Homemade Turtles

This is for my friend Katelyn. :)

Homemade Turtles

1 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

Pecan halves

1 bag Kraft caramel squares

Melt chocolate and shortening over low heat until

smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

Place three pecans together for each candy, forming a Y,

on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.

Unwrap caramels and place one on each Y.

Bake in 300 degree oven for 7-9 minutes, just

until caramels soften and start to pool.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Chocolate should be easy to stir and thickened slightly.

Swirl chocolate onto each candy.

Don't try to move until everything is set.

Makes 40 turtles.

♥

Treats From Belgium

My online friend Jitka sent me some fun treats!

We were talking about lavender back when I picked bouquets

of it in my yard and hung them to dry in my studio.

She sent me edible lavender for making tea and a

lavender milk chocolate bar!  

The chocolate got a little soft somewhere along it's journey.

It is summer after all!  But not too bad and it was nice and solid

again by the time it got to Ohio.  I must say that this is delicious!

We all know how lavender is good for relaxing and I actually did

feel that as I ate it.  I'm trying to ration out the little squares.

haha....have a few more to go before it's all gone!

I made tea with the edible buds.  The smell was wonderful!

My first cup was a little too strong but I got it right after that.

It is a great thing to drink before bedtime!

You get carried off to sweet dreamland! 

And I'm thinking it could be steeped in milk and used to

make ice cream.  Wouldn't that be delicious?

I'll have to put that on my To Do List.  Yum!

Thank you so much, Jitka!

This was a fun treat!  You'll have to tell me something 

from America that you would like to try. 

I saved your address!

♥

Happiness is....

Finding a Cadbury chocolate bunny in the pantry.

♥

Macadamia Nut Hershey's Kisses

So I took a trip to Hawaii today....

well, at least my taste buds did!

♥

The Weekend

♥

Dark Chili Chocolate

I've mentioned several times on this blog that

The Mister loves chocolate.  But not just any cheap chocolate.

No Hershey's Kisses, M&M's...oh, no!

He's a chocolate snob.  Dark chocolate only and it must

be a good quality chocolate at that!

I bought him several nice bars of chocolate for his

Christmas stocking and he's slowly getting to the end of his stash.

He pulled this one out of the pantry this week and had a square.

"This Chili Chocolate is really hot! Cough-cough!"

"Sounds delicious.  Is it too hot for you?"

"Uh, yeah...taste this!"

"Mmmm...It does have a kick but the heat is really good

paired with the chocolate.  I like it!"

"Well, you can have the rest.  I don't want it."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Chocolate is supposed to be relaxing."

♥

Cadbury Flakes

Back in October when I showed a picture of my Trick-Or-Treat

basket full of candy, Vincent asked where the Flakes were.

Amy said if Vincent knew Flakes, he really was English.

Of course I'd never heard of Flakes, but went to youtube

and watched a few of their adverts, which are very entertaining. :)

Well, look what came in the mail from England yesterday!

A bag of Flake bars!

Maybe they should be called twigs...or branches? Bark? ha.

Seriously, I've never seen such a thing!

They claim to be "The Crumbliest, Flakiest Milk Chocolate"

and yes, they do live up to their name.

They should not be eaten by messy children (or men) indoors.

Outside would be much better! haha.

And they're delicious Cadbury chocolate that melts in your mouth.

There are only 6 left and I refuse to say who has eaten 3 of them.

So, thank you, Amy!  What a sweet surprise!

She made the pretty Christmas card and wrote in it that

she sent the big bag so I'd have plenty to share.

Share?  Um, what?

♥

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I made some today...just because!

And we ate them today...just because!

♥

Valentine's Day

I woke up to find flowers and a gift card to my favorite

clothing store on the kitchen counter this morning. :)

I dropped the boys off at school 

and snapped this photo.  Alex is already going

through the door. He shoots out of the jeep

like a rocket, even before the wheels stop

rolling.  ha.  Spencer makes sure

all the doors are closed for me.

I say, "Bye!  Love you!"

