well, hello again, blog!  i’m happy to report that things are back to “normal” at the shoebox.  it was hacked a month or so ago, and we’ve been working on moving content around and finding a suitable server.  (hello, godaddy!)  the shoebox is back with one more nashville recipe.  then, we get to move onto the wa ones!

i made these cookies for my dad on his last visit to nashville.  they’re all of his favorite cookies, rolled into one!  after a ten hour drive to nashville from michigan, the least i could do was have a batch of cookies ready for him to eat.  if cookies could make it through the mail, i’d probably send a batch of these to him tonight to celebrate the big buck that he got today and that his spartans have clinched the big 10 legends championship!  (mostly for the buck, though…. go blue!)

the cookies are soft and chewy and are a bunch of wonderful cookie types, all rolled into one tasty gem.  i’m thinking next time, i’ll throw some pretzels in there, too!  i love the sweet/salty combination.

source: browneyedbaker

• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1/2 c creamy pb
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c old-fashioned oats
• 1 c chocolate chips

ok, i’m taking a break from catching up on old recipes.  you need to make this delicious dessert before summer is officially gone tomorrow!  it’s a dark chocolate ganache pie, topped with marshmallows.  stick with the dark chocolate, it balances out the sweetness.

it is also important to know that a little bit of this pie goes a long ways.  take it to a cook-out or potluck and make friends!  it’s very easy, delicious and dangerous!

source: smittenkitchen.com

crust:

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 10 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/8 salt

hi, my name is jess and i am a chocoholic.  (hi, jess)  i’ll take chocolate pretty much anyway that i can get it.  i made up a batch of these cupcakes for a superbowl party this weekend.  with all of the junkfood available for consumption, these would just be another log on the fire.  :)  i’d highly recommend making a batch of them for your valentine.

the cupcakes are from martha stewart’s recipe for one bowl chocolate cupcakes and it is true, they really are.  the frosting recipe is a swiss meringue buttercream (swbc), my second attempt at this type of frosting.  if you’ll recall, the first one that i used had too much butter.  i found a very helpful tutorial on howtoeatacupcake.net.  i am much happier with the results, but i still want to make a few more tweaks.  overall, the frosting is great for piping, as long as it is cold.

chocolate cupcakes

slightly adapted from: marthastewart.com

• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 c warm water
• 3/4 buttermilk (if you don’t have this on hand, add 3/4 tbsp of white vinegar to a liquid measuring glass.  fill to the 3/4 c mark with milk.  let sit for 5 min.  voila!  instant buttermilk.)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. pre-heat oven to 350°.  line standard cupcake pans with paper liners, set aside.  addcocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl, stir to combine.  add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 3 min.  scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
2. divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 1/2 full.  (warning!  this is the soupiest cake batter i have ever made.  prepare yourself to wipe drips from the cupcake pan.)  bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 min, rotating pans once if needed.  transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

swiss meringue buttercream, enough to frost 24 cupcakes.

source: howtoeatacupcake.net

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 1 c unsalted butter, at room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1. put egg whites and sugar into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water.  whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm, 160°.  (see picture above, a candy thermometer works wonders for this step  and no, i don’t have purple burners.  the pic is kinda weird.)
2. pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks.  continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 7 min.
3. switch to the paddle attachment.  with mixer on medium-low, add butter 2 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition.  increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 3 min.  reduce speed to low; add vanilla extract and continue beating 2 min. to eliminate air bubbles.
4. refrigerate frosting for 30 min. and frost cupcakes, as desired.

enjoy!

hot chocolate in a canister is hard to find in tennessee.  you can buy packets of it, but it’s never enough to make to make a normal serving size.  i had to take matters into my own hands.  this is hot chocolate, shoebox style.  no wintry day is complete without it.

we prefer our hot chocolate to be a bit darker than the usual milk chocolate variety, so the recipe calls for more cocoa and less sugar.  adjust as you wish.  i also threw in a recipe for homemade whipped cream.  stay tuned for a homemade marshmallow recipe!

modified from allrecipes.com

• 8 oz heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp clear vanilla (use regular if you don’t mind off-white whipped cream)
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar

• 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 c white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 c boiling water
• 2 1/2 c milk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 c half and half

1. pour 8 oz. heavy cream into a small mixing bowl.  using a whisk attachment, start mixing on a low speed.
2. gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla.  continue mixing, on high, until peaks form.  (see above.)
3. adjust sugar/vanilla levels to taste.  continue mixing, if needed
4. place in fridge until hot chocolate is ready.
   
