Chocolate Monster Cookies

Snack time, again!  Because the holidays didn't bring us enough sugar right?  Oh well, life goes on and so does dessert!

These cookies are a staple of my child/teen hood.  My oldest sister, who we will refer to as "number 1" (for birth order sake ONLY) is the queen of these cookies.  She always used to have these cookies at her house, AND red Kool-Aid.  She was the Kool-Aid queen actually.  I don't know what she put in that stuff, but I always drank the Kool-Aid! HA!

Anyway I took her recipe and used up some leftover Christmas baking goods.  I didn't get much done with my husbands health issues, but, I had some leftover things I wanted to use.  You can use peanut butter in place of the Nutella, that is the original way, but I had tons of Nutella that needed used so I turned them into chocolate cookies and man oh man are they good!

I hope you give them a go, and enjoy their chewy, (no flour) goodness!!

6 eggs
1 cup softened butter
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
20 oz. Nutella
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pancake syrup
4 tsp baking soda
9 cups quick oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
2 cups M & Ms
1 cup Heath toffee bits

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients in the order they are listed.  Feel free to change your add ins to whatever you have on hand that you want to use up, this is just what I chose and it was fantastic.  

Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.  I used my 1/4 cup cookie scoop because I wanted real MONSTER cookies.  Feel free to use a smaller scoop.  I only could fit 4 on a pan.  Can you say, "takes forever"?  So do what you want, get a real MONSTER size cookie or make smaller cookies.  They are chewy and delicious.  Bake for 10 minutes and make sure to let cool COMPLETELY on the cookie sheet before removing! 

ENJOY my friends!

3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

I got sucked in.  It said NUTELLA and I was mush.  I had to try the because quite honestly I wonder how some of these recipes are that just float around the inter-webs.  I found these from www.buzzfeed.com.  The recipe was taking over my news feed so I decided to go for it.  God knows I have 5 jars of Nutella on hand at all times..  Ridiculous, don't you think? 

So after deciding just to finally make these things, I decided I wanted a topping.  I lied, this particular version is 4 ingredients.  You can omit them but what ISN'T better with toffee bits on top?  Precisely,....nothing.  The big "thing" with these brownies, is besides being VERY rich, it all depends on what size pan you bake them in as to how LONG you back them.  I used a, um.....hmm....let me go find it......

Ok, I used a 10.5x7.  I sprayed it liberally with nonstick cooking spray and then got to the important part, the mixing!  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl mix...


1 1/4 cups Nutella
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
(I added 3/4 cup Heath toffee bits) OPTIONAL

Mix all ingredients except toffee bits until completely combined.  Pour into your prepared backing dish and although it says to bake for 15 minutes, mine took nearly 30-35.  You can see they were not thick at all, so I am not sure how that timing is off so much but for me, it was.  Maybe for you it will be done at 15 minutes.  Doubt it, but maybe.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

I love Nutella so nothing about these was bad, NOTHING.  You will only need small piece they are in fact very rich!  You could mix in, or stir in darn near anything, let me know if you do!

ENJOY!

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

I sat down to write this out for you, but I am eating one as I type and right now, IT wins.  Brb.....

10 minutes has passed. 

I am sitting here visiting with two of my sisters, numbers 1 and 5.  My siblings are all going to be known by their birth order number now I guess.  Number 5 is sitting here commenting how she is the "poor middle child", never got any attention.  Can you feel my sympathy?  Number 1 just threw in the "we are trying to find some compassion poor middle child" comment.  HA.  See, I come from a long line of snot nose brats.  At least I come by it honestly.  Right?  RIGHT?

I told these broads I had work to do so if I write something that makes no sense at all, blame them.

I was thinking I hadn't made many bar type desserts and quite frankly I like bars.  I am on a cupboard use up!  This was born out of that.  I had random things needing used and it turned out simply delectable!  A nice crunchy top, a gooey marshmallow middle and a chewy brownie bottom.  I love all of the texture going on in these, it is a party in your mouth!

These freeze quite nicely and really stand up to hot weather well, so great for outdoor parties!

