Soft and Chewy Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

*WARNING* You may experience chocolate overload!

I think it's safe to say that I've found a new chocolate addiciton and these cookies are it!  Not only are they incredibly soft and moist (almost like a fudgy brownie), but they're also filled with a variety of chocolate.  Be careful though, due to the deliciousness of these cookies, they'll disappear before you know it.

Sidenote: Broken up pieces of these chocolaty delights make an excellent topping for a bowl of ice cream.

Soft and Chewy Double Dark Chocolate Cookies
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Makes: About 42 cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hersey’s)
¼ cup special dark chocolate cocoa powder (Hersey’s)
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. instant espresso powder (or instant coffee powder would work too)
10 Tbsp. butter, softened but still cool
1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

Melt together the semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate.  There are two ways that you can go about doing this.  One way is to use a heat proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water.  All you have to do is add the chips into the bowl and slowly stir around until melted.  If you are in more of a hurry though, and want something faster, combine the chocolates in a heat proof bowl and place the bowl in the microwave, cooking in 30 second intervals.  It’s very important to make sure to stir the chocolate around after each interval, until it’s completely melted.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder.  Once the ingredients are well combined, set aside.

In the bowl of electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment and set to a medium speed, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.  Scrape down the sides as needed.  Add in the sugars and beat together until a grainy texture begins to form.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and pour in the egg mixture.  Slowly beat together until well blended, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed.  Next, slowly pour in the melted chocolate in a steady stream and mix together until completely combined.  Once ready, add in the dry ingredients and beat on a low to medium speed until just combined.  (As always, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl)  Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until the consistency is thick, almost like fudge.

While the dough is sitting out, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats, or parchment paper.  Scoop the dough into 1 inch balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 to ½ an inch apart.  (I found it helpful to lightly flour my hands and roll the dough into balls.  This made for rounder cookies.) 

Bake the cookies for around 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies just begin to set, but the middles still look soft.  Rotate the pans halfway through baking.  Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place on a wire rack.  Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to the wire racks to cool completely. 

Allow the pans time to cool completely before scooping more dough on them and returning them to the oven.

Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Chicken and Cheddar Cheese Risotto

Wow, I cannot believe how fast this summer is going.  Sadly, I've not been posting as many recipes as I would like, but it seems that I've been much busier than expected.  In addition to the many vacations I had planned, Jeff and I also moved into our new house, and just in time to celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary.  It was a wonderful present to ourselves, but its meant a lot of unpacking and arranging things; a task that's proven to be much more time consuming then one might expect (we're still not done). It has been well worth it though because I absolutely love it here!  And the kitchen is everything I could want!

As I mentioned above, Jeff and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary in July and in order to help us celebrate I decided to take advantage of "my", even though it's "our", new kitchen and make a nice romantic dinner (I'm not really one for going out to eat, even though Jeff always offers to take me).  Jeff and I both love risotto, and I don't make it too often, so I decided to give this recipe a try.  I ended up altering it a bit from the original though by incorporating chicken pieces, however, adding the chicken was a personal preference (for some protein) but is something that could always and easily be eliminated.  Either way you choose to make it, the meal will still taste fantastic!

Chicken and Cheddar Cheese Risotto

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Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch (or smaller) pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 scallions chopped, plus a little extra for garnish

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

4 cups hot vegetable stock

1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet, over medium-low heat.  Add in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  Next, add in the chicken pieces and cook until done.  Remove the pan from the heat, and cover the chicken to keep warm.

In a deep pan, melt together the butter with the vegetable oil.  Place the scallions in the pan and allow to cook, making sure to stir frequently until softened; this will take about 2-3 minutes.  Next, add the rice, stir around, and continue to cook for another minute or two.  Increase the heat to a medium-high and add in the white wine and mustard.  Continue to stir around until the wine is completely absorbed.

While constantly stirring, pour the vegetable stock into the pan, one cup at a time, continuing to add more, only after the previous cup has been completely absorbed by the rice.  Cook the rice until it is al dente.  (This whole process will take about 20 minutes or so of constant stirring.  It’s important to be patient and let the stock fully absorb before moving on.)  Once ready, add in the cheese and chicken pieces, and stir together until the cheese has completely melted.

Scoop into serving bowls, garnish with a little extra cheese and scallions, and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from The Curvy Carrot

Samoa Scones (Girl Scout Inspired)

I'm not going to lie......I always get a little (ok....very) excited when it's that time of year for the Girl Scouts to come out and sell their cookies.  No matter if I'm trying to eat healthy or not, I find that I must order a box, or two, or three..............

I don't know what it is about Girl Scout cookies that make them absolutely addicting, but I know I'm not the only one who thinks so.  Like many others, I have two personal favorites when it comes to cookie flavors: Samoas and tagalongs!

