Create a personal recipe book

I just added 50 more recipes to my book, it’s looking really good, so I’m considering this one done.

I’m hoping to type up all my recipes so I can print them all out at the college before the end of the semester. Either that or type up all I can before the semester ends and then type up the rest so I can go one day to the college next semester and print them all out. So my plans for the days I’m off, next Monday and Wednesday are to type up as many as I can.

I somewhat abandoned this one, but have no fear, I started typing up recipes last night. I have a big pile of old recipes, new ones, and magazines just piled up next to my desk, well now it’s on my desk. I figured, I should type them all up so when we do find a great house to move to, I won’t have to take all that stuff with me, it will already be typed and printed out and put into my binder for my recipe book. Or it can stay on my computer until I’m ready for it.

After I add 20 more recipes, not desserts though, I’m considering this one done because I already have 100 recipes in there, it just looks kind of empty because my binder is so big.

I feel really bad, because when I first started this I was working on ten recipes a day, typing them up printing them out and putting them in my book, it’s been over four weeks since I last touched my recipe book…I mean I use the recipes…but I’ve been avoiding it.

Brownies Deluxe
24 Brownies

2 sticks butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup strong-brewed Millstone® French Roast
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate with coffee in a small heavy pan over low heat. Cool. Beat eggs with electric mixer or food processor. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat until mixture is thick. Mix in chocolate mixture. Gently mix in flour until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into a greased 13” x 9” x 2” pan. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on rack and cut into squares.

Chocolate Cookies for Ice Cream Sandwiches
24 Cookies

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground Millstone Chocolate Velvet Decaf
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking soda and set aside. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the sugars, coffee and vanilla extract and beat another minute or two. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix only until incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and squeeze into a large ball using the plastic wrap as a barrier to keep hands from overworking the dough. Shape into a log about 2 inches thick and 12 inches long. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour, preferably two.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/2-inch slices. Transfer to baking sheet, leaving about one inch between cookies. Bake for 12 minutes, then transfer the entire parchment sheet to a cooling rack. The cookies will not look done, but will firm up as they cool. Makes about 24 cookies.

To make ice cream sandwiches, soften chocolate or vanilla ice cream to make it more scoopable. Spoon about 1/4 cup in between two cookies. Eat right away, or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and refreeze.

Double Chocolate Brownies
30 Brownies

2 sticks butter or margarine
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt the butter or margarine with the unsweetened chocolate; cool. Beat the eggs and slowly add the sugar. Continue beating until light and thick, then fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold the chocolate chips and pecans into the flour. Add to the chocolate mixture, stirring until mixed. Add the vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured 13” x 9” x 2” pan and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Chocolate Heart Cookies
About 4 Dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, halved
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low, add cocoa powder and mix, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide the dough in half, press into flat disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for three hours, but preferably overnight.

Take dough out of the refrigerator and let rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough on a well-floured board to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut into heart shapes and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until edges are slightly darker. Transfer to cooling racks.

Chocolate drizzle
To drizzle with chocolate, melt three ounces of chocolate chips in the microwave and transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Snip the corner off with scissors and pipe over cooled cookies.

Chocolate Eclairs
18-20 Eclairs

Pastry:
1 cup water
1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. melted unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 to 4 tbsp. half-and-half or milk

In a heavy, medium saucepan combine the water and 1 stick butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Butter should be completely melted. Stir in the flour and salt and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the side of the pan into a smooth ball. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then put into food processor. Add the eggs and process until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Spoon the pastry into a large pastry bag fitted with a #8 star tip. Pipe ovals about 3 1/2” long onto a greased baking sheet, leaving space between for them to expand. Place in a preheated 400°F oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and prick the sides with the tip of a small sharp knife to allow the steam to escape. Return to the turned off oven with door ajar for 5 minutes. Cool, cut in half lengthwise and fill with either prepared vanilla pudding or stiffly beaten, sweetened heavy cream.
Chocolate Glaze: Stir together the sugar, melted butter, chocolate and vanilla. Add 3 tbsp. milk. Add the fourth tbsp. if needed to make a mixture that is easy to spread.Top éclairs with the chocolate glaze and chill until ready to serve.