Dark Chocolate Chewy Cookies...

I love chocolate. I mean, most of you probably knew it, but just in case I haven't said it lately, I really love chocolate. I follow a really great food blog called Baked Perfection and everything I have ever tried is really good.

So, I tried  her double chocolate cookies and found that she adds a box of dry instant pudding mix to her cookies. I am telling you what, they really make the cookies soft and long lasting. A really excellent addition.

So, today I made a batch of these wonderful and tried one just to be sure. Yep, they are awesome! You may be saying to yourself, "Isn't she trying to lose weight? Is she cheating on her diet?"

Yes and no.  I am losing weight but I am not cheating. With Weight Watchers you can eat anything as long as you track it and it stays within your point allowance. I have allowed myself to eat two today. One thing I do in order to restrict my eating and yet indulge my absolute love for cookies, is I dip all the dough out into cookie balls and then quick freeze them on a cookie sheet, bag them and then just bake 1-2 cookies when I plan for them. It is a win-win. I mean, if I am going to use 3 points for a cookie, I want it warm and delicious.

Here they are, frozen into balls. You can see I have already bagged a bunch of them. It only takes about 20-30 minutes for them to freeze. When you want a cookie bake the amount you want at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or so.

So, here is the recipe. Adapted from Baked Perfection.

CHEWY DARK CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Beat together in a mixing bowl till creamy:

            2 sticks butter [1 cup]

            2/3 C granulated sugar

            2/3C brown sugar

            1 tsp vanilla extract

Add:

            2 eggs, one at a time beating after each one

Mix together in another bowl and then add slowly to butter mixture:

            2  C flour

            2/3 C baking cocoa [dry]

                        1 tsp baking soda

                        ½  tsp salt

                        1 package chocolate instant Jello Pudding, the dry mix, not prepared, 4 serving size

            Stir only to combine all ingredients. Do not beat. Add:

                        2 Cups [12 oz] chocolate chips or 1 2/3 Cups M&Ms

                        1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans [optional]

Stir till chocolate chips are combined. Do not beat or over mix.

Drop cookie dough onto greased or parchment lined cookie sheets. For large [rounded Tablespoon size] cookies for 11-13 minutes till cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

And for regular chocolate chip cookies that stay soft and chewy:

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

           

Beat together in a mixing bowl till creamy:

            2 sticks butter [1 cup]

            ¾ C granulated sugar

            ¾ C brown sugar

            1 tsp vanilla extract

Add:

            2 eggs, one at a time beating after each one

Mix together in another bowl and then add slowly to butter mixture:

            2 ½ C flour

                        1 tsp baking soda

                        1 tsp salt

                        1 package vanilla instant Jello Pudding, the dry mix, not prepared, 4 serving size

            Stir only to combine all ingredients. Do not beat. Add:

                        2 Cups [12 oz] chocolate chips

                        1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans [optional]

Stir till chocolate chips are combined. Do not beat or over mix.

Drop cookie dough onto greased or parchment lined cookie sheets. For large [rounded Tablespoon size] cookies for 11-13 minutes till cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

And for another taste treat I made on Sunday--brownies on the bottom and chocolate chip cookie dough on top, baked till soft and delicious. Also adapted from Baked Perfection.  Also, a bonus recipe of Turtle Brownies.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BROWNIES

(1) Make a batch of the chewy chocolate chip cookies above—you won’t use all the dough.

(2) Make a batch of Brownies for Kids or a box mix [for a 9x13 pan].

BROWNIES FOR KIDS

9x13 pan

1 1/2C flour                 2 sticks butter

2 C sugar                     4 eggs

3/4C dry cocoa            2t vanilla                    

Combine all ingredients.  Beat with mixer for 2 minutes.

Put the brownie batter in a well greased 9x13 or larger pan, I like 10x14 Pyrex and spread evenly. You can either mold the cookied dough into flat sections and place over brownie batter or just drop tablespoons of it onto the brownie batter. Push the dough down so it is even with the brownie batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cookie portion is brown and the brownies are set.

These are delicious and very rich.

TURTLE BROWNIES

Make a batch of Brownies for Kids [above].  Spoon 2/3 of the batter in the bottom of a greased  9x13 baking pan.

Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips [mini or regular size] over batter.

Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile in a large saucepan, heat over low heat until melted:

            1- 14oz package of caramels, unwrapped

            1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Pour caramel mixture over baked brownie layer. [Optional: sprinkle with pecan pieces.]

