Chocolate Brownies and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

2/3 C. Butter

1-3/4 Granulated Sugar

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

3 Large Eggs

1 C. All-purpose Flour

1 C. Chopped Walnuts (if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 inch square pan with the cooking spray
2. Cut the baking chocolate into pieces. In a 1-quart saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the chocolate is melted. Remove heat and cool 5 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer for 5 minutes on high speed. On low speed, beat in chocolate mixture, stopping occasionally to scrape batter from side and bottom with a rubber spatula. Beat in the flour, stopping occasionally to scrape bowl, just until mixed. Stir in the walnuts. Pour batter evenly in pan and smooth top of batter.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pane. Be sure not to over bake. Place pan on a cooling rack. Let stand about 2 hours until completely cooled. Then frost.

Chocolate Butter cream Frosting

Ingredients:

3 C. Powdered Sugar

1/3 C. Baking Cocoa

1/3 C. Butter (at room temperature)

1-1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 - 2 Tablespoons Milk

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, cocoa, and butter with an electric mixer until well mixed.
2. Stir in vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Beat. Gradually mix in additional milk until the frosting is at the consistency you want.

Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

1 C. packed Brown Sugar

3/4 C. Butter (1-1/2 sticks) at room temperature

1/4 C. Mild - Flavor or Full Flavor Molasses

1 Large Egg

2-1/4 C. all-purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/4 Teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter, molasses, and egg with an electric mixer until well mixed. With a wooden spoon, stir in remaining ingredients except the granulated sugar until well mixed. Cover and put in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 375. Grease cooking sheets with cooking spray
3. In a small bowl, put the granulated sugar. For each cookie, shape a rounded teaspoonful of dough into a ball and dip the top of the cookie into the sugar. Place on cookie sheet separated 3 inches apart.
4. Bake 9-12 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to a cooling rack. Cool cookie sheets 10 minutes between batches.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

1-1/2 C. Granulated Sugar

1 C butter (2 sticks) room temperature

2 Large Eggs

2-1/4 C. Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoons Salt

1/4 C. Granulated Sugar

1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat 1-1/2 cups sugar, the butter and the eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt until well mixed.
2. In a small bowl, mix remaining sugar and cinnamon until mixed. For each cookie, shape enough dough to make a 1-1/4 inch ball. (If dough is too soft, cover and refrigerate for 30 min). Roll balls in sugar mixture and place on a non-greased cookie sheet. Keep dough balls separated by 2 inches.
3. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets to a cooling rack. Cool cookie sheets 10 minutes between batches.

Toffee Bars

Ingredients:

1 Large Egg

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat Oven to 350. Separate egg yolk from white. We are going to be using the yolk. Either disgard the white or save it for a different recipe.
2. In a large bowl, stir the egg yolk, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with a wooden spoon until it is well mixed. Then add the flour and salt. Using your fingers, press the dough firmly and evenly on the bottom of a ungreased or foil lined 13x9-inch pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 min or until very light brown (the crust will be soft).
4. Immediantely sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot crust. Let stand about 5 minutes or until chocolate has soften. Spread chocolate evenly over bars. Sprinkle with nuts.
5. Place pan on cooling rack and let sit for 30 minutes before cutting.

Number Of Servings: 32 bars

Preparation Time: 15 min prep, 1 hour 20 min start to finish