Summer's here!

We've been busy here making cookies.  Three more batches in the last 5 days.

#247 Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
#248 No-fuss Strawberry Bars

I've been waiting to make #247 one for a while - and with a playdate scheduled for the kids - it was a perfect time (bottom left corner)

However, then I invited some more friends over and was worried I wouldn't have enough cookies, so I baked the strawberry bars (top right corner) - but then they ended up not coming.  So now I have the leftovers.  Mike doesn't mind - he loves the cookie pizza.  Unfortunately the cookie pizza doesn't work too well for me.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's about 3 months ago; but the good news is - Cookies are a good snack for people with Crohns.  It must be true because I read it on one of the sites I pinned on Pinterest about Crohn's.  But this particular cookie - with its pudding top - causes me problems. But the strawberry bars are just fine for me.  I like the crunchiness that the corn flakes in the crust provide.  

Mike is okay with that though - more pudding cookie for him.

Super easy to make:

1 tube choc. chip cookie dough (18 oz)

1 pkg cream cheese, softened (8 oz)

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups cold half and half

1 pkg (3.9 oz) instant choc. pudding mix

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Press cookie dough onto an ungreased 12 in. pizza pan.  Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes or until center is set and cookie is lightly browned.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes; gently run a flexible metal spatula under the crust to loosen.  Cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until blended.  Spread over crust.  In a large bowl, whisk cream and pudding mix for 2 minutes.  Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.  Spread over cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with nuts.  Refrigerate until serving.

#249 Chocolate Chip Icebox Cookies

These were for Grandpa Franz for Father's Day.  Jessie's 1st attempt at helping bake.  It did not work well.  Joey did a good job of sharing duties, but Jessie had trouble getting the ingredients in the bowl and was quite upset if I just gave her an empty measuring cup to hold.  She lasted about 4 minutes until switched to the high chair with a snack. 

Too damn nice

#246 Chocolate Meringues

So since that last batch was going to the silent auction winner who won cookies for a year from me (and a co-worker), I felt really bad that they kind of fall apart in your hand.  They still taste good, just crumbly.  Then I forgot to bring them in on Monday so then they were going to be a day old.  So on Monday night, the night before the last day of school, at 9:00 I decided to make a supplemental batch for the silent auction winner.  Hence the chocolate meringues - soooo good.

Recipe

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/4 cup chopped almonds

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vinegar, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.  Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla.

Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and stir until smooth.  Fold into eg white mixture; fold in coconut and almonds.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes or until firm.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Damn Cranberries

So whenever a recipe asks for cranberries, I'm not exactly sure what it's calling for.  In today's recipe, it called for 1 cup of dried cranberries.  How do I dry out cranberries?  So I used the little frozen cranberry balls I had in the freezer.  Apparently those are not dried cranberries.  I learned today from my cousin - craisins - that's what I should use.  These cookies spread a bit too thin and have a tendency to fall apart as I pick it up.  However - still very tasty.

And on the other hand - the fresh rhubarb from my garden was excellent.

#245 Rhubarb Cranberry Cookies