Week 2 Cookie Challenge - Chocolate Drop Cookies

This week, will be one of my co-worker's last weeks at our company. I decided to make him these chocolate cookies. They have walnuts in them and there is coffee in the frosting. The cookie itself isn't sweet, but the frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness and coffee flavor.

Chocolate Drop Cookies
Taste of Home 2012
Yields 4 dozen cookies

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Beat in the melted chocolate until well blended.
3. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl and gradually add to the cream mixture. Mix well.
4. Fold in the walnuts.
5. Drop by the teaspoon or small cookie scoop on a greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
6. Cool on pan 1 minute before transferring to wire cooling rack.
7. In a large bowl, beat the frosting ingredients until blended. Frost cookies.

Happy baking! Have a great work week!

My favorite cake - Carrot cake

Few people know that my favorite cake is carrot cake. My friends at work would say yellow with chocolate frosting, but that is because grating 3 cups of carrots is a big ole pain so would never ask them to do that.

My mom knew it was my favorite because when I was a little kid, probably 5 years old or less I asked her to bake mea carrot cake for my birthday. I remember family members not believing that I asked for it, but I clearly remember it. The other day my daughter mentioned that she loves carrot cake, which was surprising because I have never made one or told her it was my favorite. After that I knew I had to make her one. I searched online and read tons of reviews of recipes until I came to one titled The Best Carrot Cake Ever! It had 5 star ratings so I decided to give it a shot. The recipe came out of a 30 year old cookbook that no one remembers the name of. I found it on just www.justapinch.com

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (bought my already grated to save time)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Icing ingredients
24 oz powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
4 tablespoon milk

Cake Directions
1. In a large bowl beat oil, sugar and eggs. Remember to crack your eggs into a separate bowl in case any are bad and to prevent shells going in your batter.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a small bowl and slowly pour into your batter with your mixer on stir or low.
3. Fold in the carrots and walnuts.
4. Grease either 2 8 inch pans or 1 9x13. If using the 9x13 you can half the icing recipe.
5. Pour batter into your pans and bake as follows: 9x13 - 45 minutes. Both 8 inch pans at once 40 mins. Allow the 8 inch cakes to completely cool on wire racks before assembling and icing. The 9x13 can cool in its own pan but don't ice until cool or your icing will melt.
Icing directions
1. Beat together powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla and milk until creamy.
2. If using a layered cake, put icing on the top of the bottom layer until completely covered. Not too thick. Gently add the top layer. Scoop icing out in the middle of the cake and using an angled spatula slowly push the icing towards the side of the cake. Don't lift the spatula up unless there is a lot of icing under it, this will prevent cake crumbs from getting in your icing.
3. Spread icing down the sides of the cake. Once covered turn your spatula sideways and gently slide it around the cake to smooth the icing.
4. Icing the 9x13 is a breeze! Just dump icing on top and spread evenly across.

Your family will enjoy this cake! Let me know how it turns out!

Banana Nut Bread

It seems like every time we have bananas at our house they get too brown too fast. This always makes me happy because they are perfect for banana bread. This recipe is very simple and can be modified with more bananas, nuts or no nuts. You could add chocolate chips, too. If you use more bananas, you will need to bake longer.
My Grandma recently sent me a really cute pan that holds 9 little mini bread loaf pans. I almost bought the same pan the other day since I love making individual size banana nut bread to give to my friends/family. Here is the recipe.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg slightly beaten
5 tablespoons milk (2.5 ounces)
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup walnuts

Directions
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium size bowl.
2. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar.
3. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it slightly. Add to the cream mixture.
4. Add mashed bananas.
5. Slowly add the dry mixture to the cream mixture, beating on low or stir speed until just combined.
6. Add the milk and nuts.
7. Grease and flour your pan or mini pans.
If using the same type of mini bread pan as I, use a medium cookie scoop and put 3 scoops in each cavity or fill 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes. If you are using a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan, fill 3/4 of the way full and bake for 40 - 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake. No one likes dry banana nut bread.

You could put these mini loaves in clear baggies and tie with ribbon or wrap in plastic wrap to give to your friends/family. This mini loaf pan can be used for corn bread, muffins, meatloaf, cupcakes,etc. I really like the pan.

Week 1 Cookie Challenge - Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

These soft yummy cookies came from a recipe out of the Taste of Home Cookies and Bars 2012 magazine. I love a cookie that isn't too sweet and these are right up my alley. I think my co-workers will be happy to eat these tomorrow. I have a rule at my house. It's the Bake and Take rule. I bake and take the goodies out of my house ASAP! ha ha!

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Cream together shortening and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
5. Combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon into a small bowl.
6. Scoop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Move to wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

New Cookie Recipes

I bought the Taste of Home Cookies and Bars magazine. It has 128 homemade recipes from regular people around the US. I knew I wouldn't try half the recipes if I didn't challenge myself to try at least one new recipe per week. I think I will end up trying multiple recipes per week but I am just holding myself to one new recipe a week. Look out friends and family! You will be getting lots of cookies soon!