You will need:

1 box brownie mix  (one you can make in a 7x11 or 9x9 or 8x8 baking dish)
1 10oz bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup nutella
3 cups rice crispies

Prepare brownies per the package directions.  Use one of the sizes mentioned above or something very close.  You won't have enough rice crispy mix for a 9x13.  IF you choose that size, or it is all you have, you will need to double the ingredients in red. 

Remove from oven and pour over 1/2 of your bag of marshmallows.  *you will need the rest for the topping*.  Turn the oven off and put the brownies back in for 5 minutes.  The marshmallows will melt and puff up.  Remove and let cool, the marshmallows will deflate a bit. 

In a medium saucepan melt butter, add in marshmallows and nutella.  Stir constantly until all ingredients are melted, and smooth.  Add in rice crispies.  Stir until all ingredients are combined and spoon small blobs over the marshmallow topped brownies.  Then you can use your fingers sprayed with nonstick spray or a spatula to connect them, thus, covering the entire top of the brownies. 

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 

NOTE: I also lined my pan with parchment going on direction.  Leave it longer than you need so you can "lift" the brownies out of the pan to cut them easier. 

Enjoy these yummy chocolate treats!

Your "crispy, gooey and chewy" Chefwannabe

Easy Chocolate Nut Cookies

Happy Wednesday before Christmas everyone!  I trust you are all prepared for the holidays?!?

I thought I had done all the baking I was going to do.  However, I decided I needed to use up this Jif Chocolate Hazelnut spread I had in the cupboard.  I was sorely bummed that it was terrible, (in my opinion) but wanted to find something to do with it.  So using an easy Nutella Cookie recipe I have as a base, I really changed up this recipe using the Jif and a few half bags of chips, nuts, etc laying around and went for it.  You could literally mix in anything you want from dried fruit to any flavors of chips, or nuts. 

If you follow me on Facebook, you will see the near disaster in which almost yielded my family zero cookies. My furry nephew Gus (aka Gusy Bear) sat by this plate of cookies while I took photos for nearly 15 minutes, like a statue.  I started to get up and decided to take his picture as he sat so nice and bam, LICKED the cookies.  Anyway he smiled so big when I told him "NO".  He could be in the doggy denture commercials.  I grabbed him and smooched his face and told him he wasn't in bad trouble, but it wasn't nice to "wick da tookies" (using a lisp of course)  Yea, that's my dog language, what of it?!?! If you have a dog, you have a language, and don't pretend you don't.

Anyway, we are about 2 hours away from the start of a big snow storm.  I can't wait to post you all some photos later!  SNOW ANGELS!  Wait, BLOODY MARY'S and then SNOW ANGELS.  You think I won't, do ya?  HA!

This is one of the easiest recipes you will find. 

2 cups Nutella or Jif Choco-Hazelnut Spread
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients.  Line cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.  Roll into approximately 1 inch balls.  Using the palm of your hand flatten them out a bit.  They will hardly spread so no worries about that.  Bake 8 min, or until set.  I did 8 and they are perfect, still soft and SO chewy!  I am afraid 9 will make them cool and be hard.  If you like hard, crunchy cookies, 9 it is my friends!

This made about 4 dozen cookies!  These are almost like a cross between a chewy brownie and a cookies.  My gosh, they are SO good!

Hurry, get this one made up!  It is quick, easy and CHOOOCOOLATTEEEE.  I sang that, in an opera voice. 

Your "bring on the blizzard conditions baby"chefwannabe

PS. If you don't follow me on Face Book, THIS is what happened when my furry nephew was COLD BUSTED licking the cookies....

French Macarons

BON JOUR!

You know you are nervous about this one, aren't you?  What if I beat the egg whites to much, or not enough.  What if I over mix or undermix.  Overbake or underbake.  OH the stress of it all!!!

Don't worry!  I was equally as worried.  First grab a glass of wine, I mean, HELLO, they are French, it requires wine!  Then, I found a recipe I wanted to try, compliments of sugaryum.com.  This was not a recipe I was about to tweak and twist or "fix" for my own taste and opinions.  This was my first French Macaron rodeo and I was not about to get bucked of this bronco right out of the shoot!

