April Bakin' Friends

Here we are again, time to reveal what we received from our April Bakin' Friend . . . and unfortunately, I dropped the ball and didn't publish this post on time.  Yep, that's me, always a day late and a dollar short!  FAIL!!!

My Bakin' Friend in April was Maya Merrifield and our ingredient for the month was lemon.  I LOVE lemon and Maya did not disappoint!  She sent me

LEMON COCONUT MACAROONS!!!

The box she sent the macs in was so pretty, a white bakery-type box with a clear window lid.  She lined the inside with pink tissue paper which cushioned the macaroons from any damage by the over-zealous postal workers.  Each macaroon was in a little paper cup, placed in a small, clear bag then tied with ribbon.  Such a pretty presentation.  I took pictures and haven't the slightest idea what happened to them.  But I did get a few photos so you can see just how yummy (and pretty) they look!

See the pretty paper on the right side of the plate?  It's origami washi paper and it turns out Maya is originally from Japan.  A nice touch!

On the backside of the paper, she wrote the recipe for these delicious treats.  Some were even dipped in chocolate.  As Maya says, everyone needs a little choco-therapy! 

Maya, thank you again for such yummy and lemony goodies.  I enjoyed every one of them!

If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.

March Bakin' Friends

It's time for the March Bakin' Friends secret ingredient reveal!

 

The secret ingredient for March was green - include something green, make your whole recipe green, whatever we could come up with (that's edible, of course!).  And my March Bakin' Friend, Laura Greaver, put the green in chocolate cookies using green mint chips!

The mint chips are Guittard brand and go perfectly with chocolate - where's my tall glass of milk??

What a treat these are (or were, I don't have very many left!)  I put them in my freezer but I can hear them calling my name.  Ok, I'll confess, I first drafted  this post a few days ago and I now only have 2 cookies left :(  They are so chocolatey and minty - I've posted her recipe below in case you have a craving for this delicious combination.  She said the recipe was on the bag of chips.

POLKA DOT COOKIES

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups unsifted all purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 t. vanilla

2 cups Guittard green mint chips

Over low heat, melt semi-sweet chips and butter, stirring constantly until smooth.  Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light.  Blend in melted chocolate, then dry ingredients.  Stir in green mint chips and chill dough for 10-15 minutes or until stiff.  While dough chills, preheat oven to 350.

Drop chilled dough by well-rounded teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 8-10 minutes, cookies will be soft in center but will harden as they cool.

Thank you, Laura, for such yummy cookies!  They are delicious!!! 

If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.

January Bakin' Friends

It's that time of the month once again - the big reveal!

Applesauce was the secret ingredient for January and my Bakin' Friend, Nikki Chin, really came through!

PUFFED UP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!

Look at those babies - they are (or I should say were) so yummy and actually good for you!  Each large cookie is only 78 calories which I can certainly appreciate after all the junk I consumed (read inhaled) over the holidays!

She enclosed this beautiful card which had the recipe inside. 

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, stir with a whisk and set aside.

Spoon applesauce into a fine sieve over a bowl; let stand 15 minutes.  Discard liquid, scrape drained applesauce into a large bowl.  Add sugar and butter and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).  Beat in vanilla and egg.  Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 10 minutes or until almost set.  Cool on pan 2-3 minutes then remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Nutritional Info.
1 cookie: approx 78 calories, 2.9 g. fat, 0.8 g. protein, 12.8 g. carbs; 0.2 g. fiber.

I highly recommend these cookies and needless to say, they are all gone!  Thank you Nikki for such a wonderful and healthy treat!

If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.

December Bakin' Friends

 

Our secret ingredient for December was peppermint which just screams "the holidays."  And my Bakin' Friend for this month, Dawn Perkowski, did not disappoint!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT TRUFFLES!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the box!  They looked so perfect!  Plus, she added a few other flavors she had made:  Oreo cookie truffles, gingerbread Oreo truffles and chocolate/orange truffles.  I had never heard of gingerbread Oreos but boy, do they make a delicious truffle!  I'll be on the lookout for those next year!

I cut one of the peppermint truffles in half - so smooth and creamy.  And beyond delicious, these things melt in your mouth.  And I should know, I've already had a few . . .

Dawn included the recipe on a very pretty and festive recipe card.

 

Sorry about that last photo :)

Dawn, thank you so much for these amazing truffles!  Your recipe will definitely be at the top of my holiday baking list next year.  Happy New Year to you!

If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.

Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I came across The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap on Facebook while attending CookieCon in Salt Lake City last month.  I made sure to save all the information so I could enter my name and blog as soon as I got home.  You see, I love to bake and I love homemade cookies so I thought what a great way to get three different kinds of delicious cookies in exchange for doing something I truly love?  A definite win-win situation!

Once I was confirmed as a cookie swap participant, I knew right away what kind of cookies I would make.  Is there anything better than homemade chocolate chip cookies???  I think not.  And I have always loved peppermint bark.  When I first started making these cookies, I would buy a tin of bark at Trader Joe's, chop it up and add it to the cookie dough.  Then I discovered Andes baking chips, put 2+2 together and have been using them ever since!

PEPPERMINT CRUNCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1 - 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 - 10 oz. package Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Slowly beat in vanilla extract, then add eggs, one at a time, until combined.  Add 1/2 of flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  Add remaining flour and mix until incorporated.  Slowly mix in chocolate chips and Andes baking chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoon (about 3 inches apart) onto parchment lined OR ungreased baking sheets (I used a tablespoon cookie scoop).  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown, rotating baking sheets half way through baking time.  Cool on pans for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks and cool completely.  Makes approximately 5 dozen.  Enjoy!


I am entering this recipe for Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Creative Holiday Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!

November Bakin' Friends

I can't believe it's the end of November - maybe that's because Thanksgiving was early this year.  When my package from my Bakin' Friend Alex Wu arrived this month, I was battling what I thought was the flu.  Fever, chills, you name it.  Fortunately, my mother was able to go to the post office and retrieve the package for me.  I had a rare burst of energy and mustered up enough strength to at least get the box open!

WOW!  Did my eyes ever light up when I saw what was inside!  I felt better already!

CRANBERRY OATMEAL WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS!!!

These bars are beyond good - so buttery, so brown sugary with tangy cranberries and sweet white chocolate chips - a wonderful combination of fall flavors.  And as you can see below, the bars are crammed with chips and crans!

The package contained more bars than shown in the first picture.  Since my mom was with me when I opened the package, I had to share.  She loved them too.  Like her daughter, my mother loves all things containing butter and brown sugar.  And adding the oats makes it a healthy treat :)  I'll confess to grabbing one or two on my way out the door to work the last few mornings!

Not only did Alex include the recipe, she also enclosed a sweet note in the package.  Thank you Alex for these delicious bars!  I love them and plan to make some to give as holiday gifts to a few lucky recipients!

Here's the recipe:

CRANBERRY OATMEAL WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

1 cup softened butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 9x13" pan.  In your mixer, cream together butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.  Next add flour, salt and baking soda.  Mix until just combined.  Add the oats and mix in completely.  Stir in cranberries and white chips.

Press dough into pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool and then cut into bars.


If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.

October Bakin' Friends!

October has flown by and it's time for another Bakin' Friends post!  This month I received a yummilicious package from Dawn Perkowski, my October Bakin' Friend.  The secret ingredient for October was pumpkin and I couldn't wait to see what she would be sending me.  I was actually home when her package arrived and I doubt my mail carrier has seen a happier person answer their door when receiving something in the mail!

I immediately opened the package and came upon this adorable box

PUMPKIN BUTTERSCOTCH BLONDIES!!!

But I must confess, when I took the pictures of the cute red and white polka dot box, I had already eaten a few of the bars :)  They are DELISH!!  Especially with a nice cup of hot tea.

Dawn carefully wrapped each bar individually and this time, I actually summoned my elusive self control and only ate one bar at each tea break.  I just won't say how many tea breaks I take during the day :)  She used vanilla chips in my bars but assured me they are just as good with butterscotch.  She included a very sweet note and a recipe card so I can share the recipe with my friends and family.

  They are so moist and pumpkin-y, perfect for the fall season.

I could totally see these on a Thanksgiving buffet or as a hostess gift if you are lucky enough to be a guest at someone's house on turkey day.

Dawn said she got the recipe from The Baker Chick.  Here's a link to the recipe: http://www.the-baker-chick.com/2012/10/pumpkin-butterscotch-blondies.html

I highly recommend these bars for any occasion.  They will definitely satisfy any pumpkin cravings you may have.  In fact, make a batch and keep them in your freezer.  Then you'll never have to go without!

Dawn, thank you so much for these delicious bars!

If you would like to join our group of Bakin' Friends, please go to http://www.stephsbitebybite.com/bakin-friends/ for more information.