Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today's treat is cherry chocolate chip cookies, which happen to be my dad's specialty. Of course this is my spin on his fantastic recipe, they are slightly different, dad's are all white flour, a little flatter and have far more cherries. Both versions are deliciously different from your average CCC. Here's my take on Dad's famous CCCCs.

The Deets

1/2 Cup Margarine or Shortening

3/4 Cup Butter (1 1/2 Sticks)

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

2 tsp Maraschino Cherry Juice

1 tsp baking Soda

1 tsp baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

2 Cups Flour

1 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Bag Chocolate Chips
10-12 Maraschino Cherries Roughly Chopped

The How To

Cream Butter, Margarine, Sugar and Eggs

Add Vanilla, Cherry Juice, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt and 2 Cups of Flour, Mix until smooth

Add Whole Wheat Flour and mix until smooth

Add Chocolate Chips and Chopped Maraschino Cherries and Mix until well incorporated
Roll into Balls for Baking

Bake @ 365 for 8-10 Minutes

Delicious! 

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Looking for a sweet treat for your sweetheart? Chocolate Covered Pretzels coming up! I remember one year for my birthday my Aunt sent me a beautiful box of decorated chocolate covered pretzel rods. I felt so grown up and fancy. I still love them and love making different toppings for them, but now they make me feel like a kid! Funny how things change.

Chocolate covered pretzels are simple to make, fun to decorate and great to gift! Here are the simple deets on chocolate covered bliss!

The Deets
1 bag of pretzel rods (for this I like classic rold gold) {Makes about 2 dozen pretzels}
1 1/2 Cup Chocolate (Semi-Sweet)
1TBS shortening or butter
1 Cup White Chocolate or Almond Bark (if you use almond bark you don't need to add butter or shortening - if you use chocolate add a TBS)
Sprinkles!
Almonds!
Toasted Coconut
Any topping your heart desires
Parchment paper for drying

The How To
First Regular Chocolate!
In a BPA free plastic container mix Chocolate Chips and Shortening and melt in the microwave stirring every 30 - 45 seconds (should take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes) {do not use glass - it gets too hot and can over cook the chocolate)
Lay out parchment paper
I've discovered that drizzling the chocolate over the pretzel works better than trying to dip.

Put Pretzel rod standing up in melted chocolate with spoon or spatula pour chocolate over pretzel rod
gently shake rod (like ringing a bell) back and forth to remove excess chocolate

For topping you can do it one of two ways:
1. Hold pretzel up and sprinkle toppings all around or
2. make a line of topping on parchment paper, lay pretzel on it and then sprinkle on more toppings.

Repeat with white chocolate.

Let Pretzels dry and then enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day!

Egg in the Hole

Sometimes the Simplest things are the best things. Case in point: Egg in the Hole. Whole Wheat Toast + Sunny Side up Egg = Perfect Breakfast. Since this Month is all about love we've sweetened it up by making the Hole Heat-shaped. 
The Deets are Simple:
Whole Wheat Bread
Eggs
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Butter

The How To
Lightly Toast a piece of your favorite Whole Wheat Bread
Cut a Hole or better yet, a Heart - set aside cutout 

Butter Bread
Place Bread in a Pan over Medium Heat
Crack Egg into Hole

Lightly Salt and Pepper to Taste
Cook until Egg is your desired "doneness" 
Mine took about 4 minutes to Perfect

Add a side of Grapefruit and a slice or 2 of Bacon and you've got a perfect breakfast.
This is also a great breakfast in bed for your sweetie....