Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I've had some issues with my internet provider and have had to make countless calls to their customer service line.  I am going to make a strong statement here and say that they have THE WORST on-hold music ever.  It's like some electronic power music that hits some pretty heavy interference about half-way through, so it sounds more like a windstorm than music.  It's even worse than the overly peppy acapella groups that Loyola uses.  Luckily this morning I wasn't put on hold as long as I usually am (upwards of 20 minutes) and I only had to suffer through about five minutes worth of the electronic-power-windstorm.

Speaking of windstorms, Chicago was hit by a pretty awful storm a few days back.  It hit at the perfect (not) time when I had to drive my friends to the train station.  Thank you for that impeccable timing, thunderstorm.  We had perfect weather the next day, though, which was much appreciated because we had my grandparents over for their birthdays.  My dad made BBQ pork chops with all the fixings and then we bought an eclair cake for dessert.  My grandma can't do dairy, though, so I made her these cookies so she could eat something with us.

These are a permutation of Jessica's Brown Butter Chocolate-Stuffed Toffee Cookies.  I didn't have any toffee chips on hand, so I went with just chocolate and re-named them.  I highly recommend making these or any of the other cookies on Jessica's website.  I may or may not have made most of them repeatedly.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:


1 1/2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
chocolate chunks/chips


Directions:


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.


In a small saucepan, melt the butter, whisking constantly.  Continue to whisk until brown bits are at the bottom.  Remove from heat immediately (butter burns fast) and let cool 10-15 minutes.


Mix the butter with the two sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the flour mixture until a dough forms.  It will be crumbly, so use your hands to mix it all together.  Roll about 1 tbsp of dough into a ball and press chocolate chip into the center.  Top with another 1 tbsp dough ball and place on baking sheet.


Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

These bar cookies were truly made with love.  I had a family dinner at my grandparent's house and although my grandma is the queen of cookies (I learned everything I know from her) I volunteered to bring dessert.  

This recipe had me at peanut butter.  And chocolate chip.  And coconut.  

Yowza.

I usually keep a bit of whatever I bake for myself, but I sent the entire batch to my grandparents.  I knew that I would have about zero control with them in the house, and my last doctor's appointment showed me that I need a little control.  Like five pounds worth.

I was more than happy to bring the entire batch and share them with people that I love.  Make these pronto and share with the loved ones in your life!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 8x8 baking dish.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and peanut butter.  Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides.  Put the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture.  Fold in the chocolate and coconut.

Pour the batter into the baking dish, smoothing it evenly.  Bake 30 minutes, or until the center is browned and the edges darken.

Source: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Banana Muffins

I almost feel silly posting a recipe for banana muffins.  I mean, banana muffins are the type of thing that just about everyone has made at least once, and there are hundreds of other recipes floating around the blogosphere.  But, I have somehow misplaced my camera cord in all the packing and these are the only photos already loaded on my iPhoto, so...

I hope you like banana muffins!

As the story usually goes with banana muffins, I had overripe 'naners that were too far gone to even freeze, and instead of throwing them out (or more likely tempting another day on the counter) I decided to make some muffins.  I cut the recipe in half, and holy-jiggle-thighs am I glad that I did.  It took some self control to only eat one of these a day.  They were very dense and sweet, and I pretty much wanted one every fifteen minutes.

Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

3-4 large bananas, mashed

1/2 cup sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine the bananas, sugar, egg and butter.  Mix in the flour mixture.  


Pour into prepared muffin tins, and bake for roughly 20 minutes.  


Source:  Cat Can Cook

Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

I've always wanted to make panna cotta.  It's such an elegant dessert and the name's fun to say.  I've had it on my back-burner-of-desserts for quite a while, but when the occasion would come I usually went for something more decadent.

Which is insane considering that this uses three cups of heavy whipping cream.

Panna cotta is a cooked Italian cream typically found in the Northern region of Italy.  It's a mixture of milk, cream and sugar that is cooked and then set in the refrigerator.  It's similar to creme brulee without the carmelized topping.  Panna cotta can be flavored with a variety of ingredients, but this one is sweetened with honey.

