Showing posts with label chocolate cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate cookies. Show all posts

12.04.2012

Cookies and Cream Popcorn

How are your 
Christmas 
plans coming along?

This will be another year of
DIY Christmas Gifts
for my friends and family!

I like to do something
edible for all the
men in my life...

because,  to be completely honest,
that's about all I can come
up with for dude gifts! LOL!



Ingredients
{Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy}
2 bags Microwave Popcorn, salted only
26 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed
1 package White Chocolate Bark, melted
6 oz. Dark Chocolate, melted

Method
In a double broiler, melt the dark chocolate.
Melt bark in the microwave according to package directions. White chocolate can be very temperamental, so I would melt it in 20 second intervals and stir between each.
Place cookies in a food processor and pulse until they have become crushed. If you prefer a chunkier cookie in your mix, simply crush them with your fingers.
Place popcorn, one bag at the time, in microwave and cook according to package directions. I used a natural popping corn that had only been lightly salted. Once both bags have been popped, pour popcorn into a large bowl {making sure to remove all unpopped kernels} and stir in crushed cookies. Drizzle popcorn mixture with the melted white chocolate bark and stir to coat the entire batch.
Dump coated popcorn onto some wax paper and decorate with melted dark chocolate. Let all chocolate completely harden before placing in bowl, bag or jar. Makes approximately 16 cups and will keep for up to a week.

Helpful Hints:
  • You may want to consider using a store-bought popcorn - it seems to stay fresher and crisper longer. I would stick with a salted only flavor, though - Kettle Corn might be too sweet for some palates. I think this will be my best bet when giving it as a gift since I'm not really sure how quickly my recipient will eat their yummy treat!
  • I also think the best way to store/give this treat as a gift is in a glass jar. The popcorn didn't get soft as fast in the jar as opposed to being stored in a bag.
  • When making a second homemade batch, I poured the crushed cookies over the popcorn while it was still hot. That seemed to somewhat melt the vanilla filling, which I think only helps the white chocolate out in coating the popcorn! :) I will do it this way from now on when making a batch to be eaten the same day.

Oh, Smack-a-doodles!
This concotion is
dee-licious!

That salty crunch from the popcorn,
the sweet touch from bark and cookie
and an awesome bitter bite from the chocolate...


Your palate will 
tingle with excitement
from this combination - no doubt!

Everyone on your list
will L.O.V.E. finding gourmet
popcorn in their stocking!

Bag it up with a bow or
jar some up with a cutsie tag!
You can not go wrong!!


Better yet,
turn on "Elf" and eat
handfuls straight from the bowl!

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Yeah, I partied this week ->
Check out where on my sidebar!

7.20.2011

Triple Chocolate Cranberry Almond Crackles

What.a.night 
we had around
our house
yesterday evening!

My poor baby
fell out of a chair
{arms flailing}
and busted his nose!

All while I was
at my Bunco gathering.
The hubby took cake of everything...
even the carpet cleaning!

He thinks it was a good thing I was out.
{That bad, eh?}
But, I can't help feeling guilty!
Every babe needs their mommy to kiss new boo-boos!

So, I declared today
Mason Day!
We are watching Toy Story, 1 and 2...
pizza for lunch, adventure walk this afternoon...

And, yummy homemade cookies
just for him!


Here is my
Turn Any Frown Upside Down
Triple Chocolate Cookies:
{adapted from Joy The Baker's recipe}
Ingredients:
8 ounces Chocolate
3 tbsp. Butter
----------------------
1 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp. Instant Coffee or Espresso
1 cup Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 cup Chopped Almonds
3/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a double broiler, melt the chocolate {I used  2 ounces Milk Chocolate, 2 ounces Semi Sweet and 4 ounces 60% cocoa, but you can use any combination you like!} and butter until smooth. Set aside.
Mix sugar and eggs in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Slowly add melted chocolate, instant coffee, flour, baking powder and salt. Once the batter forms, throw in the rest of the ingredients - which are all completely optional, of course. Or, use your imagination to create your own ... replace cranberries with dried cherries * switch the almonds to walnuts * even try white raisins for a unique treat!
Dollop a tablespoon of batter on a greased cookie sheet, separating each by 2 inches because they will spread. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cracks form on the top of the cookies. Let cool for approx. 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.


These chunky cookies are
Uhh-Mazing!
Chewy, Chocolaty
and packed with
crunchy, sweet goodness!


guarantee they will
turn the very most 
stressful of days around!!
Heck, they even cured a busted nose!