Double Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies

Double Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen
bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter--don't use margarine
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening--you can substitute more butter or Coconut Shortening here but shortening gives cookies a flaky crisp

*I thought the cookies were too flaky with the shortening. I prefer 1 cup butter instead of 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening.

3/4 cups White Sugar
3/4 cups Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt

2 to 2 1/2 cups choc chips--appx 1 bag of chips. (I prefer mixing 1/2 bag of semi-sweet and 1/2 bag of milk chips)
1 cup pomegranate arils (those red seeds. 1 Pomegranate is more than enough)

In a Kitchenaid mixer (or in a bowl with a handmixer) cream together the butter, shortening, 2 sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Beat the mixture on medium-high for a full 3 minutes--this is important. During that time you'll watch the chemistry of the ingredients change into a very creamy mixture.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine it with the butter mixture and mix till everything is incorporated.

Then comes my favorite part...
Add the pomegranate arils and chocolate chips. In my opinion, more chips is better than less. So I add about 2 1/2 cups of chips (or 1 bag of chips). And I prefer using a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chips. Dump in the chips and arils and mix briefly to incorporate everything. A few seeds may burst while mixing but that's fine.

Scoop the dough into 15 small balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes (10 mins was perfect in my oven). And you have tasty rich cookies!

*I have a hard time telling when these cookies are done. Don't over cook!! But it took closer to 12 minutes in my oven.

Creamy Chocolate Fudge

Creamy Chocolate Fudge
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Kathy Jacobs

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
1 12-oz. bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and marshmallows and insert a candy thermometer into the mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently (constantly at the end) until the temperature reaches 240 degrees.

While the marshmallow mixture is cooking, line a 9×13″ pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.

After you spray the pan, combine the butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large glass or metal bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). When the marshmallow mixture is cooked, pour it over the chocolate chip mixture. Beat the mixture with a hand-held electric mixer, your stand mixer, or a hand-held whisk on low speed until the mixture is well-combined, smooth, and just starting to lose its sheen. Pour it into the prepared pan. Chill completely in the refrigerator before cutting into 1″ squares.

Optional Mix-Ins, Toppings, and Changes:

-Use peppermint marshmallows and top with chopped Andes mints for peppermint fudge

-Use 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 peanut butter chips (in 2 separate bowls) and then swirl the two mixtures together for peanut butter fudge.

-Add 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

-Top with chopped walnuts or pecans and marshmallows for rocky road fudge

Makes 117 1″ squares/5 pounds of fudge.

Apple Cider Caramels

2 cup high-quality apple cider
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup real butter, cubed

- Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 c. Keep an eye on it...it might try to run away. Set aside to cool.
- Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave about 1" hanging over the edges for easy removal. Coat with a bit of vegetable oil and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 c. whipping cream + enough water to reach the 1/2 c. line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Insert the candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.
- Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.
- Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I covered the top of the pan loosely with saran wrap and left it out overnight. You could cut the caramels into 1/2" squares and wrap each caramel in wax paper, but I'm lazy so I cut the caramel into 1/2" logs, which meant that I had exponentially fewer pieces to individually wrap. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, but I can guarantee that they won't last that long. These things are delicious!

Poppy Seed Bread

3 cups flour, sifted

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/8 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp butter flavoring.

Glaze:

3/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp butter flavoring

Grease and lightly four two 9" x 5" loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350. Mix all bread ingredients together, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour. Mix glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over hot bread in pans. Let cool before removing from pans.

*Notes: We usually double the recipe. A double batch makes 13 mini loaf pans or 5 regular size disposable loaf pans. (Or, I'm assuming, 4 9x5 loaf pans.) When making the mini loafs, bake for 50 minutes. (As always, you can check done-ness by inserting a toothpick - if it comes out clean, it's done.) And don't overfill the pans. A double batch will fit in a stand mixer, but there is a bit of sloshing when you turn it on. Be sure to start on the lowest setting and gradually go up, and I started using a towel around the edges to prevent too much spillage. Also, the sooner you can get the glaze on the hot bread - the more is soaked up and the better the bread turns out. Have it ready when the timer goes off.

The World's Best Guacamole

3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, diced

juice of 1 lime

1 medium rip tomato, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

couple dashes of Tabasco sauce

Mash the avocados in a bowl with a fork until slightly lumpy. (I used a pastry cutter - it worked really well!) Stir in the lime juice, tomato, cilantro, red onion and garlic. Add the Tabasco, cumin, salt and sugar (anywhere from 1/2 to 1 tsp of salt.) Mix well. Sample and adjust seasonings. Cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Enjoy!