Chewy, Crumbly, Dark Chocolate Cookies (NESTLÉ®)

When I think of food, I think of childhood... family meals, home cooked with love, baked goodies and best of all "cookie memories" revolving around cookies from my childhood days...chocolate chip cookies, chocolate filled cookies, creamy, buttery, coconutty, chewy and even plain milk ones. How do you like yours? Plain, thin and crisp, soft and chewy, with nuts, double chocolate chip or even triple chocolate ones (My personal favouite)

I always love to try out new cookies-Ben's cookies being one of my favourites out here in the desert. (must try their praline & triple chocolate ones!). But what is better than a home baked, chewy goodness. Iam the one with the mighty sweet tooth (or a sweet jaw if that would be a word). Husband on the other hand is more into dark and bitter ones.

So one fine day after watching (or rather drooling) over Food Network, I went to the kitchen and found a NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE®  bag in the fridge and on it, was this recipe. If you're a fan of bitter-sweet dark goodness, this recipe is for you.

As I say, you can always play around with the recipe and add semi-sweet chocolate chips just to give it a sweet kick!

cookies ready to go in the oven

 

Prep: 15 min

Yield: 12 Servings

 

  

     Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Nestlé® Toll House® Dark Chocolate Morsels, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Nestlé® Toll House® Baking Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

 

 

I got a little carried away and spread the melting chips, you can try that too!

 

 

 

freshly baked

 

      Directions

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease.
• Melt 2/3 cup morsels in microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 30 seconds; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Set aside.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add melted chocolate and mix well. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well blended, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in remaining 1 cup morsels. Drop dough by level 1/4-cup measure 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs and the tops have a cracked appearance. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes: 12 cookies.

hmmmm can let go of all diets for this beauty!

Originally published as Jumbo Dark Chocolate Cookies in NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE®

A Friends' Weight Loss Journey: 62 Pounds Lost..!!

Hello Dear Readers!

After my post partum weight loss story I had been getting many emails and requests by female readers especially youung girls to do another blog post: who are not married, pregnant, not about to have babies, have their kids but still stuck with those pounds and want to lose weight. Recently a friend lost quite a lot of weight. So much so that I couldnt even recognize her in the photos. She was always a chubby girl but a few years back she gained quite a lot, the weight piled on without her realizing it and she was almost 30 kilos over weight on her 5'3 frame at the age of 21...!

Today Iam going to share her weight loss journey and how she dropped from 82 to 54 kilos...a whopping 28 kilo loss (and still going!) :)

Shared by Sumaiya (Edited By Marium Noman).

Summayia says "it was not just about losing the weight, it was also about all that you get: the glowing skin, the energy, the difference you feel "after" getting In Shape!"

"I belong to a Kashmiri family. It's a famous saying here in Lahore, that we are supposed to gain weight faster and much more than ordinary people! ;)

The same happened with me.As soon as I hit my teenage years, I started gaining weight quickly. By the time I was 18, I was about 65kgs on a frame of 5'3. At that time and age, I had no concerns whatsoever. I was young and pampered by loved ones. And as many "desis" must know our moms stuff us with food and say stuff like "Beta apki khanay peenay ki Umar hay" (these are the day to eat and have fun!) which eventually made me pile up more and....more!

We moved cities and moved back to my hometown where I started my professional studies as a business student.. Once again, My parents were like "Darling just study and get a distinction"

Like most of our loving parents in Pakistan, especially our moms love cooking tasty home cooked stuff full of oil and calories. Plus the food we get in our country is just too yummy to resist! I was always a big time foody. I loved good food especially Junk! I wanted an excuse to eat more and got that. I started eating out alot with my friends. We often used to call for Free University Pizza delivery for fun ;) Along with fried and full of fat famous Zingers, Shawarmas and the most Evil of all..... Garlic Mayo Fries :P

Finally one day it dawned on me that I am getting bigger and bigger. I saw myself in the mirror, and I thought to myself ... who is this person? It was like, THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE STANDING There! Months and years had passed and I never stood on a weighing machine. Finally one day I decided toweigh myself . And there it was...the moment of TRUTH....mocking back at me....the number....82...!!

That was it! That was really an eye-opener. I ended my 4 years with a Distinction & a Medal . My family was super happy. Planned to start M.Phil and got enrolled. All of a sudden, a very untimely death occured in our family of my youngest Chacha (Father's Brother) who was very close to all of us. After that incident, I unintentionally gave up on food, for sometime. I was badly hurt & upset. After the initial stress, few weeks passed and as a result, the first few pounds slowly melted away. Even the first few pounds loss it was very obvious. I dropped down to 75 kilos.

