It’s not that I didn’t want to try them, it’s that I’m always wary of purchasing a big container of something I haven’t tried before. What if we absolutely hate them? That $10 could have easily gone toward something else and I’d kick myself for having wasted it.

In this case, though, the $10 on the 38oz container was not wasted. As you can see from the picture above, the container that I bought Tuesday morning already has about 1/3 missing. My kids love them (they’ve request them for snacks and as today’s treat in their lunchboxes instead of a piece of Halloween candy), my husband loves them, and I’ve got it sitting next to me right now, for informational purposes, of course.

They’re roasted with the cocoa and not coated in chocolate, so the chocolate taste is very subtle and the sweetness, which the label says comes from sucralose, is very light (though sucralose always leaves a little bit of a weird aftertaste to me, I almost wish they’d just use sugar). To me, almonds can start tasting kind of bland after a few, but the cocoa bumps it up to more of a treat, and if I’m not careful I may be making an extra run out to Sam’s this month for another one!

Though I know they’re just covering their behinds, I always get a kick out of nut labels that declare the product contains nuts.

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Once we opened the bag I realized why. The M&M’s baking bits are about half the size of the regular-sized milk chocolate M&M’s. The smaller size means there are more of them, and it makes it easier to stir them into dough without having them break apart, thus losing the fun of using M&M’s in the first place!

The package says they’re milk chocolate as well, but they taste just a little different to me. I don’t have a bag of regular M&M’s around to compare to, but I would imagine the baking bits have something added to help them stand up to the baking process — I’m not sure.

Anyway, my kids and I have enjoyed making cookies with them since, and the bag conveniently provides the recipe for the cookies, and one for M&M’s Rainbow Blondies, too.

M&M’s Cookies
from M&M’s

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 12oz package M&M’s baking bits
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla.

~ In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Stire in M&M’s baking bits and nuts.

~ Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls about two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Cool on cookie sheet for one minute, then transfer to wire racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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I have definitely put it to good use over the years, and when my grandpa had the chance to try some at one family function or another, he requested it for his birthday in August, and then every August thereafter.

Though he passed away just a few years ago, I still make the cake in August for him, even though it’s just me and my little family that get to enjoy it!

There are many chocolate zucchini cake variations. My favorite, of course, is mine with the chopped walnuts, brown sugar and mini chocolate chips on top. What’s your favorite?

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Sadly, there’s no indication where flickr user flirtykitty bought it, though!

[images: flickr]

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I added some chopped walnuts to them and I might need to send the rest in to work with my husband tomorrow — these things are dangerous!

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Today’s a chocolate cake kind of day!

[image: flickr]

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After last week’s Ferrero giveaway and the discovery that they’re now making a dark chocolate treat, I’ve kept my eyes open for them!

I finally found the Ferrero Rondnoir yesterday at Wal-Mart. They were part a large display of Ferrero chocolates near the holiday items and were a pretty reasonable $2.97 for a 12-pack.

I should have stocked up because I’m not sure these things are going to stay on the shelves for very long once people realize how amazing they are!

The wafer shell of the chocolate looks familiar for a Ferrero – chocolate coated with bumpy bits. You really can’t mistake these for anything else!

The inside is a very creamy dark chocolate with a dark chocolate “pearl” in the middle — you can kind of see it peeking through in the picture there. It’s a slightly firmer little piece of chocolate inside the cream and a very nice little surprise.

The whole thing is very satisfying, from the crunch of the wafer shell to the creamy center to the chocolate pearl. A very delicious chocolate craving pleaser!

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Sometimes you just need to go all out!

A homemade chocolate brownie topped with ice cream, sprinkles and chocolate syrup.

[image: flickr]

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This week’s chocolate zen is a chocolate cake from flickr user david nikonvscanon. It looks amazing!

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Like I said, there was some chocolate action happening in my kitchen this weekend! Yesterday I made a batch of Coconut Swirl Brownies that I linked to on Saturday.

They turned out beautifully, but there are a few changes I’m going to make next time, because there will definitely be a next time!

The condensed milk and coconut were a little understated. To pick it up a bit I think I’d probably mix in an ounce or two of softened cream cheese with the milk and coconut mixture, and I’d add some chopped walnuts to the whole thing. I think I might also try a tablespoon or two sour cream with the milk mixture at some point, too!

Coconut Swirl Brownies
from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

Makes 9 large or 16 small

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg white
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining (not overhang).

Stir together 1 tablespoon of sugar, the condensed milk, coconut, egg white, and 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla in a bowl.

Put butter and both chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Whisk remaining 3/4 cup sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs; whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well combined.

Pour one-third of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Drop dollops of the coconut mixture (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of batter, spacing about 1 inch apart. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Drop dollops of remaining coconut mixture on top.

Gently swirl coconut mixture into batter with a butter knife, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, but is not wet, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

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