Graham Cracker Toffee, a.k.a. Christmas Crack

My grandmother used to make these treats every Christmas, but it wasn't until I was grown, that I heard them referred to as Christmas Crack.  Of course, knowing its addictive qualities, I can understand the nickname.  So beware, but at least it is legal!

Graham Cracker Toffee
a.k.a. Christmas Crack

Ingredients

• 1 packageGraham Crackers 
• 1 cupButter (2 whole sticks)
• 1 cupBrown Sugar
• Optional toppings:
• ½ cup Walnuts, chopped 
• ½ cup Chocolate Chips
• ½ cup Peppermints or Candy Canes, crushed
• ½ cup Pretzels, crushed
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet* with whole graham crackers. Use as many crackers as needed to fill the sheet. 
3. In a saucepan, melt butter, then mix in brown sugar. Bring this "toffee" mixture to a boil. 
4. Stir for 5 minutes while boiling, on low.
5. Spread the toffee mixture over the crackers and bake for 8–10 minutes—or until the toffee has bubbled across the whole pan. 
6. Sprinkle with desired toppings (if any) immediately after removal from oven. Note: If using chocolate chips, sprinkle on the chips, let them melt, then spread the chocolate evenly.
7. Cool for 10-20 minutes in the fridge.
8. Break/crack into pieces.  
9. Store in air-tight containers in the fridge for optimum freshness.

*Tip: I like to pre-line the cookie sheet with non-stick foil for easy clean up.  
Photo courtesy of http://tastykitchen.com/

Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

While cleaning out the "cooking" cupboard today, I found my mother-in-law's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe tucked behind a box of sugar.  I thought our cookbook blog might be a safer place to keep it.  

The ingredients and mixing instructions are spelled out, but not the cooking instructions...which my husband calls the "advanced chef" technique. So upon consulting Quaker Oats (which has a great, free recipe PDF) and Betty Crocker, we recommend baking at 350 for about 10-13 minutes until browned...or until you can no longer resist the aroma!

Our son if not a big fan of oatmeal yet, so when omitting that from the mix, reduce cooking time to 9-11 minutes.

Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 unbeaten Eggs
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Hot Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Quaker Oats (instant)
• 1 cup Walnuts
• 1 pkg Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees*
2. Mix butter well on slow speed. 
3. Slowly add sugars, and blend well. 
4. Add eggs to butter, then beat well
5. Combine baking soda and water, then add to butter mixture
6. Add vanilla, then mix
7. Add flower and salt and mix
8. Add oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips, then mix until combined
9. Drop by spoonfuls unto cookie sheet*
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned*

*Will consult with Adrienne and update accordingly! We'll also update with our own picture soon!

Guinness Chocolate Cake

I have yet to try this recipe yet, but it is next on my short list! Beer and chocolate may seem like an odd combo, but this isn't just any beer, it's Guinness stout—from roasted barley—adding smoky notes to complement chocolate perfectly.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup Guinness (or other stout)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted Butter
• ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process Cocoa powder
• 2¼ cups all-purpose Flour (King Arthur, preferred)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1½ tsp Baking Soda (preferably less than 6 mos. old)
• ¾ tsp Salt
• 2 large Eggs
• 2/3 cup Sour Cream

Icing

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
• ½ cup Heavy Cream
• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, place a round of parchment paper on the bottom and butter it, then flour the pan.

Cake

1. Place the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
2. Whisk in cocoa powder until mixture is smooth.
3. Thoroughly combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
4. In another bowl, beat together eggs and sour cream until well-blended.
5. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed.
6. Finish mixing by folding batter with a spatula until completely combined.
7. Pour batter in the springform pan and bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
8. Place cake on a rack and cool for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and cool completely.

Icing

1. Beat together the cream cheese and sugar.
2. Add cream and vanilla and mix.
3. Spread icing on top of cake to echo the appearance of a glass of Guinness and its head of foam.

Recipe and photo courtesy of NPR

Adrienne's Brownies

My mother-in-law left a brownie recipe behind that only listed ingredients and an oven temperature. I hope I've filled in all the right details to replicate her wonderful brownies.

Adrienne's Brownies

Ingredients

• ½ cup Butter, melted
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 2 squares baking Chocolate melted (or ½ cup Cocoa)
• ¾ cup Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¾ cup chopped Walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon.
3. Stir in chocolate (if melted) now, or if cocoa powder, see next step.
4. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt (and cocoa powder if used); gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended.
5. Stir in nuts, if desired.
6. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.
8. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

cc image courtesy of Terriko

Banana-Cherry-Chocolate Muffins

I was inspired to find/create this recipe when I noticed our bananas were brown next to the cherries in our fruit basket.

Dried cherries or cranberries can be substituted for the fresh cherries out of season.

Banana-Cherry-Chocolate Muffins

Wet ingredients

• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/3 cup (or more) Vermont maple syrup
• 2-3 large, rip bananas
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Dry Ingredients

• 2/3 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 Tsbp chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (King Arthur Flour recommended)
• 1 tsp. backing soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (fresh if possible)

Directions

1. Preheat over to 425 degrees F.
2. Grease muffin tin.
3. Combine wet ingredients; letting butter cool before mixing it with beaten egg. Set aside.
4. Chop cherries and nuts. 
5. Combine all dry ingredients (except cherries, chocolate & nuts.) Then add excepted ingredients and toss to coat.
6. Add wet to dry ingredients. Combine just enough to moisten. Do not overwork.
7. Spoon into greased muffin tin.
8. Put in oven, and lower heat to 350 degrees F. Cook for 20 minutes.
9. Cool muffins on a wire rack.

cc2.0 image courtesy of jessicafm, and see her associated vegan muffin recipe.