cookie dough egg rolls*

I have been an active participant in the Biggest Loser competition going on at my work. I have been going at it since about mid-January, but I started my healthier eating diet plan and workout regimen since the day after Christmas. Although I have been doing OK, I have not been perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I have a sweet tooth unlike any other, not to mention that food is literally my career. The competition only goes until the end of April, so I really need to kick it into gear, and stop eating things like these cookie dough egg rolls!

A couple of weekends ago I really splurged, and needed a yummy dessert to end my horrible day of eating. I asked the hubs what he was feeling like, and I showed him some options that I had saved on Pinterest. He picked these cookie dough egg rolls. He is on a cookie dough kick these days, so this came to no surprise to me. They were pretty good, but I must say that I was a little bit disappointed. I think it is because the sugar in the dough was still really gritty, and that is not my favorite thing. Which reminds me, my least favorite part about Easter is Peeps. Those things are the grossest! I will not be indulging in any Peeps this coming Easter Sunday! Anyway, so if I make these again, I will definitely be creaming the butter and sugar for quite a bit longer. However, my favorite part of this dessert is the presentation! I think they would be so cute for refreshments for an event or wedding!

Cookie Dough Egg Rolls
from Pennies on a Platter

chocolate chip cookie cheesecake*

If you are having a hankering for something sweet, this is it folks! I am absolutely in love with the presentation of this dessert, but it's the amazingness of it's sweet being that takes the cake - literally. It might even be too sweet for some, but even if you just take a bite or two, I promise you won't regret it.

If you would like to make it in one 9" springform pan, instead of 6 mini pans, the bake time will take about 20-25 minutes. It might even take longer, because I have made this twice (yes, twice in one week - get off my back) and it still was pretty doughy in the end - even after 25 minutes. So just a heads up, in case you are making this in a rush. Plan accordingly :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake
from In Katrina's Kitchen

soft brown sugar cookies w/ browned butter frosting*

I saw these cookies on Pinterest and dreamed about them for days. There were several occasions that I about made them after dinner, but I really have done fairly well at eating pretty good and working out before work. So I did the next best thing. I made them for dessert for the students! Man oh man, these little babies are DELICIOUS! That frosting is something else. And the cookies literally melt in your mouth!

The next day I was still dreaming of eating another cookie. So what did I do? I made them after dinner :(. In the end I broke down anyway, but it wasn't fair that I had tasted this little piece of heaven and that Landon was left out. That is the true meaning of cruel and unusual punishment. I had the share the goodness with the one I love. So get off my back :). (And don't ask me how, because I made them twice, but I didn't take any pictures of the process. Sorry!)

Gooseberry Patch Soft Brown Sugar Cookies w/ Browned Butter Frosting
from SusieQTPies

s'more cookie bars*

I love making different versions of s'mores as much as I love Pinterest - which is where I found this yummy recipe! I have yet to have an official "over the fire" s'more, so I need to fill that void by making every s'more recipe possible! I think I am doing a pretty good job :)

S'more Cookie Bars
from Baked Perfection
as seen on Pinterest :)

cookie dough brownies*

I have been contemplating what to make for dessert for our parent conferences that are coming up next week, and DING DING DING - I think we have found a winner! I have seen cookie dough brownies on a few food blogs here and there and have always wanted to try them. However, I don't think I was prepared for the deliciousness that was about to enter my life. The cookie dough is really soft, and then having a fudgy chocolately brownie as the "crust" - BRILLIANT! If any of my readers are going to be around during parent coference - you absolutely must grab one of these!

Cookie Dough Brownies
from The Daily Herald

chocolate waffle iron cookies*

I'm back!! To blogging anyway. I really didn't go anywhere, but I have been SO busy! I have two new employees that joined our little kitchen family and I am looking for a third! We have had a few openings over the last couple of weeks, and it made work pretty crazy there for a minute.  But we already have some pretty awesome new additions, Katie and Ashley, and we already love them both! Welcome to Heritage, girls!

So - remember when I was talking about possibly buying a new house here?? Well-BIG NEWS! We are MOVING! We found this cute house in Spanish Fork to buy so that we could rent it out, and decided we liked it so much that we are going to live there! We have already rented out our house and we are moving at the end of the month. I don't know where we will find the time to pack up and move and work almost everyday, but somehow, someway, we are going to make it happen!

I made these cookies the other day because all of the directors were having a LONG meeting and I knew we would need something to get us through. They were a hit! The meeting started at 9:30 a.m., and we decided that since they were made in a waffle iron that they are basically meant for breakfast, so everyone dug in.

