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Devil’s Food Snack Cake
I’m not sure who first came up with the concept of a “Snack Cake”, but whoever it was was brilliant. It’s cake, but it’s just a “snack”. No big deal. It doesn’t have to be a special event like someone’s birthday or anything – it could just be a random Tuesday and you think, “gee, I’d like some cake”, so you make one. If you like the idea of having cake for no other reason than that you want cake, this Devil’s Food Snack Cake is for you. Now, you could definitely use this cake for a special occasion if you want. It’s rich, chocolatey and delicious, with a fluffy…
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Granola
Growing up, I always wanted the sugary cereal for breakfast. Cookie crisp especially. I mean, what kid doesn’t want to eat cookies for breakfast? (Or what adult, for that matter??) Unfortunately for my childhood self, my Mom insisted I eat the healthy cereal (Shredded Wheat, anyone?), and I rarely got to indulge in that sugary goodness. So, this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Granola is my way of having my Cookie Crisp and eating it too. (Oh, and thanks Mom for trying to keep me healthy – love you!) If you’ve never made your own granola before, you may be surprised at how easy it is to do. If you can…
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Biscotti – A Cookie Made for Dunking
I’m a dunker. I love dunking a crispy cookie into a steaming cup of coffee (or better yet, espresso!). When I bake cookies and inevitably leave a batch in the oven too long, I don’t consider them ruined – they’re perfect for dunking. Are you a dunker? If so, you probably already love biscotti. But if you haven’t made your own at home yet, you’ll want to keep reading. Biscotti is one of my favorite treats to dunk. These crispy Italian cookies are sort of like the crouton of the dessert world. They’re supposed to be REALLY crunchy – to the point where it’s hard to bite into them without…
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Dark Chocolate S’mores Cookies with Smoked Sea Salt
Spring has sprung in Duluth, though we’re not quite out of the woods for snowstorms yet (we often get blizzards in April!). Still, I’m already dreaming of summer – sunshine, green grass, sandy beaches, long wooded walks, and s’mores around the campfire. I love a perfectly toasted marshmallow (or even a burnt one, I’m not that picky). On its own it’s delicious enough, but add some melty chocolate and graham crackers and I’m in heaven! Since it’s not quite campfire season, I decided to create these dark chocolate s’mores cookies to tide me over until summer. And oh boy, are they good! These cookies are rich and fudgy with chocolate…
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Irish Coffee Truffles
Irish Coffee – that iconic combination of strong black coffee and whiskey with a dollop of slightly sweetened cream on top – is an amazing combination of flavors in and of itself, but add those flavors to chocolate? DIVINE. Enter Irish Coffee Truffles. Silky, creamy, and slightly boozy, these truffles will make your St. Patrick’s Day this year – trust me. And if you are generous enough to share with your friends, they’ll think you’ve found the end of the rainbow. That’s how good they are. Plus, they only have 4 ingredients and are incredibly easy to make. Have I convinced you yet? Good. Let’s make Irish Coffee Truffles! Basic…
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Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cookies
For the past two years, my sweet landlords have given me a large bottle of Kahlua for Christmas. While I do like Kahlua, I just don’t use it often (a person can only drink so many White Russians), so I’ve been trying to think of ways to use it up. I’ve put it in my coffee, in cocoa, and made truffles with it. All delicious, but I still have SO MUCH Kahlua! The other day I had an epiphany – why haven’t I been adding it to my chocolate chip cookies? I mean, two of my favorite things are coffee and chocolate – you’d think I’d have thought of this…
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Salted Caramel Brownies
It is insanely cold in Duluth right now. As I write this, it’s -20°F outside (yep, you read that right, 20 degrees BELOW zero). And that’s the actual air temperature, not including wind chill. It’s the kind of cold where you get an instant ice cream headache just from walking outside. It is awfully pretty though. There’s something in me that loves this kind of cold. Partly because of how beautiful it is, partly because just going to the grocery store feels like an adventure, and partly because it’s a great excuse to stay home and enjoy some of my favorite indoor activities. It’s supposed to stay this cold for…
Recipes and Musings from the Zenith City
