A Vegan's Dream: M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

Being that my mind was completely blank today, having no idea what I should bake I decided to surf the web and look for chocolate recipes. However, I realized that I do not have any eggs and not wanting to go to the store; and wanting to try something different, I began my search for recipes with no eggs or egg substitutes. I have now come to realize that there are many people in search for egg less, flourless and etc.. recipes due to allergies or looking for no cholesterol recipes. So I found one egg substitute recipe for eggs when baking cookies and cakes. Now you might be wondering why candied fruits? Well, they were on sale after Christmas and have been sitting in my freezer ever since plus I had half a bag of Nestle Toll House Chunks, two fun size bags of M&Ms and thought that I would make Candy Cookies! I do not know if vinegar will have a bad effect for some but these cookies are great! Its weird, they almost taste better then when I make chocolate chip cookies with the egg. But do not fair, I will make other cookies or cakes without eggs using other methods of egg substitutes.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 or 1/2 cup of Nestle Toll House Chunks, roughly chopped
1/3 cup of Candied Fruit, roughly chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

Egg Substitute as follows:

1 tbsp water
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
(recipe for each egg)

Preheat oven to 350F.
1. In a large bowl beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. In a seperate bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Then add eggs (egg substitute) to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well.
3. Beat in flour into butter and sugar mixture, then stir in chocolate chunks, walnuts and candied fruit.
4. Teaspoon small amounts of batter onto a ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Let cool and enjoy. Store in an air tight container. Makes about 3 dozen

Spooky Halloween Betty Crocker Brownies

As I was surfing the web for Halloween/Fall theme recipes, I found a few recipes on BettyCrocker.com that I thought would be great for anyone to do, and if your on a budget. This is an easy easy recipe, you can make for your Halloween party or kids. I love brownies and I think it is an easy and decorative project for anyone who may feel that you have to go to pastry school to produce decorative desserts.
Spooky Brownies From Betty Crocker

Review 1: The Cake Bible

The Cake Bible is the ultimate book for beginners to experts. In great detail, this bible explains everything you would need to know from frosting's, custards, fillings, sauces, mouses, fruit toppings and purees to a variety of cakes and tortes. Here you can find the base of a cake recipe and add your own twist. I love buttercream frosting, and the cake bible gives you a few classic buttercream base recipes and then gives you alternatives to add to the recipe. For example, you have now finished mixing your vanilla buttercream frosting, but then you decided you would like to make it chocolate or make a raspberry buttercream, this book gives you the ingredients needed to add to your already existing base. I have had my book for a few years now, it was my mothers cookbook and now here I am the proud owner of, "The Cake Bible". This is definitely something you can pass on to your kids. Even though it does not carry much pictures, it is a straight forward book that gets right down to baking. Attempting to bake for 50 to 100 people, don't be scared because the cake bible is here, and gives you cake recipes in quantities for almost any amount. If your an everyday dessert seeker like me, you can purchase the cake bible at My Amazon Shopping List where my mom got hers and also I created a little store where you can find almost all baking products needed to create jumbo cupcakes, lemon cake mix cookies, and more.

WHITE Cake Mix Cookies Part 2

In my last post, I made Lemon cookies from a lemon cake mix. So I decided to try the same recipe, with a White Cake mix to simulate sugar cookies, and also to see if this recipe would be better when making sugar cookies with a little add and minus here and there. These cookies came out prefect, they were rich and soft. One review I got said, "the cookies are moist, rich and missing a glass of milk". Now, here is a quick and simple recipe for cookies that can be transformed into any flavored or type of cookie. Pecans, chocolate chip, all chocolate, and hazelnuts are just a few ideas, from dozens. Find all your baking needs at Brilliantcakes3000 ONLINE STORE

Luxurious Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

2 Cream Cheese pkgs (8 oz.)
Sour Cream (16 oz.)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
3/4 Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (optional)
1 Cup of Cherries (dried)
1 Teaspoon of Mint Extract (optional)
2 Tbsps of Flour
3 Tbsps of Butter (melted)
3 Tbsps of Sugar
Chocolate Fudge cake mix (plus required ingredients)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two deep pans with foil or parchment paper, with ends extended over pans.
2. Mix graham crumbs, 3 tbsps of sugar, and 3 tbsps of butter well.
3. Pack firmly into the bottom of pans and bake for about 10 minutes.
4. Cream cream cheese and sour cream, then add 1 cup of sugar and eggs. Then add flour, mint extract, walnuts or pecans, cherries and blend well.
5. Mix together the chocolate cake mix and its ingredients, then pour half (or even less then half)of the cake mix into one of the pans, and the other half in the other pan, (which has the baked graham crumbs). Eye ball it, because the chocolate cake has a tendency to run over.
6. Pour the cheesecake batter over the chocolate fudge cake batter of both pans.
7. Bake for 1 to an hour and a half, until center is set. Cool completely, lift cheesecake out with foil or parchment handles and serve.

* Not recommended for people on diets!

This was a very rich chocolate-cheesecake I created for Christmas and it was wonderful. You get the best of both worlds, its like ice cream and cake. Prep time might be an hour, but give it a try and enjoy.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti Recipe

1 Cup of Almonds
3/4 Cup of Gramulated Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon of Almond Extract
1 Cup Bittersweet Chocolate
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk eggs and vanilla extract together, then set aside.
3. Beat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
4. Gradually add the egg mixture, chocolate, and almonds, then beat until a dough forms.
5. With floured hands and surface, divide dough in half.
6. Roll each dough into a log.
7. Transfer logs to a lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, let cool and enjoy.