BUTTERSCOTCH MARBLE BLONDIE DROPS and CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES and BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE BLONDIES and CHOCOLATE COFFEE TOFFEE OATMEAL COOKIES

I am always looking for an excuse to bake, and love to share my cooking with friends. It's one way to show my fondness and affection for the lovely people in my life, and its less for me to have around the house to indulge in.
When a friend thought of the perfect book to lend me, I returned her copy with Butterscotch Marble Blondie Drops, when our neighbors moved out of town, I baked them Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies for the long car ride, when a friend invited us over for a play date, I arrived with Blueberry Cheesecake Blondies, when I hosted friends for lunch, I served Chocolate Coffee Toffee Oatmeal Cookies. There really must be a baked good for every occasion.

BUTTERSCOTCH MARBLE BLONDIE DROPS

4 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs

Heat oven to 350F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate in the microwave, or over a double boiler.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs and mix until blended.
On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
Drop tablespoons of dough 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the melted chocolate over the top of each cookie. Using a small sharp knife, gently swirl the chocolate to marbleize it.
Bake 1 sheet of cookies at a time for 10 minutes, or until the tops feel soft but set and the edges are lightly browned. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Morning News, August 2005

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

125 grams of butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Stir butter and sugar together in a bowl, don't over mix. Stir in the egg.
Add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill for 1 hour.
Heat oven to 180C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
Place tablespoonfuls onto oven trays, leaving space for cookies to expand. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Cool on trays.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Next magazine, September 2011

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE BLONDIES

1 1/2 cups flour
pinch ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
6 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 batch of Fresh Blueberry Jam (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350F.
Coat a 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray or with butter and flour.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon and sugar. Beat in cream cheese and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Beat in egg yolk, mixing until combined, set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and white chocolate chips together, stirring constantly until smooth.
Stir melted mixture into cream cheese mixture and mix well.
Transfer to a prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Spread blueberry jam over batter.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set.
FRESH BLUEBERRY JAM
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon of corn starch

Mash berries, using the back of a spoon, until coarsely mashed. Add sugar and lemon juice and mix well, taste and adjust sugar and lemon juice as necessary. Add cornstarch mixed with a little water.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, June 2010
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

CHOCOLATE COFFEE TOFFEE OATMEAL COOKIES

1/4 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups oats
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 (8 ounce) package milk chocolate toffee bits
3/4 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Dissolve coffee in boiling water, cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, beat sugar and vegetable oil spread on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, beat well. Beat in coffee and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, slat and baking soda, mix well. Gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in toffee bits and both chocolate chips.
Drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets, bake 8 to 10 minutes just until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets, transfer to wire racks, cool completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Morning News, October 2004

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BLONDIES and CARROT CUPCAKES

I love spending time out on the farm where my daughter takes horse riding lessons, beautiful and picturesque, it takes me back a little to childhood. My Uncle trained horses, and my brothers, cousins and I would spend a lot of time on his farm, and were even allowed to ride some of the older, quieter animals - although I never rode with as much grace and discipline as my daughter and her fellow class mates do, I always adored it.
A week of summer camp out on the farm concluded with a potluck, my daughter wanted me to bake carrot cupcakes, and I thought a little chocolate would round out the dessert offerings. Although I can barely sit on a horse, I do adore navigating a recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BLONDIES

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups golden brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F. Butter and flour an 8 by 8 inch baking pan.
Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl to blend. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan, over low heat. Remove from heat, add sugar and whisk until smooth. Cool mixture two minutes, whisk in eggs and vanilla. Using a spatula, stir in flour mixture then peanuts and chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan, sprinkle with extra peanuts and chocolate chips.
Bake blondies until golden, tester inserted into center comes out clean, and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes, cool completely in pan on rack.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2009
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

CARROT CUPCAKES

1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350F, and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the oil. Gradually beat in the sugar at medium-high speed and beat until thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, then fold in the carrots.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tip with the cream cheese frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the carrot cupcakes and serve.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and confectioners sugar, then beat at high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, January 2011
www.foodandwine.com/‎

TOFFEE ALMOND BLONDIES

I love our Memorial Day weekend camping trip, spent with a fun and fearless group.
When Joe was in pre-school, friends asked us to camp with them over the long weekend, a tradition of theirs before they moved to town, and we look forward to it every year.
This is one of the desserts we enjoyed - a sweet ending to another great time with family and friends.

TOFFEE ALMOND BLONDIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 package chocolate chip cookie mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package milk toffee bits
3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Heat oven to 350F.
Stir together butter and egg in a large bowl. Stir in cookie mix and vanilla until a soft dough forms.
Stir in toffee bits and almonds until well blended. Press mixture into a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack, and cut into bars.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, August 2006
www.southernliving.com/food/‎