Comfort Food

Now that we had SNOW again last weekend, I really thought it would be fun to have some recipes that comfort us a little more maybe than others.
Funny, I know for a fact that I am not a baker. What do you do with it if it does not turn out for Pete’s sake?? I love it though when I get the bake items from someone else. I recently received this email from a friend about cookies; I thought that it was worth sharing with everyone, because it received a four star rating. Hey that is not an easy thing to do in the cooking world.  I also have given you a recipe given to me some time ago from Renee Danz, which was given to her by her sister n law. I call it Sally’s Chocolate Rum Cake.  It too is a winner.  OK I have said enough. I am going to go outside now and make the sun come out!!!!!!

Email from Shelly:

I was telling my sister about this yummy cookie recipe that uses pudding mix to make it moist and fluffy.  My roommate in college my sophomore year, Mona, gave this to me and I hadn’t made it in all this time.  After we moved, I came across it again. I also found it on the Kraft foods website. I have tried it with some possible other combinations.  They have turned out really well and have been popular with those I shared them with….unless they are just trying to make me feel good!  Anyway, I thought I would pass it on to you as well and you can disregard this email if you don’t bake or don’t like chocolate chip cookies. (What is wrong with you if you don’t?)  Enjoy and let me know if you like them!

Pudding Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe Rating: 
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: About 7 dozen cookies or 42 servings, 2 cookies each or about 3 dozen larger cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
*1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Instant Pudding & Pie Filling, any flavor
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
**1 pkg. (12 oz.) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Beat butter, sugars, dry pudding mix and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix well. Gradually add flour and baking soda, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. (Dough will be stiff hard to mix.)
DROP teaspoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets. Cool completely on wire racks.

Pudding & Chip Combinations:

* Vanilla Pudding & ** Milk Chocolate or Semi-Sweet chocolate chips in regular or mini
* Chocolate Pudding & ** Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
* Butterscotch Pudding & ** Butterscotch Chips

Other ideas I haven’t tried yet:

* Chocolate Pudding & ** Andes Mint Chips or Heath chips
* Coconut pudding & ** Chocolate Chips (taste like a Mounds bar?)
* Vanilla Pudding & ** White Chocolate chips
* Pistachio pudding & ** pistachios?  (too scary?)
* Butterscotch Pudding & ** Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips (could be interesting)
I actually haven’t made them with the chocolate chunks.  The mini chips were a lot easier to mix evenly.  I made them for a meeting and they were a big hit! Can’t tell you how long they stay moist and chewy because I have shared them and they haven’t lasted long!

Sally’s Chocolate Rum Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 oz unsweetened Chocolate- broken into pieces
½ cup boiling quarter
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 cup butter at room temp
2/3 cup sour cream
2 ½ tablespoons dark Rum
1 cup unbleached flour
¼ cup corn starch
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
Combine all into food processor until mixed well.  Pour into a spring foam pan that has been wiped with butter. Bake at 350 for 50- 60 min. Let cool for about 15 minute then remove form he pan and place on a cake plate.

Frosting

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon dark rum
Place into a microwave container and melt on a low temp checking frequently.  Once melted pour over the top of the cake
 
I look forward to telling you more about a few new restaurants that have open in the Moorhead area. Also I can not wait to share with you the Go Red event that Jeanne and I helped cook for in Cooperstown. What a great concept for the community.

If you try these recipes let me know what you think about them. I won’t use your name if you do not want me too. Lots to look forward too. Until next week.  Email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for any concerns or questions. Eat well and stay safe .