And Spencer answers, "Do, joo" (love you)

Sigh. I love these guys. :)

I wrapped a couple of new shirts and

a tie for The Mister and took off for the grocery.

When I came home, I made more chocolate things!

Two heart shaped trays of goodies.

One for The Mister and one for Taylor and Lauren.

Milk, white and dark chocolate covered strawberries.

Dark chocolate truffles and milk chocolate truffles.

And then chocolate caramel fudge.

Yep, I think we have enough chocolate!

The strawberries were my favorite.

yum!

I hope you've had a love-ly day!

♥

Chocolate Truffles

Extra dark, rich and creamy.

Oh, and did I mention, easy?

Yes, they are!

Chocolate Truffles

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/2 c heavy cream

1 T orange liqueur.  I used Godiva Chocolate.

or you could use vanilla extract.

1/4 t salt

unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

Bring cream, liqueur and salt to a simmer in a

small saucepan over low heat.

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate.

Whisk until smooth and glossy.

Chill 30 minutes until firm.

Scoop chocolate into 1 inch balls.

Roll in cocoa.

I rolled mine in a variety of coatings.

Keep chilled until ready to serve.

*****

Shh...don't tell The Mister that I made them for him.

They are hidden until after dinner on

Valentine's Day!

I hope your day is full of love!
Happy Valentine's Day!

♥

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

This is a favorite candy of ours and so easy to make!

You can use any kind of nut you like, too.

First melt 1.5 pounds of almond bark in the microwave.

In a separate bowl, melt 6 ounces chocolate chips 

and 1 square of unsweetened chocolate.

The amounts are different in my photos because I was making 

one and a half batches for gift giving.

Stir 16 ounces of cocktail peanuts into the almond bark.  

Then add the chocolate on top.

If you want them to be totally chocolate, stir all together.

To get a marbled effect, do not stir the chocolate but simply

start spooning teaspoon size candies onto parchment paper.

When the candies are fully hardened they are ready to eat!

Isn't this a sweet vintage Christmas plate?

Yes, I pulled it from the auction trash earlier this year!

I was excited to bring it out and use it this season!

♥

Chocolate Crinkles

One of our favorite cookies!  Dark chocolate looks so pretty contrasted with snowy white powdered sugar!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2 c sugar

4 eggs

1/2 c vegetable oil

4 T butter, melted

2 t vanilla

1 c cocoa

2 c flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

In mixer, combine sugar and eggs. Add remaining wet

ingredients. Mix well. Sift dry ingredients and add, mixing well.

Dough will be wet and sticky. Chill several hours or overnight.

Roll balls of dough in 1 c powdered sugar.

Bake at 350 on parchment lined baking sheets for 8-12 minutes.

Cookies will flatten, get crackly and cracks will look dry.

Yum.

♥

Fudge Upside Down Cake

Rich and dark chocolate cake with a layer of

ooey gooey chocolate on the bottom.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Yum!

Fudge Upside Down Cake

Cake

2 c flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 2/3 c sugar

4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

6 T butter, melted

1 c chopped pecans

1 c milk

1 t vanilla

Whisk dry (and nuts) and wet in separate bowls, then combine and stir well.

Batter is very stiff.  Spread into a greased 9x13 pan.

(I had to add an extra T of milk to thin it very slightly to spread)

Sauce

1 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c and 2 T cocoa

1 3/4 c hot water

1 t vanilla

Mix sugars and cocoa.  Add water and stir until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.

This is very runny.  Very slowly and gently, pour sauce over the cake batter.

Do not stir.

Bake 325 for 50 minutes.  Top should be well browned and firm to touch.

Mine took 10 minutes longer.  Bake until edges begin to pull away from pan.

Cool slightly.  Serve warm.  12 servings.  Spoon sauce over pieces and 

serve with ice cream.

I didn't serve it right away and simply put each portion in the microwave

15 seconds before adding the ice cream.

Enjoy!

I'm linking up with The Weekend Potluck

and Sweets for a Saturday!

