I love Cadbury Creme Eggs though I do understand why some people don’t. One egg is about my limit at any given time since the creme filling can get to be a bit much.

Despite that I’m very curious about the following links I’ve dug up. People actually bake with the creme eggs and some of them don’t look half bad! The creme filling in some of the pictures looks pretty gross but I don’t imagine it can hold up too well to heat

• Cadbury Creme Egg Muffins
• Cadbury Egg Cupcakes
• Homemade Marshmallow Creme Egg Cupcakes
• Cadbury Creme Stuffed Vanilla Cupcakes
• Deep-fried Cadbury Egg

Would you try any of these? I think I might try and surprise the kids with some of the muffins!

[image: flickr]

Lots of yummy chocolate creations this week! Check out:

~ Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cupcakes at Miss Cupcake Face

~ Mocha Chocolate Cookies at Baked Alaska

~ Bittersweet Chocolate and Cardamom Cupcakes at Tartlette

~ Chocolate Thumbprints at The Food Librarian

~ Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spice Cream Cheese Frosting at Pinch My Salt

~ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies at Cinemon Girl

~ Fall Chocolate Cookies at Priscilla’s Baking Adventures

~ S’more-dillas at Chaos in the Kitchen

~ Mini Brioches Filled With Chocolate Truffle at Baking for the Cure

~ Quintuple Chocolate Brownies at Dreamy Desserts

~ M&M Studded Fudgy Oreo-Chunk Brownies at The Recipe Girl

With the rush of folks coming in for the Blogtoberfest fun, I thought I’d post a list of links you might find interesting if you decide to poke around a bit here!

As you can imagine, there’s never a shortage of things to talk about when it comes to chocolate, and some of my most popular posts are a testament to that!

Make sure you check out:

~ Make Your Own Oreos: Yes, it’s true! Though there’s a bit more work involved than just picking up a package at the store, without all the fillers and preservatives, homemade always tastes better anyway. Not to mention, you’ve now got the recipe for the filling!

~ Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: These get rave reviews from people who aren’t able to have flour and gluten.

~ 50 Easy Chocolate Snacks to Make: I put this list together because I figured I can’t be the only one who just wants a quick chocolate treat now and then without having to fire up the oven or wait hours for something to bake, freeze or harden!

~ Grilled Chocolate Bananas: Bananas, chocolate chips and marshmallows. You don’t have to wait for summer to come back around - try them in the oven too!

~ Chocolate No-Bake Cookies: I’ve been making these since I was a kid and was pleased to find that my kids love them too. We usually have everything on hand to make them and the best part (aside from the chocolate) is that you don’t have to turn on the oven.

~ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: One of my most favorite cookies of all time. In fact, I just made a batch over the weekend! Even though they have pumpkin in them, these cookies are perfect year-round.

[image: flickr]

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This is a Blogtoberfest Sponsored Post. If you would like to enter for a chance to win the surprise gift behind this blog post, please leave a comment. Prize and Winner will be announced within a week. Check back to see if you’re the lucky winner and what you’ve won!

You also have lots of chances to win great Blogtoberfest prizes! Today, October 8, your chances (and prizes) are hiding at the following blogs: Blog Fabulous; Drinks After Dark; Inside Motherhood; Mother Earths Garden; Offbeat Homes; Simply Thrifty; Thrifty Mommy; Tree Hugging Family; Chocolate Bytes; Foodie Obsessed; Keeping the Castle; Our One Heart.

One of my most favorite cookies to eat and bake are chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. There’s just so much you can do to them to make everyone happy - even going so far as to split the cookie dough up before adding anything special so everyone gets the additions they want. I’ve got three kids, it works well!

My personal favorite add-ins are chocolate chips, raisins and chopped walnuts. My husband and one of my daughters don’t like the raisins, and my other two daughters don’t like the walnuts. Oddly, everyone likes the chocolate chips. Can’t imagine where they get that. It’s also good with white chocolate chunks and craisins.

Anyway, I usually add chocolate chips to the entire batch, then just separate it into thirds (though not necessarily equal - I don’t need an entire batch just for me!) and add in the raisins and walnuts for me, just raisins in the second, and just walnuts for the rest. The kids like the special treat made “just for them,” and there are never any leftovers that go stale because half the family didn’t like what was in them!

