While perusing some of my favorite blogs yesterday, I came across this recipe for chocolate chip cookies made with olive oil instead of butter. I’ve made olive oil cake before, and I like using it when I make bread, so using it in cookies didn’t seem as weird to me as it might to some!

I found these at Crepes of Wrath, and since I always have the supplies on hand to make chocolate chip cookies, I printed out the recipe and headed straight for the kitchen. They were easy enough to make, though the dough is a little different that …read more

Would you believe there’s a Peanut Butter Fudge Day? This very specific holiday falls on November 20th, and if you start now you could probably perfect a batch just in time to send in to teachers or bring in to work so everyone can celebrate!

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com and combines both chocolate and peanut butter for a perfect bite of fudge that you’ll want to make a whole lot more often than just once a year. It’s also very easy to assemble — you’ve probably already got everything in your pantry!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
adapted from allrecipes.com
3 cups white sugar
1 …read more

Chocolate mousse always reminds me of the holiday season. Though I didn’t get it as a child, my first experience with it as an adult was just before Christmas and it’s an association that’s stuck!

This recipe comes from Edhat.com, and is the perfect adult treat for a get-together or an evening at home. Top with a little whipped cream and some chocolate shavings for a fancier presentation.
Bourbon Chocolate Mousse
Half-cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
4 large egg whites at room temperature
Pinch of table salt
~ Chill 4 ramekins.
~ Boil …read more

This is a fun little afternoon project that I remember doing as a kid but totally forgot about until I came across it again recently in a back issue of Family Fun magazine.

These would be a great project to do a day or so before Thanksgiving and then use them to prop up some cute, handmade place cards for your guests. See the final product here.
Chocolate Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats
from Family Fun magazine
24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
12-ounce package of chocolate chips
24 marshmallows
tube of yellow decorators’ frosting
~ Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them apart.
~ Melt the chocolate …read more

One of my favorite things about autumn is getting to make hot chocolate again. Sure, I could make it any time of year, but when it’s 115 degrees for what seems like weeks on end, a hot drink is the last thing on my mind!

Now that the leaves in my area are finally turning and the air has a wonderful chill to it, it’s time to pick up some hot chocolate supplies on my next grocery ship to stock up the pantry.
I prefer a creamy hot chocolate, as opposed to a watery one or something from a packet, and the …read more

I tried a chocolate banana bread recipe last month, and since I had overripe bananas on my counter again this week I decided to see if I could dig up another recipe to try.

This one is from Daydreamer Desserts, and while the recipes are somewhat similar, this new one included the addition of sour cream. I have to admit that I couldn’t really taste the sour cream when the bread was finished, but it did help make for a light and fluffy batter when I was mixing it up!
Though this recipe was good, I did end up having to keep …read more

This recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake recently showed up in my inbox and I nearly dismissed it because it was so short. Both the ingredient list and the instructions, especially for a non-plain cheesecake — seemed too simple!

This would be very easy to make with your own homemade chocolate chip cookie dough — in fact, that’s what I’d do instead of using store bought. Simply make the dough, roll it into a log and wrap in plastic wrap and then cut as directed in the instructions.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
from Mr. Food
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon …read more

These chocolate Halloween mice are perfect for a Halloween party or as a fun activity to do with the kids. Make sure you let the mix sit in the fridge to firm up, otherwise you’ll have a bigger mess on your hands than any little mice should be able to make!

Chocolate Halloween Mice
from RecipeZaar
4 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate baking squares or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate wafer, finely crushed (Oreos with the middle scraped off)
1/3 cup additional chocolate wafer, finely crumbled (for dark mice)
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (for white mice)
24 silver dragees (small silver, edible balls, …read more

I made the mistake of showing this recipe to my daughters, and now I have to make a special trip to the grocery store to pick up supplies!

The recipe comes from Chef Andres Jimenez, who is the Executive Chef for The Ritz-Carlton in Denver, Colorado. Made using the standard truffle method of cooled ganache, these truffles are put on a stick and decorated with bits of candy to resemble spiders. These would be great for kids to help out with, and to give away to teachers or for a class party!
Halloween Chocolate Spider Truffles
from Chef Andres Jimenez
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate …read more

With the fall and winter holidays come a lot of fun ways to change up standard treats and desserts. This one for rocky road treats uses a fun assortment autumn and Halloween candies that would be great for a class or office party a teacher treat.

If peanuts are a no-go, you can substitue chopped pretzels or even Rice Krispies.
Rocky Road Halloween Treats
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 (10 1/2 oz.) package white mini marshmallows
Assorted Halloween candy pieces such as candy corn, M&M’s, gummies, etc.
Wax paper or Halloween …read more