♥

Homemade Oreo Cookies

You know that incredible difference between store bought and homemade?

It's the difference between Chips Ahoy vs. scratch chocolate chips cookies.

or fresh pineapple vs. canned.  Like homemade bread vs. Wonder White.

Well, that same difference can be found in Nabisco vs. Homemade when it comes to Oreos!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Cream Filling
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 T. vanilla extract
water

Dough
1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
 1 3/4 cups flour

Starting with the filling first, cream the powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract together. Add 1 teaspoon of water at a time, if needed, until the mixture resembles a thick dough that is about the constancy of play dough. Roll it into a log that is about 2 inches wide.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

While filling is chilling, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the flour and mix well. Dough will be dry and not sticky.  Shape dough into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface 1/4 inch to an 1/8 inch thick. Use a 2 inch circle cutter to cut out the cookies. Bake 8-9 minutes until firm but not burnt...watch closely and adjust time if needed.  Set aside to cool.

After the cookies are cool, remove the filling from the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice filling 1/4 to a 1/2 inch thick.  Place a slice between 2 cookies and press gently together.  Any leftovers should not be stored in an air-tight container or they will get soft.  Still really yummy, but not crunchy like they are supposed to be. :)

I adapted the recipe originally found here.

♥

New York Black and Whites

These huge, dramatic-looking chocolate- and vanilla-iced cookies have enticed New Yorkers for the past 40 years!  A mainstay of deli bakery cases across New York City, they were once spotlighted on the Seinfeld television show.  Black and whites have a huge following and evoke fond memories, particularly among those who ate them as children.  I had personally never heard of them, living in the Midwest my whole life, but when I saw them featured in Nancy Baggett's All- American Cookie Book, I had to try them.  They were instantly named The Mister's favorite, so I  baked them for Valentine's Day.

If you'd like to bake them yourself, here's the recipe:

Cookies

3 c all purpose flour

3/4 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

1 1/3 c sugar

2/3 c butter, softened

1/2 c vegetable shortening

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 t light corn syrup

3/4 t lemon extract (I omitted)

1/3 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.

With an electric mixer, blend butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, corn syrup, flavorings and mix well.  Alternate sour cream with dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Let dough set 5 minutes to set up. ( I added 1/2 c more flour as mine was very wet)

Using 1/4 measure of dough, shape into balls (I used small ice cream scoop).  Place on baking sheets, spacing about 3.5" apart.  Using floured hands, press balls into 3.25" circles. Dough is very sticky. Bake 10-14 minutes until barely golden on the edges. (Mine took 8 minutes)

Fondants

1/4 c light corn syrup

5 c powdered sugar

3/4 t vanilla

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

In medium sized saucepan, bring 1/2 c water and the corn syrup just to boil.  Remove from heat and pour over powdered sugar which has been placed in microwave safe bowl.  Stir with vanilla until completely smooth.  Place the chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl and pour 2/3 c of the hot fondant over the chocolate.  Stir until partially melted.  Add another 1/2 of the vanilla fondant and stir until completely incorporated.  (I had to microwave each to reheat and thin out with a little water to get to a fluid but not runny consistency, which you need to spread on the cookies).

Set cookies on wire racks which have been placed over wax paper to catch drips.  Place a small amount of the chocolate fondant in a pastry bag and using a #2 tip, pipe a straight line down the center of each cookie.  This is optional, but makes for a clean divide between the 2 different fondants.

Spread the sides with white and black, working quickly so the fondant retains it's shiny appearance.  I did all the white sides, then the chocolate, so I only had to keep one fondant the right consistency at a time.  Let sit several hours until firm.

♥

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What I did today.

Yum!

And yes, I had to test one.

Okay, okay. I tested four. :)

Melt Ghirardelli dark chocolate in the microwave. Dip strawberries. Set on parchment paper.

Enjoy.

♥

Betsy's Pastry Swans

This is by far my favorite Christmas dessert. I have a tray of these sitting on the dessert buffet every year. They look complicated but really aren't difficult.

