FROZEN granola chocolate chip cookies

I know this sounds weird, but these cookies taste delicious when eaten frozen. However, they are only so-so when eaten freshly baked or defrosted, so don't judge them after eating one warm from the oven. Thanks to Emily for this recipe.

I particularly like these cookies because it's wonderful to have them nearly always available and be able to eat only one whenever you have the desire.

If you don't make your own granola, and I rarely do anymore, I find that Northern Gold Honey Almond Granola works well in this recipe.

1. grease cookie sheets (I use the wrapper from the stick of butter and a bit of the butter to do so)
   


2. melt the following in a large pot, and remove from heat
   
   
   
   • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
   
   
   
   


3. mix the following dry ingredients in a large bowl
   
   
   
   • 1.25 cups brown sugar
   
   
   • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
   
   
   • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
   
   
   • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
   
   
   • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
   
   
   • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
   
   
   • 4 cups granola
   
   
   
   


4. stir dry ingredients into the pot of melted butter until coated
   


5. mix the following wet ingredients in a small bowl
   
   
   
   • 2 large eggs
   
   
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla
   
   
   • 2 teaspoons water
   
   
   
   


6. stir wet ingredients into the pot
   


7. stir in the chocolate chips (I typically use Ghirardelli 60% Cacao) until coated
   
   
   
   • 1 cup (or half a bag) of chocolate chips
   
   
   
   


8. heat oven to 350 degrees
   


9. scoop onto greased cookie sheets (the mixture is sticky, and this can be messy; I find that using one spoon to scoop with another spoon to touch up works pretty well)
   


10. bake for 8-9 minutes, until any part of cookies starts to turn brown (it's better to undercook than overcook these cookies, since you're going to freeze them anyway :-)
    


11. after a minute or two cooling on cookie sheet, move them to cooling racks
    


12. after they reach room temperature (an hour or two), put them in containers (such as clean cottage cheese or yogurt containers) and freeze
    

chocolate chip cookies

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (thank you, Karen). The rolled oats improve both the texture and taste of the cookies.

1. heat oven to 375 degrees


2. cream together
   
   
   
   • 1 cup butter
   
   
   • 1 cup sugar
   
   
   • 1 cup brown sugar
   
   
   
   


3. add and mix in
   
   
   
   • 2 eggs
   
   
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla
   
   
   
   


4. add and mix in
   
   
   
   • 0.5 teaspoon salt
   
   
   • 1 teaspoon baking powder
   
   
   • 1 teaspoon baking soda
   
   
   
   


5. add and mix in
   
   
   
   • 2 cups flour
   
   
   
   


6. add and mix in
   
   
   
   • 2.5 cups rolled oats
   
   
   
   


7. add and mix in
   
   
   
   • one 11.5 ounce bag of chocolate chips cups
     
     (I typically use Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
   
   
   
   


8. scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets


9. bake for 10-15 minutes, until edges just begin to turn brown


10. leave on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing them to cooling racks

chocolate icing

This recipe comes from Fran Bigelow's excellent book, Pure Chocolate.

Although it is labeled as dark chocolate truffle filling, I use this simple recipe as a chocolate icing for cakes. I never liked cake icing before, but now I prefer this to most of the cakes! The only downside is that, at serving time, this icing often pulls away from the cake (doesn't stick well), so perhaps that's why she uses it as a filling.

1. finely chop 9 ounces of dark chocolate (I typically use half of Trader Joe's "Pound Plus" Belgian Dark Chocolate bar at 56%)


2. heat 1 cup heavy cream until begins to boil (I take it off at first bubbles, so it isn't yet "boiling")


3. remove from heat, add chocolate from (1) and stir until melted together and smooth (perhaps 2 minutes)


4. let sit at room temperature and every 20-30 minutes gently fold with a spatula until thickens to consistency of soft butter (recipe says 4 hours, but it usually takes 3 for me)