Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Forget comfort food, comfort cookies are what you need to satisfy your cravings. For some reason, I always get a hankering for these cookies when the warm weather comes. There is something about the dried fruit mixing with bittersweet chocolate - followed by the subtle almond flavor that is just so delicious. It all comes together in a moist, slightly chewy, crunchy on the outside package. These are an easy-to-make, dirty-one-bowl, yields-the-perfect-amount cookie.

They also happen to be a favorite of my boyfriend's sister, and this happens to be her birthday week! I took the time to gift wrap some of these beauties just for her! A little cling wrap and black ribbon goes a long way.






Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 C. Butter, softened
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Almond Extract
1 3/4 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 C. Oats
1 C. Dried Cranberries
1 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix butter, sugars, eggs and almond extract well. Add in flour and baking soda. Mix well.

Mix in oats, then chocolate chips, then dried cranberries.

Using a teaspoon, scoop dough on to a greased cookie sheet leaving about two inches between each cookie.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool slightly & then remove from cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

Bridal Showers & Bling Bling

I had not one, but two bridal showers to attend today & both were so lovely!

It is so nice to spend time with family and friends to celebrate such a beautiful milestone in someone's life.

I was asked to make cupcakes for one of the showers to which I gladly agreed to do! I had so much fun making these!

These are white cakes with almond butter-cream frosting topped with candy pearls & white chocolate diamond rings adorned with sparkling white sugar crystals.



I added "bling" to these white chocolate rings by painting the top of the chocolates with royal icing and sprinkling sparkling sugar on them. Sparkles like a diamond!


The groom's mother brought these adorable cupcake-to-go boxes which she then decorated herself with ribbon & fabric cupcake appliques! Adorable!

Coda's New Do

Behold my adorable eight year old Cairn Terrier, Coda.

Before Friday, he looked a lot more like Chewbaca and a lot less like this.

But now he is sportin' his new summer do & stylin' in his red bandana.

Congrats Grads! (and Almond Buttercream Recipe)

This weekend I made six dozen cupcakes for a graduation party. The student's school colors were orange and black, so instead of using any type of black frosting (doesn't taste good & the dye will DEFINITELY stain your teeth), I incorporated Oreos as a way to incorporate the black & as a palette to write the graduation year on. Sure, they look slightly halloween-y, but sometimes that's inevitable when all you have to work with is orange and black.

Of course, I topped these cakes with my favorite frosting: Almond Buttercream.

I am constantly asked for this frosting recipe - so here it is!:


Almond Buttercream Frosting

4 C. Confectionery Sugar
3 tbsp. Milk
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
2 tsp. Almond Extract

Make sure butter is room temperature. Mix with 1 C. Confectionery sugar until well blended.

Add in milk & 1 more C. of Confectionery sugar. Mix well.

Add in Almond Extract & one more cup of Confectionery sugar. Mix well.

It's usually at this point that the frosting will get tough to mix. Feel free to mix in another tablespoon of milk to smooth out the frosting. Frosting should be smooth & easy to spread with a knife.

Add in last cup of Confectionery sugar. Mix well. Add small amount of milk to smooth out frosting if necessary.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to two days in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Fabulous Five Minute Fudge for Father's Day

All of the men in my family harbor a massive sweet-tooth.

My father's sweet tooth springs to life in the evening. Sometimes after I was supposed to be asleep, I would hear the cookie jar lid open (mostly when a Celtics game would cut to commercial) or the faint clinking of a spoon against an empty ice cream bowl after he'd just finished an impromptu sundae. My adolescent mind would seethe ("I can't wait until I'm a grownup so I can eat cookies whenever I want!").

My Nonno's sweet tooth is less predictable - he never knows when it will strike, only that it will. To be prepared, he hides Hershey miniatures all over his home - some in his desk, some on the stand next to the television. Ready, available and easily accessible should the craving strike.

I'm pretty sure that Father's Day is the only day where it's still acceptable for a grown-woman to give someone a homemade gift so this year, I'm going to give them exactly what they want. Chocolatey, marshmallow-y sustenance.


Five-Minute Rocky Road Fudge

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
1/2 C. miniature marshmallows

Line a 9x9 inch brownie pan with tin foil. Lightly grease pan & set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk & chocolate chips. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir. Microwave for another minute. Stir. Chocolate should be smooth and creamy. Add almond extract. Stir.

Add in chopped walnuts & miniature marshmallows. Stir.

Pour mixture into the brownie pan & smooth evenly with a spoon. Refrigerate until set (1-2 hours). Cut into squares and enjoy!

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Does your guy like things simple?: Omit the marshmallows & walnuts. This fudge is delicious plain as well!

This fudge makes a great gift for any guy! Stack a few pieces - wrap in cellophane - tie with a ribbon and voila. Gourmet gift.

Audrey Hepburn Speaks the Truth

"Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me."

-Audrey Hepburn

Agreed, Ms. Hepburn. Agreed.

Mom's Italian Brownies

My mother has been making these Italian Brownies for years and never does an occasion go by where someone does not request the recipe immediately after tasting one! They are an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser and are made from a recipe that is super simple to memorize.

This is one recipe where I would never substitute another extract for Almond. The Anise flavor is what makes them unique and undoubtedly "Italian"!

The original recipe never made enough for us to make a plate for others....and keep a plate for ourselves to enjoy which is why the recipe you see below has been doubled.

Give these a try - Your house will smell amazing and your taste-buds will be doing a happy dance.

Get ready to eat more than one! These things are an antidote to dietary willpower. Even my younger cousins (sometimes fickle eaters at the ages of 8 & 10) can't get enough of these babies.


Italian Brownies

4 eggs
2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Anise Extract
2 C. Flour
1 C. Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream eggs and sugar well. Add anise extract & oil.

Then add flour. Mix well. Mixture will be thick.

Pour into a greased 11 x 13" pan. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.

Wait until completely cool before cutting.