I started to feel a difference. Now the important thing here I'd like to emphasize is the MOTIVATION that made me Go! My motivation was the difference I felt in my body, the applause, the compliments, the WIDE OPENED eyes of people who once saw me at 82 kilos and just after a little reduction they were like WOW.... I have to admit...I simply Loved all the attention! I had never in my life been told I was looking "thin or slim" those were totally new words for me because I was always a little heavy.

I started taking care of my diet and what I put in my mouth. First of all I said a big BYE to all the free delivery stuff, all junk foods shawrmas, pizzas, burgers, fries, all fizzy drinks+artifical fruit juices etc. I limited the desserts I ate. The next step was getting a treadmill, I bought one and started walking every morning for 30-40 minutes. I was not starving or on any "crash diets" and ofcourse the weight was piled on for soooo long, the process was "slow". So remember this process is slow in the beginning and you might not get obvious quick results but BELIEVE me, once the weight goes...it will go for good!

I eat every thing but half the quantity of what I used to eat. I don't stuff my mouth anymore, I know when to Stop! I enjoy fresh vegetable and fruits more. My breakfast is the heaviest and healthiest meal of the day. No compromises on that. I intordouced myself to green tea. You all must know the benefits of that, too. Lunch was mostly salads, fruits aur veggies or any thing light cooked at home, but half the portion. Dinner should be the Lightest. But I never skipped dinner. Even if it was a glass of milk with a wheat cracker. Never go to bed empty stomach.

Last and Very Important Tip: Dinner should be taken atleast 3-4 hours before you go to bed... That's a must.

Just bring these simple changes in your life style and You Will See The Change!"  Stay Blessed x

Oreos & Cream In a Glass.

I had a dinner for few friends, a couple of weeks ago. I had the menu planned and desserts ready. Last minute I felt, I must make one more dessert. That's just me! Have to have a last minute addition to the menu. I am a big fan of quick recipes and very fond of desserts in a glass. You can use a small glass/serving bowl but not very big one, smaller portions look pretty in transparent glasses.

I did a step by step guide on how to make this quick & yummy dessert.

To start off I crushed and grinded Oreos. (put them in a bag and use the rolling pin or just put them in the grinder) Spoon a tablespoon each of crushed oreos in the glasses.




The next step is the filling or the pudding. I used whipped cream mixed with Oreos (crushed pieces) & a little condensed milk. I put the mixture in the fridge for few hours and it thickened. You don't want a runny filling. You can add cream cheese to give it a creamy cheesy flavour and name it Oreo cheescake! ;)

Use anything you like, even icecream! :)

You can spoon it in the glasses, I tried to be neat and piped it.



And here it is all creamy and swirly.



Top it up with more grinded Oreos. (the same, used for the base.)





Top it off with Whipped Cream (I used cream in a can-dreamwhip/reddi whip)



Sadly I didnt take any photos of the chocolate I decorated on top (had no time!). I found this picture on the internet and it is what you can do to decorate your desserts. I used a mould, but I find thise piping chocolate and putting in the fridge to set easier.





Finally it was ready to eat and this was what was left in the morning which my friend & I enjoyed the next day, for lunch! :)



Feedback and comments are most welcome :)

Recipe of the day: Icecream Sundae Pie.

Who said you can only get good looking, mouth watering sundaes and icecream pies at shops? Craving for one? This one is yummylicious and super easy peasy!

Most of the stuff used is in your kitchen pantry and fridge. Make one today! :)


All you need is:

4 cups cereal (grinded)- You can use coco pops, frosties, cheerios, honey and nut or even K bran

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/2 cup Honey (or Corn syrup)

1/2 to 1 tub vanilla icecream ( you can use any other flavour too)

1/4 cup peanuts/almonds

1/2 cup Hersheys chocolate syup or Hot Fudge.


How to make it:

Grease a deep dish/pie plate (preferrably 9 inch).

Mix together cereal, peanut butter and honey. Press in the pan.

Spread softened icecream on the crust.(not melted, just softened enough to spread easily.)

Garnish with nuts.

Freeze for 4-6 hours.

Serve with syrup/fudge/whipped cream.


Enjoy this sweet, frozen easy to make in minutes sweet treat :)

Choco-nana Shake :)

Chocolate and Banana Shake:


‎Very simple, quick recipe. You need:

2 bananas,
2 tbsp condensed milk,
1 tbsp chocolate powder,
ice & blend.
Top off with chocolate whipped cream (spray can-Cool whip)

Product Review: Ramekins & Fondue Set.

