Rocky Road Cookies

Canada-ism number 54: In Canada, "Rocky Road" ice cream is sometimes called "Heavenly Hash".

The only explanation I can come up with for this radical change in name is the fact that Heavenly Hash is a pretty fitting name. Hash, (although usually for breakfast and containing potatoes) refers to a mashed up combination of yumminess. In this case, its heavenly. Just go with it.

Actually, I prefer the name Rocky Road. I feel like it just kind of sells itself- chocolate (the road) with pecans and marshmallows (the rocks). Self explanatory, really.

Okay, so you know those yummy little marshmallows that are sitting on top of all the powder when you buy hot chocolate "with marshmallows"? Kraft had a wave of genius and decided to sell the marshmallows all by themself. They're so good. Like SO good. I love 'em. They were the perfect inspiration for these cookies.

Rocky Road Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2  1/4 cup all purpouse flour
1  1/2 cups chocolate chips (I like dark)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup Kraft mini marshmallow bits

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees ferenhiet
• Combine sugars, butter and egg in your mixer using cookie paddles
• Add vanilla
• Add flour and baking soda until combined
• Add chocolate chips, pecans, and marshmallows
• Drop by rounded spoonfulls onto a cookie sheet and flatten a little with your palm
• Bake for 8 minutes, or until very lightly browned on top
• Remove from oven and cool on wire rack



-Jessica

The Pioneer Woman’s Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was a kid, we lived about 3 blocks away from the 7-11. I would do chore after chore, just so I could save up enough money to get something worthwhile. Often, it would be a bag of 5 cent candies, sometimes a Slurpee. But my favourite was a frosted malt. Have you ever had one of those? You know, they come out of the freezer, right beside the ice cream drumsticks and the frozen lemonade. Frosted malts were the best on hot days, and they came with a little wooden spoon, which for some reason made it taste better. I swear, it did.

I have never had a real chocolate malt, like one you might order from Pop's Chocolate Shop if you were friends with Archie and Betty and Veronica and lived in Riverdale. I think the frosted malt is the closest I've come. I was reading Jenny's blog over at Picky Palate and she blogged about these fabulous chocolate malt cookies from Ree at  The Pioneer Woman. I love both bloggers, so I figured a recipe from both of them was probably worth making.

Let me tell you, I don't believe I will ever make another chocolate chip cookie recipe for as long as I live. That's how good these were. I'm not a cookie dough fan, I'd rather wait until they're all baked up and warm, thank you very much, but even the dough was incredible. I couldn't keep my fingers out. They are slightly cripsy, chewy, melt in your mouth delicious.

The Pioneer Woman’s Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

   You can find this recipe here.

-Jessica







Skor Caramel Brownies

Sunday night dinners have been a thing with Matt's family ever since we got married 6 years ago. I truly love these dinners, for the following reasons:
 a) I love Matt's family. They are the amazing in-laws to me and grandparents to my boys. They are just  plain fun.
b) I don't have to cook (because it's no secret that I would much rather bake than cook).
c) My mom-in-law is a fab cook. Really truly great.
d) I am in charge of dessert. I try not to repeat, unless by request, so it means I try new things out once a week. Plus, I take it out of my house and to someone else's, which helps my self control. Slightly.

This week, the only request was for chocolate cake from my 5 year old. I was going to, too, but when I looked I discovered that we were out of powdered sugar, and you can't very well have a decent chocolate cake without frosting. In keeping with the chocolate theme (I wasn't about to go and break any hearts, now), I decided on brownies instead. Ooey-gooey, slap-in-the-face delicious. These have a layer of creamy caramel and skor bits sandwiched between fudge-like chocolate chip brownies. Not a bad end to the weekend.

Skor Caramel Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1  1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup pre-made caramel sauce
• 3/4 cup Skor baking bits

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees ferenheit.
-Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl.
-Add sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.
-Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
-Stir together flour, cocoa and salt.
-Add to butter mixture.
-Fold in chocolate chips until combined.
-Spray a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
-Pour in half of the brownie batter.
-Pour on caramel and sprinkle Skor bits on top.
-Top with remaning brownie batter and bake for 35-45 minutes.
-Let sit for at least 15 minutes before digging in.
-Serve with vanilla ice cream or a cold glass of milk!

-Jessica

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

My mama used to tell me that her eyes used to be blue, but she ate so much chocolate that it turned them brown. I believed her. You may say you like chocolate, but I would put money on the fact that my mom liked it more. At any given time, there were at least 5 chocolate bars stashed somewhere in her bedroom, just in case of a must-eat-chocolate-now emergency. It would absolutely amaze me that she could have chocolate just sitting there, waiting to be eaten. I liked my chocolate right here and now, thank you very much. But she taught me to savor things. The anticipation of something is almost as good as the thing itself.

I can't say that I have learned the truthfulness of this completely yet- I am pretty darned impatient. Good things come to those who wait? Who cares. BUT, I have learned to save my chocolate. After all, what if we get snowed in for a week and I can't get to the store? I have a  basket on the topmost shelf of my cupboard with basically the entire edible contents of my Christmas stocking in it. Don't get me wrong, I have eaten lots of it already, but my hubby  Santa was good to me. And in that basket is a Terry's chocolate orange. Oh how I love chocolate and orange together.

This morning I was looking for some breaky and I accidentally found my way into the basket. As I was brainlessly munching away, I thought that I should probably come up with a way to eat this for breakfast without feeling so guilty about it.

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 1 orange quartered and seeds removed (with peel)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup sall-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

       Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F; spray a muffin tin (12) with non-stick cooking spray like Pam and set aside.
• Put orange quarters in food processor (or blender) along with orange juice and process or blend until pureed.
• Add egg, butter, and vanilla to food processor and combine; pour into large bowl.
• Combine dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add all at once to orange mixture.
• Add chocolate chips
• Stir to combine.
• Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove from oven and let stand in tin for 5 minutes before removing muffins.

I like them fresh out of the oven with a bit of butter and a cup of tea. Now that's a breakfast!

-Jessica

Recipe adapted from this recipe.