Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches and 'Stache Promo Code

Last year, my baby turned one. Contrary to my husband's belief, this is a BIG. DEAL. Like we were gonna party and people were gonna come and dote on my beautiful, big boy 1-year-old (I may or may not have gotten choked up during the "Happy Birthday" song). I decided on the mustache theme, and immediately went to Etsy to begin ordering supplies. I needed a bunch of die cut mustaches to glue onto straws and wooden dowels for photobooth props. I found Lynda over at TwentySix33 Creations and ordered a set of 25. They came in the mail and I loved them, they were perfect! I simply used glue dots to stick them on straws, and BAM! Instant party hit. You could hear kids (and, er, adults...) giggling as they sipped their sodas with said 'staches. We even blew up a picture of him, blindfolded the older kids, and played 'Pin the Mustache on Parker' with one of these babies.

Because Lynda is so awesome at what she does and cares about our fans, she has offered to give away a set of mustaches to one of them, Laura Van Noy (yay!), and is offering a 10% discount on all orders placed between now and February 28 with coupon code LOVEDAY10. 

So head on over to TwentySix33 Creations to check out her darling paper hearts, gift tags, and more. And remember your coupon code!

                               

I remember growing up eating those long, rectangular ice cream sandwiches with chocolate wafers and vanilla ice cream. Even better were the cookies and cream ones, man were we lucky if we got those! I'd save my quarters and bring them to school with me to buy from the volunteer mom for the day during lunch. It was either those, fudgesicles, or those chocolate shell ice cream cones with nuts.

Here on the blog I've already posted a Salted Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich (divine), and we also have a the most perfectly soft sugar cookie, so I dreamt up this concoction.

I present to you the Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich.

Cherries are the perfect Valentine's Day accessory. They're red, the flavor amazing, are packed with antioxidants, and if you and your Valentine want, you can even play a romantic game that involves the stems...wink wink.......

Cherry Almond Ice Cream

Ingredients

3 c heavy cream

3/4 c sugar

2 c fresh, pitted cherries, divided

2 t almond extract

Directions

1. Blend cream, sugar, and 1 1/2 c of the cherries in blender until cherries blended well.

2. Simmer remaining 1/2 c cherries in saucepan with 1/8 c water until cherries are steaming and have softened. Simmer on low until almost all of the water is evaporated. Drain cherries, return to the pan

3. Add cream mixture to pan with steamed, drained cherries. Heat on low, continuously stirring until sugar is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

4. Add almond extract, mix well.

5. Use ice cream maker at this point, or if you don't have one, cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer. After several hours, use spoon to stir ice cream, re-cover, and place back in freezer. Repeat until ice cream is desired consistency, or in this case, pipeable and will hold its shape.

While your ice cream is icing, make your chocolate sugar cookies. I made a few slight adjustments to the sugar cookies to make them chocolate and they were wonderful! Not too sweet, because I knew the ice cream would be pretty sweet. If you're going to frost them instead of turn them into an ice cream sandwich, they're also perfect because frosting is usually a sugar party in your mouth on its own. You can't have two parties going on at the same time!
I also made this wreath and am obsessed. I have a strip of velcro on the back of those rosettes, and I change out the rosettes for each season. I made a set of red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, red and blue for Independence Day, etc. The rest of the year, I have slate grey and mustard yellow. So easy

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

2 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cocoa

Directions

1. Cream shortening, butter, and sugar.

2. Mix in egg, vanilla, and sour cream.

3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa, then slowly add to creamed mixture.

4. Chill dough for a couple hours.

5. Roll out dough, cut until shapes, and bake at 350 degrees 8 minutes, or until edges barely set.

I tried to assemble these with the ice cream not completely set (it was set, and I got it out of the freezer, but then a friend stopped by and it melted a bit) and the cookies room temperature, and it was just one hot mess. With trial and error, I froze the cookies, and hardened the ice cream a bit until it was a consistency that I could pipe onto the cookies. I use the plastic disposable piping bags and just cut a large hole (to allow room for the cherries) and it worked perfectly! When you pipe the ice cream, you need to make sure the ice cream actually comes out to the edges, as it needs to pick up your sprinkles.

Top ice cream with second cookie, roll edges in sprinkles (on plate), and place back into freezer until you're ready to eat.

Pin It

Cookies Royale

First of all... shout out to my hubby who is turning 30!! on 12/12/12!!! Only one in a lifetime :) Now on with the cookies..