I don't even remember the first time I had these cookies. My mom has been making them for years, and then I took over when I was old enough to make them myself. They kind of remind me of a brownie or piece of cake, because they are just so chewy and chocolaty. And they look so fun since they are made in a waffle iron! Your kids/family will LOVE them!

Chocolate Waffle Iron Cookies
from Unknown

s'mores cookies and a BIG cookie*

I love s'mores! I have not had a real s'more in which the marshmallow has been roasted over a camp fire for probably right around 10 years. The thought of this makes me want to cry. I have begged Landon for 4 years straight to go camping with me just so that I can make a s'more. He has never been camping in his life. That in and of itself completely boggles my mind. But we ARE going this year. Even if it's just for one night. I told him we can leave after work and come home first thing in the morning. I'm not picky. As long as I get my s'more, I'm a happy camper - literally :).

These s'mores cookies are AMAZING! They are so so easy and so ridiculously delicious. The cookie batter calls for cinnamon, and I am telling you right now I will never make another chocolate chip cookie dough without it. It is absolutely to die for! This is no exaggeration. I don't know why I never thought of it before, but I am so happy that this recipe called for it because it has forever changed my life!

S'mores Cookies
from Ice Cream Before Dinner
as seen on The Girl Who Ate Everything

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11x17 pan and one 9x13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want.

Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.

Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.

Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.

Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.

Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges.

Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife. I actually didn't have to cut mine, they stayed separated pretty well.

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! Seriously. I told myself I would only eat one, because I have been doing very well at my healthy eating (minus this weekend), but I probably ended up eating 3 at least. Then, Sarah had this pure genius idea to make a big cookie. You know, like the one I am obsessed with at the Pizza Factory. Here is how she made it:

First, she made a graham cracker bottom (graham cracker crumbs w/ butter). She then made a crust at the bottom of a 9" round cake pan, greased.

She then took some of the remainder cookie dough that we made for the cookies and put it right over the graham cracker crust. She then topped the dough with some amazing hot fudge sauce and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Now, you don't want to keep it in there too long. The whole point is to have a gooey amazing cookie doughish cookie!

Then, she couldn't just stop there! She had to then top it with more hot fudge sauce and then put a big scoop of vanilla ice cream right on the center.

This is a big statement, but I think I like this cookie more than the one at the Pizza Factory! I am telling you, it's the cinnamon! Sarah and I ate half of this pan alone. Yes, I said half. And that may be down playing the situation. Afterwards I felt so sick and was on a huge sugar rush! But it was worth every bite! Amazing is not even the word for it. Life changing for sure! Ahhh - I wish I had some RIGHT NOW!

My new love...

-alyssa*

sugar cookie bars*

I made these yummy bars this weekend for a family dinner. I LOVE sugar cookies. Especially the Granny B's. Those are my all time favorite! Until I look at the nutrition info on the back. Then, not so much. But those are by far the best sugar cookie I have ever had.

These bars are really good, too. And they are SO simple! Most sugar cookies take forever to make because you have to make the batter, then chill for a few hours, then you can finally roll them and bake them. This recipe is getting that same great yummy taste, but spending 15 minutes making batter and frosting and then you bake, frost and you're done. It's a beautiful thing. Especially for people like me that just cannot seem to catch up! I think I would add a little more lemon zest though, or maybe the juice of the lemon. But then again, I am a lemon fanatic.

Remember, tune in tomorrow to see my little sister's 21st birthday cake!! I know that I sure can't wait!

Sugar Cookie Bars
from The Girl Who Ate Everything

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon zest (optional) - I would HIGHLY suggest adding this ingredient :)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.

Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan).

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test).

Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk!

Spread over cooled cookie bars.

Anyone looking for a good Easter treat?? This would make a great one!

-alyssa*

peanut butter munchies*

These cookies are so delicious! They are just like a Reese's, only in cookie form. Reese's are Landon's favorite candy, so I will need to make these for him sometime soon! He has been suffering from the flu as of late (which by the way he has passed on to me - thanks honey), so I should make these when he is eating again :). These were made for a baby shower for one of my staff whom was working while I made them, so I couldn't do anything that was too obvious since her baby shower was a surprise! I would highly recommend eating them straight out of the oven while they are still warm. They are melt in your mouth amazingness! But they are good cooled down, too.

Peanut Butter Munchies
from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. 

 

Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon.

Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

3. For peanut butter filling, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. 

At first it will look like this. Keep beating until it ends up looking like this:

Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. 