   
   
   

5. combine cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan.  blend in the boiling water.  bring this mixture to an easy boil over medium heat while you stir. (stirring is important, this scorches very easily!)  turn the heat down and simmer and stir for about 2 minutes.
6. stir in milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil!  remove from heat and add vanilla.  divide between mugs.  add a half and half to the mugs and top with whipped cream and marshmallows.
7. if there is any leftover, refrigerate and serve over ice with a strong cup of coffee.  it makes a great mocha!

enjoy!

rice krispie treats are very simple.  just follow the directions on the box of rice krispies and for the love of all that is sweet and ooey gooey: do NOT, under any circumstances microwave your ingredients.  always melt them low and slow on your stovetop.  if you use the microwave, the texture is all wrong and you end up with hardened rice krispies that are difficult to eat.

here’s what you need:

• 6 c rice krispies
• 1 bag mini marshmallows
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. in a large saucepan (i use my soup pot), melt your butter.  add marshmallows and vanilla, stir until completely melted.
2. add rice krispies, stir until evenly coated.
3. pour into a greased 9×13″ pan, pressing in with waxed paper or a nonstick spatula.

pictured above is a variation that i like to make.  follow the directions above, but add 1/2 c peanut butter when you add marshmallows and vanilla.  I top mine with 1 1/2 c melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted with 1 1/2 tbsp butter.  (you can melt this in the microwave at 30 sec. intervals, stirring constantly.)  spread chocolate mixture over the top of the rice krispie treats.

there are also a ton of variations out there for making rice krispie treats.  some people enjoy the fruit flavored marshmallows, others use cocoa krispies, while others use cheerios.  the possibilities are endless and the recipe is so simple, it should be easy to find your favorite flavor combination.

enjoy!

ever since i was a little girl i have been fascinated with chocolate and cooking.  this was one of my first “signature” recipes found in the “alpha bakery children’s cookbook” published by gold-medal flour.  i remember saving up the upc’s off the bottom of flour bags and sending them away with a check for shipping and handling.   it was a very exciting day when that cookbook arrived!

my favorite recipe from the book is below.  the recipe can easily be doubled to go in a 9×13″ pan.  (9×13″ pan = more gooey center brownies!)

• 1/4 c margarine or butter
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2/3 c of gold medal all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c chopped nuts, if you like
• 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, if you like

1. pre-heat oven to 350°.
2. grease the bottom only of a 8″ square pan, with shortening.
3. heat margarine and chocolate chips in the microwave on a low heat, stirring constantly until melted.
4. stir in remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon until smooth.
5. stir in nuts and chocolate chips (optional).  i find that the brownies are too rich with the additional chocolate chips and nuts are a taste preference.  the brownies are good if they are boy ones or girl ones.  haha, mom!
6. spread in pan with a rubber spatula.
7. bake until center is set, about 30 min.  store brownies in a tightly covered container.

enjoy!

valentine’s day was yesterday. it was our first as a married couple! to commemorate the day, i baked my hubby a heart-shaped german chocolate cake, one of his favorite desserts.

source

cake

• 1 4 oz. package baker’s german’s sweet chocolate
• 1/2 c water
• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 c butter, softened
• 2 c sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c buttermilk

1. preheat oven to 350°. cover bottoms of 3 9″-round cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans (i used pam with flour in it).
2. microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on high 1 1/2 – 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. stir until chocolate is completely melted.
3. mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. blend in melted chocolate and the vanilla. add flour mixture alternatively with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.
5. beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. gently stir into batter. pour evenly into prepared pans.
6. bake 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. immediately run small metal spatula around cake layers. cool in pans 15 min; remove layers from pans to wire racks. remove wax paper. cool cake layers completely. spread coconut-pecan filling and frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

coconut-pecan filling and frosting

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 3/4 c butter
• 7 oz. coconut
• 1 1/2 c chopped pecans

1. beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with whisk until well blended. add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. remove from heat.
2. add coconut and nuts, mix well. cool.

enjoy!

valentine’s day is just around the corner…  here’s a sweet treat that you can make for (or with) your sweetie!

