Chocolate Fudge Hidden Kiss Cupcakes

I don't know about you, but I (usually) love hidden surprises in desserts! I really love hidden surprises in cupcakes-- a truffle center, a buried peanut butter cup, a secret cookie in the bottom--it makes me smile when there's more to a cupcake than meets the eye. It adds to the allure!

These cupcakes are just that, with a milk chocolate Hershey's Kiss right in the center. I made these for my sister to gift to her boss and his wife, as they had a death in the family and she wanted to cheer them up. I figured that while cupcakes are cheerful enough, finding a chocolate center could only enhance the experience!

Jumbo Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay. Is there anyone here doesn't love a good chocolate chip cookie?? (If you raised your hand, don't tell me. My heart is saddened. The only allowable exception is for people who have chocolate allergies or dislike chocolate, for whatever astounding reason). Moving on: I LOVE chocolate chip cookies! They're classic and delicious and customizable. Kids love them. Adults love them. It's a picky eater favorite.

Some people like their chocolate chip cookies with walnuts in them for extra crunch. Others prefer to use chocolate chunks or mixed (milk, semi-sweet, white) chips for variety. Still others throw some candy in there to keep things interesting! A select few gravitate toward a thin, crispy cookie; and others like them puffy and cakey.

Kit Kat Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi, everyone :) How's it going? Happy June...summer is officially here (and it's officially starting to feel like it around here, too!) All is well in my world--summer orientations have begun, and I can hardly believe that the third of this month marked my one-year anniversary at my job! It's been a great year, and I look forward to more good things :)

Holiday Recap

Guys. It's December 31, 2013. HOW?! Wow. For fear of repeating myself ad nauseum, I'll spare you the "this has been the toughest/weirdest/craziest/most challenging year of my life to date" spiel, and just say--2014, you're going to be a better year! :)

The past couple of weeks have been busy and full of family, fun, and naturally, food! Here's a brief photo recap of the holidays as I bid farewell to 2013 in anticipation of a wonderful, adventurous, exciting, and fulfilling 2014.

Vanilla Christmas Tree cupcakes (Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting)

A Belated Happy Birthday to Me--and Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi, guys! I celebrated my birthday this week! It was on Monday, the 21st, and I had actually drafted a blog for you--it was like a "year in review" kind of thing. However, it got to be pretty lengthy--and then the week was SUPER busy--and now, here we are, Saturday morning...ugh, sorry!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Hey, guys! Remember the chewy chocolate chip cookies I made recently? They were absolutely delicious! However, I have a mixed track record when it comes to cookies: I love to eat them, and sometimes when I make them, they turn out well; but overall, I don't have very good luck when it comes to baking them! For whatever reason, they tend to spread much too thin for my liking, even after refrigerating the dough.

So I found a solution: bake them in muffin tins! That way, they have no chance of spreading! They're trapped and have no choice but to bake up into a dense, delicious, buttery cookie. That's what happened with these--and man, they are tasty!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars

I honestly have trouble finding a tastier, more comforting flavor combination than the magical marriage of peanut butter and chocolate.

It's as if God said, "Let there be happiness!" and suddenly, there they were: peanut butter and chocolate... : ) Seriously. Today's recipe is adapted from Averie over at Averie Cooks (gorgeous blog!) and it's quick, easy, and above all, delicious. : ) I hope you enjoy these as much I as have!

Browned Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a confession to make: I love cookies. Truly. Like...if there were a particular "sweet" that I could eat every day, cookies easily top the list (alongside brownies, cupcakes, and pretty much anything with cream cheese). 

It's both a blessing and a curse--a blessing because I nearly always have all the ingredients to whip up a quick batch of cookies (which happens more often than I care to admit); a curse because there is seldom anyone around to help me EAT said blessing.