 

Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. 

Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling balls.

5. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. Makes 32 cookies.

YUMMY! These things are SO good! I could literally eat the whole batch right out of the oven! I can't wait to make these again when we get feeling better in the Cundy household :)

-alyssa*

double - chocolate meringue kisses*

These little "kisses" are so stinkin cute! They look just like little hershey kisses, only they are a meringue cookie. I didn't think they would be so crispy, but they are pretty tasty and best of all - only 25 calories per cookie!! WHAT??? That's right, you can eat AT LEAST four guilt free :).

Double - Chocolate Meringue Kisses
adapted from Relish Magazine

Yield:  approx. 40 - 1" cookies

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. semisweet chocolate minichips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

Sift cocoa over egg white mixture.

Fold in.

Fold in minichips.

Fill a pastry bag (I did mine without a tip so that it could make the "kiss" effect. You could also use a ziploc bag and just cut off one of the corners about 1/2 inch wide) with the meringue batter. Gently squeeze the meringue until it forms a little ball on the parchment paper and let gently lift up.

Bake 40 minutes (yeah, I thought it was a long time too) or until crisp.

Cool on pan or a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining batter, reusing parchment paper. I dusted mine with cocoa powder, but they would be fine just plain, or maybe some powdered sugar! Mmmmmm. Store in an airtight container.

And eat up. Again, 25 calories per kiss people!!

-alyssa*

no bake nutella cookies*

As you may have noticed, I LOVE Nutella (since this is my THIRD Nutella recipe in less than 2 weeks)! I am now starting to think that anything and everything tastes better if it has Nutella in it, on it, or around it! For years the students have talked highly of Nutella and I dare say most of them have an obsession with it, and I never understood it - but now I think I surpass their Nutella addiction. Which is a bad thing, because it really is quite expensive, it's not the best thing for me, and I seriously spend tons of time just THINKING about Nutella! NO LIE! I could eat a whole jar to myself easy!

Sarah was telling me that she was going to make these cookies over the weekend and that she would bring me some on Monday, but I am going on vacation so I would have to miss out. That did not fly with me. So today we had an employee council meeting and it was our turn to bring lunch, which meant no better opportunity to whip up some of these cookies! They are SOOO good! Sarah said that at her house she mixes 1/2 Nutella and 1/2 peanut butter, which sounds even more amazing! I think I'm going to have to test this out to decide for myself :)

No Bake Nutella Cookies
from Gingerbread Bagels

Yield: approx. 24 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats

Directions
Measure out 3/4 cup of Nutella in a small bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, measure out 3 cups of quick cooking oats. Set aside. Have the vanilla extract ready too.

Line a couple of baking sheets with waxed paper. You’ll scoop the cookie dough mixture onto these baking sheets.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, unsalted butter (that’s been cut up into pieces), milk and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Bring to a boil and stir frequently. Boil for 2 minutes. Make sure you boil for the full 2 minutes or your cookies will be too soft.

 
Then add in the Nutella, vanilla extract and quick cooking oats. Stir everything together.

Using a cookie scooper, scoop the cookie mixture onto the wax paper. Work quickly!

Let the cookies firm up and then enjoy!

 -alyssa*

better than brownies cookies

Sarah and I made these today for the open house that is going on this week. They are YUMMY! Make sure you don't overbake! Some of ours got a little crispy, so make sure you keep an eye on them. We actually made the dough the day before and then refrigerated it and then made them the next day. Worked out great! We had too much dough so we portioned them out in serving size balls and froze them for when we may need them again! Which may prove to be a mistake, because now I want to do that with all kinds of cookie dough and have it on hand in the freezer. I keep making jobs for myself, the only problem is I don't have time to actually do them all! Oh well, I guess it's always good to have a "to do" list, no matter how many pages it is :).

Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies

from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

2 2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.

In the meantime, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Makes about 24 cookies 

-alyssa*

fruit pizza*

These cute little fruit pizzas we made for the open house at work, along with the bruschetta below. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how these turned out! They look so fancy and fresh and yummy! And really they weren't hard at all. The bottom is just a sugar cookie, topped with some cream cheese frosting, then finished off with some fresh fruit! Easy as pie (I never understood that by the way. Pie really isn't that easy to make..??)

Fruit Pizza

from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust.
5. Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill.

I admit, I cheated and used the pre-packaged sugar cookie dough from the store. I must say, it worked beautifully. But I did make this exact recipe for all of the kids a few months ago, and this cookie dough recipe is very tasty as well :). 

alyssa*