Double Chocolate Cookies

This is a slightly modified recipe from Marthastewart.com that I found last night after I had a severe chocolate craving. Because of their richness they could basically be considered brownies in cookie form. Needless to say, they are perfect for anyone's chocolate craving : ). (I used semi-sweet chocolate because it's my favorite, but the original recipe called for milk chocolate... use whatever your heart desires!)

Love,
Kellie

P.S. You'll definitely need a tall glass of milk : )

Double Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used good ole' Hershey)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. course salt
1/2 lb. good quality semi-sweet chocolate (4 oz. coarsely chopped and 4 oz. cut into 1/4 in. chunks)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt 4 oz. coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.

2. Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I only have a hand held mixer and it worked out just fine).Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks.

3. Using a 1 1/2 in. ice cream scoop (or a big spoon), drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing 2 in. apart. Bake until cookie surfaces crack about 10 to 15 min (cookies should be soft and mine were done in 10 minutes). Let cool on parchment on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 3 dozen

Chocolate Pots De Créme

On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, my sister, Brenda bought me a cookbook called "Charleston Classic Desserts". Well needless to say, I was excited to get home and try a recipe. Last night presented the perfect opportunity: I had my family over for dinner. With six mouths to feed (plus mine) and six very different palettes, chocolate is the one treat that we all love and that brings all of our varying palettes into unity : ). I chose to make the recipe below and we all found to our delight, that it's the perfect dessert for any chocolate lover. The page adjacent to the recipe says that it hails from "The Old Village Post House", a restaurant in a restored 19th century building in the community of Mt. Pleasant. I encourage you to make it for yourself and enjoy this rich chocolate custard.

Love,
Kellie


Chocolate Pots De Créme

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
White chocolate, to garnish
6 strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries, to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine the cream and milk in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth.

Whisk the yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the hot chocolate mixture.

Strain the mixture into another bowl. Cool for 10 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface.

Divide the custard mixture among six 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Cover each with aluminum foil. Place the cups in a large baking pan (13x9). Add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups.

Bake for about 55 minutes, until the custards are set but the centers are still wobbly.

Remove the cups from the water. Remove the foil. Chill the custards until cold, about 3 hours.

TO SERVE, shave white chocolate over each custard. Top each with your preferred berry.

Serves 6

Luscious Lime Pie

Crust:
45 vanilla wafers, crushed (1 1/2 c.)
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted


Filling:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lime juice
1 Tbsp. lime zest
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping thawed (I bought the 16 oz. container so I had plenty left over for decorating)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray pie pan with cooking spray. Mix together crushed vanilla wafers and butter until crumbs are moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake ten minutes; cool slightly. Place in refrigerator to cool completely.

For filling, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in large bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in lime zest and juice, mixing well. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Chill 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 servings

Colorful Pepper Relish

Chop (we used a food processor):

1 doz. red peppers
1 doz. green peppers
1 doz. Vidalia onions
(we used four red, four orange, four yellow and a dozen green peppers)

Put it all together in a large pot. Drain off any liquids.

Bring a separate large pot to boil and pour over peppers and onions. Let sit 15 minutes and then drain off the water.

Add:
3 cups sugar
3 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. celery seed
2 Tbsp. white mustard sead
1 quart cider vinegar

Boil 10 minutes.

The relish is now ready to can using your favorite canning method. We put the hot relish in hot jars that had been in the oven for 200 degrees sealing with rings and lids that had been simmering on the stove on low heat. Every can sealed!