Hey! Hey! Blog readers....hope all is well at your end of the world and all you Riyadhi-ians hope you guys are enjoying the SALES!!! Yum! Yum! :D

I shopped for some home stuff before going on vacation but didnt get time to blog so here is a detailed review along with recipes you can try out with the products.

My shopping was for home stuff and got these two beauties. Both for my weakness-my sweet tooth-my love for desserts :)


Ramekins:


A ramekin or ramequin, also known as a bouillon bowl, is a small glazed ceramic or glass serving bowl used for the preparation and serving of various food dishes.
(source-Wikipedia)



I got four of these ramekins from Homecentre at Centre Point and they are just perfect for baking, easy to wash, dishwasher & oven-safe.




Using a ramekin for cooking and baking is an easy way to decorate great dishes, such as creme brulee and many others. You can also use ramekins to make a beautiful plate to present to dinner guests. Just like I used in the molten lava recipe




The ones I used were from IKEA but these I got from Homecentre and if you make the lava cakes in these ramekins you will get the same flower shaped lava cakes like we usually get in Chilis.











Fondue Set:

The second buy is a 6 pieces Fondue set from Homecentre again. Don't confuse Fondue with fondant.


Before I write about the description of fondue sets let's begin by describing a fondue meal. I had my first fondue when I was a teenager and I instantly fell in love with it...! The fondue method of cooking is different than most because you are doing most of the cooking yourself right at your table. You can start with a good quality cheese fondue with bread & vegetables and then switch to grilling for meats, poultry, and fish. End the dinner with the heavenly chocolate fondue with fruits, marshmallows, candy, icecream etc.









In fondue cooking, you have a fondue pot which has melted cheese or chocolate in which you dip your food items with fondue forks. If you have never had a fondue dinner at a restaurant, you need to experience it at least once in your life. Keep reading to find out about home fondue sets.







Home Fondue sets make it easy to cook up a great tasting classic cheese fondue for bread or vegetable, at home, right at your dinner table. Even the meat fondues that are cooked in hot oil or broth are not hard to prepare but the most popular type of home fondues are ofcourse 'Chocolate'.

A chocolate fondue can be a romantic dessert just for two or you can share it with friends and family. If you're intrested in entertaining a big gathering and plan to cook up meat (fish, chicken) look for a fondue pot that can handle high heat while cheese or chocolate fondues can easily cook in thicker pots that don't scorch/burn the contents but still hold heat. Because as we know cheese and chocolate have to melt on very low heat and burn easily.

Chocolate/Cheese fondue sets often are heated by candles only, but meat fondues will never cook with just a candle. You will also find some fondue sets which are electric powered. Fondue sets are made from cast iron, ceramic, enamel, stainless steel, copper and aluminum. They are usually coated with non-stick, glazed, or enamel surfaces. Now it depends on your taste. choice & preference which type you want and what you plan on cooking.



This particular set that I purchased is light and can be used for light cooking such as cheese & chocolate which are easily melted by candle. It also consists of 4 fondue forks to pick and dip fruits/bread/vegetable etc.



Below are Two Recipes if you plan on buying or already have a fondue set. Enjoy over a light meal, romantic dinner for two or a large gathering.


Bon Appétit :)






Caramel Apple Fondue recipe:

Sliced apples
Chopped peanuts
2 pounds caramels
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Unwrap caramels and melt in microwave. When melted, add sliced cream cheese. Cook for 1 minute in microwave. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vanilla extract; stir. Pour caramel into fondue pot. Dip sliced apples in caramel, then into chopped peanuts.







Chocolate Fondue recipe:

milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate or sweet cooking chocolate
milk (to thicken or thin)
dry instant coffee or
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dippers*

Heat chocolate and milk in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Pour into fondue pot or chafing dish with water bath; keep warm over very low heat. (NOTE: A crock pot set on LOW does a great job of keeping the fondue warm.) Stir in a small amount of cream if fondue becomes too thick while guests are dipping.

Dippers:
Strawberries, banana slices*, pineapple chunks, mandarin orange segments, fresh orange slices, apple wedges*, grapes, melon balls, papaya wedges*, maraschino cherries, fresh pitted Bing cherries, kiwifruit slices, fresh coconut chunks, pound cake cubes, ladyfingers, miniature cream puffs, miniature doughnuts, marshmallows, pretzels, angel food cake cubes and vanilla wafers.

