Mint Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Normally I would post this on my "Tasty Tuesday" segment, but I want to link up with the cookie party over at My Insanity.  I  couldnt pass up a baking linky party.

The other day, I whipped up some oh so delicious chocolate cookies.

They are offically called:

Mint Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oh my goodness, they are DEVINE!  You must try them.

They are great alone or made into an Ice Cream Sandwich. 

(Please note, this is not on the p90x diet, by any means.)

So here are the results in pictures, but pictures can not descibe how good they really are.

The recipe is below.

Mint Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

16 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

¾ Teaspoon Salt

4 Large Eggs

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1½ Cups Brown Sugar

½ Cup Granulated Sugar

1½ Cups Andes Mints, Chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, melt semi-sweet chocolate. This can be done by placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water (for a make-shift double-boiler) or in the microwave at 50% power. Stir and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, using a hand electric mixer), beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium at speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add one egg a time to the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat until well combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in mint-chocolate baking bits. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes,

 or until the mixture is easy to scoop and fudge-like.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop a good amount and roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

 The cookies are baked when the edges are set, but the center are still soft.

The cookies will still look a little raw in between the cracks, but are done.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Repeat with the rest of the dough, using cooled cookie sheets.

I will say that this recipe has a ton of ingredients, but its well worth it.  I ended up with about 40 cookies and decided to give some to the boys teachers.

They turned out cute and delicious!

Tasty Tuesday - Chocolate Ganache Christmas Cupcakes

It's Tasty Tuesday time!!

Today I want to share with you a simple Chocolate Ganache Cupcake recipe.

First you will want to start with a simple chocolate cake recipe.  Any will do, or you can use the good old Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker mix.  Which ever floats your boat. 

While the cupcakes are baking, you will want to make your Ganache.

Simple Ganache Recipe

1/2 - 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup of chocolate chips (you can use semi sweet, dark, or anything that you prefer)

2 tablespoons of sugar

Melt in a pot over medium to high heat.  Do not boil.  Stir constantly.  Once chocolate is melted, let Ganache cool.  I put mine in the freezer to cool faster.  You dont want it to be a soup consitancy, but more like an icing consistancy. 

Once the cupcakes are finished baking, let them cool completely.

Then you will want to use a spoon, knife, or whatever you have laying around, to get out the centers of the cupcakes.  Then fill with the cooled Ganache and place the center of the cupcakes back on top.

Next, ice however you please.  I used colored Icing since it's Christmas. 

Aren't they super cute!

And even better once you take a huge bite.  YUM!

Enjoy

Miscellany Monday



Im linking up with Carissa over at Lowercase Letters for her Miscellany Monday party.

1.  i LOVE this season!! - Christmas time is the best time of year for me.  I put up my tres the day before Thanksgiving.  I know its a little early, but I go black friday shopping so I dont have the energy to put it up the day after.   Heres a pic of our chrismas tree this year.  Its full of homemade ornaments from the boys.  those are my favorite!

2.  Bentley is getting fixed today.  I had to take him first thing this morning.  It was so sad.  He was looking at me with this look like I was abandoning him.  So sad.   This a picture of him in is favorite basket.  He likes to get in it and chew his toys. 

3.  P90X is going well.  Ive been doing it for 3 weeks straight now.  Im not sure the correct number of pounds lost, just because I didnt want to weigh when I first started.  I didnt want to be disappointed before I even started the work outs.  But  All is good now.  Im 129.1 lbs and very happy with the progress. 

4.  There's another reason this is my favorite time of year.  I love to bake christmas goodies.  There no better time than december to bake all the yummy chocolate goodies.  My favorite is the puppy chow I make every year.  That might set me back a few pounds with the p90x.  But it is well worth it.  You can find the recipe here.

Awesome Christmas Cards

Each year its customary to send out lovely Christmas cards to the ones you love.  We always send out at least 40 cards to friends and family.

Usually you see the traditional Christmas pose with everyone in the family smiling big, but last year we couldn't seem to get it right.  We used to go into a studio to get our family portraits taken, but last year I thought it would be cheaper to take it on our own and use Shutterfly's Christmas cards instead. 

Ours turned out hilarious!!

These were the best Christmas cards we had ever sent out.  We even had a friend of ours tell us that he left his on his fridge all year long, just because it was so funny. 

We basically tried to take the photo, what seemed like, a hundred times.  Still nothing was coming out right.  So finally I decided I would take the seperate.  One with my hubby and I and then one with just the boys.  But when I went back to view the ones already taken of the four of us, I came across one that just had to be worked into the card. 

Here's what we ended up with.

Notice the funny picture in the middle.  Couldn't get anymore original than that.

So head on over to Shutterfly and pick out some cute Christmas cards.  They have tons to choose from.  They also have tons of other neat things to choose from like Calendars and Invitations.  Ive always wanted to do a calendar with different pictures of the boys throughout the year.  They would make great Christmas gifts. 

We havent taken our Christmas pictures yet this year, but I wonder what the session will hold.  I dont know if we can top the ones from last year.