Scor Christmas Squares

These are one of our favorite Christmas treats and won't last long!!

Ingredients: 1 cup butter/margarine
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup Skor Toffee Bits
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1 Heat oven to 350. Line a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until creamy. Stir in flour and 1 cup of skor bits until well combined.
2. Press dough evenly into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 min or until light brown; transfer to a cooling rack
3 Immediately sprinkle choc chips over hot cookie base, let stand for 2-3 minutes and than smooth choc chips out with a spatula across base; sprinkle remaining skor bits evenly over choc.Cool until set(chilling in the fridge or freezer will help it set up faster), cut into squares , than cut diagonally to make triangles.

Healthy chocolate cake

I tried this recipe for my friends going away party from http://healthyindulgences.net/ and we loved it! I now am adopting it!!

The best part about this cake is that it’s totally budget-friendly. It’s basically beans, eggs, and cocoa.
 
Healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes a 9″ one layer cake
Ingredients:
1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
OR 1 1/2 cup cooked beans, any color
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter OR coconut oil
3/4 cup erythritol + 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract
OR 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey + 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon water (omit if using honey)

Mint Chocolate variation:
2 teaspoons mint extract (in place of 2 teaspoons vanilla)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9″ cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then spray the parchment lightly.
Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia (if using) and salt into blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat butter with sweetener (erythritol or honey) until light and fluffy. Add remaining two eggs, beating for a minute after each addition. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and water (if using), and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top. Grip pan firmly by the edges and rap it on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done with the top is rounded and firm to the touch. After 10 minutes, turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Let cool until cake reaches room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap or with cake dome (I use an overturned plastic chip bowl). For BEST flavor, let cake sit over night. I promise this cake will not have a hint of beaniness after letting it sit for eight hours! If you are stacking this cake, level the top with a long serrated knife, shaving off layers until it is flat and even. Frost immediately before serving


Healthy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough to thickly cover one layer, or fill and frost a halved stacked layer
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted organic butter, softened, OR 7 tablespoons nonhydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon erythritol, powdered, OR 1/4 cup xylitol, powdered- (for this i used icing sugar)
5-6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons half and half OR coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Good-tasting pure stevia extract, to taste
Optional addition for a glossy finish:
1 fresh organic egg yolk

Preparation:
Cream the butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Powder erythritol or xylitol in a coffee grinder or Magic Bullet for a minute or two, until extremely fine in texture (reminiscent of powdered sugar). Let sweetener settle in grinder before opening the top. Stir powdered sweetener into butter with a spatula, then beat until smooth. Slowly blend in the cocoa powder (unless you want to redecorate your kitchen), vanilla, and sea salt. Beat in the half and half and egg yolk, if using. Add stevia, starting with 1/16 teaspoon. You’ll probably use less than 1/4 teaspoon. Just keep tasting and adjust sweetness to your liking.

Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding

This bread pudding is a wonderful fall time dessert, it's rich and flavorful, the cinnamon bringing out warmth in every bite! Must serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!!

Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding

2 cups cream- add into a heavy saucepan, heat until almost boiling

Add: 4 cups cinnamon bun- that have been ripped up into pieces, ¼ cup butter. Remove from heat. 

Stir.

Add:

2 beaten eggs, 1/3 cup b. sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup raisins if desired. Optional ½ tsp nutmeg.

Pour mix into an 8” x8” casserole dish. Bake uncovered @ 350 for 45 min, until set.

Serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6-8 people.

Heavenly Scones

These scones are moist and fluffy. Thanks to my old boss who shared his special recipe at our staff meeting!

Preheat 375 C

Mix together:

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar ( savory) 1/3 cup sugar(sweet)

1 heaping tbsp b. powder

Then add:

1 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp whipping cream

Dash of salt

Mix together until clumps.

Then knead & fold max up to 8 times- anymore and it will ruin them and make them thick and heavy.

Roll out to about 1 ½” thick and use a glass to cut dough into circle shape.

Bake at 375 C for 20 minutes.

Examples of: Savory- salty, cheese, spices. Sweet- dried fruit, chocolate.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

Preheat oven to 350 C and grease cookie sheet.

In large bowl add:

1 cup softened butter, ¾ cup w. and b. sugar, 2 eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

In med bowl combine:

2 cups flour, 2/3 cups cocoa powder, ¾ tsp b. soda, ¼ tsp salt. Stir into wet mix until well blended. 

Mix in 2 cups of chocolate chips, and ½ cup walnuts.

Drop by tbsp onto baking sheet. Bake for 8- 10 minutes until just set. Cool slightly on sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!!

Almond Butter Cookies

These Almond Butter Cookies are moist, flavorful, with the perfect amount of crumble as you bite into this soft yet chewy wonderful cookie. This replaces a peanut butter cookie for me anytime!!

Mix together the following:

1 Cup and 2 tbsp Wholewheat Flour
2 tbsp of milled flax seed(optional, but if you have it use it!!)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Now add and cream:

1/2 cup of margarine or butter

and than

 3/4 cup almond butter...

 and now add 1 cup brown sugar- cream well!

Once all this is well mixed add 1 egg, and blend well.

Add 1 tsp vanilla(optional, doesn't really need it)
 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to scoop dough and then roll the dough into smooth round 1 inch balls using the palm of your hand.
3. Place on the baking sheet. Using a fork, press the tines into the top of the cookie, to make the signature criss cross pattern, flattening it just slightly. You can also top it with a single almond at this point.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, until slightly browned and just about set in the center.
5. Carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Make sure they are fully cooled before storing them
6. Note – You can make these in advance, and roll the cookie dough into the little balls, storing them in a container and freezing them until ready to use. When baking from frozen cookie, place them on the sheet and into the oven for a few minutes til they get soft, and then pull them out and make the criss cross pattern with the fork, and then stick em back in the oven to fully bake =) baking time may need to be increased by a minute or two since they are baking from frozen.