UNLEASH THE INNER FOUR YEAR OLD (Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles)

So… Has anyone REALLY ever died from eating cookie dough, or is someone out there just trying to damper our hopes and dreams? This is an honest question. I cannot tell you how many spoonful’s, cups, even POUNDS of cookie dough I have consumed in my life, and I’m relatively normal!

This whole salmonella thing (or salmon-In-Ella, as I pronounce it), is it real? TO THE INTERNET!!!

According to the CDC salmonella is estimated “to cause one million illness in the United States, with 19,000 Hospitalizations and 380 deaths.” Oh. Well. What’s my chances that I’ll actually get it… I might take them all for the love of the dough!

In my 24 years I have tried a lot of dough, in 2012 I was on the quest for the perfect low-fat chocolate chip cookie recipe. I strongly believed if the dough tasted good the cookie would come out good. You see, there is one problem with that theory, all cookie dough taste good, and even when it doesn’t taste spectacular it is still not that bad!!!

I strongly believe that cookie dough is the reason that I will never have abs. I can run 8 to 15 miles a day, and come home and “make cookies”, end up eating a good quarter cup of dough and wake up wondering why my weight loss plan is not working. Well, maybe I will add a mile or two to compensate for the doughy desire that I need to fill.

While today’s creation will not help your diet, it will not make you die of Salmonella and that’s a promise! This cookie dough is eggless, super creamy and covered in chocolate, what more could you want? This is the first time I ever made a cookie dough with sweetened condensed milk and I might look into using it more in the future, the dough is super smooth and creamy, what dreams are made of.

If your sweet tooth does not include a love for super sweet, sugary, creamy goodness, do not even bother with this. While it is perfect for the cookie lover, the average Joe of desserts might not find these too amusing. Kids, young adults, and all of my coworkers came begging back for more, and hopefully you will too!

Special Shout out to Zach who submitted this idea!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Have your cake and eat it too with these delectable truffles. Egg free will leave you worry free and quickly floating on a bed of happiness and chocolate. Makes roughly 4 dozen.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condense milk

1 cup mini chocolate chips

2 cups melting wafers for the outer shell (I used a bag of Ghirardelli that I found at Wegman’s)

Toping extras (mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, white chocolate)

Directions:

1. Using a mixer cream together butter and brown sugar, make sure to mix till smooth, no brown sugar clumps!
2. Add vanilla
3. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until incorporated.
4. Mix in sweetened condense milk until smooth and incorporated with the dough.
5. Stir in chocolate chips to taste.
6. Cover bowl and refrigerate until dough hardens, 45 minutes to an hour
7. Roll cookie dough into 1 inch balls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet (I did not have wax paper, I used parchment paper, a slightly more expensive mistake)
8. Place the balls in the fridge until the chocolate is melted.
9. Melt chocolate wafers (microwave, double boiler, I’ll leave this method up to you)
10. Using a toothpick or knife stick the balls into the chocolate until covered, remove and place on wax paper to dry.
11. Once dry, keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
12. Best if eaten within 1-3 days of making.

Death to Cupcakes: A New Era Begins (Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes)

Last year, I called it. Just saying.

Its official Crumbs, one of the nation’s largest cupcakes chains, has closed its doors. It seems Americans are tired of this once trend. We no longer feel the need to have a portion sized, personal cake with frosting decorated to wow us. We no longer want art on a platter, we no longer feel the need to pay $3.00 for a cupcake. Americans are tired of your shit cupcakes, you’re out.

So that leaves me wondering, what’s the next trend? Cheesecake on a stick would be awesome! But then we would have to find portable ways to keep it cool. Gourmet Brownies, that’s something I can get on board with. What about good ol’ fashion cookies? Nah, too… ordinary.

What do you think the next food trend will be? Well if you figure it out let me know… in the meantime…

Chocolate and peanut butter go together like Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise, Tom and Jerry and Beyoncé and Jay-z. It just works, the salty and sweet, sweet and salty, throw a little sea salt on top and you have an edible euphoria unlike any other.

According to The thechocolatestore.com Americans consume 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year, which is approximately 11.6 pounds per person.  On the other hand according to the National Peanut Board (yes this exists), Americans spend $800 million a year on peanut butter, that’s a lot of jars! Obviously this paring is not going out of style any time soon!

Courtney’s coworker requested chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for his birthday and I am always more than happy to deliver. I made a rich chocolate cupcake using both dark chocolate coco powder, and regular coco power. I also decided that this needed a peanut butter filling, so a mock Reese’s filling was pumped into the middle of these suckers, topped off with a peanut butter butter cream.

