Chance of Sprinkles: 2009

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This is one of my go to recipes for potlucks or dinner with friends or for no reason at all.

I don't have to have a reason to make cake, do I?

It is a very versatile cake. You can dress it up by baking it in a fancy bundt pan and drizzling a rich chocolate glaze over the top, or it can pass as a much simpler snack cake by baking in a rectangle pan and leaving plain. However you do it, I do recommend baking this a day before serving it, because the flavors really come together to give you that classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. Not like this cake would have a chance in my house of sticking around for an extra day, but the crumbs, they taste better the second day.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter (softened)
1 1/4 C. milk
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside for now. In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract, beat until creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Now add the flour mixture into the batter, adding the milk as you blend together. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Bake at 350˚ F. Bundt - 45 to 50 minutes

13x9 - 35 minutes

Always keep an eye on the cake and adjust your time accordingly.

See. It looks just like chocolate chip cookie dough.

I love you beautiful bundt pan.

Much fancier than its drab little cousin, the snack cake.

Glaze

3/4 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

In a small pan, over low-medium heat, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup.

Stir frequently until completely melted.

You can pour the glaze directly onto the cake, or spoon it on. I like to just pour it over the top of the cake when it is still warm, not right out of the oven hot, but warm.

That's all there is to it. It's a super easy recipe, just like chocolate chip cookies, but in a moist, cake form. The batter smells just like chocolate chip cookie dough! So tempting!!

Enjoy!

liz

I'm All Verklempt

I happen to be one of those people that cry...a lot. I cannot help it, lord knows I have tried to keep my tears at bay, but that just makes the situation worse, oh, and ugly, and red,

yes definitely very ugly and red.

I cry when I'm sad, when I'm mad, when I'm happy, when I hear certain songs, during insurance commercials on TV, while reading books, during movies.......alright, alright we get it.

Wait, I'm not done. The biggest reason I cry is my kids. Not because of worry. Not because of fear. Not in some ohmygoshwhathaveIgottenmyselfinto kind of way. (I probably cry for these reasons as well, but that's a whole other topic my peeps.) The reason is something I don't even know if I can put in words, but simply it's love. Love for who they are, their strengths, their weaknesses, their past, their future, their perfect imperfections. It must be a girl thing because my girls are baby cry's too.

It happened to me this morning.

I did not know when I woke up this morning that in less than two hours I would be fighting the urge to keep tears from spilling over my cheeks, biting my tongue to keep from all out sobbing. But I should have, and here is what caused my anguish.

This little buddy started Kindergarten today.

I was doing so good too. Until this part.

This is where the floodgates opened.

I cried.

I cried because it hurt.

I cried because I had to let a piece of my heart continue on his journey,

no longer could I keep this one all to myself.

I buried my head in Mark's shoulder as he quietly comforted me.

It took me a minute but I pulled myself together.

I raised my head and I saw this.

I mean, I've got this little, my last little, and he's not going anywhere.

By my calculations I've got three years until the next Kindergarten breakdown.

2012-you may want to send reinforcements.

liz

I Heart Faces-Week 29-At the Beach

This picture makes me smile when I see it. We were at Coronado Beach last weekend and my girls were "trying" to body surf. I just love the action of the shot and the expressions on their faces!

Check out I ♥ Faces for more beachy-ness!!!

spon-ta-ne-ous

Last Saturday as I was painting the breakfast nook,

Mark said, "Let's go to San Diego."

I said "OK!"

Monday afternoon we were on the road to San Diego.

How's that for spontaneous.

We pulled this little getaway together so quick, but we ended up having a blast! It was really the perfect way to spend the last week of summer vacation before the kids go back to school.

Thank goodness for unplanned, impulsive thoughts.

liz

Eight is Great!

Happy Birthday Budders!

I cannot believe you're 8, my how time flies.

It seems like just yesterday that your dad and I were

high-fiving each other in the delivery room when the

doctor told us you were a boy. After 4 girls we weren't

sure we could make boys ;-)

I love you so much little buddy!

Coconut Macaroons, Yum!

I like these cookies. Even though I'm not completely head over heels in love with coconut, there is just something about these cookies. People that tell me they don't like coconut, say they like these cookies after they've tried them. My kids like these, and well that says a lot. They are super simple to make, the list of ingredients is small, and the finished product is a rich and chewy cookie. What could be better than that?

Coconut Macaroons

14 ounce bag of sweetened flaked coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven - 325˚ F.
In large bowl, combine coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until they have formed medium-firm peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the bowl with the coconut.
Use a small ice cream scoop and drop the batter onto parchment lined cookie sheets. (I usually just kind of eye this part and mound some of the batter on a spoon before dropping on the cookie sheet)
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown.
Cool cookies on wire rack.