Chewy M and M Cookies (with a surprise ingredient)

I caught your attention when I said "SURPRISE" didn't I? I sure hope I did!  Surprises are one of my most FAVORITE things in life to give and to receive. :-) Hopefully, many of you will be surprised with this ingredient in these cookies as I have never seen such an ingredient in cookies before.  The surprise ingredient is BREAD FLOUR.  What do you think?  Was that a surprise?  Well, whether it was or not you have got to try this recipe....especially if you like cookies that are chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside along with a perfect not overly sweet taste.  You will not be disappointed with this cookie recipe. 

As you can see in the above picture I choose to use Spring M and M's to gently stir into my cookie batter.  Of course good old fashioned chocolate chips can be easily substituted for the M and M's. 

Chewy M and M Cookies

(recipe comes from Delightfully Dowling....a blog full of drool worthy recipes)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 1/4 cup bread flour (Hello, surprise ingredient)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

2 Tbs milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups M and M's (or chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl sift together flour, salt and baking soda.  Set flour mixture aside.

2. Cream together melted butter, white and brown sugar on medium speed for a couple minutes.  Then add whole egg and egg yolk along with milk and vanilla extract.  Mix all together until well combined.

3. Chill dough for at least an hour.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liner.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Scoop cookie dough into nice balls with a medium size ice cream scoop onto cookie sheets and then place in oven (I like to bake my cookies one cookie shee at a time) and bake for 11-12 minutes.

4. Cool cookies and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Mr. Chicky sure did!!! ;-)

Happy Chewy M and M Cookie Baking!

PB Marshmallow Brownies (with HONOR and compliments)

Don't you just love giving someone a compliment?  To see their face light up with happiness or a soft blush come over their cheeks is always so rewarding to me.  Unfortunately for many (including myself) it is often easier to give a compliment than to receive one.  I work hard on accepting compliments with grace and appreciation even though it may make me feel uncomfortable.  It's just one of those things that I continually have to work on in life....I've accepted it.

Well, not that long ago I received a very BIG compliment.  I was asked by a fellow food blogger, the sweet Maranda of Jolts and Jollies to be a guest on her blog.  OMGoodness was I so happy that she asked me to do so! I have never been asked to be a guest on someone elses blog before!!!  In my humble opinion it is a very HIGH compliment to be asked to write a post on someone else's blog - they are trusting that you will provide the same kind of care, appeal and creativity that they themselves work so hard to provide to their blog followers, family and friends.  Needless to say I was over come with honor when Maranda presented me with her proposition.  Thank you, thank you Dear Maranda for asking me to be a guest blogger on your precious, delicious and fabulous blog.   I enjoyed every minute of it!

Go check out what I wrote up and featured on my guest post on Jolts and Jollies....it sure is YUMMY.  And yes, it contains not only peanut butter but also chocolate and marshmallows coming all together in one lovely brownie. Scrumptious to the MAX!

And while you are over at Jolts and Jollies be sure to check  Maranda's delicious recipes.  You won't be disappointed!

I thought I would leave you today with one of my favorite recent views in life.  It just makes me so happy to look at I must say!

Can you guess who it is?  Yup....my little Coco-Nut :-)

A Springtime CAKE (make this cake while you are Spring cleaning)



Oh, Springtime I do so adore thee!  I love the fact that soon outside we will have fresh green grass, little baby leaves starting to show their faces on the trees along with bright colored tulips and sunny daffodils. Springtime is full of freshness and new growth that brings me such happiness.  It's funny how all of a sudden a new sense of "getting things done" also known as Spring Cleaning gets sparked for me when I feel the reality of all the new growth of life starting to bloom outside. 

As I was buzzing around cleaning and tidying up my house the other day I decided to try out a cake recipe that a good friend of mine (Hey, sweet Diane!) had passed along to me last year.  It is called Key Lime Cake.  A perfect cake that comes together in a jiffy and brings along with it a taste of fresh lime, sweetness and a tender crumb texture.  Yum! The perfect Springtime cake. :-)

Key Lime Cake
(recipe can be found on the allrecipes website)

Cake Ingredients:

1 (18.25 oz) package of LEMON cake mix

1 (3 oz) package of instant LEMON pudding mix

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup canola oil

4 eggs

5 Tbsp LIME juice

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp LIME juice

LIME zest for garnish (if you wish)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or a 10" bundt pan.

2. In a large bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, eggs and 5 Tbsp of LIME juice.  Mix well all together.  Pour batter into your prepared cake pan.

3. Bake for 45 minutes.  As cake is baking mix together powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp of LIME juice for your glaze.  Pour glaze over still warm cake. Garnish with freshly grated LIME zest.

This cake is lovely served with fresh berries.....ENJOY!

Happy Key Lime Cake Baking!