Chocolate Peanut butter cupcakes:

If you are allergic to peanuts, these will surely kill you. But if you are a chocolate peanut butter fanatic, these are sure to melt your heart!

Makes 24 cupcakes

The cake was adapted from: Hersey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” chocolate cake recipe

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Hersey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa powder

1/2 cup Hersey’s cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

 

Filling taken from a Wilton recipe:

1 1/2 Tablespoons warm melted butter

1/2 cup peanut butter room temp

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

 

Peanut-Butter, Butter Cream adapted from the wonderful Martha Stewart:

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 stick of butter, softened

2 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons whipping cream

 

 

 

Directions:

Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
3. Pour into cupcake liners or greased cupcake tins, fill 3/4 full.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle come out clean

Filling:

1. Core the cupcakes using either a knife or a cupcake corer if you have one
2. Melt the butter and mix into the peanut butter and confectioner sugar till combined
3. Resist the urge to eat all of it
4. Using a spoon, or a bag fill the cored cupcake with this mixture.

Frosting

1. Mix butter and peanut butter together, add in confectioners’ sugar, and add in whipping cream.
2. Whip till desired consistency
3. Again resist the urge to eat it all
4. Either pipe, or spread on cupcakes.

 

 

 

 

Running Away (Gluten Free, Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Heart pounding, I run. My lungs, once full of air are now deflated and scrambling, but still continue. My shins absorb the impact of the worn concrete, walked by countless people, yet run by me. Aching arms continue to sway mechanically back and forth, they scream for a break, but none comes. Head held high and with determination holding me from looking back, I run.

Saving the orangutans one run at a time.

I like to run. Trust me it’s not as bad as it sounds. As a former 3 sport college athlete I need something to keep my adrenalin going, something to hold hope that there will be one more game. I run because I can, it keeps me in shape, it clears my mind. The benefits of running are strongly outweighed by the cons and keep me happy, healthy and strong.

Last Sunday, April 27, 2014 I ran my first 5K. It was the Philly Run Wild through the Philly Zoo all to benefit the orangutans. First of all you have to understand that 3.1 miles for me is a warm up. I can easily run for 7+ miles without skipping a beat. In fact I think I held myself back a little during this race because I was still budgeting my energy for a longer run. But it was so much fun! The next day I came back to work and signed up for another 5K at the Working Dog Winery in East Windsor NJ!

Right after Jess finished, is it just me or does she look a little tired?

With 5k fever on my mind I thought about eating cleaner, which is rough when your two best friends are Ben and Jerry’s, and the new Core Flavors, MMMM let me tell you, such an amazing game changer. Anyways, yes it’s true I don’t eat as clean as I should. I also have a small problem with gluten, or rather it has a small problem with me. I eat it, it kicks my ass, you get the picture. So I decided to cut out as much gluten as possible, and add more protein to my diet to hopefully gain those sexy running muscles (HA!).

With protein on my mind, and gluten out of my body I set out this week to develop a cookie that I won’t feel too bad eating, Ha, yeah right. While this recipe does not contain flour, it does contain a cup and a half of sugar, so you win some, you lose some. But on the positive side I do feel better when I grab 2 for breakfast.

Fresh from the oven!

Flourless, Gluten Free, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the past I have made a gluten free, soy free, lactose free cookie similar to this, but not quite. If your dietary needs are all that and more please refer to Kim’s Kookies!

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups natural crunchy peanut butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Put peanut butter, sugar, beaten eggs, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix.
3. Mix in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop into tablespoon sized bowls and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie trays.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they start to golden.

 

 

 

College With A Side Of Frosting (Jack and Coke Cupcake)

Retrospectively, I spent a lot of time during my college career at frat houses, parties, and under the influence. But isn’t that the college way of life? During my four years I gained a reputation that one of my idols would have been proud of. I was a drunken party girl. I would walk down my dorm room floor at 7 pm on a Monday night and convince people that they should take shots with me. I was a master illusionist that showed them how a drink could solve there problems at 9pm, however I never showed up to help them get too clinical at 5:30 am. I was the girl who was lying on the common room floor with kaleidoscope eyes, telling you that in a galaxy far, far away there was life. I was the person who swore like a sailor, dressed like a blind man, and drank like I would never live to see tomorrow.

Wanna see highlights of my Drunk College Career? Click here.

