Bittersweet Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Posted by: Maggie


Does anyone else wind up with random baking ingredients left over from other recipes in their cabinet? Do they stay there for all eternity, or at least until a desperate chocolate craving hits and you end up eating that last quarter cup of chocolate chips from the bottom of the bag.

Yeah...me too...until these cookies.

This cookie was intended as a way to use up some dried cherries I had floating around from when I made baked brie last month (it's not on the blog, it was too dark to photograph when I made it), and the bittersweet chocolate was left over from when I made frosting for these bad boys.

I probably wouldn't have gravitated towards this recipe unless I was trying to use up ingredients, but I am so. glad. I. did.

The slightly bitter chocolate chips, the tart dried cherries, and the perfectly sweet chocolate cookie dough   complement each other perfectly, and I am super excited for Jeff to come over and taste test them himself.

I slightly adapted this recipe from one of my favorite bloggers, Jessica, of How Sweet It Is. Also, check out this post that she did where she rips cookies in half and stacks the halves (did that make sense at all? She explains it better...) Instead of rolling my cookies in a ball like I usually do, I used the rip and stack method, which made the tops nice and jagged, like a bakery cookie.

Here is what you need:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heaping 1/2 cup dried cherries
Heaping 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat in to the butter mixture on low speed, until just combined.

Fold in cherries and bittersweet chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 10-15 minutes, just so it's easier to work with and doesn't spread as much.

Using the "rip and stack" method, form your cookies and place on baking sheet, spaced about 1.5 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, and cool on cookie sheets for 3-4 minutes.

Homemade Oreos

Posted by: Annie

Store bought cookies...

No offense to them, but they must don't make it into my grocery cart anymore.  I have nothing against them, except that I have guilt, major guilt.  How can I buy packaged chocolate chip cookies when I know that I can make them myself?  

All guilt aside, sometimes a girl just needs an Oreo, and a double-stuffed one at that.  With this recipe, I can avoid hiding packages of Oreos at the bottom of my cart and make my own at home - and, stuff them with as much frosting as my heart desires! Triple stuffed anyone? 

What you'll need:

For the wafers:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

For the filling:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange oven racks so that there are two in the middle of the oven.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Using an electric mixer, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. On low speed, mix in the butter and the egg. Mix until the dough comes together. 

Take rounded tablespoons of dough and scoop onto the lined baking sheets.  Lightly moisten hands and slightly flatten the dough.  Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once while baking.  Set baking sheets on rack to cool. 

Now, for the best part.  To make the Oreo filling, combine butter and shortening and slowly beat in the sugar and vanilla.  Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes, until the filling is light and fluffy. 

To assemble your Oreos, use a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch round tip, and squeeze a teaspoon sized amount of cream onto the center of one of your wafers.  Do your best to find a matching size wafer to place on top, and gently push the cookies together to evenly fill the cookie.  Repeat for the remaining cookies. 

Source: With Sprinkles on Top

4th of July Recap & Black Bean Burgers

Posted by: Annie

Somehow my Fourth of July celebrations did not include one cook-out! It did include me eating my first ever Philadelphia Cheesesteak (go Jim's!)...

And culminated with me eating this (shhh...hot dogs were boiled, not grilled!)

And this:

After my weekend, I was craving something healthy and grilled, and Black Bean Burgers (courtesy of Annie's Eats) fit the bill. I ended up using my indoor grill, but it still fulfilled my desire to grill, and still felt summery!

What You Will Need:

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided use
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 red onion, or 1 whole shallot, minced

Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Mix panko with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, and add to the heated skillet to toast. Stir often until the breadcrumbs appear light golden brown in color. Remove from the stove, and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, add 2 1/2 cups of the black beans, and mash with a fork until relatively smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Whisk together.

Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, remaining beans, bell pepper, cilantro, and onion/shallot to the mashed beans. Stir well until thoroughly combined.

Using heaping 1/2 cup measurements, divide the mixture into six portions. Pack into approximately 1-inch thick patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, and cook until the patties are golden brown on each side (approximately 5 minutes per side.)

Garnish with your favorite burger toppings! I topped mine with cheddar, avocado, tomato, and a dollop of sour cream!