Pastry Swans

Bodies ~ Pate a Choux

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Combine butter, salt, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and the water just comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir rapidly. Return the pan to the heat, and cook mixture, stirring constantly, until it comes together and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until they are completely incorporated and the pastry is smooth. Transfer the pastry to a bag fitted with a small coupler. Pipe about 1/2 tablespoon of the pastry into an oval mound on the prepared baking sheet; continue piping until 12 'bodies' have been made, spacing pastry about 1 1/2 inches apart. Then pipe 12 long "S" shapes for the heads/necks on a separate sheet. Combine egg white with remaining 1 tablespoon of water, and brush the top of each mound and the necks with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown all over, about 20 minutes for the bodies and 10 minutes for the necks. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Cream puff shells can be made in advance, and frozen in resealable bags. When ready to use, defrost and warm in a 350 degree oven for three minutes until crisp.

Filling

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

6 oz Cool Whip

In mixer, blend softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla

Stir in Cool Whip with a spatula.

I put my filling in a pastry bag, which makes it easier to fill the

bodies, but you can just spoon it in just fine.

To Assemble (just before serving) ~

Cut tops off of bodies and divide the tops lengthwise to create 2 wings.

Fill each body with a large dollop of creamy filling

Arrange neck and wings to create swans by sticking ends into filling.

Can serve each in their own 'pool' of chocolate sauce, or drizzle chocolate on top.

Yield: Makes about 12

Seven Swans A-Swimming!

I'm joining in with Lisa and Sweet As Sugar Cookies.

Click HERE for more great recipes!

And also Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party HERE!

♥

Beet Cake

I got this recipe from Becky's blog a while back. She had the same little video posted that I have below and it was so beautifully done as baking art, that I wanted to try the recipe. Not to mention the fact that I was curious what beets would do to a chocolate cake! The cake is delicious. It's so moist that it's like a pudding cake. The directions in the video are vague, so I've written them out below. Yum. If you like chocolate cake, you need to try this. And since it doesn't have frosting, it isn't so heavy and sugary. Perfect just as it is.

And no, you can't taste the beets at all!

Baking as Art...beautifully done!

pretty color, huh!

Beet Cake

1 c butter, softened

1 1/2 c dark brown sugar

3 eggs

1 t vanilla

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted

2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

2 15oz cans of beets, drained and pureed

2 c flour

In mixer, blend brown sugar and butter. Add eggs. Mix until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake in 2 greased 8" round cake pans 375 for 20-30 minutes. Test center with a toothpick. When cool, remove from pans and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

To see more fun recipes, visit Lisa at Sweets for A Saturday. Click HERE.

♥

Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs

This was The Mister's birthday dinner last Friday evening. If you need a fool proof recipe for ribs, this is a good one. Cut slabs in half, which is a serving size, approximately. Lay ribs in a pan, (it's ok if they overlap a little). Pour 1 bottle of beer over them and sprinkle with chili powder. Seal tightly with foil and bake at 250 for 6 hours or more. Just before serving, carefully remove slabs onto a cookie sheet, spread tops with your favorite sauce and return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes. They fall off the bone. Perfect every time. Yum.

Served here with cole slaw and THESE onion rings.

And THIS chocolate cake recipe, of course. :)

♥

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Super moist, freezes well, and like anything chocolate,

it's best after it's aged a day.

Uses 4 cups of zucchini, which is a good thing

this time of summer!

Recipe

********

3 eggs

2 c sugar

1 1/4 c vegetable oil

1/2 c cocoa

1 t vanilla

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 t cinnamon

2 1/2 c flour

4 c grated zucchini

1 c chocolate chips

******

Mix first 5 ingredients in electric mixer until well blended.

Whisk dry ingredients together and add to the mixer.

Mix well. Batter will be stiff.

Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Bake in a greased tube pan.

350 for 45-50 minutes.

tooth pick test.

This is a Sweets For A Saturday post!

For more recipes, click HERE!

♥