"Chocolate" Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

So I had my usual recipe for Pumpkin Bread lying around and gave it to a neighbor. Then, that neighbor posted on her facebook saying "Thank you Lisa for the Chocolate Pumpkin Bread recipe!"

Immediately following were many comments asking for the "Chocolate" pumpkin bread recipe, so I thought I should deliver.

"Chocolate" Pumpkin Bread

5 eggs
1 Big can of pumpkin
3 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. oil
1 C. applesauce
4 1/2 C. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. soda
4 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
12 oz. chocolate chips

ADAPTATION to make it CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN BREAD:
12 MORE oz chocolate chips and 1/2 C. heavy cream.

Mix all wet ingredients, then in a saucepan over a warm heat, melt the chocolate chips* and cream together till smooth. SLOWLY pour into the pumpkin mixture and incorporate quickly as to temper the eggs... now your batter is chocolate pumpkin!

Then mix in all dry ingredients then the OTHER bag of chocolate chips and bake at 350. Small loaf pans call for 45-50min, and large loaf pans call for 60-70 min. Fill about 2/3 full. It's trial and error, as everyone's ovens are different and they fill the pans up different amounts. So use the "knife in the middle" method and when it comes out dry they should be done. DO NOT OVER BAKE!!

Good luck.

*you could use 3/4 of the the bag of the chips to melt and mix into the batter, and use the rest to sprinkle on top of a couple of loaves....

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Buttons

The evil these bring. The sweet, sweet evil. They are small and cute and delicious. I was to bring 2/doz cookies to a funeral and thought this would be a good recipe to try. Boy was wrong. But if this is how these cookies are gonna taste, then baby I don't wanna be right.

I found these via a google search for PB cookies. Way to go 17 year old.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup shortening 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg 3 tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt Granulated sugar for rolling Chocolate chips (any type) Preheat oven to 350. Mix the shortening and peanut butter till combined. Add the two sugars and mix well. Add vanilla, milk and egg. Combine. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients then add slowly to the PB mix. Refrigerate for 10 min, then roll into 1/2" balls and roll in the sugar. Place cookies a couple inches apart so they'll cook evenly. Bake for 5-7 minutes (my happy place was 6.5 minutes...) then let cool for a minute before putting the chocolate on them. (Guittard is the best, cause their chips are HUGE and creamy.) Let cool completely before storing. Try not to eat them all. Sheesh.

Post note: Perspective- these are chocolate chips, not Hershey's Kisses. I realized after review, that you can't tell how small they are. And that is important, because when something is cuter, it's fun to eat, and when something is delicious and small- it makes it OK to eat a lot of them. So here's a picture of one in my hand:

Cracker Toffee

I got this off of my new favorite- THIS website, . I can't stop perusing this site for snacks, dinners sides and ideas. It's superb. I brought these tasty treats for game night and truly, I was surprised how easy it was. And they are very, very good... I substituted the fleur du sel with regular coarse salt, and sprinkled the almonds on after mixing them with the coarse salt. It helps bring out ALL the flavors. Get recipe HERE.

In the case it happens to you..

I accidentally bought a bag of Hershey's "Hugs" instead of "Kisses."

I don't particularly like white chocolate, since I don't even consider it chocolate, however I think it is great on pretzels. So if you have a bag of these dang Hugs, and you don't know what to do with them, stick them on some mini pretzels and throw them in the oven at 250 degrees for about 5 minutes. Let set- and try to prevent yourself from eating all of them while watching the Biggest Loser.

S'mores Bars

These are on my TOP FIVE favorite treats list. They are so good, and so satisfying- it's almost sinful. I got this recipe from Brit- so thank you for making my life all the better.

S'mores Bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows) *I used a whole jar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and/or line an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.
Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Place chocolate bars over dough (2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate if necessary to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick).
5. Spread the marshmallow fluff over the chocolate.
6. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles or panels and laying them together).
7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

(I put chocolate chips on top because I am JUST that desperate for more sugar, calories, and deliciousness.)

..More like "What's for Dessert!"

This is certainly something to imitate. But the truth of the matter, is that whatever concoction you end up with- the ingredients are ALL delightful and what your left with is certain to taste good. But as Serendipity is one of my favorite restaurants, and it is summer- a time for frosty treats, I thought this was a good one.

Ingredients:

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

• 6 pieces (1/2-ounce) chocolate , a variety of your favorites
• 2 teaspoons store-bought hot chocolate mix
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 cups ice
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate shavings

Directions:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar. Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and slowly add ½ cup of milk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room-temperature chocolate mixture and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Shhh, Don't Tell...Chocolate Fudge Cake

The title insinuates that this cake is half homemade, and half box cake. There was an incident where two sisters each made a cake. One was from scratch, and one was a box. They had a blind taste test at a dinner party.

Which cake won?

The box cake.

The scratch couldn't compete with the moistness of the box cake. Thus, to validate the box cake, the recipe was altered slightly to add the homemade touch. Truly, the frosting is the "icing of the cake"....

Cake:

1 box Devil's Food Cake
1 C water
3 eggs
1/3 corn oil
1/3 sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 salt
1 C semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Position rack in center of oven. Butter three 8" cake rounds (or two 9" cake rounds). Combine the cake mix, water, eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, and salt in a bowl of your kitchen aid, or use a hand electric mixer. Beat on low speed till well blended. Increase speed to medium (for kitchen aid users) and high for hand mixers. Mix for two minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans, and bake for 25 min for 8" pans, and 27 min for 9" pans.
Transfer pans to cooling racks to cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and let cool completely.

Icing:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Put the chocolate chips in a metal bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment...alternatively, use a hand mixer. Combine the sugar, milk, butter and salt in a medium sauce over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil vigorously for exactly 1 minute. Pour hot sugar mixture over the the chocolate chips and add the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken to a spreadable consistency. 10-15 minutes.

To assemble, place one cake, flat side up on a platter. Spread 1/3 of the icing over the top of the cake. Top with second cake, flat side up. Spread 1/3 of icing over the top. Top with 3rd cake and spread remaining icing over top and sides of your tall creation. Refrigerated cake will be more set. This cake is beautiful when garnished with deep reds, such as roses or berries. Left over icing becomes a decadent fudge.