Quadruple chocolate chunk and macadamia nut brownie cookies.

Yes, the title is correct. It contains the word quadruple.  I love cookies. I could only eat cookies for the rest of my life and be totally ok with that.  I like taking cookies to my friends houses because it makes me feel super cool. These cookies are quadruple chocolate goodness. I'm fairly certain that these cookies will cure every ailment. Each and every bite contains a chocolatey nutty mouthful of love. I mean, they are like, beyond delooosh.  Make these. Do it.

You will need:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup Butter flavored crisco
1 TBS water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1.5 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate chunks or chips - I used a combination of both!
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1. Heat oven to 375

2. Place brown sugar, shortening, water and vanilla in large bowl and beat until well blended.
3. Add eggs and beat well.
4. whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl
5. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture and beat at low speed just until blended.
6. Add in chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix by hand just until they are mixed in. Do not over mix!
7. Drop by heaping spoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake one sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes.

Let cookies cool completely and jump around clapping your hands because you are the coolest person ever.
:-) smooches
gigi

Party Spirals

Guess who finally got invited to a party??? MEEEEEEE!! ha! See! I told you i would! Lucky for moi, i am still in the party food blogging spirit? Wanna know what i brought? Puffed pastry spirals stuffed with Parmesan, turkey and cayan pepper. mmmm mmmm mmmm!

This picture is one cookie sheet full.  I ended up with 3 cookies sheets full. Just enough for a party!

You will need:
1 box of puffed pastry
1 egg
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 tsp cayan pepper.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Beat egg and water until blended, set aside. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x10“ rectangle;cut in half lengthwise. Brush pastry with some of the egg mixture. Sprinkle 3 tbsp. of the cheese and pepper evenly over one of the pastry pieces, cover with turkey slices. Roll up tightly to form a 14” log. Starting at one of the long sides, cut crosswise into 24 slice. Place cut side down on parchment covered baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 12-14 minutes
Enjoy!!!
Smooches - Gigi

Baked spinach and artichoke dip.

Yup. I'm still in party mode. Why the heck not? I had some of my fav friends over last weekend and this dip was a hit! It is courtesy of Paula Deen, so how could it not be awesome? It is super fancy. super. fancy.  Make this. Trust me. You will be the best party thrower everrrrrrrr! And in case you are wondering, this is still considered a baked good as it comes out of the oven ;-)

Ingredients


1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Thaw the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and chop them up.

Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with bagel chips.
Enjoy!
Smooches - gigi

Fresh Strawberry Cake!

I'm still on a party theme. I like to bake stuff and feed it to people. Don't judge me.  In fact, call me when you are hungry for something sweet and then come over. And bring wine :)

Speaking of sweets,  I love this cake. It travels really well and makes people smile. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart (LOVE) except i tweaked it a bit. See, i love desserts and sweets. No lie. I LOVE DESSERTS AND SWEETS. But! Most recipes call for waaaaaaaay too much sugar. I don't really get down like that. Here is a gigi tip: when using fresh berries or fruit in a recipe, feel free to cut the sugar at least in half. Do this. There is no need to send people into sugar shock. This cake was perfectly moist and sweet and light with just a touch of sugar. Oh and look how pretttttttty it is!!!

go and get:

6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for cake pan

1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar (Martha's recipe called for 1 1/2 cups!!! whaaaaaaaaat)

1 tablespoon sugar, for berries

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch cake pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. (i just use a hand mixer)

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered cake pan. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.