Chocolate PB Banana Milkshake

Because who doesn’t love a chocolaty milkshake?!

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla flavored almond milk (sweetened)

1 banana

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp peanut butter

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Mix well and enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled

1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups min chocolate chips

Instructions:

In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. In large bowl, beat together melted butter (make sure it is cooled) and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating trays halfway through cooking. Remove cookies from oven when the edges are golden brown. Let cookies sit on tray for one minute before removing to cooling rack.

Portuguese Sweets

Portugal is famous for a little custard tart called nata. Here is a box containing a nata as well as the traditional pastry of Sintra and two other delicious goodies!

Mini Madeleines

For this recipe I used a madeleine mold for 1 inch long cookies. The recipe yielded 60 1-inch madeleines.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Set aside to cool. Grease and flour madeleine pan.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs and vanilla until frothy. Gradually beat in confectioner’s sugar until batter is thick and satiny.
Sift together flour and baking powder. Sift 1/3 the flour mixture into the egg batter. Gently fold in. Repeat for remaining 2/3 of flour.
Fold in melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into prepared molds about 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden brown and cookies spring back when touched, about 10 minutes.
Immediately remove from mold and place on cooling rack. Once cooled, dip the cookies in melted chocolate and let set. Store in airtight container and enjoy!

Hot Chocolate Hearts

Looking for a fun holiday recipe to make with the kids? Or maybe you’re tired of buying those hot cocoa packets. Either way, these are the recipe for you!

Ingredients:
9 ounces quality milk or dark chocolate
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
*milk

Additional Supplies:

quart size Ziploc bag
parchment paper
baking sheet

Instructions:

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Break chocolate into small chunks and melt, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Stir until smooth.
Add confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder. Mix Well. The chocolate mixture should resemble the consistency of frosting.
*If the consistency is too dry, add small amounts of milk until it looks more like frosting.
Spoon chocolate into Ziploc bag. Twist the top to form a cone with one of the bottom corners of the bag (like a piping bag). Cut off the tip of that corner.
Pipe chocolate onto parchment lined sheet in heart shapes (1-2 inches across) or other shapes. Let harden.

Store in airtight container. When ready for use, place 2-5 (depending on your chocolatey preference) hot cocoa hearts in a mug of hot milk. Stir until chocolate dissolves into milk. Wa-la!

Almond Biscotti

One of my favorite things to bake is biscotti because I can experiment with all different flavors! This is one of the more simple kinds that I’ve made and it is simply delicious. I made these for my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips (optional: for chocolate drizzle)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (Farenheit). Butter baking sheet and coat with flour.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until blended.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form each half into a log 1 foot long and about 1/2 inch high and place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. The top should be a light golden brown. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes.
Slice each loaf with a serrated knife into 1/2 inch slices. Lay the cookies cut-side down on the baking sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes on one side. Carefully flip cookies over. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place cookies on cooling rack.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate (whichever method you choose) and spoon into small Ziploc bag. Cut the tip off one corner of the bag and pipe chocolate in zig-zag patterns along the cookies. Let harden.
Eat and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Walnut Muffins

Do your bananas always get ripe too fast? Tired of that plain old banana bread? These are the perfect recipe for you! Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2-3 ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 – 1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Farenheit). Place paper or silicone liners in cupcake tin.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. In small bowl, mash peeled bananas. Add eggs and stir together.

Add egg and banana mixture to butter and sugar mixture. Mix well. Gradually add flour and baking soda, stirring until well blended.

Stir in brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Muffins are done when a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. They will be a lovely golden brown.

Remove muffins from oven. Immediately transfer muffins to cooling rack. Cool at least 5 minutes before enjoying!

Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:
1 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (your choice on variety)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat together butter ad sugar until fluffy. Beat in cream cheese until combined. Some chunks are okay. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
Stir in dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes or until it’s less sticky.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls ad place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-13 minutes, or until cookies are set. Transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely before storing.

*The photo makes these cookies appear quite dry. They are actually quite soft and moist with a wonderful brownie-like texture!

Magic Cookie Bars

To many people sweetened condensed milk is a very unusual food, but it is a DELICIOUS one. In this timeless recipe, the sweetened condensed milk ties everything together and makes for a fabulous dessert!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 and 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chip morsels
1 and 1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 for a glass dish). Lightly grease bottom of 13×9 baking pan.
Combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Pat mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk on top, in an even layer. Continue this layering technique next with chocolate chips, followed by coconut, and then nuts.
Once all ingredients are layered, at the bars down. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until coconut is golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting. You can store covered, at room temperature or in the freezer (for longer periods of time).

Variations:
Replace walnuts with pecans or other nuts
Substitute different morsels for the semisweet…you can even mix & match!

Chocolate Truffles

These truffles are the ultimate chocolate-lover treat, and with so many variations you can make a special batch for everyone!

Ingredients:
18 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 and 1/2 standard bags)
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Coatings:
colored sugar, colored sprinkles, nonpareils, cocoa, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, etc…

Stove-top Instructions:
In medium saucepan, heat chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk over low heat. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.

Microwave Instructions:
In 1-quart glass bowl, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on high power for 3 minutes, stirring at 1 and 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.

Continued Instructions:
Chill mixture in bowl until firm, about 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and let sit until you can work with mixture.
Roll dough into small balls (you can determine which size is best). You can place your colored sugar or other coatings in small bowls. Roll the truffle in coating of your choice and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Once all truffles are done, place tray in freezer about 5 minutes until truffles are set. Transfer to freezer-safe container and store in freezer until ready to serve.

Variations:
I like to mix confectioner’s sugar with a little unsweetened cocoa as one of my truffle coatings. The possibilities for coatings are endless. Try some of these:
chopped toasted almonds
flaked coconut
finely grated orange rind

You can also replace vanilla extract with different extracts or even liqueurs. Try these instead:
3 tablespoons amaretto or other almond-flavored liquor + 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons orange-flavored liquor
1/4 cup dark rum
3 tablespoons bourbon