Sharin' the Love With Other Blogger's Treats

I recently made ZestyCook's Chewy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I'd seen them a while back and have wanted to try his recipe since.  These are a GREAT cookie.  With the melted butter, they are a little like having a blondie in cookie form.  I took Cory's advice and just slightly underbaked them.  They are perfectly chewy.  I love the milk chocolate as it is a good change from all the dark chocolate I've been using lately.  Too bad I'm not eating chocolate chip cookies right now either.  (I did sneak a little--they had to be tasted so I can give my opinion, yes!  Everyone's heads nod in approval to that!)

You can get his recipe on the link above.  Well shiver me timbers, I didn't change a thing!  What?  It can't be.  I was especially excited when I'd started making these, then realized I am out of vanilla--not to worry, these don't have vanilla.  A lot of flavor comes with the melted butter and lots of brown sugar.   The next best thing about these, they are super easy.  I melted the butter in a small, microwave safe bowl, then stirred the rest by hand in another bowl.  No mixer needed and minimal dish clean up!  Thanks for the great cookie recipe, Cory.  I'll be giving these away today!

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Next up, I had practically dreamt about these little delights since I saw Cathy at Noble Pig post them weeks ago.  And when I saw that it's only 30 calories and 3 carbs for two of the little phyllo cups (empty), I couldn't wait to try them.  What, nuts are very nutritious and honey is a natural sugar!   They are just as the title suggests--The Lazy Cook's Baklava and are so super simple and DE-licious!  Take the premade frozen phyllo cups and fill them with chopped nuts.  Bake for 8 minutes and drizzle lots of honey with a touch of water over them.  Cool and serve.  Hello--so easy!  And can I just say--very addictive.  I could have eaten them by the ton, but that wouldn't have been nice, since I'd only made 15 and taken them to a baby shower earlier this week.  Eating one was my splurge of the night and well worth the wait!  Next time you're in a pinch for a quick little treat with company or just a little craving, make these!

I almost can't look at the pictures, I want more!  ;)

Cathy's recipe suggests cashews, pistachios, and almonds.  I was a little short on pistachios, so I also used some pecans.  Put whatever nuts you like!

Did you see that?  Here's one more picture in case you missed something. 

 

Perfection!  Thanks, Cathy!

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One more bit of spreadin' some love--goes to Elyse at Confectionery Creations and Risa at Baked Perfection for coming up with some really fun (and yummy!) Cookie Dough Pops.  They came up with an eggless cookie dough, made balls of dough, froze them with a stick inserted, then drenched them in melted chocolate.  Heaven on a stick--especially if you're like me and you really like cookie dough!  Great idea, Gals!  So I felt the need to make these.  I even copied Risa's (go see) pops and drizzled them with some blue tinted white chocolate--I was making them for my friend's baby shower.  I did have a bit of a hard time getting the pops to stay on the stick while I was submerging them in the chocolate, but after talking to Elyse, she let me know that a quick little dip of the stick in some melted chocolate before freezing the pops make them stick like glue.  I didn't know that at the time I made them and was only able to get six pops.  I wrapped them up nicely and fully intended to take them to Rachel as part of a congrats on the new baby boy arrival.  But--I forgot to take them!  Oops!  So, the boys enjoyed them the next day.  They are good!

The boys ate them at different times and I was only able to get pictures of Taylor and Sam enjoying them!  Awesome, Elyse and Risa!

Silly Sammie!

"Look at Mommy holding the camera."

Nope.  Still, CUTE!

And finally, you know what the Bible says, "Train them up in the way they should go and they will not depart from it." (that's in my own words, but close I think.)  The other day Sam asked me for a spoonful of Nutella and a spoonful of peanut butter.  I gave him half a banana to go with it.

He had probably three spoonfuls of each before he decided that was enough!  Ahh, a kid after my own heart!