Ingredients:

3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and egg until smooth.  Add peppermint, mixing well.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into paper liners and bake for 20 to 20 minutes until the cupcakes are done.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes before removing.  Top with your favorite frosting.

Vanilla, dark chocolate, or the mocha buttercream are great toppings to this very gooey and moist cupcake.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

10  oz. milk, dark or white chocolate (I occasionally triple the recipe and do all three!)
1 c. crisp rice cereal

In a large bowl, microwave chocolate, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes until chocolate is soft and almost melted.  Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth.  Stir in cereal.  Using a nice, round teaspoon, scoop out mixture and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate drops until firm.

I put them in mini cupcake liners to serve at my social affairs.  You can put them in a Rubbermaid container and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to eat. Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c. all-purpose flour (or 1 c. + 2 Tbsp. Swan flour)
1/4 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
2 Tbsp. finely ground espresso
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate.  Microwave, uncovered, on high for 60 seconds, until butter is melted and chocolate is soft.  Stir until smooth.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, espresso and salt.  In a large bowl, beat together brown and granulated sugar and chocolate mixture until well combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture, mixing just until blended.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.  Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake is done.  Let cook in pans on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool completely on rack.  Frost with Nany’s peanut butter frosting.  Eat until your heart is content.

These are not the kind of cupcakes you want to make for your child’s holiday party.  These are grown-up cupcakes!  Enjoy one tomorrow with your morning coffee and conquer the world!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. salted butter
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. whipping cream
fresh blueberries and raspberries (or the fruit of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Mix together flour, sugar and baking powder until mixed. Add butter, egg yolk and vanilla, until dough it smooth and begins to form a ball. Scoop dough with 1/4 c measure and place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten dough into 4-inch (I sometimes do 2-inch as mentioned above) circles, crimping edges so you have a lip around the circumference (this is how the chocolate ganache will remain inside the tart). Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and just firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate and cream over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and smooth. Spread filling over individual crusts, leaving a small border without chocolate filling. Arrange fruit over melted chocolate in a pattern of beauty. Place crusts on clean lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

These are lovely arranged on a pretty dish. I usually put them on a cake stand if I am entertaining. The colors alone are enticing. Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

13 graham crackers
1 -8 oz. bag toffee bits
1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chopped
3/4 tsp coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching.  Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high.  Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes.  Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers.  With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares.  Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

There you have it.  You can tell by the way we gobbled it up on national television that it was and is delicious!

For the sake of ordering and delivery time, today I am featuring my favorite sites from which you can order a treat (and most have all levels of financial commitment).  In no particular order…

Fat Witch Babies–Fat Witch is a great bakery in Chelsea.  I have been ordering her babies (a small petite bite-size brownie) for several years prior to making NY my home.   Each are $1.50 and you can put together a lovely assortment and ship for right around $20.

Good Karmal–Enjoy the most delicious candy caramel with a Valentine’s sample for only $10.  Each piece of caramel is wrapped in a “fortune” inscribed with a quote of wise words from sages ranging from Gandhi to Maya Angelou.

Zoe’s Chocolates–Zoe’s offers their heavenly traditional chocolates in several special packages for the lover in you.  Lot’s of choices for less than $20.

Cookie Sandwich Company–These sandwich cookies are truly the size of sliders.  They are sandwiches!  I have been able to soften the hardest individuals with these cookies.  They have a special cookie for Valentine’s with a strawberry filling.  You cannot go wrong here.

I would be overjoyed to be the recipient of any of these specialty items.  You will feel the same sending them.  Get off the site now and go place your orders in order to get the most reasonable shipping charges.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 13-oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 evaporated milk
1/4 c. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 12-oz pkg. chocolate bits
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional, I don’t mix nuts with my chocolate)
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil 5 minutes continuing to stir constantly.  Remove from heat and add chocolate bits.  Stir until melted.  Add nuts and vanilla.  Pour into greased 8″ square pan.  Chill until firm.  Cut and devour!

You must try this recipe because as we all know, Nany knows a good recipe. 

xo–me

As we continue to salute the cold stuff falling from the sky, I am excited to share this recipe. It is so simple that kids can lead the way in the kitchen. Nothing beats their sense of pride when they are the teacher and you are the student.

Ingredients:

1 bag of marshmallows
popsicle sticks
1 bar white chocolate
white sprinkles

Melt chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly. Secure marshmallow on end of stick. Dip top half of marshmallow in chocolate and then toss with sprinkles. Devour!

You can substitute milk or white chocolate as well as flavored crystals. I sometimes use mint crystals with dark chocolate. Sinful!

xo–me

Ingredients:

2 c. whipping cream
6 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. white chocolate chips

Toss all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Heat on low for 2 hours until chocolate is melted.  Stir well and serve with lots of marshmallow goo!

Begin this recipe before you go out to shovel the sidewalk or build that snowman.  It will be waiting for you when you come back inside.

xo–me

This recipe is so simple, your kids can make it with your supervision.  You can whip it up at the last minute when your husband/boyfriend/child says “Oh I need to take something to school/work tomorrow” and its bedtime.  I call it heaven becuase it sure tastes like it and it has some of my favorite ingredients.  You will need a candy thermometer and you can get one rather inexpensive at Target or your supermarket.

Ingredients:

1 lb. package powdered sugar
5 oz. can evaporated milk
12 oz. jar creamy peanut butter
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

In a large sturdy saucepan, combine sugar and milk and cook over medium heat until candy thermometer reaches 240.  Stir constantly while the temperature is rising.  Remove from heat, blend in peanut butter and marshmallow creme.  Pour into greased 13 x 9 baking dish and chill until set.  Cut into squares and indulge!

I have made these and cut them into teeny squares to use as a dipper into chocolate at a fondue party.

xo–me