Chocolate Chip Shortbreads

If you want to give your teenager a heart attack, pick her up at school, have her open the rear tailgate of your vehicle to stash backpack and sports bag, to find a high chair, baby gate and pack'n play crib. Her face goes white, she freezes and asks why there are baby things in the back of my car.  "Why do you think?" I asked back.  "I don't know"...why don't you tell me!", as she says in complete panic.

After I got a really good laugh in the parking lot (I was the only one laughing of course), I had to remind her that their twin toddler niece and nephew would be here next month and needed a place to sit and eat and a crib to sleep.  "Oh yeah", she sighs in relief.

Back at home, the other teenager needed some assistance with extra credit for her history presentation.  She studied the Country of Austria and interviewed their Uncle Rudi (our brother-in-law), who immigrated to the United States from Austria when he was just three years old, with his parents.  Truly a wonderful and fascinating story that she was delighted to share with her class.

So, for that extra credit I (I mean she) decided to make shortbread cookies.  Since most Austrian shortbread recipes have nuts in them, I had to be on the lookout for other recipes, to respect anyone with food allergies...That would be just our luck - make a cookie, someone has an allergic reaction, say good-bye to the extra credit.  At any rate, we got very lucky and found a super easy, buttery, yummy shortbread that I will definitely make again.

Chocolate Chip Shortbreads
Courtesy of Woman's Day

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold, unsalted butter, diced in cubes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
(Makes 16 wedges)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Have baking sheet ready and covered with a piece of parchment paper.

Mix flour and granulated sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or rub butter in with fingertips) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in mini chocolate chips.

Gently press crumbs together to form a dough (the heat from your hands will help this happen). Place on baking sheet; pat into an 8-inch disk.  With a sharp knife, score into 16 wedges, cutting about halfway through dough.  Lightly prick wedges twice with a fork.

Bake 25 minutes, or until shortbread looks dry and golden at edges.  Immediately cut through score lines.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

* For the purpose of our classroom assignment and needing to share with 40 students, I took the recipe measurements (x 4) and spread all the dough out over a cookie sheet.  I then scored it into diamond shapes and baked it for about 30-35 minutes, checking often to make sure the edges didn't burn. Worked perfectly if you are looking to feed a large group.

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my honey.  Seventeen years ago today, I married my best friend in Indian Wells, CA on the most beautiful setting around lakes and waterfalls with 125 of our family and closest friends.

The greatest gift ever, this morning I woke up in our beautiful condo at Mauna Lani on the Kohala Coast for my anniversary, along the Pacific Ocean with my husband and girls.

I have always been drawn to Hawaii ever since my mom brought us to Maui when I was younger.  My mom was born in Hawaii and it is told that her grandmother was a seamstress for the Royal Family.  I always knew I came from royalty.

The Big Island Of Hawaii, as it is known, was first introduced to us by JoAnne and Dick, my brother and sister-in-law 12 years ago when they graciously included us in their summer vacation to the Mauna Kea Resort.

The famous Mauna Kea Resort.
One of the world's top rated beaches.

They brought us back the following year and we were hooked ever since.  We have not been here for 10 years but the minute I stepped on the Mauna Lani private beach with my girls, it was like a day had never passed.

View from our Master Bedroom lanai - breathtaking.

In the beginning.....

I am still drooling looking at this photo and
remembering the sweet morning.

We went to the resort market and found this darling coffee shop that served hot Coconut Mochas and Chocolate Chip and Coconut Scones - oh dear heaven I have never had such an amazing breakfast (if you can call it that).

A beautiful day to remember...

The Mauna Kea famous "Frederico" that we
created for tonight's happy hour.

Tonight's incredible sunset from our patio.

Best party ever....photos courtesy of my scrapbook from GGMa.

We made a wonderful dinner for our family anniversary...grilled up some Spencer steaks, roasted purple potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and ceasear salad - better than any steak house could make up.  Here is the bigger question...why does food taste so much better when you are on vacation?  We have made this same dinner a hundred times, but tonight's meal was exceptional !!

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Today is a big shout out to my husband.  He just returned from a guys weekend in Pittsburgh with one of his buddies.  They toured the state and hit part of New York state also.  In their quest for the perfect sandwich, they scouted out the famous Primanti Bros. diner in search for the ultimate pastrami sandwich - it was found there!!

