CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Mom

12 oz. Chocolate chips
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add chocolate chips and 1/2 and 1/2 to microwave safe bowl and heat for one minute. Stir and heat in one minute increments until melted and smooth.  Add vanilla and stir.

Mom added 2/3 cup light Karo Syrup

HOT FUDGE TOPPING

Mom
(via Cody Critzer)

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk (or 1/2 and 1/2)
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 Tablespoon margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add all ingredients except vanilla in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minute increments until smooth.  About 6 - 8 minutes total.

CHOCOLATE!!

(I do not know what has happened to this post. I have tried to correct it and it goes back to this format when I publish. Help?) Our Relief Society Birthday party was last night and our theme was Enjoying the Richness of the Gospel While Enjoying the Richness of Chocolate! It was so nice. Everyone was supposed to make their favorite chocolate treat and then bring the recipe to share. Of course I forgot that part. I'm glad others remembered because I LOVE chocolate and I'm so happy to have these recipes. Chewy Chocolate Brownies Rachelle Richins 2/3 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 cups (12 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1/2 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a double boiler melt one cup of chocolate chips. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat well. Slowly stir in melted chocolate. Blend. Gradually add flour mixture to chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth. Stir in remaining one cup chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Spread into a buttered 8" square baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes approximately sixteen 2" squares. OREO CAKE Sue Cannon 2 8 oz. Cool Whip 1 big box of Chocolate Instant Pudding (mix as directed on box) 1 8 oz. Cream Cheese 1 cup powdered sugar 1 package Oreo Cookies Mix together the Cream cheese, powdered sugar and one container of Cool Whip. Crush Oreos and mix 3/4 of them with 1 stick of melted butter. Place the Oreos on the bottom of a 9x13 pan for the crust, then put the cream cheese mixture on top layer with chocolate pudding the other container of Cool Whip and sprinkle with remaining Oreos. Keep refrigerated. VELVEETA CHEESE FUDGE Merilee Francom 1 pound butter 1 pound Velveeta cheese 3 pounds powdered sugar 1 cup cocoa 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla chopped nuts, optional Melt butter and cheese in microwave or on stove. Sift together the sugar and cocoa, then add the melted cheese and butter mixture. Add the vanilla and nuts. Mix well and spread evenly into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Cool and cut into pieces. Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies Mardi Woodward 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups whole wheat flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased cookie sheet by heaping tablespoons. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen. Creme De Mint Cocoa Sandwich Cookies Barbara Diehl 1 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup butter 1 2/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 can frosting (any flavor) 1/2 cup Andes Creme De Mint Baking pieces Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Melt butter in a saucepan and add sugar. Stir together adding two eggs separately. Stir in vanilla. Continue to stir until smooth. Add butter mixture to the dry mixture and blend into one big ball. Place 1/4 cup of sugar into a shallow bowl. Shape cookies into 1" balls and lightly roll the balls in the sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet 1 1/2 " apart. Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire cooling rack. Stir frosting until smooth. Place 1/2 of the bag of Andes baking pieces into a shallow bowl. Frost the flat side of a cookie and place another cookie on top forming a sandwich with frosting oozing out the sides. Gently roll the edges of the frosting into the baking pieces and set aside to dry. Makes about 20 sandwich cookies

Cheesecake Brownies

Deb @ smittenkitchen.blogspot.com
she adapted it from Gourmet June 2007

BROWNIE BATTER:
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

CHEESECAKE BATTER:
8 oz. cream cheese, well softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

PLUS:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake/brownie batter swirl.

Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SLICING TIP (from Deb):

I like to chill my brownies until they are almost frozen before cutting them. It makes it much easier to get a clean slice. Both of the photos on here are from smitten kitchen. My swirling did not look that good and neither did my finished brownies, but they still taste yummy!

Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients
1 (16.5 ounce) tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Decorating suggestion: crushed candy canes or peppermint candies; white, red and green sprinkles; or red and green decorating sugar

Special equipment: a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, and a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop

Directions:
Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, knead together the cookie dough and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Knead together any scraps of dough and roll out again. Continue to cut out pastry circles until there are 24 pieces in total. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are slightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve 1 parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cream in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the peppermint extract and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, place the chocolate mixture in the center of the flat side of 12 of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently squeeze to distribute the filling evenly. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until the filling has set, about 25 minutes.

Combine the remaining chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight plastic container.

Prep Time: 20 min.

Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours 25 min.

Cook Time: 10 min.

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 12 sandwich cookies

Giada De Laurentiis - The Food Network