Olde Tyme Chocolate Cookies Perfect With An Ice Cold Glass Of Milk

VANILLA CHOCOLATE CRACKLE COOKIES
2 1/2 tsp good vanilla
1/2 cup butter or shortening
1 2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 large eggs
2/3 cup chopped pecans
2 squares melted chocolate (bitter-sweet)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat vanilla, butter, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in melted chocolate. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture slowly with the milk. Stir in pecans. Chill the dough 2-3 hours. Shape into small balls. Roll in confectioners sugar and place on greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. The cookies will be soft and the texture will be similar to cake.

CHOCOLATE NUT BALLS
1 6 ounce can evaporated milk

6 ounces chocolate bits
2 1/2 cups vanilla wafers (crushed)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup brandy (optional)
In heavy pan, heat milk and chocolate bits over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, add rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes. Then shape into balls and cover in nuts, confectioners sugar, or sprinkles. Chill

NANAMIA BARS
1/2 cup butter (soften)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 large egg
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup nuts (chopped)
1 cup coconut flakes
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp dry vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
2 cups confectioners sugar
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter
First layer:
Mix together in bowl over hot water the butter, sugar, cocoa and egg. When it looks like custard remove from heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and coconut. Press mixture into 9x13 baking pan.
Second layer:
Mix the milk with the vanilla pudding and confectioners sugar. Spread over the coconut mixture and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile melt the chocolate and butter together over hot water.Spread over cookie mixture and refrigerate for a couple of hours until set. Cut into bars.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
1 stick of butter
2 cups peanut butter (I use creamy)
3 cups rice cereal
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 bar paraffin wax
10 ounces milk chocolate
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Mix butter,peanut butter,cereal, and confectioner sugar. Melt the paraffin wax, milk chocolate,and semi-sweet chocolate in double boiler. Roll the peanut butter mixture into small balls and dip in chocolate mixture. Place on wire rack until set.

Deanna not only loves to make chocolate desserts but loves to share her cooking and recipes with everyone. If you want more chocolate dessert recipes and a very special chocolate cake recipe visit her website at http://deannamartin.us/?page_id=30 From here you can get different recipes for all occasions not just chocolate or desserts. If you want to turn your passion for chocolate into something more check out her website at http://deannamartin.us/?page_id=24 Enjoy

Original article

Entertain Your Family and Friends With Chocolate Desserts

The next time you are called upon to entertain family and/or friends, pull out the stops on chocolate desserts. This article offers you recipes for a variety of desserts made with chocolate. Serving only desserts and beverages is a good, easy, and inexpensive way to entertain. And when those desserts feature chocolate, you are bound to be a hit! From simple Triple Chocolate Chippers to a 4-Ingredient Pie to A Simple Homemade Ice Cream that doesn't even require an ice cream freezer.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS WITH WALNUTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pkg (12-oz) white chocolate chips
1 pkg (12-oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (11 1/2-oz) milk chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Beat mixture, with an electric mixer on high speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time; stir in the vanilla.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat well after each addition. Fold in the chips and the walnuts.

Drop the dough onto ungreased baking sheets by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2-inches apart. Flatten dough slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes until light golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 4 to 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: Approximately 5 dozen cookies.

4-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE FUDGE PIE
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
6 squares (1-oz each) unsweetend chocolate
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk (fat-free would be a good idea!)
1 carton (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
fresh berries or chocolate curls for garnish, if desired

Microwave chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until melted and smooth (stir after every 30 seconds).

Whisk the sweetened condensed milk into the chocolate until smooth; let stand 2 minutes. Fold half the thawed whipped topping into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared crust.

Cover and chill for 4 to 8 hours.

Before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping over the top of the pie. Garnish with fresh raspberries, blueberries, etc, if desired. May also garnish with chocolate curls, if preferred.

NO ICE CREAM FREEZER NEEDED CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM
1/2 + 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup heavy cream
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted nuts

Using a heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

In a blender, combine the eggs, vanilla, and salt; blend at medium speed for half a minute. Add the brown sugar mixture and blend at high-speed for a minute. Set mixture aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cooled mixture, chocolate chips and toasted nuts into the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a foil-lined 9-inch loaf pan, cover with foil and freeze until firm.

Yield: Approximately 1 1/2-quarts

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com/
For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

Original article

Why Chocolate Contributes To Good Health

So many of us LOVE chocolate, don't we? We love the bitter and sweet taste aspects, along with the creamy texture and the oh-so seductive aroma. All these qualities contribute to our love of chocolate. However, not all chocolate is created equally. White chocolate and milk chocolate do not possess the health benefits of deep, dark chocolate.

Deep, dark chocolate has several advantages over its paler counterparts. First, dark chocolate is lower in sugar and it comes with a higher percentage of cocoa and cocoa fat which is a healthy fat. That healthy fat is called monounsaturated oleic acid. It's the same kind of fat as you will find in olive oil. We have been hearing for years about the exceptional heart-healthy benefits of olive oil.

Another reason to choose dark chocolate is directly related to those who are lactose or casein intolerant. Dark chocolate is a better choice when it doesn't contain milk. Be sure to read the label carefully when looking for milk-free chocolate.

Dark chocolate is high in a special class of antioxidants called which are called flavonoids. These help keep free radicals, destructive substances formed as by-products from normal daily activities such as breathing, under control. Dark chocolate is high in a particular antioxidant called flavanol which has been shown to increase vascular health by lowering blood pressure. Flavanol also improves blood flow to the brain and heart. Another plus is that this powerhouse antioxidant can also make blood platelets less sticky. These all add up to making deep, dark chocolate a heart-healthy choice. You might even say, "The darker - the better," when it comes to chocolate.

There are a few folks who don't like the taste of chocolate or have an allergy to it. They can also receive the benefits of flavanol by eating cranberries, apples and onions. It is also found in several red wines and in tea. The best red wines with the highest antioxidant benefits are pinots, merlots, and syrahs. For those who do enjoy dark chocolate, these same red wine choices will pair very well with your chocolate. It's an indulgence that reaps health benefits!

Red wine and dark chocolate share another health benefit: the flavonoid resveretrol. This tongue twister is pronounced RES-VEER-ETRAWL. Along with having heart-healthy benefits, it is considered anti-aging. Plus, it has been found to lower blood sugar.

Perhaps you have not acquired a taste for the bitterness of dark, dark chocolate. There's still hope. A great way to start is by slowly increasing the percentage of cocoa found in the chocolate you purchase. Many milk chocolate choices have a 35 percent cocoa content. Anything over 70 percent is considered healthy. By slowly adding a few percentage points to your chocolate choices, you will slowly notice an increase in the taste tolerance you have for the more bitter varieties. Over time you will come to enjoy the darker chocolates and benefit from their health-enhancing qualities.

Experiment! Have fun! After all, not only does it taste great - it's good for you too.

Free health tips at http://www.solutionthroughnutrition.com/
Sandi Thompson, NTP, Certified Wellness Coach, Professional Speaker
Sandi Thompson at Solutions Through Nutrition specializes in weight management and lifestyle changes for better, lasting health. Discover your individual nutritional needs.
The vision of Solutions Through Nutrition is, "Improving the way America eats, one dining room table at a time."
Sandi Thompson works primarily with women 50+ to create lasting change and reach their goal of better health.

Original article