Sadly, Girl Scout cookie season is over, and my boxes of cookies are long gone.  The other day though, I found that I was having a strong craving for some samoas and decided to do something about it.

These samoa scones have the same sweet and buttery taste of the Girl Scout cookie, just in a different form.  The actual scone itself is somewhat plain, consisting of a sugar, butter, and flour base.  Once the scone is cooked though, that's when you add on the real sweetness; a bottom layer of melted semi-sweet chocolate, and then top with a mixture of caramel and coconut.  You also can't forget to add the chocolate drizzle!

Samoa Scones (Girl Scout Inspired)
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Makes 8 scones

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
¾-1 cup skim milk
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup caramel sauce (store bought or homemade)
¾ cup shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk together.  Cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, knife, or your hands.  Continue to cut in until there are no pieces larger than a pea remaining.  (You can always use a food processor for this step)

Pour ¾ cup milk into the flour mixture and stir around using a wooden spoon until a round dough forms.  You may need to slowly, as needed, add in a little more milk to help form the dough.  Once ready, divide the dough into two equal size balls and place them on a lightly floured surface.  Working with one section at a time, flatten the balls into disks about ½ an inch thick.  Cut each disk into quarters, and place the pieces onto the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the pieces in the preheated oven for 16-20 minutes or until the scones begin to turn a light golden color.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl.  Now, using a knife or spoon, evenly spread a layer of chocolate across the bottom of each scone.  Place the prepared scone onto a piece of wax paper, with the chocolate side facing down.  (Don’t worry……the scone will easily peel off once the chocolate hardens)  Allow time to cool completely. (Placing in the fridge will help speed this process along)

Place the caramel and coconut in a small bowl and stir around until well combined.  Spread an even amount of the mixture onto the top of each scone.  Finish off by drizzling on some of the extra melted chocolate.  Allow time to harden, than serve.  These scones can be stored in an airtight container.

Source: Baking Bites

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I happened to find this recipe while scrolling through Pinterest one afternoon, which unfortunately has become a major hobby of mine this summer.  I say unfortunately because it can sadly be very addicting.  Even when I go to the site to just pull up one recipe that I've previously pinned, and want to make, I somehow seem to stumble upon many more delicious looking recipes.  At the rate I'm going, even if I were to cook something every day over my vacation, I still wouldn't be able to make everything that I've pinned; it's crazy.  There just seems to be no end to this madness........

Mexican Stuffed Shells
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Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 package taco seasoning
1-2 tsp. cumin (optional)
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1 ½ cups salsa (use your favorite, I always get Chili’s to go)
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey jack cheese

Garnish:
Green onions
Sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Brown the beef in a medium to large skillet, over medium high heat.  Once the beef is cooked through, drain the excess grease and return the beef to the skillet.  Follow the package directions on the taco seasoning and allow to simmer for a few minutes.  (If you want some extra flavor, here is also where you could add in the ground cumin and cayenne pepper)  Add the cream cheese and stir around until the cheese is completely melted and mixed in with the beef.  Keep the temperature at a simmer during this process.  Once ready, remove the pan from the heat and allow time to cool.

While the beef is browning, cook the pasta shells according to package directions.  Once they’re done, drain and lay the shells out on a clean, flat surface to cool.  It’s very important to keep the shells separated, as it will keep them from sticking together.

Once the shells and meat mixture have had time to cool, evenly pour the salsa onto the bottom of the prepared 9x13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture and then place the prepared shell on top of the salsa.  Make sure the open side of the shell is facing up.  Evenly coat the shells with the taco sauce.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

When time is up, remove the foil from the dish and sprinkle on the cheese.  Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted.  Top with any garnishes of your choice.  (Green onions, black olives, tomatoes, etc.)

Source: adapted from The Way to His Heart

 

Oriental Chicken Lettuce Wraps

When I hear the word salad I smile (and no....sadly, I am not joking).  I think it's mostly because I find salads to be absolutely delicious and they're just one of those meals that never seem to go wrong!  Technically, all you have to do is grab some lettuce, toppings, and your favorite dressing and you are set!  Voila!  You have a salad. 

However.....I sometimes like to spice things up; which is exactly what I did with here.  As you probably already noticed, this particular 'salad' does not take on the traditional appearance, but instead looks more like a wrap of sorts.  (Although I still ended up eating mine with a fork) 

Other than the exquisite taste, the best thing about this dinner (or lunch) is the fact that it's healthy!  You can also feel free to get creative and add other fresh toppings that you enjoy!

Oriental Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground chicken
1 Tbsp. + ¼ tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
½ tsp. oyster sauce
1 ½ tsp. sesame oil, divided
1 Tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry
½ tsp. sugar
Black pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 iceberg lettuce leaves, rinsed
2 Tbsp. diced scallions
Cheddar cheese, shredded, as much as you like
Garnish with Rice Noodles

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ½ tsp. sesame oil, rice wine, sugar, and black pepper.