Happy Family Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 c butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
Chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, raisins, white chocolate chips, craisins, etc.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter for 30 seconds until creamy. Add sugars, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and beat until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined and add the flour. Stir in rolled oats, and other additions.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet (press down on each mound slightly if you want a flatter cookie, they won’t fall on their own) and bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Makes about 36 cookies.

It’s the weekend - kick your feet up and relax with a chocolate martini!

It couldn’t be any easier to make. All you need is 6 parts vodka, 1 part chocolate liqueur, garnish of choice.

Combine the vodka and liqueur in a mixing glass with ice cubes and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a chocolate curl, strawberry, or chocolate powder. That’s it!

[image: flickr]

I found an awesome link over the weekend with instructions on how to make a single-serve chocolate cake in only five minutes using your microwave!

Five Minute Chocolate Cake

You’ll need:

4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug

Instructions:

Mix flour, sugar and cocoa. Spoon in 1 egg and pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt) and wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug. Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

Make sure you use cake flour - all purpose tends to make it way too dense and thick. A few drops of real vanilla extract also gives it an authentic “cake taste!” Serve with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, fresh fruit, and/or ice cream.

[image: sxc]

There are few chocolate combinations I like as much as chocolate with almonds - probably second only to chocolate with walnuts (and not even counting chocolate by itself!).

Tomorrow is yet another chocolate “holiday” - National Chocolate with Almonds Day! If you’re not able to get your hands on a delicious chocolate bar or bag of chocolate-covered almonds, you can always make some yourself!

And as always, don’t forget the e-cards!

Chocolate Almond Bark

1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips (milk or semi, your preference!)
1 tbsp vegetable shortening
1/2 c chopped toasted almonds

Optional:
1/2 c raisins
or 1/2 c crispy rice cereal

Combine the chocolate and vegetable shortening in double-boiler or microwave until melted. Stir until chocolate and shortening are combined and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup almonds and/or the raisins or crispy rice cereal.

Spread into wax-paper lined 9 x 13 inch baking pan (paper should overlap ends so that candy can be easily lifted out). Sprinkle remaining almonds on top. Chill about 30 minutes. Before serving, break into bite-size pieces. Yields about 1 pound.

[image: sxc]

9 ounces (1.25 cups) dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with aluminum foil or parchment. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. Stir until completely smooth.

Add in the walnuts and marshmallows, stirring until they are completely covered with chocolate. Drop by teaspoonfuls on the cookie sheet, and chill in the refrigerator until set.

[image: flickr]

This is a fast and easy treat to make for a Fourth of July picnic or barbecue. An added bonus is that you can get the kids to do it and keep them occupied while you finish preparing the rest of the meal!

All you need are some cleaned, fresh strawberries, blueberries and white chocolate (or substitute vanilla chips if you don’t like white chocolate). Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in one minute increments. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry and lay them on wax or parchment paper.

Either dip the strawberries halfway into the white chocolate (you still want to be able to see the berry!) or, after it’s cooled a bit, put the white chocolate into a piping bag or a plastic baggie with a corner snipped off and pipe in lines over the strawberries. Let the the berries sit on the paper until the chocolate is completely set and then arrange on a plate or platter. Sprinkle the blueberries into and around the dipped strawberries and enjoy!

[image: sxc]

I love playing around with my ice cream maker lately. I only wish we’d gotten one sooner! Last night I made chocolate chip malted ice cream. It tastes just like a malt - delicious!

You can chop the chocolate chips up a little bit finer but I don’t mind them frozen at their regular size.

Chocolate Chip Malted Ice Cream

2 large eggs (or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/3 cup malt powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet, your pick)

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl for about one minute until light and fluffy, add sugar a little bit at a time until disolved and continue whisking another minute. Pour in cream and milk and whisk to blend. Add vanilla and malt powder and whisk well, then let sit for about 10 minutes.

Give it one more good stir to get the malt off the bottom and pour into prepared ice cream maker and freeze to manufacturer’s directions. About two minutes before it’s finished add in the chocolate chips.