I know you have probaly seen these on every blog already this year, we make these EVER year. Personally they are my least favorite cookie but my mom really enjoys them so we make them every year.

I am also submitting this to this months tasty tools event. I think everyone uses a baking sheet in the month of Dec! This is the same recipe we use every year, but I wanted to post it along with all our baking.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (From: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)

• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/8 t. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 T. milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• Herseys Kisses

Beat shortening and peanut butter with an electric mix 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 c. sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool

Today was our Holiday Cookie baking day, my aunt had this recipe in a cookbook of here’s and suggest we try them. These are excellent little treats!

They are simple to make and would be fun to do with your kids. I am also submitting these to Joelen’s Holiday Candies Adventure.

Baseball Bats (From: QVC Cookbook)

• 1 pkg. pretzel rods
• 1 pkg. carramels
• 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
• 2 squares premium white chocolate

Break rods in half. Melt caramels according to directions. Dip rods into caramel about half way. Place on greased cookie sheet. Freeze about 15 minutes to set. mix both kind of chips and melt; dip cold rods into chocolate to cover caramel. Place on greased cookie sheet. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over chocolate rods. Refrigerate to set.

I was so excited when I got this months cookie recipe in my e-mail, I have been searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe and I was excited to have a reason to try one!

These are AMAZING cookies, they had wonderful flavor are extra chocolatey and just overall wonderful, this will be my new standby chocolate chip cookie recipe. I also found although these are wonderful gooey and chocolate out of the oven, they are even better once cooled.

The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies (From: In The Sweet Kitchen By: Regan Daley)

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
• 1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingrdients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Using your hands, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 for small cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or until the tops are a light golden brown.  If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. If somehow they don’t get inhaled immediately they may stored airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

ENJOY!

My gf Shyanne’s husband is in the military and he is going to Iraq in January so she decided to have a suprise early going away party. I offered to bring a cake. I asked what his favorite cake was she said chocolate cake and chocolate frosting, I found this recipe and it seemed PERFECT. 

I asked Adam to stop at the liquor store on his way home for Guinness he was excited I was going to make a chocolate cake with beer. Everyone loved this cake, but it is HUGE you only need a very tiny piece, and my frosting was a little thinner then I wanted. I will make them again. 

Chocolate Guinness Cake (From: Paved with Good Intentions)

• 2 cups Guinness
• 4 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend.

Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine.

Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until done, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat.

Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

I love chocolate chip cookies but haven’t found an awesome like store-bought soft chewy chocolate chip cookies. Last time I was at the store chocolate chips were on sale so I bought 2 bags, I decided on this rainy Saturday would be the perfect time to try a new recipe.

I am also submitting this to Joelen’s September Tasty Tools, this months tool is bakewear. When Adam and I moved we got rid of all of our cheap bakewear and are slowly buying new stuff. We have found a love of Wilton bakewear, I have three cookie sheets and NOTHING sticks and they are so easy to clean. 

My Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies (From: Tyler Florence)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate chips)