Well, I love Chocolate. And I love Coconut. So I love these cookies!! (nice deductive reasoning right there) These truly are my favorite cookie. Not because when I eat one I am like WOW! that is a once-in-a-lifetime-cookie, more like Oh! Hi there my two buddies. Missed you and your so tasty kinda cookie. Lets have a glass of milk kinda cookie. And invite our friend macadamia nut to join, nutty company is fun. That's this kinda cookie.

I first experienced this cookie in college. Oh good ole college days and all the new experiences (Stop being so dirty-minded, that's not what I meant.)  More like traveling, new friends and good foods. Burning rice in your room-mates brand new pans and RUINING it! those kind of experiences. I don't know if it was the carefree and soakin up life living that made me love 'em but, I just love 'em.

Is it weird that I am eating 2 of these as I am typing this? no joke. I think staring at all the pictures gave me a craving! yay for late night blogging and cookies!

Anyway here you go... hope you love 'em too.

 Your going to want to start out by toasting coarsely chopping your macadamia nuts and toasting them and your coconut. That way when it is time to add them they are cooled and won't melt your chocolate chips.
In your mixer cream your sugars and butter.

 Then add in your eggs. .. isn't that an awesome picture. Probably one of my best egg shell pictures, because I always take egg shell pictures?

 After you've mixed all your other ingredients (flour, vanilla.. secret ingredient.. COCONUT EXTRACT).. its time for the fun. Roll up your cute denim shirt sleeves. Wash your hands and get them dirty! Squeeze in your coconut, chocolate chips, and macadamia nut. Roll in to balls and bake!

Then enjoy with a lot of milk!

Here is the recipe card.. and easy print button. All thanks to YumPrint!

Cookies Royale

Ingredients

2 Cups butter at room temp

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Cups Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Salt

2 T Vanilla

2 tsp coconut extract

5 Cups Flour

4 Cups Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Shredded Coconut toasted

1/2 Cup Macadamia nuts coarsely chopped and toasted

Directions

Cream Butter and Sugars. Add in eggs and mix. Then add in baking soda, salt, vanilla, and coconut extract. Continue mixing while adding in flour slowly, about a cup at a time. When combined fold in chocolate chips, coconut and macadamia nuts. When combined roll in to small balls and bake on non-stick or greased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 9-10mins. or slightly golden. Don't over bake! Cookies will continue to cook through after removing from oven.

Pin It

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Doesn't fall make you want to stay inside, bake delicious things, and get fat for the winter?  I only make these beauties in the fall.  They are a special treat we look forward to...and they are definitely an indulgence!  Peanut Butter cups in the batter, chocolate peanut butter ganache, and more peanut butter cups as garnish!  Sinfully delicious - hence the skull cupcake liners!  Theses are a semi-homemade treat because you start with a cake mix - I love a shortcut with gourmet results!

I couldn't even make it through the photo shoot without taking a bit of one of these guys...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 devils food cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped peanut butter cups (plus another cup or so for garnishing)

Instructions

Mix cake mix, eggs, sour cream, water, milk & oil with a hand or stand mixer on slow for 30 seconds until combined.  Scrape down the sides and beat for another 2 minutes.  Stir in peanut butter cups.  Fill 24 cupcake liners with 1/4 cup of the mixture.  A trick I like to use to ensure that all cupcakes are the same size is to fill them using an ice cream scoop as a measuring cup. I hate it when I end up with big overflowing cupcakes and small ones that don't even reach the top of the cup - and this puts an end to that problem!

Bake at 350 degrees for 19 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Top with ganache (recipe below) and peanut butter cups.  I usually just put a heaping spoonful onto each cupcake and let it drip off the edges. The ganache will firm up after a few minutes at room temperature.  Store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

Ingredients

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

Place chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl.  In a small heavy sauce pan heat the cream just to boiling.  Pour hot cream of top of chocolate chips and whisk until smooth.  Stir in peanut butter.

Pin It

Jesse's Banana Cookies

Pin It

Okay this is a really big recipe!! Makes tons of yummy banana cookies....so probably a good idea to make and share with neighbors. ( they will love you for it) :)

Jesse's Banana Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

7 1/2 cups flour

6 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups bananas (mashed)

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour, add baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix in milk and bananas and vanilla. Add the rest of the flour. Add 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips. Cook on greased cookie sheet at 350 for 10 minutes.