Place the ground chicken in a separate bowl and evenly pour over the soy sauce mixture.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

 
Heat the remaining sesame oil in a skillet over high heat.  Add in the garlic and sauté until golden, about 10-30 seconds.  Now, add in the chicken mixture, and cook until browned through, making sure to break the chicken into pieces while it’s cooking.

To assemble:

Scoop about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf, and garnish with a little cheddar cheese, rice noodles, and a few scallions.

Source: Adapted from Gina's Skinny Taste

Roasted Garlic with Chicken and Pesto Pizza

I've recently discovered that my local grocery store (Harris Teeter) happens to have the absolute best Basil Pesto Sauce!

Ever since I first tasted it I was hooked and have been searching for ways to try to incorporate it into a meal.  Putting the sauce into a pasta dish of some sort was my original plan, but then I happened to come across this recipe, for pizza, that happened to use a pesto sauce for a base.  I immediately became excited and went out to purchase the other ingredients I would need, (which honestly wasn't much) and then I set to work.

The pizza itself did not take very long to throw together and the end result was even better than I'd hoped for!

Roasted Garlic with Chicken and Pesto Pizza

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Ingredients:

1 pizza crust (store bought or homemade, I didn’t have time for homemade, so I used Boboli 12” Whole Wheat Thin Pizza Crust)
¾ - ½ cup prepared pesto sauce
1 bulb of garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked (use some olive oil when cooking) and shredded
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

To roast the garlic:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Gently peel off the outer shell of the garlic bulb, leaving the skin directly around the individual cloves intact.  Now, using a sharp knife, cut about ½ an inch off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing the inside of the cloves. 

Drizzle the top of the exposed cloves with a little olive oil and then wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil. 

Once ready, place onto a baking sheet and let the garlic cook for around 35-40 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft.  Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or so before trying to unwrap the garlic bulb.  Next, using a small bowl, gently squeeze the individual cloves from their skin and mash together with a fork or a spoon. 

This should form a paste like substance. Set aside.

For the pizza:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  (If using a pizza stone, preheat this along with the oven)

Using a knife or the back of a spoon, spread the roasted garlic paste over the pizza crust (please feel free to spread on as much or as little as you like; I seem to enjoy the garlicky taste so I put on the whole bowl).  Next, evenly spread around the prepared pesto sauce. 

Top the sauce with the shredded chicken pieces (I find the chicken easiest to spread around if you use your hands). 

After that, add on the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses (once again, you can add on as much or as little as you like). 

If using a regular pizza pan, place in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes.  If using a pizza stone, place the crust on parchment paper and then transfer it to the stone.  I always like to turn the oven onto broil for the last minute or so of cooking in order to give the cheese that nice golden brown tint (If you do this though, keep a careful eye on the pizza because it can burn quickly). 

No matter how great the pizza smells when it's done, wait a few minutes before cutting!  Enjoy!

Source: Sugar Cooking

Key Lime Cookies

This past March, Pi Day to be exact, I was provided with the opportunity to sample my very first piece of key lime pie and instantly became a fan.  Something about the refreshing lime taste of the filling, in combination with the sweetness of the graham cracker crust, just made my taste buds cry out for more.  It was absolutely delicious!

To this day, I still have not made my own key lime pie (mostly because the opportunity hasn't presented itself) but when I was trying to think about ideas for a good cookie, key limes suddenly sprang to mind.  I just felt like they'd be a great flavor for the beginning of summer, and for me, that's what today is.  As of 3:00 this afternoon I was officially done with school and my summer began!  And what better way to celebrate, than with these great summer flavored cookies......except of course, for maybe these cookies in combination with a Margarita or two!

Key Lime Cookies
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Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
¼ cup key lime juice or regular lime juice (freshly squeezed tastes the best)
2 ½ tsp. lime zest (grated)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup (or less) macadamia nuts (chopped)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (however the dough needs to refrigerate for about an hour ahead of time, so don’t preheat the oven too early).

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar, on a medium-high speed, until it's well combined and becomes fluffy in texture.  Next, add in the egg and egg yolk and beat together until well blended and creamy.  After that, add in the lime juice and the lime zest and beat until just combined.

Now, using a wooden spoon, or a spatula, add in the flour, baking powder, salt, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts until a dough like texture is formed and everything is blended together.  Refrigerate the dough for at least 60 minutes, or as long as overnight.

Once ready, shape the dough into 1 inch balls by rolling the dough around in the palm of your hands.  Then place the prepared dough balls onto the baking sheet, about an inch apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to turn light golden in color.  Immediately transfer to a wire rack.  Once the cookies have cooled completely, lightly dust them with powdered sugar and serve.

Source: Adapted from Honest Fare