Bake or Break

My lack of cashew-containing recipes here at BoB is not due to any lack of love for them. On the contrary, cashews rank right up there with pecans and hazelnuts for me. It just seems that they don’t find themselves in that many baked goods. Or, maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places.

[Read more →]

One of my newest cookbook acquisitions is The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook. I’ll admit that I wasn’t immediately sold on the book on first sight. After spending a few minutes flipping through its pages, I was definitely intrigued. Its recipes proved far more interesting and varied than I would have thought.

This book is full of tempting recipes, all packed with chocolate chips. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars, Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding, Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Tart. Don’t those all sound delicious? These cookies were one of the first recipes that caught my attention. A buttery sandwich cookie with a sweet chocolate chip filling. How could I resist?

[Read more →]

I never tire of the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Any of you who read BoB regularly are aware of that. I also love to bake cookies, so I really had no choice but to make this recipe.

These cookies are a twist on traditional peanut butter cookies. There’s the addition of chocolate for all of us chocolate/peanut butter fans. Also, they have just a bit of cinnamon for a little different taste. It’s the added element that makes people ask what is different about these.

[Read more →]

My cookbook buying habits have changed over the years. I used to want all of those comprehensive books, the ones that covered how to make everything from appetizers to dessert. Now, I seem to be drawn to the more specific ones. Of course, I buy general baking books, which I suppose are specific themselves. But, I like those books dedicated to something even more specific. I figure that if someone decides to narrow their topic that much, then they will probably know a lot about it.

Carole Walter has written several cookbooks on specific subjects. I have a few of hers, including Great Cookies, which is the source of the recipe for these cookies. With all the tempting recipes, it was hard to pick just one. So, why this one? Look at that title. How could I not make these?

[Read more →]

Whenever I see some kind of chocolate I’ve not tried before, I usually find some justification for buying it, especially if I can bake with it. Recently, I found Schokinag’s semi-sweet chocolate baking chunks and knew that I had to have them. As much as I use chocolate chips, I knew that they would be put to good use.

[Read more →]

View the original recipe or more photos

Quinn and I are not among the throngs who celebrate Valentine’s Day. That day and all the chaos surrounding it have never appealed to me. Luckily, Quinn feels the same way. So, I’m not one to make heart-shaped baked goods. That doesn’t mean that I [...]

[Read more →]

View a printable recipe or more photos

I am still intrigued by those World Peace Cookies. The addition of sea salt to them really makes them much more interesting than a traditional cookie. When I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine, my salty cookie interest was heightened.

[Read more →]

View a printable recipe or more photos

As we entered 2008, most of us with great designs on making this a better year, I thought what more appropriate recipe to make than Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies? Nice sentiment for the new year, right? I thought so, anyway. So, I pulled out Baking: [...]

[Read more →]

View a printable recipe (if you dare)

I made the mistake of showing Quinn this recipe that showed a beautiful finished photograph of black and white cookie wreaths garnished with piped red frosting berries. I’ve mentioned before that he is quite ambitious in my baking. After several days of pleading, I finally caved and [...]

[Read more →]

View a printable recipe or more photos

How much more festive can a Christmas cookie get than to speckle it with red, green, and white? That’s what I thought, too, when I found this recipe. I changed it around a bit (just say no to shortening!) and created my own colorful holiday treat.

[Read more →]