All the fruits followed by a * should be dipped in lemon juice after cutting to prevent blackening of fruits.

Recipe Of The Day: Molten Lava Cakes

And my lovely blog readers one of the most awaited recipes is Finally here! :D

Molten chocolate cake or lava cake, is a popular dessert that combines the elements of a flourless chocolate cake (sometimes called a chocolate decadence cake) and a soufflé. Some other names used are chocolate fondant pudding and chocolate lava cake.

Who can say No to molten lava? Not me! ;)

Moist chocolate cake with a core of rich creamy chocolate filling. A delicious delight. I prefer to make it at home as one of my favorite desserts and now You can too! :)

They’re the kind of thing that you usually only find in restaurants because they look as though they are difficult to make. And there are a million recipes on how to make them and I have tried half a dozen recipes & find this one the easiest and quickest!

Once again this recipe is a step by step guide with each and every step with pictures.

Don't over bake or you will get a brownie-like dessert without the creamy-molten chocolate center-the 'Lava'. They are a little tricky because of the cooking temperature and the baking time but once you master that art...Viola!

This Recipe Makes 4 Cakes.

Ingredients:

4 squares chocolate (bitter or sweet-as you like)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar (if using sweet chocolate) and 1.5 cups (if using bitter chocolate)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
Baking Spray
whipped cream/icecream/sauce/nuts for Garnish.


How To Make:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Centigrade. Spray to Grease the cups with butter, four 3/4 cup ramekins.




Heat chocolate on a water bath. When melted add butter on very low heat. Until Smooth.




Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs first then egg yolks. Until Glossy. Cook for few more minutes.

Take off heat and Stir in flour.



Spoon In Cups:



Bake for 12-15 minutes or until sides are firm. Centre will be soft.




Loosen with knife and serve immediately warm on a dessert plate with cream/icecream/sauce & nuts. (turning the cakes on the plate is tricky so be careful)

Cut it to get the beautiful molten chocolate lava :)




Bon Appétit!

Heavenly Chocolate Soufflé

A soufflé. French: [su.fle]is a light baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means "to blow up" or more loosely "puff up" (Reference Wikipedia)

Im back to routine & all unpacked after a tiring but fun vacation, am very tired, Rayyan's school started right after we were back and I had to start with the same routine...but was also sick of eating restaraunt food for the past two weeks, there's nothing like a home cooked meal. DH and I are big fans of home cooked food apart from being a big time foodie, I also love to cook and try new recipes all the time and as the saying goes ;)



Was making dinner, opened the fridge & chocolate chips caught my eye...now I had two options, I could just eat a little of those yummy morsels or nibble a carrot :P any guesses on which I chose? I decided to make a Soufflé....yup! that's me and my sweet tooth :) Dont really remember where I got this recipe from over the internet or some tv channel completely fogotten. Had it noted down in my diary ready to be tried :)

I took pictures at every step so it's easier for you guys to make and see what the steps actually look like! So here is the step by step on making the yummy little thing just for the two of you or if you would like to eat both all by yourself...upto you ;)

Ingredients: (for two people)

1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cocoa
1 large egg (yolk & white separated)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp sugar
sugar for sprinkle and spray can (baking)

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400F/200C.

Spray two 6 ounce ramekins or custard cups (oven proof) with spray & coat lightly with sugar.

Heat chocolate chips, butter & cocoa in a pan (very low heat, takecare not to to burn/overheat).


When chocolate is fully melted, Stir in the-egg yolk & vanilla. Keep on flame for 5-10 seconds. Stir slowly.

Beat Egg whites (it will be frothy & foamy at first). Add 2 tbsp sugar and keep whisking till soft peaks form.



Stir 1/4 egg white mixture to the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining gently but thoroughly.




Spoon in ramekins, filling 3/4th cup.




Bake on centre oven rack for 15-20 minutes or until puffed. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.





----End notes----

Soufflé is supposed to be puffy and as soon as it's out of the oven it deflates and goes a little down. Dont panic if that happens :) it's normal. It will be soft and gooey inside but not runny. You can now enjoy your Heavenly Soufflé right in the mug or turn it upside down on a plate and serve with fruit/icecream/whipped cream. Enjoy!




I hope you & your family try it and enjoy this easy but delicious recipe! Any questions or comments are most welcome, your lovely comments make my day! Spread the Love by sharing this Blog and the posts you like :)

Ciao <3