RECIPE #367: Cookie Dough Truffles... the LAST RECIPE

*UPDATE: Someone (as in ME) messed up counting some recipes and I actually ended up TWO recipes ahead! Yep folks...367 recipes tried out this year!...Except of course I messed up somewhere way back when and I am actually more behind.
I think the point overall is. I tried a lot of recipes, and it was a fun ride! :)

The end is finally here. June 1st, 2011 I decided to set a goal of 365 recipes in a year. It began with a quiche and is ending with this glorious dessert that I found here. Throughout this year I have branched out in the world of bread making, and some pizza dough mixed in. I have learned what kind of wrappers to use or not use for egg rolls, and have attempted many of my favorite Japanese foods (see here, here, and here for a few). I did not attempt a couple recipes (for instance my mother-in-law's lasagna, nor did I try a lot of fish or Indian recipes like I wanted to when i was half way through the challenge.) Alex also went from baby food to eating almost everything we put in front of him!
But I am so proud of myself for making it through. Even with a crazy job, a on-the-go son, and a husband whose coaching job keeps him out late. often. I did it. :) It is kind of fitting that it should end with the school year.

so here is the one last recipe for 365 Recipes in a year!

You need:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag mini reese's cups, chopped into fourths
3-4 cups chocolate chips

• cream together butter and sugars
• add milk and vanilla
• stir in salt and flour
• add in chopped mini reese's cups
• refrigerate for an hour (or while you are at the fifth grade promotion ceremony! :) )
• using a cookie dough scoop make one inch balls and place on a a wax covered cookie sheet
• freeze dough balls for 30 minutes
• Heat 3 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 sec intervals until softened. 
• dip balls into chocolate until coated then tap off extra chocolate
• put back on tray and refrigerate too keep cool.

store in airtight container or give some away so you don't eat them all! :)


stay tuned for a new look on the blog tomorrow because June 1st starts the new the new 365 challenge! :)

Recipe #352: Grilled Banana S'mores

This was a pinterest find, or you can find the original here. It was an amazing, rich, delicious, quick and easy dessert (is that enough adjectives for you!)


You need:
2 bananas

handful of chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch cereal

• split open a banana long ways
• stuff some chocolate chips and mini marshmallows
• wrap in aluminum foil around banana
• stick on grill for 3-5 minutes, or a little more if on indirect heat 
• open up when ready to eat, sprinkle some crushed cereal on top
• eat up quickly before your child tries to steal too many bites!

Recipe #345: Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies are a great way to celebrate the start of a weekend! 

I had saved this recipe (found here) a long time ago because I have so many bananas in my freezer, and after months am finally getting around to making them! It was such an easy recipe--took maybe 10 minutes!

You need:

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

3 mashed bananas

2 cups oats

1 cup chocolate chips

• preheat oven to 375
• cream together sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla
• in a small bowl add flour, baking soda, cloves and cinnamon
• add dry mixture to sugar
• stir in bananas, oats, and chocolate chips
• drop teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet
• bake for 10-12 minutes.
• remove immediately to a cooling rack lined with parchment paper (the cookie may still seem soft, but will be perfect if you take them out then!

a couple notes... this recipe made probably about 60 cookies...although the recipe said 24! also, while the first batch was in the oven I stuck the dough in the fridge and the second batch held their shape a little bit better, so if you have time and patience, put the dough in the fridge for a bit before baking! :)

Recipe #322: Cranberry Almond Chocolate Bark

I was really in the mood for some chocolate the other day, almond chocolate to be exact and was pretty happy with the end result!

You need:
Chocolate (baking works great--use maybe 4-6 squares)
almonds
cranberries
coconut
pinch of sea salt

• Melt chocolate in microwave.
• add in desired amounts of almond, cranberries, and coconut.
• mix in a pinch of sea salt and then stir until everything is evenly coated
• spread out on parchment paper and sprinkle some more coconut on top.
• Let cool for a couple hours then break into chunks!

Don't eat it all at once! 

Recipe #305: Chocolate Chip Cookies

This was an old recipe from reader's digest. I don't think I will ever make them again though, they did not hold their shape well at all. But at the same time I don't remember them having that problem before. However, it is marvelous cookie dough because there are no eggs in the recipe! :)



You Need:
1 cup soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups quick oats
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

• cream butter and sugar together
• dissolve baking soda in boiling water
• stir into butter/sugar mixture
• add vanilla, then dry ingredients and chips
• I refrigerated them for about an hour.
• drop small balls onto ungreased cookie sheet
• bake 10-15 minutes at 350.

Recipe #287: Chocolate and Banana Chimichangas

I walked into the kitchen and this is what came out! :) It was kind of messy to eat, but pretty amazing and chocolately!