• 1 dozen strawberries, washed and dried
• 1 c white chocolate (i use almond bark)
• 1 1/2  c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp shortening

1. prep your strawberries.  make sure that they are dry or the chocolate will not stick to the berries!
2. in the microwave, melt the white chocolate (or almond bark) in 30 sec. intervals until melted.
3. dip strawberries into white chocolate, place on wax-paper lined cookie sheet.  put in fridge for 5 min. or until white chocolate hardens.
4. melt the semi-sweet chocolate and shortening in microwave for 30 sec. intervals until melted.
5. dip strawberries into dark chocolate, return to cookie sheet.  drizzle with extra white chocolate.  you may need to re-melt the chocolate with a little bit of milk in the microwave.
6. place back in fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

enjoy!

i have wanted to make chocolate mousse pie for a long time.   i decided that this year’s super bowl would have be the perfect opportunity.  i was so excited to try it, i forgot to take a picture!  this is the “after” picture.  you’ll just have to try this recipe for yourself and see how you like it.

• 1 9″ pie shell, baked (see recipe below)
• 1 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
• 1 c heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. sprinkle the gelatin on top of 2 tbsp of water.  separate the eggs.
2. in a double boiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 c sugar and 2 tbsp water; stir constantly until melted.  add softened gelatin to the mixture, and heat until completely dissolved.  remove heat from pan and gradually beat in egg yolks.  return pan to heat, and stir in 1 tsp vanilla.  cool slightly.
3. while chocolate mixture is cooling, beat egg whites to soft peaks.  gradually add 2 tbsp sugar and beat until stiff, but not dry.  fold whipped egg whites into chocolate mixture.  whip 1/2 c cream until stiff, and fold into chocolate mixture.  spoon into pie crust, chill overnight.  (frozen extra filling frozen tastes just like coldstone creamery chocolate ice cream!)
4. to make topping: add cocoa and confectioners’ sugar to 1 c whipping cream.  chill overnight.  whip until stiff.  stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.  top the pie with this chocolate whipped cream.  chill several hours or overnight until set.

french pie crust (yields two pie crusts, freeze one for later!)

• 3 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp white sugar
• 1 c shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 5 tbsp water

1. in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar.  mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. in a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar and 4 tbsp of water.  whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork.  mix until dough forms a ball.  add one more tbsp of water if necessary.
3. allow dough to rest in refrigerator  10 minutes before rolling out.

enjoy!

so i was in the mood for cookies.  really, i think i am in a perpetual mood for cookies/chocolate/sweets.  :)  i found these babies in my good housekeeping cookbook.  it’s the first recipe that i’ve ever made from this cookbook and i’m pleased with the results!

• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 c pecans, chopped
• 1 c chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 325°.  grease two large cookie sheets.  in a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
2. in the microwave, melt 3/4 c chocolate chips and butter in 30 sec. increments on high heat.  stir after every 30 sec.  allow to cool.
3. in a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat eggs and sugar until light, about 2 min., frequently scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  reduce speed to low.  add cooked chocolate mixture, flour mixture, and vanilla; beat just until blended.  increase speed to medium; beat 2 min.  stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
4. drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2″ apart, on cookie sheets.  with small metal spatula,  spread batter into 2″ rounds.  bake until tops are shiny and cracked, about 13 min.  rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through baking.  cool 10 min. on cookie sheet.  with wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
5. repeat with remaining batter.  makes about 48 cookies.

and for my weight watching friends:

nutrition info (per cookie): 102 calories, 1 g protein, 9g carbohydrates, 7 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium

enjoy!