Also in Pittsburgh, is Abby Lee Dance Company Studios, home to the Dance Moms television show, which I think almost every teenage girl (and some moms) are addicted to - I call it the modern day soap opera for teenagers.  Okay, yes even I have gotten sucked into a few episodes...

Bravery at its best.

Picture if you will, two 50-year old men walking into this ultimate teens dance studio that is overloaded in bling, fuschia pink and spandex.  They were on a mission to find gifts for their daughters. These dads did not dare get on a plane to come back home without tokens in tow.  I think that took great courage and love to be able to walk in there to fulfill their dad duties.

You can never go wrong with a bedazzled sports top.

They picked out the perfect gift for their active daughters sports tops and shorts.  My husband deserved a special goody for his success.   I was short on time and had to wing it, but was able to pull off his two favorite desserts in one - cherry cheesecake and brownies with chocolate chips.  He is very particular about his brownies...likes them to have a cake texture (not fudge-like). and after the batter has been poured into the baking pan, he likes a couple of handfuls of chocolate chips to be sprinkled all around the pan, before they are baked.  Please know that there are just some days I am all about being "semi-homemade".  This dessert was awesomely easy and so rich and delicious at the same time.

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

 Dedicated to great Dads everywhere.

(1) box of your favorite Brownie mix 
(ingredients needed to make brownies; eggs, canola oil and water)
(1) box of Jello brand No-Bake Cheesecake mix 
(ingredient needed to make cheesecake mix; cold milk)
(1) can of cherry pie filling
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
4 Tbl. butter

Mix your favorite brownie mix according to directions and pour in prepared 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups of chocolate chips all over batter.  Bake according to instructions.  Let cool.

Prep the cheesecake mix according to directions.  (Do not prepare the included graham cracker crust - save for another day/recipe).  Spread prepared cheesecake mixture all over the cooled brownies.
Let chill in refrigerator.

While cheesecake brownies are cooling, prepare the ganache.  Microwave the other 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in bowl for about 1-2 minutes.  Add the butter and whisk until you see a glistening, glaze texture.  Drizzle over cheesecake brownies and continue to refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spoon cherry pie filling over each serving, as needed.

Nutella Cookies and Neighbors

I think it certainly goes without saying, when life gives you floods, bake cookies!!

I have figured out in my wise old years, when I am happy, I bake and when I am sad, I bake.  Needless to say, this past weekend provided so many emotions, including both happiness and sadness.  I feel so blessed that our family and home were spared by the floods thanks to our guardian angels and just the right height real estate.

At the same time, I have been overwhelmed with sadness, witnessing all the devastation around us and throughout Northern Colorado.  There have been so many people displaced and I just pray that they will be able to get back to their businesses and homes in the not too distant future.

So, there I found myself Sunday morning with a whole lot of butter, flour and sugar that needed to be shown some love.  Then there was of course, trying to decide which flavor cookie to bake.  It was definitely time to clear out the pantry and refrigerator with the various odds and ends ingredients that I had collected for the fair.

The decision was made...I couldn't just make one type of cookie, or even two, so I filled out my afternoon by making three different types of cookies.

Chocolate Chip with Peanut Butter Chip

Our friend and backyard neighbor Toni in Alaska brought a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies to us the day we moved in.  I wish that I could bake a plate of cookies for each of our neighbors that have been affected by the floods.  For now though, my family, husband's office and my coworkers will have to deal with the sugar fix this week.

White Chocolate, Oatmeal and Craisins

Toni also taught me that Nutella is the cure for all ailments and I think she may actually be right.  The star of the weekend was the simplest recipe for Peanut Butter and Nutella cookies.  These are really great to have on hand or plate up for your next door neighbor.

Peanut Butter & Nutella Swirl Cookies
Adapted from Sweetest Kitchen

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
3/4 Cup Smooth or Chunky Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1-3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.

Add flour, baking soda and salt.  Drizzle Nutella on top of the dough then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife.

Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator.  Roll into balls by hand.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Using a fork, press down the balls to flatten slightly.  Bake until edges are very lightly browns (about 7 to 10 minutes).

Allow to rest 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.