Cocoa Rounds

These scrumptious chocolate gems may be little in stature, but they're BIG on flavor! And they're just the right size to pop in your mouth. Like their cousins, the Italian Wedding Cookie, they're all melt in your mouth sweetness on the outside and light and airy on the inside.
So enjoy one ... or five!!






Cookies
1-1/2 c Butter or Margarine, unsalted
3/4 c Confectioners' Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
1-1/2 c Almonds, ground
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Vanilla
3 c All-Purpose Flour, sifted
1/2 c Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate & Cocoa

Coating
2 c Confectioners' Sugar
1/2 c Ghrirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate & Cocoa

Preheat oven to 325 F. Sift the flour and chocolate together and set aside. Cream the butter or margarine in a bowl, gradually add confectioners' sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the almonds and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture gradually and mix well. Shape into balls, using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (I use a silicone mat) and bake for 15-20 minutes until set, but not browned. Cool slightly and roll in confectioners' coating. Cool completely and roll in confectioners' coating a second time.

These little darlings are even better the next day. The sugar softens the exterior of the cookie, just a wee bit. The crunch is still there, but the initial bite is effortless.



Makes 80 - 100 cookies

Ghirardelli's Award Winning Brownies

This isn't my recipe, but when you stumble across perfection you want to share it with the world. Trust me, this will be the last brownie recipe you will EVER need! They are amazing!



2 Eggs
3/4 c Sugar
1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 c Butter or Margarine, melted
3/4 c Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate & Cocoa
2/3 c unsifted Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Walnuts, chopped
1 c 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a spoon stir eggs with sugar and vanilla; add butter. Sift Sweet Ground Chocolate with flour, baking power, and salt. Stir into egg mixture. Add nuts and chips.
Spread into a greased 8" or 9" square baking pan. Baking 20-30 minutes.

For extra chewy brownies, use 8" pan and less baking time. For cake-like brownies, use 9" pan and longer baking time. Cut into squares.

Makes 16-20 brownies.

MY VERSION
I always double the recipe (because I'm always taking brownies to someone) and bake them in a 13x9 pan. I omit the chips and use Pecans instead of Walnuts. I also add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese to the egg mixture. The cream cheese keeps the brownies moist without them being dense; the perfect cross between chewy and cake brownies. You will have to bake them about 15 minutes more.

Macaroni and Cheese

Who doesn't love mac-n-cheese? What's not to love? It's hot and bubbly, ooey gooey, and rich and creamy. It's easy and satisfying. It this recipe, you will never make macaroni and cheese from a box again!!








16 oz. Medium Shell Pasta
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (1/2 stick)
3 Tbsp Flour
2 c. Milk
1 Tsp granulated Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Yellow Mustard
8 oz shredded Swiss Cheese
8 oz shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain. Over medium high heat, in the same pot, melt the butter. When the butter is melted add the garlic powder and mustard. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Add the milk and heat until it thickens. Stir in the cheeses until melted. Add the drained pasta and using a spoon or spatula mix until all the pasta is coated. Take care not to break up the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, stir in more milk until smooth and creamy.

Serves 6 to 8

Tip: You can use any cheese you want in this recipe. However, the cheese you use, could effect the thickness of your sauce. Please don't let that stop you from trying new combinations! If you're sauce is too thin (should be a little thicker than a good fondue), just thoroughly (very thoroughly) incorporate equal parts of butter and flour together (it should look like a paste). Drop it, in parts, in the sauce until it's the right consistency. This is good tip if you mess up on the amount of liquid you use also!

Just remember! Cooking is an art, not a science (that's baking)!!

Easy Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup is such a simple and quick fix! It can literally be thrown together in one pot and on the table in approximately 30 minutes. It goes down great on blustery cold autumn days, or after a romp in the snow! Serve it with a nice warm crusty bread and you have a meal fit for a king!








2 pounds Beef, cubed ( I use a Chuck Roast or whatever is on sale)
1 small Yellow Onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
32 ounces Beef Stock
32 ounces Water
1 - 29 oz. can Tomato Sauce
3 Bay Leaves
16 oz. Regular Frozen Mixed Vegetables
3 small Red Potatoes, washed and cut into small cubes
8 oz Bow Tie pasta
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a stockpot, over medium high heat, add your olive oil. When the oil's hot, add the chopped onion and beef. Cook the beef until it's browned on all sides and the onion is soft. Add the bay leaves, beef stock, tomato sauce and water. Next add the vegetables and potatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the pasta. Boil until the pasta and potatoes are tender, approximately 8 to 11 minutes.

Season to taste.

Serves about 8-10 (depending on how hungry, or how cold, you are)

Once you have basic recipe down, it's incredibly versatile also! For instance, use your left over roasted chicken (or turkey! The holidays are near!), switch the beef stock for chicken and omit the tomato sauce (or even leave it in) and viola!! You have chicken soup better than anything you would get out of a can! Or, for you vegetarians ... omit the meat, and switch to vegetable broth.

If you decide to leave out the tomato sauce, I would thicken the broth slightly by dissolving some cornstarch in cold water and stir the mixture into the soup while it's boiling. You don't want the broth too thick; just enough to give it some body.

Be on the lookout for my Olive Oil Bread! It's great for dunking and soaking up all the wonderful broth!