Half Baked Cookie

You know those days where all you can think about is dessert?  Chocolate...ice cream...something crunchy...warm and melty (yes, I know its not a real word)...Well I had one of those recently and the only thing I could think of to cure it was a half baked cookie.  Crunchy on the edge...warm and gooey on the inside...with ice cream and hot fudge on top...OH MY!!!!

This picture doesn't even begin to do justice to the deliciousness of this dessert!

I found the recipe over at Our Best Bites and it is so worth every calorie! (I actually skipped supper just so I could eat this without the guilt.)  The best part is it can be as "semi-homemade" as you want it to be.  You can make your own cookie dough and ice cream or buy them both store bought.  You can prep everything ahead and pop them in the oven when you are ready for dessert.  It doesn't get much easier than that.

Here are the basic directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Fill ramekin about half full of cookie dough.  Bake for 15 minutes (edges should be golden brown, but still look uncooked in the center).  Take out of oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.  Top with ice cream and whatever else you want to top it with.  Sit back and enjoy...because it is SO worth it!  

(Note:  if you do not have ramekins, you could do this is small canning jars or mugs.  You will need to adjust your baking time accordingly if you use a larger size dish).

Chocolate Donut Holes

The icy conditions outside led to a pajama clad morning at our house.  Without church to go to, I thought it was the perfect time to make chocolate donut holes.  I saw the recipe on Smitten Kitchen awhile ago and was just waiting for the perfect day to make them.  They are wonderful!!!  The kids enjoyed theirs coated in powdered sugar...I ate mine with my cup(s) of coffee.

I made a few changes to the original recipe - I only had dark chocolate powder on hand so I used that.  And instead of rolling them out and cutting them, I used a small cookie scoop to make balls and dropped them right into the hot oil.  This resulted in less than perfect "holes", but it was much easier.

Happy Eating!

OAMC: Breakfast Burritos

I'll admit it...I love McDonald's Breakfast Burritos.  DH and I will find just about any excuse to go there to get them.  My waistline, however, does not care for fast food as often.  So, I began the search for a great breakfast burrito.  And while is certainly not "healthy", its gotta be better than fast food...and we love them just as much.  You can customize these to suit your personal preferences and they are great to keep in the freezer for a quick, hot breakfast.

Breakfast Burritos
Adapted from JeriBinNC at food.com


1 16 oz bag hash browns, cooked
18 eggs, scrambled
16 oz salsa
1 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 lb country sausage, cooked
1/3 cup chopped jalapeños
8 oz. shredded cheese
18-24 tortillas
18-24 slices american cheese

After your ingredients are prepped, stir together hash browns, eggs, salsa, bacon, sausage, jalapeños, & shredded cheese in a bowl.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture in each tortilla.  Top with one slice american cheese; roll up burrito style.  Wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap.  (I then put mine in gallon size freezer bags for storage)

When you are ready to eat, remove frozen burrito from plastic wrap.  Warm in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  Enjoy!!

Buttery Sugar Cookies

For Cookie

1 cup butter, softened 

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

For Icing

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 

1 tablespoon milk (adding in more if needed)

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract  or

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    food coloring (use your choice of colors)

For cookies; in large bowl combine butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract; beat using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.

In another bowl combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the butter mixture until well blended.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Set oven to 400°F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (do not grease cookie sheets use parchment paper only).

On a very lightly floured surface roll out the dough into about 1/4-inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.  Place cookies 2-inches apart on cookie sheet.  Bake 4-6 minutes.  Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely before icing.

For the frosting; in a small bowl mix the confectioners sugar with milk (start with 1-2 tablespoons, you will likely need more milk for the perfect spreading consistency).  Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until the icing is smooth and glossy (if the icing is too thick add in a small amount more of corn syrup).

Divide into as many separate bowls as you wish for different colors.  Add in food coloring until desired intensity is achieved.  Paint the icing over the cookies using a brush, or dip edges of cookies into icing.  Allow to set on waxed paper.