Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These cookies are some of my favorites. They are simple, and so yummy! The basic cookies are a simple dough rolled in sugar and baked. There are also other options, which I had never tried until today. I'll let you know what the family thinks about them later. Make them, enjoy them!

(I usually double the recipe - the estimate below is somewhat under what usually comes out of the recipe. Today, with the doubled recipe, I got 40-50. They're small, so they disappear quickly.)

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
3 squares Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
additional sugar

Instructions
Microwave chocolate and margarine bowl on high 2 minutes or until margarine is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir 1 cup sugar into melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Stir in egg and vanilla until completely blended. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1-in balls; roll in additional sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheets (if flatter, crisper cookies are desired, flatten balls with bottom of drinking glass.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Jam-Filled Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Prepare Chocolate Sugar Cookie dough as directed. Roll in finely chopped nuts in place of sugar. Make indentation in each ball; fill center with your favorite jam. Bake as directed.

Chocolate-Caramel Sugar Cookies: Prepare Chocolate Sugar Cookie dough as directed. Roll in finely chopped nuts in place of sugar. Make indentation in each ball; bake as directed. Microwave 1 package (14 ounces) Kraft caramels with 2 tablespoons milk in microwavable bowl on high for 3 minutes or until melted, stirring after 2 minutes. Fill centers of cookies with caramel mixture. Drizzle with melted Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate.

**I made a few mistakes on these last two types. First, I put caramel (I used dipping caramel that was already runny -which I already had- instead of making the caramel the way it's shown above) on an unbaked cookie. Then, I read the directions more closely and baked several cookies without anything in them... not realizing that the jelly ones were supposed to be filled before baked. They're still pretty good, but I'm bummed that I messed it up! I'll have to try them again soon and do them right!

The following pictures are of the two other versions of the cookies (jam and chocolate-caramel)...

These are my two must-makes for the Christmas season. Love them!

I bought a bread machine!

Yesterday, I bought a bread machine... for $10. Can we say deal?? I love finding deals. I was talking to my mom about bread the other day. I wanted to learn how to make it, and she told me that she mostly just uses her bread maker anymore (at least to mix the dough). So then she told me that we could get one at Savers for $10... which we did.

So, I made my first loaf of bread with my new bread machine yesterday. It was kind of heavy, and didn't mix completely on it's own (I may need to work with it a bit), but it was homemade bread! I love homemade bread for toast, and now I can make it whenever I want - all by myself! Check out a picture of my first loaf of bread:

Easy Decadent Truffles

{from allrecipes}
makes about 40-60

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Footnotes:
*Roll truffles in ground walnuts (or any ground nuts), cocoa, coconut, confectioners' sugar, candy sprinkles, etc.
*To flavor truffles with liqueurs or other flavorings, omit vanilla. Divide truffle mixture into thirds. Add 1 tablespoon liqueur (almond, coffee, orange) to each mixture; mix well

**I took the advice of others who had commented on the recipe - I used only 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar and chocolate chips
**I forgot to sift the sugar... but it seems to have worked anyway...
**I had trouble with the coating/outer layers. The only way I was able to make it work well was to roll them in the powdered sugar. The nuts worked (sort of) on a few... the chocolate looked better after refrigerated, but didn't seem to be working when I was trying to coat the balls. I plan to try that again soon. Coating them in powdered sugar was easy, though!
**I did refrigerate the dough again after I rolled the balls. That seemed to make it a little easier to roll the balls in the chocolate.

Covered Pretzels

A must-have, must-make for the holidays...

Just can't get enough of these little guys. So easy and SO yummy... add a few sprinkles and they look festive! Love, love, love!

Hidden Valley Chicken Strips

{Fast and Fabulous 5 Ingredient Recipes}
serves 1-6

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed cornflakes
2 T chopped fresh basil, or 1 t crushed dried basil
1 (8 oz) bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine cornflakes and basil in a medium bowl. Put 1/2 bottle dressing in a separate bowl. Dip chicken strips i dressing, sprinkle with pepper, and coat in cornflake mixture. Arrange chicken in a single layer on nonstick baking pan, and bake 15 minutes, or until done. Use remaining dressing as a dip.

**First of all, it is absolutely not necessary to use a whole bottle of ranch. I didn't even use it for dipping and it was still delicious.
**If you're wanting to make this for just one or two, just use a bit of ranch, crush up a handful of cornflakes, mix in a little basil and black pepper and you're good to go.
**Nakita and I give it 4 thumbs up - tasty and simple :)