Let me tell you how this went down.  I could not find almond flour.  So I ground my own in my food processor.  I was concerned it wouldn't grind it down enough, but it worked beautifully so keep that in mind if you can't find almond flour.  I just bought slivered almonds in a bag and used those.

I was also concerned about the overmixing, undermixing part.  Pfftt....just mix it until it is all incorporated and you are golden.  When you put some on a spoon and it slowly runs off and folds over itself, it is perfect. 

Truth be told, I never had eaten these and I never had some "OMG" moment when I knew I had to learn to make them.  I have seen them on a couple of videos lately and frankly, I was up for the challenge!  I came, I saw and I conquered.  Now my friends........it is YOUR turn! 

Here is what you will need

3 egg whites (room temp)
5 tbsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup almond flour
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring (optional)
buttercream and/or nutella

Equipment you MUST have:
2 large cookie sheets
parchment paper
Piping bag or ziploc bag

First, put your almond flour and powdered sugar through a sifter or fine mesh sieve.  Sift into a bowl.   Set aside and work on eggs.  Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat your eggs, adding your granulated sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Also while beating add in vanilla and food color if you choose.    Beat until you have stiff peaks.  (CONFESSION, mine wasn't fine enough to go through the sifter, and the still turned out) SHOCK!

Now combine half of the almond and powdered sugar mixture to the eggs. FOLDING them together gently, when almost combined, add in the rest and continue to fold until it is all incorporated. 

 

 



Line both baking sheets with parchment paper.  This is a MUST!  Fill your pastry bag with your mixture and pipe 1-2 inch dots.  Pipe them 2 inches apart!  I made mine a wee bit big but it makes no difference really.  If they have a little peak on top, dip your finger in water and push it down.  When your cookie sheets are full (this should make 36 at least) firmly rap the cookie trays on your counter, to release any air bubbles, this is VERY important.  It will also spread them evenly on the cookie sheet.   

Now, preheat your oven to 280 degrees and place your oven racks at the very top or very bottom of the oven.   Let your cookies sit for 15-20 minutes or until they become firm.  You should be able to touch the tops without it leaving an mark or dent.  At that time, put them in the oven.  After 2 minutes, open the oven door to let out any humidity.  Close the oven and bake for 7 more minutes and then switch the pans positions AND turn them around.  This will ensure even baking.  Bake 6-7 more minutes until they are firm and easily come away from the parchment paper.  Let cool.  Fill with filling of your choice, buttercream or nutella (I used both) and sandwich them together.  They are DELICIOUS!!

Now don't be frightened...........just do it!  They are SOOOO worth it!

Bon Appetit!

Your "mademoiselle"chefwannabe

Nutella Love! Fried Nutella Ravioli!

Good Morning!!  

I want to just thank you for reading, following, and trying my recipes and blog.  It really is a joy to share my passion for cooking *and maybe baking :)* with all of you.  I hope that you are entertained, and maybe educated at the same time.  

In fact, for your entertainment,  I will share with you my mornings "close call".  I was in the shower, knowing the doors were locked and nobody was home, I could hear some rustling around in the kitchen.  I did that whole, "Omg, do I go look or do I pretend I don't hear it in case someone is in the house"?  You know, will I get shot or stabbed while interrupting a burglary, or will they get scared and run...?  So as I am standing, in the shower I decide to just get the courage to peak around the corner.  Now, I am near blind in one eye and can't see out of the other, literally.  I don't have my contact in my good eye and as I peak with my bad eye *cause that is gonna really help me right?* I see the door start to open.  I shook as if someone had me at gunpoint, like physically shaking.  I am standing, water running, hands on my face, and the shower curtain starts to open, I know it has to be whoever was in the kitchen because the kitchen is quiet.  I close my eyes and wait...then I hear..."WOOF".  It was the DOG.  The DAMN DOG!  And when I gathered myself, threw my robe on and went to the kitchen it seems she had been partaking in this next recipe.  I mean what better chance then while I was in the shower right?!?!  Anyway....all's well that ends well, so they say.  I haven't spoken to her since.  And I just took a moment to glare at her on the sofa.  HA.  I hope her indigestion is immense!  And YOU, can stop laughing at me now! :)