 Drop remaining brownie batter over caramel by teaspoonfuls. Spread batter with an offset spatula till even.

Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Do not over-bake. Cook on a wire rack. You may want to sprinkle with Powdered sugar before serving.

Take care,
Jill

Brownie Batter Pancakes...

  I have been looking for new recipes that are low fat and tasty and came across this recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie . I made some this morning and decided I would make a few changes, but this was a fun and delicious way to enjoy breakfast. This is for one large serving and it is 4 Weight Watcher Points+, but that includes 1/3 serving of milk. So, drink 2/3 cup milk and for 5 points you have breakfast and get in one dairy. I topped mine with a sliced banana and 1 tsp maple syrup. The banana adds some fiber and really fills you up.

Brownie Batter Pancakes

Servings: 1 • Size: 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes  4 WW Points+
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup flour [3 pts]
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda [if using buttermilk or yogurt]
• 1 Tbsp Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder (or dutch cocoa)
• 1  tsp sugar pinch of salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 C skim milk, non fat yogurt, nondairy milk of your choice [1 pt]

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients very well, then add wet and stir in with a fork till everything is mixed together. Spray a medium hot frying pan with PAM [I like to use cast iron] and fry small bits of batter at a time. I did mine in about 2-3 batches and sprayed lightly between batches. There are only 130 calories in this entire recipe.  I add once sliced banana and 1 tsp maple syrup or  you could add 1 tsp of Hershey's chocolate syrup [no points] and omitted the sugar in the recipe. 2T of canned [under pressure] whipped cream would be wonderful and adds no points.

Take Care,

Jill

The Best Hot Cocoa...

It is really cold here today, in fact it is zero degrees outside and 53 degrees in our bedroom! We keep the vent closed and use a nice fluffy down comforter. Great for sleeping, but hard to get up.

Cold days scream for cups full of hot cocoa, so today I thought I would post my two favorite recipes. The one I make most is an old fashioned cocoa type:


[Scotty sledding age 3]

OLD FASHION COCOA
For one quart of cocoa:

1/3 Cup of baking cocoa, I like the Hershey's Special Dark
1/3 Cup of white sugar [May use 1/2 to 2/3 C sugar if you like it sweeter?
1/4 Cup of water

Blend together in a sauce pan, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for about a 45 seconds, then whisk in:

1 quart of milk

Heat, but do not boil. If you have a thermometer, 180 degrees is a good temperature for cocoa.

Add:
1 tsp vanilla
1T butter [optional, but it does make it more creamy, this is real butter not whipped margarine]

Serve hot, may top with whipped cream and a bit of dry cocoa or cinnamon sugar or marshmallows.
_______________________________
The second recipe is an "Adults only" type cocoa. Not because of adult ingredients, but because it is more chocolaty and not as sweet.

RICH HOT BITTERSWEET COCOA- Serves about 4

This is the most chocolatey, richest chocolate I have ever had. If you want more of a creamy taste, add a dollop of whipped cream, but for showing off the complexities of the rich chocolate taste, this can’t be beat. This is a grown up hot cocoa—just give the kids some Swiss Miss!

6 ounces of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (not unsweetened), cut up
1 ½ C boiling water
1 ½ C milk

Place the chocolate in a small saucepan. Pour about ½ of the boiling water over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the rest of the boiling water and the milk. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously, until hot, but not boiling. 180° is the optimal temperature for cocoa. Serve immediately. (Use chocolate with 60%-70% chocolate).

Recipe comes from the amazing book, Bittersweet by Alice Medrich and Deborah Jones

I don't want this to become a recipe blog, so I feel I owe you all something beyond two recipes. I love chocolate, and after careful research, I have discovered that it actually has only a small amount of caffeine when compared to coffee or cola drinks. I thought chocolate lovers everywhere would love to have this information.

The chart shows the beverage or food and the average mg. caffeine

[Cris, about 14]

COFFEE, 5 oz cup
Brewed, drip method 115
Brewed, perc. method 80
Instant 65
Decaffeinated:
brewed 3
instant 2

TEA, 5oz cup
Brewed, major US brands 40
imported 60
Iced (12oz glass) 70
Instant 30
Decaff. brewed 3

SOFT DRINKS, 12oz 30-60

CHOCOLATE
Cocoa, 5oz cup 4
Chocolate milk, 8 oz 5
Chocolate flavored syrup, 1 oz 4
Milk chocolate, 1 oz 6
Dark and semi sweet, 1 oz 20

You will notice I didn't publish a calorie chart!

Take care,
Jill