During my 4 year of college Ke$ha was my role model. Her words spoke to me, partying, drinking, waking up in closets, glitter, feeling like P. Diddy, who didn’t want to be Ke$ha? I would parade around in the silliest of outfits, not caring what other people thought, spreading a trail of glitter wherever I may have traveled. I even had my own theme song which mirrored Ke$ha’s current hit at the time, Tik Tok (Maybe one day I will share it, or even do a video playing it).  And while I never brushed my teeth with a bottle of Jack, peppermint schnapps will have to suffice.

Parading around with the pride of Ke$ha supporting me, really helped me find my confidence in college. I did not care what anyone said about how I dressed, how I acted, or the way that I expressed myself, I was playing Ke$ha and I was happy! Sure sometimes my shenanigans got me in trouble, like drinking before sporting games, or frequently skipping my 8am class. However I did graduate this past December with a 3.5 GPA, a major in Forensic Psychology and minors in English and Criminal Justice, and a few certificates to throw into the mix.

Today with the Super Bowl approaching, I decided to make Jack and Coke cupcakes. However I could not help but think of my college role model the entire time making them. These cupcakes featured a chocolate coke base, with a Jack Daniels butter cream icing, sure to give you that afternoon buzz you need. These cupcakes, due to the soda, come out as light as an empty bottle, with as much flavor as the soda you just guzzled to get that empty bottle. While I am not a Jack fan or a Coke fan, there are some things that were meant to go together, and Jack and Coke is one of them.

 

Jack and Coke Cupcakes:

I confess, I cheated again!!! I used a box mix for the Coke cupcakes. There are recipes out there on how to make a coke cake from scratch, but if you are like me and don’t feel like running to the store at 8:30pm after the gym this will suffice.

Makes 15 Cupcakes, Frosts 12 nicely, stretches to 15.

Ingredients:

1 Box of Chocolate or Vanilla Cake Mix

1 (12 Ounce) Can of Coke

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

3 Cups Confectioners Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tsp Milk

4 Tbsp of Jack Daniels

Directions:

Cake:

Mix the cake batter and the 12 ounces of soda, this will replace the eggs and oil and whatever else the box calls for.

Follow directions on the box for baking times.

For the icing:

Cream the butter, mix in the vanilla and milk.

Slowly mix in the confectioner sugar one cup at a time.

Mix in the Jack and frost!

Cheaters Coffee Cake

The Journey of the Crumb Cake

                I was never one for cheating, but I like to win. Family monopoly games turned into battles to the death, unless I was the dealer. If I was the dealer, it was always a landslide victory in one direction. I’m not saying I cheated; I just helped out my cause a little.

                Cheating in sports is another thing, I never cheated, but cheaters always made the game more interesting. There was always that one team at the softball field that counted too many runs, or sent someone up to bat to early. This was always resolved with at least one coach being ejected from the game, parents screaming obscenities, and at least one girl crying. It’s not a game unless someone cries.

In baking I can proudly say my cheating is minimal. I prefer homemade everything, to premade anything. Cookies in the bag don’t cut it, box cakes can suck it, and store bought can remain in the store. There is an adventure involved in cooking from scratch, a sense of accomplishments, and pride.

Don’t cheat and use a stand mixer, DONT DO IT! Do what I say not what I do.

Today, I confess, I cheated. Today I made coffee cake and used (gulp) Bisquick. I could have made homemade Bisquick, but I’ll save that for another story. This was one of the easiest recipes I could have ever followed, and at 7:00am easy is what I need. I even accomplished this recipe without my morning cup of coffee.

                Apparently, this Bisquick coffee cake is a classic. My mother commented how her mom used to make it, and on mother’s day, tradition is the only thing that mattered. The cake part is light and fluffy, sweet and moist, comparable to a slice of cloud from the heavens. The crumbs, if you are a coffee cake fiend, like myself, I recommend doubling or tripling the crumb topping. I doubled it, and still could have used a little more. But the small balls of sugar will forever satisfy my early morning sweet tooth.

The crumbly finished product

Without further ado, here is my slice of early morning goodness. Remember, cheaters never win, but at first they do succeed.

Cheaters Coffee Cake:

Ingredients:

Cinnamon streusel

1/3 Cup Original Bisquick mix

1/3 Cup packed brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons firm margarine

Coffee Cake:

2 Cups Original Bisquick mix

2/3 Cup milk

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Egg

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375*F. Grease a 9 inch round pan.
2. In a small bowl, stir streusel ingredients until crumbly. If you like big crumbs try using your hands. For smaller finer crumbs use a whisk.
3. In a medium bowl, mix coffee cake ingredients until blended, then spread evenly in pan.
4. Sprinkle the streusel on top of the cake batter.
5. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.