The great thing about this dessert is that it is very rich, but it doesn't weight you down.  The Italian cream is silky in texture and pairs beautifully with the fresh berries.  The crazy brief prep time before the chilling doesn't hurt either.  In less than fifteen minutes (not counting chilling) you have a delicious and elegant dessert that is sure to impress all your dinner party guests!


Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients:


2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup strawberries, chopped


Directions:


In a saucepan, mix together the milk and powdered gelatin.  Let sit for 5 minutes, softening the gelatin. Put the saucepan over medium heat, and whisk for 5 minutes.  Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from heat and add mix in heavy whipping cream, honey and sugar, about 2 minutes.  Pour into either ramekins or wine glasses and let cool before covering and putting in the refrigerator.  Set either over night or for at least 6 hours.  Add the berries and serve.

Source:  Everyday Italian

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting

Remember when I said I was making my own birthday cake?  Well, that was before I remembered that I only have one cake pan at my apartment and that I am incapable of actually choosing a cake without hours of deliberation.  That cannoli cake I made for my family took me an entire week to choose, and the final cake ended up coming from two separate recipes.  Instead of putting myself through that again, I settled on cupcakes.

Now, I feel bad saying that I settled for these cupcakes.  These are not settling cupcakes.  These are delicious, impressive, take-eighteen-pictures-of-them-because-they're-so-freaking-beautiful cupcakes.  No settling over here.  I don't think I've ever been so excited to show something I baked to my friends.  I actually put them on a fancy schmancy platter and made my friend take a picture of me with them.

And by fancy schmancy platter I mean the top of the tupperware container that I stored them in.

Anyhoo, you should all make these cupcakes.  They are super impressive for minimal effort and most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get baking!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting

Ingredients:


For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips


For the ganache:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream


For the peanut butter cookie frosting:
9 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar


Directions:


For the cupcakes:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix together the cocoa powder and coffee in a bowl and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and two sugars.  Add the eggs on at a time.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  


Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the coffee-cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Fold in the peanut butter chips.   Fill the cupcake tins 2/3 of the way.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


For the ganache:


Bring the heavy cream to a boil.  Pour over the chocolate and let stand for two minutes.  Stir until the chocolate is melted.  


For the peanut butter cookie frosting:


Mix together the peanut butter and butter.  Add the powdered sugar, mixing until a thick frosting forms.  With clean and dry hands form round disks and press the tines of a fork on the top to make it look like a peanut butter cookie.  Place on a piece of parchment paper.

To assemble the cupcakes, use an offset spatula to smear a layer of the ganache on the cupcake.  Press a "peanut butter cookie" on top.

Source: Annie's Eats

Cannoli Cream Cake

Cakes have a special place in my heart.  Growing up, we'd only have cake on two occasions.  It was either some festive event or when we were at my grandparent's house.  My grandma always served dessert after meals because my grandpa likes to end the meal with something sweet.  It wasn't always cake.  Sometimes it was cookies or sweet rolls left over from one of their senior meetings.  The cakes were always my favorite, though.  My grandma will always be one of the best bakers I know.  Anytime I would bring a batch of her cookies somewhere at least one person would ask for the recipe.

I learned how to bake in her kitchen.  She taught me the importance of having all of your ingredients ready and keeping your work station tidy.  I admittedly don't do the latter as well as she does, but from working under her direction I always (ALWAYS) let my dirty dishes soak before tackling them.  There's some grandma wisdom for you there.  Always (ALWAYS) let them soak.

We celebrated my birthday on Sunday.  My actual birthday isn't until June 26, but we gather all the family for Father's Day and throw in my birthday as an added bonus.  I used to have my grandma make my cake, but as I've grown older I've commandeered the baking.  This means that I spend an inordinate amount of time looking through all the food blogs for cakes while trying to keep track of all the various food allergies in my family.  This year I decided on a cannoli cake.  With a predominately Italian family, it was a wise choice.