Enjoy them!!!
Recipe courtesy Jesse Harding

cell pic got a little messed up in the process?

Pin It

Angie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have had this recipe in my recipe box since I first got married. My Grandma Harding gave it to me, said it was her favorite. She said I could have "Angie's recipe" and she said it in a way that gave me the impression that Angie is a good cook, or her cookies are dang good, so 

I was so lucky to have these. 

Over the years I have only ever made these, haven't even searched for a new recipe....I think its partly cause I feel proud to have Angie's recipe, a family recipe, even though I don't know who Angie is..... Plus the recipe is easy, and delicious- so why search for another recipe? 

Angie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

mix together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until creamy.

add remaining ingredients.

put on cookie sheet. Make 8-10 minutes @ 350 degrees.

* I made my cookies kind of thick, so they cooked for about 12 minutes.

I also double the batch and froze 2 cookies for each baggie for the hubs to take to school with his lunches, and dinners. I spec they will go pretty fast :) 

Pin It

Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Pudding Cookies

2 sticks softened butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz box instant chocolate pudding mix
10 oz bag peanut butter chips or butterscotch
1 1/2 c mini marshmallows

*beat butter and sugars til fluffy
*beat in egg and vanilla
*slowly add dry ingredients
*add pudding, chips, marshmallows
*mix til combined
*bake 350 10-12 minutes

*let cool on cookie sheet 10 minutes before moving, makes 3 dozen Pin It

Homemade Thin Mint Cookies

Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick – if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp – and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies. Pin It

Healthy Chocolate Muffins

these muffins are

EASY

Healthy (for chocolate muffins)

MOIST

SOO YUMMY

Healthy Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

2 egg whites

2/3 Cup water

1 Chocolate Cake mix

1 small can pumpkin

Instructions

Fill in cupcake tin and bake.

I followed the cake box directions for baking- I think it is 350 for 15 minutes.

recipe courtesy Heather Walker

(heather noted that once she bought the big can of pumpkin, doubled the recipe, froze half and then heated up in microwave for a great snack!)

Pin It

s'more nutella s'mores please

IDEA:

Graham Cracker

Marshmallow

microwave for a few seconds

Slather on NUTELLA

graham Cracker.

YUMMY SNACK

Pin It

Homemade, no-fail, Chocolate Cupcakes

Doesn't the post-it tell you it is a timeless recipe? It was written down for my friend by her boss.Just by the wording you can tell its something our Grandmas might have made. We decorated and ate these cupcakes for a ward cake walk. They were great. nice and moist.

and incase you can't read the above pic...

1 egg

1/2 cup fat....veg oil works GREAT

1/2 cup sour milk... Sour Cream

1 tsp soda

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

bake at 350 for 20 min

Pin It

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

I doubled the recipe and put it in a 13x9 dish.

1 package (11.1 ounce) Jell-o no bake real cheesecake
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 square Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup chopped candy bar or nuts

Line 8-inch square pan with foil, extending over edges to form handles.
Mix crumbs, sugar and butter with fork in bowl until crumbs are well moistened. Press firmly onto bottom of pan using measuring cup.
Beat milk and filling mix with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. (Filling will be think.) Spread 1/2 of the filling over crust.
Stir chocolate into remaining filling. Spread over filling in pan. Sprinkle with candy bar or nuts.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour or freeze 4 hours. Remove from pan; cut into bars. Store leftover bars in refrigerator or freezer.

From Mellissa Fraker

Pin It

Cookie Dough Truffles

These are TO DIE for {great for the upcomming holiday too!}. A friend introduced me to them last year in MI, and I so love her for it :) and lately I've been cravying them like crazy. I searched up the recipe and need to share it with you!

ps- its a Paula Deen Recipe, you know its good!

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Pin It

Earthquake Cake

This is a really fast and easy dessert to make and it is always a hit!

1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup choc. chips
1 box German Choc cake mix
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese (room temp)
1/4 lb butter/marg (room temp)
1 lb powdered sugar

Sprinkle coconut and choc. chips in bottom of 9x13 cake pan (sprayed). Make cake according to directions. Pour batter over pan.

In small saucepan, melt the cream cheese w/butter, then stir in powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread or pour sauce over cake batter. Make sure to spread it a bit thicker around the edges.

Cook at 350 for 40-50 min Pin It