Chocolate - Chocolate Chip Shortbread

I had one of those days where I was so bored and didn't know what to do with myself, so ya know, I decided to make cookies! I am really into shortbread at the moment and I just bought some cocoa powder, which I never have on hand, so I thought chocolate shortbread would be fun. I had some left over chocolate chips and decided to add those in as well. I got the general recipe from My Baking Addiction's Mocha Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Nutella, which sound amazing, but I didn't have the espresso granules, so I just went with straight chocolate flavor. I only made a half batch, the recipe below makes a full batch.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Shortbread
(adapted from My Baking Addiction)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla.

In a medium bowl whisk or sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with floured 2 - 3 inch cookie cutters, or cut your own rustic shapes. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 300 for 15-20 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

I have to say, these are some great little shortbread cookies. They are not too sweet and have great chocolate flavor. They were really nice and buttery and had great texture. The chocolate chips didn't add much to the overall cookie, so you could really go with or without them.

I didn't refrigerate the dough as long as the recipe says, mostly because I was impatient and it was 8 o'clock at night. But I do feel that if I did it might have been easier to handle and maybe they wouldn't have spread as much in the oven. I wasn't expecting them to spread cause other shortbread's that I have made didn't, but I was wrong.

Chocolatey-Buttery Deliciousness

These are great little cookie with nice chocolate and buttery flavor and a nice crisp texture...I hope you try them out!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

-BellaRosa

Cheddar Chive Muffins

I love finding new food blogs while poking around on Twitter and seeing who the current food bloggers I follow are following, or are friends with. I found one today called The Craving Chronicles and she seems fun and her food and photos look amazing. I got a few interesting recipes off her site today and I knew I was making Barbecued Chili for dinner so I was really excited when I found this recipe on her site for these savory muffins.


Cheddar Chive Muffins
(original by The Craving Chronicles found here.)
Makes 12 Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 tablespoon dried chives

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease, or line a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a medium bowl combine together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the shredded cheese.

In a small bowl combine milk, egg and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in herbs.

Divide the batter among the 12 muffins cups. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Cheddar Chive Muffin

I have to say these savory muffins are pretty darn good. Especially dipped in the yummy Bbq Chili...so yum! And! I am pretty sure if you were to brush these with some garlic butter they would come pretty darn close to tasting like Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits! I didn't get much of the chive flavor, but these muffins were dense and nice and cheesy. They were a little greasy, I thought, but that is probably because of the 3 cups of cheese.

Someone is trying to grab one before they cool...tsk tsk

These are great savory muffins and I hope you try them sometimes this fall or winter season as I think they are quite comforting and delicious!

Eat Drink and Be Merry!

-BellaRosa

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows...for Glee!

Who here watches Glee?!?!? I do! I do!! I am a totally Gleek!! I know I am 25 years old, but back in high school I would have never tried out for our show choir, and they weren't as cool! Plus I have always loved musicals and this show is just fantastic!!

Every Tuesday night my best buds Kay and Michele come over and we have "Glee Night." We make dinner and have a good ol' time watching Glee. Mr. Shue is being called a slut, Rachel is having a hard time keeping a boyfriend cause she is a little crazy and poor Kurt makes me cry every week while he tries to find acceptance from his dad because he is gay. Oh, and Artie has the best voice hands down! :) It's a great show...but anyway.

This week I made a treat for the girlies, I made Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows!

Looks like the start of something delicious!

I was looking at some fun food blogs this morning and saw someone made some chocolate marshmallows and I thought "I am totally doing that for Glee tonight!" So here we are. I had a ton of left over colored sugar from my bridal shower favors...so I am always hoping to use them in some way, and they don't really come up too well on the chocolate but I still think it's look really cool, makes them sparkle.

So I did the normal double-bolier to melt the chocolate then just dipped the tops of the marshies in the chocolate and then pressed them into the sugar or sprinkles. Very simple and very pretty...and delicious!! Oh man a fresh dipped marshmallow in the warm chocolate...heaven! And I am not even a huge fan of eating straight up marshmallows, but dip them in chocolate! Ok!


Eat Drink and Be Merry....and watch Glee!! It's amazing!

-BellaRosa