OK, well it is no secret that I adore Nutella.  Just ask my butt, my thighs, etc!!  Actually I don't eat it as often as I wish I did, I try and save it for special situations, but it is ALWAYS in the cupboard!  I have drizzled it on, spread it on, melted it in, swirled it with many things for sure.  

I have been making this for years, and it never ceases to leave people moaning and mmmmmm'ing in their plates.  It is fried, and even though I don't often fry anything, I have tried this a few other ways to avoid the ick of frying and it just isn't the same.  They are very rich I would suggest a serving size of maybe 3 or 4 per person, maybe served with ice cream or some fresh whipped cream to dunk them in! I always dust mine with a little powdered sugar as well.

Here is what you will need:
Nutella
Wonton Wrappers
Veg Oil 
Medium Pot
Thermometer
Small bowl with water

Fill your pot with about 3 inches of oil.  Heat to 350 degrees.  While heating, take your wonton wrappers and lay out maybe 4 at a time.  In the center put 1 tsp of Nutella.  Wet your finger with the water and run it all along the outsides of the wrapper.  Fold wrapper into a triangle shape, sealing the entire ravioli all the way around.  If you don't, your Nutella will leak out and be a mess and icky!  You will have to start over with new oil.

Fry for approx 30-45 seconds on each side, or just until golden.  Remove onto a paper towel to drain.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve!




These couldn't be easier.  I often make more than I need, freeze them flat on a cookie sheet and then put them in a Ziploc bag to take a few out here and there if we want them or I need a quick dessert for company.  Just make sure they are frozen SOLID before you put them all together.  

I hope you enjoy Nutella dessert number 1!!  I will be making another but will not be blogging it until tomorrow.  It will be the most delicious yet!

Your "never underestimate the power of dog burglars"chefwannabe

Chris

Oh Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge!!

Oh what a Christmas it has been!!!  Santa brought me a new camera so my blogging photos should be even better!  My husband made me a tie blanket, because I wanted one so bad.  He has a Philadelphia Eagles one I made him last year, he made me a ducky one!  I love little ducks. He calls me his little ducky.  Don't become ill, it's adorable and you know it!  I am told my BIG gift will be a couple of weeks late. Hmmm.....could it be the Kitchen Aid Pro?  We shall see!!  My husband is an incredibly thoughtful, and generous gift giver, I am gracious and spoiled.  At least I am gracious though right?  Instead of being spoiled and not gracious?  My stocking was bulging at the seams and we headed off for our traditional, "Christmas Chinese Dinner".  

 

My husband is a huge fudge lover, I don't care for it so much.  I have never successfully made it, or never had it turn out in a manner I would deem totally successful.  This one from an old newspaper article seemed fool proof and I had to try it.  I did add a few things of my own, and you could really change it up however you want for add ins.  I would try some, dried fruits, different nuts, peanut butter, crunched up pretzels,  liquors, use different chips as well if you like.

Fake Out Fudge
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag of milk chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla extract  (used my homemade for the first time)
1/2 cup nutella
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice

Use a square backing dish and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper that is longer than you need so that you can use the long sides to pull it up out of the baking dish like handles.  

In a sauce pan, melt choc chips into milk at a low temp, stirring constantly.  When COMPLETELY melted, take off of heat, stir in marshmallows, nutella and walnuts.  Turn into parchment lined baking dish and spread evenly.  Let sit for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator until set and hard.  Cut into small squares and serve!

Nobody ever has to know you cheated!  Be creative and use different extracts, with different chocolates and mix ins!!

Now, off to shop.  I mean, do you really think I am going to miss the after Christmas sales??!

Your "somethin' for nothin' at after Christmas sales" chefwannabe

Chris