St. Patty's Chocolate Chip Cookies

On a whim, I decided to whip up some green chocolate chip cookies in honor of St. Patrick's Day. I discovered the recipe on Kara's Kitchen Creations and became inspired.

Ryan was slightly apprehensive at first, since we were having company over and he's been witness to my previous baking extravaganzas (flour everywhere, just like the movies). He came around, though, when he took his first bite of these green delights. They turned out so incredibly gooey and yummy that I didn't even have time to take a picture before they were all gone...this one's from Kara's site.

The recipe calls for pudding mix, which I've never seen before in a chocolate chip cookie recipe but think was the secret to its heavenly texture. That and the added white chocolate chips made the cookies, as Ryan said, "Otis Spunkmyer-like". What a compliment!

I know it's too late to use this year, but I highly recommend printing the recipe and saving it for next year--or making it anytime without the green food coloring!

Happy Searching,


p.s. I used chocolate instant pudding instead of pistachio since that's what I had on hand. Also, mine turned out very dark green (probably because of the chocolate pudding). Still delish either way!

S'more Brownies, Please!

For me, the nostalgia of making s'mores definitely plays into their appeal. I love the way the melty chocolate, crunchy graham cracker, and burnt marshmallow intertwine to make one exquisite creation. But I also love the way one bite of the s'more trinity transports me back to my barefoot, 10-year-old-self, roasting marshmallows (or lighting them into flames) over a campfire at the beach.

When one of my BFFs (actually, my VBFF: Very Best Friend Forever, as we dubbed each other in second grade) told me she was making s'more brownies for her fiance, I said, "Oooh, take pictures! That sounds like something delicious!"

Look how gorgeous they turned out! (And big kudos to Mike for the fancy plate drizzle, by the way!) I love how the marshmallows transformed into perfectly toasted pillows atop their chocolatey bed. (Unfortunately, my marshmallows never turned out that well over the campfire...sticking them directly into the fire and peeling off the blackened crust to shove in my mouth was more entertaining.)

Since Andi's in San Diego and I'm in Austin, I didn't get to try them, but they are rumored to be very yummy! I will be looking for any excuse to make them now that I have the recipe. She found it here and made a few adjustments:
"I used less chocolate. After grabbing all the big Hershey bars that would equal 12oz...it seemed like just too much for me! And I used a regular brownie mix which is a little less than the required."

If you think you've found something delicious, take a picture and tell me about it! I'd love to share your discoveries, too.

Happy Searching!