Death By Chocolate Cookies

So, um, we didn't have Cookie Day this week, but I've been reading Joanne Fluke's murder mystery with recipes series.  The main character, Hannah Swensen, runs a cookie shop, and is always trying new recipes which are posted at the end of the chapters.  So, I got the urge to bake. This is one I've been wanting to try for a long time.  Sinful.  Rich.  Delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs (8 one-ounce squares each) semi-sweet baking chocolate (you could probably use chips if you don't have this, but make sure it's high-quality)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups chopped nuts (I used pecans, but you could substitute anything here: other nuts or candy chips, dried fruits etc.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Coarsely chop 8 squares of baking chocolate and set aside.
3. Melt remaining 8 squares chocolate in large bowl.  
4. Stir in sugar and butter.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking powder.  With a spoon, stir in chocolate chunks and nuts (this is more of a batter than a dough, with lots of chunks).
5. Drop onto ungreased sheet with medium cookie scoop and flatten slightly.
6. Bake 11-13 minutes or until puffed and feel set to the touch.  Cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two (this helps the centers set, and keeps them on the chewy side).
7. Move to cooling racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Bars!

These are so wonderful! I didn't have a jelly roll pan and I made them in a 9x13 pan. I liked how nice and thick they turned out. The frosting is a little thick if you use it all, but man are they good!

3/4 C Butter or marg.
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C Peanut Butter
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3/4 t. Soda
1/2 t. Salt
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 Cups Flour

Beat together Butter, Sugars, PB, Eggs and Vanilla.
Mix in dry ingredients.

Spread in a Jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 10- 15 minutes.
Dab on more PB and spread evenly. Let cool before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
1 C sugar
5 T. Butter
1/3 C evaporated milk
Mix in a sauce pan and boil for 45 seconds. Remove from heat and add 1 Cup of chocolate chips, still until smooth. Spread onto bars and enjoy!

Hungry Girl

Joanna recently bought the book Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200 by Lisa Lillien, and yesterday we tried out one of her dessert recipes. We made Cheesecake Brownies, and at only 133 calories a piece, I was skeptical that they'd taste good. I was also wary that the pumpkin puree would make our brownies taste like, well, pumpkin. Everyone pronounced them very tasty, although we decided that if we made them again, we'd probably forgo the cream cheese swirls altogether (Chad confessed that it was a little "slimy" for him). We thought mini chocolate chips mixed into the batter would be yummy instead. At any rate, now you know that you can make simple, "healthy" brownies with only a cake mix and a can of pumpkin! Here's the original recipe:

Ingredients:
One box devil's food cake mix
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
6 ounces fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup Splenda, granulated
1 tsp sugar-free vanilla powdered creamer
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix cake mix and pumpkin in large bowl. Batter will be very thick. Spray a 9x13 baking pan and spread batter evenly.
In a medium bowl, mix creamer with 2 Tbsp warm water, and stir until dissolved. Add cream cheese, Splenda, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
Spread creamy mixture over batter in pan, and swirl with a knife.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 16 servings. PER SERVING: 133 cal, 1.75g fat, 29g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 3g protein.

I also thought I'd post a link to the meatballs I made for lunch. I use a package of Jenny-O lean ground turkey instead of beef (it's a little less than 1-1/2 pounds but it works). I vastly prefer the turkey meatballs; they come out so tender. A medium cookie scoop works wonderfully, and be sure to only use 1 tsp of salt! Simmer the meatballs in whatever jar of pasta sauce thrills you (or make your own). Delicious!