You need:
2 tortillas
creamy peanut butter
1 mashed banana
chocolate chips

• butter the back of a tortilla
• on the unbuttered side, spread some peanut butter in the middle
• top with mashed banana and chocolate chips.
• fold opposite sides into the middle
• heat at 350 for 10 minutes, or until tortilla gets crispy
• top with whipped cream and chocolate

Recipe #243: Brownies

If you like chocolately brownies, these are just right for you! super easy to make too. I found the recipe here

You need:
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter melted
1/2 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

• combine all the ingredients in a bowl
• stir until all the dry ingredients are wet.
• pour into a 9x13 pan (I might use a smaller one next time because they were pretty thin)
• bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (make sure you aren't testing on a chocolate chip! :) )
• allow to cool and then cut and enjoy!

Recipe #241: Peppermint Hot Chocolate

In my books, peppermint should not be a christmas only flavor!  I finally had a chance to make some peppermint hot chocolate my sister made over christmas. You can find a post about it here on her blog!

You need:
2 cups powdered milk
2 cups powdered coffee creamer
2 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 chocolate chips
24 crushed candy canes
(her recipe also called for 1 tsp salt which I completely forgot to add!)

• crush candy canes
• mix powders together
• add chocolate chips and candy canes
• use about 1/4 cup with a mug of hot water!

the chocolate chips and peppermint chunks melted right away with the hot water! delicious!

Recipe #213: Chocolate Popcorn

I found an idea here, and decided to make some last weekend.

You need:
1 cup Chocolate melted
4 candy canes
popcorn

• melt chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted
• break candy canes and crush in mini food processor then mix in chocolate
• pop popcorn
• stir chocolate into popcorn 
• allow to cool spread out on wax paper
• Enjoy!

Recipe #205: Black Magic Cake

This is a Schaeffer family favorite! My grandma makes it all the time! The magic is in the cup of coffee you add to make it a bite of heaven each time! Normally my grandma puts some jam etc in the middle, but we didn't this time. I can take credit for making the cake, but my sister frosted it to perfection!

You need:

2 cups sugar                                
1 3/4 cups flour                          
3/4 cup cocoa                              

2 tsp. baking soda                                    
1 tsp. baking powder              
1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup strong black coffee

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk  (1 TBSP white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup)

1/2 cup vegetable oil  

1 tsp vanilla

• Grease and flour 2 9 inch pans
• mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, soda, powder, and salt
• then add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla
• mix for two minutes then pour into the prepared pans
• bake for 30-35 minutes at 350

Frosting:

1 stick of butter or oleo (softened)                   3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa                                                      1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
Beat until smooth. Frost layers and sides of cake.

Recipes #196 and #197: Chocolate covered biscotti and marshmallows

perfect treats for coffee and hot chocolate!

have you tried the peppermint marshmallows yet? AMAZING. I used the miniature ones for other recipes found here and here. Love them. and the bigger ones have finally shown up in the stores again! A recipe on the back of the bag gave me this idea!

You need:
chocolate (maybe a 1/2 cup)
10 marshmallows

• melt chocolate in 30 sec intervals and stir after each time.
• mix up several marshmallows in chocolate until coated completely. 
• lay each on wax paper and put in fridge until cooled completely.

For the coffee drinkers in your life...

i had some almond and pistachio biscotti and decided to "dress" it up a bit with chocolate!

You need:

4 biscotti

chocolate

• melt chocolate
• dip half of biscotti in chocolate.
• Let cool.
• enjoy with a cup of mocha mint coffee! :)

Recipe #189: Peppermint Rocky Road Candy

So I was thinking back today about this amazing chocolate and marshmallow concoction I had one time that was light and fluffy...not the heaviness of fudge. And so I determined to find out what it was and how to make it. So thanks to pinterest I came across this recipe found here. Will and I agreed we could forgo the nuts this time because I didn't have anything suitable and we just feasted on some deliciousness. Plus peppermint marshmallows. Oh my goodness, I love peppermint marshmallows. AMAZING! It makes it so festive.
And this one only takes 2 ingredients (3 if you add nuts) and probably just 10 minutes of hands on time.

You need:
a chunk of chocolate--I had a block given to me by my parents, and cut off a chunk of it and hoped it would be enough (I tried to envision a little more than a cup of chocolate. The original recipe said 9 oz of dove)
2 cups peppermint marshmallows

• heat chocolate in microwave with 30 sec intervals and stirring after each time. My chocolate had melted after maybe 4 time in the microwave.
• pour in marshmallows and stir until well coated.
• pour into a foil lined 8x8 dish and spread out evenly.
• allow to cool for 1.5-2 hours.
• put out of pan and cut into smaller squares.

Caution: Do not eat all at once! 

Recipe #184: Reese's Banana Bread

I found a pin that looked delicious, found here.
So I made some mini loaves of bread for my Christmas treats!

