Tag Archives: Chocolate

S’more Cupcakes

I’ve never understood the desire to slow-roast marshmallows.  Those people who turn their marshmallows methodically at a safe distance from the flames are enigmas to me.  Where is the urgency?  While you dally near danger in the hopes of getting a perfect toast, I’ve eaten four s’mores.

Marshmallows are meant to be plunged into the heart of a fire.  They should burst into flames immediately and when flaming, instead of cries of dismay, one should proudly hold them aloft and only blow them out when one’s fiery mallow is in imminent peril of falling off the stick.   Although, for the record, any kid who has experienced summer and the glories of a marshmallow roast will tell you that the marshmallow lost to the flames is still awesome and one marshmallow should probably be sacrificed for this purpose anyway.  Kinda of like pouring out a little of your beer for your homies, it’s good karma.

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The Neiman Marcus Cookie: A $250 Cookie


The internet revealed its full potential to me many years ago when this recipe arrived in my inbox. The title of the email read “$250.00 cookie recipe” or something similar and the body of the email told the story of a mother and daughter who had enjoyed a cookie at Neiman Marcus.

The cookie must have been delicious as the mother asked for the recipe and was told that it would cost “two fifty.”  Only later, upon receipt of that credit card bill in the mail, did she realize that she was charged two hundred and fifty dollars for the recipe.  Seeking justice, she promptly typed up the recipe, emailed it to all of her friends, and instructed everyone to get back at Neiman Marcus by forwarding this pricey cookie recipe to everyone they knew.
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Profiteroles

To heck with New Year’s resolutions.  I know the season of over-indulgence is over, but I won’t deny that I’ve  stockpiled peppermint ice cream and have frozen Christmas cookies to make sure the season lasts just a tad bit longer.   For those who are starting out the New Year with the goal of shedding those holiday pounds, I apologize.  You should read no further as this recipe is not for you.

It all started earlier this morning when I had to test a recipe for cream puffs for an upcoming class.  No one needs 3 dozen cream puffs lying around their house and I was brainstorming about ways to use the puffs. They freeze beautifully and I was already thinking ahead to making them into savory appetizers filled with crabmeat or chicken salad.  Such thinking makes one hungry and before I knew it, I had dug out my carton of peppermint ice cream, melted some semi-sweet chocolate with a little cream, and made myself a delicious peppermint profiterole.  Sure you can use vanilla ice cream, but if you are like me and in a bit of depression now that the holidays are officially over, then peppermint ice cream will make you feel much, much better.

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Chewy Gooey Granola Bars

North and one of our good friends from Charlotte are running the Shut-In Ridge Run tomorrow morning.  For those who don’t like to torture themselves on Saturday mornings and as such, aren’t familiar with this race, it’s an 18 mile run UP Mount Pisgah in North Carolina.  Sounds grueling, huh?  The fact that autumn finally decided to show up causing the temperature to plummet, means that I’m especially pleased with my role as spectator for this one.

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7-Layer Bars

We’ve all tried to ignore it.  As we make our way down a buffet line, heaping our plates with creamy macaroni and cheese, crisp cole slaw, and decadent brownies, we try not to make eye contact with that one dish.  You know what I’m talking about.  Maybe it’s a Jello concoction gone terribly wrong or some sort of cheese casserole (is that broccoli?) that sits untouched, but there is one at every potluck.  You do your best to pretend not to see it or if your bold, you remark to the guy behind you: “Gosh, that looks delicious, but I just don’t have room on my plate.”  In your mind, you’re thanking God that you didn’t bring that dish and then with a furtive glance down the table, you note  with great satisfaction (and relief) that your tuna casserole is being eaten with gusto.
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Grandma Moore’s Brownies

While I’d like to believe that my life can go on without access to the internet, I’m afraid it just ain’t so.  My computer crashed last week and I’ve been in a tailspin ever since.  In between trips to the Apple store (yes, I’m getting a new toy!), hour-long laments to my husband about the seriousness of the situation (sorry, North),  and phone calls with service departments, I’ve thrown myself some serious pity parties.  Fortunately, in what is proof that every cloud has a silver lining, I happened to have brownies on hand to get me through this crisis.

Adding just one more reason to the list of why the internet makes for happy living, North’s aunt sent me a recipe for brownies last week.  I’ve known about these brownies for a while.  My husband, whose sweet tooth is almost non-existent, gets a little teary in the eyes and drools a little at the mouth when he talks about them.  His grandmother made these brownies for him growing up and he talks about how his parents never allowed him to eat more than two at a time.
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