Despite having to go to three different stores for the mascarpone cheese and accidentally using pie pans, it turned out pretty well.  There's not a single piece left, so I think my family would agree.

Cannoli Cream Cake

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tbs vanilla extract


Filling Ingredients:
1 carton (16 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips


Frosting Ingredients:
2 cartons (8 oz each) Mascarpone cheese
1-1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (depends on the thickness of frosting)
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy.  Beat in the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides.  Stir in the extract.


Alternate the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat until incorporated.  Pour the batter evenly between three prepared cake pans.  Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely on a wire wrack.


For the filling, combine all ingredients in a mixer, except for the chocolate chips, and mix until combined.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto the first layer of the cake.  

                            

Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Repeat on the next layer, spreading the filling and sprinkling with the chocolate chips.  On the top layer, spread the filling but leave a one inch border around the edge of the cake.

For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixer, except for the chocolate chips, and mix until combined.  Frost the sides of the cake and the remaining one inch border on the top of the cake.  When finished, press chocolate chips to the sides of the cake and the one inch border.  It works on the sides best to sprinkle them from the top, using the palm of your hands to press them gently into the cake.  Leave the extra sprinkles at the bottom for decoration.

Source:  Cake and Filling/Frosting

Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I had jury duty for the first time yesterday.

You can see my excitement.

 Truthfully, I was the opposite of excited to go and do my civic duty.  I saw it as something that took up my entire day with minimal benefits.  Surprisingly, I actually ended really enjoying myself and discovering a personal benefit that I never expected.

I have a very abstract view of what being a lawyer will be like, mostly accrued from episodes of The Good Wife and Law & Order SVU.  Jury duty gave me a chance to really see what my future as a lawyer will hold.  While most of the other jurors found the case boring, I thought it was absolutely thrilling to watch these lawyers work.  It's verbal sparring in its finest form.

This entire experience has made me even more impatient to start law school.  I can't wait to immerse myself in my studies, and to one day be standing on the other side of the courtroom.

Speaking of law school, I had lunch with my future roommate earlier this week.  We talked through many of the living-together-topics, and my baking came up.  I told her that we would always have some sort of baked good in the house, and she definitely wasn't complaining!  Let me tell you, I am going to be so happy to have someone else to eat my baking besides me.

I made these last week for a friend's housewarming party, and they were a huge hit.  I only have a few left in the freezer and am trying to ration them so I don't finish them all in one weekend!

Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 pound butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soka

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups oats (any type)

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended.  Mix in the vanilla extract.

Mix the flour mixture in with two batches, mixing until just combined.  Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips.  Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

                       

Growing Pains and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending my good friend Autumn's wedding.  Autumn is my first friend to get married, and it was both a wonderful and slightly strange experience.  Friends getting married means that you are officially adults, right?  How did that happen?  I feel like it was just yesterday that I was a freshman at Loyola, anxious about making friends and navigating a new life with such horrors as shared bathrooms and laundry.

I actually met Autumn during that freshman year at Loyola.  She lived on my floor, as did the two friends who took the train with me to the wedding.  

An old picture from freshman year.  Yes, that is a Twilight t-shirt on me.  Feel free to mock.

I feel so blessed to have these friends in my life, and hope that they will continue to be a part of my life as I move on to law school.

Okay, enough schmaltz.  This weekend had me getting a bit nostalgic (and weepy) but I will spare you any additional saccharine memories.  Instead, I bring you a cookie recipe.  

These are great cookies to eat when you're feeling all weepy and nostalgic over a friend's wedding and how you are no longer eight and can't order from the kid's menu at restaurants.  They're also just really good cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

(Adapted from Annie's Eats recipe)

1 cup butter (very cold and cubed)

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until combined.  Mix in the cocoa powder until incorporated.  Slowly add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix together.  Fold in the peanut butter chips.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together.  This won't take too long.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and bake 4-6 cookies at a time for 16-20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack.