You need:
Banana bread recipe found here
mini reese's cups

• Make banana bread recipe
• Before pouring into mini loaf pans, stir in reese's cups
• bake in mini pans for about 20 minutes

Recipe #180: Peppermint Bark

I found an easy recipe for peppermint bark here and then Joanns had their candy coating 50% off so it was destined to get made! :) So easy!

You need:
2 bags dark chocolate candy coating
lots of mini candy canes or 12 ish big ones
wax paper

• crush the candy canes. i ended up putting them in a mini food chopper. it doesn't crush very evenly, but the little crumbs add a good peppermint flavor to the chocolate.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 sec intervals. stir after each heating.
• pour candy cane pieces in chocolate and mix up.
• pour chocolate out on a long sheet of wax paper and spread around to have a thin coating. Mine was a little shorter then width of paper and maybe 20 some inches long.
• Allow the bark to cool and then break into small pieces

Recipe #179: christmas cupcakes

Lots of cute pictures are going around pinterest with santa hats and reindeer. Using those multiple pictures as the basis for my ideas, I made some for a work party. But of course, I didn't take into consideration how a trip in the car would be like a roller coaster ride for my mini cupcakes and they did not look so cute when I got to the party, but oh well...

You need:

Chocolate cake mix

white frosting

chocolate frosting

strawberries, marshmallows, chocolate chips, m&ms, and pretzels

• make cupcakes according to package directions. use a mini muffin pan. makes about 48 mini cupcakes
• after they have cooled top with frosting and add little garnishes to bring Rudolf and Santa hat's to life! :) 

stay tuned for more holiday treats coming up!

Recipe #168: Elephant cake!

In honor of Alex's birthday trip to the zoo I made a elephant birthday cake! I need a little help with frosting a cake still, but I was so happy with how easy it was to shape it!

I used two 8 inch cake pans. one became the head, and the other i used to cut out the smaller pieces--ears and trunk. A boxed mix of devils food cake worked great!

I tried to make frosting, but decided that it was a little too thick to work with and didn't want this too be too difficult. So some white frosting out of a can worked just great mixed with an 1/8 tsp of the wilson's delphinium blue icing! It was the perfect elephant blue! (just save a little bit of white for the eyes!)

Lots of fun! He wasn't too sure about the cake and frosting at first, but by the end...he was a chocolate cake fan! 

Recipe #150: Peanut butter cup brownies

also no picture, :( but this was perfect for the leftover halloween candy that was tempting me!

You need:
brownie mix and necessary ingredients
peanut butter cups, cut into small pieces
some other pieces of chocolate would be great too! :)

• mix up brownies according to package directions
• stir in peanut butter cups and chocolate
• i tried a tip from martha stewart...first butter the 9x13 pan, then put parchment paper down with a overhang on both sides, then butter parchment (will help when you try to cut it. it kind of worked) and pour in batter
• bake according to package directions
• top wiht some more chocolate and peanut butter cups
• cut when cooled.
• delicious!!

Recipe #149: rollo pretzel bites

I didn't get to take a picture of it but the original is found here. Super easy and delicious!

You need:
1 bag rollos
synders snaps
pecan halves

• unwrap rollos
• lay snaps out on a wax paper lined baking sheet
• top with rollos
• put in oven preheated to 250 for 4-5 minutes
• take out and press a pecan on the top of each one!

very similar to the pretzel sandwiches found here

Recipe #134: Pretzel Sandwiches

Okay, this is one recipe you really need to have! It is so easy and so delicious! I made it for my teacher inservice on Monday. I found it on pinterest and it is originally found here. Easy and delicious, I actually just make a few tonight to eat for a snack! (It has been a really long week!) The hardest part is really just opening up the candy! The original author used just hugs but I used reese's cups and coconut filled kisses! (which i think were my favorite)

You need:
1 bag of synders snaps
1 bag of hershey's hugs
1 bag of mini reese's cups
1/2 bag of coconut kisses

• preheat oven to 300
• spread pretzels out on a wax paper covered baking sheet
• unwrap candies
• put one candy on top of each pretzel
• put in oven for 2 minutes. (reese's cups might need 3 minutes)
• let it rest for another minute after you take out to continue to soften
• put another pretzel on top and press down
• put in fridge to cool for about 15-20 minutes
• EAT! :)

Recipe #130: Smore Brownies

After my day, I needed some major chocolate, and this was just the thing!

You need:
1 box of brownie mix and ingredients for that
handful of chocolate chips
2 handfuls of mini marshmallows
4 graham crackers, broken up

• mix up the brownies according to package directions
• add in some marshmallows and chocolate chips
• pour into a pan and bake
• in last 8-10 minutes, take out and add rest of the chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers
• put back in oven and bake until done
• enjoy the amazing chocolately goodness!