Here is an incredible crispy chocolate chip cookie recipe so that you forgive me. You get to hit a chocolate bar with a hammer–what can get any better than that?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate– I smashed up a good chocolate bar by putting it in a plastic bag and went at it with a hammer for a good texture, but you can use chips

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream shortening and sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.

Add in the dry stuff, mix away, adding the oatmeal and chocolate last.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, then bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Well, a routine loose filling fix went awry.  Not enough Novocaine caused me to wretch away from the dentist, allowing his drill to pull through my lip and cheek, leaving me Jokerified.  Well at least I thought I was fully Jokerified until the swelling went down and the messy bleeding stopped and I only needed 1/4 inch of my cheek stictched up.  Now that my face is back to normal, I promise to stop being the vain human I am and give back to you, my readers.  Enjoy these cupcakes.  However, make sure you brush your teeth after eating–no cavity is worth it anymore…

Rawr.

Ingredients:

• Box of super moist yellow cake mix, butter recipe
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (or more to taste) lavender extract

For the frosting

• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon lavender extract

Prepare the cake mix according directions on the box, mixing in the lavender. Spread over 24 muffin tins, with liners.  Bake according to the package.

For the cream cheese frosting, beat together everything but the honey.  Then beat in the honey and beat until fluffy.   Keep cupcakes refrigerated.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

How about some Chocolate Truffles?

Or a Caramel Nut Tart?

Feeling fruity?  We do have an apricot tart…

There are always chewy chocolate coconut cookies.

And lastly some candy bar cookies, if you’ve got a little nugget or two running around that wants to help you out.

Whatever you fancy, I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve.  Have a drink or five for me .

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/4  pounds good quality, dark or milk chocolate (or candy melts*)
• 4-5 graham crackers
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.  Temper chocolate or melt candy melts.

While chocolate is tempering, break graham crackers into chunks.  Measure one cup of chunks into a bowl.

Add marshmallows to bowl; mix together.

Stir cracker/marshmallow mixture into tempered chocolate being sure to coat it well.

With spatula, spread 1/2 of the chocolate mixture on each baking sheet.  Rap baking sheets against the counter several times to spread out chocolate and get out some of the air bubbles.  Refrigerate for 25 minutes or until set.

Break into irregular-shaped pieces.

Package candy in cellophane bags tied with ribbon.  Give as gifts for Hanukkah, Christmas, or whatever you celebrate…  Makes about 1 1/2 pounds.

*Note:  Chocolate melting wafers, also known as candy melts and confectionery coating, are a very easy to use chocolate substitute. I prefer the Merckens’ brand and it is available in many candy and craft stores.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1/2 cup Caramel Pieces.  I used these but you can also chop up caramels.

Heat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

Stir in oats and chocolate chips;

Mix well.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack.  Cool completely.  Store tightly covered.  Makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 3 ounce block semisweet chocolate
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur (optional)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped pecans
• Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with 42, 1 1/4 by 3/4 inch, mini paper muffin cups; set aside.

In medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat.

Stir while cooking until smooth; cool slightly.

Whisk in eggs and liqueur.

Stir in flour, sugar and coffee granules.

Stir in pecans.

Spoon batter into prepared cups filling them 1/2 way full.

Bake until batter is set and toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Dust with Confectioners’ sugar.  Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.  Makes 42.

Borrowed From Recipe Secrets

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Butter
• 2 cups Powdered sugar
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or lemon extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray an 8-1/2″  loaf pan with Pam cooking spray. Cream butter with sugar on high speed of mixer for 5 minutes. Add 1 egg and then a little flour, continue beating for 2 minutes. Add 2nd egg and half of remaining flour and beat 2 minutes. Add 3rd egg, rest of flour and extract, beating 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in prepared loaf pan. Bake 65 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in baking dish on wire rack for 30 minutes.

Stolen directly from  A Tree Called Life

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks Butter
• ½ cup Milk
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• ½ cup White Sugar
• 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 box (16 Oz. Box) Club Crackers
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
• ⅔ cup Peanut Butter

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add milk, brown sugar, and white sugar. Bring that to a boil and add graham cracker crumbs. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Put a layer of Club crackers on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Pour half of the graham cracker mixture over that. Add another layer of crackers, then the other half of the graham cracker mix, followed by a third layer of crackers.

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. Use to frost the bars by spreading it evenly over the top layer. Chill. Cut. Enjoy!

I guess this is the best apology I can give you.  JonBenet wannabe?  Maybe.  Need therapy?  I just might.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium bag (about 12 ounces) Peanut Butter M&Ms.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I know, it’s a little blurry.  It’s just butter and sugar anyways; so shoot me.

Beat together the butter, sugars, and vanilla.  Once lightened and well combined, mix in the two eggs.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and combine well.

Stir in the bag of M&Ms.  It’s okay to let some break.

Scoop rounded teaspoon sized balls onto a Silpat-lined or greased cookie sheet.  I found the cookies took about 10 minutes to bake, but I would check after 9 to see if they are done.

Let cool, or enjoy while they are melty.

Slightly chewy, and perfect.

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
• Jam–any flavor
• Chocolate–any type, chopped  (I used semisweet Callebaut.  Chocolate chips would be great also.)
• Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll 4 crescents at a time on wax paper for easy clean up.

Spread about 1-2 teaspoons of jam (I used fig and blueberry) on each crescent.

Place 1-2 teaspoons chopped chocolate at big end of crescent.

Loosely roll up starting at point and rolling to big edge where chocolate is.  Be sure to tuck all the chocolate inside.

Place, seam-side down, on silpat-lined baking sheet (or line cookie sheet with parchment paper or non-stick Reynold’s Wrap.  Some filling will ooze out and this will make it easier to remove crescents and to clean the pan) and curve into a crescent shape.  Repeat with remaining 4 crescent dough pieces.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.  Sorry about the blurry pictures.  (Are you surprised?)

Sprinkle with Confectioners’ sugar.  Serve warm.  Makes 8.   Mmmm stuffing.