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

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.