now longer look like cow pies. <sigh> You would just have a  simple chocolate oatmeal cookie.

Cow Pie Cookies

1- 1/2 cups quick oatmeal
1-2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1- 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cream (we’ve used either milk or evaporated milk)

Mix oatmeal, flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating after each. Mix in cream and vanilla.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen.

Enjoy!

I love finding a bargain!

I was shopping with the girls in our local Pamida when I saw two grocery carts full of “reduced for quick sale” items – including several bags of dark chocolate Hershey kisses. I grabbed all there were for just $1 a bag!

A good buy like that deserves to be rewarded – so we made these traditional – and so yummy Peanut butter cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses (with wrappers removed)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

Beat peanut butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Cream together.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into the peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in the additional granulated sugar before placing on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

I have never been a big Biscotti fan.

I like my cookies really soft and chewy – not crunchy. That all changed at Christmas when my friend shared some cranberry white chocolate biscotti.

Heavenly!

So I thought it was time to give up my foolish prejudice and try some biscotti for ourselves.

Dagmar and I dig up a basic recipe and then played around with it to use the ingredients we have on hand.

The result were these yummy cookies.

Yes, I’m a believer now!

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the cocoa and baking powder, beat for 2 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the almond extract. Stir in the flour by hand.

Mix in the almonds and the chocolate chips.

Cover the dough and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide the dough into tow parts and roll each part into a 9 inch long log. Place the logs on a lightly greased cookie sheet , about 4 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool one hour.

Cut each loaf into 1/2 wide diagonal slices. place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 9 minutes.  Turn the cookies over and bake for another 7-9 minutes.

Cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

After all the rich and indulgent chocolate treats over Valentine’s – it’s time to simplify; to head back to our roots.

Is there any food as down home and comforting as a chocolate chip cookie? The whole combination of brown sugar and butter with little bites of chocolate is always a winner!

Three are so many different recipes out there – and I would be willing to test each and every one!

Each of my sister’s has their own special recipe, and my favorite is whichever one I am holding in my hand at anytime!

This recipe is one my youngest sister served us at a recent trip to her house.  They are thick and chewy – just they way I like ‘em!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/8 cups flour (2 cups and 2 Tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 1/2 sticks melted butter (3/4 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (or more)

Sift together the flour, salt and soda and set aside.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 13- 15 minutes.

Enjoy!