Any of you going through some growing pains?

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I am officially done with college.  Which, you know, is sort of crazy considering that for four years I had homework and papers, and now I don't have anything.  I don't even have a summer job (although I have something in the works) so I am truly having some down time.  I am a lady of leisure (pronounced lay-sure, because I am fancy like that).

I had grand ideas of this meaning writing dates at Starbucks where I would finally hunker down and start that original novel that has been on the back burner for as long as I can remember.  I also envisioned myself working out daily.  Maybe vaccuming at some point.  Instead, I have sat on my floor with my laptop and watched half of the last season of Grey's Anatomy, all 5 season of The Guid and about half of Firefly.  I also watched the 25th Anniversary Les Miserables DVD and sang along obnoxiously loud.  My neighbors love me.

I'm giving myself a free pass for doing nothing because in three months I will be entering my first year of law school and relinquishing anything resembling a social life.  Therefore, let's dance Netflix Instant.  Our time together is limited.

In between marathon-television-watching sessions, I did manage to do some baking.  I made these cookies for my last day in the office last week.  I finished my semester long internship and wanted to end it on a sweet note.  The office liked these, and I think you will, too!  They're not overly sweet with a delectable tartness from the lemon.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.


In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the vanilla, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and mix together until combined.  Slowly mix in the flour mixture.  


Take 1 tbsp of dough and roll in the powdered sugar.  Place onto a prepared cookie sheet, placing the dough balls about 2 inches apart.  Bake 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny on top.  They will NOT be browned, so make sure to not overbake.

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Café

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

I love classic couples.  Peanut butter & Jelly.  Cereal & Milk.  Scarlet & Rhett.  I have another couple to add to the classics.

Oreos & Cheesecake.

And cookies.

I'm actually pretty indiscriminate when it comes to what goes with my cheesecake.  I love it on its own.  I love it with fruit.  I llloooveee it with chocolate.  Oreos are a no-brainer, but I'd never actually tried it before these cookies.

I had no idea what I was missing.

These cookies are buttery, sweet and loaded with cheesecake-y goodness.  So, if you happen to have some cream cheese and Oreos left over from Cookies and Cream cupcakes, then make these.  If you don't, go buy them anyway.  You don't want to miss these cookies.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, at room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup crushed oreo 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  

Crush the oreos and put them in a small bowl.

Mix together the butter and cream cheese until fully combined and creamy.  Add the vanilla extract and mix, scraping down the sides.  Next, add the sugar and combine.  Mix in the flour.  With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

Make 1 1/2 - 2 inch balls with the dough, and roll the dough balls in to the crushed oreos.  Place on a baking sheet covered with either parchment paper or a silpat, and bake for 12-15 minutes.  The cookies should be browned on the edges but still puffy in the center.

Source:  Brown Eyed Baker

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

It has been too long since I've posted a cupcake recipe here.  I used to be all about the cupcake baking, but found myself drawn more toward cookies lately.  A large part of that is cookies' portability.  It's sort of hard to get cupcakes with mounds of buttercream across town on foot.  I don't think you could accidentally drop them and still deliver them unscathed.

I did this with cookies once.  The bag I was carrying them ripped and they tumbled out onto the sidewalk.  Luckily I had the cookies in a separate ziploc bag (I was carrying that bag in a grocery store one) and they were just fine.

I didn't tell the people they were for about the little tumble, though.  If they are reading this, they are probably gagging.  I promise, they were fine!  A little crumbly, but definitely edible.

Anyway, I pretty much only make cupcakes now if I am having people over.  No transport.  No tumble danger.  I had some friends over this past weekend and I made these cupcakes.

They were a crowd pleaser.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

For the cake:


2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/3 cup white sugar
3 egg whites, at room temperature
8 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
24 oreo halves
20 oreos, crushed


For the frosting:


8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake pan with cupcake sleeves and put an oreo half at the bottom of each, cream side up.  Set aside.


Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg whites one at a time, mixing until just incorporated.  Add half of the flour mixture and combine.  Pour in the milk, and mix until just incorporated.  Add the remainder of the flour mixture and combine.  Fold in the crushed oreos.


Divide the batter evenly between the 24 muffin liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  You may need to leave them in longer depending on your oven.  Mine had to stay in for about 22 minutes.

For the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla extract and combine.  Mix in the powdered sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Next, add the heavy cream and mix until the frosting is light and fluffly, about 4 minutes.


Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.  Garnish with half an oreo cookie.

And eat.

The end.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There are many reasons to eat a cookie.  Sometimes it's a pick-me-up cookie.  Work went long or that research paper that you put off is suddenly due next week(cough...don't look here...cough).  Other times it's a congratulatory cookie.  You ran your first fiver miler or finally finished that research paper after holing yourself up in the library with shoddy internet service so that you wouldn't spend half the time on Facebook.  

And then sometimes, you eat a cookie purely because it is Tuesday.  Or Wednesday.  Or any other day that you think, "A cookie right now?  Wouldn't hate it."

This is a cookie for all reasons.  All seasons.  And another word that rhymes with the other two.  An added bonus is that you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

                            

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 large egg

2  tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup oats (not quick-cook)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chunks

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, heat the butter, whisking constantly until browned.  Remove the saucepan from heat and continue to whisk for an additional 30 seconds.  Set aside and let the butter cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and oats.  Set aside.

Once the butter has cooled, mix it with the two sugars until combined.  Mix in the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and combine with hands until a dough forms.  Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are golden brown.

Source: How Sweet Eats

Blood Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips

I bought some blood oranges at the store a few days ago.  They were on sale and we all know how much I love a good sale, so in the cart they went.  I ate one while watching Ellen and promptly decided that I did not like blood oranges -- cool name but not so cool taste.

I still had two oranges left, though, and I couldn't risk tainting Ellen with the memory of eating yet another awful orange while watching.  I did what I usually do when left with some random food item; I went food-blog-surfing.

Not surprisingly, I found the most-perfect-recipe at How Sweet It Is.

Muffins are sort of like the frittatas of the baking world.  You can pack a host of savory or sweet odds-and-ends into the batter (not all at the same time, of course, because eeww) and typically end up with something either tasty or at the least edible.

This recipe brings together blood oranges and semi-sweet chocolate.  They're dense and chocolate-y with just a hint of sweetness.  It's a delightful afternoon pick-me-up with some coffee or a light breakfast with some fruit or yogurt.  Of course, it also tastes good after a meal or at 11:00 at night when you're watching Gilmore Girls wrapped in a housecoat and blanket because you're too cheap to turn on the heat.

Yeah, that last one was totally hypothetical.

Blood Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips

 Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 stick butter, melted
zest of 2 oranges
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions:


Preheat oven t0 350 degrees.
In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, orange juice and egg.  Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine.  Next, add the melted butter and zest.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
Using a 1/4 cup scoop, fill the muffin tin with the batter.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Source: Loosely adapted from Jessica's recipe

And get to the eating.

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am in love with these cookies.

I want to write schmoopy love songs about them.  Compose sonnets.  Get on my rooftop and shout its beauty, because that is what these cookies are.  They are a thing of beauty.  And deliciousness.

Did I mention they're delicious?

Imagine your run of the mill chocolate chip cookie.  Now, add a deep and rich caramel flavor and the delectable bite of sea salt.

 Imagine yourself with an entire plate.  And some milk.  And maybe George Clooney.

Oh yeah, these cookies are the real deal.


Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
sea salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Mix together the flour and baking soda in a bowl.  Set aside.


In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each is mixed in.  Add the vanilla.  Mix in the flour mixture in two batches.  Fold in the chocolate chips.


Scoop the dough onto a prepared cookie sheet.  Sprinkle each dough ball with sea salt.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Source:  Eat Live Run